News Bites ICRT

Hi everybody, it's time for a new episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's stories: A man from Hsinchu spends a week in the desert, and a photo of a bird surprises people.

Let's go!
________________________________

台灣人徒步穿越非洲沙漠
Taiwanese Man Walks Across African Desert

Could you walk across the desert (沙漠)?

I don't know.

If I tried to do that, I might just die.

The desert is so hot and dry (乾燥).

It sounds really difficult.

But it's not impossible.

Some people still do it.

In fact, a guy from Taiwan recently finished a race (比賽) across the desert.

It was a man from Hsinchu County named Gao Yu-jin (高玉金).

He travelled all the way to Africa, to the country of Namibia, to join a race across the Namib Desert.

The Namib Desert is not an easy place to survive. It is the oldest desert in the world, and one of the driest.

Gao went there to join a 7-day race across the desert. It was an ultramarathon, meaning Gao had to go on foot 250 kilometers to finish the race.
高玉金從台灣新竹前往非洲納米比亞參加超級馬拉松。

Gao knew it would be very hard. The desert was harsh, and temperatures sometimes got up to 50 degrees Celsius during the day.

What's more, Gao is already 60 years old.

Many of the other racers were younger and fitter.

But Gao was determined to do it (決心這麼做).

He carried a heavy backpack with lots of water to drink.

He also had protective clothing to ward off the sun, and walking poles (登山杖) to help him keep his balance as he trekked across the desert dunes.

It was really tough (辛苦).

Gao said he felt mixed emotions during the race, such as resentment, helplessness, and pain.

He said he often thought about giving up, but still he kept on going.
他說比賽時心情很複雜，有怨恨、茫然、痛苦等等。他說他途中多次想要放棄，但是他堅持了下來。

Finally, after a week in the desert, he finished the race, getting 74th place.

After the race, he got on social media to say he was proud of himself.

Gao thanked his family for supporting him.

He said the race made him believe that every person has unlimited potential (無限的潛力).

So how about it?

Do you want to try walking across the desert?

The race happens every year.

Maybe one day, it will be you out there, testing your strength and endurance.
________________________________

攝影師贏得人工智慧攝影比賽獎項
Photographer Wins AI Photo Contest

Have you ever seen picture made by AI?

Yes. Some of them are super weird (超奇怪).

If you ask AI to make a photo of an animal, it might show you an animal with two faces!

That's scary.

On the other hand, lots of AI photos are super cool.

Sometimes, you can't even tell (看不出來) the photo was made by AI.

You know, some people use AI photos to win photography contests (攝影比賽), even if that is against the rules.

When the judges find out the photos come from AI, the photos get disqualified (被取消了比賽資格).

That makes sense, as people worry about AI replacing human artists.

But now one human artist is fighting back.

In a recent contest, the photographer (攝影師) Miles Astray broke the rules, but in the opposite way.

He took a real photo, but made it look like an AI photo.

Then he entered it in a contest for AI photos, and he won!

What was the photo?

It was a photo of a pink bird - a flamingo (紅鶴) - standing on the beach.

The flamingo looks like it has no head, like a lot of creepy AI photos do.

But it was actually a real photo of a flamingo.

The bird was hiding its head in its feathers, which is what real flamingos do when they sleep.
照片看起來像一隻沒有頭的鳥，但實際上是一隻正在睡覺的紅鶴。

The judges thought

Hi there.

It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites.

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Hope Ngo.

In today's episode, more problems from plastic, and elephants know their names!

And today's Tasty Tidbit takes a dark turn…

Stay tuned for all that and more, coming up next.
________________________________

台灣人體內塑化劑濃度高美國人7倍
Plasticizers in our Bodies


The world is facing a serious problem with plastic pollution.

And it may affect us in more ways than we thought.

Recently, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes (國家衛生研究院) did a study together.

