Core Points - The Future Science Prize 2025 was announced on August 6, 2025, in Beijing and Hong Kong, revealing the winners of the "Life Science Award," "Material Science Award," and "Mathematics and Computer Science Award," each with a prize of 1 million USD equivalent in RMB [2]. Group 1: Life Science Award - The winners of the Life Science Award are Qiang Ji, Xing Xu, and Zhong Zhou [3][8][12]. - They were recognized for their discovery of fossil evidence that birds originated from dinosaurs [6][9][11]. - Notably, Qiang Ji and researcher Qiaomei Fu recently published papers in Cell and Science, studying a nearly complete human skull fossil from the Middle Pleistocene found in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, which is dated to be over 146,000 years old. They extracted ancient proteins and DNA from the fossil, confirming it belonged to the extinct Denisovans, providing a definitive link to the appearance of Denisovans [13]. Group 2: Historical Context - Since 2016, the Future Science Prize has awarded 39 winners, gaining wide recognition in the scientific community and among the public [16]. - The Life Science Award has previously honored notable scientists such as Yueming Lu, Yigong Shi, and Yuan Longping, among others [16].

Core Insights - Scientists have successfully extracted ancient proteins from fossils dating back at least 18 million years, indicating that protein preservation lasts much longer than previously thought [1][2] - The studies highlight the potential for these ancient proteins to provide new insights into the evolutionary history of various species [1] Group 1: Research Findings - The research teams from Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution extracted proteins from fossils found in the Turkana Basin, Kenya, which is known for its significant evolutionary history [1] - The oldest previously extracted proteins were from about 3.7 million years ago, but these new findings expand that timeline significantly [1] - The Turkana Basin is one of the warmest places on Earth, challenging the assumption that ancient molecules could not be preserved in such conditions [1] Group 2: Additional Research - A separate study by a team from the University of Copenhagen extracted partial sequences of enamel proteins from a true rhinoceros fossil dating back approximately 21 to 24 million years [2] - The cold conditions of the Canadian High Arctic are noted to be favorable for the preservation of biological molecules, aiding in the understanding of animal evolution [2] - Both studies collectively suggest that proteins can retain molecular information about ancient animals for much longer than previously believed [2]

Core Insights - Recent studies published in the journal "Nature" reveal that researchers have extracted ancient proteins from fossils dating back at least 18 million years, indicating that protein preservation lasts much longer than previously thought [1][3][5] Group 1: Research Findings - The studies demonstrate that ancient proteins can be extracted from fossils in the Turkana Basin, a region known for its evolutionary significance, where many African mammal populations, including ancient humans, rhinos, and hippos, diverged [5][7] - One study involved sampling proteins from the earliest known true rhinos and proboscideans, with samples dating back 18 million years, while another study extracted enamel protein sequences from a true rhino from the Canadian High Arctic, dating back approximately 21 to 24 million years [3][5][7] - The findings suggest that cold conditions, such as those in the Canadian Arctic, are conducive to the preservation of biological molecules, which aids in reconstructing animal evolution [7] Group 2: Implications for Evolutionary Studies - The results of these studies provide new insights into the evolutionary history of various species, particularly the lineage of rhinos, and highlight the potential for ancient proteins to offer molecular information about extinct animals [5][7] - The ability to extract proteins from such ancient fossils expands the timeline for molecular preservation, which could lead to a better understanding of the evolutionary processes over millions of years [1][3]