AN experimental proof of quantum interference in chemical reactions made by a team led by Yang Xueming, a professor in SUSTech College of Science, has been named one of the top 10 domestic scientific advances of 2020 by the Ministry of Science and Technology on Saturday.

Yang is chair professor of the Department of Chemistry at SUSTech and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In a statement Saturday, the Basic Research Management Center of the ministry said a chemical reaction is always accompanied by complicated quantum mechanics, which is hard to be observed directly, so a medical reaction itself is hard to be thoroughly apprehended. Professor Yang and his research team’s discovery set a good example for other researchers.

Yang got his discovery published in Science journal in May last year, showing quantum interference is a mechanism to uncover chemical reactions.

SUSTech has won the award for the second year straight. In 2019, also from SUSTech, Zhang Liyuan and his team were awarded for proving the 3D Quantum Hall Effect by experiment.

The top 10 domestic scientific advances of 2020 include the remarkable progresses in tackling COVID-19, Chang’e-5 probe’s retrieval of lunar samples, deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe’s diving record, research on the transmission of human genetic materials, transparent ferroelectric single crystals with ultrahigh piezoelectricity, quantum interference in chemical reactions, as well as biomarkers and potential intervention targets for organ aging in mammals.

Also listed are: new height measurement of Mount Qomolangma, revealing the evolution and migration history of Chinese populations with ancient DNA, and recreating the history of over 300 million years of biodiversity changes on Earth.

(Han Ximin)