The study found that people in Taiwan had 2 to 7 times more plasticizer in their bodies than people in Europe and the U.S.

Plasticizer is added to materials to make them softer and more flexible (有彈性).

Plasticizer is often added to polymer (聚合物) and PVC.

It makes it easier to change the shape of these materials.

Plasticizer is also added to concrete (混凝土) to improve strength.

Plasticizer does get into our bodies.

But experts say it takes only a few days for us to metabolize (代謝) the plasticizer.

So why are the levels so high in Taiwanese people?

It may be that we come into contact with a lot of plasticizer, and often.

We are exposed to plasticizers on a daily basis.

Often when we buy food in Taiwan, they come in plastic bags…

Even when it's hot food or soup.

When people heat food in microwaves, the plastic wrap (保鮮膜) is often still wrapped on the food.

Plasticizers in our bodies can cause many different problems.

Experts say plasticizer can affect thyroid hormones (甲狀腺荷爾蒙), insulin (胰島素) and other hormonal functions (荷爾蒙功能).

It can also disrupt menstrual cycles (干擾月經週期).

Some plasticizers impair (影響) child development, heighten cancer risks and other effects.

The experts say cutting down exposure is very important.

They say we should use reusable tableware.

And they say we should learn about different materials.

Some single-use tableware is covered with a layer of waterproof plastic (防水塑膠膜).

If the food is very hot, or the tableware is heated, there is a risk.

The plastic may release harmful chemicals.

專家建議，購買外帶食物最好能夠自備環保容器或餐盒。

Looks like the reduction of plastic tableware is something that cannot be put off.
________________________________

大象會用"名字"呼叫彼此
Elephants Call Each Other by Name

Animals have their own ways to communicate with each other.

Dolphins mimic (模仿).

Studies have shown that some dolphins call one another by making the signature (特色) whistle of the dolphin they want to call.

Some parrots also do this.

But elephants do something different.

A new study shows that elephants call out to each other using something like names!

It's a bit like our human names.

But elephants use names that they made up for other elephants.

A team of international scientists looked at the calls of two herds of elephants in Kenya.

They listened closely to the sounds these elephants made.

They played a recording to an elephant of others calling out its name.

They found the elephant responded positively (正面的) and energetically.

But when the names of other elephants were played, they did not respond.

The scientists think this shows that elephants use different sounds for each of their friends and family members.

And they know when other elephants are calling them.

The scientists say this means that elephants and humans may be the only two animals that can make up names for each other.

The scientists say in some ways, this makes sense.

They say humans and elephants share many similarities (共同點).

Both live with families and relatives.

Both live

Hey there! Thanks for tuning in to today's New Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

Today's stories…
Taiwan on the AI stage, Mexico's first woman president, and what animal would you want to be?

Let's check it out.
________________________________

人工智慧科技成為焦點！
COMPUTEX 2024: AI Tech Takes the Spotlight!

COMPUTEX 2024 ended on June 7th and was a big success.

Over four days, more than 85,000 tech buyers (科技買家) and professionals from countries like Japan, the USA, South Korea, and many others visited the event.

This year's theme was "Connecting AI," and it brought a lot of attention to Taiwan (讓台灣成為矚目的焦點).

Many companies showed off (展示) their newest AI products.

Acer and ASUS introduced new AI-powered laptops.
宏碁和華碩推出了新款 AI 驅動的筆記型電腦。

These laptops use AI to make them smarter (更聰明) and more efficient (更有效率).

There were also many new smart cars (智慧汽車) on display.

Companies showed off new car technology, including smart cockpit solutions (智慧駕駛艙解決方案).

In the communications area, Taiwan's role in advanced communications (先進通訊) was highlighted.

ASUS and ASKEY worked together to create 5G network solutions.
華碩和亞旭合作創建了 5G 網路解決方案。

Another exciting area was the Metaverse, where a company showed eye-tracking tech for augmented reality (擴增實境的眼球追蹤技術), and another demonstrated a 3D recording system (3D 錄影系統).

