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Achieving net-zero emissions is a key priority and widely anticipated by Taiwanese society. How to accelerate the broad application of scientific research to society and enhance human well-being has become an important challenge in the next phase of net-zero research. Academia Sinica, in collaboration with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, has for the first time organized the “2026 Net-Zero Technology Business Plan Competition.” Stanford students developed commercialization proposals based on Academia Sinica’s net-zero technologies, using Taiwan’s energy transition as the context. The final round was held today (March 27) at Academia Sinica. All teams performed exceptionally well and were closely matched. Ultimately, CorePower and Century EGS were jointly awarded first place.
A research team led by Academician Chien-Jen Chen, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica, in collaboration with the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) and several universities in Taiwan, has completed a large-scale, 20-year study on breast cancer risk assessment. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in March 2026.
Where do the stars in the universe come from? During the most active era of star formation, what conditions allowed galaxies to continuously produce vast numbers of stars? Dr. Yi-Kuan Chiang, an Assistant Research Fellow at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), has made the first cosmic-scale measurement of the background glow produced by carbon emission lines. His study finds that, during the peak epoch of star formation, the amount of molecular gas in the universe might have been nearly twice that of previous estimates. This result not only fills an important gap in our understanding of the cosmic matter cycle but also reveals the key driving force behind the birth of stars. The findings were published in Nature Astronomy in early March 2026.
The seventh lecture of Academia Sinica’s TAIWAN BRIDGES program took place yesterday (2), featuring Dr. Sir Gregory P. Winter, Fellow of Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Speaking on the theme “The Antibody Revolution”, Sir Gregory elaborated on how antibody drugs evolve from fundamental scientific research through engineered innovation toward clinical application, and provide an outlook on the future trajectory of the antibody field.
Quantum computing is now moving from the laboratory toward a new phase of engineering development and industrialization. At today’s (26) Academia Sinica Lecture, Academia Sinica welcomed the 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics, Dr. John Martinis, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to deliver a keynote address titled “Quantum Computing’s Industrial Revolution: From Lab to Fab”. In his lecture, Professor Martinis analyzed the critical challenges facing quantum computing as it advances toward engineering scalability and real-world industrial applications. The event drew a capacity audience of more than 400 distinguished representatives from academia, research institutions, and the technology industry, sparking dynamic and wide-ranging discussion throughout.
TAIWAN BRIDGES〉What Is Life?Nobel Laureate Dr. Sir Paul Nurse Explores the Five Fundamental Principles of Living Systems
The fifth lecture of Academia Sinica’s TAIWAN BRIDGES Program welcomed Dr. Sir Richard J. Roberts, recipient of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, who delivered a lecture entitled “Why You Should Love GMOs?” Drawing on decades of engagement with the debate surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Sir Richard traced the origins of his advocacy and outlined the actions he has taken over the years, urging the public to evaluate genetically modified crops through the lens of scientific evidence rather than fear or misinformation
The 2026 Taipei International Book Exhibition officially opened today (February 3). Academia Sinica presents its exhibition under the theme “Blueprint,” showcasing nearly 3,000 interdisciplinary academic monographs and 400 volumes of compiled historical sources. From February 3 to 8, the exhibition will also feature 11 talks, inviting the public from all backgrounds to engage with scholarly researchers.
Following the announcement in 2023 of Taiwan’s first domestically designed and built 5-qubit superconducting quantum computer, Academia Sinica has reached another major R&D milestone, announcing today the successful development of a 20-qubit superconducting quantum computer. President James C. Liao noted last month that the Academia Sinica team completed a new generation 20-qubit superconducting quantum chip, designed and fabricated in-house, and successfully integrated into a full quantum computing system. This achievement positions Taiwan among the global frontrunners and marks the nation’s official entry into the critical domain of large-scale quantum chip fabrication. The system is already open to domestic academic and research institutions for quantum simulation and related studies, and will eventually serve as a test platform for industrial users in hardware-software integration and algorithm development.
The fourth lecture of Academia Sinica’s TAIWAN BRIDGES series was held yesterday (the 22nd), featuring Dr. Michel Mayor, Nobel Laureate in Physics (2019) and Emeritus Professor at the University of Geneva. Dr. Mayor delivered a lecture entitled “Is There a Planet B – Will Humanity Emigrate to an Exoplanet?” The lecture attracted more than 500 participants and explored major questions that may seem imaginative yet are grounded in scientific evidence, including “Does life exist elsewhere in the universe?” and “Can humans migrate to a second Earth?”
On January 16, Academia Sinica launched the third lecture of its TAIWAN BRIDGES series, welcoming 2012 Nobel Laureate in Physics, Dr. Serge Haroche, for a talk entitled “The Laser and Quantum Physics.” Drawing an audience of hundreds of faculty members and students, the lecture offered a compelling journey through a century of quantum physics, blending scientific rigor with intellectual elegance and inspiring lively exchange throughout the event.
President Lai Ching-Te appointed Academician Chen Chien-Jen as the 13th President of Academia Sinica on January 2. His term of office will run from June 21, 2026, to June 20, 2031.
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