Time International Edition - 17.08.2026.pdf

简报

日本首相的睡眠习惯 印度飞速发展的“蟑螂”运动 麻疹病例激增 摄影：CHRIS PIZZELLO 3 --- 简报开篇 总统唐纳德·特朗普 7月16日在白宫的演出充满了戏剧性。从被遗忘的档案中提取的新文件。关于枪支、伪造选民登记文件、为伪造品支付礼品卡款项的报告。巴拉克·奥巴马为了瞒过继任者而扔进“销毁袋”的文件。中国印刷的假选票，委内瑞拉的选票操纵，以及朝鲜策划的更改投票行为。对于特朗普的支持者群体——其中 66% 的人已经相信 2020 年的结果被操纵了——这个夜晚证实了他们的怀疑，即系统已经腐败到没有任何东西可以被信任。特朗普凭借他声称在情报主管帮助下解密的的文件，终于证明了外国势力才是他落败的真正原因。但几乎在同一时间，这些新文件（其中一些有大量涂黑掩盖）讲述了一个更复杂的故事。特朗普的演示在修辞上赢了，但对事实核查员来说却像个地雷阵。虽然他可能达到了让支持者愤怒的目标，但即便如此，这最终也可能产生巨大的反作用。选举数据很复杂……特朗普提出的一些主张给观众留下了这样一种印象：2020 年，数亿美国人的个人信息被中国黑客窃取，这是“历史上最大规模的选举数据泄露”。但在许多情况下，相关信息已经在网上——在许多州，是由选举委员会公布的。因此，虽然中国可能查出了谁有投票权，但这本身不足以证明存在舞弊行为。而且这远不能证明北京方面在做任何异常之事，更不用说邪恶之事了。……华盛顿与北京的关系同样复杂 在特朗普开始演讲之前，中国驻华盛顿大使馆就向记者发表了否认：北京“从未且永远不会干涉美国的总统选举”。使情况进一步复杂化的是，中国领导人习近平即将于 9 月下旬访问华盛顿。特朗普与习近平之间有着微妙的关系，这种关系可能会定义这个世纪。公开争吵将毫无成效。此外还有一个细节：在特朗普第一任期的最后几天，他当时的国家情报总监约翰·拉特克利夫（John Ratcliffe）提交了国家情报机构的调查结果，至少根据非机密版本，没有迹象表明任何外国势力（包括中国）试图或成功更改了 2020 年选举投票的“任何技术方面”。特朗普试图挽救 SAVE 法案 在特朗普 27 分钟的演讲中，这部分仅占最后两分钟，但唯一可能真正被列入华盛顿议程的行动项目是一项在参议院无法获得足够票数的选举法案。特朗普对 SAVE 法案的痴迷源于他的信念，即对于不该投票的人来说，投票太容易了，而民主党人反对选民身份验证要求和邮寄限制，仅仅是因为他们能从现有系统中获益。但在演讲开始前，特朗普没有足够的票数。演讲结束后，他依然没有。可怕的指控并非故事的全貌 如果选民在听特朗普演讲时没有任何怀疑，事情听起来确实非常、非常可怕。虽然特朗普所言之中包含部分事实，但当年为了证明入侵伊拉克具有正当性而精心挑选的原始情报也是如此。文件中的一项“低置信度”观察结果与一项经过验证的行动是不同的。是的，投票制度并不完美。不，它并没有充斥着腐败。特朗普在针对 2020 年投票的法院挑战中，战绩是 0 比 62。这次演示可能会给共和党人带来反作用

当然，对于特朗普的支持者来说，主标题就像是在说“我早就告诉过你们”。从表面上看，这次演讲给选民留下的印象是，他发现了一个证据库，证明深层政府掩盖了 2020 年选举并不公正的调查结果，外国影响无处不在且显而易见，任何人都不应真正信任那些结果——甚至可能不应信任几个月后即将举行的选举结果。但关于特朗普信息的关键在于：它在事实层面可能是似是而非的，但在政治层面却能引起共鸣。面对这些精心挑选的新证据，那些支持者只会进一步不信任整个民主进程。如果被呈现为一种欺诈，那么很难说服潜在的选民，让他们相信排队投票不仅仅是一个傻瓜游戏。当你声称民主党可能窃取了众议院和参议院的多数席位时，削弱对体制的信心可能会有所帮助，但这对于民主以及共和党的投票率是不利的。如果特朗普想要避免无休止的监督听证会，甚至可能避免第三次弹劾，那么如果共和党在任何一个议院中仅占少数，情况将会变得更加困难。特朗普可能对自己表现感到满意，但如果他的支持者因为总统说服他们投票是浪费时间而放弃投票，他最终可能会为此感到后悔。 □ “美国人在选举基础设施的安全性问题上被公然欺骗了。” ——总统唐纳德·特朗普，在一次重新审视 2020 年选举被操纵这一毫无根据之主张的演讲中。

本简报包含 Chantelle Lee 的报道 ---

战争的代价

7月27日，在纽约皇后区的家中，退伍军人们在为安吉尔·莎拉·兰珀萨德中士（Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad）举行的烛光守夜活动中敬礼。兰珀萨德在7月17日伊朗对约旦一座军事基地的袭击中丧生。另有两人，泰勒·詹姆斯·菲汉（Tyler James Feehan）中尉和伊莎贝拉·冈萨雷斯（Isabella Gonzales）列兵也在袭击中丧生，使美国在伊朗战争中的死亡人数达到18人。

简报

日本首相引发关于工作界限的全国性辩论

对于日本首相高市早苗（Sanae Takaichi）来说，休息日意味着更多的工作。7月，在全国享受三天小长假期间，高市显然将时间花在了研读政策文件和处理国内事务上。“我好不容易才睡了五个小时，”她在社交媒体上发帖称，“自就任以来，每天睡零到三小时已成为常态。”

人们对她这条帖子的反应或许令人惊讶，专家表示这证明了该国文化正在发生更深层次的转变。

加班 东京大学副教授李浩（Li Hao）表示，高市的帖子可能是向保守派选民发出的一种“呼吁”，暗示她同时兼顾政治职责和女性在家庭中的传统性别劳动。当高市在10月被选为执政党自由民主党（LDP）总裁时，她宣布：“我将放弃‘工作-生活平衡’这个词。我将……，并继续工作。”

过度工作 一些人认为，这一信息在年轻选民中的效果正日益减弱，因为该帖子引起了那些认为高市在维护一种不健康且过时的标准的关注。反对党议员暗示，她过分强调数量而忽视了质量。

日本天普大学国际事务与政治学教授詹姆斯·布朗（James Brown）表示，这种批评反映了人们对工作和性别角色态度的逐渐转变。“传统的预期是，你的身份很大一部分在于你是一名员工。”

缓慢的改变 5月，八幡市市长川田祥子（Shoko Kawata）在宣布成为日本首位休产假的在任市长后面临抵制。但数起“过劳死”（karoshi）案例促使了旨在改善工作-生活平衡的劳动改革。鉴于日本的人口老龄化和低出生率，自民党内部的部分成员也对此表示关注。布朗表示，高市的观点“正日益成为特例”。

—MIRANDA JEYARETNAM

首页：美联社：退伍军人；YUKI：今村；美联社：高市；RIGCARDO DE LUCE；ANADOLIS；盖蒂图片社（GETTY IMAGES）

5 --- 简报 新闻 好问题

印度“蟑螂”运动从何而来？

作者：康纳·格林（CONNOR GREENE）

今年早些时候开始的一场讽刺性网络活动，迅速演变成一股强大的现实政治力量，挑战了印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪的右翼政府，并导致其一名关键官员——教育部长达尔门德拉·普拉丹（Dharmendra Pradhan）下台。这场由青年主导的“蟑螂运动”似乎凭空出现。自6月以来，由于医学入学考试题目大规模泄露导致超过 200 万 名学生的成绩被作废，数以万计的蟑螂人民党（Cockroach Janta Party, CJP）支持者走上印度各地的街头，要求普拉丹辞职并改革印度陷入困境的教育体系。

6月，CJP成员开始在德里的标志性抗议地点詹塔·曼塔（Jantar Mantar）举行静坐，并拒绝在普拉丹辞职前离开。除了学生，专业人士和带着幼童的家庭也加入了那里的示威活动。一度有数千名年轻人试图冲击德里的议会大厦，遭到了警方的暴力镇压。另一场静坐活动在莫迪的住所举行，印度反对党印度国民大会党（INC）的领导人拉胡尔·甘地（Rahul Gandhi）在现场被拘留，该党也支持蟑螂运动。一名曾因之前的示威活动被莫迪政府拘留的教育活动人士索南·旺楚克（Sonam Wangchuk）开始了一场持续 26 天的绝食，迫使政府官员在该团体的要求上做出让步。

在春季，印度当局宣布 5月 3 日的国家资格兼入学考试（National Eligibility cum Entrance Test）结果无效。该考试是印度竞争极其激烈的本科医学课程入学考试，调查发现试题被泄露。虽然这一事件成为了抗议的导火索，但该运动通过挖掘年轻人对极高失业率和经济压力的更广泛愤怒而获得了动力。

CJP本身的诞生是为了回应印度首席大法官在同一月一次无关听证会上的评论，她在评论中将失业青年比作“蟑螂”和“寄生虫”。该运动的创始人阿比吉特·迪普克（Abhijeet Dipke）当时在波士顿大学毕业后居住在美国，他在社交媒体上回应写道：“如果所有的蟑螂都聚集在一起会怎样？”这条初始帖子引起了巨大的反响，迪普克随后以此为基础构建了这场运动。

7月 16 日在孟买的一次CJP抗议活动中的一名示威者

“一个为那些一直被指责为懒惰的年轻人的政党。” ——蟑螂人民党

他为蟑螂人民党创建了社交媒体账号和网站——其名称既引用了首席大法官的言论，也参照了该国的执政党印度人民党（Bharatiya Janata Party）——并迅速吸引了大量追随者。在短短几周内，关注迪普克账号的人数超过 2000 万，莫迪政府暂时封锁了CJP在印度境内的X账号。

随着运动势头增强，迪普克决定返回印度，在德里以及全国各地的活动中领导该运动。CJP在其网站上宣称：“为那些一直被指责为懒惰、长期沉溺网络，以及——最近被称作——蟑螂的年轻人建立一个政党。就这样。这就是我们的使命。其余的都是讽刺。”

然而，这场运动实际上包含更多内容，目前正在推动更广泛的改革。网站上的一份宣言详细列出了五项关键要求：重新-

限制首席大法官在退休后被任命为议会议员；如果任何公民的选票被抹除，则逮捕首席选举专员；为女性预留 50% 的内阁席位，同时提高现有配额，将政府中女性代表的比例从 33% 提高到 50%；创建一个更独立的媒体；并禁止任何跳槽至其他政党的立法者在 20 年内担任政府职务。网站上另一份名为《结束印度考试危机的 5 项要求》的“宪章”包括建立新的考试机构并改革现有的考试机构。在庆祝普拉丹（Pradhan）于 7 月下旬辞职后，迪普克（Dipke）在一段发给其数百万追随者的视频中表示：“这仅仅是个开始。” 6 《时代》杂志 2026 年 8 月 17 日 印度：印度人权研究所，马来西亚：THE MANHATTAN POST-GEETY IMAGES，悉尼：PAUL ANDHELEN—FLEMING / GETTY IMAGES，奥特曼：AL DHABI—BUDDHABI / GETTY IMAGES --- 里程碑

任命 安迪·伯纳姆（Andy Burnham）在7月20日与查尔斯三世国王会面后，被任命为英国新任首相，使他成为该国10年来的第七任领导人。# 启用 连接底特律与安大略省温莎市的戈迪·豪国际大桥（Gordie Howe International Bridge）于7月27日启用。这座桥旨在成为贸易关系的象征，但现已成为美国与加拿大紧张关系的焦点。# 宣布 已故参议员林赛·格雷厄姆（Lindsey Graham）的妹妹达琳·格雷厄姆·诺多内（Darline Graham Nordone）于7月20日宣布竞选其南卡罗来纳州席位的全任期议员。在格雷厄姆于7月11日去世后，她此前被选定作为其临时接替者。# 逝世 创造了极具争议的、以摆姿人类尸体为特色的“人体世界”展览的德国科学家冈特·冯·哈根斯（Gunther von Hagens）于7月24日去世，享年81岁。冯·哈根斯此前表示，在他去世后，他希望自己的身体被塑化并展出在他的其中一个展览中。# 确诊 创作歌手卡莉·西蒙（Carly Simon）于7月27日向美联社透露，她被诊断出患有帕金森病。

一名南卡罗来纳州的护理人员正在评估一名具有麻疹症状的患者

记录

麻疹病例创35年新高

疫情继续扩散

麻疹是一种古老的祸根，而现在它正像一种新疾病一样迅速重新出现。根据美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）于7月24日公布的数据，今年以来全国已报告2,318例麻疹病例，已经超过了2025年全年的2,289例。目前的数字是35年来麻疹发病率最高的一次。

这次激增发生在儿童疫苗接种方案发生变化的背景下。2026年1月，在唐纳德·特朗普总统指示该机构审查其他发达国家的疫苗建议后，CDC更改了儿童疫苗接种时间表。新指南将建议儿童接种的疫苗数量从17种减少到11种。

尽管麻疹疫苗仍在“建议”名单上，但最近发表在《科学》（Science）杂志上的研究表明，在特朗普政府领导下，CDC信息传递方式的改变降低了公众对疫苗的信任，同时增加了人们认为疫苗不安全的认知。

通常，需要95%的疫苗接种覆盖率才能实现所谓的群体免疫，即当有足够多的人接种了某种疾病的疫苗，使得病原体无法在社会中获得感染立足点时所提供的保护。

2025-2026学年的疫苗接种率尚不可得，但2024-2025学年的接种率仅为92.5%，低于2019-2020年的95.2%。疫苗接种覆盖率如此大幅下降，为病毒的传播创造了空间。

在2026年至今以及去年全年的麻疹病例中，93%发生在未接种疫苗的儿童中。今年，这些病例中有7%导致了住院治疗。今年至今尚未出现死亡病例，但2025年有三例死亡——其中一名是未接种疫苗的成年人，两名是未接种疫苗的儿童。

费城儿童医院疫苗教育中心主任保罗·奥菲特（Paul Offit）博士在给《时代》杂志的电子邮件中表示：“我认为可以公平地说，麻疹在美国已经流行起来了。” ——杰弗里·克鲁格（JEFFREY KLUGER）

被黑

AI安全测试

失控

OpenAI 在 7 月 21. 透露，其人工智能模型在评估利用漏洞软件的能力时，反而黑入了测试周围的基础设施，突破了隔离限制，并攻击了一家真实公司。观察人士表示，这是 AI 做出研究人员长期担忧的事情——即“失控场景”——的第一个真实世界案例。如果该行业不能从中吸取教训，这不太可能是最后一个。托管 AI 模型和数据集的公司 Hugging Face 是这次自主攻击的目标，并在得知 OpenAI 的模型是责任方之前就向警方报告了该事件。许多人将此次事件称为一次“警告”，并呼吁加强隔离措施。OpenAI 表示，“此次事件表明，我们需要进一步加强模型的对齐、评估期间的网络保护以及内部测试期间的监控。” ——Harry Booth

OpenAI 首席执行官 Sam Altman

7 --- THE BRIEF TIME WITH

众议员杰森·克劳推动服务并试图翻盘众议院

作者：PHILIP ELLIOTT

死亡威胁几乎立即就来了。众议员杰森·克劳（Jason Crow）与另外五名具有国家安全背景的国会民主党人于去年 11 月录制了一段视频，提醒那些在军事和情报部门工作的人员，他们不必执行非法命令。这段小心翼翼地遵守法律条文的信息促使总统唐纳德·特朗普呼吁逮捕制作者并以叛国罪起诉。特朗普公开分享的一条社交媒体帖子写道：“把他们吊起来，乔治·华盛顿一定会这么做！！”华盛顿的一个联邦大陪审团拒绝了美国司法部（DOJ）起诉这些立法者的尝试。但这次胜利并未减轻克劳的愤怒，他认为总统的反应危及了他家人的安全。

“我非常不擅长坐在掩体里让人向我扔手榴弹，”这位前伞兵和陆军游骑兵在 6 月的一个下午于民主党全国委员会（DNC）总部告诉《时代》杂志，“我会把它们扔回去。”

这段病毒式传播视频带来的后果使 47, 岁的克劳处于 2019, 年以来最强烈的全国关注焦点中，当时他还是众议院的新人，被选为特朗普第一次弹劾审判的检察官。在此期间，随着克劳成为其政党在国家安全问题上的核心发声者，他在国会山的地位稳步提升。中期选举可能会进一步提高他的地位，因为他协助领导了众议院民主党人的候选人招募工作，优先考虑退伍军人和其他具有国家安全背景的人员。在克劳看来，这些选举将向选民证明，民主党已经学会了如何有效地在国家安全问题上竞选，同时在成本和腐败这两个核心支柱上猛击共和党。

