News Bites

Hello! And welcome back to another episode of News Bites. I’m Paz Bueno. And I’m Nancy Sun. We have some good news and bad news for you today: Taiwan’s wind farms are super-efficient, and breaking a 400-year heat record. And in today’s Tasty Tidbit…self-aware animals! Let’s check it out. ________________________________ 台灣離岸風電達新高 Taiwan’s Offshore Wind Farm Hits New High **Renewable energy (再生能源) is becoming more and more important around the world. ** **Instead of relying on fossil fuels (化石燃料) like oil and coal, many countries are now turning to cleaner, greener sources of energy. ** Renewable energy sources can help protect the environment (保護環境) and reduce pollution (減少污染). And Taiwan is working hard to use more renewable energy! **One of the biggest projects we have is building offshore wind farms (離岸風力發電場). ** **These wind farms create electricity by using the power of the wind. ** Taiwan Power Company (台灣電力公司) has made big improvements to its Phase 1 (第一階段的) offshore wind farm. After several months of work, the wind farm is now running at 90% efficiency! 經過幾個月的努力，這個離岸風力發電場現在的運行效率已經達到90%！ This is great news for Taiwan’s green energy plans. It wasn’t easy at first. The wind farm had to be shut down (停機) a few times to make sure everything was working well. And the team needed time to get used to the ocean environment (適應海洋環境). **But since April, things have gotten a lot better. ** Thanks to regular check-ups and repairs, the wind farm is running smoothly. 由於定期檢查和維修，風力發電場運行得很順利。 The building for the wind farm’s operations center has taken longer to finish, though. ** 然而，風力發電場營運中心的建設比預期花了更長的時間。** But the company is working hard to speed things up (加緊努力) and hopes to finish the center by June next year. ________________________________ 大堡礁面臨高溫威脅！ Heat Threatens Great Barrier Reef! **Global warming (全球暖化) is something we’ve been hearing about for a long time. ** ** We already know it’s changing the Earth. ** These changes affect (影響) not just the land, but also the oceans. **In fact, some of the most beautiful and important ecosystems (生態系統), like coral reefs (珊瑚礁), are in danger because of global warming. ** One famous reef facing serious trouble is the Great Barrier Reef (大堡礁). **Researchers in Australia recently found that ocean temperatures around the reef are now the highest they've been in 400 years! ** ** 大堡礁附近的海洋溫度已經達到400年來的最高點！** These high temperatures are causing coral bleaching (珊瑚白化), where the corals turn white and become weak. In the past nine years, there have been five major coral-bleaching events. 在過去的九年裡，已經發生了五次大規模的珊瑚白化事件。 **Coral bleaching happens when the water gets too warm, and the coral loses the special algae (藻類) that live inside it. ** Without the algae, the coral turns white, and if the water stays hot, the coral can die. Coral is very important because it provides a home for many sea animals. **The researchers hope that this new information will encourage people to act quickly to stop global warming. ** ** 研究人員希望，這些新發現能讓大家趕快採取行動，阻止全球暖化。** While the situation is serious, they believe there’s still hope (仍有希望). If the world can work together to lower temperatures, the Great Barrier Reef and other reefs might still survive (活下去). The Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site (世界遺產). Scientists are pushing for it to be listed as “endangered” to help protect it. 科學家們正在推動將其列為“瀕危”遺產，以幫助保護它。 Saving the reef is important, not just for Australia, but for the world. ________________________________ So, in today’s News Bites… Taipower has made big improvements to its Phase 1 offshore wind farm. After several months of work, the wind farm is now running at 90% efficiency! This is great news for Taiwan’s green energy plans. ________________________________ And, **Researchers in Australia recently found that ocean temperatures around the Great Barrier Reef are now the highest they've been in 400 years! ** These high temperatures are causing coral bleaching, where the corals turn white and become weak. The researchers hope that this new information will encourage people to act quickly to stop global warming. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Do you know who you are? That’s a deep question… Well—I mean, you can recognize yourself in the mirror, right? **Of course! I know what I look like. I have self-awareness. Duh. ** Well, did you know humans are not the only self-aware creatures that live on Earth? Dolphins, elephants, and chimpanzees are self-aware, too! That’s amazing!  **It means they have a deeper understanding of the world around them and their place in it. ** It opens up a whole new level of thinking and feeling. If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Kelly Kimura. In today's stories, top night markets for international visitors, and a big bird takes over the New York skyline. And in today's Tasty Tidbit, one student from New Taipei tells us all about a strange animal! Stay tuned for more on those stories! ______________________________________________________ 外國觀光客最愛台灣的那些夜市? Visiting Tourists Rank Favorite Night Markets We're used to visiting Taiwan's awesome night markets whenever we want. Looking to do some shopping? Feel like shooting some darts (飛鏢)? Or how about some delicious treats? Night markets are a super fun way to enjoy a night out (外出玩樂的夜晚). And visitors from other countries love night markets too. In fact, a government survey shows night markets are a favorite thing to try out for international tourists! But which ones do they like best? The survey shows the famous Shilin Night Market in Taipei was the top choice. Almost 38 percent of visitors made sure to stop by there on their trip to Taiwan. Government data shows that around 2.4 million international tourists visit Shilin Night Market every year! Then there's Raohe Street Night Market, with almost 29 percent. And rounding out the Taipei trio, is Ningxia Night Market at 17 percent. But hold up, there's lots of love for places outside of Taipei too. Down south in Kaohsiung, Liuhe Night Market takes the fourth spot. It's the most popular night market outside of Taipei, attracting almost 7 percent of international visitors. And Taichung's Fengjia Night Market takes fifth, with just over 6-percent. Overall, the survey shows that almost 6.5 million tourists visited Taiwan last year. And it seems like they had a great time. Over 97 percent said they really enjoyed their trip. And more than half said they would visit Taiwan again within five years. 去年來台的外國觀光客有將近650萬人，97%對台灣旅遊感到滿意，過一半說願意五年內再回來玩。 Many said they liked that Taiwan's people are so friendly. They also said it was very easy to get around, and the island felt very safe. ______________________________________________________ "鴿"吉拉? 巨型鴿子雕像佔領紐約高架公園 Giant Pigeon Sculpture Takes New York Something BIG is headed to New York City. What is that? It's as tall as a building. It's got sharp claws on its feet! It's not Godzilla… It's not aliens… Is that…is that a…pigeon? Pigeons are everywhere in New York City. They hang around on the streets. They look for food in parks. They sit and relax on buildings. They are a part of the city. In fact, scientists think there are more pigeons in New York City than people! They estimate (估計) that there are about 9 million pigeons in NYC, compared to 8 million people. A long, long time ago, there weren't any pigeons in the area. Scientists think European settlers (歐洲定居者) brought pigeons to the city in the 17th century. And pigeons are definitely a part of the city now. But guess what, these birds are about to get "SUPER-SIZED" The city is putting a realistic sculpture (真實的雕像) of a pigeon in High Line Park (高架公園). And this pigeon sculpture is about 5 meters tall. That's almost as tall as a giraffe! And what would you name this huge piece of art? "Giant Pigeon"? Or "Big Bird"? How about…"Dinosaur". "Dinosaur" is made by an artist named Ivan Argote. Ivan likes putting pigeons into his art. And he says he calls this sculpture "Dinosaur", because it's so big. Ivan also says dinosaurs are ancestors (祖先) of pigeons. 這隻巨型的"鴿子"名為 "Dinosaur", 是藝術家Ivan Argote 打造的雕塑。 City officials say Ivan's art is very interesting. They say he can take something familiar (熟悉)… And make people think about it in a new and different way. What do New Yorkers think about this giant pigeon statue? They'll have some time to think about it. "Dinosaur" will loom over New York City for 18 months. ______________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: A government survey says night markets are a favorite thing to try out for international tourists! The survey shows the famous Shilin Night Market in Taipei was the top choice. Down south in Kaohsiung, Liuhe Night Market takes the fourth spot. And Taichung's Fengjia Night Market takes fifth. ______________________________________________________ New York City is putting a realistic sculpture of a pigeon in High Line Park. This pigeon is almost as tall as a giraffe! The sculpture is called "Dinosaur". ______________________________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit In today's Tasty Tidbit…. How does a lion say "hello" to other animals? It says "Pleased to EAT you!" And now 10-year-old Ray from TYK Elementary and Junior High School in New Taipei tells us all about another fun animal. ****** And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. And you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hello and welcome back to another episode of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Jacob Ingram. Today's stories… Taiwan takes top marks for invention, and fans keep quiet for these sports. And in today's Tasty Tidbit…. Water that's boiling AND freezing? All that and more, coming up next! ________________________________ 台東國小生獲達文西發明展金牌獎 Taiwan Takes Top Marks at Innovation Competition Ever had an idea that could make life a little easier or just more fun? Inventions (發明) start with simple ideas. And this year, some Taiwan inventors (發明者) took their simple ideas… And turned everyday problems into award-winning solutions! Some of Taiwan's brightest minds just took home a bunch of medals at the 5th AII American DAVINCI International Innovation and Invention Expo. There were 14 countries, including China, South Korea, Thailand and the US, that were competing (比賽) at the expo this year. All in all, Taiwan inventors won 20 gold medals, 8 silver, 3 bronze, and even 4 special awards. Taiwan scored the highest out of all the countries! One of these cool inventions came from three clever students from Fengli Elementary School in Taitung County (台東縣的豐里國小). Lin Hung-ming, Hsu Tsu-chieh, and Chang En-kai turned a simple tape dispenser (膠帶座) into something magical! How magical, you ask? Their teachers had to put posters (海報) up in the classroom. And these students saw their teachers twisting tape around their fingers to make single-sided tape double-sided. This took a lot of extra time. So, they made something that can be added to the tape dispenser. It is shaped a bit like a "C". And this "C" helps to turn single-sided tape into double-sided tape with a quick pull! 這3名學生的發明，讓單面膠帶撕下來就成雙面膠帶。 And this "C" can be easily put away if you just need regular tape. Talk about genius! Their invention won gold and a special award! 這個"單面膠台變雙面膠台的簡便結構"拿下一面金牌與一面特別獎。 So, whether it's making tape easier to use or finding new ways to fight disease (疾病)… We can all come up with something extraordinary (令人驚奇的). Keep those ideas flowing, and maybe you’ll be next! ________________________________ 看不見的比賽：巴黎帕運"盲人足球" Silent Soccer: Why These Fans Have to Keep Quiet Sports fans… They make a lot of noise! Clapping, cheering, shouting… It's their way to support their favorite players. And it's also fun! But… Fans of these sports have to keep quiet, if they want to support their team. Blind football and goalball are a lot like soccer. But these games are for visually-impaired players (盲人足球員). Fans have to stay silent during some parts of the game. Players are people who cannot see at all. Or they can only see a little bit of light. So these players need to LISTEN. They listen for the ball and other sounds. 盲人足球員需要用聽力來進行比賽，所以觀眾必須維持安靜。 