“Life finds a way.” To this famous line from Steven Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park, Taiwanese pteridologist Kuo Chen-meng supplies a footnote: “Ferns are perfect examples of how life will always find a way.”
Four hundred million years ago, woodlands were dominated by ferns. Their preponderance was later usurped by spermatophytes—first gymnosperms and then angiosperms. However, far from going extinct, ferns evolved stronger mechanisms that enable them to cope and thrive.
In 2016, diorama artist Hank Cheng, who had been making miniatures for less than a year, bested contestants from around the world to claim a double championship at the prestigious Japan Hamamatsu Diorama Grand Prix with his Thank You for Taking Care of Me, a 1:24-scale model Japanese eel restaurant. To date, Cheng is the only non-Japanese winner of the contest.
One of the joys of strolling through the back streets of Taiwan’s urban neighborhoods is unexpectedly coming across a quirky shop or snack joint. Characterized by the unusual products they have on offer, as well as their proprietors’ creative approach to life and enthusiasm for social interaction, these establishments exhibit a grassroots vitality that captures the beauty and essence of their locales.
Often unseen but essential to everyday life, they hold together objects as large as airplanes, aircraft carriers and skyscrapers, and as small as cellphones, watches and eyeglasses. “They” are fasteners—hardware devices like nuts, bolts, and screws that hold things together. When two things need to be assembled or connected, fasteners are crucial to keeping them tightly joined.
2021 marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s accession to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Through this multilateral platform, Taiwan is able to interact with many members with which it does not have formal diplomatic relations. In APEC, Taiwan shares its best practice with others and showcases its robust economic strength and ability to contribute to the world.
“Awesome!” On the Olympic archery range, Taiwan’s men’s archery team members Wei Chun-heng, Deng Yu-cheng, and Tang Chih-chun shout and bump fists to cheer each other on. Relying on their energy and rapport, they came from two sets down in the 1/8 eliminations and shot five tens in the fourth set to tie it up, then eventually won by scoring 28 points on three shots in the shoot-off. They maintained that momentum to reach the finals.
Twenty-year-old Lin Yun-ju was vaulted into stardom by his performance at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, when he and his female partner Cheng I-ching took a bronze medal for Taiwan in the table tennis mixed doubles. However, what most people do not realize about Taiwan’s new table tennis star is that he has already been in the game for more than a decade. This Olympics merely helped kick-start his rising career.
Taiwan’s citizens were deeply moved by the sight of their Olympic flag being raised at the Tokyo Games. The gold-medal-winning badminton men’s doubles pair Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang were likewise overjoyed. Their performance showed the world the boundless potential of Taiwan’s badminton players.
At the Tokyo Games, weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun lifted 133 kilograms in the clean and jerk and 103 in the snatch, enough to set new Olympic records and win the gold medal she had dreamed of. But she still had one attempt left in the clean and jerk.
When Julia Chu was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 15, her life was turned upside down. Having undergone numerous operations, she is safe now, although she has lost her sight and the hearing in one ear. Picking herself up from life’s potholes, she has become Taiwan’s first blind counseling psychologist. For Chu, her vision loss has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
