Much noise has been made lately on X (Twitter), where posters both famed and not have contended that Taiwan is stupid for eliminating nuclear power, which, the comments imply, is necessary to provide the nation with power in the event of a blockade. This widely circulated claim, typically made by nu
Oct. 21 to Oct. 27Sanbanqiao Cemetery (三板橋) was once reserved for prominent Japanese residents of Taipei, including former governor-general Motojiro Akashi, who died in Japan in 1919 but requested to be buried in Taiwan. Akashi may have reconsidered his decision if he had known that by the 1980s, hi
Artificial intelligence could help reduce some of the most contentious culture war divisions through a mediation process, researchers say.Experts say a system that can create group statements that reflect majority and minority views is able to help people find common ground.Chris Summerfield, a co-a
If the pickled bodies, partial skeletons and stuffed carcasses that fill museums seem a little, well, quiet, fear not. In the latest coup for artificial intelligence, dead animals are to receive a new lease of life to share their stories — and even their experiences of the afterlife.More than a doze
“Wish You Luck is not just a culinary experience, it’s a continuation of our cultural tradition,” says James Vuong (王豪豐), owner of the Daan District (大安) Hong Kong diner. On every corner of Kowloon, diners pack shoulder-to-shoulder over strong brews of Hong-Kong-style milk tea, chowing down on Frenc
Forty years on from its 1984 release, Bronski Beat’s new wave hit Smalltown Boy has transcended generations to become an LGBTQ anthem for young and old alike.Narrowly spared the censor’s axe in a Britain where being gay was only partially decriminalized, its tale of coming out and fleeing home has f
Things are going a little too well in Anora until a call from Russia and a knock at the door changes the trajectory of the movie. This extended sequence, deeply stressful and riotously funny at the same time, is reason enough to see Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner. But somehow the journey that follow
The human sense of smell is nothing to turn one’s nose up at, research suggests, with scientists revealing we are far more sensitive to the order of odors captured by a sniff than previously thought.Charles Darwin is among those who have cast aspersions on our sense of smell, suggesting it to be “of
There is considerable speculation among foreign, and particularly US, observers of when Beijing will launch an invasion — made existential with Monday’s military drills around Taiwan. The most famous is the “Davidson window,” named after then admiral leading the US Indo-Pacific Command Philip Davids
Deciphering the obscure machinations of elite politics is a pursuit that western China-watchers are all too familiar with. But as the US election approaches, it is analysts in China who are struggling to read the tea leaves on what differentiates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump when it comes to their
Taiwan’s links to Hungary were thrust into the spotlight on Sept. 17, with revelations that Budapest-registered company BAC Consulting had used the logo of Gold Appollo, a Taiwanese manufacturer of pagers. Normally such an arrangement would have passed unnoticed, but in this case, the licensing dea
A Chinese propaganda image dispersed during Monday’s military drills around Taiwan was supposed to send a positive message to the island’s people, but instead has been decried as weird, creepy and akin to “sexual harassment.”On Monday China targeted Taiwan with major military exercises, surrounding
Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華) said in an interview with The Economist released on Double Ten Day that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is enacting an “anaconda strategy” to subdue Taiwan, and that the nation’s armed forces are being stretched thin. “[The Chinese armed forces] are ready to b
Forensic pathologist Philippe Boxho likes to ask people “why shouldn’t we laugh about death?” But gallows humor is just one of the ingredients that the surprise literary sensation brings to his macabre line of storytelling.In 33 years as a medical examiner in Belgium’s eastern Liege region, Boxho ha
The Taiwan International Queer Film Festival (台灣國際酷兒影展) is back for the eleventh year with its boldest lineup to date, emphasizing trans and non-binary stories and encompassing the full scope of queer experiences through queer cinema.“The festival looks at which LGBTQ+ issues are being discussed aro
President William Lai’s (賴清德) National Day speech was exactly what most of us expected. It was pleasant, full of keywords like “resilience” and “net zero” and lacked any trolling of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Of course the word “Taiwan” popped up often, and Lai reiterated the longtime cla
Oct. 14 to Oct. 20 After working above ground for two years, Chang Kui (張桂) entered the Yamamoto coal mine for the first time, age 16. It was 1943, and because many men had joined the war effort, an increasing number of women went underground to take over the physically grueling and dangerous work.
There is perhaps no better way to soak up the last of Taipei’s balmy evenings than dining al fresco at La Piada with a sundowner Aperol Spritz and a luxuriant plate of charcuterie. La Piada (義式薄餅) is the brainchild of Milano native William Di Nardo. Tucked into an unassuming apartment complex, fairy
Whole-body MRI scans have been around for more than a decade but it is only lately that they have started taking over social media feeds.In a promotional post on Instagram last year, Kim Kardashian wrote about her experience of being scanned by what she called a “life saving machine.” “It has really
In the tourism desert that is most of Changhua County, at least one place stands out as a remarkable exception: one of Taiwan’s earliest Han Chinese settlements, Lukang. Packed with temples and restored buildings showcasing different eras in Taiwan’s settlement history, the downtown area is best exp