与此同时，克劳表示他的政党在 2028 年之前需要一次彻底的重启——尽管与许多人一样，他仍在探讨可能奏效的方案。“实际上有一个建立新事物的机会——不是重建，不是回头，不是试图恢复曾经的样子，因为美国人不想要那样，”他说。如果民主党在今年秋天夺回众议院，克劳将处于成为众议院情报委员会多数党资深成员的绝佳位置。

杰森·克劳 快速概览

军事背景

作为一名陆军游骑兵和伞兵，他在伊拉克和阿富汗完成了三次服役，因在伊拉克的服役表现获得了铜星勋章。

退伍军人倡导者

当克劳回归平民生活时，他在获取退伍军人福利方面遇到了困难。这段经历促使他为退伍军人同僚奔走呼吁，包括在科罗拉多州退伍军人事务委员会任职。

众议院民主党招募负责人

克劳帮助说服了一大批潜在候选人竞选众议院席位，并且在他们入职后，他一直为其招募的人员提供关键的指导与审核。

独立特质

尽管他在一个以保护元老而闻名的政党内部迅速崛起，但克劳（Crow）绝非一个唯唯诺诺的人。这种独立性使他在党内各派系中拥有更高的信誉。如果民主党在 2028 年重新夺回白宫，他的名字很可能会出现在内阁职位的候选短名单中。他还关注着科罗拉多州的参议院席位，并且并不避讳未来可能竞选白宫。不过，首先，克劳必须应对这个棘手的政治时刻——此时民主党人感到势头正盛，但仍面临着较低的支持率。对于克劳来说，这并非完全陌生的领域，他此前曾乘着反特朗普浪潮崛起，并誓言要对抗那些他认为未能把握时机的党内领导人。只不过这一次，他身处体制内部。

八年前，克劳是众议院民主党人的顶级招募对象——一名律师兼退伍军人倡导者，曾在伊拉克和阿富汗服役三次。即便如此，当他挑战众议员迈克·科夫曼（Mike Coffman）时，胜算依然渺茫，而科夫曼自克劳上初中起就是科罗拉多州共和党圈子里的常青树。“记得吗，这曾是一场无法获胜的选举，”克劳带着一丝得意的微笑回忆道。为了证明他不仅是在对抗特朗普，而是在对抗整个华盛顿，克劳誓言，如果民主党赢得众议院多数席位，他不会投票给南希·佩洛西（Nancy Pelosi）担任议长，而结果确实如此。在投票时，克劳违抗了华盛顿最有权势的民主党人，将票投给了代表伊利诺伊州的参议员、同样是退伍军人的塔米·达克沃斯（Tammy Duckworth）。“我解释说这并非个人恩怨，而是为了引导下一代接班的一项更大努力的一部分，”克劳回忆道。

十个月后，当特朗普弹劾列车准备开启首轮运行时，佩洛西给这位曾经的批评者打了电话。克劳后来表示，那感觉“就像被叫到校长办公室一样”。佩洛西需要一个具备他这种技能和气质的人，来传达特朗普向乌克兰施压行为的严重性，而又不至于显得像个党派走狗。虽然众议院投票通过了弹劾，但参议院拒绝定罪。在那段时间里，死亡威胁成了克劳的家常便饭。他的房子外有武装警卫，安保人员护送他的孩子去学校。 8 TIME August 17, 2026

这就牵扯到了去年。安保人员不得不被重新召回。他的“非法命令”视频引发了新一轮威胁——根据《时代》杂志获得的一封电子邮件，其中还包括来自特朗普的威胁，克劳的办公室已将其移交给国会警察。

克劳的国家安全背景帮助他扩大了在国会的影响力，他是众议院情报委员会的民主党高层，同时也是武装部队委员会间谍小组的民主党首席成员。当众议院民主党需要有人牵头调查在宾夕法尼亚州巴特勒针对特朗普的失败暗杀行动时，他们选择了克劳。但他在帮助民主党夺回众议院方面的工作，可能会为他赢得最多的筹码。作为民主党国会竞选委员会（DCCC）候选人招募的领导者，克劳参与了全国几乎每一场有竞争的选举，并致力于寻找他认为选民会将其视为“街头斗士”的人才。

“我宣誓的服务期永不过期，”克劳说道。

“实际上有一个机会去建立一些全新的东西。” ——众议员 杰森·克劳（JASON CROW）

乔安娜·门多萨（JoAnna Mendoza）是一名退役的海军陆战队钻头教官，也是克劳招募的候选人。她正在挑战亚利桑那州共和党众议员胡安·西斯科马尼（Juan Ciscomani），这是全美最关键的摇摆选区之一。在初选之前，门多萨就得到了克劳和 DCCC 的支持。但在其他一些州的众议院选举中，情况则有所不同，DCCC 要么宣称中立，要么支持与克劳通过其政治行动委员会“服务至上”（Service First）所背书的人选不同的候选人。

Crow 的理论是，他所青睐的一些候选人——如海军陆战队钻头教官、联邦检察官——更有可能激发那些对两大政党都感到失望的人的热情。如果他的直觉被证明是正确的，Crow 可能会为国会带来一大批忠于这位帮助他们当选的导师的新人。无论 Crow 未来的野心如何，一群志同道合的“街头斗士”可能会派上用场。“我身上有独立的一面，”他承认道，“但你知道，当我们获胜时，人们会对此感到相当高兴。” JENKINS COUNTIES—REDUCE 9 --- LIGHTBOX

炽热之怒

一场山火在法国西南部的吉伦特地区燃烧，这是席卷西欧的炼狱景象的一部分。自7月中旬以来，在干旱与高温的致命结合导致地面干如tinder（tinder dry）之后，法国、葡萄牙和西班牙都被付之一炬。在法国，本月最后一周，被火海吞噬的面积是巴黎的四倍。在西班牙，马德里郊外的山火覆盖了606平方英里。在葡萄牙，失控的火势将烟柱向西推向大西洋，延伸达385英里。在整个地区，数十万人被迫撤离。摄影：Stephane Mahe—路透社

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简报 健康

皮肤科医生极力推荐的 5 个夏季护肤技巧

作者：ANGELA HAUPT

询问皮肤科医生在气温升高时会怎么做，你很快就会意识到，他们对待夏季的方式与我们大多数人截然不同。当其他人还在憧憬海滩之日，并且不情愿地涂抹过少防晒霜时，他们考虑的是头皮灼伤、汗液积聚、被遗漏的痣，以及那些在多年时间里累积而成的微小错误。

有些人会在睡前涂抹止汗剂，以便在次日酷暑到来前有数小时的时间开始阻断出汗。另一些人会在车里或夹克中存放额外的太阳镜，以免在强光下眯眼。还有一些人会在湿度升高时，将厚重的保湿霜更换为更轻盈的配方。

当他们出门时，已经在考虑大多数人容易忽视的身体部位。许多人直到秋天才会预约激光治疗晒斑（由紫外线损伤引起的皮肤上扁平褐色斑块），因为他们知道几周的夏季阳光就可能抵消治疗效果。有些人甚至将去屑洗发水作为沐浴露，用于治疗由油脂和汗液引发的顽固性皮肤红疹。

这些习惯并非源于古怪，而仅仅是每天诊断皮肤癌、治疗日晒损伤以及帮助患者解决那些本可预防的问题所带来的调整。多年来目睹这些错误，使得许多此类习惯几乎变成了自动反应。

“我们的生活如此规律，如此讲究——这很有趣，”孟菲斯 Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Associates 的创始人、皮肤科医生 Purvisha Patel 博士说道。事实证明，那些以检查皮肤为生的人，往往对自己皮肤的护理也极其细致。

以下是他们自己很少忽略的五个夏季习惯。

1. 他们会涂抹每个人都忘记的部位

防晒失败往往发生在相同的被忽视之处，而皮肤科医生对此保持高度警惕：耳尖和耳后、头皮和发缝、脚背、腿后侧，甚至包括下巴——在水边时，下巴也会被晒到。

“不仅仅是来自上方的阳光——你还会受到水面的反射，”圣迭戈 Art of Skin MD 的 Melanie Palm 博士说道。不要忘记你的嘴唇；Palm 建议使用含有锌的润唇膏。同时也要注意脚趾。“你肯定不想在一天结束时，看到脚趾末端像红色的香肠豆一样，”她说。

2. 他们将太阳镜视为护肤品

防晒霜在眼睛处停止，但阳光不会。累积的紫外线照射与白内障以及巩膜（即眼白）上的赘生物有关，Palm 表示她在资深冲浪者身上有时能看到这种情况。它还可能导致眼部黑色素瘤，这就是为什么她寻找能广泛覆盖 UVA 和 UVB 的太阳镜镜片，且如果你在水边，还需要偏光功能。

3. 让一切保持透气

Patel 避开紧身的合成纤维面料，尤其是内衣，因为这类面料容易导致皮疹、内生毛发和酵母菌感染。“一切都需要透气，”她说。她的经验法则是选择棉质面料，因为棉质透气且能将水分从皮肤表面抽走，而不像聚酯纤维等合成纤维那样容易将热量和汗水锁在皮肤上——从而营造出促进酵母菌和细菌生长的温暖潮湿环境。

4. 停止出汗后立即冲洗

让汗水在皮肤上自然干掉并非没有危害。汗水在蒸发时会留下盐分，这可能会刺激敏感或易患湿疹的皮肤，而残留的水分则会促进皮肤上细菌的生长。Palm 表示，当盐分留在皮肤上时，“它会开始营造一个酸性更强的环境，让你更容易患上毛囊炎和爆发痤疮”，这就是为什么在运动后或炎热的下午快速冲洗是个好主意。

5. 如果发现异常，及时发声

由于人们在一年中的这个时候倾向于露出更多皮肤，你的伴侣或朋友可能会注意到一个可疑的斑点（或者你可能会注意到他们身上的斑点）。如果你发现了，请告知对方。Palm 说，“如果某个斑点与你身上的其他斑点或痣不一致，那么向医生提及它可能是值得的。”

12 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 插图由 SOL COTTI 为《时代》杂志绘制

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观点

国家

我们不能视而不见

作者：KICA MATOS

在明尼阿波利斯市因亚历克斯·普雷蒂（Alex Pretti）和蕾妮·古德（Renee Good）被谋杀而引发的持续愤怒，迫使公众对美国移民和海关执法局（ICE）进行反思后，我曾希望最糟糕的情况已经过去。7 月向我证明我错了：六天内又有两起死亡事件。而这最新一波暴力行为，是由该机构从国会获得的新资金数以百亿美元支撑的，而国会未能对 ICE 施加任何约束。

▶ 俄罗斯如何瞄准乌克兰的世界粮食供应 沙特核协议的危险 关于约会预期的经济更新

13

观点 开篇

7 月 7 日，一名 ICE 官员在休斯顿通过面包车窗将洛伦佐·萨尔加多·阿拉乌霍（Lorenzo Salgado Araujo）枪杀。六天后，一名官员在缅因州比德福德一条安静的街道上，在车内将胡安·塞巴斯蒂安·格雷罗（Joan Sebastián Guerrero）枪杀。两位父亲，在连续两周内被杀。在这两起事件中，特工都没有佩戴执法记录仪。而且两次政府都采用了类似的剧本，声称驾驶员将车辆“武器化”。我们被告知要对此深信不疑。我不信，你们也不应该信。

萨尔加多·阿拉乌霍在这个他称之为家的地方生活了 30 多年，并在此建造房屋。他抚养着三个儿子，其中一个已经是工程师，另一个正在学习成为工程师。他甚至不是特工在寻找的人——他车里的任何一个人都不是。那些人——他的兄弟和两名同事——现在可能是当时发生之事的唯一幸存证人。据其家属代表称，他们随后被 ICE 拘留，并被施压签署允许他们被立即驱逐出境的文件。

枪击事件发生在马格诺利亚公园（Magnolia Park），这是休斯顿最古老的墨西哥裔美国人社区。当地倡导者表示，ICE 经常在人们离家上班的清晨在该社区开展行动。这种有针对性的方式可以说反映了在国土安全部部长马克韦恩·马林（Markwayne Mullin）的领导下，ICE 的战术发生了怎样的转变。自从他就任以来，移民社区的暴力冲突一直在持续，但美国人通常只有在有人死亡时才会看到或听到这些消息。

格雷罗当时 25 岁。他从哥伦比亚移民到美国，为家人寻找更好的未来。根据缅因州移民权利联盟（Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition）和 Presents’ Maine 的联合声明，他拥有工作许可和社会安全号码。他打两份工来养活妻子和女儿。在被枪杀当天，他同样不是 ICE 追捕的人。一名邻居在窗前目睹特工将血迹斑斑的格雷罗从车里拽出来，并报告说

洛伦佐·萨尔加多·阿拉乌霍于 7 月 7 日被杀的休斯顿地点 他告诉特工：“我试过停车。”这可能是格雷罗说的最后一句话。

另一名邻居听到了枪声并跑出去，发现格雷罗的妻子跪在地上尖叫，身边是仍穿着 Bluey 睡衣的 3 岁女儿。“我听到了极度的痛苦，”这位邻居说，“我听到了一声来自灵魂深处的哀嚎，意味着你的一生刚刚发生了巨变，而且再也回不到从前了。”

这些杀戮并非孤立事件。《纽约时报》报道称，自特朗普总统重返办公室以来，至少有 22 人遭到 ICE 特工的枪击。其中 5 人死亡——其中 3 人是美国公民。在明尼阿波利斯，特工佩戴了执法记录仪，但联邦检察官数月未公布录像。

第四修正案保护在美国领土上的每一个人——无论是否为公民——免受不合理的扣押和不正当的致命武力。对我而言，很明显 ICE 威胁到了人们的宪法权利，将其视为可有可无。该机构似乎除了对自己负责外，不对任何人负责。我们要求 ICE 负责的集体力量，始于关注我们的邻居并开口

站出来反对我们社区中的不公正现象。但持久的变革需要民选官员采取行动。没有诉求的愤怒无法改变任何事情。因此，我们的诉求如下：每一位在现场执勤的 ICE 官员都应佩戴执法记录仪，且任何枪击事件的录像必须在几天内公布。应禁止 ICE 官员佩戴面具。每一次 ICE 枪击事件都应由一个拥有真实传票权力、向国会而非国土安全部（DHS）负责的独立机构进行调查。此外，必须结束“合格豁免权”——这一让联邦特工在杀人后能全身而退的挡箭牌。

琼·塞巴斯蒂安·格雷罗（Joan Sebastián Guerrero）3 岁的女儿目睹了她的父亲死在街头。洛伦佐·萨尔加多·阿拉乌霍（Lorenzo Salgado Araujo）的兄弟在他被枪击时就坐在他身边。两个家庭因为一个无法无天且暴力的机构，不必要地失去了他们所爱的人。我们欠他们一个真相。而对于随后的每一个家庭，我们要继续奋斗，以维护这个政府至今仍拒绝提供的宪法保护。现在就行动。在另一个名字、另一辆面包车、另一条不必要被鲜血染红的街道出现之前。

马托斯（Matos）是国家移民法律中心的总裁

14 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日

FROM LITTLE LADON W. SPENCER—AP: MICHAEL SPENCER—AP

风险报告

作者：伊恩·布雷默（Ian Bremmer） 撰稿编辑

对于乌克兰来说，这个夏天充满了好消息。其深入俄罗斯境内的无人机袭击造成了汽油短缺，使俄罗斯经济承压，引发了俄罗斯普通民众的焦虑，并给弗拉基米尔·普京带来了麻烦。乌克兰军队已有效地将被占领的克里米亚与俄罗斯本土隔离开来，并继续攻击黑海和亚速海中的俄罗斯船只。

但俄罗斯最近也取得了一些进展，而不仅仅是通过远程导弹恐吓乌克兰平民。一场针对乌克兰黑海港口的新一轮密集攻势正暴露其防空拦截弹的短缺，干扰粮食出口，削弱出口收入，并阻断向乌克兰军队运送武器。农产品占该国商品出口的 60%，而俄罗斯的袭击恰逢乌克兰农民准备进入收获季节。如果这种干扰持续下去，俄罗斯可能会切断乌克兰至关重要的外汇来源，并通过给非洲和亚洲的主要粮食进口国带来痛苦，从而增强俄罗斯的国际谈判筹码。

基辅方面在淡化损失。在俄罗斯对敖德萨和其他沿海城市进行了为期两周的无人机和导弹轰炸后，乌克兰农业部长在 7 月声称港口已开放并正常运行。但大约 90% 的船东已经暂停了靠港，因为就像在伊朗附近的霍尔木兹海峡一样，由于进一步遭受攻击的风险依然存在，保险费大幅飙升。

这并非俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来黑海航运的首次中断。2025 年底和 2026 年初俄罗斯对港口的几波攻击并未长时间减缓运营。但最新一轮轰炸规模更广且强度更高，很大程度上是因为乌克兰最近的成功（尤其是深入俄罗斯境内的行动）激怒了普京，促使他试图夺回战场主动权。目前，乌克兰和俄罗斯双方

