Indian Scientists Invent Nose Filter to Protect Against Air Pollution

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. In parts of India, it is not uncommon to see people wearing a mask over their nose and mouth. The capital, New Delhi, has some of the world's dirtiest air. The pollution was a "call for action" for researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. A team from that university has developed an alternative method to help people guard against heavy air pollution. The researchers invented a small respiratory filter that is placed in the nose. The device is designed to stop most dust and air pollutants from entering the body without restricting breathing. On its website, America’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines particulate matter as “a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.” Doctors say that extremely small particulate matter, called PM2.5 cause the most severe damage to lungs.   The invention, called Nasofilters, won the Indian President's "National Startups Award" in May 2017. It was also named in South Korea's 2017 list of the "Top 50 technical startups in the world." The idea of nasal filters is not new. Some filters are available in Western countries to help allergy sufferers. They experience a physical reaction after breathing or touching something that is harmless to most people. One study completed in 2016 looked at a nasal filter made in Denmark. It found that the product reduced signs of an allergic reaction, and it was easy to use. The Indian nose filter, however, was created to deal with air pollution. In New Delhi, pollution from vehicles, dust from building projects and the burning of waste combine to make air quality levels rise to 30 times the safe limit in winter weather. The filter is shaped like a finger nail. The dark brown cover is made of millions of small-sized holes and looks like a fine cloth. The inventors wanted to make something effective, easy to use and affordable. The filter costs about 16 cents. It works for about eight hours, and researchers say it can remove about 95 percent of the pollutants. ​Prateek Sharma is one of the inventors. He started working on the device with others after he was admitted as a student at the Indian Institute of Technology. Why did he get involved? His mother suffers from asthma. Sharma says the story of Nasofilter began about 10 years ago. He noticed that his mother was always wearing some kind of cloth on her face. But she would not wear a face mask when she left home. So, he wanted to find another solution for her. He says the air pollution problem is big, but the Nasofilter is small. He explains that the product is easy to wear and doesn't look bad. On days when Indian officials say air pollution is severe, doctors advise people against outdoor activities. This is especially the case with children and older adults. But many people cannot or don't want to stay indoors. And they may not want to wear a face mask. This may make the new nose filters popular with Indian consumers. A retired army officer who lives in Delhi read about the nose filters in a newspaper. He and his wife traveled to the Indian Institute of Technology to learn more. He describes himself and his wife as "outdoor people." He says the nose filter is an "excellent idea" -- it’s comfortable, doesn't look bad and works. While products like Nasofilter may help people breathe easier, environmental activists note the need to deal with issues causing the air pollution in the first place. The World Health Organization lists nine other Indian cities on its list of the world's 20 most polluted cities. And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.   Anjana Pasricha reported this story from New Delhi for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   alternative – adj. offering or expressing a choice respiratory – adj. the movement of air or dissolved gases into and out of the lungs filter – n. a device that is used to remove something unwanted from a liquid or gas that passes through it particle – n. PM2.5 – n. fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller allergy – n. a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after eating, touching, or breathing something that is harmless to most people nail – n. the hard covering at the end of a finger or toe the hard covering at the end of a finger or toe affordable – adj. having a cost that is not too high start-up – n. a fledgling business enterprise consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services

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Turkey Steps Up Offensive Against Kurdish Militia in Syria

