In today's news, with Nancy and Paz:

Lots of passport applications, solar panels thinner than human hair, and 4G, 5G stations.

All that and more, coming up next!

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Taiwan Sees Surge in Passport Applications

台灣一天有1萬人申辦護照

Do you want to go abroad?

Is your passport still valid?

If it has expired, then you're in for a long wait.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) says since the beginning of the pandemic, around 3 million R.O.C. passports had expired.

And most people couldn't travel during that time.

So many people did not renew their passports.

But now, travel restrictions have been lifted and borders opened.

As a result, people are flocking (成群) to get their passports renewed in order to travel again.

At the Bureau of Consular Affairs office in Taipei (外交部領事事務局), staff are working three extra hours each day.

And the number of open counters has increased from 8 to 13.

If you go, you may have to wait around two and a half hours, up to four hours.

不想親自辦理護照的人也可以請合格的代辦旅行社送件。

After not being able to travel for three years, many people are planning for "revenge travel" (報復性旅遊).

The Lunar New Year is coming, and this time there's 10 days off.

So, many people are using this time to travel.

Therefore, officials said that people who are not planning to travel in the near future should wait.

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Solar Panels Thinner than Human Hair

比頭髮還薄的太陽能板

Humans have been harnessing (利用) solar power for decades.

It's an eco-friendly power source that we can use as long as it's a sunny day.

The only downside (缺點) is that solar power panels are big and bulky.

Traditional solar cells are fragile (脆弱).

So, they have to be covered in glass and packaged in thick heavy aluminum framing (鋁框).

This means they can only be put in areas with enough space.

They are usually put on rooftops and open places.

But that may change soon.

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (麻省理工學院) have made a new type of solar cell.

It's as thin as paper.

The new solar cells also generate (產生) 18 times more power than traditional (傳統) solar cells.

Imagine a power source that you can fold or roll up and stuff in your bag.

It can even be made into clothing that you wear, charging your cell phone at the same time.

The solar cells can also be coated on the surface of any vehicle.

It might even produce enough energy to power the vehicle.

Scientist are trying to make the solar cells more durable (耐用).

When they succeed, it will take green energy to a whole new level.

讓我們一起期待能覆蓋任何表面的太陽能電池吧！

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Studies find 4G, 5G Stations Safer than a Microwave

研究發現4G，5G的基地台比微波爐安全

A cellphone signal is important for many people.

Some of you might have heard that base stations, or cell towers, are dangerous.

Some believe that the electromagnetic (電磁破) emissions can cause cancer.

As a result, some base stations had to be removed after protests (抗議) by local residents.

The National Communications Commission has done a study of electromagnetic emissions by base stations.

They looked at 34 sites that have 4G and 5G installations in different parts of Taiwan.

They measured the radiation (輻射) based on the rules set by the Environmental Protection Administration (環保署).

The NCC says the results show that the radiation detected was even lower than a microwave.

The NCC has been running an awareness campaign promoting the safeness of base stations for more than 10 years.

They hope people can understand these stations may be safer than they think.

他們希望大家都能了解基地台對人體不會造成傷害。

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So, in today's News Bites:

People are flocking to get their passport renewed in order to travel again.

If you go to the Bureau of Consular Affairs office in Taipei, you may have to wait around two and a half hours, up to four hours.

After not being able to travel for 3 years, many people are planning for "revenge travel".

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Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have made a new type of solar cell.

It's as thin as paper.

The new solar cells also generate 18 times more power than traditional solar cells.

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And…

The National Communications Commission has done a study of electromagnetic emissions by base stations.

They looked at 34 sites that have 4G and 5G installations in different parts of Taiwan.

The NCC says the results show that the radiation detected was even lower than a microwave.

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And that's today's episode of News Bites!