7 月 19 日一艘在敖德萨附近被俄罗斯导弹击中的粮食运输船 仍致力于采取激进的军事战略。

乌克兰眼下的问题是，它依赖于数量有限的美国供应的“爱国者”拦截弹——这是防御俄罗斯导弹的唯一可靠手段——来保护其城市和军事供应线。将“爱国者”转移到保护港口既昂贵又危险。深谙此点的俄罗斯将继续使用导弹和无人机群攻击港口，这使得保险公司没有理由降低保费，船东也没有动力返回。

除了削减乌克兰的收入及其资助战争的能力外，莫斯科还希望通过推高全球食品价格来削弱国际社会对基辅的支持。乌克兰供应了埃及小麦进口量的四分之一，以及印度尼西亚约 18% 的小麦。它也是欧盟最大的玉米供应商，提供其 92% 的向日葵油进口，并且仍然是饲料粮和植物油的重要来源。普京在押注，在美伊战争已经推高石油及其他物资成本之际，更高的食品价格将说服乌克兰的贸易伙伴（尤其是欧洲国家）向基辅施压，要求其降低在俄罗斯境内的袭击强度。

这一策略不太可能奏效。欧洲对乌克兰的支持依然强劲，遭受高物价之苦的政府更有可能指责莫斯科而非基辅。但普京现在如此渴望在战场上获胜，以至于即使没有明确的胜利，他也会坚持这一路线。

我们也不应期待 2022 年 7 月由联合国促成的、旨在恢复乌克兰港口安全海运交通的协议能够重启。正如霍尔木兹海峡的僵局促使周边国家紧急寻找将石油运出波斯湾的新途径一样，乌克兰或许能够像战争初期那样，通过多瑙河、经由罗马尼亚港口以及通过铁路运输粮食。但与之前一样，分流运输成本高昂且物流复杂。

基于所有这些原因，随着双方都在寻找能够使战场僵局向有利于己方方向突破的新方法，俄罗斯对乌克兰战争的形式将继续发生变化。而其经济损害将持续下去，且其影响范围远超乌克兰和俄罗斯。15 --- 观点收件箱

健康关注

作者：Veronique Greenwood 职员

关于美国南卡罗来纳州参议员林赛·格雷厄姆（Lindsey Graham）死亡的法医初步报告显示，这位任职 23 年并在 7 月 11 日突然去世（享年 71 岁）的议员死于主动脉夹层。这种心脏病最常见的类型在约一半的患者中是致命的，且死亡几乎可以是瞬间发生的。对于大多数在发现夹层（通常通过 CT 扫描）时仍存活的人来说，主要治疗方法是紧急心脏开胸手术。

“典型症状是突然发作的胸痛，可能会放射至背部或颈部，”英国心脏外科顾问、主动脉夹层慈善信托基金会（Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust）受托人格雷厄姆·库珀（Graham Cooper）医生表示。“这种疼痛可能是阵发性的，或者可能非常强烈，然后在几分钟或几小时内消退，具体取决于夹层的进展情况。”

主动脉夹层发生在将血液从心脏输送到身体其余部分的主动脉内层组织破裂时。 这使得血液冲入血管内壁与管壁外层之间的空间，将内壁剥离并削弱整个结构。库珀表示，动脉的磨损通常是一个主要原因。预防措施包括降低血压和戒烟，但对于有家族夹层病史的家庭，与医疗从业者进行沟通也非常重要，因为某些病例与可能遗传的基因突变有关。

在 ti.me / HealthMatters 获取最新的健康与养生新闻。

唐纳德·特朗普 2025 年 11 月 18 日在白宫与沙特王储穆罕默德·本·萨勒曼在一起

简报

作者：理查德·霍尔 (Richard Hall) 高级编辑

美国一直在轰炸伊朗，以追求一个长期的美国目标：防止德黑兰获得核武器。然而，在中东的其他地区，美国正在采取一种截然不同的政策。7月22日，美国能源部宣布签署了一项民用核能合作协议，该协议将允许沙特阿拉伯在与美国公司的合作下，在其本土建立民用核计划。美国对待利雅得的方式与其在伊朗的行动之间存在明显的矛盾，这一点无论是中东专家还是核不扩散专家都没有忽视，其中大多数专家警告称，沙特协议可能会引发该地区的核军备竞赛。

“如果属实，这相当于美国放弃了核不扩散，”卡内基国际和平基金会核政策项目共同主任詹姆斯·艾克顿 (James Acton) 在社交媒体上写道。“核不扩散的最高标准包括不对一个公开声明对核武器感兴趣的国家转移浓缩技术，”他补充道，这显然是指沙特王储穆罕默德·本·萨勒曼 (Mohammed bin Salman) 的警告，即如果伊朗研发核武器，利雅得将被迫采取同样行动。

国防优先组织 (Defense Priorities) 中东项目主任罗斯玛丽·凯拉尼克 (Rosemary Kelanic) 告诉《时代》杂志，拟议的协议与之前与美国盟友签署的核协议不同，因为此前一直是由美国亲自建造电站。她说，无论采取什么样的保障措施来防止向利雅得转移技术，伊朗可能仍会将该协议视为沙特阿拉伯迈向核武装的决定性举措。“如果特朗普在战争中的目标是防止武器化，那么他 ，”凯拉尼克说。

很快，该协议是否会继续推进变得不明确。在宣布协议后的第二天早晨，特朗普在 Truth Social 上表示，该协议取决于沙特阿拉伯加入《亚伯拉罕协议》，而这将要求其与以色列实现关系正常化。白宫新闻秘书卡罗琳·莱维特 (Karoline Leavitt) 表示，如果该王国不加入，“协议就取消”。

获取由《时代》编辑策划的当日所有头条新闻。在 ti.me / thebrief 订阅“简报”。

16 《时代》杂志 17, 2026年8月 SAUL 1228—AIR / GETTY IMAGES

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《时代》杂志 简报

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11:11 《时代》杂志 简报 理查德·霍尔 / 30, 2026年7月

你好。在今天的“简报”中，我们将带来关于柏林一场 LGBTQ 自豪游行遭遇恐怖袭击的最新消息。我们还将报道伊朗和乌克兰战争的交汇，以及这对双方意味着什么。此外：来自爱尔兰的一段走红体育瞬间，以及今日的 Linked 等待。

今日简报内容

• OpenAI 模型如何失控
• 克里斯托弗·诺兰谈《奥德赛》的新结局
• 柏林自豪游行袭击嫌疑人在搜捕后被击毙
• 气候变化影响环法自行车赛
• 伊朗与乌克兰战争正在融合
• 4000 万
• 75年的痛苦与折磨

首篇阅读

OpenAI 如何失去对一个 AI 模型的控制——以及需要改变什么

Nathan Posner—Anadolu / Getty Images

OpenAI 正在评估其人工智能模型利用漏洞软件的能力，结果模型反而追踪了测试周围的基础设施，突破了封锁，并攻击了一家真实的公司。观察人士表示，这是 AI 做出研究人员长期担忧之事的首个真实世界案例，即一种失控 ---

观点 论文 社会

当下经济环境下的约会规则

作者：MEEHIKA BARUA

我以前常说，我不想和那些住在父母家或与室友合租的人约会。但在当前的生存成本危机面前，谁又能责怪他们呢？因为另一种选择简直是负担不起。当演员卡勒姆·特纳（Callum Turner）被问到，一个拥有全职工作的人如果还住在父母家是否是一个“危险信号”（red flag）时，他表达了同样的观点：“在这样的经济环境下？这没问题！”他在电影《仅限一夜》（One Night Only）中的搭档莫妮卡·巴巴罗（Monica Barbaro）补充道，每个千禧一代在大学毕业后都不得不回到家中与父母同住。我认识的唯一能负担得起独立居住的人，是那些继承了金钱或房产的人。

我记得在20岁出头时，曾和一个住在父母家的男生约会。我们要么在我的公寓里度过，要么预订 Airbnb 或酒店，这让人精疲力竭且心烦意乱。分手时，我说过：“再也不这样了！”缺乏稳定性带来的挫败感实在太强，无法继续。但在目前的经济环境下，我改变了主意：我现在不再因为一个约会对象住在家里或与三个室友合租就犹豫地将其排除在外。我们中的许多人都无法负担其他的选择。

在纽约或伦敦这样的大城市，生活成本将约会变成了一个阶级问题。超过四分之一的伦敦人生活在贫困之中。大西洋彼岸的财务压力同样明显。半数处于劳动年龄的纽约人正挣扎于满足基本需求。这些挑战不可避免地影响了我们约会的时间、对象以及方式。

这种转变是成年定义的一次更广泛的重塑。几十年来，约会建议一直假设某些里程碑——独立生活、拥有汽车、买房、无需犹豫地支付晚餐费用——标志着成熟以及准备好承担承诺。当这些目标在广泛范围内是可以实现的时候，这些假设是有道理的。而今天，它们衡量的是继承的财富，而非自律或雄心。一个面对租金飙升、工资停滞、学生贷款以及日益不稳定的劳动力市场的世代，不应该被一套在完全不同的经济环境下形成的标准所评判。

这造成了一种奇怪的脱节。我们谈论约会时，依然假设每个人都在遵循相同的规则，即便财务起跑线已经变得极其不平等。因为对方有室友或与家人同住而拒绝一个人，曾经似乎是一个合理的决定。但现在，这更多地反映了住房市场的情况，而非一个人的性格。

适应这个新时刻说起来容易做起来难。例如，在社交媒体上，女性被建议不要参加“咖啡约会”，因为这种约会投入太低。虽然我理解人们希望感觉到约会对象在投入精力建立联系，但我担心生存成本危机会导致我们将“成本”与“心意”混为一谈。一方面，我同意那些邀请我进行咖啡约会的男性，可能是因为这种方式负担得起，所以同一周内与多名女性进行咖啡约会，这让我觉得自己并不特别。但另一方面，这是一种快速衡量兼容性并据此投入精力的方式，这也是可以理解的。

约会本身可能非常昂贵。根据 2026 年的 BMO 真实财务进展指数，美国人的平均约会成本为 $189。近 3 分之 4 的男性（71%）表示，他们预期在关系初期支付约会的所有费用。在女性中，52% 表示她们预期分摊账单。尽管大多数人如此认为，但当演员罗伯特·帕丁森（Robert Pattinson）最近表示他同意约会时应该始终分摊账单时，评论区爆发了愤怒。人们宣称这是一个巨大的危险信号，尤其是这话出自一名百万富翁之口。

但专门研究关系的心理治疗师丽莎·陈（Lisa Chen）认为，生存成本危机改变了人们对承诺的看法。“尤其是我的 18 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 ---

“在 Z 世代的客户中，我看到经济的不确定性如何导致人们对寻求承诺关系的兴趣下降，尤其是当像共同租房或拥有住房这样的传统里程碑不再现实时，”陈说。约会的规则正在根据经济现实而改变。陈的许多客户在努力寻找工作和建立财务安全感的同时，开始倾向于让关系保持流动、不定义且灵活。她说，她的客户通常不是在传统意义上约会，而是在“通过‘暧昧关系’（situationships）和友谊寻求陪伴。并不是他们对追求传统的长期关系不感兴趣，他们只是将其推迟了。”根据 Intuit 的一项调查，51% 的美国人因为当下的经济状况而减少了约会次数，其中 Z 世代受到的冲击最大。陈告诉我，独立生活、拥有住房或财务稳定等传统里程碑已不再可行。“我的大多数客户，尤其是刚毕业的学生，正试图在困难的市场中寻找也许现在是时候质疑，是否所有那些约会红旗（警示信号）都与阶级有关工作，”她说，并补充道，AI 的兴起让 Z 世代处境更加艰难，因为他们的入门级工作受到了该技术的不成比例的影响。

这些转变中的预期在我与一名陌生人的意外对话中变得更加清晰。上周我在机场遇到的一位女性说，她担心自己成年后的儿子，因为如今在约会方面对男性的期望很高。我向她保证，我不会要求一个男人去做任何我已经为自己做的事情。我和室友合租，所以我绝不会因为一个男人和室友合租而拒绝他。但如果他住在父母家，我可以将其视为一个红旗吗？同样，如果有人约我喝咖啡，我不会生气。但如果我经常一个人去吃晚餐，我是否可以对此感到不以为然？约会教练米拉·史密斯（Mila Smith）表示，在现代约会格局中，真正的区分点是雄心，在判断对方是否合适时考虑这一点是合理的，并且它仍然是兼容性的可靠标志。“为了攒首付而住在父母家是一回事，”她解释道，“住在父母家却把所有的钱花在爱好、衣服或游戏上则是另一回事。”换句话说，对自己的财务未来有规划是很有吸引力的。

令人惊讶地（或者也许并不奇怪），信用评分现在也成为了人们评估潜在伴侣的一部分。根据约会软件 Hily 的一项调查，1 / 5 的约会者不会与信用分低于 580, 的人约会，31% 的人表示优秀的信用分会让一个人更有吸引力。另一项 Hily 的调查发现，44% 的千禧一代和 37% 的 Z 世代认为节俭很性感。也许这才是生活成本危机要求我们做出的真正转变。约会标准可以存在，但它们确实需要针对一个传统成年标志已变得无法实现的经济环境进行更新。独居或支付每一顿晚餐的账单不再是衡量雄心的可靠指标。相反，我们正在重写约会规则，以适应当下的经济现实。我并不是说我们应该忽视财务责任。想要一个为未来而努力的伴侣仍然是合理的。但在一个不可能的经济环境下做出务实决定的人，与一个完全缺乏方向的人之间，存在着显著的区别。就我而言，我绝不会与一个对未来缺乏这种专注力和雄心的人约会。

也许现在是时候质疑，所有那些约会中的“红旗”信号是否其实一直都与阶级有关。在经济不确定性定义了成年生活几乎每个方面的时代，真正的奖赏可能是找到一个其价值观和韧性能帮助你共同抵御经济风暴的人。毕竟，共同的价值观可能是证明共同生活将具有价值的最佳信号。Barua 是一位自由记者，目前正在撰写关于友谊与爱情的回忆录 绘图：PETE RYAN 为《时代》杂志绘制 19 --- 世界

美国的新殖民地

一个社会主义独裁国家如何成为美国的保护国

作者：ERIC CORTELLESSA / 加拉加斯

委内瑞拉代理总统德尔西·罗德里格斯（Delcy Rodríguez）在位于加拉加斯市中心的米拉弗洛雷斯宫（Miraflores Palace）处理国家政务，这是一座19世纪的新古典主义府邸。西蒙·玻利瓦尔和雨果·查韦斯的镀金肖像俯视着华丽的大厅。修剪整齐的花园里鸟鸣阵阵。一支异常严密的安保小组紧随罗德里格斯的每一步。这种谨慎是可以理解的：不久前，美国向她前任在附近军事基地上的住所派遣了一支三角洲部队，抓走了她服务多年的那个男人。

这或许可以解释罗德里格斯谨慎的态度。她经常与总统唐纳德·特朗普和国务卿马可·鲁比奥交谈，她的英语几乎无懈可击。然而，当她坐下来接受《时代》杂志这次罕见的美国媒体采访时，她请了一名翻译。我建议用英语交流会更容易。

“在接受采访时，我喜欢用西班牙语，”她说。

“我不确定这对这次采访是否最合适，”我说。

“对我来说是最合适的，”她带着淡淡的微笑回答道。

她的策略很容易理解。通过口译员交谈可以放慢对话速度，使罗德里格斯能更好地控制最终呈现在页面上的措辞。这是一种纪律严明的操盘手的本能，她曾在世界上最残酷的政治体制之一中度过了数十年——而现在，她正在应对一个非同寻常的外交时刻。

罗德里格斯，57岁，曾是查韦斯核心圈子中的社会主义坚实支持者，随后多年担任尼古拉斯·马杜罗的二把手。在过去几十年中，她一直是那个以敌视美国为主要特征的运动中最具辨识度的面孔之一。而今天，她是与华盛顿达成惊人和解的执行者。为了换取美国的支持，她允许特朗普和鲁比奥将委内瑞拉变成一个事实上的附庸国，赋予他们对该国前所未有的影响力。

在长达一小时的采访中，罗德里格斯坚称她并非在放弃委内瑞拉的主权，而是为了人民的最佳利益而开放国家经济。

“我首先是以诚意行事，并相信这些关系可以在诚意中发展，”她告诉我。“我目前和未来的战略始终是确保国家的和平与宁静——宁静以及社会和经济的福祉。”

罗德里格斯现在治理的国家，与抓捕马杜罗的突袭行动之前的那个国家已截然不同。在他倒台之前，委内瑞拉处于严重的衰落之中：腐败横行，经济濒临崩溃，并由一名被美国和独立国际观察员指控在2024年选举中舞弊的独裁者统治。恶性通货膨胀已经 > 委内瑞拉代理总统德尔西·罗德里格斯在加拉加斯的米拉弗洛雷斯宫 摄影：FABIOLA FERRERO 为《时代》杂志拍摄