Turkish forces have intensified an offensive against Kurdish militia targets in northwestern Syria.  The operation is aimed at removing the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, from Afrin. The United States-supported Kurdish group controls the town. Turkey says it plans to create a 30-kilometer “secure zone” in Afrin to protect Turkish towns from attacks. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a rocket attack Saturday on the Turkish border town of Kilis demonstrated the need for a secure zone. Two houses and a workplace were hit during the attack. One person was wounded. On Sunday, another border town, Reyhanli, was reportedly hit by rockets. Turkish media also reported Turkish soldiers had clashed with Kurdish militia forces three kilometers inside Syria. No casualty figures were released. ​Turkish officials have accused the YPG of being a terror group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The PKK has been fighting an armed rebellion inside Turkey for decades. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told supporters during a speech Sunday that the operation - which began Saturday - was moving forward successfully. "Our jets took off and started bombing. And now, the ground operation is under way. Now, we see how the YPG ... are fleeing in Afrin," Erdogan said. He added that he expected Turkish forces to complete the offensive “very quickly." The militia group claimed Monday it had recaptured two villages taken by Turkish troops and their Syrian allies a day earlier. The United States has backed the YPG in operations against Islamic State, or IS, fighters in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Turkey to "exercise restraint" and avoid killing or injuring civilians. He made the comments Saturday in phone calls with Russian and Turkish officials. He said Turkey's "legitimate security concerns" must be addressed and urged officials to remain centered on the goal of defeating IS. In France, officials said they had requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. "This fighting must stop," French Defense Minister Florence Parly said on French television Sunday. She warned that the Turkish offensive could interfere in the war against IS. Turkish President Erdogan warned on Sunday that any groups taking to the streets to protest the operation would pay a "heavy price." Turkish officials said they detained 24 people on suspicion of spreading "terror propaganda" against the operation on social media. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, using reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   zone – n. a specific area used for a particular purpose jet – n. a fast airplane that has one or more jet engines exercise – v. to use or carry out something legitimate – adj. allowed according to rules or laws  

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Report: US Is Largest Source of Illegal Guns in Brazil

Brazilian police claim the United States is the largest supplier of guns that end up in the hands of Brazil’s armed criminals and drug dealers. Brazilian Federal Police released a report on guns in December 2017. The Reuters news agency published a story on the findings earlier this month. The report noted that Brazilian police have seized more than 10,000 weapons since 2014. It said most were seized in and around the city of Rio de Janeiro. About 1,500 of the guns came from the United States. Reuters noted that the guns often traveled through another country before arriving in Brazil. The news agency said that the U.S. weapons were mainly assault rifles and high-powered handguns. It noted that guns already in Brazil or arriving from other countries were often smaller handguns. “The US continues to be the largest indirect source of illegal handguns and assault rifles as a result of unrestricted sales in stores and fairs in American cities,” the report said. Violence fueled by illegal guns has risen in Brazil since 2015. An economic recession from 2015 to 2017 led to spending cuts for many police forces around the country. The federal government sent troops to Rio de Janeiro and other areas last year to control violence related to the drug trade. The report calls for international groups, such as the United Nations and the Mercosur trade group, to offer more support to stop illegal arms trafficking. Mercosur has four member countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The report named eight foreign stores. They are suspected of selling the most high-powered guns that ended up in Brazil. Five of the eight are in Florida, in the southeastern United States. The largest seller, however, was a store in Paraguay. Guns from the United States generally enter Brazil through direct shipments of assembled weapons, shipments of gun parts or indirect shipments through a third country. Brazilian citizens can legally own guns, but only if they meet a series of requirements. Even then, they can only buy small-powered weapons. In the United States, laws governing gun purchases differ from one state to the next. But it can be a relatively simple process to buy a gun or get one that was legally sold to another person. The Brazilian police report noted an instance in which 22 assault rifles arrived in Brazil in a shipment of furniture. Most of those guns ended up in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In another incident, 60 assault rifles from Miami, Florida were discovered inside swimming pool heaters in a shipment at a Rio airport. The report noted that the entry of high-powered weapons into Brazil is linked to groups known to rob banks, bank ATMs and armored vehicles. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Lisandro Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito reported this story for the Reuters news agency. Jonathan Evans adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   ATM – n. a machine that people use to get money from their banks by using a special card;  short for automated teller machine assault rifle – n. a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly and that is designed for use by the military furniture – n. chairs, tables and other objects that help make a room ready for use assemble – v. to put together source – n. the cause of something; someone or something that provided what is needed

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North Korea Works Out Details for PyeongChang Games

