Beijing Science Festival

From "Lie to me" to "CSI", from food safety to new clean power, science can take place either in a bacteria-free lab or in our daily lives. But this week, we can have close contact with science at the Beijing Science Festival.

Our reporter Li Dong has the details.

 
The first Beijing Science Festival debuted¹ at the square to the west of the National Stadium or Bird's Nest on September 16th.

As Geng Jie, the executive secretary general of the festival organizing committee says, the one week international festival is committed to promoting scientific knowledge among the public via creative, interactive³ and fun activities.

"Altogether, 147 domestic and overseas institutions have joined this year's science festival. Five are from Germany, Singapore, Japan and the UK. The activities they bring range from life sciences, to environmental protection as well as the application of science in our lives. Traditionally, people's perception of science is serious, and that it is esoteric, but the activities here will present you with a vivid experience connected to daily life, which is also entertaining."

Sarah Renner is a presenter⁴ at a German science educational institution. She is presenting software. Visitors can take a picture of their faces and try to duplicate their appearance by using the data base as much as they like.

Sarah Renner explains, it's similar to what the police use to recreate a suspect's appearance.

"We want to show that it's really hard to produce phantom⁵ pictures. So if you have a criminal, like robbery or something, and people remember a little bit about the person who robbed you. You can remember like long hair or short hair, thick eyebrow⁶, thin lips. That's here we want to show. They take their own pictures. They have their own picture template. Then they double the image of that. So how hard it is if you have your own picture next to you and create a template, this is so hard, you can imagine it is if you see a person for only 5 seconds."

At another booth, which presents an electricity application, a six year old boy is counting how many mini solar panels he needs to run some small electric gadgets⁷, like a a radio and a musical birthday card.

"One panel generates 0.5 volts⁸ of electricity. The appliances require multiple panels. Both the small radio and the music card need 2.5 solar panels. So I need five for each of them."

At another booth, a presenter is using live electricity sparks to demonstrate how dangerous static electricity can be.

From an android which can take films of people, to an explanation of how paper can be recycled, from 3D glasses to astronomical⁹ observation, all the presentations need YOU to get involved.

Indeed, besides learning, having fun is also a main feature of the Science Festival. A presenter is demonstrating how a high-end remote control toy car can jump over a slope.

Origami doesn't sound like too much science, however, Yu Yaqin, presenter with the Singaporean pavilion says there big aeronautical¹⁰ science behind making a good paper plane. The folding method is the traditional Nakamura Lock.

"If look from the rear, the wings of the paper plane should shape like a letter 'Y' rather. Because the up-turned wing shape may generate more lift power. Plus, you should hold the front part when you throw it. And if your plane drops to the ground, you can fold the back of the plane up a little bit. These tips may help your plane fly straighter and a longer distance."

We all know about lab rats, but how much do you know about lab FISH? Wang Hong with the Chinese Association of Laboratory Animal Animals Science says that lab fish have a wide range of applications.

"Aquatic¹¹ laboratory animals can be use to monitor the water environment for toxic¹² elements. Lab rats can be used in water. They can also be used to make illness models like tumors. It's easy to reproduce the effects, and it's cheap. These characteristics make fish like the zebra fish ideal specimens¹³ for gene², pharmacy¹⁴ and medical research."

The Beijing Science Festival runs until September 23rd, this Friday.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

2 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

3 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

4 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

5 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

6 eyebrow   

n.眉毛，眉

参考例句：

• Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
• With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬，似乎既感到吃惊，又觉有趣。

7 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

8 volts   

n.（电压单位）伏特( volt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The floating potential, Vf is usually only a few volts below ground. 浮置电势Vf通常只低于接地电位几伏。 来自辞典例句
• If gamma particles are present, potential differences of several thousand volts can be generated. 如果存在γ粒子，可能产生几千伏的电位差。 来自辞典例句

9 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

10 aeronautical   

adj.航空（学）的

参考例句：

• Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world. 这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。 来自辞典例句
• The advent of aircraft brought with it aeronautical engineering. 宇宙飞船的问世导致了航天工程的出现。 来自辞典例句

11 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。

12 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

13 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 pharmacy   

n.药房，药剂学，制药业，配药业，一批备用药品

参考例句：

• She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。