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Since the birth of modern science, and in particular throughout the 20 th century, we have continuously deepened our understanding of Nature, and developed more means and methods to make use of natural resources. Technological innovation and industrial progress have become decisive factors in promoting unprecedented development of productive forces and the progress of society, and have greatly improved the mode of production and the way we live.
The 20 th century witnessed many revolutions in science. The establishment and development of quantum theory and the theory of relativity have changed our concept of time and space, and have given us a unified understanding of matter and energy. They served as a theoretical foundation upon which a series of major scientific discoveries and technological inventions were made. The discovery of the structure of DNA transformed our understanding of heredity and helped to unify our vision of the biological world. As a corner-stone in biology, DNA research has exerted a far-reaching influence on modern agriculture and medicine. The development of information science has provided a theoretical basis for computer science, communication technology, intelligent manufacturing, understanding of human cognition, and even economic and social studies. The theory of continental drift and plate tectonics has had important implications for seismology, geology of ore deposits, palaeontology, and palaeoclimatology. New understandings about the cosmos have enabled us to know in general terms, and also in many details, how elementary particles and chemical elements were formed, and how this led to the formation of molecules and the appearance of life, and even the origin and evolution of the entire universe.
The 20 th century also witnessed revolutions in technology. Breakthroughs in fundamental research, coupled to the stimulus of market forces, have led to unparalleled technological achievements. Energy, materials, information, aviation and aeronautics, and biological medicine have undergone dramatic changes. Specifically, new energy technologies have helped to promote social development; new materials technologies promote the growth of manufacturing and industrial prosperity; information technology has ushered in the Internet and the pervasive role of computing; aviation and aeronautical technology has broadened our vision and mobility, and has ultimately led to the exploration of the universe beyond our planet; and improvements in medical and biological technology have enabled people to live much better, healthier lives.
Outstanding achievements in science and technology made in China during its long history have contributed to the survival, development and continuation of the Chinese nation. The country remained ahead of Europe for several hundred years before the 15 th century. As Joseph Needham's studies demonstrated, a great many discoveries and innovations in understanding or practical capability—from the shape of snowflakes to the art of cartography, the circulation of the blood, the invention of paper and sericulture and, most famously, of compasses and gunpowder—were first made in China. The Four Great Inventions in ancient China have influenced the development process of the world. Ancient Chinese astronomical records are still used today by astronomers seeking to understand astrophysical phenomena. Thus Chinese as well as other long-standing civilizations in the world deserve to be credited as important sources of modern science and technology.
Scientific and technological revolutions in 17 th and 18 th century Europe, the First and Second Industrial Revolutions in the 18 th and 19 th centuries, and the spread of modern science education and knowledge sped up the modernization process of the West. During these centuries, China lagged behind.
Defeat in the Opium War (1840-1842) served as strong warning to the ancient Chinese empire. Around and after the time of the launch of Nature in 1869, elite intellectuals in China had come to see the importance that science and technology had towards the country's development. Many scholars went to study in Western higher education and research institutions, and some made outstanding contributions to science. Many students who had completed their studies and research in the West returned to China, and their work, together with that of home colleagues, laid the foundation for the development of modern science and technology in the country.
In the six decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has made a series of achievements in science and technology. Chinese scientists independently developed the atomic bomb, the hydrogen bomb and artificial satellite within a short period of time. The continental oil generation theory led to the discovery of the Daqing oil field in the northeast. Chinese scientists also succeeded in synthesizing bovine insulin, the first protein to be made by synthetic chemical methods. The development and popularization of hybrid rice strains have significantly increased the yields from rice cultivation, benefiting hundreds of millions of people across the world. Breakthroughs in many other fields, such as materials science, aeronautics and life science, all represent China's progress in modern science and technology.
As the Chinese economy continues to enjoy rapid growth, scientific research is also producing increasing results. Many of these important results have been published in first-class international science journals such as Nature . This has expanded the influence of Chinese science research, and promoted exchange and cooperation between Chinese scientists with colleagues in other countries. All these indicate that China has become a significant global force in science and technology and that greater progress is expected in the future.
Science journals, which developed alongside modern science, play an essential role in faithfully recording the path of science, as well as spreading and promoting modern science. Such journals report academic development in a timely manner, provide a platform for scientists to exchange ideas and methods, explore the future direction of science, stimulate academic debates, promote academic prosperity, and help the public to better understand science. While promoting science and technology, China should place greater emphasis on the betterment of science journals. We should draw on the philosophies and methods of leading science journals such as Nature , improve the standards of digital access, and enable some of our own science journals to extend their impact beyond China in the not too distant future so that they can serve as an advanced platform for the development of science and technology in our country.
In the 20 th century, Nature published many remarkable discoveries in disciplines such as biology, geoscience, environmental science, materials science, and physics. The selection and publication of the best of the more than 100,000 articles in Nature over the past 150 years or so in English-Chinese bilingual format is a highly meaningful joint undertaking by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Macmillan Publishers Limited and the Nature Publishing Group. I believe that Nature: the Living Record of Science will help bridge cultural differences, promote international cooperation in science and technology, prove to be high-standard readings for its intended large audience, and play a positive role in improving scientific and technological research in our country. I fully endorse and support the project.
The volumes offer a picture of the course of science for nearly 150 years, from which we can explore how science develops, draw inspiration for new ideas and wisdom, and learn from the unremitting spirit of scientists in research. Reading these articles is like vicariously experiencing the great discoveries by scientific giants in the past, which will enable us to see wider, think deeper, work better, and aim higher. I believe this collection will also help interested readers from other walks of life to gain a better understanding of and care more about science, thus increasing their respect for and confidence in science.
I should like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the vision and joint efforts of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Macmillan Publishers Limited and the Nature Publishing Group in bringing forth this monumental work, and my thanks to all the translators, reviewers and editors for their exertions in maintaining its high quality.
President of Chinese Academy of Sciences
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