Chapter 41: Transforming Deserts into Oases
Chapter 41: Transforming Deserts into Oases
Following the large-scale application experiment in Shuling City, the research on Yu-type Bacteria itself was essentially complete.
But as a desertification control method poised for widespread use, further testing across different aspects was definitely needed before broad promotion.
That year,
after the results of the Yu-type Bacteria application trial on ten thousand acres of desertified land in Shuling City were reported upwards,
the authorities, in an incredibly short time, approved the use of over one million acres of desertified land spanning different regions across the Huaxia Nation for Research Institute 011’s Yu-type Bacteria project.
This massive field test aimed to confirm the stability of Yu-type Bacteria in non-laboratory settings, under varied climate and soil conditions.
The natural rapid growth and reproduction speed of Yu-type Bacteria played a huge role in pushing this series of tests forward.
Normal plant-based research often takes over ten, sometimes dozens, of years, even generations, to conduct repeated experiments because of the plant growth cycle.
Yu-type Bacteria, however, only needed to be spread quickly over large areas using methods like drones,
and test results were visible within a month.
This vastly sped up the application trials for Yu-type Bacteria in different regions and locations.
When the application trials began, many people planting shelterbelts near the desert’s edge or working on desert control,
could see large numbers of drones flying back and forth over distant desertified areas.
Such a wide area and such significant activity naturally couldn’t be kept completely secret.
So at this point,
some related rumors had already started appearing online.
Though they were just guesses; some said it was drone testing, others said it was related research on desertified land.
Because neither the function nor the existence of Yu-type Bacteria was leaked,
and neither Qin Yu nor his connection to the project was revealed,
these rumors and the activity didn’t attract much attention.
The larger-scale application trials across more diverse climate zones were, naturally, successful.
The Yu-type Bacteria developed by Research Institute 011 was designed precisely for extreme resilience and adaptability.
The differences in survival conditions across the different climate test zones were less severe than the artificially created environmental differences the researchers themselves subjected the bacteria to inside the laboratory.
Just as they had successfully achieved the expected results in Shuling City,
they naturally achieved the expected results in other regions across the Huaxia Nation.
Even though this success was expected,
when it actually happened,
the researchers at Research Institute 011, led by Qin Yu who worked on the Yu-type Bacteria project, couldn’t help but burst into cheers.
Similarly, those in various locations who assisted Research Institute 011 in carrying out this large-scale application trial of Yu-type Bacteria in different environments,
and who were aware of its significance, were also thrilled by its success.
Researchers and Professors at Research Institute 011 working in other fields, upon hearing this news, felt sincerely uplifted.
Because everyone understood,
the birth of Yu-type Bacteria would dramatically change many things.
It was a truly monumental achievement,
a contribution to our age and a benefit for future generations.
It would completely change the whole world, potentially even surpassing the impact of the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Throughout history, most conflicts across the world have been tied to resources.
The emergence of Yu-type Bacteria would enable Human Civilization to utilize vast amounts of land previously unusable.
This would significantly increase the total amount of resources mankind can control and possess.
After confirming that Yu-type Bacteria could be widely applied and popularized,
while beginning its full-scale promotion and use,
the Huaxia Nation also announced this great news to all its people, and to all humankind.
…
After discussions between the higher authorities and Qin Yu,
the timing for announcing this news was set for late September,
the day before the seven-day holiday period that year.
This was so people, after hearing the good news, could spend the next few days happy and celebrating.
So, just when the vast majority of people, completely unaware, were making plans for the upcoming long holiday,
announcements began once again, starting with a report from the Huaxin News Agency.
Some people, perhaps just opening social media out of boredom, might have found the platform strangely lagging.
Their internet speed seemed fine, yet new content refused to load.
Then, the next moment, when the lag eased,
they suddenly saw
a familiar name appear at the top of the social media trending list:
“Qin Yu”
Immediately following it, in second place, was an unfamiliar term:
“Yu-type Bacteria”
Further below came “Desertification Control” and a series of related topics,
even including more far-fetched ones like “Terraforming”.
