Frog Ramen, Maori Heads, and Astronauts' Health

Hi there, it's time for another episode of News Bites! I'm Nancy Sun… And I'm Paz Bueno. In today's news: From isopods to frogs, from Germany to New Zealand, and returning from outer space. All that and more, coming up next. ________________________________ 青蛙拉麵熱騰騰上桌 Frog Ramen on the Menu There's an unusual ramen craze (狂熱) sweeping over Taiwan. Do you remember the giant isopod ramen we talked about earlier this month? Now, in Yunlin, there is a ramen shop selling frog ramen. Frog dishes are not that uncommon in Taiwan. The frog is usually referred to as "field chicken (田雞)". Many people say frog meat tastes like chicken. Frog legs are a delicacy (佳餚), usually stir-fried (炒) or deep-fried. They are also often cooked in soup. But this unusual ramen offers the whole frog on top of the bowl. After seeing the isopod ramen go viral in May, the shop owner thought she could make her own version (版本). Some restaurants sell frog dishes in Yunlin, and she wanted to bring that local flavor to the customers. The price of the ramen is $250 NT, available on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Some people do not want to eat the ramen, but they would like to take a picture. So people who only want to take a picture with the frog ramen must pay $100 NT. 這道青蛙拉麵也引起網友們的關注。 In Kaohsiung, another ramen shop is offering "Durian-flavored ramen." It is even served in a hollowed-out (挖空) durian shell. It looks like the weird ramen trend is going strong. ________________________________ 德國歸還毛利祖先頭顱 Germany Returns Mummified Maori Heads to New Zealand In previous centuries, exploration was popular among many countries. Explorers sometimes brought back things from other cultures. In recent years, museums and research institutions have started to return historical artifacts to the countries they came from. Germany had recently returned six mummified Maori (毛利人) heads to New Zealand. The mummified heads were a part of Maori tradition to preserve loved ones or enemies. In their culture, the head is considered the most important part of the body. The face is marked with tattoos. The tattoos help show who they are. They are known as "toi moko," often the heads of chiefs and warriors. During the 1700s, many people in Europe were interested in toi moko. Many heads were stolen or taken during violent conflicts. Over the years, other institutions have also returned relics (文物) to New Zealand. The Maori believe that this will restore dignity to both the dead and their living descendants. 他們希望這些祖先遺骸文物能有一天回到正確的安息之地。 ________________________________ 太空旅行可能導致腦部病變 Space Travel and the Effect on Astronauts' Brains People have been interested in exploring space for a long time. Thousands of people apply (申請) to be astronauts. And strong, healthy people are chosen for the job. They must be strong in body, but also in mind. Astronauts face many risks when they travel in space. Out in space, they are not protected by Earth's atmosphere (大氣層). They are exposed to radiation. Microgravity (微重力) also causes the astronauts to lose muscle and bone density (密度). Now, new research shows that long trips in space can also change an astronaut's brain. Researchers looked at MRIs (磁振造影) of 30 astronauts taken before and after space missions. They found that astronauts who spent 2 weeks in space show changes in the ventricles of their brains (腦室). Researchers believe that without gravity pulling everything down, the human brain moves upwards in the skull. This displaces (移位) the fluid in the head. The fluid accumulates (累積), and the brain's ventricles expand to hold more of it. And the brains of the astronauts did not get better right away after a mission. The researchers found it might take at least 3 years for astronauts to recover from long space missions. 科學家目前還不了解腦室擴大對人體的影響。 It seems that it's a problem that must be solved before humans can plan a trip to Mars. ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites… A Yunlin ramen shop is selling frog ramen. This unusual ramen offers a whole frog on top of the bowl. The shop owner wanted to bring some local flavor to customers. ________________________________ Germany has recently returned six mummified Maori heads to New Zealand. The mummified heads were a part of Maori tradition to preserve loved ones or enemies. The Maori believe that this will help restore dignity to both the dead and their living descendants. ________________________________ And, Researchers looked at MRIs of 30 astronauts taken before and after space missions. They found changes in the ventricles of the astronauts' brains. The researchers found it might take at least 3 years for astronauts to recover from long space missions. ________________________________ And that's today's episode of News Bites!