Cities across China are replacing commercial and celebrity advertising on public screens with giant portraits of scientists. The trend started in Shandong province in August 2026, when shopping malls in Heze and Zibo voluntarily gave up prime advertising space to display posters honoring the country’s scientific pioneers.

The displays have since spread to cities including Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Jinan, appearing in metro stations, airports, and shopping centers. Featured scientists include rocket scientist Qian Xuesen, nuclear physicist Deng Jiaxian, agricultural scientist Yuan Longping, known for developing hybrid rice, and Tu Youyou, China’s first Nobel laureate in medicine for her malaria treatment research. Each portrait is shown alongside the scientist’s name and a short account of their contribution to the country.

The campaign is meant to give scientists the kind of public recognition usually reserved for celebrities, with some posters describing them as society’s “top stars.” The goal is to encourage young people to see scientists as role models worth admiring, tying into China’s wider push to raise the profile of science and technology.

The initiative has drawn attention outside China too, with commentators in other countries contrasting the scientist displays with public billboards elsewhere that remain dominated by politicians and entertainers.

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