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2 --- 世界。超级通货膨胀抹去了公民的积蓄。作为经济命脉的石油生产在经历多年的贪腐、投资不足和制裁后大幅下降。近 800 万 委内瑞拉人逃离，引发了西半球历史上最大规模的移民危机。滚动停电、水资源短缺、医院坍塌以及食物和药品短缺已成为常态。委内瑞拉曾是拉丁美洲最富有的国家之一，如今已沦为最贫穷的国家之一。

自罗德里格斯在 1 月就任以来，复苏的迹象开始出现。在加拉加斯的部分地区，建筑起重机重新出现。商店货架变得更充实。沉寂的油田正重新焕发生机。包括埃克森美孚（ExxonMobil）、康菲石油（ConocoPhillips）、哈里伯顿（Halliburton）和 GE Vernova 在内的美国公司已经回归或开始洽谈新的投资。美国与委内瑞拉之间的商业航班自 2019 年以来首次恢复。美元公开流通。外国高管、外交官和投资者填满了酒店——JW 万豪酒店的大堂现在成了石油高管的聚集地，而在更为高端的 Cayena Caracas 酒店，衣着考究的金融家和政府官员在抛光大理石和轻柔的爵士乐中交谈，讨论勘探权、基础设施合同以及委内瑞拉的未来。

这一切都是有代价的。在鲁比奥监督的一项安排下，美国已深度介入委内瑞拉的国务。三位美国和委内瑞拉高级官员向《时代》杂志描述了这一安排：美国国务卿监督管理委内瑞拉石油收入和公共财政的框架，实际上管理着一个共同基金，使华盛顿能够对从该国出口收益的分配、能源部门的重新开放到美国公司的优惠待遇等所有事务产生影响。官员们表示，鲁比奥和罗德里格斯通过电话和 WhatsApp 消息几乎每天保持联系。三位熟悉该安排的官员称，罗德里格斯在国内人事任命（包括她对国防部长的选择）上会咨询他的意见。

“基本上，这就是他们所谓的‘罗德里格斯运作’，”曾在特朗普和拜登总统任内担任美国驻委内瑞拉大使的詹姆斯·斯托里（James Story）说道。他描述的是这样一种安排：罗德里格斯政府在维持权力的同时，执行华盛顿的战略优先级。“他们正在做我们要求他们做的一切。”

华盛顿和加拉加斯现在在情报和禁毒行动方面也开展合作。6 月，这一伙伴关系导致跨国犯罪组织“阿拉瓜之列车”（Tren de Aragua）的领导人尼尼奥·格雷罗（Niño Guerrero）在其位于委内瑞拉玻利瓦尔州的据点被击毙。罗德里格斯表示，委内瑞拉提供了定位格雷罗的情报并部署了地面部队，从而使美国空袭成为可能。“重要的是有了共同合作的机会，”她告诉我，“例如，打击贩毒和打击跨国组织犯罪。这对我们非常重要。”

在美国鼓励的特赦框架下，数千名政治囚犯已被释放，而谈判代表仍在继续敲定数十项额外的经济协议。委内瑞拉已成为特朗普在追求自身优先级时重塑世界的案例研究，他不再受制于约束其前任的外交惯例。他发起了一场法外强制行动，从打击涉嫌走私毒品的船只开始，最终以抓捕一名在任国家元首告终，后者被带到美国面临毒品和武器指控。马杜罗现在被关在纽约市的一所联邦监狱中，由一名顺从的继任者取代，特朗普政府认为该继任者在维持加拉加斯稳定的同时，会服从美国的利益。

罗德里格斯身材娇小纤细，穿着定制西装，戴着大号眼镜，展现出的是一名技术官僚而非激进分子的风范。与美国的合作使她在剧烈动荡的时期得以巩固权力。这场交易既大胆又脆弱，且双方都拥有制约对方的筹码。在二十多年时间里，罗德里格斯让自己成为了查韦斯主义中不可或缺的人物。目前无法保证另一位领导人能够维持这样的安排——或者会选择让委内瑞拉与华盛顿而非北京或莫斯科结盟。对于罗德里格斯来说，这个角色需要一种微妙的平衡。

在经历了22年的压迫和经济崩溃后，很少有委内瑞拉人为马杜罗的离职感到悲伤。

《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 世界版 TIME—THE WOMEN'S GROWTH, 2026 ---

CIA局长约翰·拉特克利夫、特朗普和鲁比奥在1月3日于海湖庄园监控马杜罗被突袭的情况。

但对他被罢免的宽慰之情并未转化为对其继任者的热情。在许多人看来，她与其说是救星，不如说是叛徒。但她的未来与其说取决于公众的喜爱，不如说取决于她满足特朗普要求的能力，以及能否说服公民，成为一个被厌恶的外来强权的附庸国家符合国家利益。

当6月一场大地震袭击加拉加斯，造成5,000多人死亡，估计损失达$67 亿时，与华盛顿的新关系产生了红利。美国国务院组建了一套$3 亿的重建方案，美国南方司令部为救援工作提供了军事支持。罗德里格斯的一名助手将此类时刻视为这场交易可以带来好处的证明，尽管委内瑞拉人批评她在公开应对这场灾难时耗时太久，在举行新闻发布会之前等待了八天。

这种安排最终会改善普通委内瑞拉人的生活，还是仅仅让特权精英获利，目前尚不清楚。罗德里格斯在推行民主改革方面采取的措施很少。“数百万想要回国的委内瑞拉人，只有在确定他们的权利将得到尊重的情况下才会这样做，”反对派领导人玛丽亚·科里纳·马查多说道。马查多因推动委内瑞拉的民主权利而获得了2025年诺贝尔和平奖，目前流亡海外。对于被禁止参加委内瑞拉最近一次选举的马查多来说，罗德里格斯为了权力和自我保存而向华盛顿投降。“她愿意交出对方要求的任何东西——任何东西，”马查多说，“这就是那些犯罪之人的逻辑。”

罗德里格斯否认了这些批评。“我试图确保另一个国家的国内政策不会影响委内瑞拉，”罗德里格斯告诉我，“我希望委内瑞拉不会成为任何其他国家政治议程中的棋子。”

当我们坐在一个由抛光大理石和金箔装饰的房间里时，罗德里格斯用一种习惯于在不提高嗓门的情况下行使权威的、轻柔且稳健的语调，讲述了将她推向权力顶峰的一系列事件。她回忆说，1月2日，她与马杜罗会面，讨论委内瑞拉的经济计划以及美国自12月以来实施的持续海军封锁。之后，她飞往位于委内瑞拉北海岸外的加勒比度假胜地玛格丽塔岛，她的兄弟和侄子们正在那里度假。她大约在晚上11点到达，就在疯狂的电话响起前几个小时。

在凌晨时分，美国军事单位在马杜罗熟睡时潜入了位于蒂乌纳堡军事综合体内的马杜罗住所。他们发现他穿着睡衣，将其逮捕，并迅速将他和妻子带离该国。

“当我们以为他们杀死了总统和第一夫人时，我们经历了一段极度焦虑的时刻，”罗德里格斯告诉我，“然后我们得知他们正将他带往美国。这完全改变了局面。”

罗德里格斯最早拨打的电话之一是一个出人意料的人物：卡塔尔埃米尔塔米姆·本·哈马德·阿勒萨尼（Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani），她此前一直与他保持着关系。“现在责任落在你的肩上了，”罗德里格斯回忆起他说的话，“你有责任维护委内瑞拉。”据罗德里格斯和美国官员称，卡塔尔官员协助安排了她在1月3日下午与鲁比奥的一次电话会议。“马杜罗还活着吗？”她问道。鲁比奥向她保证他还活着；为了证明这一点，美国官员发送了他在直升机上前往纽约时身穿连体服的照片。随后，国务卿发出了最后通牒：要么满足美国的要求，要么面对持续的军事压力。罗德里格斯同意了。一名助手表示，她认为没有其他可行的替代方案。“如果我完全坦诚的话，”罗德里格斯告诉我，“我们从未想到国家的首都会被攻击，更不用说想象总统和第一夫人发生了什么。”次日早晨，她第一次与特朗普交谈。“我们讨论了委内瑞拉与美国之间如何建立外交关系，以及可以确定哪些共同利益领域，”罗德里格斯说。特朗普希望获得委内瑞拉庞大石油储备的准入权，将其视为在期中选举前增加全球供应、降低能源价格并加强美国经济的一种方式。但他将具体执行工作委托给了古巴移民之子鲁比奥，而根除拉丁美洲的左翼政权一直是鲁比奥长期以来的优先事项。作为国务卿，他突然有机会追求这一野心。根据协议，美国将接收大部分委内瑞拉石油出口的收益，然后通过委内瑞拉的银行系统将资金拨回。一名美国高级官员解释说，这种结构将像一个“我希望委内瑞拉不要成为任何其他国家政治议程的棋子。”——德尔西·罗德里格斯（DELCY RODRÍGUEZ） 23 --- 世界 托管账户：只有在加拉加斯满足约定条件时，华盛顿才会释放资金。通过控制收入流，美国将在资金使用方式上获得筹码，同时限制腐败和竞争对手外国势力之影响。作为回报，罗德里格斯将继续担任总统，并受到美国投资涌入以及重新整合带来的经济利益的支撑。特朗普政府将其视为一个简单的权衡：用政治稳定换取经济监管、能源准入以及一个世界上资源最丰富国家之一的战略重新定位。

几周后的一个早晨，罗德里格斯接到了鲁比奥一个出乎意料的电话。“我为你接通一个想向你问好的人，”鲁比奥告诉她。是特朗普。据罗德里格斯称，总统告诉她，他对她在马杜罗被强行带走后的配合感到满意。作为奖励，他说美国将恢复往返委内瑞拉的商业航班。到4月，美国航空（American Airlines）恢复了迈阿密与加拉加斯之间的服务。5月，联合航空（United Airlines）启动了从休斯顿出发的航班。自重返办公室以来，特朗普对委内瑞拉的关注程度不断增加。他派遣鲁比奥前往萨尔瓦多，与总统纳伊布·布克尔（Nayib Bukele）达成一项前所未有的协议。作为特朗普大规模驱逐计划的一部分，美国将数百名被拘留的委内瑞拉移民转移到了萨尔瓦多臭名昭著的 CECOT 监狱，这引起了人权组织和移民倡导者的激烈批评。特朗普为这一举动辩护称，这些移民是“阿拉瓜火车”（Tren de Aragua）的成员，他将该委内瑞拉帮派描绘成边境危机的化身。

政府官员表示，当情报报告据称显示从委内瑞拉出发的船只正向美国运输毒品时，局势进一步升级。据两名白宫高级官员透露，鲁比奥和国防部长皮特·海格塞斯（Pete Hegseth）敦促特朗普通过对涉嫌走私毒品的船只发起军事打击行动来做出回应。特朗普授权了这些打击行动，希望通过军事压力迫使马杜罗拆除贩毒网络、打击犯罪团伙，并向美国投资开放委内瑞拉庞大的石油部门。根据 Just Security 的数据，在马杜罗被捕时，美国对船只的打击在 10 个月内已导致 100 多人死亡；截至 6 月 21 日，死亡人数已增加一倍多，在 66 次打击中共有 215 人被杀。

许多法律专家认为，对涉嫌委内瑞拉贩毒船只的打击违反了国际法以及美国宪法规定的总统战争权力限制。“一个国家只有在另一个国家对其发动武装袭击或威胁即将发动武装袭击时，才真正应该使用武力，”前国务院官员、布鲁金斯学会国家安全法专家斯科特·安德森（Scott Anderson）表示。

但就在特朗普看到获取委内瑞拉石油储备机会的同时，鲁比奥则看到了重塑西半球权力平衡的机会。白宫副办公厅主任斯蒂芬·米勒（Stephen Miller）很快加入了这一行动。米勒日益渴望将自己的职责范围从移民扩展到国家安全，他将委内瑞拉视为这些问题交汇的切入点。一名白宫高级官员告诉《时代》杂志，米勒认为有限的军事压力永远无法改变马杜罗的考量。他主张采取更激进的方式。（米勒拒绝就本文发表评论。）

随着鲁比奥、米勒及其顾问继续向总统汇报船只打击情况，他们强调委内瑞拉作为美国对手（包括古巴、俄罗斯和中国）平台的地位日益重要，这些国家通过石油、军事和情报合作以及经济支持深化了其立足点。“在该国存在的那种影响力与美国利益是不相容的，”一名国务院官员表示。美国高级官员决心改变马杜罗的行为——或者将其赶下台。

“我们的目标很简单：说服马杜罗切断这些关系，”该国务院官员补充道，“但他不愿这样做。”

据该国务院官员称，政府说服土耳其向马杜罗提供避风港，前提是他同意和平离开委内瑞拉。他拒绝了。

“转折点出现在 12 月，当时我们通过土耳其人向他发出了一项提议，提议基本上是：如果你永久离开该国前往土耳其或其他可接受的地方，我们就不会干扰你，但你必须离开这个国家，”另一名国务院官员表示，“他基本上对此不予理会。他曾有多次可以离开并在其他地方过上幸福生活的退出机会，从而给我们机会与政府内部的其他人员合作来实现这些变革。相反，他却发布了自己唱歌跳舞的愚蠢视频。”

鲁比奥认为，那个“其他人”就是德尔西·罗德里格斯（Delcy Rodríguez）。

罗德里格斯出生于委内瑞拉一个政治立场最坚定的左翼家庭。她的父亲豪尔赫·安东尼奥·罗德里格斯（Jorge Antonio Rodríguez）曾是革命左翼运动的学生领袖。1976年，当时年仅7岁的她，其父被政府安全部队逮捕、折磨并杀害。他的死成为了她生命中的一个决定性事件。在她的哥哥——国民议会负责人豪尔赫·罗德里格斯（Jorge Rodríguez）的陪伴下，她在委内瑞拉左翼意识形态的熏陶下长大。她接受了法律培训，追随父亲的脚步，在查韦斯政府中逐步升迁，随后成为马杜罗最亲信的人之一。她 24 TIME August 17, 2026 ---

曾担任委内瑞拉外交部长，在这一职位上，她成为了该政权在国际上最具战斗力的捍卫者之一，在谴责美国制裁的同时，加强与俄罗斯、中国、伊朗和古巴的联系。2018年，马杜罗将她提升为副总统。但国际外交官认为罗德里格斯是一名技术官僚，而非意识形态上的强硬派。“她被视为一个更务实的人物，”战略与国际研究中心（CSIS）的拉丁美洲专家克里斯托弗·埃尔南德斯-罗伊（Christopher Hernandez-Roy）表示，“他们是在走投无路的情况下选择她的，但她似乎了解该国的经济，并且长期深耕于石油领域。这显然是现任政府的最高优先级之一——恢复委内瑞拉的石油工业。”罗德里格斯长期主张扩大经济开放。她还负责吸引外资以及重建与国际能源公司的关系。据多位官员透露，鲁比奥得出结论认为，罗德里格斯是一个掌控政府杠杆的现实主义者，并且愿意满足华盛顿的要求。罗德里格斯认为，这种关系已经为国家带来了利益。在马杜罗执政期间，雪佛龙（Chevron）是唯一一家保持显著存在的大型美国石油公司。现在，埃克森美孚（ExxonMobil）、康菲石油（ConocoPhillips）和哈里伯顿（Halliburton）可能会加入其中。美国内政部长道格·伯格姆（Doug Burgum）和能源部长克里斯·赖特（Chris Wright）正在谈判30多项协议，这些协议将使美国公司在委内瑞拉的能源领域获得立足点。“最重要的事情是，来自美国的公司正在回归并抵达，”罗德里格斯说。这一转变反映了特朗普抛出的诱饵：重新获得美国资本和全球市场的准入。这次赌注是，在经历了数十年的查韦斯主义统治后，经济整合可以诱导地缘政治上的结盟。然而，目前尚不清楚这些涌入的资本中有多少到达了普通委内瑞拉人手中。在该国的威权体制下，可靠的民调依然匮乏。大量委内瑞拉人庆祝马杜罗的下台，但许多人仍然对罗德里格斯持谨慎态度，认为她背弃了自己倾注政治生涯的事业。“委内瑞拉人民并不想念马杜罗，对吧？”鲁比奥的一名助手告诉《时代》杂志。“他们充分意识到他是一个恶劣的参与者，是一个破坏稳定的影响因素。石油对委内瑞拉人民来说极其宝贵。它被极其腐败的精英窃取，并被用来偿还对中国、古巴等国的巨额债务。现在不能再这样了。”然而，对于一些委内瑞拉人来说，罗德里格斯只是同一个政权的新面孔。她花费多年时间协助管理一个被国际调查人员指控存在广泛人权侵害的政府，包括 1月 5日马杜罗在前往纽约市法院的途中；一艘在被美国军队摧毁前被指控贩毒的船只（1月 23日），以及任意拘留、酷刑和法外处决。“她是那个系统性地违反人权政权的一部分，”大西洋理事会（Atlantic Council）的委内瑞拉政治专家迭戈·阿雷亚（Diego Area）表示，“她来自一个将那些被视为反人类罪行的行为正常化的环境。”