The vast majority of people who had experienced the release of the 2611 Longevity Injection and the announcement of the Human Reproduction Device found this scene quite familiar.
They almost instantly realized Professor Qin Yu must have unveiled another new research achievement.
As for what the new achievement was…truthfully, most didn’t even notice the terms beyond “Professor Qin Yu”.
The moment they saw his name, instinct drew them to click on the related trending topic, seeking news reports beneath it.
After the 2611 Longevity Injection and the Human Reproduction Device,
nearly everyone, including the authorities, held a blind trust in Qin Yu.
They believed Professor Qin Yu’s latest breakthrough would inevitably change the world again.
Even though just one of his past achievements – either the 2611 or the Reproduction Device –
could have stood as the life’s work of a great scientist or biologist,
people remained convinced that Professor Qin Yu would keep advancing, continually changing the face of the world.
“…Commissioned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Huaxia Nation …, Huaxin News Agency hereby announces an important message to all our compatriots across the nation.”
“Recently, under the leadership and guidance of renowned Huaxia biologist, scholar in the Field of Life Sciences, Academician Qin Yu, our nation’s relevant scientific research team has successfully cultivated a special bacterium using advanced synthetic biotechnology.”
“This special bacterium has been named ‘Yu-type Bacteria’.”
“Yu-type Bacteria possess characteristics including extremely strong environmental adaptability, high survivability, rapid reproduction, dense mycelium formation, and excellent binding capabilities. It is a unique bacterium specifically developed by Academician Qin Yu and the research team he leads for land improvement and desertification control across diverse climates and regions in the Earth’s surface environment.”
“Currently, the application of Yu-type Bacteria has been experimentally deployed over more than one million acres across multiple regions domestically. Experimental results are outstanding, with over one million acres of desert all transformed from sandy wasteland back into usable soil.”
“Based on experimental outcomes, Yu-type Bacteria can be applied in the vast majority of desert regions with an average annual precipitation exceeding 150 milliliters. It is projected to lower our nation’s desertification control costs by over ninety-five percent.”
“The large-scale application of Yu-type Bacteria is extremely simple, capable of covering enormous areas swiftly. Land improved using Yu-type Bacteria undergoes initial soil reclamation within a month, providing excellent conditions for subsequent planting and ending the long history of desertification in affected regions.”
“Currently, our nation has commenced the widespread application of Yu-type Bacteria for the improvement of desertified land. We expect to achieve full control and improvement of all non-naturally occurring desertified land within the Huaxia Nation within ten years!”
Qin Yu had already become an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences not long after the 2611 Longevity Injection announcement was made.
After the Human Reproduction Device, he was also given the title of Academician at the engineering academy.
But whether he was an Academician didn’t affect Qin Yu himself, as he had never lacked research funding.
At that moment,
The report first published by Huaxin News Agency was not long, even short, but it held a huge amount of information.
The first half was like a regular science news report after a big discovery,
While the second half briefly described the traits and uses of Yu-type Bacteria, helping most people grasp its massive importance after its creation.
“Wow, seeing Professor Qin Yu’s name, I knew it must be another big tech breakthrough, but after reading about Yu-type Bacteria, my brain still shut down for a bit.”
“What do you mean, solve all desertified land problems in ten years?”
“Hey experts, I get that this is awesome, totally awesome, but can someone explain it more? Make me even more hyped.”
“Put it this way: our nation’s farmable land is about 1.9 billion mu, while desertified land is around 3.8 billion mu, got it?”
“Wow? Wow, wow!”
“Friends, right now I feel… I want to give Professor Qin a big bow; if I don’t, I’d be ungrateful for his help to all people and our nation.”
“Wow, is Professor Qin gonna wipe out all deserts?”
“Not exactly wiping out all deserts, didn’t the report say? It needs at least 150 millimeters of yearly rain for Yu-type Bacteria to work. But fixing desert lands with over 150 millimeters of rain is already amazing!”
“Maybe not everyone sees what that number means; it means lots of non-natural desert lands can become rich lands full of plants or crops. Even if not all 3.9 billion mu become farmable, and natural deserts are left out, maybe a third can change. If our farmable land jumps by a billion mu, you know what that does?”
