BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science news from the past week:
IPR PROTECTION
China has seen comprehensive enhancement in the intellectual property rights (IPR) sector over the past decade, with remarkable results.
Over the 2010-2019 period, the comprehensive development index of China's IPR sector increased from 100 to 279.2, according to the 2019 annual evaluation report on China's IP development.
MONSOON MOISTURE INFLUENCES WEATHER
Chinese researchers have found that summer monsoon moisture can invade the dry and cold regions in northwest China's Gansu Province, according to a study published in the journal Climate Dynamics.
According to researchers from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation in northwestern China have visibly increased in recent years.
MICROPLASTICS
Chinese researchers have proved that microplastics are ubiquitous in rivers, lakes and sediment in reservoirs.
Their research findings revealed that 70 percent of microplastics in the marine environment come from rivers, found largely in river sediment.
LONG NAPS LINKED TO HEART DISEASE
Chinese researchers have found that daytime naps lasting more than 60 minutes may raise the risk of heart disease and death.
Researchers from Guangzhou Medical University analyzed more than 313,000 participants from more than 20 studies to examine the link between napping and potential health risks. About 39 percent of participants took naps.
POLAR ICEBREAKER
Xuelong 2, China's first domestically-built polar icebreaker, has headed back to the homeport in Shanghai after crew members obtained a record-breaking sediment core sample in the Arctic Ocean.
The expedition team obtained an ocean sediment core with a length of 18.65 meters at a depth of 1,870 meters in the Northwind Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Enditem