尽管委内瑞拉正在发生所有这些变化，但最大的变化——向真正的民主转型——似乎依然遥远。据一名国务院官员透露，鲁比奥将其视为其使命的一部分，即清除拉丁美洲残余的社会主义独裁政权，并为委内瑞拉有一天能够举行合法选举并完成民主转型奠定基础。在他的要求下，罗德里格斯政府在2月颁布了一项特赦法，涵盖了从1999年查韦斯崛起至今的政治暴力事件。（该法律包括那些被指控参与2002年针对查韦斯的政变企图的人员，以及涉嫌参与2014年和2017年暴力动乱的个人。）委内瑞拉当局表示，自FROM LEFT: VINCENT ALBAS—THE NEW YORK TIMES / REDUCE: U.S. SOUTHERN COMMUNITY 25 --- WORLD

特赦法通过以来，大约有9,000名被拘留者获释。

罗德里格斯表示，她准备让该进程接受独立审查。在我们的采访中，她表示已要求联合国人权事务高级专员办事处审计释放情况，并认为外部审查将证实政府履行了其承诺。但几乎没有迹象表明委内瑞拉正在迅速向自由和公正的选举迈进。“特朗普并不关注民主建设，”前驻加拉加斯大使斯托里说。“如果出现任何差错，都会增加不稳定性，并进一步削弱公司进入并进行投资的机会。这就是人们担心的地方。”

罗德里格斯也未表现出太多的紧迫感。“委内瑞拉将在准备好时举行选举，”她告诉我。“有一些极端组织呼吁对委内瑞拉采取军事侵略，而委内瑞拉人民——尤其是那些亲身经历袭击的人——感到非常恐惧，”她说道，指的是该国相互竞争的权力中心以及持续存在的政治暴力风险。

但那个时刻何时才会到来？在委内瑞拉举行公开选举之前必须具备什么条件？“我觉得当国家所有政治参与者达成共识，并且我们可以告诉国民，我们作为政治家已经准备好时，那个时刻就会到来，”她回避了这个问题。

罗德里格斯（1月29日，委内瑞拉普塔卡尔东的卡尔东炼油厂的油轮）表示，只要尊重委内瑞拉的主权，她将欢迎国际选举观察员。当我问她是否打算亲自竞选总统时，她停顿了一下。“我不知道，”她说。

然后我提出了一个笼罩在所有关于委内瑞拉未来讨论之上的问题：罗德里格斯是否会允许马查多回归并参与竞争？罗德里格斯避开了这个问题。“我们必须迈向一个新的政治era,”她说。

“所以答案是否定的？”

“我的答案不是否定，”她回答道。“我的答案是，将会有一个政治时机，届时共存与和平共处将成为可能。”

这个答案并没有安抚马查多。“我知道美国政府决定从稳定进程开始，但为了使其可持续，你肯定需要合法性，”她说。“他们害怕选举，因为他们害怕人民，害怕人民主权。他们知道委内瑞拉人民极度渴望什么。”马查多补充道，罗德里格斯对那场悲剧性地震的迟缓反应，“暴露了该政权的真实面目：其缺乏人性，以及展现出的无限的腐败与无能。”

对于罗德里格斯来说，一切都回到了生存问题上。“她需要遵循美国政府的指导，而这在某个时间点将包括重建民主制度和规则，”阿雷亚说。“她这样做并非出于对民主的承诺，而是将其作为实现其政治目标的手段。”

这不仅仅是在政治上生存，而是创造一种条件，使她——或许以及查韦斯主义本身——在失去权力后仍能生存。她希望获得保证，确保她这个父亲曾被国家杀害的女性，能够留在委内瑞拉，而无需担心被未来的政府监禁或报复。“这就是生存对她而言的意义，”Area说道，“让系统保持稳定并能够自我治理，这可能包括她能够参与到新的委内瑞拉之中。这就是关于生存。”目前，罗德里格斯热衷于让国家重新融入全球市场：使经济多样化，吸引长期外国投资，并确保委内瑞拉的繁荣不再依赖于单一商品。在我们采访的前一天，通用电气（General Electric）的高管们与罗德里格斯相对而坐，讨论现代化委内瑞拉陈旧电网的方法。（通用电气未回应置评请求。）这些雄心能否在特朗普的总统任期内幸存仍不确定。目前的美国外交政策是由运用杠杆、经济激励、胁迫和交易性协议来将前对手拉入美国轨道而驱动的。委内瑞拉的未来不仅取决于罗德里格斯管理与当前同行关系的能力，还取决于特朗普的继任者是沿用这一战略还是选择另一条道路。采访接近尾声时，我们在宫殿阳光明媚的花园中漫步。我告诉罗德里格斯我第二天将飞回家，通过其中一条新恢复的商业航线在迈阿密中转。她笑了。她说，很快，我就能省掉中转了。“也许下次，”她说，“直接从华盛顿飞往加拉加斯。”——由 LESLIE DICKSTEIN 报道 26 TIME 2026年8月17日 通识学习 财务——纽约时报 / WS2025 ---

《时代》杂志 # Future Proof # 主笔 Justin Worland

解读能源与气候经济。每周一封时事通讯，为您提供深度文章、关键更新和值得信赖的分析。TIME.COM / NEWSLETTERS 即刻加入

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顶部：加利福尼亚州帝国县，梅斯基特金矿（Mesquite Gold Mine）；中部：俄克拉荷马州皮彻，历史矿山的废料堆；底部：爱达荷州谷县，斯蒂布奈金矿（Stibnite Gold Mine）附近的廷代尔草甸（Tyndall Meadows）

环境 # 挖掘美国，

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再次出发

关键矿产之路穿过社区 摄影：Matt Black / 文字：Justin Worland 顶部：加利福尼亚州帝国县，索尔顿海地热田；中部：内布拉斯加州钱德隆，谢里登门（Sheridan Gates）；底部：南达科他州哈丁县，赖利山口铀矿（Riley Pass Uranium Mine，已废弃）

环境

5月19日，内华达州奥罗瓦达，萨克尔山口（Thacker Pass）锂矿及加工设施的建设现场

萨克尔山口位于内华达州北部，其规模比曼哈顿岛还要大，是美国几十年来开发的最大锂矿项目。在建设新关键矿产矿山的竞赛中，这里已成为美国最受关注的冲突点之一。虽然最初是由清洁能源转型所推动，但现在关键矿产的需求是由其作为AI数据中心核心原材料的角色所驱动的。

但当地社区对此并不确定。在内华达州北部，麦克德米特堡派尤特和肖肖尼部落（Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe）抗议萨克尔山口项目，称其将摧毁神圣的原住民遗址；而气候倡导者则试图在锂的生产潜力（锂是制造电动汽车所需的部分可充电电池技术的关键成分）与采矿对当地环境带来的风险之间寻找平衡。

如今，萨克尔山口项目正与美国其他数十个面临类似担忧的项目一同艰难推进。目前，全球大部分关键矿产供应链经由中国，这使得美国在面对地缘政治争端时显得脆弱。这场正在进行的美国采矿复兴能否成功，将决定美国及其其他盟友能否使自己免受此类挑战的影响——更不用说为向可再生能源转型提供动力。

“这是最重要的新兴能源安全问题，”国际能源署执行主任法提赫·比罗尔（Fatih Birol）表示。

无论政治党派或意识形态阵营如何，政策制定者一致认为，美国必须将部分采矿和加工能力移回国内。但许多环保主义者和当地社区仍然担心其实施方式，目前有40个采矿项目被列入联邦快速通道计划，且项目推进迅速。

这些近距离捕捉新矿业繁荣景象的图像记录了当下的快速发展，而这将为……设定新的先例。

30 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日

本文的撰写得到了 Outsider Foundation 和 Journalism Funding Partners 合作伙伴关系的资助

塞克帕斯（Thacker Pass）内华达州亨博尔特县

这是一个占地 1.8万,000 英亩的项目现场，地下蕴藏着价值数十亿美元的锂，塞克帕斯是美国的旗舰锂矿项目。在获得联邦政府两党支持并克服一系列许可障碍后，该项目于 2023 年动工。然而，一些社区成员仍对此感到不满，他们表示塞克帕斯将破坏对派尤特族（Paiute）、肖肖尼族（Shoshone）和瓦肖族（Washoe）部落具有神圣意义的历史遗迹。另一些人则公开表示支持，因为该项目承诺在除 1,000 名现场工作人员之外，还将带来经济发展。该项目是特朗普政府的优先事项，其独特的融资结构也引起了关注：美国能源部持有该项目及其开发公司的 5% 股权。

当公司想要建设巨型矿山时，它们必须做什么——或者可以侥幸逃避什么。这没有简单的答案。

卡门·卢卡斯（CARMEN LUCAS） 是一位来自加利福尼亚州夸伊米（Kwaaymii）部落的 90 岁老人，二十多年来一直致力于反对矿业开发。她的诉求清单很长：开发造成的局部污染会损害儿童健康，并可能破坏原住民遗址的文化遗产。最重要的是，她批评开发商将土地视为无人之境。“华盛顿在看待帝国谷时，会说那里只不过是一片沙漠，只不过是一片荒地，”她说。如今，她正带头反对一项旨在开发加利福尼亚州索尔顿海南端锂储备的项目，那里的储备价值超过 5000 亿美元 billion。她说：“从淘金热开始，美国政府和加利福尼亚州就一直强制要求消灭加州印第安人，而直到今天我仍在目睹这一切。”

卢卡斯和夸伊米部落并非孤例。根据发表在《自然-可持续性》（Nature Sustainability）杂志上的研究，在全球范围内，能源转型所需的一半以上矿产位于原住民或其他与土地有深厚联系的人民的土地上或附近。从历史上看，这些社区因此被驱逐，或遭受空气和水污染的折磨——即便在矿山关闭很久之后依然如此。例如，在俄克拉荷马州已于 20 世纪 70 年代停止运营的前塔克里克（Tar Creek）矿区，几代人都遭受着渗入土壤和地下水的矿业残留物的影响，导致当地儿童出现神经系统损伤和发育迟缓。

在美国，社区的认可往往是决定项目能否获得必要许可的最大因素。“你必须接纳‘社会运营许可’（social license to operate），并意识到它不仅是真实存在的，而且与行政许可一样重要，甚至更为重要，”南32 Hermosa 矿业项目（位于亚利桑那州的锌锰项目）总裁帕特·里斯纳（Pat Risner）表示。（考虑到社区关注问题的多样性，对于任何矿业公司来说，获得并维持社会运营许可依然困难重重。）

联邦层面的背景也发生了变化。虽然拜登政府宣扬了提高国内关键矿产产量的必要性，但行动相对缓慢。然而，当北京方面通过威胁美国关键矿产供应来反击特朗普总统的大规模关税时，他的政府发现了加速许可审批并投入联邦资金入股公司的动力。鉴于利害关系，关键矿产的倡导者希望避免该问题演变为党派之争，因为政治将成为管理人员需要应对的又一个难题。但对于许多身处前线的人来说，这些都无关紧要。他们只想确保这次矿业复兴不会伤害他们的社区。

——KAYA LEE BERNE 报道

31 --- 环境

左图：伊洪基亚·奥帕（Ihunkiya Opa，克雷文峡谷），杜威-伯多克铀矿项目附近一个具有神圣意义且文化地位重要的遗址；右图：69, 岁的海伦·红羽（Helen Red Feather）从附近的一座教堂将水运回她在伤膝（Wounded Knee）的家中。

32 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日

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黑山矿区

南达科他州西部

由于地缘政治紧张局势和供应链中断，对黄金的需求激增。南达科他州黑山地区的矿区可追溯至19世纪，如今正迎来一场现代版的淘金热。尽管黄金产量有所下降，但由于黄金作为避险资产的地位，以及其在先进电子产品和航空航天领域的应用推高了价格，相关收入大幅增长。矿业公司希望增加产量。

但矿业复兴不仅限于黄金。同样位于黑山的杜威-伯多克铀矿项目正由联邦政府加速推进，以满足日益增长的核电需求。部落们正针对每一个矿区展开反击，理由涵盖了从对神圣土地的威胁到水质污染等方方面面。事实上，附近的历史已发出警告：过去的铀矿开采曾污染当地的水系统。

左图：Oct. 14, 2025. 的Wharf矿，这是南达科他州唯一运营的金矿。在松岭保留地的上游分布着约 169 座废弃的铀矿和勘探区，当地饮用水中已检测出放射性污染物

33 --- 环境

34 TIME August 17, 2026 ---

地狱厨房（项目）

加利福尼亚州，帝国谷

位于加利福尼亚州索尔顿海之滨的“地狱厨房”巨型项目是一场耗资 $1.8 亿的赌注，旨在建设一座大规模的、首创的地热发电与锂提取设施。开发商的目标是首先启动该设施的新地热发电生产，随后进行锂矿开采。

虽然该县和矿主受控热资源公司在去年赢得了一场试图停止该地运营的诉讼，但社区的反对情绪依然强烈，反对者正在提起上诉。该项目位于一个低收入、拉美裔人口密集且环境负担沉重的山谷，那里的空气质量是全美最糟糕的地区之一。此外，围绕该矿的水资源消耗及其社区利益协议的条款，紧张局势也十分激烈。

与此同时，随着电动汽车电池对锂的需求有所放缓，该公司强调，其地热能和矿产均可服务于人工智能驱动的数据中心热潮。

Kwayymii Laguna长者卡门·卢卡斯（Carmen Lucas）手上沾着泥土，于 Feb. 6 参观索尔顿海沿岸的地热泥池

35 --- 环境

贝基·鲍尔（Becky Ball）和约翰·鲍尔（John Ball）收到了一份南32拟议协议，该协议要求他们放弃与地下水相关的索赔，以换取水井监测和缓解措施

南32 Hermosa 矿业项目

亚利桑那州，巴塔哥尼亚山脉

南32 Hermosa 矿业项目正成为美国矿业未来的下一个重大案例研究。这个 20 亿美元 billion 锌锰项目是今年早些时候首个通过简化流程获得联邦快速许可的矿业项目。与大多数需要巨大露天坑的大型矿业项目不同，Hermosa 项目位于地下，最大限度地减少了可见的足迹。“我们将在这个地点开采长达 70 年，总共仅干扰 750 英亩土地，”该项目总裁 Pat Risner 表示。尽管如此，许多社区紧张局势仍未解决。该项目位于生物多样性热点地区，是美洲豹和墨西哥斑鸮的栖息地，当地居民担心矿业运营可能会污染他们用于家庭生活的地下水。关于社区利益协议的谈判仍在进行中。

36 TIME August 17, 2026 --- 从顶部起逆时针方向：地表下方 600 ft. 的勘探斜井内部；岩心样本用于绘制和评估地下矿床图；矿工的影子；Tyrel Todd 从事矿业工作 19 年，目前是 Hermosa 矿山的竖井挖掘承包商

37 --- ENVIRONMENT

斯蒂布奈金矿

爱达荷州，瓦利县

在爱达荷州中部，开发商正在让一个被遗弃的二战时期矿区恢复活力，以生产黄金和锑（一种用于硬化其他金属及作为阻燃剂的矿物）。美国政府官员表示，该矿山是美国唯一能够生产足够锑以满足日益增长的国防需求（从弹药到红外传感器）的矿山。批评者则指出公司文件显示，该地点的储量仅够美国使用两年。事实上，该项目绝大部分的收入将来自黄金。经过九年的流程，该项目在 2025 年 5 月获得了最终许可，并于 10 月动工。但诉讼仍在继续。内兹珀斯部落（Nez Perce Tribe）全面反对该项目，称许可决定违反了条约权利和环境法。而且，新的矿业活动威胁到该部落花费数百万美元用于恢复数十年前受矿业破坏的当地鲑鱼种群的努力。环保组织也因对当地野生动物的潜在危害而提起诉讼。开发商则主张，由于该地点此前被遗弃且状况糟糕，他们的工作实际上将修复该地区。

左图：爱达荷州麦考尔鱼类孵化场的夏季王鲑；顶部：单车道的斯蒂布奈路同时服务于矿山和当地交通；对面：内兹珀斯部落成员 Aaron Penny 在鲑鱼河南叉东支流钓鱼

38 TIME August 17, 2026 ---

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40 TIME August 17, 2026 --- TECHNOLOGY # T H E # R O B O T S

机器人时代来临

人形机器人革命近在咫尺——而中国公司宇树科技（Unitree）正处于领先地位 作者：CHARLIE CAMPBELL / 杭州 摄影：Mattia Balsamini 为《时代》杂志拍摄 宇树科技 CEO 王兴兴于 6 月 18 日在杭州与公司 GDO1 人形机器人合影

观众在观看完一场 UFC 比赛后，通常会带着嗡嗡作响的耳朵和一种“得赶紧回健身房”的羞愧决心离开。而王兴兴则直接回到了他的实验室。“我想我可以制造一个更大的机器人用于拳击比赛，”总部位于杭州的人形机器人公司宇树科技的创始人兼 CEO 王兴兴说道，“然后我想，为什么不做一个更大的，能让一个人坐在里面的机器人呢？”

