2 1 Shi Ji Jing Ji Bao Dao·2025-09-21 05:06Core Points - The "Scientific Exploration Award" is one of the highest monetary awards for young scientific talent in China, providing each of the 50 awardees with a total of 3 million yuan over five years [4][5] - The award ceremony held on September 20 showcased a younger cohort of winners, including six individuals born in the 1990s, with research spanning various cutting-edge fields [1][5] - China's basic research funding is projected to reach 249.7 billion yuan in 2024, reflecting a growth of over 70% since 2020, although the majority of funding still comes from the central government [9][10] Funding and Awards - The "Scientific Exploration Award," established in 2018, is funded by Tencent and managed by the New Cornerstone Science Foundation, focusing on original scientific research [4][10] - Other notable awards include the "Future Science Prize" and the "Damo Academy Qicheng Award," which have been established by prominent entrepreneurs to support young scientists [10][11] - In 2022, the Chinese government introduced tax incentives to encourage corporate investment in basic research, aiming to diversify funding sources [12] Research Focus - This year's awardees are engaged in innovative research areas such as artificial retinal light sensitivity restoration, the generation and manipulation of non-Abelian anyons, and the search for life indicators in Martian rock paints [6][7] - The increase in young awardees aligns with the introduction of a "New Star Quota" aimed at recognizing emerging scientists [5][6] - The research outcomes of past awardees have been recognized in top international journals, with 11 researchers' work included in the "Top Ten Scientific Advances in China" [7][10]