There is a little bell (鈴鐺) in the ball. This helps the players hear where the ball is going. The players also yell out to each other. This helps them work together to get the ball into the other team's net. And fans have to stay silent. An announcer will say "shh" if there is noise. This means EVERYONE is focused (專注) on what's happening on the field. These games were played at the Paralympics in Paris this summer. A player on Brazil's national team says the team can feel the fans' focus. He says they can feel that energy on the field. And the announcer also let's everyone know when it's ok to cheer. Sometimes, a runner comes onto the field with a big sign (告示牌). The sign says "GET LOUD!!!!" And everyone cheers! Some fans go to regular soccer matches too. But they say blind football and goalball are very special. So whether you're cheering loud or staying quiet, one thing's for sure… These sports show us a whole new way to be a fan and have fun! ________________________________ So, in todays' News Bites…. Some of Taiwan's brightest minds just took home a bunch of medals at the 5th AII American DAVINCI International Innovation and Invention Expo. Three clever students from Fengli Elementary School in Taitung County made something that can be added to a tape dispenser. It turns single-sided tape into double-sided tape with a quick pull! Talk about genius! ________________________________ And, Blind football and goalball are a lot like soccer, but these games are for visually-impaired players. Fans have to stay silent during some parts of the game. Players are people who cannot see at all, or can only see a little bit of light. So these players need to listen for the ball and other sounds. These games were played at the Paralympics in Paris this summer. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit And in today's Tasty Tidbit… Here's something that will tickle your brain… Did you know that water can freeze (結冰) and boil (沸騰) at the same time? You need just the right temperature and just the right level of pressure, and water can be solid, liquid, AND gas, all at once! And that does it for today's News Bites. If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everybody, it's time for another episode of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Kelly Kimura. In today's stories, a delicious reason to travel, and new ways to build with dirt. Let's get started! ________________________________ 國內遊客重視美食 Domestic Tourists More Interested in Food When you travel, what is your reason for visiting a place? Is it the stunning scenery, the fun activities, or the delicious food? The Tourism Administration (觀光署) took a survey. They asked people aged 12 or older about traveling in Taiwan. Almost 29 percent said "convenient transportation" (交通方便) was the most important. 18 percent said "relaxation or promoting good health" was most important. And 12-percent felt "delicious food" was the most important. Even though food was third on the list, more and more people think it is important when traveling in Taiwan. Before the COVID-19 pandemic (疫情), only 8 percent thought food was most important. But there are still problems. Some people traveling in Taiwan say many places are not very unique (獨特). And delicious food may be able to help with that. Experts say local dishes and specialties (地方特產) can attract travelers. For example, have you visited Sheng-keng Old Street to try stinky tofu dishes? And experts say cafes are also becoming popular. Many people like to visit special cafes during their trip. After the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are traveling alone, or in small groups. Experts say these tourists like more local and personal (個人的) experiences. And there are now more cafes with local specialties. They sell local products (產品), like coffee beans, tea leaves or snacks made from local produce (農產品). Many cafes also open in old buildings. They renovate (整修) the buildings. It gives visitors a retro (復古) experience. Then there's also Taiwan's hot weather. When it's so hot outside, many people would rather relax in a cafe. 許多專家表示，國旅應該要結合當地美食才能更有效益。 And at the end of the day, everybody has to eat, right? ________________________________ 坦尚尼亞用泥土3D列印蓋村莊 Tanzania to Build 3D Printed Village Using Soil 3D printing has advanced rapidly over the years. Many countries now use the technology for building things. NASA is even planning to build a base (基地) on the moon using 3D printing. Many 3D printed buildings are made from concrete (混凝土) or some kind of cement (水泥). These materials are cheap. They are also durable (耐用).But, they are not really eco-friendly. Now experts have come up with a sustainable (永續) 3-D printing material. And it's made from soil (土)! In Tanzania, architects (建築師) want to build a new village. The project is called "Hope Village". There will be almost 50 buildings in the village. These buildings will be homes, schools, and daycare centers for almost 500 children! But why are these architects using soil? Humans have been building with soil since the beginning of history. But old ways of using soil make very thick walls. This means air can't get through the building very well. So the architects came up with a new kind of wall. They use 3D printing to build up layers of soil. The layers are made with curved columns (柱子). And these columns are interconnected (交錯). This leaves space for light and air to go through. And a thin wire mesh (鐵絲網) is between the layers. This makes the walls stronger. The soil for the walls can be collected close by. And the roof will be made from wood. This helps protect the walls from rain. The architects plan to make buildings for communities. And they want to train local people to use 3D printers. This will help the community build what they need themselves. 建築團隊希望透過這個方式讓當地居民能日後自己建造房屋。 ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites: A survey finds that 12 percent of tourists in Taiwan felt "delicious food" was the most important. Experts say local dishes and specialties can attract travelers. And experts say cafes are also becoming popular. Experts say these tourists like more local experiences. And there are now more cafes with local specialties. ________________________________ And, In Tanzania, architects want to build a new village using 3D printing and soil. The project is called "Hope Village". There will be almost 50 buildings in the village. These buildings will be homes, schools, and daycare centers for almost 500 children! New ways of building leaves space for light and air to go through buildings. Architects also want to train local people to use 3D printers, so communities can build what they need themselves. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit For today's Tasty Tidbit…We've got a few laughs to go with your lunch. You ready? Why did the student eat his homework? The teacher told him it was a piece of cake! And…..Why do fish avoid the computer? So they don't get caught on the InterNET! And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or an interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Kelly Kimura… And I'm Paz Bueno. Coming up next in today's news: The world's most sustainable companies include Taiwanese companies and sea lions help scientists help them! And in today's Tasty Tidbit…a university student uses Rubik's Cubes to what? Stay tuned for more on those stories! ___________________________________________________________ 台灣企業 登上全球永續企業名單 Taiwanese Companies on the World's Most Sustainable Companies List Many companies do something to help the environment (環境). But some companies make protecting (保護) the environment a big part of their business. They think about the sustainability (永續性) of the products (產品) they make, the buildings (建築) they work in, and much more. A U.S. magazine (雜誌) worked with a data (數據) company to find the most sustainable (可持?性) companies in the world this year. They started with a list of five thousand of the biggest and most powerful (實力雄厚的) companies. Then they started cutting companies from the list. They looked at many things about the companies. Companies that cause (造成) forests to be cut down or are involved with fossil fuels (涉及化石燃料) were cut. Companies that produce a lot of carbon (產生大量碳) or have caused very bad things to happen to the environment were cut. Companies that have lied about being sustainable were cut too. The list got shorter and shorter. Finally, they had a list of the 500 most sustainable companies. Taiwan has 17 companies on the list! There are six banks, three telecommunications (電信) companies, five technology (科技) companies, and two manufacturers (製造商). And… there's one cement (水泥) company! A cement company?! Cement is everywhere. It is mixed with small stones and sand to make concrete (混凝土). There's concrete in roads, sidewalks (人行道), bridges, dams (壩), and buildings from houses to skyscrapers (摩天大樓). Concrete is the most used man-made (人造) product in the world. But the cement industry (工業) produces eight percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions (二氧化碳排放量) every year. How did this Taiwanese cement company become one of the most sustainable companies in the world? It changed how it did business. It set sustainability goals (永續發展目標). It tracks its progress (追蹤它的進展) on these goals and shares the information (資訊) with everyone. It has changed the energy (能源) it uses to renewable (再生) energy. It makes cement that produces less carbon dioxide. And it does many other things. 該公司所做的事跟名單上許多其他公司一樣，這顯示水泥這樣的行業可以實現永續發展。 Congratulations - and a big thank you! - to all of them! ___________________________________________________________ 海獅助科學家一臂之力 Sea Lions Help Scientists Help Them Scientists want to help endangered sea lions (瀕危海獅). They want to protect (保護) the places these animals go. Sea lions dive to the ocean floor (潛入海底). What is the ocean floor like? Ask the scientists. What? They don't know? It's not easy to find out. To see the ocean floor, scientists have used remote controlled vehicles (遙控探測器) with cameras. They've also used ships that drop cameras deep (深的) down. But both ways are very expensive. And the ocean floor is too deep for people to go to by diving. But how about using the sea lions to carry cameras? Sea lions are sometimes called the dog of the sea. They bark (吠). They like to play. And they like to look at everything! Diving up to 90 meters deep, they look for their next meal of shark, octopus (章魚), or lobster (龍蝦) on the ocean floor. Scientists in Australia put underwater video cameras on eight female (雌) sea lions. All these sea lions had babies, so they would return in a few days. The scientists gave these sea lions some medicine to make them sleep. Then they glued a small piece of wetsuit material (潛水衣布料) on the sea lions' backs and heads. They put small cameras and tracking devices (追蹤裝置) on the wetsuit material. The devices let the scientists know where the sea lions were and how fast they were swimming. After the sea lions woke up, they went to the ocean to find food. When the sea lions returned, the scientists took the cameras and devices off of them. Then the scientists watched the videos. They saw some parts of the ocean floor for the first time! They saw lots of seaweed (海藻) and coral (珊瑚). They saw a sea lion showing her baby how to look for food for the first time too! The scientists trained AI with the videos and tracking data (數據). It can predict (預測) what is on the ocean floor in the places the sea lions didn't go. With the help of sea lions, scientists are learning how to protect these animals and the places they go. 這些瀕臨滅絕的海獅需要保護，以免受到人類活動的影響。 ___________________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: A Taiwanese cement company is on a list of the 500 most sustainable companies in the world this year. The cement industry produces a lot of carbon dioxide. The company made a lot of changes to become one of the most sustainable. It shows that companies in industries like cement can become sustainable too. ___________________________________________________________ And… Scientists want to help endangered sea lions, so they need to protect the ocean floor, where these animals find food. But they didn't know much about the ocean floor. They put cameras on sea lions to learn more. The sea lions are helping scientists help them! ___________________________________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit And in today's Tasty Tidbit… Some people are really good at solving the 3D puzzles called Rubik's Cubes (魔術方塊). One university student in Tainan is so good at this that he makes pictures of people with the cubes. After two Taiwanese badminton (羽毛球) players won gold medals at the Paris Olympics, the student made their pictures… with 786 cubes for each picture. Seven hundred and eighty-six cubes! That's a lot of work! The student posted videos of making the pictures on social media. Lots of people liked his pictures of the badminton players! ___________________________________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send your Tasty Tidbit to us at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. You might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there. It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites. I'm Jacob Ingram. And I'm Kelly Kimura. In today's episode, we'll be talking about probiotics and fossils! And for today's Tasty Tidbit: Imagine bringing your very own pet bear to school! Stay tuned for those stories. ________________________________ 雲林水稻田添加益生菌以減少溫室氣體 Yunlin Officials Add Probiotics to Rice Paddies to Cut Carbon Emissions Do you know what bacteria (細菌) is? Bacteria are tiny living things. They can be found almost everywhere: in the air, on animals, plants, deep in the ocean and even inside your body. There are good and bad types of bacteria (好的跟壞的細菌). Good bacteria are important for keeping us healthy. It helps us digest food (消化) and absorb nutrients (攝取營養). It also supports our immune system (免疫系統). Bad bacteria, on the other hand, can harm our health. It causes many illnesses and infections. Now that we're 'up to speed' with what bacteria is, we can head over to Yunlin County for today's story. Officials there have been trying to reduce greenhouse gases from rice fields. 