The movie 'Battle of Penghu' supports Beijing's Taiwan reunification policy, with apparent official backing from China's propaganda department.
Yao Ming, a prominent Chinese NBA star and three-time Olympian, formally announced his retirement from competitive basketball in Shanghai on July 20, 2011, citing persistent injuries. He described the move as "a comma, not a full stop," hinting at future plans.
A 1640 eruption of Parker Volcano in the Philippines may have contributed to the collapse of China's Ming Dynasty, according to a study in Climate of the Past. Volcanic eruptions can cause climate changes leading to crop failures and famine.
Researchers found aconitine, a toxin from wolfsbane, on 14th-century surgical tools from the tomb of Chinese surgeon Xia Quan. This provides physical evidence that Ming dynasty surgeons used a toxic plant concoction for anesthesia, supporting ancient texts.