  North Korea is preparing to take part in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics although reaction in South Korea is mixed. Hyon Song Wol heads North Korea’s most popular all-woman musical group, Moranbong Band. She visited Seoul for two days starting on Sunday. She is to supervise North Korea’s artistic performances during the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. She has taken part twice in negotiations in Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South. Hyon is part of a delegation dealing with details of the North’s planned activities. However, the North’s move to take part in the Olympics has met with opposition from some lawmakers and the public. At one point, more than 100 activists opposed to North Korea’s participation met the North Korean delegation in the eastern city of Gangneung. They burned North Korean and unification flags and also a large picture of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Hyon has received intense attention from the media. The Associated Press reported that, several years ago, she was reported executed but reappeared on television the following year. IOC approves North Korean athletes On Saturday, the International Olympic Committee agreed to a deal permitting North Korean athletes to take part. Under the agreement, 22 North Koreans will compete in five sports. The sports include women’s ice hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating, cross-country skiing and alpine skiing. In addition, a demonstration Taekwondo team, a cheering group and hundreds of musical performers also will be involved. The women’s hockey team will compete as a unified team with members from North and South Korea. The move marks the first time athletes from both sides have competed on the same team in an Olympic event. The two Koreas will march together in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics under one “unification flag.” However, the issue of the unified women’s hockey team has caused notable debate in South Korea. News media reports say a public opinion study shows that a majority of South Koreans oppose the joint hockey team. Critics say it is unfair to South Korean players who will have to share time with those from the North. South Korean President Moon Jae-in considers the North’s participation in the games important to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Moon has said, “We need wisdom and efforts to keep alive the chances for dialogue we’ve pulled off miraculously after the PyeongChang Olympics.” Moon, who was elected president last year, campaigned promising a greater effort to ease tensions between North and South. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signaled a willingness to improve relations during his New Year’s speech. At the time, Kim said he would be willing to send a delegation to the Olympic Games being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Since early 2016, North Korea has faced increasingly tight trade restrictions after carrying out nuclear and missile tests banned by the United Nations Security Council. Outside critics say Kim’s offering of improved ties is a tactic to weaken U.S.-led international sanctions on the North. Some lawmakers in South Korea have also criticized the effort. The opening ceremony for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olmpics takes place on February 9 with the Games continuing until February 25. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English from AP stories. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   participation –n. to take part in, to be involved in with others dialogue –n. the process of discussing an issue of disagreement between two or more sides miraculously –adv. taking place in a wonderful or amazing way sanctions –n. measures usually involving trade restrictions that are meant to cause a country to obey international rules We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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South Korean Tennis Player Defeats His Idol, Novak Djokovic

  This is What’s Trending today … Novak Djokovic of Serbia is one of the best tennis players in the world. He has won 68 professional ATP tennis tournaments including 12 Grand Slam championships. Six of his Grand Slam victories came from the Australian Open championships in the city of Melbourne. Chung Hyeon of South Korea has won just one, an ATP tournament for players at the age of 21 and younger last November. Chung started playing tennis at the age of 6. His professional tennis biography said, “Growing up, [I] looked up to Novak Djokovic because of his ‘fantastic game and mental strength.’" When Novak Djokovic stepped on the court at the Australian Open Monday against Chung, he did not know that he was about to see a clone of himself. The difficult match lasted three hours and 21 minutes. Djokovic battled an opponent who chased down balls and returned shots from every angle. These are the defensive skills that Djokovic is known for. Chung won 34 of the 54 rallies that continued for at least nine strokes. In the second set, Chung won a 33-shot rally. Chung also saved 14 of the 19 break points he faced against Djokovic. And he hit 39 winning shots against one of the fastest professional tennis players today. The young Korean celebrated very little after defeating Djokovic in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5 and 7-6. But the crowd, which included many Koreans, stood and cheered him. Djokovic called Chung’s play “an amazing performance.” He said, “Whenever he was in trouble he came out with some great passing shots and at the back of the court he was like a wall.” After the match, Chung said, “I can play two more hours. I‘m younger than Novak so I don’t care!” About his play, he said, “I was just trying to copy Novak because he’s my idol. My dreams have come true tonight.” With his victory, Chung became the first Korean to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal. He will face American Tennys Sandgren in the next round. And that's what's trending today. I’m Dorothy Gundy. Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional information from Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Grand Slam –n. describing one of the four major championships in professional tennis clone –n. an exact copy angle –n. the direction of motion rally –n. (tennis) when player send make many shots before one wins the point break point –n. in tennis, is a point when the player who is returning serve can win a game by “breaking” the player who is serving. amazing –adj. causing great surprise idol –n. a greatly loved or admired person

