China is massing an army of researchers to attack the mysteries of the ocean. The Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology will consolidate much of the nation's ocean research and host 10,000 researchers and support staff, making it one of the largest national labs in the world. As the first of several national laboratories that China intends to launch in the coming years—others will be devoted to brain research, physics, and environmental science—the Qingdao lab will also be a bellwether for efforts to persuade scientists to accept greater government scrutiny and direction in exchange for ample resources. Foreign scientists will get their first glimpse of the lab when it hosts a global conference on climate and oceans later this month. |
