________________________________

Welcome back to another episode of News Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno.

And I'm Jacob Ingram.

In today's news: The first blue whale exhibit in Taiwan, and the possible
first Native American team in the Olympics.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit...an accidental icy treat!

Keep on listening to learn more!
________________________________

台灣首次展出藍鯨骨架
Taiwan's First Blue Whale Exhibit

Blue whales are the biggest animal in the world.

They're longer than a basketball court, and heavier than an airplane.

They're also very important for keeping the marine ecosystem in balance
(維持海洋生態平衡).

And, the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium has a special new
exhibit: a giant blue whale skeleton!
國立海洋生物博物館有個特別的新展覽：一個巨大的藍鯨骨架！

This exhibit is really exciting because it's the first time Taiwan is showing
a blue whale skeleton (骨架).

Three years ago, people found the body of a young blue whale on the coast of
Taitung.

This was a big deal because blue whales are rare (很稀有).

Records say the last time a blue whale was seen near Taiwan was more than 100
years ago.
記錄顯示，上一次在台灣附近看到藍鯨是在一百多年前。

Restoring the whale's skeleton took a lot of work.
把藍鯨骨頭恢復原狀花了很多功夫。

Experts spent three years carefully studying it and putting it together
(組裝).

The whale is huge - about 20 meters long and weighs a ton!
這隻鯨魚非常巨大 - 大約20米長，重達一噸！

The exhibit doesn't just show the whale's bones.

The special display makes the whale look like it's diving in the ocean
(看起來像在海洋中潛水).

This helps us imagine how the whale lived and moved in the water.

This exhibit is not only interesting but also teaches us a lot.

It shows how important it is to protect our oceans and the creatures that
live in them.

People are really excited to see this exhibit.

It's a great way to learn about marine life (海洋生物) and why we should take
care of our oceans.

So, this blue whale exhibit is more than just a display.

It's a chance to learn, be amazed, and think about how we can help protect
our oceans and the amazing animals that live in them.
________________________________

從古老根源到奧運夢想
From Ancient Roots to Olympic Dreams

Lacrosse (長曲棍球) is a very old sport.

Long ago, Native American people invented it.
很久以前，美洲原住民發明了這項運動。

They played it for fun and to solve problems between tribes
(解決部落間的問題).

They played it on wide fields using sticks made from hickory and catgut.
他們在寬闊的田野上，使用由山核桃木和貓腸線製成的棍子來玩。

They see the game as a gift from their Creator.
他們認為這個遊戲是他們的造物主賜予的禮物。

Now, lacrosse is a popular sport played all over the world!

A team called the Haudenosaunee Nationals wants to play in the 2028 Olympics
in Los Angeles.
一支由加拿大和美國原住民組成的國家隊，希望在2028年洛杉磯奧運會上比賽。

The Haudenosaunee Nationals are a lacrosse team made up of Native American
players.

Why is this a big deal?

Well, they come from the people who first invented and played lacrosse!

Last summer, they showed their skills, finishing in third place at the World
Lacrosse Championship (在長曲棍球世界錦標賽中取得第三名).

Now, with lacrosse added to the 2028 Olympics
(隨著長曲棍球被納入2028年奧運會), there's a chance for them to play under
their own flag.

US President Joe Biden is supporting the idea (支持這個想法) because of their
unique connection to the sport.

But there's a problem.

To play in the Olympics, teams have to come from countries that everyone
knows.

The Haudenosaunee team is from a group of Native American communities in the
U.S. and Canada.

They don't fit the normal rules for Olympic teams.

The International Olympic Committee, which runs the Olympics, once made an
exception by creating a refugee team.
國際奧林匹克委員會曾經破例讓一支難民運動員隊伍參加奧運。

But they're hesitant (猶豫不決) to do something similar for the
Haudenosaunee.

If they do, it could open the door for other unrecognized groups to ask for
the same thing.
如果他們這樣做，其他沒有被承認的團體可能會要求同樣的待遇。

This could make things really complicated (複雜) for the Olympics.

Despite these challenges, the Haudenosaunee have a lot of support.
儘管面臨這些挑戰，這個原住民隊伍得到許多支持。

World Lacrosse and the organizers of the LA Olympics are helping too.
世界長曲棍球組織和洛杉磯奧運會也在幫忙。

They want to find a way for the team to play.

It's exciting to see a team with such a special history be in the Olympics.

We hope they can make it!
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites…

The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium has a special new exhibit:
a giant blue whale skeleton!

Experts spent three years carefully studying it and putting it together.

It's a chance to learn, be amazed, and think about how we can help protect
our oceans and the amazing animals that live in them.
________________________________

And,

A team called the Haudenosaunee Nationals wants to play in the 2028 Olympics
in Los Angeles.