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The Unique Invention of the American President

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are not going to talk about any one president. We will instead talk about the presidency itself -- what some people call “the office of the presidency.” That does not mean the room where the leader of the United States works. Here, it means the position and powers of the U.S. president. Sidney Milkis is part of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. He and others at the Miller Center are specialists on U.S. political history. Milkis says that, when it was created in the late 1700s, the U.S. presidency was unlike any other position in world history. “For thousands of years before the American Constitution people thought a strong executive power and a democracy – what Jefferson called self-government – were incompatible. Because how could a sovereign people delegate tremendous responsibility to one individual and still consider themself a democracy, even a representative democracy?” In other words, the idea of giving a lot of power to one person made sense – if the country were a monarchy and ruled by a king or queen. And giving a lot of power to an elected group in a legislature made sense – if the country were a democracy, and voters elected representatives. But giving a lot of power to one person in a democracy did not seem to make sense.     The writers of the Constitution understood this situation. They were concerned about giving one person too much power. Remember, the country’s founders had just fought a war for independence against the British. The American colonists had not liked being under the control of a British king. They also worried that a strong executive could become a tyrant or corrupt, adds curator Harry Rubenstein. He is a curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. But the Constitution’s writers had also seen the problems of a weak executive branch. Asking state legislatures to make national decisions took too long, and sometimes the problems were never resolved at all.      Historian Sidney Milkis says that, as a result of these ideas -- some of them conflicting -- the writers of the Constitution argued about what the office of the president should be. “There were people like James Madison and [Thomas] Jefferson, who thought the president’s power should be limited, and the term ‘president’ meant ‘preside.’ And Congress and the states should be the leading venues of American democracy.”    Other people who helped write the U.S. Constitution, such as Alexander Hamilton, thought the president should be what Milkis calls “the anchor of American democracy.” Hamilton thought the president should have enough power to direct large projects for the public good. So what happened? Well, in 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention found a unique solution. First, they agreed to make the president a one-person job. One person, they reasoned, could both make decisions more effectively than a group, and be more easily held responsible for them. But they decided not to give the president too much power. The person would be elected for one four-year term at a time. And the president would share power with a national legislature and a supreme court. The delegates also decided some of the details about how the president would be elected, and how to remove the person from office. And they said the president would have a number of duties. They include being the commander in chief of the military, nominating public officials, and giving Congress a report on the state of the Union. This list is comes from Article II of the U.S. Constitution. But a lot of the job description was left open. It said the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Since it was written in 1787, that expression has informed discussions about what powers the U.S. president should really have. Historian Sidney Milkis says Americans are still debating how much power the president should have. For most of the 19th century, he says, the powers of the president were more limited. But since the 20th century, the position has become more powerful. The president has moved closer to the center of American democracy. But in time, Milkis says, Americans may decide to limit the president’s authority again, and give more power to Congress and state governments.  Milkis adds one more thing about the unusual invention of the U.S. president. It was unclear that the public would trust a national executive. But as our America’s Presidents series shows, for the most part, Americans respect the office of the president. Instead of fearing our great leaders, says Milkis, we honor them.     I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.     Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   incompatible - adj. not able to exist together without trouble or conflict : not going together well sovereign - adj. having independent authority and the right to govern itself preside - v. to be in charge of something venue - n. the place where an event takes place anchor - n. a person or thing that provides strength and support unique - n. belonging to or connected with only one particular thing, place, or person

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Scientists Discover a Dinosaur with Shiny, Color-Changing Feathers