“I know this—it means our food can feed us all by ourselves from now on. Whether it’s main grains, animal feed, or other crops, we fully control them in our hands!”
“Actually, not just us; I think everyone worldwide should bow to Professor Qin Yu! Even from the view of all Human Civilization, this research success by Professor Qin Yu made our living space bigger, since desert lands on all Earth used to cover over twenty percent.”
After Huaxin News Agency put out this story,
Other big media quickly shared it right away.
At the same time, they did follow-up reports, but unlike Huaxin News Agency’s simple start,
Other outlets used all kinds of titles and ways to tell the news.
“Desert Turned into Farmland—Professor Qin Yu leads research team to again achieve huge study findings.”
“Academician Qin Yu guides research team to create unique bacteria Yu-type Bacteria; our nation will complete all desert land fixes in ten years!”
“When crops that feed countless people grow in the northwest’s old deserts, please remember now and Professor Qin Yu’s great work.”
All at once,
Huaxin News Agency, the first to report, did more on this topic too, with a special program.
Through a live online show, a Huaxin News Agency reporter took viewers
To see the ten thousand mu land in Shuling City’s desert where Yu-type Bacteria research team held their first big test.
This live report naturally pulled in huge crowds to watch online.
Right then, over two months had passed since Yu-type Bacteria’ first big test.
After this old desert went through the rainy time again,
The grass seeds spread by Research Institute 011’s Desert Fix Project had taken root, sprouted, and grown thick and fast.
So, at the start of this live show, viewers first saw a ‘grassland.’
Dense, bright green grass grew taller than a person’s ankle.
The ten thousand mu space felt endless when you looked over it.
All this grassland waved in winds that blew now and then, like sea waves, brushing over the front now and then.
Just watching it felt fresh and good.
But during the live news show, the Huaxin News Agency reporter also showed everyone the whole nearby area.
After switching to a flying drone view,
As the drone flew higher and higher in the sky, they finally saw beyond this ten thousand mu land.
Ten thousand mu still desert not fixed yet had yellow dirt filling the air and yellow sand everywhere.
The ten thousand mu grassland stuck in this dead desert seemed out of place,
Or like a green jewel set into the desert.
It gave viewers a big visual hit and deep shock inside.
Even the reporter, seeing this wider full picture from the drone, couldn’t talk for a moment.
It was in this live show that
Many people learned
What Huaxin News Agency meant about Yu-type Bacteria’ desert control cutting costs a lot.
They saw that using Yu-type Bacteria was simpler than most ever dreamed.
“Just scatter it and done? Wow!”
“Is this why tech moves forward? Thanks to Professor Qin Yu, thanks to all the science folks, and thanks to everyone working on this!”
As Huaxin News Agency’s live broadcast closed, people spoke excited words like thanks.
But inside Huaxia Nation,
When things got hot over Yu-type Bacteria,
Past Huaxia Nation, other countries in HCC
Naturally got noisy too.
Various media saw Qin Yu’s name and quickly shared the news off.
Top news teams from places like North Bear Nation and Moon Nation also told about it right away.
After Huaxin News Agency did its live report on Yu-type Bacteria’ first big test site,
Lots of other press rushed toward Shuling City to film some scenes too.
And their reports on Yu-type Bacteria’ start outside Huaxia Nation
Used very flashy words at times, or played it safe at others;
Snarky parts were rare.
In the current mood,
Smaller nations didn’t poke Huaxia Nation’s bad luck;
For North Bear Nation and Moon Nation groups,
However they felt inside, they cheered Yu-type Bacteria’ birth from the outside at once.
Mostly, desert lands hurt many spots all over Earth.
Like the 2611 Longevity Injection, Yu-type Bacteria helped them too.
“We cheer Professor Qin Yu again for this big science find. Yu-type Bacteria is a huge step and gift for all people of Earth.”
“We’ve always thought Professor Qin Yu’s smarts are a rich treasure for all human kind.”