They come from the people who first invented and played lacrosse!

But to play in the Olympics, teams have to come from countries that everyone
knows.
World Lacrosse and the organizers of the LA Olympics are supporting the team
to find a way they can play.
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

And…

Today's Tasty Tidbit is all about a sweet, icy treat - the Popsicle (冰棒)!

Did you know it was invented by accident?

In 1905, an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a mixture of powdered
soda, water, and a stirring stick outside overnight.

It was a chilly night, and the next morning, he discovered the mixture had
frozen to the stick, creating a frozen pop!

He called it the "Epsicle."

It was so popular with his friends that, when he grew up, he patented the
idea and renamed it "Popsicle."

That's how this icy treat was born!

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!
 

________________________________

Hey you guys, it's time for a new episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's episode: Two students find something amazing in Hualien, and Kobe
the dog saves his neighborhood.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit: Fruit that's radioactive.

Stay tuned for more on these stories coming up next.
________________________________

花蓮發現古代珠寶
Students Find Ancient Jewelry in Hualien

Do you like to wear jewelry (珠寶)?

It can look beautiful when you put it on.

Sometimes I wear a necklace (項鍊) around my neck.

I also want to wear earrings (耳環).

But I'm afraid to get my ears pierced (穿耳洞).

People have been wearing jewelry like necklaces and earrings for a long time.

Have you heard about the students who found some mysterious (神秘的) jewelry
in Hualien?

The two girls study at Tsing Hua (清華) University.

Recently, they went to help out at the Hualien Archeological Museum
(花蓮縣考古博物館).

They had internships (實習) at the museum.

That means they got a chance to help the museum and gain some experience.

But on their first day, something incredible happened.

They were searching an archaeological site near Hualien, when they found
something buried in the ground.

It looked like a piece of jade.

學生在考古遺址中發現了埋在地下的一塊玉石。

One of the students recognized the thing from her textbook.

It was a piece of jewelry, and it looked very old.

In fact, the jade jewelry was 2,700 years old.

It started as a jade earring.

The jade it was made of came from Taiwan.

The earring was carved into a shape that was half person and half animal.

Such a thing was rare and valuable.

耳環雕刻成半人半獸的造型，十分罕見，很有價值。

So the person who wore it must have been important.

But at some point, the earring was broken.

It also had a hole cut in it, to put a string through.

The students think that when the earring broke, it was attached to a string
to become a necklace.

But that was all thousands of years ago.

I wonder how long it was in the ground before the students discovered it?

Good thing it was finally found.
還好終於被發現了。

Now anyone can see this ancient jewelry.

Just go to the Hualien Archaeological Museum to check it out.
________________________________

聰明狗狗 及時阻止瓦斯外洩
Dog Saves Neighborhood From Gas Leak

Have you ever smelled a gas leak (瓦斯外洩)?

You might smell it if you accidentally leave the gas stove on.

It's stinky, with a smell like rotten eggs (臭雞蛋的味道).

It's also dangerous.

Gas can catch fire easily.

If there's a lot of it, the gas can even cause an explosion (爆炸).

A gas leak can also come from a broken pipe (破損的瓦斯管).

That's what recently happened in the US city of Philadelphia.

It could have caused a serious disaster...

...but it didn't, thanks to one smart dog.

Woof! Woof!

So what's the story?

It started when a woman saw her dog Kobe digging a hole in her yard.
一位女士看到她的狗狗Kobe在院子裡挖洞。

The woman thought it was so strange.

Kobe was a good dog, and he didn't usually dig holes.

It turns out, there was a gas leak under the hole.

It was coming from a gas pipe underground.

If the gas leak caught on fire, it could have blown up the whole neighborhood.
如果瓦斯外洩著火，整個街區都可能被炸毀。

And Kobe was the one who smelled the leak.

Somehow, the dog knew something was wrong.

Philadelphia city workers came to fix the pipe, and the woman made a video
for social media.

People from around the world loved the story of the hero dog Kobe.
女子在社群媒體上發布了一段影片，網友都愛Kobe的故事。

One person commented, "This is beautiful. Dogs are SO SMART and so is mom."

Another person said, "That dog saved lives. Give him a medal (獎牌)."

Now, the woman wants to spread the message to everyone.

If you smell a gas leak, let somebody know.

Remember, it smells like rotten eggs.

It could be a matter of life and death (生死交關).

You might save your neighborhood, just like Kobe saved his.
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites,

Two students found some ancient jewelry in Hualien.

They found it during their internship at the Hualien Archaeological Museum.

It was a piece of ancient jade that used to be an earring and a necklace.

And,

A dog in Philadelphia saved his neighborhood from a gas leak.

Kobe dug a hole to let people know where the gas leak was.