他們在研究怎麼減少稻田的二氧化排放。 Rice fields produce a lot of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) and methane (甲烷). These gases are bad for the environment. The officials teamed up with a local university. Together, they came up with an ingenious idea (巧妙的主意). Researchers added probiotics (益生菌), or good bacteria, to rice paddies. They said probiotics help the rice grow better and reduce (減少) harmful gases, making farming better for the planet. The researchers measured the gas emissions (測量氣體排放) and checked the environment during the rice-growing season. They say the initial results look promising. 初步結果看起來很有希望。 They found that harmful gas emissions, like carbon dioxide and methane, dropped by 80 to 90 percent. They say these big reductions can help fight climate change. It can also help Taiwan achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. 這個計畫也有助於臺灣實現2050年淨零排放的目標。 The county plans to expand this project to more areas and involve businesses. They hope farmers and companies can work together to protect the environment. ________________________________ 軟體動物的古老起源 The Ancient Origins of Mollusks Scientists have found a very old fossil (化石). How old is it? They say it is half-a-billion-years old! 五億年喔! Wow! Why do scientists study fossils? Well, fossils offer a glimpse into the past, revealing the history of life on Earth. They contain clues about how different plants and animals looked, where they lived, and how they changed over millions of years. Fossils allow scientists to piece together the story of Earth's evolution (地球的演化), like solving a puzzle, one piece at a time. Fossils can also help scientists understand more about extinct creatures, like dinosaurs (恐龍). It's like finding a really old family photo that shows how your grandparents looked when they were young! So anyway, back to this old fossil. The fossil is of a slug with spines. These creatures are known as mollusks (軟體動物). Today, mollusks come in many forms, such as snails, clams, squids, and octopuses! Scientists say the fossil shows that earliest mollusks were flat, slug-like creatures without shells. 科學家說化石顯示最早的軟體動物是扁平的、類似蛞蝓的無殼生物。 It also shows the creatures had spiny armor (帶刺的殼) for protection. This suggests it is from a very early stage in mollusk evolution. 這表明它來自軟體動物演化的早期階段。 The spines on its back likely helped it stay safe from predators (肉食動物). The mollusk fossil was found in China's Yunnan Province. Researchers said it was the size of a thumb (大小跟大拇指差不多) and looked like a rotting plastic bag (腐爛的塑膠袋). But later, they used a magnifying glass (放大鏡) to look at it more closely. Then they discovered the mollusk fossil was spiny (多刺的). The researchers described the fossil as strange, completely different from any other fossils they had ever seen. They published the findings in the journal Science (科學 (期刊)). ________________________________ So in today's News Bites: Rice fields release harmful gases that hurt the planet. So scientists added good bacteria to rice fields in Yunlin County to see what would happen. They found it helps the rice grow better and produce less harmful gas. Bacteria are tiny living things found everywhere, including inside our bodies. Some help us stay healthy, while others can make us sick. Using good bacteria in rice fields could be a big help in fighting climate change. ________________________________ And scientists found a very old fossil with spines in Yunnan, China. It's called a mollusk. Mollusks are animals with soft bodies, like snails, clams, squids and octopuses. This fossil shows that early mollusks were very different from the ones alive today. This discovery is exciting, because it helps scientists better understand the history of life on Earth. _______________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit And in today's Tasty Tidbit: It was said that the famous British poet Lord Byron kept a pet bear when he was studying at Cambridge! Byron bought the bear when he was told that he could not keep a dog in his room. So instead, he decided to get himself a tame bear as a pet. Byron was even seen taking his pet bear on walks across campus. That's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hello and welcome back to another episode of News Bites! I'm Paz Bueno. And I'm Brody Halverson. Today's stories… Taiwan's gender income gap, and the European Union uses more renewable energy. And in today's Tasty Tidbit…a world record for counting. Let's find out! ________________________________ 男女平均所得差距1.6倍 創11年來新高 Gender Income Gap Reaches 1.6 Times, Highest in 11 Years Have you ever wondered if men and women earn the same amount of money? Well, in Taiwan, there is quite a big difference between what men and women earn. This difference is called the "gender income gap (性別收入差距)." Recently, the Ministry of Finance (財政部) shared some interesting numbers showing how much money men and women make in Taiwan. In 2022, men made an average of (平均賺到) NT$752,530 each, while women made NT$470,569 each. This means men made 1.6 times more money than women, which is the biggest gap in 11 years! Let's look at different kinds of income… In wages (工資), men earned NT$819,331 on average, while women earned NT$571,775. The gap here is 1.43 times. In profit income (利潤收入), men earned NT$72,036, and women earned NT$46,100, with a gap of 1.56 times. And in dividend income (股利收入), men earned NT$214,178, while women earned NT$131,063. The gap is 1.63 times. When it comes to retirement income (退休收入), women actually do better. Men made NT$525,159 on average, but women made NT$607,793. This is the only category where women earn more than men. ________________________________ 風能和太陽能在歐洲超越化石燃料 Wind and Sun Power Beat Fossil Fuels in Europe Renewable energy (再生能源) is energy that comes from sources that can be used again and again, like the sun, wind, and water. Unlike fossil fuels (化石燃料), which are limited and create pollution, renewable energy is clean and sustainable (永續的). A report by the climate group (氣候組織) Ember says that in the first half of this year (今年上半年), wind and solar energy produced 30% of the electricity in the European Union (歐盟). This is more than the electricity made from burning coal, oil, and gas. 這比燃燒煤、石油和天然氣產生的電力還要多。 In the EU, burning coal, oil, and gas dropped by 17% in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same time last year. 2024年前六個月，歐盟國家燃燒煤、石油和天然氣比去年同時期減少了17%。 This is good news because it means less pollution. Even though electricity demand went up a bit (電力需求上升), this change still happened. If EU countries keep building more wind turbines and solar panels (風力發電機和太陽能板), they can stop using fossil fuels. Solar power is growing fast, but the wind industry faces challenges like high costs and political opposition (高成本和政治反對). The report says 13 EU countries made more electricity from wind and solar than from fossil fuels in the first half of the year. For the first time, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands joined this group. 德國、比利時、匈牙利和荷蘭首次加入這個行列。 Scientists believes the EU can meet its renewable energy goals with the right policies (政策). ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites… The Ministry of Finance recently shared numbers showing how much money men and women make in Taiwan in 2022. Men made 1.6 times more money than women, which is the biggest gap in 11 years! The only category where women earn more than men is retirement income. ________________________________ And, A report by the climate group Ember says that wind and solar energy produced 30% of the electricity in the European Union in the first half of this year. If EU countries keep building more wind turbines and solar panels, they can stop using fossil fuels. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit In our first story today, we mentioned a lot of numbers. It can take a long time to say big numbers out loud… So have you ever wondered how long it would take to count from 1 to 1,000,000? Well, a man named Jeremy Harper knows! Jeremy set a Guinness World Record by counting aloud to 1,000,000. He started on June 18, 2007, and finished 89 days later, on September 14. Every day, he spent 16 hours counting, and people could watch him live online. He stayed in his home the entire time and didn't shave. Jeremy's counting also helped raise over $10,000 US dollars for a charity! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there. It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites. I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Kelly Kimura. A new home for strays, and a swap for a dangerous snack. Then in today's Tasty Tidbit, the surprising origin of ketchup! All that and more, coming up next. ________________________________ 台北市建造新動物之家 Taipei Building New Animal Shelter Stray animals (流浪動物) in Taipei will soon have a new place to call home. The city is building a new animal shelter (動物收容所). The city started working on the new building this summer. The Taipei city government actually started planning (計畫，策畫) back in 2016. But the project faced many challenges (挑戰). First, the city government had to find a company that would build the shelter. Then they had to find a good location (地點). Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. And the cost of building materials (建材) went up. It wasn't easy! Overall, the project will cost $1.45 billion NT. And it will take 1,140 days to build. But when it is finished, the four-story shelter in Taipei's Neihu District will be the biggest shelter in Taiwan! And it will be more than just a temporary (暫時的) home for animals. The first floor will be a small medical center. Animals who come in can get checked by veterinarians. They might need some medical care, or medicine. On the second floor there will be space for people to visit animals. This way people hoping to adopt a pet can spend some time with an animal and see if they match. There will also be a coffee shop on this floor. The animals will live on the third floor. Cats and dogs would live in separate areas (不同的區域). And the Taipei City Animal Protection Office would be on the fourth floor. There will also be spaces for the animals to play. There will also be air-conditioning, and sound-proofing, to keep things quiet and comfortable. 台北市動物之家除了動物舍和公園之外，還會有咖啡廳、醫療中心、和互動空間。 This amazing place will open in 2028. The city hopes that the new shelter will help more animals find forever homes. ________________________________ 韓國航空公司經濟艙停供泡麵 Korean Airline Says Goodbye to Instant Noodles Have you ever spilled (灑，打翻) hot soup on yourself? Ouch! Hot food and spills can be a real danger in the kitchen. But what about in the sky? One Korean airline was also very worried about this problem. In fact, it was so worried, that it changed its inflight menu (機上餐點|). Last month, the airline stopped serving instant noodles (泡麵) to some of its passengers. If someone spills the steaming, soupy noodles… Someone could get hurt! Instant noodles have been a popular (受歡迎的) snack on the airline's flights. But the airline says turbulence (亂流) is becoming more of a problem. On flights, turbulence happens when there are changes in the air around the plane. This can make the plane shake. It can even make the plane drop down suddenly. The airline says compared with five years ago, the number of times turbulence happens on its flights have doubled. And hitting turbulence when you're holding a bowl of steaming hot soup…is definitely not good. 