  Scientists recently announced the discovery of a small, bird-like dinosaur from China which had unusual, colorful feathers. The scientists named the dinosaur Caihong, the Mandarin word for rainbow. They discovered the nearly complete and almost entirely undamaged fossil in Hebei Province. Microscopic structures in the fossil suggest that the creature had wide, shiny feathers. The feathers mostly covered the dinosaur’s head and upper body. The colors of those feather would have appeared to change depending on how the light hit them. The colorful dinosaur lived 161 million years ago during the Jurassic Period of earth’s history. Chad Eliason is an evolutionary biologist with the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. He helped write the study announcing the discovery in the scientific publication Nature Communications. Eliason told the Reuters news service that the discovery “suggests a more colorful Jurassic World than we previously imagined.” The scientists used powerful microscopes to identify the remains of the cell structures responsible for the apparent color of the feathers. The shape of those structures appears to have influenced what color the feathers would have. Round-shaped structures in the Caihong fossil show that it had feathers similar to that of a modern day hummingbird. Much of Caihong’s body had dark feathers. The shiny, color-changing feathers covered its head and neck. The dinosaur had many bird-like qualities. But researchers doubt that it could actually fly. Its feathers could have served the purpose of gaining the attention of sexual partners while also providing protection from heat and cold. Caihong was two-legged and had a long, narrow head with sharp teeth.  It had boney crests above its eyes, and it hunted other, smaller animals for food. Scientists say many dinosaurs had feathers. Birds evolved from small feathered dinosaurs near the end of the Jurassic Period. A dinosaur of a different feather Caihong had two kinds of feathers. It also is the earliest-known creature with feathers that did not have the same shape on both sides. This is a physical quality that modern birds have and use to direct themselves while flying. The unevenly shaped feathers on Caihong were on its tail. This suggests that tail feathers, not arm feathers, were first used to improve movement through the air in flying dinosaurs, scientists said. Xing Xu is a paleontologist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Xing Xu said, “It is extremely similar to some early birds such as Archaeopteryx.” Archaeopteryx is the earliest known bird. It is believed to have lived 150 million years ago. “To be honest, I am not sure what function the feathers have,” Xing Xu added. “And I don’t think that you can completely exclude the possibility that the feathers helped the animal to get in the air.” The dinosaur’s full scientific name is Caihong juji, which means “rainbow with a big crest.” I’m ­Pete Musto.   Will Dunham reported this for the Reuters News Service. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other kinds of strange dinosaurs do you hope scientists will discover? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   rainbow – n. a curved line of different colors that sometimes appears in the sky when the sun shines through rain fossil – n. something, such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint, that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks feather(s) – n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird evolutionary – adj. related to a theory that the differences between modern plants and animals are because of changes that happened by a natural process over a very long time hummingbird – n. a very small, brightly colored American bird that has wings which beat very fast neck – n. the part of the body between the head and the shoulders crest(s) – n. a group of decorative feathers at the top of a bird's head tail – n. the part of an animal's body that extends from the animal's back end paleontologist – n. someone whose job is to study the science that deals with the fossils of animals and plants that lived very long ago especially in the time of dinosaurs

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Report Warns Traffic Deaths Hurt Developing Economies