王兴兴这种创造热情的产物便是 GDO1，宇树科技将其宣传为全球首款量产的可变形机甲机器人。它身高 9 英尺，重半吨，可以在躯干安装的驾驶舱内运输一名驾驶员，能够以两足或四足模式行走，并拥有足以击穿墙壁的强力拳头。重型机械铰链将钛合金肢体连接到碳纤维保护壳上，使其粗壮的红色腿部能够迈出流畅且稳健的步伐。

作为他首次接受国际媒体采访的一部分，王兴兴向《时代》杂志独家展示了 GDO1，并透露除了综合格斗之外，他还从詹姆斯·卡梅隆那里汲取了一些灵感：“我们确实参考了《阿凡达》中出现的一款类似机器人。”

41 --- 科技

可以说，王兴兴比任何人都更努力地将这一科幻场景变为现实。这位来自中国沿海城市宁波的人在 2016 年年仅 26 岁时创立了宇树科技，其产品线从机器人狗演进到人形机器人，而现在通过 GDO1，进化到了人类移动机器。

虽然 GDO1 可能会令人惊叹，但像宇树科技旗舰产品 G1 这样更低调的人形机器人，才注定将成为全球机器人转型进程中的“劳动力”，而这场转型在中国、美国及其他地区已经在加速。这是下一个伟大的科技前沿，此前它仅存在于《星球大战》和《银翼杀手》的领域：能够行走、观察、倾听并与现实世界进行物理交互的 AI。

摩根士丹利预测，到 2035 年，可能有多达 1300 万个人形机器人行走在我们身边——这相当于玻利维亚的人口。预计到 2050 年，这一数字将上升到 10 亿，届时该行业的价值可能达到 5 万亿美元。

在这一领域占据一席之地的绝非只有宇树科技。1 月，特斯拉宣布了其 Optimus 人形机器人的第三代产品，目标最终在弗里蒙特和德克萨斯州的工厂每年生产 1000 万台。6 月下旬，总部位于加利福尼亚州的 Figure 公司将其最新的 03 人形机器人派遣至宝马位于南卡罗来纳州的斯巴坦堡工厂，此前其 02 型号在去年帮助组装了 3万,000 辆汽车。与此同时，总部位于俄勒冈州的 Agility 已经确保了从丰田到拉丁美洲电商巨头 Mercado Libre 的广泛部署。

但在出货量方面，宇树科技是全球领导者，在 2025 年交付了超过 5,500 台，占据了这个刚刚苏醒的全球市场四分之一以上的份额。6 月，英伟达宣布其最前沿的 Jetson Thor 芯片将搭载在宇树科技的 H2 人形机器人中，销售给全球的研究机构。

王兴兴表示，我们距离人形机器人的“ChatGPT 时刻”可能还有 2 到 10 年，届时机器人将实现足够的“泛化”能力，能够在 80% 不熟悉的环境中执行 80% 的语音指令。“一旦技术突破这个……拐点，机器人就可以逐步推广到大规模商业用途，”他说。

尽管突破的时间表仍有争议，但其潜在影响却毋庸置疑。不加入工会的机器人（目前仅此一种）可以在组装线上全天候运行，取代医院的部分护士，并在烈日下采摘水果。

王兴兴在 26 岁时创立了宇树科技；公司 H2 机器人在其总部展出

乐观的展望是，人形机器人的大规模采用将预示一个前所未有的全球富足时代，在将社会推向后稀缺时代的同时，实现对平凡且危险劳动的自动化。然而，也有不那么乐观的预言。在劳动力大规模流离失所的过程中，机器人会将更多的财富集中在更少的人手中。随着生产与工资脱钩，当机器人开始主导体力劳动和服务业时，人们可能会面临身份危机；与此同时，政府则要应对紧张的社会安全网，以及美国和中国——这两个在人形机器人领域如同在AI领域一样领先的国家——在原材料和技术方面日益激烈的竞争。这些问题已经引起了政策制定者的关注。7月28日，在美国政府认定人形机器人构成国家安全风险后，美国联邦通信委员会（FCC）禁止进口人形机器人。官员们警告称，这些机器可能会收集敏感数据，被用于监视美国人，或被外国行为体远程操控。中国驻华盛顿大使馆批评了这一举措，并誓言将采取“一切必要措施”予以回应。42 TIME August 17, 2026 ---

在AI领域，我们已经看到大语言模型（LLM）解析海量数据的能力也使其容易产生幻觉并导致意外后果，例如设计生物武器。但大语言模型只能建议伤害，而机器人则能实施伤害，这预示着在具身智能时代将出现一种恐怖的新网络安全威胁。在线诈骗已经榨取了惊人的金额，但被黑客攻击的人形机器人可能会将威胁从屏幕转移到家庭、街道、托儿所和工厂车间。这些愿景之间的紧张关系可以简化为一种神话的选择：Wang和他的GDO1，以及他们的竞争对手，是像卢克·天行者和忠诚且纯真的C-3PO——还是更像弗兰肯斯坦和他的怪物？不出所料，Wang倾向于乐观，他预测在10年内，每个家庭可能都拥有一台小型机器人，可以帮你洗衣服、烤牛排，甚至在你生病时提供基础护理。它们还可以承担大多数人类不愿从事的任务，从陡峭的山地耕作到下水道维护。但如果这听起来像是一个社会无法及时吸收的快速到来的未来，Wang坚持认为这种转型将是渐进的。“它将循序渐进地演进，”他说，“如果社会发现机器人在某个领域表现不佳，或者人们单纯不喜欢它们出现在那里，我们可以轻松地转向并将应用重新引导至其他领域。因此，一切都处于可控范围之内。”WANG是AI时代一个出人意料的预言家。他身材瘦小，戴着眼镜，没有许多技术创始人身上那种表演性的虚张声势。相反，他在谈论机器人技术时带着安静且坚定不移的信念。人形机器人革命的可能性和承诺自他10岁时，第一次在电视上看到波士顿动力公司（Boston Dynamics）创始人马克·赖伯特（Marc Raibert）在麻省理工学院（MIT）进行的早期机器人实验起，就一直占据着他的心。他利用业余时间制作模型飞机、进行实验，不久之后，就开始组装微型涡轮喷气发动机。2009年，Wang进入位于杭州的浙江科技大学就读，主修机电工程。他说，作为一名大一学生，他用不到$30的费用制造了他的第一个小型双足机器人，能够行走几步。这种同样注重成本的方法成为了Unitree繁荣的基础。在上海大学攻读硕士学位期间，他开发了一款四足机器人原型XDog，该机器人至今仍被骄傲地陈列在Unitree总部。Wang摒弃了其偶像波士顿动力公司所普及的液压驱动设计，选择了成本更低的——“在中国之外，我们没有看到任何具有竞争力的对手。”——埃隆·马斯克，谈及中国在人形机器人领域的主导地位。

电动电机模型，这帮助 XDog 在一项国家创业竞赛中获得第二名。毕业后，在总部位于深圳的无人机先驱大疆（DJI）工作了一段时间后，王以一名天使投资人提供的 200万人民币（$30万,000）资本创办了宇树科技（Unitree）。此后，它已成为一种文化现象；据估计有 6亿人 43 --- 技术 观看了宇树 H2 和 G1 人形机器人挥舞双节棍和执行翻滚动作的视频，这些表演是 2 月份春节联欢晚会的一部分——这相当于中国的超级碗中场秀。这已经是宇树人形机器人第二次担任主打节目，所有人的目光都集中在王下次计划做什么上。“我完全不知道，”他笑着坦白。3 月，宇树申请首次公开募股（IPO），这将使该公司的估值达到 60亿美元，从而引发中国大陆市场对随之受益的公司（如上游供应商）的抢购狂潮。但高期望既是福音也是诅咒。虽然宇树第一季度的营收同比增长超过 68%，达到 6200万美元，但同期调整后净利润减半，仅为 600万美元，公司将其归咎于研发和销售成本的大幅增加。王谈到了互联网病毒式传播名声的“反面”。“因为炒作如此激烈，这给我们的公司以及整个行业带来了相当大的压力，”他说。“每个人都开始期待你的技术能以惊人的速度飞跃。但事实是，深科技的突破需要一定的时间。” 宇树科技的繁荣正值中国政府开始倾斜于 AI 和机器人技术之际，习近平主席将其强调为“新增长引擎”的关键示例。中国工业和信息化部随后宣布，人形机器人是与智能手机和电动汽车同级别的“颠覆性创新”——这些突破注定将改变人类的生产和生活方式，使领导地位成为经济和国家安全问题。这是一项由真金白银支持的政策推动；根据摩根士丹利的数据，自 2024 年底以来，中国各城市已组建价值超过 260亿美元的投资基金。宇树尚未披露其获得的国家支持的具体水平，但作为杭州“六小龙”（当地精英初创企业）之一，它受益于该市 140亿美元的科技基金。“中国是个狠角色，处于另一个量级，”埃隆·马斯克在 1 月的一次特斯拉财报电话会议上表示。“据我们所知，我们在中国之外没有看到任何具有竞争力的 [人形机器人] 竞争对手。”王在引领这一浪潮中的作用显而易见，去年春天他作为最年轻的成员出席了由习近平主持的一场高规格商业研讨会。目前有 140 多家中国公司在制造人形机器人，但中国国内的认知是，宇树不仅仅是另一家机器人初创公司，而是一个注定要复制比亚迪在电动汽车领域以及大疆在无人机领域所取得成就的硬件平台。王的策略简单但难以击败：首先，控制最困难的核心部件；利用规模效应无情地降低成本；并利用每一代产品解锁新市场。宇树在短短 18 个月内将其旗舰 G1 人形机器人的税前价格从 $1.6万,000 削减至 $1.35万,500。（尽管根据 SemiAnalysis 最近的估计，组件成本低于 $9,000，这给宇树带来了 33% 的可观毛利率。）R1 型号现在的零售价低于 $5,000，在六年时间里，其“机器人狗”的价格已从 $4.5万,000 降至 $2,000 以下。王坚持认为，宇树是通过制造成本效率获胜的——例如，它自行生产执行器（负责运动的“肌肉”），而执行器占人形机器人成本的 50% 到 70%。 宇树机器人已被用于在杭州迎接火车乘客，此处为 2 月份拍摄。

虽然 G1 在承重和耐用性方面可能无法与一些西方竞争对手的峰值性能相媲美，但它已经跨过了实际部署的“足够好”门槛。凭借能够连续 10 到 15 分钟携带 5-kg 负载且不过热的能力，它正走出研发实验室，进入仓库物流和物料搬运的试点部署阶段。即便如此，迄今为止，在售出的人形机器人中，只有一小部分被用于实际的有益工作。原因很简单：在堆叠和搬运箱子等通用工厂和仓库任务中，如今的机器人运行效率仅为人类的 30% 到 50% 左右。Unitree 的销量中只有 9% 直接进入工业应用，17% 用于旅游景点、展览和零售店等商业场所。这意味着 Unitree 74% 的人形机器人销量流向了大学、研究机构以及寻求磨练自身 AI 和运动控制能力的个人开发者。而且该公司并非孤例。整个现代人形机器人行业本质上是在向那些试图制造更好机器人的人销售机器人。“人形机器人还没有为大众市场做好准备，”发布 AI Proem 通讯的 Grace Shao 表示。

44 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 来自 LITTLE J. HANNAH—中国青年小-VEED-SETTY 附件，照片：FUTURE PUBLISHING SETTY 附件 ---

然而，王对此并不担心，并将这一趋势与个人电脑的早期阶段相类比，当时电脑主要由业内人士购买：“随着软件变得日益成熟，每年有更多开发者加入，真正的工业部署比例正以惊人的速度增长。”目前，Unitree 仍在与众多竞争对手一样，面对同一个“白鲸”难题：泛化差距（generalization gap），王称之为“整个全球科学界最大的头痛问题”。虽然如今这些能做后空翻的机器是工程学上的奇迹，但它们依然顽固地局限于特定任务。如果你想让机器人拿起一支笔并移动，旨在将人类输入转化为直觉且准确执行的具身 AI。Kaiso Research（一家市场情报公司）预测，仅 VLA 领域到 2035, 年的价值就将达到 405 亿美元 billion，许多科技巨头都在积极开发自己的模型，包括英伟达的 GROOT N1.7、谷歌 DeepMind 的 RT-2-X 和阿里巴巴的 Qwen Robot Suite。这场战斗日益聚焦于一件事：收集数据。例如在纽约市，将 Unitree 视为合作伙伴的 Micro AGI 正在派遣佩戴摄像头的员工免费清理公寓，仅仅是为了生成 3D 数据以训练其物理 AI 模型。但作为一家专业的机器人公司，Unitree 的地位可以说比特斯拉、小米或小鹏汽车更弱，因为后者拥有多样化的收入来源和成熟的供应链。因此，解决这个泛化差距是维持其目前市场冠军地位的关键。毕竟，无论从哪个衡量标准来看，其绝对销量都微乎其微，这意味着谁能率先弥补这一差距，谁就可能轻松实现反超。

地平线上可能出现一个改变游戏规则的因素：革命性的新 6G 连接将实现 AI 原生网络，使集体学习能够在数百万个连接设备之间无缝进行。如果一个位于遥远仓库的人形机器人与一种新工具搏斗并最终掌握它，那么新生成的数据可以立即上传并共享给全球所有机器人。高通（一家价值 2000 亿美元 billion 的半导体公司）首席执行官 Cristiano Amon 告诉《时代》杂志，6G 将赋予我们“创建世界数字孪生”的能力。增强的连接性将解决机器人在重量和电池寿命方面的瓶颈。在我们的世界中导航需要同时处理 4K 视频、空间激光雷达、音频以及精细的触觉或本体感受反馈。但携带沉重的计算硬件及其电源手段严重限制了机器人的灵活性和

运行时间。6G 有可能将云端处理与近乎瞬时的 0.1 到 1 毫秒的网络延迟相结合。突然之间，轻量级的物理机器人可以通过在实时运行的云端 AI 大脑来驱动。当机器人出现失误时，6G 可通过远程人工操作提供安全网。随着这些机器投入使用，一个重大挑战将是如何确保任何中心化网络的安全性。去年，网络安全分析师在 Unitree 的 Go1 机器人狗中发现了一个“后门”，第三方可以通过登录一个门户网站来查看机器人的位置、查看实时摄像头画面，甚至远程控制它。作为回应，Unitree 关闭了导致该漏洞的云服务。王坚持认为他的“机器人产品完全脱离 网络运行。如果客户不允许，机器人将不会保存任何环境信息。”此外，他补充道，与智能手机上保存的数据相比，机器人上存储的数据“完全可以忽略不计”。

此外，还有一种在虚构作品中常见的恐惧，即被制造出来代表我们行动的机器，有一天可能会被用来反对我们。即使是今天的机器人也表明物理 AI 带有物理风险：病毒式传播的视频片段捕捉到 Unitree 的机器将手臂或腿挥向误入其编舞路径的毫无防备的孩子。随着人形机器人向通用化迈进，它们会变得更谨慎还是更危险，是该行业面临的一个关键问题。

王

6 月在城市中被看到 45 --- 技术 UNITREE G1 机器人在 6 月于公司总部进行武术演示

隔着一张桌子，你必须编写每一个细微动作的程序。但要让 AI 在物理世界中真正有用，机器人必须从执行僵化的脚本转变为理解新颖的指令——例如被告知简单地“去杂货店”。实现这一里程碑需要克服两个相互增强的问题：3D 数据的匮乏和部署环境的多样性。与像 ChatGPT 这样可以解析几乎无边无际的互联网的大语言模型（LLM）不同，机器人需要收集自真实物理世界的操纵数据，而这成本高昂且难以规模化。这些数据通常必须通过重复训练机器如何执行某些任务来手动收集，例如折衬衫、填充冰箱或摇制一杯迈泰鸡尾酒。此外，总部位于北京的人形机器人公司 Noetix 的首席执行官姜哲远解释说，“即使针对特定任务训练出了性能良好的操纵策略，一旦环境发生轻微变化——例如物体位移、光线不同或桌面材质不同——成功率往往会大幅下降。”

得益于 Unitree 等公司，人形机器人的硬件正在快速进步。真正的战场在于机器人大脑，即视觉-语言-动作（VLA）模型，它们的演示也已成为一项旅游景点。

第一个共情 LLM “能够识别 20 种以上的细粒度情感状态”。但家用人形机器人最大的障碍可能不是技术性的。由日本机器人专家森政弘在 1970 年首次提出，“恐怖谷”假设认为，随着一个物体变得越来越像人，我们对它的喜爱程度会增加。一旦它跨越了一个临界阈值——过于接近人类——我们的反应就会骤降为厌恶。随着各公司尝试开发带有真发的人形机器人，这个山谷能否被填平仍有待观察。