一家韓國的航空公司停止提供泡麵給經濟艙旅客，希望可以減少燙傷意外發生的機會。 The airline hopes the change will make its flights safer. Some people are happy about this. They said they always worry about getting burnt by the hot noodle soup. Some even said they don't like the smell. But other people aren't happy. They like the free snack. And they point out (指出) that the airline still serves other things that could cause burns. Ahem…hot coffee or tea, anyone? But the airline is making other changes too. It says it will start offering other snacks. There will be sandwiches, pizza, or "hot pockets". This is cheese, meat, and veggies wrapped in a crispy shell. Mmmm…. The airline says it will work hard to keep customers safe and happy. Turbulence can be very hard to predict (預測). And unfortunately, scientists say that with climate change, we might see turbulence happen more often than before. So if you're on a flight, remember to buckle up, no matter what snacks are on board. Safe travels everyone! ________________________________ So in today's News Bites, Taipei is building a new animal shelter. It will have a medical center, space for people to visit animals, and even a coffee shop. This amazing place will open in 2028. The city hopes that the new shelter will help more animals find forever homes. ________________________________ And, One Korean airline has stopped serving instant noodles to some of its passengers. But the airline says turbulence is becoming more common, and they hope the change will make its flights safer. It will start serving other snacks, like sandwiches and pizza. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Do you have a favorite condiment (調味品)? Ketchup is one of the most commonly used condiments. We eat all sorts of food with ketchup. We add it in burritos, dip our fries in it, drizzle it over omelets…the list just goes on! But did you know, over 100 years ago, ketchup was used as medicine? In the 1830s, a doctor claimed ketchup could cure diarrhea and indigestion. It was sold as "tomato pills". But by the 1850s, no one was buying them. And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or an interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Welcome back to another episode of News Bites! I'm Paz Bueno. And I'm Brody Halverson. In today's news: An HSR extension will be decided by year's end, and why Europe has become an epicenter for anti-tourism this summer. And in today's Tasty Tidbit… what's the shortest airplane trip you can take? Stay tuned for more on those stories, coming up next. ________________________________ 交通部年底前決定高鐵南延路線 HSR Extension to be Decided by Year's End The Taiwan High Speed Railway opened in 2007. Since then, traveling between Taipei and Kaohsiung has become more time efficient and affordable (負擔得起的). While the HSR runs along the west coast of Taiwan, there is one county that it doesn't reach (到達), Pingtung. If Pingtung residents (居民) want to go to Taipei, they have to drive or take public transportation to the Zuoying HSR station in Kaohsiung. Both transportations methods (交通方式) take between 40 minutes to an hour. Over the years, authorities (有關當局) have been discussing whether to extend the HSR into Pingtung. And there is finally some good news for the local residents! The Ministry of Transportation and Communications said that a decision to extend the HSR to Pingtung is expected to be finalized before the end of the year. 交通部表示，高鐵延伸到屏東預計在年底之前決定。 They also mentioned that the extension may include a stop in urban (市區) Kaohsiung. In the current proposal (提案), there will be two stops in Pingtung County. The extension might also extend to Taitung in the future. Building a railway network around Taiwan has always been the goal of THSRC. The Taiwan Railway (台鐵) has already completed the train tracks around Taiwan. However, traveling to the east by train still takes a few hours. The HSR would be able to cut the train trip in half! As for the northeastern extension of the HSR, it was already been approved in 2020. The northeastern extension will run from Nangang to Yilan. The line will be 56.4 kilometers long and the travel time will take only 18 minutes. This is great news for commuters (通勤者) between Taipei and Yilan. Construction of the northeastern extension is expected to be completed in 2036. ________________________________ 歐洲今年暑假為何成為"反旅遊"中心 Why Europe has Become an Epicenter for Anti-Tourism This Summer Over the last 30 years, traveling abroad (出國旅遊) has become more and more common. Then the COVID-19 pandemic (疫情) happened, and the world was almost still (停頓下來) for 3 years. People around the world could only stay in their countries and homes. When travel restrictions (限制) were lifted, millions flocked out of (湧出) their countries to travel. This phenomenon (現象) was called "revenge travel (報復性旅遊)," an act of taking a trip that wasn't able to happen due to the pandemic. This contributed to (導致) a situation that has been happening over the years, "overtourism (過度旅遊)." Anti-tourism protests (反旅遊抗議) have been sweeping across (橫掃) Europe this summer. These protests took place in the Netherlands, Greece, and Spain. Thousands of local residents took part in the protests. They are protesting about rising rents and house prices in popular travel destinations, which is also their home. The pattern is also happening in other European cities. Locals are blaming the increasing costs on mass (大量) tourism. However, there are experts that don't agree with this theory. Martins, an expert in sustainable tourism (永續旅遊), said that the locals are not happy because they do not benefit (獲益) from the tourism in their area. So, what can authorities do? Zenker, a professor in tourism at Copenhagen business school, offered a solution. He said that the money that is made by tourism should be invested locally (投資在當地). Wages should be raised and more jobs should be offered to local residents. It looks like this is happening around the world. The protests might not cease (停止) until the problem is solved. ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites: A decision to extend the HSR to Pingtung is expected to be finalized before the end of the year. The railway will be extended into Pingtung, and another station might be added in Kaohsiung. ________________________________ And, Europe has become an epicenter for anti-tourism this summer. Locals are protesting about overtourism all over Europe. They are protesting about rising rents and house prices in popular travel destinations, which is also their home. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Hey Brody, what's the longest flight you've ever been on? Probably Taipei to Los Angeles. What about you? The longest flight I've been on is from Taipei to New York. It takes around 15 hours! Have you heard about the shortest flight in the world? No, how short is it? It's only 2.8 kilometers long, between two tiny islands in Scotland. That's a short distance! How long does the flight take? The flight can take as little as 53 seconds! The whole trip, including taxiing, takes around two minutes. If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everybody, welcome back! It's time for a brand new episode of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Brody Halverson. In today's stories, social media causes anxiety among Taiwanese teens, and an emotional support alligator Wally brings joy to his community! Let's get started! ________________________________ 台灣青少年的身體形象焦慮 Body Image Anxiety Among Taiwanese Teens Do you use social media (社群媒體)? Do you scroll (滑) through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok without thinking? Do you know what social media does to our minds? A survey from The Child Welfare League Foundation (兒福聯盟) found that social media causes body image anxiety (身體形象焦慮) for many Taiwanese teenagers. Over 70% of middle and high school students do not like how they look. This is almost 3 in every 4 kids! Many students try to change how they look by using filters (濾鏡) or editing (編輯) their photos. Sometimes, they edit their pictures so much that the pictures do not look real. Sometimes, they do not share their pictures because they worry about what other people will think of them. Seeing pretty pictures of other people causes teenagers to feel less confident (自信) about themselves. The foundation hopes people will pay attention to this problem and suggests (提議) some ways to reduce (減少) the anxiety. First, we can spend less time on the Internet and on social media. Parents can spend more family time with children away from their devices. Second, we can turn off social media notifications, so we do not check the apps as often. This will also help reduce anxiety. Third, we can practice positive affirmations. Look into the mirror and tell yourself, "I want to like you, and I want to learn how to truly love you!" Psychologists (心理學家) say that positive affirmations (正面肯定句) can help us build confidence and be happier. This means that the more positive thoughts we think and say about ourselves, the more we will believe in them! 我們對自己說越多正面肯定話，我們就會越相信自己！ It is important to know that everyone is beautiful in their own way. You are unique, and no one else is like you! ________________________________ 情感支持鱷魚沃利 Emotional support alligator Wally You might have seen therapy dogs (治療犬) around… But have you seen an emotional support alligator (情感支持鱷魚)? Wally was an emotional support alligator owned by Joie Henney from Philadelphia. When Wally was 1 year old, Joie rescued (拯救) him from Florida and brought him home. Joie built a 1100-liter pond in his living room for Wally. That's about the size of 5 bathtubs! Wally liked to eat cheese puffs, and he enjoyed watching "The Lion King". He grew to about 2 meters long! Wally became Joie's important friend. He took Wally out on walks on a leash (牽繩), and Wally even slept with him in the same bed! Joie was receiving treatment for cancer, and he said Wally brought him a lot of comfort. Joie noticed that Wally calmed people down. For some reason, Wally did not bite people. Joie started taking Wally to schools and senior living centers (養老院). The students and elders were very happy to see him. Wally是一隻很特別的鱷魚，牠不會咬人，而且很和善！牠的主人常帶著牠去探望學校和老人院。 At one school, Wally met a boy with Tourette's syndrome (妥瑞症). The boy's tics (抽動) stopped while he was petting Wally. One of Wally's teeth had been wiggling (搖晃), so Joie pulled it out and gifted it to the boy! The tooth is very special to the boy to this day. Wally also helped people with anxiety and depression feel happier! Wally became very famous, gaining 153,000 followers on TikTok. Unfortunately, one day Wally was taken without permission (許可). He was caught by a trapper who did not know he had an owner and released into a swamp (濕地) earlier this year. But there are also other unique emotional support animals around. There's "Cuddle Quack" the emotional support duck, and Pita Peppa the emotional support pig, and Travis the emotional support llama (大羊駝), just to name a few! ____________________________________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: A survey from The Child Welfare League Foundation finds that social media causes anxiety among over 70% of Taiwanese teenagers. Many use filters or edit how they look. The foundation encourages people to spend less time on social media and practice positive affirmations. ____________________________________________________________________________ And… Emotional support alligator Wally became a special friend to cancer patient Joie. Wally visited many schools and nursing homes. Wally helped many people with anxiety and depression feel happier! ____________________________________________________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit For today's Tasty Tidbit… Did you know alligators can go through up to 4,000 teeth in a lifetime? Alligators have 80 teeth, and each tooth can regrow up to 50 times! And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or an interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Jacob Ingram. And I'm Nancy Sun. Coming up next in today's news: Lugang Dizangwang Temple is being restored, and Caesar salad turns 100 years old. And in today's Tasty Tidbit: Ice-cream cones were invented by accident! Stay tuned for more on those stories! ______________________________________________________ 鹿港地藏王廟修復 Lugang Dizangwang Temple in Restoration Have you heard about the Dizangwang Temple (地藏王廟) in Lugang? As the name suggests, it is dedicated to Dizangwang Pusa (地藏王菩薩). People go to pray for their deceased (去世) ancestors (祖先). The temple is an important religious center (宗教中心). It holds rituals for the deceased. 