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Running Out of Names: China Says There Are Too Many Wangs

The most populated nation is running out of names, according to a recently issued Chinese government report.

A large part of the problem is that according to popular tradition, the Chinese people should only have surnames from a list of 100 names. The official names are rote-learned by schoolchildren. Although the 100 names are not strictly mandatory, only 15 per cent of the population have names not on the list.

China's Scientists Vote World's 10 Great Scientific Advances of '06

The 10 most significant developments in science and technology in the world last year, reported the People's Daily Online, were voted as follows by members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering: ranging from "Stardust" comet samples, to growing organ samples from stem cells, first nano generator, first direct sample of dark matter (image on left), to a "connectivity map" linking drug to diseases.

Top 10 '06 Scientific Advances

Running Out of Names: China Says There Are Too Many Wangs

The most populated nation is running out of names, according to a recently issued Chinese government report.

A large part of the problem is that according to popular tradition, the Chinese people should only have surnames from a list of 100 names. The official names are rote-learned by schoolchildren. Although the 100 names are not strictly mandatory, only 15 per cent of the population have names not on the list.

China's Scientists Vote World's 10 Great Scientific Advances of '06

The 10 most significant developments in science and technology in the world last year, reported the People's Daily Online, were voted as follows by members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering: ranging from "Stardust" comet samples, to growing organ samples from stem cells, first nano generator, first direct sample of dark matter (image on left), to a "connectivity map" linking drug to diseases.

Top 10 '06 Scientific Advances