在宇树科技（Unitree）的总部，GDO1 被悬挂在一个加固钢梁上展示。王不愿操作它，甚至不愿爬进其中。“可能不安全，”他耸耸肩，谈到这个零售价为 $65万,000 的作品。当《时代》杂志的摄影师请求移动附近的一个宣传背景时，宇树的技术人员表示反对，称移动背景会干扰附近一排 G1 机器人的激光雷达，而这些机器人正在练习那场如今已成为标志性的春晚杂技武术表演。表演结束时，技术人员赶紧冲上前，为在四分钟的剧烈运动后已发烫的激光雷达喷洒冷却剂。尽管宇树在人形机器人市场处于领先地位，但如今的机器依然带有某种奇怪的戏剧感：躯壳被装扮成智能，排练着一个它们尚未学会如何生活的角色。“人形机器人技术仍处于相对早期阶段，”王提醒道，“在看到真正的规模化部署之前，可能还需要一段时间。这不会一夜之间发生。”在不远处，GDO1——既是原型，也是预言——像哨兵一样伫立着，仿佛在静静地责备其主人的谨慎。□

“人形机器人技术仍处于相对早期阶段。” ——宇树科技（Unitree）首席执行官王兴兴淡化了叛逆机器人造成破坏的可能性。“那不会发生，”他说，“这些机器人在设计时就具备严格的硬件限制和安全保护。”如果类人机器走出组装线进入客厅，对安全的需求将变得至关重要。6月30日，总部位于深圳的优必选（UBEtech）推出了专门用于陪伴的逼真U1人形机器人，该机器人具有硅胶皮肤和仿生面部表情，并由该公司声称的世界领先的 46 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 ---

# 《时代》伟大的事业需要时间 不要错过任何时刻 # 订阅权益： 1. 印刷版，送货上门 2. 立即访问数字杂志 3. 封面商店折扣及更多

.COM / SUBSCRIBE --- 空间 # 在全球领空中，存在着一种持久的、真实的、超出目前人类控制和理解范围的存在 杰弗里·克鲁格 著 > 由美国海军飞行员于2015年拍摄，驾驶舱视频显示一个以超出现有技术方式移动的未知物体

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来源：美国海军航空系统司令部 --- 空间

1948年8月11日，在明尼苏达州哈梅尔的杰罗姆和本诺·勒尔（Jerome and Benno Leuer）的后院里，并没有发生什么特别的事情。那是盛夏的正午，这两个分别10岁和8岁的男孩正闲适地玩耍，就在这时，正如他们后来描述的那样，头顶上的某个东西吸引了他们的注意。他们抬头一看，惊讶得合不拢嘴。在距离地面大约12英尺的高空，一个暗灰色的圆形物体，厚约1英尺，直径约2英尺，正缓慢地在他们之间下降。他们呆立在原地，看着那个物体落在地面上，发出像金属撞击金属般的叮当声。该物体在那里停留了一会儿，然后开始发出一种高频的哨声，在男孩们听来像是一个烧水壶。它在原地旋转了一圈，随后冲到20英尺的高空，盘旋片刻，又上升到30英尺，在飞行路径中灵活地避开树枝和电话线。最后，它像喷气一样消失在视线之外。杰罗姆和本诺跑进屋里，把他们看到的一切告诉了父母。他们的父亲通知了他能想到的唯一权威机构：当地邮政局局长R.R.谢里登（R.R. Sheridan）。谢里登随后致电了位于圣保罗的FBI分局。令这家人惊讶的是，局方派遣了一名特工。他采访了男孩们并检查了后院。官方报告中的陈述写道：“据称‘飞碟’着陆的位置直径约为2英尺，看起来像是有一个沉重的物体在那里着陆或触地。地面有凹痕，凸出的岩石已被压平。”男孩们长大并开始了新生活。这次神秘目击事件没有产生任何结果，但政府依然保存了这份报告，将其归档在已经开始建立的一批文档缓存中。这些文档包含了关于在天空中出现、快速移动、有时着陆随后又原路消失的飞行、盘旋、闪烁物体的平民和军方记录，就像杰罗姆和本诺看到的那个物体一样。在78年里，男孩们的故事——以及数百个类似的故事——一直被冷落在仓库中。直到2026年5月8日，唐纳德·特朗普总统开始分四批连续发布超过450份可追溯至上世纪中叶的官方报告，并命令将这些报告发布在国防部网站上供公众查阅。在经历了数十年的秘密、污名化以及有时甚至是荒诞的传闻之后——比如关于在新墨西哥州罗斯韦尔一个被称为51区的地点回收太空飞船和外星人遗骸的阴谋论故事——政府终于开始认真对待这件事。过去被称为UFO，现在使用更体面的称呼UAP（即“不明异常现象”）的物体，正受到全面的调查对待。关于这些目击事件起源的国会听证会于2022年和2023年举行。2022年，全域异常解决办公室（AARO）成立，旨在“探测、识别并归属感兴趣的物体”。2023年12月，时任总统乔·拜登签署成为法律的《不明异常现象披露法案》，要求收集、审查并公开披露所有目击和遭遇记录。6月12日，为了捕捉全球对UAP之谜答案的渴望，长期以来对大众情绪具有某种地震仪般敏锐感知力的导演史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格发行了他的最新电影《披露日》（Disclosure Day），片中揭露了政府掩盖外星人访问的行为。该电影仅在首个周末的全球票房就达到了9300万美元。大约在同一时间，白宫成立了UAP科学顾问委员会，这是一个由哈佛大学天体物理学家和宇宙学家艾薇·洛布（Avi Loeb）领导的机构，旨在研究UAP带来的国家安全风险。“我的任务是为白宫、AARO、国家情报总监、FBI及相关机构创建一个小组，以便所有这些组织能够就UAP保持联系，”洛布说道。“基于我们拥有的更好的传感器，很明显，存在一些情报机构和五角大楼无法、不能弄清楚的物体。”

这种探索不应仅限于政府、学术界和好莱坞。去年，前国防部负责情报的副助理部长克里斯托弗·梅隆（Christopher Mellon）成立了非营利组织“披露基金会”（Disclosure Foundation），旨在鼓励发布关于未知航空现象（UAP）的报告，推动对目击事件的科学调查，支持举报人，并制定与 UAP 相关的政策。今年 6 月 25 日，该组织在参议院罗素办公大楼的肯尼迪会议室召集了一场国会山论坛。这场为期一天的活动邀请了多位政治人物，包括众议员埃里克·伯利森（Eric Burlison，共和党，密苏里州）、安娜·保利娜·卢娜（Anna Paulina Luna，共和党，佛罗里达州）、安德烈·卡森（André Carson，民主党，印第安纳州）、苏哈斯·苏布拉马尼亚姆（Suhas Subramanyam，民主党，弗吉尼亚州），以及参议员迈克·朗兹（Mike Rounds，共和党，南达科他州）。洛布（Loeb）出席了会议，其他学识渊博的专家也一同探讨了 UAP 在技术、国家安全、经济、心理甚至宗教方面的影响。发言者承认，在某些方面，他们此行是冒着风险的，因为公开讨论飞碟仍然带有声誉风险。“你是黑人，你是穆斯林，你代表印第安纳州的一个选区，”卡森在谈到自己时说，“而现在你居然想谈论 UAP？”但公众对这一现象日益增长的兴趣，以及证明外界确实存在“某种东西”的证据不断增加，使得越来越多严肃的人愿意承担这种风险。甚至前总统巴拉克·奥巴马也对该话题发表了看法。在 2 月的一次采访中，当被问及外星生命是否存在时，奥巴马回答道：“它们是真实存在的，”随后他赶紧补充道，“但我没见过它们。它们没有被关在 Area 51. 也没有什么地下设施——除非存在一个巨大的阴谋，而且他们把它瞒过了美国总统。”奥巴马补充说，他之所以相信外星生物存在的可能性，部分是基于这样一个事实：“从统计学上讲，宇宙如此广阔，那么那里存在生命的概率很高。”这是许多信奉者经常提出的观点，尤其是自从 NASA 的开普勒太空 50 《时代》杂志 2026 年 8 月 17 日 ---

2021年海军飞越视频（地点未公开）

在2022年5月17日面向众议院情报反恐、反情报和反扩散小组委员会的一次公开听证会上，海军情报副局长斯科特·布雷（Scott Bray）分享了这段美国海军喷气式飞机与不明异常现象（UAP）遭遇的视频。该物体的飞行路径转瞬即逝，但在其消失之前，驾驶舱摄像头捕捉到了它。左侧图像包含部分飞机的舱盖。

望远镜以及其他空间和地面天文台已经发现了数千颗系外行星——即围绕其他恒星运行的行星——这使得天文学家得出结论：天空中数万亿颗恒星中，几乎每一颗都有至少一个世界在围绕其运行。正如在喧闹、混乱且多元的民主制度中的所有事情一样，公众舆论在这里也发挥了作用——而且美国人显然已经准备好采取行动。根据披露基金会（Disclosure Foundation）在国会山论坛前几周进行的一项民意调查，84%的受访者希望政府提供更多关于UAP的信息，69%的人认为UAP是真实的，59%的人支持听证会和透明度法案，而只有21%的人信任联邦政府在讲述完整的真相。这些回应具有跨党派性。在认为希望获得更多UAP信息的共和党人（高达89%）和民主党人（88%）之间，仅存在1%在统计学上毫无意义的差距。

“你可以成为一名在美国竞选的单一议题候选人，”披露基金会执行主任乔丹·弗劳尔斯（Jordan Flowers）表示，“这个单一议题可以是[UAP]透明度，而你仅凭这一点就可能当选。”与税收、移民或气候等在数十年间无限展开的其他单一议题不同，UAP透明度有一个固定的终点。政府将告知其已知的所有信息，目击事件将被调查，其来源将被确定为地球上的——高度先进的军事或其他资产——或者，在划时代意义上，是外星的。

“我的原假设是，这些是由敌对国家在靠近美国战略资产附近操作的人造物体，”洛布（Loeb）说道。如果不是呢？如果它们确实来自……其他地方？“那将是人类有史以来最伟大的发现。”

美国参议院不会把肯尼迪党团会议室借给任何人。该会议室于1909年开放，是一个气势磅礴的地方，雕刻的大理石墙长74英尺，宽54英尺，高35英尺——延伸至装饰有镀金玫瑰花饰和茛叶的华丽天花板。会议室的门通向罗素大厦（Russell Building）的拱形大理石圆形大厅，该大厅高达三层。党团会议室见证了许多历史：这里曾是关于“泰坦尼克号”沉没、蒂팟圆顶丑闻（Teapot Dome scandal）、珍珠港、越南战争、水门事件、伊朗门等听证会的地点。约翰·肯尼迪和罗伯特·肯尼迪都曾在此宣布竞选总统。因此，披露基金会获准使用该空间举行6月25日的峰会绝非小事。

出席活动的300多人极其严肃地对待这次活动。尽管讨论的话题曾被认为是不靠谱、边缘化且幻想的，但现场氛围显然不是火人节（Burning Man）、动漫展（Comic Con）或西南向南（South by Southwest）。一名参会者穿着一件印有弹电吉他的大眼外星人的T恤，但房间里的其他所有人均穿着商务正装。

“今天，极少在同一个房间出现的专家——物理学家、历史学家、经济学家、情报专业人士、教育工作者、记者和政策制定者——聚集在这个房间里，”梅隆（Mellon）在开场白中说道，“讨论一个直到最近还被视为禁忌的主题。”

在全天所有的讨论小组中，上午一场关于未知航空现象（UAP）对安全与国防影响的会议最为沉重。与会专家讨论了海军飞行员和军事基地人员多次目击 UAP 的情况，引发了人们对美国武装领空渗透性的担忧。如果这些物体的来源确实被证实是地外生命，那么外星物种的技术将远远超过人类开发过的任何飞行机器。如果它们是地球上的——由竞争对手国家制造并驾驶——则预示着一场我们已经处于劣势的军备竞赛。

退役海军中尉瑞安·格雷夫斯（Ryan Graves）在 14 年前于美国东海岸附近首次遇到 UAP，美国战争部 (DOW)——出现美国 DOW 视觉信息并不意味着或构成 DOW 捐赠 51 --- 在随后的两年中遇到了更多。他告诉《时代》杂志：“我们在 2012 年结束一次部署回来，开始升级我们的雷达系统，结果立即在工作区域看到了意想不到的物体。在弗吉尼亚海滩沿岸的领空内，通常有 3 到 6 个物体。有时在强风中它们完全静止，有时飞行速度在 250 到 350 节 [288 到 402 英里 / 小时] 之间。”

格雷夫斯表示，这些物体的直径为 5 到 15 英尺，看起来像是一个透明球体内部有一个灰色或黑色的立方体。它们没有排放废气，且飞行方式——俯冲、翱翔并突然改变方向——会导致任何人类乘客承受潜在致命的 G 力。有时它们飞得离海军喷气式飞机如此之近，以至于飞行员必须提交危险报告，以便警告在附近运行的其他飞机。格雷夫斯说：“它们整天在外面做出这些行为，看起来这些物体似乎在使用我们无法理解的‘魔法物理学’。”

作为飞行员常规轮换的一部分，他们后来将行动转移到了佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔附近的海域。但那里也没有平静。格雷夫斯说，UAP “要么已经在那里，要么是跟着我们下来的，因为我们经历了十几次事件”。

海军飞行员在弗吉尼亚州和佛罗里达州的遭遇绝非军方与 UAP 接触的唯一经历。其中最引人注目的是所谓的“Tic Tac 事件”，发生在 2004 年的加利福尼亚海岸附近。在那年一次常规部署期间，雷达人员反复注意到一个无法解释的、在空中快速跳动的物体反射——它盘旋、俯冲、攀升，然后从 8万,000 英尺的高度掉落到 2万,000 英尺。为了破解这个谜团，一支飞行员小组被紧急派遣升空。一旦进入高空，他们发现了一个估计长 45 英尺的飞行机器，其外观与 Tic Tac 薄荷糖惊人地相似。

飞行员大卫·弗拉沃（David Fravor）在 2023 年出席国会委员会听证会时表示：“我们四个人都向下看，看到一个 Tic Tac 物体在水面上非常突然地移动。”

前海军飞行员瑞安·格雷夫斯在 2023 年出席国会山听证会。“没有转子，没有转子气流，也没有像机翼那样可见的控制面。当我们机头对准该物体，距离约半英里时，它迅速加速并消失了。”驾驶舱视频记录下了这次遭遇。

地面的军事资产也受到了骚扰。2024 年 12 月，在连续 17 个夜晚，位于弗吉尼亚州汉普顿的兰利空军基地被一群物体包围，这些物体在日落 45 分钟后出现在头顶，并反复飞越基地。根据一名目击者——前宇航员斯科特·凯利（Scott Kelly，他于 2022 年被选入 NASA 的 UAP 研究小组）的说法，这些物体长度约为 20 英尺，飞行高度在 3,000 到 4,000 英尺之间，速度为 100 英里 / 小时。这些入侵行为变得如此严重，以至于兰利基地取消了夜间训练飞行，并将 F-22 喷气式战斗机转移到了另一个空军基地。

更具戏剧性的是，据报道，2023年10月，六名联邦执法人员在官方备忘录中所描述的“美国西部一个敏感的国家安全地点”附近目击到了相关物体。连续两天，就在黄昏时分，目击者报告观察到一个“发光的‘母球’似乎在连续数小时内，一次又一次地产生较小的红球。据报道，这些‘红球’在消失前持续了数秒。”“很明显，我们已经失去了对领空的控制。就这么简单，”弗劳尔斯说。“无论是某种形式的人类情报，还是其他某种东西，我没有足够的想象力来下结论。”“这些东西中的许多肯定不是无人机，”政府先进航空航天威胁识别计划（AATIP）的前情报官员路易斯·埃利松多表示。“它们来自某处的先进技术。如果你得从兰利基地紧急起飞战斗机，那么你就遇到麻烦了。”并非所有人都被这些报告说服。“巨大的主张需要巨大的证据，”AARO主任乔恩·科斯洛斯基说，“而证据目前还不存在。”凯利并没有淡化流氓物体带来的安全风险，但并不认为它们必须具有异域起源。“在科学中，目击者的证词更像是一种观点；它不是数据，”他说。“我从未见过任何无法解释的东西。”如果UAP最终被证实具有地外起源，这将代表卡洛斯·埃雷（耶鲁大学历史与宗教研究教授，披露论坛演讲者）所称的人类文明的一次“断裂”。“断裂是指在那之后一切都不再相同的事情，”他说。“这类似于欧洲人出现时，南北美洲原住民所经历的断裂。”临床心理学家詹尼斯·维尔豪尔（同时担任洛布UAP委员会和披露基金会咨询委员会成员）在6月25日的活动上发表了讲话，她的措辞令人警醒。“如果这个消息在明天公布，”她说，“我们完全没有准备好。”像恐慌这样的情绪传染是 52 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 ---

2022年 中东 目标（地点未公开）

2023年4月19日，全域异常解决办公室（AARO）主任肖恩·柯克帕特里克（Sean Kirkpatrick）分享了一段视频，视频中显示一个明显的银色球形物体穿过了视频传感器的视野。柯克帕特里克表示，“金属球”是最常见的UAP类型，且在“全世界各地”都有报告。