它為往生者舉行儀式。 It was originally built in the second year of the Kangxi reign (康熙年間) back in the Qing Dynasty (清朝). In other words, the temple was built back in 1663! In 1985, the government designated it as a historic site (將它列為古蹟). Lots of people visit the temple during Hungry Ghost Month (鬼月), also known as Zhongyuan Festival (中元節), every lunar July (農曆七月). Last year during Zhongyuan Festival, the temple had around 10,000 visitors. The temple is incredibly popular and historically important (很有歷史意義). But over time, many paintings, artifacts and architectural elements have faded and cracked. 然而，隨著時間，許多繪畫、文物和建築元素已經褪色和破裂。 Now, a restoration project has been started. 修復工程已經啟動. Earlier in July this year, the temple held an official ceremony, marking the start of the project. The temple teamed up with local officials (當地政府) and they managed to raise 12 million NT! They explained this project will focus on preservation (保存) and restoration (修復). They wish to display (展示) the beauty of traditional culture (傳統文化) and the craftsmanship (工匠精神) that was put into building these temples. But they say the deteriorating murals (壁畫) were both a cultural risk and a safety hazard for visitors to the temple. The project will be completed by a team of experts, including painters and artists. They expect it will be finished by November next year. ______________________________________________________ 凱撒沙拉誕生100週年 Caesar Salad turns 100 Have you heard of Julius Caesar? He's a famous Roman emperor (羅馬皇帝). Maybe you've also heard of Caesar salads (凱撒沙拉)? It sounds like Julius Caesar invented Caesar salads. They're named after him, right? Well, actually no! The salad was not invented (發明) by him. The first Caesar salad wasn't made until 1924 - that's almost 2,000 years after the famous Roman emperor died. It just so happens that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Caesar salads! The salad was created by an Italian chef named Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico. Cardini was an Italian immigrant (移民) who opened restaurants in Mexico (墨西哥) and the United States (美國). Being short on ingredients (食材) one day, Cardini put together the salad from leftover ingredients (剩下的食材) in the kitchen. He combined Romaine lettuce, garlic oil, eggs, croutons (麵包丁), and parmesan cheese (帕瑪森起司). He then mixed up all these ingredients with his special dressing (沙拉醬). People dining in Cardini's restaurant enjoyed this dish. So, it became more and more popular. Cardini initially intended this salad to be "finger food". This meant it was meant to be eaten with fingers! The original recipe of the Caesar salad used whole hearts of romaine lettuce. 凱撒沙拉最開始是用整顆羅馬生菜心。 Cardini designed it so that diners could pick up hearts of romaine lettuce and enjoy their crunchy texture. However, many customers complained about not wanting to get their hands covered in the creamy Caesar sauce. So, Cardini adjusted (調整) the recipe. He started using torn pieces of lettuce so guests could easily eat the salad with forks. Cardini would prepare the dish on the table, right in front of the guests. This was his way of showing how fresh his ingredients were. One century later, the dish is still prepared the same way at Cardini's restaurant in Tijuana. Every month, 2,500 Caesar salads are served in the restaurant. Earlier this year in July, Tijuana commemorated the centenary (100週年慶) with a three-day celebration. They held a food and wine festival, and unveiled (揭幕) a statue (雕像) of Cardini. ______________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: The Dizangwang Temple in Lugang was built in the Qing Dynasty, more than 300 years ago. The temple is popular and historically important, so a restoration project has been started. The restoration will be completed by a team of experts, including painters and restoration artists. They expect the project to be complete by November 2025. ______________________________________________________ And this year marks the 100th anniversary of the invention of Caesar salads. The salad was created by an Italian chef named Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico. Earlier this year in July, Tijuana marked the centenary, or 100th year anniversary, with a three-day celebration. They held a food and wine festival, and unveiled a statue of Cardini. ______________________________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Did you know that ice cream cones were invented by accident? During a fair in St. Louis, United States, an ice cream vendor ran out of paper cups to hold his ice cream. A waffle maker next to the vendor noticed this problem, then rolled waffles into cones to hold the ice cream. People at the fair loved this new combination of waffles and ice cream. Ice cream cones then became super popular. _________________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to us at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. And you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there. It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites. I'm Jacob Ingram. And I'm Kelly Kimura. In today's episode we'll be talking about healthy eating and Britain's King Charles giving a royal title to a goat. And for today's Tasty Tidbit: Pound Cakes! Stay tuned for those stories. ________________________________ 健康飲食和運動可降低感冒的機會 Healthy Eating and Exercise Reduces the Chance of Colds Fed up with catching colds? 受夠感冒了嗎？ 感冒真的很麻煩。 There might be a way to help you avoid them. A new survey suggests that eating healthy foods can reduce your chances (減少機率) of catching colds! The survey was done by the Formosa Cancer Foundation (癌症基金會). It wanted to look into the health of young children here in Taiwan. Some of the results were concerning (令人擔憂). For example, the survey found that half of all school children in Taiwan do not eat enough fruits and vegetables daily. Now, it's no secret that fruits and vegetables are healthy foods. They have lots of good things. They help our bodies grow strong, fight germs, and work well. Plus, they taste yummy and come in lots of different colors and flavors. So it's a good idea to eat them regularly. 經常吃蔬果有很大的好處。 The survey also showed that 60 percent of school children don't eat whole grains. You know what whole grains are? Brown rice and purple rice count as whole grains, and so does oatmeal (燕麥). These are also very good for you. 對身體很好。 It also found that as many as 80 percent of school children don't eat soy products (豆類製品) daily. Nutritionists (營養師) said it's not good that so many kids in Taiwan aren't eating enough healthy foods. They stressed (強調) the importance of a healthy diet, noting that it can reduce your chances of catching colds by up to 8 percent. They added that healthy eating and good exercise habits makes the chance of catching colds even lower! 飲食健康加上運動習慣可以有效降低感冒機率。 ________________________________ 珍稀山羊的皇家稱號 Royal Title for Rare Goats Have you heard of Britain's King Charles III? Yeah, he's basically Britain's grandpa. In other words, he runs the country, or rather, has a lot of people to run it for him. But did you know that he has a special ability? He can bestow royal titles (賜予皇家頭銜). He recently gave one to a rare breed of goats (少見的山羊種類)! This goat breed is known for living on a small island called Guernsey. Guernsey is in the English Channel. The breed is now known as the "Royal Golden Guernsey Goat". Rebecca Martin, a local, owns an eight-year-old goat of this breed. Her goat was the lucky one chosen to represent (代表) the breed during the British King's visit. Rebecca hopes this title will help people learn more about these special goats. The Royal Golden Guernsey Goat has a pale blonde coat, which the British King admired. 這種山羊有一層淺金色的毛皮，很得英國國王的歡心。 These goats are known to be friendly, gentle, and good at making milk. But they are also very rare and are on an "at risk" list. In other words, their numbers are very low, so they could disappear. 牠們的數量非常少，有可能絕種。 Christopher Price is the head of a charity (慈善機構) that aims to raise awareness (提高認識) about rare animals in Britain. Price said this royal title is important, because it recognizes the goat breed's value. He also said these goats are good for the environment, because they eat certain plants. Price thanked the British king for his support. ________________________________ So in today's News Bites, A recent survey showed that around half of children in Taiwan don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are very healthy, and help our bodies grow strong, fight germs, and work well. Nutritionists said that eating fruits and vegetables every day can help reduce the chance of catching a cold by 8%. They added that healthy eating and exercise reduces your chance of catching a cold even more. ________________________________ And, Britain's King Charles III is able to bestow royal titles. Recently he gave one to a breed of goats, so they are now known as the "Royal Golden Guernsey Goat". This breed lives on the small island of Guernsey, and is admired for its pale blonde coat and friendly nature. But it's also at risk of disappearing due to low numbers. The breed is good for the environment, as it eats certain plants. It is hoped the title will raise awareness about the breed. _______________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Do you know why Pound Cakes are called "Pound" Cakes? The answer is actually fairly simple! Pound cakes are made with four ingredients (成分): flour (麵粉), butter, eggs, and sugar. When you make pound cakes, you add a pound of each ingredient! Pound cake is a British creation that was first made in the early 1700s. Pound cakes have a rich, buttery flavor with a dense and moist texture (口感紮實且濕潤). They are the perfect dessert (完美甜點) to enjoy alongside a nice cup of tea. ________________________________ That's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Jacob Ingram. And I'm Nancy Sun. Coming up next in today's news: Internet usage increases among elderly in Taiwan and the National Gallery celebrates its 200th anniversary! And in today's Tasty Tidbit: Art was once a part of the Olympics! Stay tuned for more on those stories! ________________________________ 台灣老年人網路使用率增加 Increased Internet Usage Among Elderly in Taiwan Can you imagine life without the internet? Imagine not being able to message your friends, order food online, look up important information, or find your way around town. Before the internet, people had to go to libraries and read through books. They also had to carry around pocket maps (口袋地圖) so they wouldn't get lost. It's shocking (令人震驚的) to think that the internet has only been available to the public (對外開放) for 30 years. This means, a lot of the older population (老年人口) didn't have access to the internet when they were younger. But as time went on, the internet became more and more popular. Now, it connects us with people from all over the world and allows us to access information (資訊) quickly and easily. 現在，網路讓我們可以和世界各地的人交流，使我們能夠快速、輕鬆地獲取資訊。 The Ministry of Health ran a survey to analyze trends (分析趨勢) in the elderly between 2017 and 2022. It showed that internet usage among seniors in Taiwan has increased by 50 percent. For those aged 55 to 64, internet usage has risen from 65 percent to 87 percent. Why? Well, there are many factors (因素). The internet is a lot more accessible now thanks to technology. Smartphones and high-speed internet connections are more affordable. Wi-Fi and mobile networks (手機網路) have expanded (擴大), so people can connect to the internet more easily. In addition, Apps and websites are now more user-friendly (易於使用的), so they're easy to use for both the young and elderly. With the internet at our disposal, we're able to achieve (實現) so much. We're can self-study different subjects, FaceTime our friends, watch films at home, go online shopping, and much more. ________________________________ 英國國家美術館 The National Gallery Have you heard about Van Gogh's famous sunflower paintings? Well, you'll be able to find one of them at the National Gallery in London! The National Gallery opened in 1824. The museum was founded when the British government (英國政府) bought 38 paintings from an art collector (收藏家). Today, the National Gallery has over 2,300 paintings. It's like a giant treasure chest (百寶箱) of art! This year marks its 200th anniversary (200週年紀念日). The museum has a rich collection of Western European paintings ranging from the 13th to the 19th century. 