Many famous tech leaders (科技領袖) spoke at COMPUTEX.

Dr. Lisa Su from AMD started the event.

Other speakers included Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon, Intel's Pat Gelsinger, and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang.

They talked about how AI and other technologies are changing the world.

COMPUTEX also focused on sustainability.

Companies like BenQ won the gold award for sustainable design.

ASUS and Acer both won silver, and other companies received special awards for their eco-friendly designs.

COMPUTEX 2025 will be held from May 20 to 23, 2025.
________________________________

墨西哥史上第一位女總統！
Mexico's First Female President!

Claudia Sheinbaum has made history by becoming Mexico's first female president.

She won with a big lead, getting about 60% of the votes.

Her main opponent was a businesswoman who got around 30% of the votes.

Claudia will take over (接替) from President Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador on October 1st.

She promised to continue the good work of President L?pez Obrador.

She wants to keep helping people through welfare programs (福利計劃).

In her victory speech, she said this win is not just for her, but for all women.

Claudia also thanked her opponent, who admitted defeat (承認敗選).

Claudia Sheinbaum has a background (背景) in science.

She studied physics and energy engineering.
她學習物理和能源工程。

Before politics, she worked as a scientist and studied energy use in Mexico.

Her grandparents came from Bulgaria and Lithuania, fleeing from the Nazis.
她的祖父母為了躲避納粹的迫害，從保加利亞和立陶宛來到墨西哥。

Before running for president, Claudia was the mayor (市長) of Mexico City.

She was the first woman to hold this position.

An 87-year-old woman named Edelmira Montiel said she was happy to see a woman become president.

In the past, women in Mexico couldn't vote or had to vote as their husbands told them.

Claudia Sheinbaum will face many challenges as president.

She plans to tackle violence by addressing its causes and investing in welfare programs.
她打算從根本處理暴力事件，並且投資各種社會福利，來解決墨西哥的暴力問題。

She also wants to have a good relationship with the United States and protect Mexicans living there.

Claudia had s

Hi everyone! It's time for an all-new episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Hope Ngo.

In today's episode, a machine that can get energy from seawater, and tourists destroying property in a Japanese town.

And for today's Tasty Tidbit: the world's best-selling video game.

Stay tuned for those stories.
________________________________

把海水變成能源的神奇機器
A Machine That Can Turn Seawater into Energy

Did you know you can make energy from seawater?

A research team at National Sun Yat-sen University says they've made a machine that can break down seawater to get hydrogen (氫).

They say it's the first of its kind in the world.

Why would anyone want hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that only makes water as a byproduct (副產品), making it good for the earth.

Hydrogen is important because it makes green electricity.

Green electricity is made from solar, wind, or hydro power.

It doesn't use fossil fuels.

Many industries (行業) need hydrogen to make important chemicals like rocket fuel (火箭燃料).

It's also important for making metals stronger.

So, how does the machine make hydrogen from seawater?

It does it by using electrolysis (電解), which causes a chemical reaction.

The machine passes an electric current (電流) through seawater, helping water molecules (水分子) split up.

It sounds like something we should be able to do easily.

But it's not easy.

The lack of technology is a problem.

It's difficult to show that making big amounts of hydrogen is possible.

目前最大的困難之一，在於還沒有 那樣的技術，來 證 明大量生產氫氣辦得到。

But the new machine is exciting because its inventors say it can produce plenty of hydrogen.

The machine will help Taiwan accomplish its dream of becoming a zero emissions (零排放) country by 2050.

Then Taiwan won't need to buy energy like oil from other countries anymore.

The researchers have been working with the government to make their special machine.

But it's not enough.

And they are hoping other government and industry partners will work with them develop this promising technology.
________________________________

富士山美景被遮擋 觀光客卻找辦法攝影
Holes in Screen Fail to Block Mount Fuji Photos

At the foot of Mount Fuji, there is a town that enjoys amazing views of this special mountain.