  Traffic accidents that result in deaths are individual tragedies that also hurt a country’s economy. A new report from the World Bank says these deaths are a barrier to economic growth in developing countries. The report is one of several reports showing that investing in road safety in low- and middle-income countries could raise national incomes. Worldwide, about 1.25 million people die in traffic accidents each year. The report says about 90 percent of those deaths happen in developing countries. The World Health Organization says that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death worldwide for people between the ages of 15 and 29. That includes crashes that kill people who are walking, riding bicycles or other small vehicles. But World Bank transportation expert Dipan Bose says the issue does not get enough attention. He told VOA, “There is not a lot of political will in many low- and middle-income countries to take definitive action to reduce road deaths and injuries.” Bose helped write one report that studied five countries: China, India, Thailand, the Philippines and Tanzania. The study used economic models to suggest what each country’s economy would gain over a 24-year period if traffic deaths were reduced by half. He says the results were surprising. For example, Thailand’s high rates of both economic growth and traffic accidents mean that it would have the most to gain. The study suggests that Thailand would increase national incomes by 22 percent if it cut traffic deaths. Tanzania would have the smallest amount of growth at seven percent. The remaining countries would fall somewhere between seven and 22 percent. This kind of economic growth is something “no national government can ignore,” said Bose. His report “gives the economic story of why it is important to take strong actions on road safety.” The report says there are some very easy ways to reduce traffic injuries. These include enforcing speed limits and helmet and seat belt laws, as well as fighting against people driving under the influence of alcohol. But another report from the World Bank and the World Resources Institute suggests drivers are only partly responsible for traffic deaths. It says that city planners and government officials are responsible for building safety into their transportation systems. Anna Bray Sharpin is with the World Resources Institute and helped write the report. She told VOA, “If the system’s not safe – if people don’t have the opportunity to cross the road safely, or drive in a safe vehicle – then a small error can result in a fatality.” For example, she said, many city planners use the same design rules for small streets and highways. Wide roads are designed for greatest possible traffic flow and speed. They are not designed for people riding bicycles or walking. She says people often take risks to try and cross the road. “And that comes back to this issue of whether this is a personal responsibility, or a co-responsibility between governments and planners and people using the road,” she added. The report offers suggestions for designing safer roads and reducing accidents. Public transportation, walking and biking reduce the number of cars on the road and the number of accidents. Creating areas for people to walk on the sides and above roads can keep them out of harm’s way. Creating protected areas for bicycle riders to ride alongside cars and other vehicles also increases safety. On roads in rural areas, the report suggests, using barriers to divide traffic in an effort to prevent crashes. Bray Sharpin notes that many developing countries are currently planning major projects to improve their roads. This means there is now an opportunity to include safety in planning these roads. She says it will be less costly to do so now rather than later. “Once these roads are built, they’ll be around for decades,” she added. If they do not include safety now, these countries will be stuck with dangerous transportation systems for a very long time. I’m Pete Musto.   Steve Baragona reported this for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. How common are traffic accidents in your country? What do you think your government should do to prevent them? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, or business bicycle(s) – n. a 2-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing on foot pedals political will – n. desire or commitment on the part of a government to establish a policy, especially one which is not immediately successful or popular definitive – adj. final and settled helmet – n. a hard hat that is worn to protect your head seat belt – n. a strap on a vehicle's seat that holds a person in the seat if there is an accident opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done error – n. a wrong action or statement fatality – n. a death that results from a disaster or accident decade(s) – n. a period of 10 years

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New Technology Reads Ancient Documents without Opening Them

  Attempting to open very old books and records without damaging them can be difficult.  But scientists in Switzerland say they have improved a method to read age-old documents without even touching them. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology are using radiation, in the form of x-rays, to create images of the documents. This method is called X-ray computed tomography or X-Ray tomography.  On a recent day, the researchers used X-ray tomography to read from a small 14th century document. Giorgio Margaritondo is working on the project. Reading from the document, he noted, “in the year 1351, a young lady from Venice…wrote a testament, and then the testament was sealed, and remained sealed for all these many centuries." Italian officials are planning to use X-Ray tomography to build an open digital system in the State Archives of Venice. Margaritondo says, “What you find inside the Archives are not only small documents. But most of the items are huge volumes the size of a table, and so we must be able in the future to look inside them." Many of the documents show signs of weathering, and are easily broken. Fauzia Albertin is also working on the project. She says, “We need a non-invasive technique to read inside them. Thanks to the use for thousands of years of iron-based inks we can read them using X-rays." Albertin is also with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The researchers have a lot of work to keep them busy. The State Archives of Venice has a huge number of records. They were produced over a period of about 1,000 years. The documents cover about 80 kilometers of shelf space. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Deborah Block reported this story for VOANews.com. Jonathan Evans adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   testament – n. proof or evidence that something exists or is true tomography – n. a technique for displaying a representation of a cross section through a human body or other solid object using X-rays or ultrasound. seal – v. to close completely digital – adj. using or involving computer technology volume – n. an amount of something technique – n. method ink – n. a colored liquid used for writing or printing shelf – n. a thin, flat area used to store objects

