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Suppression of plastid-to-nucleus gene transfer by DNA double-strand break repair (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02005-w)
葉綠體基因搬家時:核基因體如何決定「接不接受」這份大禮?(https://vocus.cc/article/68298bf0fd89780001fa74fc)
Read more!
This news is reported today because it's currently suspected that the fire was caused by Li battery inside the air monitoring equipment, even it is still under investigation. This makes me think of the Li battery safety certification issues I've recently encountered at work. Because it is required to self-charging the Li batteries inside our equipment continuously, we're planning to use ternary lithium batteries (NMC). Currenty, I am busy evaluating various certifications like UL 2580, UL2271, UL 62133-2, and IEC 62133-2. I think they might have used the higher energy density ternary lithium battery (LiNiCoMnO2) instead of the lower energy density but safer lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4).
Here's the news:
On April 14, 2025, a large fire occurred in Yangmingshan, Taipei. It's suspected that the lithium battery in the solar power module of an air quality sensor belonging to the National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) under the National Science and Technology Council caused it. The NCHC has removed 16 air quality sensors with built-in lithium batteries installed in Hsinchu City, Nantou County, Tainan City, and Chiayi County, and has strengthened its control measures.
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5053708
https://news.pts.org.tw/article/752885
I did a quick check, and it seems they were using iAeris air quality monitoring equipment:
Honestly, I really don't want to keep discussing whether nuclear power is expensive or not; what to do about high-level, medium-level, and low-level nuclear waste with nowhere to dispose of or store it (the NIMBY problem); or whether Taiwan, with its frequent magnitude 5-7.x earthquakes and numerous fault lines, is even suitable for continuing to operate old nuclear power plants that have had many issues and are already decommissioned or scheduled for decommissioning.
But the KMT and TPP parties simply refuse to let the third Nuclear Power Plant be decommissioned, and now they even want a referendum to keep it running. It's truly infuriating. Please don't force people to accept problems that cannot be solved by science and technology now. Just because you win a vote doesn't mean the scientific and technical problems are magically resolved.
I saw a few lines today that I found quite amusing regarding nuclear power:
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The pro-nuclear side has always had a logical dilemma:
Today, as usual, I went to the family clinic to check my blood test report (twice a year) and pick up my chronic prescription (once every 8 weeks). I encountered a few really frustrating things.
1. Someone would constantly cough violently, take a break, and then continue coughing. It's fine to see a doctor for a persistent cough, but she'd pull down her mask every time she coughed.
2. Because the doctor was seeing patients so slowly, some people started asking the nurses if they could be seen first, and then one led to another, and another.
3. While waiting in line for medication, someone tried to cut in from the side. Didn't they see everyone else queuing up?
4. A Chinese person came to pick up a 3-month supply of medication to take back to China.
Just after happily celebrating Taiwan finally achieving a nuclear-free homeland with zero nuclear power, KMT and TPP legislators on May 20, 2025, immediately passed a referendum proposed by the TPP caucus: "Do you agree that the Third Nuclear Power Plant should continue operating after the competent authority confirms there are no safety concerns?" The vote is scheduled for August 23, 2025. (
Beyond this, pro-nuclear KMT and TPP parties and their supporters are spreading rumors everywhere, claiming that after the Third Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 stops operating, thermal power generation will run at full capacity and Taiwan's air quality will immediately become terrible. This is utter nonsense. The Air quality monitoring by Taiwan Ministry of Environment clearly shows good air quality, and the photos I take every morning from a high floor of my building, showing the visibly clear air, haven't gotten worse. Furthermore, thermal power generation is primarily gas-fired, supplemented by coal. After the Third Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 stops operating, these thermal power plants don't even need to run at full capacity because there's still enough electricity supply and sufficient reserve capacity. With the addition of renewable energy, Taiwan now (as of 2025) doesn't need to rely on thermal power to meet its electricity demands as much as it did years ago (e.g., 2016), when nuclear power plants were still operating and renewable energy accounted for a much smaller share. Many thermal power plants no longer need to run at full tilt. You can verify all of this yourself by checking Taipower's real-time electricity information (
Natural gas is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium. When burned for heat or electricity, natural gas emits fewer toxic air pollutants, less CO2, and almost no PM (particulate matter) than other fossil fuels.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas)
Since returning to work in my country, one of the most perplexing things is the prohibition of discussion, or being treated as a villain when the person tries to share her/his thoughts or discuss ideas with the team. When a team is formed to accomplish something together, especially a cross-disciplinary one, the essence should be discussion, communication of ideas, offering suggestions, converging diverging thoughts, and ultimately finding a common solution or working model from members with diverse backgrounds to develop the desired product or launch a research topic.
However, this approach has consistently been forbidden or scorned. The person is either accused of prying into secrets, criticized for overstepping boundaries, or told to keep things confidential and not let other members know. Even obvious mistakes shouldn't be pointed out; doing so is blamed as disrupting team harmony and gets you blacklisted.