If not for Kobe, the whole neighborhood could have exploded.
________________________________

And in today's Tasty Tidbit,

Did you know that bananas are radioactive (放射性)?

Bananas contain a small amount of potassium (K/鉀).

Some of this is potassium-40, which is radioactive.

But don't worry.

It's not harmful in such a small amount.

In fact, you would have to eat thousands of bananas in a short time to
receive a dangerous dose of radiation from them.

Even a greedy guzzler (貪吃的人) wouldn't be able to do that.
________________________________

And that's 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 Nancy Sun.

And I'm Brody Halverson.

In today's news:

A black bear makes a comeback, a fuzzy find almost fools scientists, and
super sticky stuff.

Stay tuned for more on those stories, coming up next.
________________________________

受傷台灣黑熊回歸森林
A Formosan Black Bear Makes a Big Comeback!

It was another peaceful day out in Taitung County.

The sun was shining, the grass was green, the birds were singing...

And a Formosan black bear was walking near a road when...

Ouch!

The bear got caught in a trap!

It was a rope trap.

The bear was very scared, and climbed up a tree to hide.

幾個月前，台東山區1隻台灣黑熊因前肢誤中套索受傷躲到樹上。

People from an Indigenous village close by found the bear.

And they called forest rangers (護林員) and experts in to help.

Everyone worked together to rescue the bear.

They saw that it was a male bear, about 3 or 4 years old.

They named him "Lanihu".

At first, they saw that the bear's front paw (熊掌) was very badly hurt.

They were worried that they may have to cut it off to save the bear.

But after seven months of nutritious (營養的) food, and medical care, Lanihu
got better!

The people helped Lanihu go back into the forest.

And Indigenous villagers asked mountain spirits to help protect Lanihu.

Formosan black bears have a special place in Indigenous culture.

To many tribes, the bears are brave warriors, and leaders in the forest
(森林中的王者).

They are also sacred (神聖的), and in some tribes, it is forbidden to kill a
Formosan black bear.

Forest officials say they put a tracking device on Lanihu.

This way they know where Lanihu is in the wild.

And this makes it easier to help him if he is in danger.

Officials also thanked Indigenous tribes for their help in saving bears.

And they hope they can keep working with Indigenous communities and people
living nearby to help protect Formosan black bears.
________________________________

澳洲發現毛毛的新甲蟲
Beetle Almost Mistaken for Bird Poo

What's fuzzy all-over, and kind of looks like bird poo?

It's a newly-discovered beetle!

A scientist was in a forest in Australia.

As he was walking, something caught his eye (吸引他的目光)...

Something white and a little fuzzy on a leaf...

He thought it was bird poo.

When he looked closer, he realized it was a longhorn beetle.

The beetle was red and black, with long white hairs all over its body.

研究員無意中發現這個長角甲蟲家族的新品種，剛看到還以為是鳥糞。

The scientist went home, and quickly looked through all the books and papers
he could find.

He wanted to find out more about this amazing beetle.

But none of the pictures he saw looked anything like his fuzzy beetle.

He asked other experts.

And they were sure that this beetle was a totally new species (物種).

But that wasn't all.

This beetle was in fact, a new genus (屬), that's a new family of species!

They named the beetle "Excastra albopilosa".

That's Latin for "from the camp", and "white and hairy".

But why is this strange-looking beetle so hairy?

Some scientists think the white hairs help protect the beetle.

The hairs make the beetle look like it is covered in fungus (菌).

And this would make it look less tasty (不怎麼好吃) to birds.

The scientists are also amazed that no one has found this beetle before.

They are looking for more, to study the beetle in detail (仔細研究).

They say this also shows that there could be many more species in nature that
we haven't found yet.

And many could be in danger of extinction.

In fact, scientists believe there could be 5.5 million insect species in the
world.

And they say only 20 percent of these have been found.
________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

A Formosan black bear got caught in a trap.

People from an Indigenous village close by and forest rangers all worked
together to rescue the bear.

They named him Lanihu.

After seven months of nutritious food, and medical care, Lanihu got better!

The people helped Lanihu go back into the forest.

And,

A scientist in Australia found a new species of longhorn beetle.

The beetle was red and black, with long white hairs all over its body.

They named the beetle "Excastra albopilosa".

This beetle was in fact, a new genus, that's a new family of species!

They say this also shows that there could be many more species in nature that
we haven't found yet.
________________________________

趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

And now for today's Tasty Tidbit...

Ever wonder how geckos defy gravity?

They can walk on walls, or even on the ceiling!

It's all because of tiny hairs on their feet.

These hairs are called setae.

These setae have millions of tiny, tiny branches.

And these branches make a force that makes things stick together.

They're like millions of tiny sticky pads.

These hairs are the secret behind the gecko's wall-walking ways!

And that's 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
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!
 