This town has a long name - Fujikawaguchiko - and it's got big problems.

Tourists who are trying to take pictures of Mount Fuji have been bothering the locals that live in the area.

They've been blocking pavements, walking into busy roads, and standing on private property to take photos.
因為當地人抱怨遊客堵住了人行道、占用繁忙的道路、並且還站在私人領地上拍照。

So to stop the tourists from taking photos of the mountain, officials there put up a big black screen.

The screen is outside the Lawson convenience store.

If you take a picture from there, it looks like Mount Fuji is sitting on the roof.

But the screen didn't stop some sneaky tourists from trying to take their pictures anyway.

Destroying public property is something we should never do, particularly when we are visitors in a new country.

But some tourists don't seem to remember this, because they have cut holes in the screen and in fences.

Officials found about ten holes at eye level the day after the screen was put up.

They think some tourists made holes in the screen just the right size for a camera lens.

This kind of behavior is one reason why many people around the world don't like tourists, and not just in Japan.

In fact, overtourism (過度旅遊) is a problem in many in many countries around the world.

So governments are coming up with ways to deal with this problem.
For example, Venice in Italy charges a €5 fee for tourists to enter

Hi everyone, welcome to a new episode of News Bites!

I'm Kelly Kimura…

And I'm Jacob Ingram.

Coming up next in today's news: The education minister wants to slow down on the Bilingual 2030 policy, and scientists say climate change is making air turbulence worse and more common!

And in today's Tasty Tidbit… two companies and a university are making a better chocolate!

Stay tuned for more on those stories!
___________________________________________________________

教育部長暫緩2030年雙語政策
Education Minister Wants to Slow Down on the Bilingual 2030 Policy

Some time ago, Taiwan started the Bilingual 2030 policy.

It wants to raise the competitiveness (競爭力) of Taiwan's young people.

Young people would be able to get better jobs and higher pay.

The policy is mostly about bilingual education (雙語教育) in Taiwanese schools.

But the education minister wants to go more slowly on the policy.

He is the former president (前校長) of a national university (國立大學).

He helped to make a ten-year plan for English-only education.

The plan is for its graduate school (研究所).

The university hired (聘請) teachers with qualifications (資格).

They made new English classes.

These classes are not required (不是必修課) until 2030.

The education minister said, "These things take time, we need to slow down."

But local governments (地方政府) are trying to follow the policy in a hurry.

So sometimes new teachers don't have the qualifications the school needs.

This could make the policy fall short of expectations (達不到預期).

The Ministry of Education plans to work with local schools.

It wants to make sure new teachers have qualifications.

The education minister also said students can learn English in their daily (經) lives.

When he was the head (局長) of a city education office, it worked with a fast food chain and doctors.

Children who ordered food in English got free fries!

Children who spoke to doctors in English paid $50 Taiwan dollars less.

The minister said that children in rural (鄉村) areas have fewer bilingual resources (資源) than children in cities.

To help, the ministry will send university students to teach rural children.

教育部致力於為農村學生提供所需的英語教育。

It's great that the ministry is trying to raise the bilingual abilities (能力) of our country.
___________________________________________________________

氣候變遷使空中亂流更常見，並且更嚴重
Climate Change is Making Air Turbulence Worse and More Common

On May 21st, a Singapore Airlines plane began to shake very hard over the Indian Ocean.

This was because of air turbulence (空中亂流).

The plane was flying from London to Singapore.

But it made an emergency landing (緊急降落) in Bangkok.

The plane dropped 1,800 meters in a very short time.

Many people were hurt.

One person died.

A scientist (科學家) who has studied air turbulence said,

"It is not that we'll have to stop flying, or planes will fall out of the sky."

"I'm just saying that air turbulence will be getting more common."

There is a study about severe incidents (嚴重事件) of air turbulence.

