The 27th China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) Annual Meeting convened its main forum in Beijing on July 6. During the event, CAST released the 2025 Top 10 Frontier Scientific Questions, alongside 10 major engineering challenges and 10 key industrial technology issues.
Since 2018, CAST has annually launched a public call and rigorous selection process for the nation's most significant scientific and technological questions. The 2025 edition aims to provide guidance for China's emergence of disruptive scientific advances.
Here are the Top 10 Frontier Scientific Questions for 2025:
1. Topological and Geometric Classification of Manifolds
Classification of manifolds is a fundamental problem in mathematics, with broad implications for geometry, topology, and theoretical physics. Progress in this area could offer new mathematical foundations for fields like general relativity and quantum mechanics, while deepening our understanding of spatial and material structures.
2. Properties of the Higgs Boson and the Origin of Mass
The Circular Electron-Positron Collider (CEPC) will conduct high-precision research into the Higgs mechanism and search for physics beyond the Standard Model. The project is expected to elevate China's global standing in high-energy physics and drive innovation in superconducting, cryogenic, and high-frequency technologies.
3. Substituting Metalloids for Transition Metals in Precision Catalysis
Exploring the feasibility of metalloids replacing transition metals in chemical synthesis could redefine catalyst science, reduce environmental impact, cut production costs, and open new paths in green chemistry, materials science, and pharmaceutical development.
4. Abnormal Typhoon Tracks and Rapid Intensification Mechanisms
Decoding the multiscale physical mechanisms behind typhoon generation, structural changes, and track shifts could greatly improve predictive accuracy. This would enhance disaster response capabilities and support national climate resilience strategies.
5. Formation Mechanisms of Macroscopic Ecosystem Spatial Patterns
Understanding how large-scale ecosystem patterns form and interact enables better spatial planning, early warning systems, and sustainable ecological governance. This is vital for achieving coordinated regional development and ecological protection.
6. AI Security Frameworks Based on Cryptographic Theory
New security paradigms for artificial intelligence (AI) rooted in cryptography could provide mathematically verifiable safeguards, ensuring responsible, reliable, and controllable development of AI technologies.
7. Multidimensional and Reconfigurable Supramolecular Machine Assemblies
Developing reversible and functional supramolecular systems will push molecular robotics beyond current limitations, potentially positioning supramolecular machines as the next technological frontier after semiconductors and AI.
8. Dark Energy and the Hubble Constant Tension
Resolving the Hubble tension and unveiling the nature of dark energy could reshape our understanding of cosmic evolution and fundamental physics. The research will also accelerate advances in large-scale astronomical instrumentation and high-performance computing.
9. Breeding Potential of Wild Crop Relatives for Enhanced Stress Resistance
Tapping into the genetic traits of wild crop relatives can improve cultivated varieties' resilience and productivity under stress, supporting food security and sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change.
10. Host-Microbiome Interaction Mechanisms in Human Health
Research into host–microbiome interactions is transforming life sciences by revealing co-evolutionary dynamics between humans and symbiotic microbes. It promises breakthroughs in personalized nutrition, disease prevention, and public health.
Source: China Association for Science and Technology, VOC
