News & Stories

A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has analyzed 40 years of data covering around 1,500 tropical cyclones and discovered that average rain rates surge by more than 20% in the 60 hours before landfall. The study is also the first to clearly identify the physical mechanisms behind this increase, showing that rising humidity over coastal areas and enhanced land-sea frictional contrasts strengthen convection, intensifying rainfall ahead of landfall. The results provide valuable insights for improving coastal disaster preparedness and early‑warning systems.

A research team led by Prof. QIAN Peiyuan, Chair Professor of the Department of Ocean Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), and the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding the adaptive strategies of the deep-sea black coral Bathypathes pseudoalternata (B. pseudoalternata) and its symbiotic microbiome. The study has been published in the top international journal Cell Host & Microbe.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), has launched the world's first Deep Ocean Omics (DOO) database (https://DeepOceanOmics.org/). As the largest platform of its kind, DOO integrates and analyzes multi-omics data from organisms thriving in the ocean's most extreme environments, alongside customized analytical tools to support cross-species comparative and evolutionary studies. By facilitating the utilization of deep-sea biological resources, the platform aims to advance scientific understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystems, and to foster global research and applications related to biological adaptation in extreme environments.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has successfully launched the Global Climate Impact of Methane Seeps (CliMetS) Initiative through a pivotal collaboration with the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (GML) and over 200 experts worldwide. Endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Action, CliMetS is dedicated to mapping seabed methane seeps across the world’s oceans and quantifying their impact on global climate systems. Recently, HKUST co-led two milestone workshops in South America and Africa, galvanizing global efforts to address methane seep research gaps and fostering cross-continental partnerships.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is pleased to announce the launch of WavyOcean 2.0, an immersive digital twin platform of regional earth system. This upgraded platform deeply integrates digital technologies with innovative research in Earth system, creating the first "dynamic digital mirror" for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and China's coastal regions. With these enhancement, WavyOcean 2.0 offers the latest data on ocean currents, marine ecology, atmospheric conditions, and the distribution of rivers and pollutants in terrestrial watersheds, along with comprehensive data analysis tools and immersive visualization interactive functions. 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is proud to be the exclusive university partner of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macau for the Anita Conti Sustainable Innovation Fellowship, under the partnership framework of France-HKUST Innovation Hub. The Fellowship pays tribute to Anita Conti (1899-1997), also known as « la Dame de la Mer » (the Lady of the Sea ) and the first French woman oceanographer and a pioneer in marine ecology, as well as her scientific contribution and commitment to the protection of the oceans. It aims to inspire the next generations of researchers, innovators, and environmentalists to address the challenges of climate change and its impacts on our planet.

With strong support from the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) hosted a welcoming ceremony today for the inaugural visit of Chinese research vessel Shenhai Yihao (Deep Sea No. 1) and the manned submersible Jiaolong to Hong Kong, following the vessel’s successful expedition in the Western Pacific.  Co-led by HKUST, the expedition is part of the first international deep-sea metascience program, “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats (DEPTH),” backed by the mainland government, with the participation of scientists from various countries. 

A research team at HKUST has outlined the high-resolution structure of a little-known virus, improving our understanding of viral infection, which could pave the way for more accurate predictions of climate change.