The Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum Limited

【#Trivia：What rock floats on water?🪨】 Most rocks on Earth sink in water because they are denser than water.  However, one type of rock can float on water for extended periods, and that is pumice✨. Pumice is a volcanic rock formed during eruptions🌋. It is riddled with tiny pores filled with gas. Scientists used X-ray microtomography and data-analysis software to quickly determine the concentration of gas and water within these pores. They discovered that the process of gas collection is related to "surface tension". When pumice floats, it's surrounded by water, forming bubbles🫧 that surface tension keeps trapped inside, allowing the rock to float.  source：https://bit.ly/407kWeg #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science #LifeScience

【#StoryOfLocalScientist🧑🔬：Prof Mok Ngaiming】 Prof Ngaiming Mok is an internationally renowned mathematician, his outstanding research achievements have earned him a plethora of awards throughout his career 🏆, including Sloan Fellowship Award (US), Presidential Young Investigator Award (US), Croucher Senior Fellowship Award (Hong Kong), State Natural Science Award (Class II) (China), Bergman Prize from the American Mathematical Society, Future Science Prize in Mathematics and Computer Science, and Chern Prize presented by International Consortium of Chinese Mathematics (ICCM). Prof Mok is dedicated to research in Several Complex Variables, Complex Differential Geometry and Algebraic Geometry 📐. In 1989, he  collaborated with Prof Jiaqing Zhong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and published an article in the esteemed journal Annals of Mathematics. This work established a Compactification Theorem for complete Kähler manifolds of finite volume, marking the first paper co-authored by a Chinese mathematician in this journal since China’s opening up 📃. He developed with collaborators a geometric theory on Fano manifolds based on the notion of VMRTs (varieties of minimal rational tangents), proving the rigidity of irreducible compact Hermitian symmetric spaces under Kähler deformation in 1998 and solving in 1999 and 2004 the Lazarsfeld Problem in Algebraic Geometry. Also playing an active role in academia, he is the Edmund and Peggy Tse Professor in Mathematics and Chair of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), and serves as the Director of the Institute of Mathematical Research at HKU. Proficient in Putonghua, Cantonese, English, French, German and Italian, he frequently travels the world to deliver academic lectures 👨🏻🏫. He is elected as a Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Mathematics and Physics), and a Member of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.  Prof Mok also contributes his expertise as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum, offering valuable insights on scientific research and exchange. Source：https://bit.ly/3Y6CUuE #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science #HongKongScientist

【#HotTrends： New Shark Species Discovered in the Deep Sea🦈】 The deep sea remains full of mysteries waiting to be uncovered. In 1989, Australian scientists discovered unusual egg cases in the Rowley Shoals. These egg cases featuring  prominent ridges at the top. It took scientists over 30 years to identify a new shark species of demon catshark✨. This shark family deposits its egg cases on corals at depths of 700 meters or more🪸, in the sunless deep water, making their discovery difficult. Recently, the CSIRO captured a pregnant shark at depths between 410 and 504 meters. Dissection revealed a developing embryo with the same distinctive ridges, confirming this new shark species✅. Source：https://bit.ly/47YQAwr #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science #LifeScience 

【#Quotes： Nothing in life is to be feared🙅🏻♀️】 “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”– Marie Curie #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science

【#HotTrends： Earth welcomes a temporary "Mini-Moon"🌕】 Astronomers have discovered an asteroid, named 2024 PT5, which has been captured by Earth's gravitational pull. From 29 September to 25 November, it orbits our planet, making it our temporary second “moon”💫. Originating hailing from the Arjuna asteroid belt, 2024 PT5 shares a solar orbit similar to Earth's. Presently measuring about 10 meters in diameter, it is the largest captured celestial body discovered so far🔍. Its orbit will place it roughly 4.2 million kilometers away from Earth, approximately ten times distance between Earth and the Moon, eliminating any collision risk. 💥. 2024 PT5 traverses a horseshoe-shaped trajectory. After 56.6 days, the gravitational influence of the Sunwill will redirect it back into its solar orbit, and it will not become a permanent satellite of Earth. Source：https://bit.ly/3Y2N80c  #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science #Astronomy

