Ma Yongchao, male, Han ethnicity, born in 1990, from Puyang, Henan. In January 2021, he obtained a Ph.D. in History from Peking University. In March 2021, he joined the School of Archaeology and Museology at Sichuan University as a faculty member, and established the phytolith laboratory in 2022. Currently, he has published more than ten papers in domestic and international journals such as Quaternary International, PLoS ONE, China Science: Earth Science, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, "Northern Cultural Relics", and "Agricultural Archaeology", and has presided over or participated in 5 national and provincial-level scientific research projects.

Undergraduate Experimental Teaching Content: "Laboratory Archaeology"

Experimental Teaching Content: Conducting phytolith experiments in the laboratory, with the following specific procedures:

(1) Select 5g of soil sample for each, and place it in a 50ml conical bottom test tube;

(2) Add 30% concentration of H2O2 to remove organic matter, and heat; then, use ultrapure water to wash away excess H2O2;

(3) Add 1 tablet of Lycopodium spores to calculate the concentration of various phytoliths in subsequent analysis;

(4) Use 10% concentration of HCl to remove calcareous matter, and heat; then, use ultrapure water to wash away excess HCl;

(5) Add sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6 to disperse clay, and let it stand for a period of time; then, use ultrapure water to wash away excess (NaPO3)6;

(6) Use ZnBr2 (specific gravity 2.35 g/cm3) heavy liquid to extract phytoliths, transfer the phytoliths to a 15ml conical bottom test tube, and wash away ZnBr2 with ultrapure water and alcohol;

(7) Use gum to seal the slides and prepare fixed phytolith slides;

(8) Use an optical microscope Leica DM750 to observe and identify phytoliths at 400x magnification.

Phytolith Laboratory Instrument Usage Rules:

1. The laboratory director is fully responsible for the use and management of the equipment.

2. The laboratory director organizes training for microscope users from time to time to enable them to master the operating steps and correct bad habits.

3. The laboratory director regularly contacts the microscope after-sales service personnel to perform regular maintenance on the microscope.

4. Each time the microscope is used, the user needs to record the usage details in the "Sichuan University Large Instrument and Equipment Usage Record Book".

5. Microscope users must operate in strict accordance with the training requirements, take care of the microscope, and operate the microscope correctly; if equipment malfunctions occur, notify the laboratory director in a timely manner.

6. When finished using, the microscope user must turn off the microscope, computer, and disconnect the power.

7. External personnel who visit or use the laboratory and its microscopes must report to the laboratory director or higher-level supervisor.