Fact Bank

China's annual Gaokao, one of the world's largest and most competitive university entrance exams, is being taken by more than 13 million students this year. To protect the integrity of the high-stakes test, authorities have deployed advanced anti-cheating measures, including AI-powered surveillance systems, biometric verification, signal-blocking technology, and enhanced monitoring of exam centers. The exam plays a critical role in determining university admissions for millions of students, making security and fairness a top priority across the country.

Surgeons have successfully implanted a 3D-printed windpipe created using a patient's own cells, marking a major advance in regenerative medicine. By using the patient's biological material, the engineered airway is designed to integrate naturally with the body while significantly reducing the risk of immune rejection.
The breakthrough highlights the growing potential of 3D bioprinting technology to create customized replacement tissues and organs. Researchers hope similar techniques could one day help address the global shortage of donor organs and provide safer treatment options for patients with severe airway damage or disease.

Brazilian police once took an unusual witness into custody—a pet macaw that reportedly alerted suspected drug traffickers by squawking warnings as officers approached during a raid. According to local reports, the bird appeared to recognize the arrival of police and loudly called out, potentially giving suspects time to react.
The incident quickly gained international attention, with many media outlets humorously describing the macaw as being “arrested.” While the bird was not charged with any crime, the story highlighted the surprising intelligence and observational skills of parrots, which are known for their ability to mimic sounds, words, and behaviors from their surroundings.

Scientists are continuing to uncover surprising abilities in some of nature’s smallest creatures. Researchers have found that bumblebees can learn and solve complex tasks, demonstrating problem-solving skills once thought to require much larger brains.

Despite having brains smaller than a grain of rice, bumblebees can observe, remember, and apply solutions to new challenges. Studies have shown that they can even learn from other bees and improve their performance over time.

The findings suggest that intelligence is not simply a matter of brain size. Instead, highly efficient neural circuits may allow insects to perform sophisticated behaviors using only a tiny fraction of the neurons found in larger animals, offering new insights into cognition, evolution, and even the future design of artificial intelligence systems.

China has performed the world's first simultaneous transplant of a pig liver and two pig kidneys into a human, marking a significant milestone in xenotransplantation research. The procedure used gene-edited pig organs designed to reduce the risk of rejection and improve compatibility with the human body.

Scientists view the achievement as an important step toward addressing the global shortage of donor organs, a challenge that leaves thousands of patients waiting for life-saving transplants each year. While further research and long-term monitoring are needed to evaluate safety and effectiveness, the successful function of multiple pig organs in a human highlights the rapid progress being made in transplant medicine and genetic engineering.