By Michael Turton / Contributing reporter Add TT as Preferred Source Off the coast of Taichung lies the well known Gaomei Wetlands (高美濕地), a popular nature preserve. On weekends, especially in the evenings, the site’s walkways are crowded with sunset watchers, its mudflats filled with people wading and taking pictures of the local wildlife. Birds, amphibious fish, crabs and other organisms flourish. A few hundred meters to the south Berth number 8 of the Port of Taichung juts inland, surrounded by chemical plants, cement factories, chemical storage sites, warehouses and wind turbines. This infrastructure, critical to the running of a major industrial economy, will be targeted in wartime. Though they do not know it, the nearby creatures of Gaomei and elsewhere are going to be among the first casualties of strikes by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). CHEMICAL DISASTER Observers often comment on Taiwan’s power plants and its nuclear plants, but chemical and physical disasters will also result from PRC strikes on chemical plants and storage sites. These strikes will almost certainly have catastrophic effects on nearby wildlife. The PRC need not deliberately target wildlife, near misses and accidents will take a terrible toll, as will the diversion of...

Scientists studying ancient Australian rocks uncovered more than 12,000 fossils from some of the oldest known eukaryotes on Earth. These early complex cells lived in settings ranging from coastal mudflats to the open sea, but only where oxygen was available. Oxygen-free environments contained simpler microbes instead. The findings strengthen the idea that oxygen played a crucial role in the emergence of complex life.

Scientists studying ancient Australian rocks uncovered more than 12,000 fossils from some of the oldest known eukaryotes on Earth. These early complex cells lived in settings ranging from coastal mudflats to the open sea, but only where oxygen was available. Oxygen-free environments contained simpler microbes instead. The findings strengthen the idea that oxygen played a crucial role in the emergence of complex life.

Roughly 1.25 billion years ago, the mudflats bordering an inland sea became the origins of the reddish-orange layers of the Hakatai shale.

Roughly 1.25 billion years ago, the mudflats bordering an inland sea became the origins of the reddish-orange layers of the Hakatai shale.

Roughly 1.25 billion years ago, the mudflats bordering an inland sea became the origins of the reddish-orange layers of the Hakatai shale.