Hong Kong has long been known as the “Pearl of the Orient” and until the late 17th century enjoyed a thousand-year-old reputation for wild pearl harvesting. But overfishing and market forces have stood in the way of creating a modern pearl industry in the city. Now a Hong Kong University biologist has found a way to use cutting-edge technology to help pearl harvesters save time and avoid having to crack oysters open to check them. The researcher, Yan Wa-tat, hopes his hi-tech solution could…