For the past decade, a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels has been a key threshold under the Paris Agreement. But as the world moves closer to, and potentially beyond, that mark, extreme weather is no longer a distant warning. From devastating floods and wildfires to record-breaking heat, climate risks are already disrupting lives, economies and critical infrastructure around the world. So the question is no longer simply how to prevent climate change, but how to prepare for what comes next. Can better early-warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and new technologies help societies adapt? And can major powers and countries of the Global South find common ground to tackle a challenge that affects us all?

"Once upon a time in the Middle East" has become a blockbuster in China. It follows a debt-ridden Chinese chef who travels to the Middle East to make money, only to find himself caught between war and peace, life and death. He is no Hollywood superhero. He's an ordinary man. And that is the point. The film turns an epic story into something deeply human: food for everyone, children protected from conflicts, and ordinary people simply trying to survive. As Chinese people live and work across the world and wars continue to threaten lives, the film has struck a chord far beyond China, speaking to hearts as much as minds. Now, as the film reaches cinemas around the world, I spoke with its director and screenwriter, Wen Muye. Why did he choose war and an ordinary Chinese chef to tell this story?

The Chinese city of Xi'an recently hosted a global dialogue on how artificial intelligence is reshaping human civilization and human development. The event is organized by the United Nations in collaboration with China. Global thought leaders, policymakers, technologists, academics and cultural leaders brainstormed and provided their wisdom. We spoke to two of the attendees.

In this episode, we spoke with retired US teacher Ronald Sakolsky, who once supported China's desertification control efforts. Sakolsky arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a visit aimed at renewing a friendship with the Chinese people that first took root more than two decades ago.

A dialogue on AI and human development, held in Xi'an in northwest China under UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and co-organized with China, gathered cross-sector leaders to examine AI's impact on human progress. Mohammed affirmed AI should serve humanity, while discussions covered the UN's global roadmap and China's essential role in shaping that future.

Robotics has advanced at a stunning pace in recent years. Yet, one fundamental question remains: Can we build electronic materials and sensing systems that truly feel like human skin? On this frontier, we spoke with Professor Zhenan Bao, the winner of the ICBS Wu Chien-Shiung Medal in Engineering. Bao expects the technology to enable robotics, especially humanoid robots, in the coming years, making them operate more safely around humans and to make better decisions.

Filmmakers, commentators and movie fans share their insights on "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East," a Chinese film that has been drawing growing attention. It is a story about war, survival — and the unlikely power of a kitchen to bring people together.

In this episode of World Insight's special series "Season of AI & Basic Sciences," we spoke with 2026 Fields Medalist Yu Deng, one of the world's leading young mathematicians. We talked about how he works with AI, where mathematics can take us next, and perhaps most importantly, why this very abstract science matters to all of us.

In this special episode, we speak with four distinguished women scientists to talk about their journeys, the challenges they have faced, and where they see science is headed.

As AI advances fast in a quick shifting industry, open-source models are gaining ground, while different players are taking divergent paths. Yet, beneath the surface, important questions remain: How should governments approach regulation without stifling innovation? Can different regulatory frameworks find common ground? And, what will it take to step up cooperation and AI governance among nations?

Global extreme weathers are increasingly more common, disrupting lives and inflicting damage. The World Meteorological Organization reports that periods of extreme heat are becoming more frequent, far intense and longer-lasting. This summer, deadly heat waves hit Europe, with the continent reeling from record temperatures and wildfires. In the United States, July this year was the hottest ever recorded, with the highest temperatures across the country. In Asia, typhoons have spawned strong winds and heavy rainfall. What's driving these changes? How can countries improve early-warning systems toward greater resilience?

Two young Chinese mathematicians, Wang Hong and Deng Yu, recently won Fields Medals — the highest honor in mathematics. On the sidelines of the ongoing International Congress of Basic Science here in Beijing, we spoke to Professor Shing-Tung Yau, chair of the International Congress of Basic Science, who talks about mathematics, talent — and what makes a great mathematician.

Algorithms drive today's top AI applications. Professor Robert Tarjan, the 1986 Turing Award winner, notes that while simple algorithms efficiently compress massive data for human use, truly smart AI still requires intrinsic human curiosity to explore the world. He is in Beijing for the 2026 International Congress of Basic Science.

More than five months into the US-Israel-Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz has repeatedly been closed, reopened and thrust back into uncertainty, becoming one of the conflict's most consequential flashpoints. What might that mean for global energy security and the future of geopolitical competition?

The 2026 International Congress of Basic Science or ICBS opens in Beijing on the weekend with the inaugural ICBS medals honoring scientists whose breakthroughs have advanced mathematics, physics, engineering, and so on. Among them is Professor Wang Yifang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, whose work has driven China's rise in neutrino physics, which helps human being to answer. Some of the biggest questions about the universe, where did everything come from? Why does anything exist at all? And what the universe is really made of?