A revolution in medical treatment and agricultural production will take place in the 21st century, and man may start searching for more viable solutions to the increasing demand for energy, says a leading Chinese scholar.

Lu Yongxiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said major scientific achievements in the 21st century will be concentrated in sectors of information, life science, new materials, manufacturing technology and environmental protection.

"Since the large-scale human genome (genetic code) project is likely to be completed at the beginning of the next century, revolutionary breakthroughs will be made in medical treatment and new drug development," Lu said at a meeting in Beijing Tuesday.

The international collaboration to decode the 3 billion code letters that make up the whole human genetic code will finally provide new insights into the way genes are arranged along a strand of DNA and how they might be controlled, paving the way for profound advances in medical diagnosis and treatment.

Lu believes the research of the brain and nervous system may gradually uncover the mystery of the human mind, which in turn means breakthroughs in development of human intelligence and computer science.

Using high-efficiency coal-burning technology and safer nuclear power technology, human beings can solve the energy problem more properly, Lu said.

"For China, one key challenge in the next century is to foster more scientists while improving the overall quality of its population," he said, affirming that the CAS would play a leading role in these fields. (Xinhua)