SECTION 1: New Guinea:

Today's talk is about the fascinating culture of New Guinea — an island divided in two
politically, but with huge diversity in both parts.
For those of you who don’t know, New Guinea is located in Oceania, in the southwestern Pacific
Ocean, north of Australia. Since 1975, the eastern side has been the independent country of
Papua New Guinea, while the western side consists of the Indonesian-administered provinces of
Papua and West Papua.
Papua New Guinea has 7 million inhabitants and is an incredibly rural country, with only 18% of
the population living in urban areas. It has 852 known languages and is one of the least explored
terrains on the planet.
Now, one of the reasons that Papua New Guinea — and indeed the whole of New Guinea — is
such an interesting place is that it’s home to hundreds of traditional tribes, perhaps better
described as distinct social groups, each one numbering hundreds or even thousands of members.
In the Indonesian part of New Guinea — that is, the provinces of Papua and West Papua — there
are 32 different tribes, including around 44 uncontacted ones. These are tribes who, up until now,
hadn’t had any contact with the outside world — even with other neighboring tribes. Of course,
everyone is most curious to know about these tribes, but by definition, we have little or no
information on them.
I’m now going to talk about the tribes of the Papua New Guinea highlands. These people only
rarely had contact with the outside world until the 1960s, so they are still relatively isolated.
When we start to examine the tribes, we see a common theme, which is the use of various
methods to intimidate other groups so as to protect their own tribe.
Let’s look first at the Huli Wigmen — a tribe of about 40,000 from the T (Southern?) Highlands
of Papua New Guinea. They have given their faces a very distinctive look by using yellow paint,
and they wear belts made of pigtails, aprons made of leaves, and wigs, which are a sort of hat
made from their own hair. This look is designed to scare off outsiders, which they also do with
their bird dances, which mimic the birds of paradise that inhabit their land.
Another highland tribe, the Asaro Mudmen, have the same intention as the Huli Wigmen — to
ward off outsiders — by smearing themselves in clay and mud. They adopt the form of the river
spirits, which are known to terrify their enemies. Their elaborate appearance is further
supplemented with extended fingernails, and they wear terrifying masks, which serve to
accentuate their ferocious look.
The Asaro Mudmen were discovered by the outside world less than 80 years ago, but have now
become a symbol of Papua New Guinea and make an important contribution to the tourist trade.
A third tribe that has become well known is the Chimbu, who live high in the mountains. The
Chimbu skeleton dancers used to dance to intimidate their enemies. This tribe traditionally lived
in male/female segregated houses, though they are now increasingly living in family groups.
This group, too, now displays their traditional dances not to scare off other tribes, but more to
entertain tourists.
An interesting event — the Mount Hagen Sing Sing — takes place every year, involving over 50
tribes. This came about due to the constant fighting between tribes, which became a serious
problem for the Papua New Guinea government. So in 1961, it came up with the idea of a
cultural show, which would bring together as many tribes as possible in peace and pride in their
cultural heritage.
The Mount Hagen Sing Sing is a wonderful opportunity for Papua New Guinea to showcase its
fascinating cultural heritage. At this event, tourists and locals alike can witness the spectacular
costumes — including 6-feet-high headdresses made of flowers, shells, and feathers.
Inevitably, there is some loss of authenticity associated with this kind of event — for example,
chemical dyes are now used instead of the natural ones the tribes used earlier. However, a poor
developing country has to exploit whatever resources it has, and the wealth of this region is its
tribal culture

SECTION 2: Darren Armand and the Red Squirrels:

Host:
Good afternoon, our beloved listeners. Welcome to today’s Capturing the Moment program.
Today, we have Darren Armand here with us. He’s a college student who has just won an award
for his set of shots of red squirrels. Welcome, Darren. Now, can you tell us a bit about this lovely
creature and how you managed to take such wonderful photos?

Darren:
Well, the red squirrel is Britain’s only native squirrel. It’s graceful and athletic. Its Latin name
Sciurus vulgaris comes from the Greek words describing a common type of animal which sits in
the shadow of its own tail. At first, I thought this description was funny and was kind of an
exaggeration, but now I realize that this name suits them very well. Their fluffy tails under the
sun normally cast a big shadow over themselves.

You’ll be lucky to see a red squirrel in the areas where they still survive due to its timid nature
and decreasing number in the wild. In the late 1800s, when grey squirrels — an exotic species —
were first introduced into Britain, there were only about 20,000 red squirrels left, the majority of
which lived in the north of England. The greys carry a disease called the squirrelpox virus, which
could lead to the deaths of red squirrels.

But their number had already declined before the disease spread. The shrinking population
actually corresponds to decreases in the number of nuts available, the red squirrel’s primary food
source.

I accidentally left some nuts in my garden one day, and I found they had been eaten the next
morning. It could have been rats, as they have a very similar food category to red squirrels. But I
knew it was red squirrels because of their different feeding habits. Rats bite a hole in the nuts,
whereas red squirrels crack the nuts in half and eat the kernels.

