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The 33rd Taipei International Book Exhibition kicks off on February 4. Academia Sinica presents a special exhibition entitled “Treasures from the Shore: Exploring the Boundless Knowledge of the Ocean,” showcasing its research and inviting participants to explore the ocean of knowledge. James C. Liao, President of Academia Sinica, noted that the ocean is an important asset for Taiwan, offering abundant natural resources and influencing the culture. All three Divisions at Academia Sinica—Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences—are involved in marine research. Research findings are presented with creativity at the book exhibition, hoping to spark curiosity and the spirit of exploration.

Throughout the book exhibition, from February 4 to 9, Academia Sinica will hold two major exhibitions: “See the Ocean through Words” and “Looking at the Ocean through the Life Sciences” A total of 14 lectures on books and popular science will be held, and nearly 4,000 books published by Academia Sinica will be for sale.

Lectures: Marine Culture and Science

The exhibition also features 14 diverse lecture topics with 26 experts sharing their insights. For example, Dr. Chau-Ron Wu (Research Center for Environmental Change, Academia Sinica (AS)) will introduce Academia Sinica's breakthrough in marine energy, “Kuroshio Power,” harnessing Taiwan's unique geographic advantages for green development. Dr. Yu-Ju Lin (Institute of Taiwan History, AS) will explore the characteristics of island port cities from a global historical perspective, analyzing Taiwan's modern marine culture. Dr. Kuo-Tung Chen (Institute of History and Philology, AS) will discuss the impact of lighthouses since the 19th century from technical, historical, and cultural perspectives.

In addition to the marine science lectures, other topics will be featured in the lectures, including the lifelong dedication to ancient Chinese medical and social history of the late Dr. Fu-Shih Lin (Institute of History and Philology, AS), the horse racing culture of Shanghai, stories of theft and crime in the Qing Dynasty, modern Chinese medicine, Han religious rituals, and Catholic religious stories. For details, please see the “Academia Sinica Press” Facebook page.

New Books: Addressing Key Contemporary Issues

In the first round of book-launch talks, two books will be featured. As Vice President Shin-Kun, Peng stated, learning to harness AI has become a global trend. The popular AI book for the general public, Human Wisdom in the Age of AI, analyzes AI research and applications, reflecting on ethical and legal issues. An authors’ panel discussion on February 5^th will feature Dr. Tzong-Han Tsai, research fellow at the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, who will share the challenges in creating Taiwan's first large-scale Traditional Chinese language model, TAIDE, and Dr. Ya-Hui Zhou, associate research fellow at the Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, who will compare generative AI and “hallucinations” from a neuroscience perspective.

Like other nations, Taiwan is entering an era of an aged society. Dr. Joan C. Lo, adjunct research fellow at the Institute of Economics, explores some of the resulting healthcare issues. Her book, The Imagination of Community, the Imagined Community, explores funding and labor issues in community care services. Focusing on long-term care of diabetic and chronic mental health patients and their community management, the book draws on German and Japanese experience to propose strategies for improving healthcare. The author will also be present to share and discuss her insights.

The Exhibitions: Exploring the Ocean's Mysteries

The exhibition “See the Ocean through Words” features 11 books with notable quotes, offering visitors discussions on marine cultures and historical geography. Have you ever heard the sounds in the ocean? The exhibition “Looking at the Ocean through the Life Sciences” invites you to explore the ocean through its sounds. In the marine soundscape exhibition zone, you can listen to the fish and crustaceans in coral reefs, the whistling of white dolphins, and the unique sounds of underwater volcanic hot springs.

The “Fish Diversity and Related Research” exhibition will showcase a rare map of marine fossil collection sites and provide a behind-the-scenes look at laboratory sample processing. It will also explore the traces of fish communities and habitats through otoliths. On February 6, Dr. Chien-Hsiang Lin, associate research fellow at the Biodiversity Research Center, will be on-site to unveil the mysteries of marine fossils.