It shows these incidents have gone up since 1979.

Wind shear (風切) is a fast change in wind strength or direction (方向).

Wind shear has also gone up since 1979.

Warmer air can make wind shear happen more often.

Other studies have also shown that climate change has led to warmer air.

And this will also cause more turbulence.

There are different kinds of turbulence.

Thunderstorms (暴風雨) cause one kind of turbulence.

Scientists think thunderstorms will get worse with climate change.

Weather centers, satellites, and radar (氣象局, 氣象衛星, 氣象雷達) help to forecast (預報) this kind of

Back to another episode of News Bites!
I’m Paz Bueno.
And I’m Brody Halverson.
In today's news:
The number of pet dogs and cats increases, nurses say ransomware is stressing hospital operations, and seeing double!
Keep on listening to find out more!
________________________________
寵物貓狗的數量 逐年增加
Number of Pet Dogs and Cats Increases

Having a pet is a great way to keep you company.

Over the past decades, the number of pets has constantly (持續) increased.

The statistics are shown in a recent survey done by the Ministry of Agriculture (農業部).

Last year, there were almost 1.5 million dogs and more than 1.3 million cats in Taiwan.

Compared to 2021, the number of dogs increased by 19% and cats by 50%.

As for other pets, there was also a 3.3% increase.

This phenomenon (現象) is happening globally.

Statistics show that there are over half a billion dogs and cats in the U.S., E.U., and China alone.

Not to mention the other countries.

The global COVID-19 pandemic (疫情) also contributed to the increase of pets.

As people were under lockdown (封鎖) in their homes, millions of them adopted a pet to keep them company.

In Australia alone, there was an increase of 1.2 million pet dogs after the pandemic.

Another reason is that as raising children is challenging, many have turned to raising pets.

As a result, the pet industry is rapidly growing.

According to the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (台灣經濟研究院), the average amount that pet owners spend on a pet every year is NT$28,000.

It is estimated around NT$50 billion (寵物經濟規模達到五百多 億) are spent on pets every year in Taiwan.

Going to the vet, regular grooming at pet salons, pet food and treats, equipment and toys and so much more.

每年舉辦寵物展的場次幾乎快超越婦幼展了。

In a few years, the number of pets in Taiwan will surpass (超越) the number of children.

This also poses a problem for pet control.

Currently, the law requires pet dogs to be microchipped and registered.

Whereas, only Taipei requires owners to register cats.

The MOA is assessing the possibility of a mandatory (強制) cat registration throughout the country.

So, don’t be surprised if you see more dogs than children in the park in the near future.
________________________________
勒索軟體癱瘓醫院作業
Nurses Say Ransomware Is Stressing Hospital Operations
When a computer is attacked by ransomware, all the files are locked.
You can still turn your computer on and off, but that’s basically everything you can do.
In other words, your computer is kidnapped (綁架) by hackers (駭客).
You have to pay a ransom (贖金) of crypto currency (加密貨幣).
After that, you might receive a password to regain control of your computer.
If you don’t want to pay, you can always format (格式化) and reinstall the operating system on your computer.
But you will lose all your files.
Imagine the amount of damage ransomware can do to a company, or even a hospital.
A recent attack on a major US hospital network is endangering patient’s health.
All the nurses, doctor and staff have to shift to paper records.
With the computers down, doctors have to write paper prescriptions (處方簽).
The nurses then have to take it to a machine to enter manually (手動輸入) to obtain the medication.
With the system offline, it’s almost impossible to cross-check it with the pharmacy.
This might lead to an overdose (過量) of medication.
Due to the hack, lab results that usually take 30 minutes to 1 hour to process are now taking hours.
This will cause a delay in patient care and immediate (即時) treatment.
All these are matters of life and death.

The reason that cybercriminals (網路犯罪份子) target healthcare organizations is because they possess an enormous volume of sensitive data that can be sold for