Scientists hope that in their research careers they will make a “once-in-a-lifetime” discovery that can change the world. Dr. Hsing Yue-ie, a distinguished research fellow in the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology at the Academia Sinica, had just such a standout experience in her more than 50 years of agricultural research when she heard the scientific name of a Taiwanese cereal crop.
Since the Age of Discovery, Taiwan’s unique geographic position within East Asia has attracted many Westerners to its shores, including missionaries charged with spreading the gospel.
During the 20th century these missionaries introduced modern architectural forms popular in the West into Taiwan, while adapting them to local conditions and available building materials, resulting in the construction of many churches that differ greatly from those in predominantly Christian countries.
The Internet is rife with misinformation in the form of text, videos, and images. Indeed, falsehoods are far more abundant than truth. In the past, fact checkers were on their own, and just used their own common sense to categorize suspect items and decide which to look into first.
In biology, the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus established a binomial system, still used today, that gives organisms two-part names comprising a “generic name” (the name of the genus to which a species belongs) followed by a “specific epithet” (the name identifying the species itself within the genus); in scientific usage this name is further followed by the name of its author (the researcher who named the species and published its description).
In 2021, Taiwan ultramarathon runner Lo Wei-ming finished second in the world’s longest certified road race, the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, setting a new record for Asian runners. Athletes from around the world were not only in awe of Lo’s focus, they were also greatly interested in the “Y Sandals” (thong sandals) that he was wearing on his feet. The idea that someone would run a marathon in sandals became an international topic of conversation.
In Tamsui, Taiwan, more than 11,000 kilometers distant from the township of Zorra in the Canadian province of Ontario, there is a Mackay Street, and June 2 is “Dr. Mackay’s Day.” George Leslie Mackay (1844–1901) was the first missionary sent overseas by the Canada Presbyterian Church, and he contributed much to Taiwan in the fields of religion, healthcare, and education.
Bananas were first grown in Taiwan several hundred years ago. Today, after centuries of cultivar selection, Taiwanese bananas are proudly exported to Japan and Dubai, and were even chosen as a food for the athletes’ village at the Tokyo Olympics.
Fruit is best eaten in season right where it is grown. But what if in the chill of winter you want to eat summer fruits like mango or lychee? The answer lies in the old saying “spring cultivation, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, and winter storage.” If you transform tropical fruits by dehydration or cooking, concentrating their flavors into dried fruits or jams, you can capture their magnificent tastes and enjoy them all year round.
Originally from Southeast Asia, these writers have put down roots in Taiwan, where their books are widely acclaimed. As Taiwanese writers, they even enjoy popularity overseas. We may refer to them as “Malaysian-born writers in Taiwan.”
Autumn is the season when the persimmons ripen, and the only time of you can eat them fresh. Take a trip to Hsinchu’s Xinpu Township, Taiwan’s largest producer of dried persimmons, and stop for a moment to appreciate the scenes of sunlight pouring through the fruit drying racks. Any photo you take will be beautiful, for at a moment like this everyone is a master photographer.