【香港桂冠論壇青年科學家及論壇大使聚會 — 精華片段🎉🎥】   由香港桂冠論壇委員會舉辦的「HKLF Alumni Reunion Party」是自「HKLF Alumni Community」成立以來首個交流聚會，已於8月30日圓滿結束。活動匯聚超過80名參加者和嘉賓，除了曾參與首屆香港桂冠論壇的青年科學家、就讀與科學相關學系的論壇大使，亦包括他們所邀請對我們舉辦的活動感興趣的友好，以及一眾來自恒基兆業地產有限公司、邵逸夫獎、香港中華煤氣有限公司、香港青年協會、香港資優教育學苑、百仁基金等代表。   是次活動的其中一個亮點，就是提供機會予更多有意參與香港桂冠論壇的未來科學家，了解香港桂冠論壇的活動內容及未來發展。我們邀得過往的「創新科技獎學金」得獎者到場，而青年科學家和論壇大使亦攜同同樣是就讀與科學相關學系的友好到來，與其他參加者和嘉賓進行交流，建立聯繫。我們已把活動的精彩時刻剪輯成精華片段，跟大家一起分享當晚的氛圍！👏   【HKLF Alumni Reunion Party – Video Highlights 🎉🎥】   Organised by the Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum, “HKLF Alumni Reunion Party” was the first gathering since the inception of the “HKLF Alumni Community”. The event concluded successfully on 30 August and gathered over 80 participants and guests. Apart from the young scientists and science-based Forum ambassadors who took part in the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum (the Forum), their invited friends who are interested in the HKLF’s activities, as well as representatives from Henderson Land Development Co Ltd, The Shaw Prize, The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, Centum Charitas Foundation, etc. also joined the party.   One of the highlights of the event was to provide opportunities to the up-and-coming scientists, who are interested in joining the Forum, to learn about the Forum programmes and its future development. We invited past recipients of “Innovation and Technology Scholarship” to join, and the young scientists and Forum ambassadors also came with their friends who are studying science-related disciplines, to join the party and establish connections with other participants and guests by exchanging insights together. We have created a highlight video of the event to give you a glimpse into the evening!   #香港桂冠論壇 #李兆基基金 #恒基兆業地產 #邵逸夫獎 #煤氣公司 #香港青年協會 #香港資優教育學苑 #百仁基金 #hongkonglaureateforum #leeshaukeefoundation #hendersonland #shawprize #towngas #hkfyg #hkage #centumcharitasfoundation

【#Trivia： What is the oldest living thing on Earth?🌱】 A bristlecone pine, namely “Methuselah”, is the oldest living tree in the world, which is located in the White Mountains in California in the US. The tree has been alive for close to 5,000 years and is considered to be the oldest living thing on earth. The secret to the bristlecone pines’ longevity lies primarily in its high-resin wood, which helps the trees withstand dry temperatures and protects them from insects and harmful bacteria. Often they will die in portions. Even when one of the roots dies, the rest of the tree continues to grow, contributing to the twisted appearance of these ancient trees. Source：https://bit.ly/3zKa4bo #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science

【#StoryOfLocalScientist🧑🔬： Prof Chu Ming-chung】   Prof Chu Ming-chung is a Hong Kong physicist. He has been passionate about the research in Astrophysics and Particle Physics🌌. He is currently the Choh-Ming Li Professor of Physics at the Department of Physics of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Since 2003, he has led a research team, comprising members from CUHK and other institutions, to conduct the Daya Bay neutrino oscillation experiment🔬. As the Principal Investigator of the Hong Kong team, he and his team has contributed to various findings of neutrino experiments, including the establishment of the value of the third and final neutrino “mixing angle” theta-13 via the measurement of neutrino oscillation and the constraint on sterile neutrinos. The project was the turning point for Prof Chu to change his research field from theoretical physics to experimental fundamental physics. Furthermore, in 2014, Prof Chu led a team of physicists from CUHK, The University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to join the A Toroidal LHC Apparatus (ATLAS) under the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) and focused on the particle collision experiments. The team’s participation raised the profile of Hong Kong scientists and their global impact🌎. Besides his research endeavors, Prof Chu is dedicated to nurturing talented physicists. Since 2019, he has been serving as a member of the Programme Steering Committee of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum. He is committed to promoting scientific exchanges and encouraging the young generation to engage in scientific research by sharing his research experience 💪🏻. Source：https://bit.ly/3za1Qct #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science

【#Trivia： Does light travel faster through air or water⚡?】 Light travelling in a uniform substance, or medium, propagates in a straight line at a relatively constant speed, unless it is refracted, reflected, diffracted, or perturbed in some other manner. When light travelling through the air enters a different medium, such as water, the speed and wavelength of light are reduced, although the frequency remains unaltered. Light travels at approximately 300,000 kilometers per second in a vacuum, which has a refractive index of 1.0. However, it slows down to 225,000 kilometers per second in water, which has a higher refractive index of 1.3. source：https://bit.ly/47wEHNK #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science

【#HongKongR&D🤖：CityU establishes Hong Kong's first "JC STEM Lab of Innovative Thermo-Fluid Science"🔬】 City University of Hong Kong has established Hong Kong's first JC STEM Lab of Innovative Thermo-Fluid Science (the Lab) to enhance zero-carbon direct emissions nuclear energy research and fill the gap in local energy research. The Lab will collaborate with the power industry, construction companies, national laboratories, as well as related government departments🤝🏻, and focus on researching advanced two-phase flow numerical simulation codes. The Lab aims to contribute to nuclear safety enhancement, power upgrade, service life extension, and new reactor design creation, which ultimately contributes to the strategy of "Net-zero electricity generation" under Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 🏙️! Source：https://bit.ly/3BaGtYX #香港桂冠論壇 #李兆基基金 #HongKongLaureateForum #LeeShauKeeFoundation #Science