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092026/06/

Scientific research trends

The Second Academic Annual Conference of the Joint Center for Earth and Planetary Sciences between Northwest University and the University of Hong Kong was successfully held in Xi'an
042026/06/

Scientific research trends

Our early life research team NATURE has published a paper on the discovery of rare fossils in Hanzhong, Shaanxi: empirical evidence that the Bryophyte phylum originated in the early Cambrian period

On June 3rd at 23:00 Beijing time, the journal Nature published the latest achievement of our early life research team led by Zhang Zhifei in the form of a long article online - "High fidelity preserved modular bones confirm the Cambrian origin of the Bryophyte phylum". The research team discovered a group of miniature bryophyte fossils in the Xiannongdong Formation of the early Cambrian period in the Hanzhong area, which preserved both mineralized bones and in-situ animal soft tissues. This confirms the appearance of bryophytes in the early Cambrian period and provides new insights for tracing the origin and mineralization of this animal species.
252026/05/

Scientific research trends

Our school held a mid-term self-examination meeting for the national key research and development plan "Environmental Causes and Ecological Reconstruction of the Cambrian Explosion" project
142026/01/

Scientific research trends

The Early Life and Environment Research Team at Northwestern University has reconstructed the evolution process of ocean oxidation models over the past 2 billion years

The oxygen content in the ocean is a key factor affecting the radiation and evolution of early life. The area of the ocean is extremely vast, and the spatial variability of oxygen content is strong. For example, the oxygen distribution in the early Earth's oceans may have been dominated by the "oxygen oasis" model of productivity, while the water bodies where modern ocean productivity is flourishing are more prone to hypoxia, resulting in a completely different spatial distribution of oxygen.
072024/03/

Scientific research trends

18 academicians gathered at Western University: "Northwest University Hong Kong University Earth and Planetary Science Joint Center" established
242023/10/

Teaching dynamics

Our department's teachers achieved excellent results in the 4th National Geological Course Teaching Competition for Young University Teachers

The 4th National Geological Course Teaching Competition for Young University Teachers (Finals), hosted by the Geological Society of China, guided by the Geological Education and Research Branch of the Geological Society of China, and hosted by Changjiang University, was held in Wuhan, Hubei Province from October 21st to 22nd. The competition included Peking University, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Jilin University, and China University of Petroleum (Beijing) 176 young teachers from 69 higher education institutions including China University of Mining and Technology participated in this competition. Professor Lai Shaocong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Vice President, and National Teaching Master of our school, served as the Deputy Leader of the Expert Group for the competition. Vice Director Feng Congjun served as a member of the organizing committee for the competition. Three young teachers from our department, Zhang Feifei, Zhang Dengfei, and Sun Shengsi, participated in the competition and won two special prizes and one first prize.
092023/03/

Scientific research trends

Researcher Ren Zhanli from our department was invited to give an academic presentation at the China International Geothermal Forum

On March 3-4, the 13th China International Geothermal Forum 2023, hosted by the Geothermal Industry Working Committee of the China Association for Technical Supervision and Information, the Key Laboratory of Shallow Geothermal Energy of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Beijing Aviation Environmental New Energy Research Institute, and Geothermal App, and hosted by the China Geothermal Magazine, Geothermal Energy Network, and Carbon, was grandly held at the Shaanxi Hotel. As the annual grand event in the field of geothermal energy in China, this forum is themed "New Beginning, New Ideas to Assist the 30-60 Dual Carbon Goals", aiming to deeply implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, assist in the implementation of the carbon peak and carbon neutrality strategy, and promote the high-quality development of China's geothermal industry. Four academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including Wang Jiyang, He Yaling, and An Zhisheng, were invited to attend the conference. More than 1000 people, including authoritative experts in the field of geothermal energy, leaders of relevant government departments, industry associations, geothermal enterprises, research institutes, higher education institutions, energy-saving investment and carbon neutrality industry service enterprises, and nearly 20 media reporters, attended the on-site conference and visited the China Geothermal Exhibition.

Research findings

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Tin (Sn) is an indispensable strategic key metal in fields such as electronic information, new energy, and high-end manufacturing. Tin oxide (SnO2) is the most important tin containing mineral in tin deposits. Its Sn isotope composition can effectively trace the source of ore-forming materials, the evolution of ore-forming fluids, and the migration precipitation process of tin. It is an important geochemical tool for revealing the genesis of tin deposits and deepening the understanding of tin mineralization laws.
The article "Multiscale pore structure of aeolian loess and its role in metastable structure and collapse behavior" written by Professor Xie Wanli and others from Northwestern University has been published in the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (Online First). This study is a further development based on the team's proposal of "Multi scale Structure Hydraulic Coupling Mechanism" (published in JRMGE) in the early stage.
The Cambrian Explosion of Life is the most milestone event in the history of life evolution: within just tens of millions of years, the ancestors of living animal species emerged in stages, mineralized bones quickly spread, and the complex marine ecosystem centered around multicellular animals was officially laid. However, the climate and environmental background that drove this life "fast forward" has always been shrouded in fog, with the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) being a long-standing and unresolved key puzzle. CO2 is a core factor in regulating global climate, profoundly affecting surface temperature, seawater acidity and alkalinity, and continental weathering intensity. However, previous reconstruction of CO2 concentration during this period relied almost entirely on carbon cycle model deduction, with significant differences in results between different schemes and a lack of direct geological evidence constraints.

Academic activities

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China Society of Mineral and Rock Geochemistry Chinese Paleontological Society China Petroleum Institute Chinese Geological Society American Geophysical Union