China's winter landscapes become spectacular natural ice-and-snow masterpieces

As early winter tightens its grip across China, spectacular natural phenomena are emerging from the snow-draped Tianshan and Qinba mountains in northwest China to the Arctic Village in the northeast, featuring towering snow-capped peaks, pristine forests and rare atmospheric light displays.

In Fukang City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Tianshan Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) Scenic Area turned into a picturesque winter wonderland, after fresh snowfall gave way to clear skies.

Snow-capped Bogda Peak stood in stark contrast to the deep-green spruce forests below. Distant ridges faded like ink-wash strokes, while the Heavenly Lake mirrored the serene winter landscape, turning the entire scene into a vast traditional Chinese painting. Tourists boarded boats to admire reflections of snow-laden trees and a crisp blue sky, savoring the poetic tranquility of the season.

In northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a surge of strong cold air brought the season's first snowfall to Nangong Mountain in Ankang City on Nov 17, blanking the Qinba range in pristine white.

Peaks whitened overnight as crystalline rime encased trees and mist wreathed the ridges.

From a distance, the rolling contours resembled bold brush strokes; up close, the scene evoked the refined elegance of traditional ink-and-wash paintings.

Part of the Daba Mountains, Nangong Mountain is crowned by its iconic 2,267.4-meter Jinding Peak. The twin summits flanking the main peak resemble a traditional "bijia" or calligraphy brush rack, earning the range its alternate name, "Bijia Mountain."

Further north in Mohe city, Heilongjiang Province, China's northernmost point, the Arctic Village has been treated to a rare nighttime spectacle: brilliant and dazzling light pillars piercing the sky.

The vivid light beams appear when suspended ice crystals reflect powerful artificial lights under extremely cold, calm conditions.

With local temperatures plunging below minus 20 degrees Celsius, the mesmerizing display has captivated residents and visitors alike.

China's winter landscapes become spectacular natural ice-and-snow masterpieces

The two-day 2025 Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Conference concluded on Friday in Shanghai, where multiple globally leading "China solutions" took center stage.

Under the theme "Brain connects the world, wisdom gathers in Shanghai," the event gathered research teams from major universities, leading industry developers, and experts across the BCI sector to strengthen the connection between research, application, and policy.

As part of the event, the first BCI competition featured four categories—fatigue detection, emotion recognition, brain-controlled robotic cars, and brain-controlled robotic arms - with 40 out of nearly 100 teams from across China received prizes.

In the BCI Industry Innovation Exhibition Zone, more than a dozen frontier-tech companies presented cutting-edge technologies ranging from key components to comprehensive system-level solutions.

Exhibits spanned the entire technology chain, from underlying hardware to clinical applications, covering fields such as sleep intervention, mental illness treatment, and rehabilitation for degenerative diseases—highlighting the latest trends in BCI development.

"We completed the first domestic clinical trial this March, and next year we will launch large-scale clinical trials," said an exhibitor named Chen Yaoxu.

Shanghai has established China's first future industry cluster dedicated to BCI technologies. During the conference, several new innovation platforms—including a BCI service platform and a joint laboratory for digital neuromedicine - were inaugurated.

"We are guided by clinical needs and clinical scenarios. At the same time, we are opening high-quality EEG datasets for enterprises to support their algorithm research and guide them in developing concrete products that truly address real-world needs," said Wang Zhuoyao, BCI Project manager of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Shanghai conference highlights China's cutting-edge brain-computer interface innovations