In an attempt to study the structure of the earth's crust, the National Central University's Taiwan Integrated Geodynamics Research (TAIGER) explosives test plan was put into action early on Friday morning, involving a blast comparable to a 2.6 earthquake on the Richter scale.
The plan involved the university's Department of Earth Sciences exploding 750kg of plastic explosives on the side of Touchien River (頭前溪) in the Erchong (二重) area of Chutung (
The massive explosion registered as a level three earthquake in Hsinchu City and Chutung and was felt as far as 10km away. The amount of explosives used would be sufficient to bring down a 30-story building.
Hsinchu County fire chief Lin Hsiang-chin (
Lin said that a letter would be sent to the school today explaining that it would be fined if it was found to have violated any law.
Lin Chih-chun (
Because the explosion took place close to the Taiwan High Speed Rail bridge across the Touchien River and its Touchien maintenance works, high speed rail representatives at Hsinchu Station said that the control center in Taoyuan sent staff to inspect the facilities immediately upon receiving information about the "earthquake," only to confirm that everything was normal.
The TAIGER plan, which is sponsored by the National Science Council, is aimed at monitoring and mapping the structure of the earth's crust underneath Taiwan.
It also aims to set up a basic framework for tectonic plate movement.
A representative of the university department, which is in charge of the project, said that natural earthquakes are spontaneous and that this experiment used a man-made earthquake to survey the earth's crust.
It also said that the project was carried out in cooperation with a US institution and that the results would be made public once they are complete.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HUNG YU-FANG AND YU TAI-LANG
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Many Japanese couples are coming to Taiwan to obtain donated sperm or eggs for fertility treatment due to conservatism in their home country, Taiwan’s high standards and low costs, doctors said. One in every six couples in Japan is receiving infertility treatment, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data show. About 70,000 children are born in Japan every year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), or about one in every 11 children born. Few people accept donated reproductive cells in Japan due to a lack of clear regulations, leaving treatment in a “gray zone,” Taichung Nuwa Fertility Center medical director Wang Huai-ling (王懷麟)
PROXIMITY: Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location, the Executive Yuan official said Taiwan plans to boost cooperation with the Czech Republic in semiconductor development due to Prague’s pivotal role in the European IC industry, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) building a wafer fab in the German city of Dresden, a Germany-Czech Republic-Poland “silicon triangle” is forming, Kung said in a media interview on the weekend after returning from a visit to Prague. “Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location,” he said. “Taiwan and Prague have already launched direct flights and it is