After a week or so, the red squirrels became regular visitors to my garden, making them ideal
subjects for my photography project. Unfortunately, I had to shoot only in my garden — partly
because I couldn’t find another spot to sight red squirrels on a regular basis. Also, this could
block out any outside distractions and I could focus solely on my subject during the shooting.

Other animals like birds got caught in the frame together sometimes. I’m more than satisfied
with my photos, even though I only practiced a few times and used just a secondhand camera
from my friend. My great mentor helped me with the shooting — I got great tutorials from him
and was able to shoot better photos.

Host:
Thank you, Darren. The award-winning photos will be on display in a local museum for the
coming month. We’re looking forward to the exhibition! So, tell us about the award.

Darren:
Okay. I sent my portfolio for the competition hosted by a national newspaper. I wasn’t expecting
the third prize, so when they notified me of the result on the phone, I was really excited!

Host:
Do you have some tips for our audience to help improve their photography skills?

Darren:
Of course! Here are three things I think photographers can work on to get a better shot:

First of all, good composition is key to a lovely shot. Normally, an image’s center of interest is
placed at one of the intersections that trict (I think he meant "split") the whole picture — in order
to achieve balance. A secondary object, so to speak, can be added to the scene at the opposing
intersection. So, for instance, in one of my shots, a red squirrel at the top left is staring at a nut at
the lower right corner. This is called the rule of thirds.

Second, lighting is another essential element. If you want to be rewarded with a superb photo,
the direction of the light falling on your subject is most important of all. You need to look at your
subject carefully and watch how the shadows fall. If you’re able to choose the time of day to
shoot your pictures, lighting is most ideal in the late afternoon. Try to position yourself so that
the sun hits your subject from the side. This helps create a 3D effect in the picture.

To further improve on your photography skills, it is advised to take detailed notes of timing,
position, weather, etc. By doing so, it’s easier to review and adjust accordingly. And there is
always room for improvement.
SECTION 3: Water Hyacinth
Lecturer:
John, how is it going with your research on water hyacinths?

John:
Well, I went on a field trip on my own and collected the primary data. After I came back, I also
referred to the published data.

Lecturer:
So, what do you know about this plant?

John:
The water hyacinth grows in tropical countries. It has beautiful purple-blue flowers, but
everybody hates it.

Lecturer:
Why is that?

John:
The water hyacinth, as the world’s worst invasive aquatic plant, has attracted significant
attention. Millions of these plants grow in rivers and lakes and have brought huge environmental
and cultural problems to the local people. Farmers cannot travel in boats on the water and thus
cannot fish in it.

In addition, heavy free-floating mats of water hyacinth are clogging the dam at a power station in
West Africa. Turbines of the power station are often shut down because of the intertwined
leaves. Dams often cease to function as a result, severely restricting the electricity generation.

Dense mats of water hyacinths also shade the surface and prevent algae growth, thus limiting the
production of oxygen and threatening the survival of fish.

Lecturer:
So, where did water hyacinth originate from?

John:
The water hyacinth is native to the Amazon basin in Latin America. It has spread mainly to the
tropics and subtropics throughout much of the world since the 1800s. Later, it was introduced
into Europe and Africa as an ornamental garden pond plant due to its beauty.

Flowers of this plant were being sold in local markets in African countries as a source of income
for women. Since the 1900s, this weed has infested lakes, rivers, and creeks of the delta areas in
West Africa.
Lecturer:
I guess whoever introduced this plant had never expected the disastrous impact it would have on
the local ecological environment.

John:
Exactly.

Lecturer:
What kind of habitat does water hyacinth thrive most in?

John:
Well, it has been discovered that the nutrient-rich environment contributes significantly to the
rapid proliferation of this weed, which obtains its nutrients directly from the water. This is
normally compounded with a decrease of nutrients along the riverbanks.

Lecturer:
Why is that?

John:
The main reason for soil nutrient loss is that local residents cut down trees. Excessive
deforestation accelerates soil erosion, which indirectly compounds this issue. Without enough
trees to retain nutrients in the soil, frequent rain might partly aggravate this by carrying some of
the nutrients into the waterways.

Lecturer:
Are there any effective measures to control or even eradicate this weed?

John:
Yes. A number of approaches have been widely applied throughout the world. Among them,
biological control is the most widely favored long-term control method — by introducing a type
of insect that feeds on water hyacinth.

So far, Nigeria has used this method for 6 months. However, the water hyacinth won’t be
removed immediately. The side effects of this method on local ecology will remain unforeseen
for years, because it takes time for this external insect species to reach a density sufficient
enough to affect ecological development.

Lecturer:
Then what about other approaches? Is there a quicker way to control it?

John:
Well, the mechanical removal of water hyacinth is seen as the best short-term solution. This
option includes harvesting plants and in-site cutting. This method can immediately open physical
space for fish and boat traffic.
It is, however, inefficient for workers to process extensive areas and costly to use large cutting
and dredging equipment. Ironically, it costs even more to dispose of this plant than to remove it.