博物館內藏有豐富的13世紀至 19 世紀西歐繪畫作品。 These paintings are like windows to the past. 這些畫就像通往過去的門戶。 They show us how people lived, how people dressed, and much more! 它們向我們展示了當時人們的生活方式、穿著等等。 Lots of people from all around the world visit the National Gallery every year. This year also commemorates (慶祝) the 100th anniversary of the museum acquiring (獲取) two famous paintings: "Van Gogh's Chair" and "Sunflowers." To celebrate, the National Gallery will hold a Van Gogh exhibition (展覽) titled "Poets and Lovers." (詩人與戀人) It's going to be the biggest Van Gogh exhibition in the UK since 2010! You'll be able to witness many of his famous paintings all in one place! The exhibition starts September 14th. Van Gogh's art is very popular today. You might have seen his swirly (旋渦狀的), colorful paintings in books, on TV, or even on t-shirts. Yet surprisingly, Van Gogh wasn't famous when he was alive. He produced more than 2,000 artworks (作品), but not many people noticed his talent (才華) back then. Today, his work is loved by millions. People travel far to get a glimpse of his paintings in real life. If you visit the National Gallery, you'll get to see Van Gogh's unique (別致) artworks! ________________________________ So in today's News Bites: Internet usage among seniors in Taiwan has increased by 50 percent. Over the last few years, the internet has become more accessible partially due to cheaper and faster technology. ________________________________ And this year marks the National Gallery's 200th anniversary. It is also the 100th anniversary of the museum acquiring "Van Gogh's Chair" and "Sunflowers," two of Van Gogh's famous paintings. To celebrate, the National Gallery will hold a Van Gogh exhibition titled "Poets and Lovers." ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Did you know that art used to be an Olympics event? Art competitions were a part of the modern Olympic Games from 1912 to 1948. During that time period, artists received medals for their architecture, music, paintings, sculptures and literature inspired by sports. Pierre Coubertin is the founder of the modern Olympics. He believed that a true Olympian had to be someone who not only demonstrates athletic strength, but also had artistic skills. ________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send your Tasty Tidbit to us at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. You might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everybody, welcome back! It's time for a whole new year of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun. And I'm Kelly Kimura. In today's stories, land crabs crossing, and snakes in pants. Let's get started! ________________________________ 墾丁封路保護陸蟹 Helping Kenting Crab Moms Why did the land crab cross the road? To get to the ocean to lay her eggs! It's a special time in Kenting (墾丁). It's the time when land crabs (陸蟹) have baby crabs. How does it all work? Many land crabs live in and around Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan. And every year, from around May to October, land crabs are very busy. Female land crabs hold many eggs on their bodies. And they need to get from land to the ocean, to lay their eggs. It's a very dangerous journey. They climb up and down over hills. They may cross rivers or streams. And most dangerous of all… They have to cross the road (過馬路). Every year, many land crabs are killed trying to get across the road. They get hit by cars and scooters. If they don't get help, the number of land crabs in the wild could fall even lower. So the park is running a special program. It's the "Stop 10, Go 10" program! It happens on Provincial Highway 26, at a section where many land crabs try to cross. There, the highway is 4 lanes wide. But during this time, cars may only use 2 of the lanes. 在台26線的這一段，路從原本的4線道縮減成2線道。 And the cars can use the road for 10 minutes. Then the road is closed for 10 minutes. It's "crab mode" on the highway! This is when the crabs can cross safely. Then, after 10 minutes, the road reopens again to let cars go. And when the cars are moving, there is a special lead car. This car drives in front, and makes sure all the cars go slow. This gives land crabs a good chance to get to the other side safely. But there's more! The park has also built special bridges (高架陸蟹廊道) for the crabs. These bridges go over the highway. It's another safe way for the crabs to get across the road. So if you're in Kenting, or know someone who is, spread the word!Let's keep the roads and beaches safe for our crab friends! ________________________________ 男子出奇招走私百條活蛇 Sneaky Snake Smuggler Caught Hey kids, if you had to hide a snake somewhere… Where would you put it? Definitely not IN YOUR PANTS right? Well, one man did just that. And he didn't just hide one snake in his pants… He hid over 100! This man is a smuggler (走私者). He wanted to sneak these snakes into China. He probably wanted to sell the snakes there to get a lot of money. The man was traveling from Hong Kong to the city of Shenzhen. He told customs officers (海關工作人員) that he had "nothing to declare" (沒有要申報的東西). But the officers stopped him. They checked him over. And they found 104 live snakes hidden in six bags inside his pants! Officers say each bag had snakes of all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors. Most of the snakes were small. But that is still a lot of slithery squirmy snakes to hide inside your trousers! 海關人員發現這個男子穿的褲子裡塞滿了6個抽繩袋，裡面裝滿了各種形狀、大小和顏色的活蛇。 Most countries do not let people bring in non-native animals or plants (外來物種). That's because these animals and plants may be dangerous. They could be harmful to native animals or plants (原生物種). If you want to bring a non-native animal or plant into Taiwan, you have to get special permission. And wildlife trafficking is a serious problem worldwide. It's when people take animals from their natural homes, and sell them illegally. It's like stealing animals from the wild. This is bad because it hurts the animals, and can make some types of animals disappear forever. It's also bad for the environment, and can spread diseases. So let's all do our part and make sure animals stay safe in their natural homes! ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites: Kenting is running a special program to help protect land crabs. It's the "Stop 10, Go 10" program! Cars can use the road for 10 minutes, then the road is closed for 10 minutes. This is when the crabs can cross safely to get to the beach. ________________________________ And, Customs officers in China stopped a man and checked him over. He had 104 snakes hidden in bags inside his pants! He probably wanted to sell the snakes to get a lot of money. Most countries do not let people bring in non-native animals or plants. That's because these animals and plants may be dangerous. They could be harmful to native animals or plants. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit For today's Tasty Tidbit… Okay, summer vacation is over, and that's no laughing matter. But we're here to help you start school with a smile! You ready? Why do math books always look so sad? They are full of problems! And one more for the road. Knock Knock. Who's there? Noah. Noah who? "Noah more summer", it's time for school! And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or an interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, it's time for a new episode of News Bites… I'm Nancy Sun. And I’m Brody Halverson. Today’s stories… A movie talks about the soil on Taiwan’s farms, and scientists find a plant that can survive on Mars. Let’s check it out. ________________________________ 新電影探索台灣土壤 New Film Explores Taiwan’s Soil What is under our feet? Uhh, our shoes? And under that? The floor? And under that? I don’t know, soil! It’s soil (土壤). Yes. We live on soil. It forms the ground beneath our feet and supports us every day. What’s more, we grow all of our fruits and vegetables in the soil. That’s why we need healthy soil. The soil helps us, but do we help it back? A new movie shows how two people have tried to improve the soil (改善土壤). The film is called "Soul of Soil” (種土). In this film, the director Yen Lan-chuan (顏蘭權) tells the true story of two farmers. The first one is named A-ren (阿仁). He gave up his job as an engineer to return to his hometown Kaohsiung and become a farmer. A-ren tries to grow pineapples (鳳梨), but he has a problem. A science park was built near his farm, which caused flooding and washed away the soil’s nutrients (土壤的養分). That means the soil on his land is very poor. A-ren tries to improve the land by using organic waste to make compost, but it is difficult to fix the poor soil. 阿仁試圖改善土地，但貧瘠的土壤很難修復。 That story really makes you feel sad. But the second story is happier. It is about a farmer named An-he (安和). His first five years were full of failure, as harmful insects (害蟲) were eating his plants. An-he kept at it, patiently working to improve the soil with organic farming methods (有機耕作方法). Little by little An-he’s farm gets better, with earthworms and other helpful insects (益蟲) returning to his soil. Finally in the sixth year he is able to grow honeydew melons (蜜瓜)… and now he has been farming for thirty years. With these two stories, "Soul of Soil” wants to show people how tough it is for farmers to grow the food we all depend on. The film also wants to inspire people (啟發人們) to take better care of Taiwan’s soil, because if the soil becomes poor, it is not easy to fix. So the next time you eat a delicious pineapple or a melon… remember (記住) the soil it came from. ________________________________ 科學家發現可以在火星上生存的植物 Scientists Find Plant That Can Survive On Mars I wonder what plants grow on Mars (火星). …what? Plants on Mars? Yeah, plants on the planet Mars. Perhaps they have Mars-trees. Or Mars-fruit. I don’t think there are any plants on… I know! They definitely have Mars-mallows! Stop! You’re mad, there are no plants on Mars.你瘋了，火星上沒有植物。 Okay, there may be no plants on Mars yet. But what about in the future? Did you hear about the scientists who found a plant that could survive (生存) on Mars? Actually I did. The scientists in China found it, right? It’s like a desert plant (沙漠植物). That’s right. It is a kind of moss (苔蘚) that grows in the desert. It’s called Syntrichia caninervis. This moss grows in some of the harshest regions on Earth (地球上一些最惡劣的地區). It has been found in America’s Mojave Desert, the high mountains of Tibet, and even in Antarctica. It is very hardy, and it can live to be up to a hundred years old. It can also survive in very dry (乾燥) places. Scientists in China wanted to find a kind of plant that could survive on Mars, and they guessed this plant might be able to. So, they made an experiment (實驗). They tested the moss under conditions like those on the planet Mars (類似於火星的條件下). They found it could survive for years at very cold temperatures. It could also survive radiation (承受輻射). That’s important, because Mars gets a lot of radiation from the Sun. This desert moss could handle all of it. But, there was one thing it could not do. It could not keep growing in these conditions. The scientists found they could make it grow again, but only when they brought it back to normal conditions like we have on Earth. In other words, this plant can survive on Mars, but it cannot grow there.植物可以在火星上生存，但不能在那裡生長。 