TAIPEI - More than 10,000 villagers had to be evacuated after an explosion rocked a chemical plant in an industrial zone in Mailiao township, Yunlin county in central-southern Taiwan Sunday afternoon.The explosion at an aromatics plant of Formosa Chemical and Fiber Corp at about 2 pm shattered glass in nearby buildings and shook houses kilometers away, local police and fire fighters said.Though there have been no immediate reports of human death or injuries, authorities have ordered the evacuation of more than 10,000 villagers of five nearby villages due to gas leak after the explosion.Footage posted online by witnesses showed dense plume of black smoke billowing into the sky, and loud explosions were heard far from the chemical plant.The explosion was very powerful as it was heard across the county, Cai Chang-kun, head of Mailiao township, told the press after the blast, adding he had demanded the chemical plant suspend operation and investigate the cause of the accident.Fire fighters and police arrived at the scene about 20 minutes after receiving an explosion report. Preliminary investigations show a gas leak due to a fracture in a liquefied natural gas pipeline could have led to the explosion, according to local TV reports.Zhang Li-shan, magistrate of Yunlin county, said she has instructed a special team to look into the accident and strengthen the monitoring of air pollution to decide whether the black fume would cause damage to humans.The chemical plant was handed a preliminary fine of NT$5 million (about $162,000) over the violation of air pollution regulations by the county government. cheap silicone bracelets canadacustom watch braceletbig rubber braceletscustom wristbandssilicone bracelets
SHANGHAI - Shanghai has launched a research center focusing on brain science and brain-inspired intelligence, fields closely linked with artificial intelligence (AI).Brain science and brain-inspired intelligence studies can be applied in improving the diagnosis and prevention of brain diseases, and developing brain-inspired AI algorithms and hardware.The move follows the establishment of a similar center in Beijing in March and comes as China is increasing its efforts to draw top talent in these fields by providing funding and facilities.The new center is located in Zhangjiang Laboratory, a leading science facility co-established by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Shanghai municipal government in September."The center will work in the most cutting-edge fields to produce world-class outcomes, " said Bai Chunli, head of the CAS. "We will also employ top scientists from all over the world."The center is also creating a more effective management system, as well as salary and incentive mechanisms that can compete with international institutions, Bai added.In early 2016, the CAS set up the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, combining resources from 20 research institutions, including 80 top laboratories, across the country.China is also launching "China Brain Project," a 15-year project approved in 2016, following related projects set up in the United States, European Union, and Japan.