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US Policy May Cause Trade War with Chinese Internet Companies

Americans are still talking about a decision by the government to overturn its policy of net neutrality. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, voted to end rules meant to prevent telecommunications companies from blocking or slowing the operation of some websites. Observers say the decision may lead to a trade war with Chinese telecom and internet companies, some of which are interested in reaching the U.S. market. China has banned hundreds of websites and never believed in net neutrality. The FCC ruling will free American telecom service providers to charge different prices for different products or services. Those providers will even be able to examine the data of their customers. Many Americans dislike the loss of net neutrality and the idea that telecoms can “watch” them. But experts say the situation in the U.S. is far different from the realities facing Chinese consumers. "In China, the government is monitoring and controlling … (telecom) networks, whereas [in the U.S.] it is, at least so far, it is telecommunication companies,” said Aija Leiponen. Leiponen is a professor at Cornell University’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. She added that the U.S. government does not have the ability to control internet content. The FCC decision could help U.S. telecom service providers offer high-priced services, since those who pay more would get a stronger signal.  But this would also enable U.S. service providers to raise rates for foreign customers. Under net neutrality, foreign companies can easily access the U.S. market without facing the kind of resistance American companies are facing in China. Benjamin Cavender is with the Shanghai-based China Market Research Group. He thinks the FCC decision could have an effect on Chinese technology companies that want to do business in the United States. "You are asking about companies like Alibaba or Tencent -- what this means for them in the U.S. markets -- and I could very possibly see this being used as a trade war tool.” He also said that the U.S. government could force Chinese companies to pay a lot more to American internet service providers. U.S. telecom companies are working with or in some cases becoming content providers by creating television shows, films or websites to advertise products. Cavendar thinks those companies might look at foreign players as competition. He said they could block large Chinese internet companies in an effort to force China to open its market to American companies. “They (Chinese Internet companies) just get completely blocked because of the U.S. using this more as a trade tool, trying to get more access to the Chinese market. Because if you are a U.S. technology company, you are working at a great disadvantage in the Chinese market. I do see this being used as a trade tool," Cavender said. The end of net neutrality means that American companies can say to China ‘let us in to your market or we will block you from ours.’ While the United States has avoided such behavior in the past, observers say, the situation may be changing during the presidency of Donald Trump. “I could see that happening," Cavender said. "Even democracies are beginning to think about the need to regulate content. So the Chinese, you know, might take a little comfort in that," noted James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. "When you look at Europeans talking about blocking each other’s content, when you look at the U.S. talking about blocking Russian political warfare, the Internet cannot be the wild west that it’s been for a couple of decades,” he added. In related news, China is protesting a new bill proposed in the U.S. Congress. The measure would prevent parts of the U.S. government from working with service providers that use any equipment from two Chinese companies, Huawei and ZTE, for security reasons. "This seems like a problem that can’t be solved, at least not in the short term," said Liu Xingliang, head of the Data Center of China Internet. Liu spoke to the Global Times newspaper in Beijing. At the same time, "Chinese firms can't give up the U.S. market and just focus on smaller countries,” Liu Dingding told the Global Times. The tech expert added that Chinese companies need access to the American market to meet their international goals. I'm Susan Shand. And I'm Caty Weaver.   This story was reported by VOA's Saibal Dasgupta. It was adapted by Susan Shand and edited by George Grow. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   net neutrality – n. idea that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same and cannot block or slow down any website due to its content, language or users, etc. data – n. information that is produced or stored by a computer customer – n. one that buys a product or service monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time content – n. something contained; the amount of material or information contained access – v. permission or the right to enter, get near, or make use of something disadvantage – n. loss to image or credit; something that causes difficulty sovereignty – n. a country's independent authority and the right to govern itself regulate – v. to make rules or laws that control (something) Wild West – n. the western United States in the past when there were few laws

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