However, scientists still think this is an important discovery (重要的發現). They think it might be the first step to finding a plant that could live on Mars. And if plants could live there… maybe people could, too. ________________________________ So, in today’s News Bites… A director from Taiwan made a new movie. It follows the true story of two farmers, as they try to repair the soil on their farms. ________________________________ And, Scientists have found a plant that can survive on Mars. It’s a kind of desert moss. Although it could survive on another planet, it could not grow there. ________________________________ Now it's time for the final Tasty Tidbit of the year! You ready? Do fish have summer vacation? No, because they're always "in school"! And that's our last News Bites episode for this semester! We hope all you lovely listeners had fun tuning in and learning about the world with us. And thank you for sharing all those amazing facts and hilarious jokes too! And as always, a big thank you to the K-12 Education Administration of the Ministry of Education for making News Lunchbox possible and supporting our programs. Have a wonderful summer, and make sure to tune in again in the Fall, for all new episodes of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Kelly Kimura… And I'm Nancy Sun. Coming up next in today's news: Taiwan’s has its own robot dogs, and a mother lets kitesurfing change her son’s life And in today's Tasty Tidbit… a prizewinning chocolate maker couldn’t smell her chocolate! Stay tuned for more on those stories! ___________________________________________________________ **台灣機器狗的美好未來 ** A Paws-itive Future for Taiwanese Robot Dogs Taiwan’s robot dog industry (產業) is starting! A national university (大學) and the National Science and Technology Council (國家科學及技術委員會) started a robot dog project (專案) two years ago. They have now shown the first AI, or artificial intelligence, robot dogs developed (開發) in Taiwan. The project developed two kinds of AI robot dogs. Both kinds have sensors (感應器), so they can walk around by themselves (獨自的). Since they are AI robots, they can be trained (接受訓練). Both are being trained to use stairs and walk on different (不同的) kinds of terrain (地形). But there are differences in how the two kinds of robot dogs are used. Here, sweetie! Good boy! Yeahhhhh. One is a pet. It weighs 16 kilograms and is 53 centimeters long. Come. Sit. Stay. Good boy! It listens to commands (命令) and looks at facial expressions (臉部表情). The other robot dog is a worker. It weighs 40 kilograms and is about one meter long. Its sensors can detect (探測) sound, temperature (溫度), gas, and other information (資訊). It can report (報告) information immediately (馬上). This robot dog can work in factories or other industrial settings (工業環境). This is important for Taiwan, because some industries don’t have enough human workers. This kind of robot dog can also help rescue workers (救援人員). For example, in other countries, robot dogs take videos of the inside of burning buildings. Then firefighters (消防員) know if it is safe to enter the buildings. 這些機器狗將改變我們的工作方式以及我們與科技互動的方式。 The university and the National Science and Technology Council believe Taiwan can have a robot dog industry that is successful around the world. Why? Taiwan can make robot dogs for about half the cost of other countries! ___________________________________________________________ **風箏衝浪改變男孩的生活 ** A Mother Lets Kitesurfing Change Her Son’s Life In Colombia (哥倫比亞), there is a great place for kitesurfing (風箏衝浪). It is far from cities. It’s on the coast (海岸) of the land of the Indigenous (原住民) Wayuu people. At first, kitesurfers only went to the beach. They didn’t have contact (接觸) with the Wayuu. Wayuu kids watched the kitesurfers’ colorful kites fly over the water. They watched the kitesurfers jump high. It looked so fun! But the kids and their families had no money to kitesurf. The kids didn’t think they could ever join the kitesurfers. Then a kitesurfing teacher started a kitesurfing school on Wayuu land. He wanted local people to help and learn. Two young Wayuu brothers really wanted to learn. After (後) their mother gave them permission (許可), they started training with the teacher. After school and on weekends, after they finished their homework and chores (雜務), the boys used every minute to kitesurf. The younger brother had to work hard to get better. Wayuu people have to get permission from their leaders to go to the outside world (外面的世界). When he was 13, he got permission to go to a competition (競賽). For the first time, he saw escalators, elevators, and traffic lights (電扶梯、電梯和交通燈號). For every competition, he had to get permission. When he was 18, he went to a competition in Brazil (巴西). He wanted to stay and work as a kitesurfing teacher. He did not get permission, but he stayed. As a punishment (懲罰), he could not go home for two years. It was okay with his mother. Making a good life at home was hard. There were few jobs. She wanted him to live in the outside world and follow his dream. Now he’s the only Wayuu who is a professional (職業) kitesurfer. 在母親的鼓勵下，他發揮了自己的才能，實現了自己的夢想。 ___________________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: A university has developed Taiwan’s first AI robot dogs, starting a new industry. This industry can be successful around the world. Taiwan can make robot dogs for about half the cost of other countries. ___________________________________________________________ And… A young boy from the Wayuu Indigenous group learned how to kitesurf. His mother wanted him to follow his dream. Now he’s the only Wayuu who is a professional kitesurfer. ___________________________________________________________ 趣味小點 ** Tasty Tidbit** A Taiwanese chocolate maker caught COVID-19 (新冠肺炎) last year and could not smell anything. She decided not to enter an international (國際的) chocolate competition. If she couldn’t smell, how could she make delicious chocolate? But she kept thinking about Beethoven (貝多芬). He couldn’t hear, but he wrote beautiful music. So… she entered the competition. She made a chocolate with a new taste. The taste comes from a bean that can kill you… if you eat A LOT of beans. But one chocolate uses just a little of one bean. The bean tastes like vanilla, almonds, and cinnamon (香草、杏仁和肉桂). Mmmmmm… The chocolate maker won one gold, two silver and two bronze medals (一枚金牌、兩枚銀牌和兩枚銅牌) and two special prizes! Those chocolates sound like very tasty tidbits! ___________________________________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send your Tasty Tidbit to us at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. You might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there. It’s time for an all-new episode of News Bites. I’m Jacob Ingram. And I’m Nancy Sun. In today’s episode we’ll be talking about peanuts and dumbphones. And for today’s Tasty Tidbit: Huskies and school rules. Stay tuned for those stories. ________________________________ 農試所智能乾燥機誕生 Smart Peanut Dryer Do you like peanuts (花生)? Have you ever wondered how they’re processed (處理)? After they are grown (種植) and harvested (收成), they have to be dried (曬乾). Traditional methods of drying peanuts (and other grains) requires good weather. It also needs lots of people to turn them often, otherwise they would be unevenly (不平均地) dried. So this hinders (阻礙) producers making lots of them. Some producers (生產者) use big box dryers (箱型烘乾機). But even these require a lot of physical labor. This is hard in places where there aren’t enough workers. So what can be done about it? Well, researchers invented a new special machine that can dry grains. It’s solar-powered, meaning it uses energy from the sun. ATRI, or the Agricultural Technology Research Institute, recently demonstrated (展示) the new machine in Yunlin County. The researchers say the machine helps dry peanuts and mixed grains more easily than traditional methods, like drying them in the sun or using big box dryers. It has a sensor (感測器) that checks how heavy the grains are in real time. This sensor makes sure the grains dry for just the right amount of time. It can reduce the work farmers need to do, making their lives easier. It also solves the problem of not having enough workers. It's also easy to move around with a big truck (大卡車就可以運送), which makes it good for groups of farmers to share. People in the farming industry will decide the price before it goes on sale. ________________________________ 換用傻瓜手機 獲得更平靜的生活 Switching to Dumbphones for a Calmer Life Smartphones are very convenient, aren’t they? They allow us to stay connected with friends, loved ones and access information instantly. They also allow us navigate new places so we don’t get lost. We can take pictures with them too. … And they keep us entertained! But there are downsides (壞處) to using them. It’s easy to get distracted (分心) by smartphones too. They can make people ignore real-life interactions and responsibilities. Some even say smartphones are addictive (讓人上癮). Smartphones also collect a lot of personal data, so some people are concerned about privacy (隱私權). Looking at screens for a long time can also cause physical problems, and make our eyesight (視力) worse. Some people are turning to dumbphones (傻瓜手機). Dumbphones, or feature phones, are basic phones for making calls and sending texts. They might even take pictures, but that's not always the case. Unlike smartphones, they don't have all the internet features and apps. Dumbphones are becoming very popular. Many say using a dumbphone makes them feel calmer and more present. 許多人表示使用傻瓜手機讓他們感到更平靜、更能專注於當下。 Caroline from California (加州) is one of them. She realized she spent an entire summer glued to her smartphone (一直盯著智慧型手機), and didn’t remember anything she did. She also couldn't even remember where she walked her dog, because she was always on her phone. So, she changed to a dumbphone. She found using a dumbphone inconvenient (不方便) at first, but later thought it was freeing (感覺很自由). Studies show that smartphones might be linked to rising rates of depression and anxiety. 研究顯示，智慧型手機可能與憂鬱和焦慮的增加有關。 So some groups are trying to promote reducing the use of smartphones, especially among children. Analysists (分析者) say around 2.8 million dumbphones were sold in the United States last year. Hopefully in the future smartphones can be used to enhance lives without the drawbacks (缺點). ________________________________ So in today’s News Bites, Peanuts need drying after harvest, but traditional methods rely on good weather and a lot of labor. Big box dryers exist, but they're still labor-intensive. To address these issues, researchers created a new solar-powered drying machine that's efficient, requires less work, and is easy to share among farmers. ________________________________ And, Smartphones are convenient, but they can be distracting and addictive. This can lead to neglecting real-life interactions and even health problems. A growing trend is people switching to dumbphones to regain control of their time and focus on what matters most. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Recently lots of huskies escaped from a pet cafe in Guangdong, China! Liang from Pan Tau Elementary School in Miaoli tells us more. … And Belle, who’s also from Pan Tau Elementary, has some suggestions for new school rules. … No homework for Grades 3 to 6? Good luck getting your teachers to agree! ________________________________ That’s it for today's episode of News Bites! *If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to *newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites! I'm Kelly Kimura… And I'm Paz Bueno. Coming up next in today's news: A barista is making coffee greener And in a warming world, how do we keep ourselves safe from getting too hot? And in today's Tasty Tidbit… Are there any shared birthdays in your class? Stay tuned for more on those stories! ___________________________________________________________ **咖啡師正在讓咖啡更環保 ** Barista Is Making Coffee Greener Coffee is very popular in Taiwan. People bought almost 3 billion cups of coffee here in 2022. All those cups of coffee mean there are a lot of used coffee grounds (咖啡渣). Some of the coffee grounds are used to fertilize (當作肥料) plants or take away bad smells. But most are thrown away. A barista from Changhua is making his business, and coffee, greener (更環保). His café was throwing away a lot of used coffee grounds. That made him realize how wasteful (浪費的) the coffee industry (產業) was. Coffee farmers harvest (採收) only the beans inside the coffee fruit. The rest (其餘的) of the fruit is thrown away. The barista is looking for products that use more of the coffee fruit. Now he makes tea from the coffee fruit. He’s also reusing coffee grounds in new products (產品). He learned that coffee grounds can repel (驅除) insects. There weren’t any coffee products that did this in Taiwan. The barista and a former classmate who had an incense (線香) factory (工廠) worked together. They made mosquito coils (蚊香) from used coffee grounds. The mosquito coils were successful, so the barista looked for other products to make. Now he makes coffee charcoal (咖啡炭) and soap (肥皂) from coffee grounds. Making coffee charcoal instead of wood charcoal saves a lot of energy (能源). Coffee charcoal takes one day to make, but wood charcoal takes a month! With the coffee soap, the barista says people can wash their hands more quickly, so they use less water. 當地超市和連鎖便利商店都對他的產品有興趣。 The barista says that he will not stop here. He is trying to make fuel sticks (燃料棒) from coffee grounds now. If he can do this, he wants to build a factory to process coffee grounds. Then he would use these fuel sticks to fuel the factory making coffee ground products! ___________________________________________________________ 氣候暖化，我們要如何保護自己不要受到熱天氣的影響？ In a Warming World, How Do We Protect Ourselves from Getting Too Hot? It is not news that our world is getting warmer. Over the past few weeks, daily temperatures (每天溫度) of 35 degrees Celsius (攝氏) have become normal (正常). Our bodies adjust (調整) to temperature changes. Our brains tell our bodies to warm up or cool down when we are cooler or warmer than usual. Our bodies have a few ways to cool down. The most common way is sweating (流汗). Our pores (毛孔) open, we sweat, and the sweat evaporates (蒸發). This process (流程) cools our bodies. Our bodies also dilate (擴張) our blood vessels (血管) and increase our heart rate (心率). This process brings heat and blood (血液) to our skin and releases excessive (過多的) heat. However, when temperatures are very high, our bodies might not be able to cool down fast enough. What’s more, if we are in a hot and humid (潮濕) place, our sweat can’t evaporate. This makes our body temperature go up. Our brain and organs (器官) might be damaged (受損) by high body temperatures. High body temperatures can also lead to heat-related illnesses (疾病). They include heat cramps (熱痙攣), heat rash (汗疹) heat exhaustion (熱衰竭) and heat stroke (中暑). How can you protect (保護) yourself from getting too hot? Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water - drink at least a glass of water every hour. Avoid outdoor activities (戶外運動) from 11 am to 3 pm, when it’s hottest outside. If you have to go out, wear light-colored clothes, drink lots of fluids (液體) and cover your head. If you’re light-headed (頭暈), dizzy (暈眩的), sweating, or have a racing heartbeat (心跳加速), get out of the heat and cool down! 天氣炎熱時，老人、兒童、慢性病患者更要注意身體狀況。 We have to protect ourselves from the heat! ___________________________________________________________ So in today's News Bites: A barista is making coffee greener. He saw how wasteful the coffee industry is. He now has made coffee-related products that reuse coffee beans or use more of the fruit. ___________________________________________________________ And… Sometimes our bodies can’t adjust to higher temperatures. Heat can damage our bodies. Protect yourself and avoid outdoor activities when the sun is strongest. ___________________________________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit How many students are there in your class? If there are 23, there’s a fifty percent chance that two people have the same birthday! How do we figure out (弄清楚) the probability (可能性)? First, what is the probability that everyone has a DIFFERENT birthday? When there are two in the class, there’s only one day that could be the same. The probability is 364 divided by 365. We are not going to think about leap years (閏年) here! For a class of three, the probability is 363 divided by 365. So… for a class of twenty-three, it’s 343 divided by 365. Phew! Then for the probability that all the students in the class have different birthdays, we’ve multiplied all the probabilities for you. The answer is 0.493. That means the probability of a shared birthday is 1 minus 0.493, or 50.7 percent! So… do you share a birthday with a classmate? ___________________________________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send your Tasty Tidbit to us at newsbites@icrt.com.tw. You might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

I’m Nancy Sun. And I’m Jacob Ingram. Today’s stories… Taiwan’s new AI, and the world’s largest solar power farm. And in today’s Tasty Tidbit…how long is your DNA? Let’s check it out. ________________________________ 台灣新AI超越ChatGPT-4 Taiwan's New AI Beats ChatGPT-4 in Traditional Chinese AI, or Artificial Intelligence (人工智慧), is a popular topic these days. Many people are talking about it. AI is a kind of smart computer. It can learn and do things like a human. For example, AI can help us find information, translate languages (翻譯語言), and even play games. Many companies are making AI to help us in our daily lives. Taiwan has a new large language model (大型語言模型) that is better than ChatGPT-4 for traditional Chinese! It's called the Taiwan Mixture of Experts, or TAME. TAME was trained using a supercomputer (超級電腦) in Kaohsiung called Taipei-1. It learned from almost 500 billion (五千億) pieces of information from different fields. On its first try, TAME scored better than 89% of people taking Taiwan's bar exam. 在第一次測驗時，TAME的成績比百分之八十九考取律師資格的人還要好。 This exam is very hard and is for becoming a lawyer (律師)! It also passed exams for university, traditional Chinese medicine (中醫), tour guides (導遊), and drivers. In 39 different tests with almost 3,000 questions, TAME was the best. It was 9.3% better than ChatGPT-4! Making TAME took 350,000 hours of GPU work and 1,285 hours of work by 31 engineers. TAME的製造，花了35萬個GPU小時，外加31位工程師辛苦工作了1285個小時。 Andrew Hsiao from Pegatron (和碩) said TAME is special because it is made for Taiwan and can be used in different industries (產業). Even though it was just released last week, companies can adjust it (調整它) to see if it fits their needs. This is a big step for AI in Taiwan! ________________________________ 中國新推出的 超級光電場 China's New Super Solar Farm Solar energy (太陽能) is power that comes from the sun. It is a clean and renewable (可再生的) source of energy. Solar panels (太陽能板) catch sunlight and turn it into electricity. Using solar energy helps reduce pollution and protects the environment. 使用太陽能可以減少污染，保護環境。 China has switched on the world's largest solar farm (太陽能電場)! It's called the Midong PV farm and is located in Urumqi, Xinjiang. 它叫做米東光伏電場，位於新疆烏魯木齊。 This solar farm can produce 3.5 gigawatts (吉瓦) of power, making it the biggest in the world. Before this, the largest solar park was a 2.2 gigawatt facility started in 2020. The Midong project cost 15.45 billion Chinese Yuan (人民幣) to complete. The solar farm has over 5.26 million special solar panels that can produce a lot of electricity. To hold these panels, they installed 1.23 million supporting piles (支撐柱). They also built five stations to boost the power and over 208 kilometers of transmission lines to connect the solar farm to the main power grid. 他們還建了五個增壓站和超過208公里的傳輸線來連接到主電網。 China Green Development Group (中國綠髮投資集團), which was established in December 2020, is behind this project. CGDG is a big energy investment company (能源投資公司) under the Chinese government. Their goal is to create more than 20 gigawatts of renewable energy by the end of 2024. ________________________________ So, in today’s News Bites… Taiwan has a new large language model that is better than ChatGPT-4 for traditional Chinese! It's called the Taiwan Mixture of Experts, or TAME. TAME was trained using a supercomputer in Kaohsiung called Taipei-1. ________________________________ And, China has switched on the world's largest solar farm! It's called the Midong PV farm and is located in Urumqi, Xinjiang. This solar farm can produce 3.5 gigawatts of power, making it the biggest in the world. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Did you know that if you took all the DNA from your body and stretched it out, it would reach the moon and back almost 150,000 times? That's super long! To fit inside our cells, DNA is tightly wrapped into tiny structures called chromosomes. This is the same for all living things, from insects to elephants. If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi everyone, it’s time for a new episode of News Bites… I’m Brody Halverson. And I’m Paz Bueno. Today’s stories… A Taiwanese teenager goes to play baseball in America, and thirteen young Hawaiians demand action on climate change. And in today’s Tasty Tidbit…ball lightning! Let’s get into it. ________________________________ 洛杉磯道奇隊簽約台灣青少年 Los Angeles Dodgers Sign Taiwan Teen How would you like to play for the MLB (美國職棒大聯盟)? Wow, the major leagues! That would be incredible. It would be a dream come true. Which Major League Baseball team do you want to play for? There are so many legendary teams in America… I’d want to join the New York Yankees… or the Boston Red Sox! But that’s just a dream (夢想). Sometimes dreams really do come true. 有時夢想真的會成真。 Look at the teenager from Taiwan who has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. At only seventeen years old (十七歲), he’s going off to play for one of the greatest baseball teams in the world. Oh, I’ve heard about him! His name is Ko Ching-hsien (柯敬賢). He’s just graduated from Pingjen (平鎮) Senior High School in Taoyuan. Ko played a lot of baseball growing up. He became an outfielder (外野手). That means when his team is in the field, he goes to the outfield (外野), to catch any balls that are hit so far. Ko is talented in the field, but he’s is also very good at batting (打擊). When he played for Taiwan in the Under-18 World Baseball Cup, he batted five-fifty. That means he hit the ball 55% of the time. In baseball that is a highly successful number. Ko’s performance was so good that he got noticed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. 柯在U-18世界盃棒球賽的打擊率為 0.550，非常成功，讓他受到關注。 So, the Dodgers have signed Ko onto their team. What’s more, they’ll give him a signing bonus (簽約獎金) worth more than 20 million NT. Now Ko will get the chance to play for the Dodgers. He will be teammates with some of the greatest players alive, including the world-famous Shohei Ohtani (大谷翔平). Ko’s story is amazing, but there will be more to follow his path. The Dodgers recruiter (棒球招募人員) who brought Ko onto the team says Taiwan’s new generation of players is the best he has ever seen. He says Taiwan’s youth talent (青年才俊) is outstanding, and he expects many others to join the MLB in the future. ________________________________ 夏威夷青年逼迫政府採取行動 Hawaii’s Youth Force Government to Climate Action How can we act on climate change (對氣候變遷採取行動)? Yes, we really need to do something. It is getting serious, with the sea level (海平面) rising higher and higher. Maybe we could ask everyone to use less energy, and we could ask the government to act too. If we ask nicely, maybe they will decide to help out. No! There is no more time to ask nicely. We need to demand climate action. 已經沒有時間再客氣地請求了，必須堅持行動。 That’s what happened in Hawaii, and it was a success. What happened in Hawaii? It started with a group of thirteen young Hawaiians (夏威夷人). Most of them are teenagers (青少年), but they were worried about their future. After all, Hawaii is made of small islands. If the sea level rises, it will be a big problem for the people there. Hawaiians have been asking their government to stop using fossil fuels (化石燃料) for transportation. That’s because fossil fuels cause climate change. But, for many years there had been little action. Their government was not listening. That’s why these thirteen young people decided to join a lawsuit (官司). They were done waiting, and they wanted to use the law to force the government to act. They said the government was violating their rights (侵犯他們的權利), and they got help from a law firm (律師事務所) called “Our Children’s Trust.” The lawyers took their lawsuit to court, and in June they finally won. According to the result of the lawsuit, transportation in Hawaii must reach net-zero (淨零排放) by the year 2045. That means they will need to make a big change in land, sea, and air transportation. Hawaii will need to use more climate-friendly forms of transportation, like electric vehicles, trains, biking and walking. And they’ll need to move away from harmful transportation, like traditional cars. The young Hawaiians are happy about their win. But they know it is just the beginning. They think that young people in other parts of the world will also start using their laws to fight climate change. ________________________________ So, in today’s News Bites… A teenager from Taiwan is going to play baseball for the MLB. Ko Ching-hsien has been signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. It must be a dream come true. ________________________________ And, Young people have forced their government to act on climate change. The thirteen young Hawaiians joined a lawsuit and won in court. Now, Hawaii will need to make all transportation in the state net-zero by 2045. ________________________________ 趣味小點 Tasty Tidbit Ball lightning is a strange and fiery ball of light that moves through the air for a few seconds. No one knows what causes it, and some scientists even doubt it is real. But many people have seen it! In 1994, ball lightning made a hole in a closed window that was 5 centimeters wide! If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode! We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!