________________________________

Hey you guys, thanks for tuning-in to today's episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Allie Highsmith.

In today's news: Fewer people speak local languages, and South Korea convicts
a man for binge eating.

And for today's Tasty Tidbit: the world's oldest written language.

Stay tuned for more on those stories.
_______________________________

在日常生活中講本土語言的人越來越少
Fewer People Speak Local Languages

Do you speak any local languages of Taiwan?

The three most common local languages are Hokkien (閩南話), which is also
known as Taiwanese (台語), Hakka (客家語) and Formosan languages
(福爾摩沙語言).

Formosan languages are the indigenous languages (原住民語言) of Taiwan,
spoken by the various indigenous tribes (原住民部落).

Sadly, the number of people who speak indigenous languages is going down.

National Taiwan Normal University (台師大) conducted a survey (民調).

Researchers at the university made lots of telephone calls, interviewing over
1,000 people.

73% of survey participants identify themselves as Hokkien, while 11% identify
as Hakka.

The results of the survey show an interesting phenomenon (現象).

Chung, a linguistic professor of NTNU, says there is a trend (趨勢) on not
speaking local languages at home.

Around 68% of participants speak Mandarin Chinese (國語) at home, compared to
30% for Hokkien and just 1.4% for Hakka.

The survey also shows that elderly people (長輩們) tend to speak more local
languages.

But when elders interact (互動) with their grandchildren, most of them switch
to Mandarin Chinese.

They worry children won't understand them otherwise.

Urban (都市地區) areas have a higher rate of speaking Mandarin Chinese,
compared to rural (偏鄉) areas.

Chung suggested that the government encourage families to speak local
languages at home to reverse the trend.

He emphasized the importance of a language-rich home environment.

He said, "Language learning should be part of daily life, not just textbook
exercises."

"Speaking one's mother tongue at home is a powerful influence."

專家學者曾經說過，在家裡學習本土語言，效果最顯著。

Another survey done last year showed that 50% of people are not aware of
their ethnic (族群) culture.

Chung also suggested the government try various approaches to encourage
cultural education.

Online games, illustrated books (繪本) and manga (漫畫) are popular ways to
interest students.

This will make learning more fun.
_______________________________

南韓男子增加體重來逃避兵役 結果被判刑
South Korea Convicts Man over Binge Eating to Dodge Military Draft

Many countries in the world have mandatory (強制) military service.

This means men of a certain age are required to serve in the military.
有些國家規定，成年男子一定要當兵。

Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand (泰國), Israel (以色列) and many other countries
have mandatory military service.

A few countries even have mandatory military service for women.

Some people are exempted (豁免) from military service.

They are usually people with mental or physical challenges (身心障礙) and
also chronic diseases (慢性疾病).

But people who are too skinny (太瘦) or obese (過於肥胖) can also be exempted.

So some people gain weight deliberately just to avoid military service.
有些人會故意變胖，以便躲避當兵。

This is exactly what a man from South Korea did.

In South Korea, all men who are healthy must serve for at least 18 months
when they are 28 years old.
在韓國，所有身體健康的男性到了２８歲，必須服兵役至少１８個月。

This man tried but failed to gain weight to avoid doing military service
(他想增重，卻沒成功).

Not only that, he got into trouble too.

He was sentenced (判刑) to one year in prison.

The judge ruled that the man "...ate high-calorie foods, doubled his meal
portions, refrained (避免) from physically demanding jobs."

"He also drank large amounts of water right before measurements to
deliberately (故意的) increase his weight."

Over the years, hundreds of South Korean young men have tried to escape doing
military service.

They deliberately gain or lose weight, fake mental illness and even self-harm
(自我傷害).

In fact, this is common in countries that have mandatory military service.

Many think mandatory military service is a waste of time.

Lots of people also think the law would be fairer if military service also
applied to women.
許多人也認為應該徵召女生入伍，法律應該一視同仁。
_______________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

Taiwan has three main local languages: Hokkien, Hakka, and Formosan.

Sadly, fewer people are speaking local languages in Taiwan.

A recent survey found that many Taiwanese families are switching to Mandarin
Chinese at home.

Experts say that local languages should be spoken at home for children to
learn them naturally.
_______________________________

And...

Many countries, including Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea, have mandatory
military service for men.

Some try to avoid military service by faking illnesses or deliberately
gaining weight.

A South Korean man was sentenced to prison for trying to avoid military
service by gaining weight.

Many think mandatory military service for men is a waste of time and unfair.
_______________________________
趣味小點
Tasty Tidbit

And in today's Tasty Tidbit:

Do you know what the world's oldest written language is?

Many believe it is Sumerian (蘇美語).

It came from ancient Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq (伊拉克).

It dates back to around 3200 BCE.

So it's over 5000 years old!

It was used to record a wide range of information.
________________________________

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!