China's J-50 stealth fighter tech, lithium-from-waste breakthrough: 7 science highlights

SCMP compiles seven science stories from the past two weeks, including China's next-gen stealth fighter (J-50) featuring autonomous flight, satellite-free navigation, and self-reorganizing drone formations, plus a method to extract critical minerals like lithium from waste. The item is a roundup, so individual claims are not independently verified here. It signals China's advancing defense technology and resource independence efforts.