Lecturer:
Can we make use of this weed and turn it into something good?

John:
Now scientists think that water hyacinth can be useful. The plant itself, although more than 95%
water, has a fibrous tissue and a high energy and protein content, and can be used for a variety of
useful applications.

Lecturer:
So what do people do with water hyacinth that is initially removed?

John:
First, the cut-down water hyacinth is left to dry under the sun for a few days before being mixed
with ash and animal manure. The mixture can be used as alternative soil rather than fertilizer —
it can grow crops with increased yield.

Lecturer:
That sounds interesting.

John:
Mushroom farmers can benefit from water hyacinth as well. Using the mixture mentioned
earlier, mushrooms generally grow much faster, so that farmers can harvest mushrooms sooner,
which enables them to make money faster.

Lecturer:
I see. It can be used to grow oyster and straw mushrooms, right?

John:
Yes. In India, attempts have been made to grow these types of edible mushrooms organically
utilizing water hyacinth. These mushrooms provide sufficient nutritional values, including
minerals and high-quality protein, which are essential to people’s level of fitness.

Lecturer:
Right. Are there any other measures taken to utilize water hyacinth?

John:
In Southeast Asia, people feed cows using chopped water hyacinth mixed with other vegetables.
Then, the waste from the cows is treated to produce methane gas, which can be used as fuel for
cooking, lighting, or powering an engine.
And with global warming getting worse, developing alternative sources of energy will be more
urgent than ever. Maybe in the future, people will love water hyacinth instead of hating it.

Lecturer:
Yes, that’s very likely — if we can make full use of this weed.

SECTION 4: Nanotechnology and its applications

Today’s lecture is the first of a series of lectures on nanotechnology. Nanotechnology—
sometimes shortened to nanotech—refers to the manipulation of matter on an atomic and
molecular level. It’s a science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is
about one to 100 nanometers. It is the study and application of extremely small things and can be
used across all the other science fields.

Just how small is that? A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. The idea of nanoscale research
first started with a physicist called Richard Feynman. In 1959 he envisaged a process in which
scientists would be able to manipulate and control individual atoms and molecules. In fact, it
wasn’t until 1981, with the invention of a special kind of microscope, that modern
nanotechnology truly began.

Even though nanotechnology has created so many new materials and devices with a vast range of
applications, there is always concern over these “unnatural” products. Many people are worried
that they may pose a threat to the environment, health, and safety—also known as EHS. In order
to better understand and evaluate the potential harm, risk assessment has been introduced, and
there are ongoing international collaborations on nano-EHS research and related policy issues.

Despite the concern, nanotechnology has benefited society in unexpected ways. In the
food-processing industry, nanotechnology is leveraged against iron deficiency—which triggers
anemia—by reducing the particle size in potatoes. This new technology improves the
bioavailability of this nutritional ingredient without causing color or odor changes. In terms of
packaging, nanomaterials are more economical and are used in all sorts of products, chocolate in
particular. Nanotechnology can also enhance the flavor of food.

On a domestic scale, we expect more smart furniture made of shape-memory alloys to be

manufactured. But nanotechnology has much wider application than this and could also help
develop sustainable agriculture. It offers great potential to strengthen the effect of fertilizers,
thereby minimizing environmental impact and boosting plant productivity in the soil.

In the area of medicine, bioengineers have developed simple and inexpensive nanoscale delivery
vehicles. Conductors like carbon nanotubes have been invented with varying structures. Such
nanotubes have become increasingly attractive to researchers because of their ability to
efficiently deliver drugs into veins. This means that higher doses of drugs loaded on them can be
transported from administration sites to target sites—such as cancer foci—thus decreasing toxic
side effects while increasing treatment effectiveness.
The research team has also developed a widely accepted material that can be used to coat
different surfaces—including wood, plastic, and glass. It is mainly comprised of silver
nanoparticles that can kill some microbes due to their antiseptic properties. The whole process is
simple, easy to apply, and, more importantly, harmless to the environment.

Surprisingly, nanotechnology has major implications for our health as well. By changing the
metabolic rate through a particular type of protein, obese patients are able to burn calories faster
even under a high-calorie diet. Therefore, treatment programs are being developed to help
patients lose weight by disposing of excess fat in a relatively safer manner. The finding may help
explain why overweight people struggle to lose weight—their stored fat is active at the molecular
level, fighting against their efforts to burn it off. Further research is mainly focused on the
clinical and commercial development of therapies for obesity, diabetes, and other associated
conditions such as heart disease.

In terms of cosmetics, the applications of nanotechnology and nanomaterials can be found in

many products. There are two main uses for nanotechnology in cosmetics: first, nanoparticles are
commonly used as UV filters in anti-aging sun-care products to avoid skin damage caused by the
sun; second, nanotechnology has played an important role in delivering active ingredients to the
skin. This mechanism improves the bioavailability of actives and enhances skin hydration.

The wide variety of nanotechnology applications leaves no doubt that this field will only
continue to get more exciting—and I look forward to seeing these developments further branch
out.