这种情况始终有可能，但维尔豪尔（Vilhauer）认为，大多数人即使面对非人类智能这种足以颠覆范式的消息，也不会那样反应。“某些群体会通过灾难性的视角来看待这件事，将其视为末日事件，”她说，“但我认为这不会是某种会在全人口中蔓延的东西。”

这并不意味着不会产生心理影响。她说，很大程度上取决于外星生命被感知为仁慈的、冷漠的，还是敌对的。即使是一个微生物，如果它带来了感染风险，也可能是敌对的——而人类一直对这种危险保持警觉。在前三次登月任务期间，返回的宇航员被要求进行为期三周的医疗隔离，以防他们携带了外星病菌。

此外，维尔豪尔所称的“个人相关性”问题也将发挥作用——即非人类生命的消息是否直接影响到某个个体。在感知到高威胁水平且具有高个人相关性的人群中，会产生最剧烈的情绪反应；而在感知到低威胁且低个人相关性的人群中，影响最小。“仅披露本身就是一个巨大的、前所未有的事件，”维尔豪尔说，“这两者结合——个人相关性和威胁——可能会产生非常负面的反应。”

受UAP披露影响的将不仅是心理健康，精神健康也将受到影响。早在20世纪70年代，神学学者就建立了“外星神学”（exotheology）的概念——这是基督教思想的一个分支，涵盖了宇宙中存在生命的可能性。这在现在可能会派上用场。艾尔（Eire）认为，三大领先的一神论宗教——基督教、犹太教和伊斯兰教——在面对非人类智能时将面临最艰巨的调适工作。因为这三者都共有这样一个观点：只有一位上帝，且他创造了包括人类在内的一切。我们倾向于认为，我们这个物种是他的最高杰作——但如果出现一个比我们更优秀、更聪明、更适应环境的宇宙物种，这种信念将更难维持。

“由犹太教徒、基督徒和穆斯林以不同方式共同认同的《创世记》，讲述了一个关于人类起源的非常令人不安的故事，”艾尔说。艾尔认为，基督教在适应地外生命这一观点时将面临一个特殊的障碍，因为其教义认为上帝化身为人类。另一方面，所有三种一神论宗教确实在某种程度上接触过智能非人类生命的概念。“犹太教徒、基督徒和穆斯林都默认人类在上帝的创造中并非唯一，”艾尔说，“一直以来都有天使的存在。”

关于UAP以及可能（或可能没有）派遣这些UAP来到我们这里的生命形式的问题，部分可能取决于信仰，但也取决于物理学。虽然外星生物学家继续探索火星以及木卫二（Europa）和土卫二（Enceladus）等海洋卫星上存在微生物生命的可能性，但人们普遍认可，我们的太阳系中只有一个拥有先进智能生命的世界，那就是我们的地球。这意味着需要去更遥远的地方寻找卓越的生物。

距离地球最近的恒星系统是比邻星，距离约为 4.25 光年——即 25 万亿英里。理论上，从那里来到这里至少需要 4.25 年，而且前提是你必须以光速飞行——而阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦早在很久以前就证明了这是不可能实现的。其他恒星系统则位于数千甚至数十亿光年之外，这意味着跨越这种地外距离所需的时间可能几乎与宇宙本身的年龄一样长。尽管如此，许多学者并不排除外星访客从星际到来的可能性。“对于我们曾被访问过的概率——我将其定义为对方探索了我们的太阳系，从而意识到地球拥有生命和文明——我的估计大约在 50% 左右，”里士满大学物理学教授杰克·辛格尔（Jack Singal）表示。而对于过去一个世纪中所有声称的 UFO 或 UAP 目击事件中，实际包含此类访问的概率，他给出的估计则低得多，仅为 5%。“我认为这些现象有足够的平凡解释，”他说。左图：DREW ANDERSON—BETTY IMAGES，右图：U.S. DOW 53 --- 空间

麻省理工学院（MIT）机械工程系项目工程师、名为“面对未知”（Confronting Unknowns）的 UAP 研究学术项目主任乔纳森·米勒（Jonathan Miller）虽然没有像辛格尔那样激进，但他对另一种可能性持开放态度，即其他文明可能并不像我们认为的那样受限于爱因斯坦物理学。“从 A 点移动到 B 点有其物理规律，”他说，“但可能存在某种替代方式来弥合这一差距。在水线之下，可能还隐藏着一座解释 UAP 的可能性冰山。”

其中一些解释可能是直接的——至少与外星人相比是这样。如果某个竞争对手可能已经开发出能够完成 UAP 那样特技的高端技术，那么美国同样可能已经拥有此类技术，而目击者看到的仅仅是国内的硬件设备。军方向来极其保密，所有这些工作都可能在暗处进行——就像开发出世界上第一款核武器的曼哈顿计划一样，在 1942 年 6 月至 1947 年 8 月期间，该计划在静默且隐秘的状态下运行。

同样有可能的是，起作用的是某种比地球或外星空间技术更为平庸的东西。米勒赞赏地提到，“训练有素的飞行员的肉眼”可能是任何飞机上最可靠的传感器系统——优于雷达、红外线或运动传感器。但这些眼睛也会被欺骗——尤其是考虑到目击并报告 UAP 的大气层在热力学、化学和物理上的复杂性。“大气层是一个疯狂的地方，”辛格尔说，“你可以看到双彩虹、三彩虹。你可以去某些北极地区，看到太阳在天空的不同角度出现多次。你可以遇到能将汽车卷起抛出或将牛钉在树上的龙卷风。它能否让一个黑色三角形在天空中移动 10 秒钟？我认为是可以的。”

“你收到的来自海军军官的报告很多，比来自空军的更多，”凯利（Kelly）说，“这是因为海军在水面上飞行，而那个环境非常容易产生光学错觉。”

艺术家构思的快速移动的星际彗星“奥穆阿穆阿”（OUMUAMUA），它曾被讨论为可能的 UAP。

当然，目击者们坚信自己的眼睛，而像格雷夫斯（Graves）及其飞行员同事那样，涉及大型物体在两架海军喷气式飞机之间近距离移动的目击事件，很难被简单地斥为光线与空气产生的幻觉交织。“我们与领航机距离仅 50 ft.，”格雷夫斯说，“我认为我们看到的部分内容是真正的 UAP。我的意思是，这些是真实存在的空中资产，具有物理实体，且展现出了超越我们目前技术水平的能力。”

相信此类描述并希望查明真相的人群正在增加。除了担任 UAP 科学顾问委员会主席外，Loeb 还共同领导着总部位于哈佛大学的伽利略项目（Galileo Project），该项目通过扫描天空来寻找地外技术的线索。伽利略项目依赖于位于马萨诸塞州、宾夕法尼亚州和内华达州的三台地面望远镜，利用红外、可见光和无线电传感器来追踪那些表现似乎偏离地球技术性能的移动物体。2018年，Loeb 和他的同事、时任博士后研究员的 Shmuel Bialy 在《天体物理学杂志快报》（Astrophysical Journal Letters）上发表的一篇论文引起了轰动，他们在文中探讨了这样一种观点，即雪茄形状的星际彗星 Oumuamua “可能是一个由外星文明故意发送到地球附近的完全可运行的探测器”。2017年，该物体飞入我们的太阳系，像彗星一样绕太阳旋转一周后飞离。在旅程的离开阶段，它在理应因太阳引力而减速时反而加速了。这表明某种推进系统在起作用。Loeb 和 Bialy 写道，该物体有可能“作为先进技术设备的碎片漂浮在星际空间中”。其他天文学家则驳斥了这一观点，认为 Oumuamua 是被太阳风（从太阳中永不停歇地流出的带电粒子风暴）或太阳辐射压（电磁能接触物体时产生的微弱力量）所推动的。该物体此后已飞回深空，并将任何答案的可能性一同带走。

国会仍在关注 UAP 案件——尽管是以其特有的拖延方式。2024年，立法者提出了《 透明度法案》（ Transparency Act），该法案将强制要求对所有与 相关的文档进行解密。该法案尚未成为法律，且由于白宫已自行发布了四批文档，其潜在影响在一定程度上已变得无关紧要。目前， 仍然是一个谜。它们可能是真实的，可能是幻象，或者仅仅是人类欲望的产物——因为我们想要看到，所以才看到了。毕竟，一个存在其他生命形式的宇宙，比一个只有我们这个世界窗户亮灯的宇宙要显得不那么孤独。当然，目击者的看法会有所不同——他们知道自己看到了什么，相信自己看到了什么，并且在某些情况下，他们被所见之物改变了。随着时间的推移——如果证据被发现，如果在虚空中发现了生物智能——我们可能都会以同样的方式被改变。

54 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 © 2026 华盛顿特区 ---

休闲时光

泰德·拉索跨越大洋执教新球队 克里斯托弗·诺兰谈其奥德赛之旅 玛丽·斯汀伯根畅谈匹克球、《精灵》与莎士比亚 55 --- 休闲时光 开篇 在我39岁生日前的两天，我坐在一艘小船上，沿着一条两岸长满盘根错节红树林的深河而上。尽管我从未去过这个地方，但它却让我感到一种挥之不去的熟悉感，就像一段未曾经历过的记忆。这是冈比亚河，它正带着我前往朱富雷村。那是2001年2月。三年前，比尔·克林顿总统任命我的父亲乔治·W·哈利（George W. Haley）为美国驻冈比亚共和国大使。就像一次诗意的赎罪，美国派遣一名奴隶的玄孙以外交官的身份，回到了其祖先被绑架的那个国家。从我呼吸冈比亚的第一口空气起，每一步都像是在向完整的自我做介绍。但最非凡的时刻是我走进朱富雷村的那一刻，就像我的叔叔亚历克斯·哈利（Alex Haley）在33年前为了撰写《根：一个美国大家族的传奇》（Roots: The Saga of an American Family）而踏上旅程时那样，在那里发现了我们的起点。船一靠岸，我凝视着大约三十多双像我一样的眼睛，其中许多属于我的表亲们——他们是我从未谋面且血缘关系已远至数代的亲人。我地想象着亚历克斯叔叔第一次踏足这里时的感受。我在心中默默感谢他的牺牲与坚持。一本单一的书如何能同时谴责并吸引一个国家？就在今年8月的五十年前，《根》就做到了这一点。1976年，正值美利坚合众国建国两百周年，亚历克斯·默里·帕尔默·哈利（Alexander Murray Palmer Haley）看到他自幼携带在心、随后花费12年研究并撰写的故事，在《纽约时报》畅销书排行榜上占据了46周，其中22周位列第一。一名美国海岸警卫队退伍军人兼自由撰稿人，打破了关于这个国家诞生之初就是其国歌所宣称的“自由之地”的任何幻想，而整个国家似乎现在都意识到了这一点。亚历克斯·哈利是我父亲的哥哥，在我生命中占据着重要地位。他称我为“亲爱的侄女”和“小贝莎”（Little Bertha），后者是对他母亲的深情称呼。他会为了看我的芭蕾舞表演和钢琴独奏会而飞过来，在我的成绩单表现良好时寄来鲜花，并给我买了人生第一辆车。他在我的高中毕业典礼上发表了 commencement 演讲，并在我的大学和法学院毕业典礼上坐在前排正中央。我崇拜他。而现在，感恩节餐桌上的所有那些对话终于结出了果实。14岁时，我天真地觉得他的成就也是我的成就。我是在这个如今全世界都知道的故事中长大的。这是我的家族。而这就是我写给他的情书。《根》在上市的前七个月内售出150万册，最终达到800万册，并获得了国家图书奖、普利策奖特别奖以及全美有色人种协进会（NAACP）的斯平加恩奖章。它被翻译成35多种语言，并被改编成一部收视率极高的电视迷你剧。你很难找到一个1980年之前出生在美国的人，而他的书架上没有一本《根》或者没在电视上看过这部迷你剧。在1977年2月2日亚历克斯叔叔参加的《今夜秀》（Tonight Show）节目独白中，强尼·卡森（Johnny Carson）评论道：“如果有任何观众不知道《根》，那你要么是出国了，要么是在火星之类的地方。”但这一切都不是亚历克斯叔叔最狂野的梦想。他最初想要做的，只是亲自查明那个非洲人是谁。亚历克斯叔叔和他的兄弟们在很多个夏天都待在母系祖父母的前廊上。在那里，他们会全神贯注地听祖母辛西娅（Cynthia）和她的姐妹朋友们讲到深夜的故事。其中一个故事讲述了一个男人被乘船从非洲带到美国，并在“那不勒斯”登陆。那个非洲人的名字叫“金特”（Kinte）。

这个非洲人被卖到了弗吉尼亚州斯波茨尔文尼亚县的一个种植园，在那里他娶了种植园的厨师贝尔。两人有一个名叫基齐（Kizzy）的女儿，在他的母语中，这个名字的意思是“留在原地”。因此，当她在 16 岁时被卖到北卡罗来纳州的一个种植园时，这种讽刺显得格外残酷。在那里，她的奴隶主父亲让她怀孕并生下了孩子乔治，乔治因为擅长操纵斗鸡而被称为“斗鸡乔治”。到这里，故事变得更加生动，细节也更加丰富，因为这些人物是那些女性亲身认识的——斗鸡乔治就是辛西娅的祖父——而这些故事一直伴随着亚历克斯叔叔。准确地说，是萦绕在他心头。这个金特是谁？他来自哪里？那时还没有 23andMe 基因检测，但国会图书馆有大量的缩微胶片，耶稣基督后期圣徒教会的地下室里也有充足的记录。而且，首先还有乔治亚表亲。每当我的叔叔抵达我的家人居住的堪萨斯州堪萨斯城时，就像一位在售罄巡演中的摇滚明星。我们知道，在看着她的摇椅在门廊上随时间摆动数十年之后，他这次回来是为了坐在他祖母的表亲乔治亚·安德森（Georgia Anderson）膝前聆听。如今已年过 80 岁的她，是关于那个非洲人故事的最后一位活体存储库，其中还包括一些他母语的词汇：她知道 kamby bolongo 意思是河流，而 kora 是一种像班卓琴一样的弦乐器。她的讲述加上他的研究，使亚历克斯叔叔了解到这些珍贵的词汇属于曼丁卡语（Mandinka），主要在冈比亚共和国使用。他用微薄的预算多次前往一个面积与康涅狄格州相当的国家四处奔波。

原版《根》的书封，以及上方 1977 年的海利。前一页：作者与她的叔叔，后者正在为他的书签名 56 TIME August 17, 2026 ---

他相信自己能逆转“中段航程”（Middle Passage），这是否太过于大胆？或许在 1967 年 4 月他踏入朱富雷（Juffure）时，他正是这样想的，而那里的格里奥（griot，西非传统说唱艺人）讲述了一段历史，其中提到一个 17 岁的昆塔·金特（Kunta Kinte），他在几乎恰好 200 年前离开村庄去收集木材，想为弟弟做一个鼓，从此再也没有回来。亚历克斯叔叔掌握着这个故事的另一端：宾塔（Binta）和奥莫罗·金特（Omoro Kinte）的长子最终登上了名为“利戈尼尔勋爵号”（Lord Ligonier）的英国奴隶船，该船于 1767 年 7 月 5 日从冈比亚河启航，于 1767 年 9 月 29 日抵达马里兰州安纳波利斯。140 名非洲人被偷运上那艘船，其中 98 人在旅途中幸存。亚历克斯叔叔抵达朱富雷，是一次揭开祖籍之谜并解开个人之谜的壮举。詹姆斯·厄尔·琼斯在《根》（Roots）迷你剧中将那一刻演绎成了自己的风格。在朱富雷饰演亚历克斯·海利时，琼斯用低沉且兴奋的嗓音惊呼道：“你这个古老的非洲人！我找到你了，昆塔·金特！”我每次看到这一幕都会微笑。了解亚历克斯叔叔的人，我想他的反应在情感上绝不会逊色，但会更加含蓄。我看到他坐在那里，与格里奥膝盖贴膝盖。在听到金特这个名字并计算日期后，我想象他蜷缩在自己的世界里，像受到了一记安静而感激的腹部重击；这是一种对起源的认可，是对家乡每一个非裔美国人的补偿，是一份关于“此前”生命存在的证明。这种汹涌的情绪一定涵盖了从宽慰到欣快，再到令人心碎的愤怒。或许这启发了亚历克斯叔叔最初构思的书名——《在此愤怒之前》（Before This Anger）。我们听到的说法是，出版商可能担心这个标题会引起白人读者的反感。但其深层的含义需要挖掘。如果在此之前存在一种愤怒，那么其推论就是，《根》赋予了非洲裔美国人一个并非始于奴役而是始于自由的起源

存在着一种当下的愤怒。而对于20世纪中叶的美国黑人来说，难道没有这种愤怒吗？（以及之前的每一个世纪，以及今天？）但还有另一种解读方式。这种解读揭示了，在这种愤怒之前——在人们被告知非洲裔群体被奴役了400年、被剥夺了文化、自由和人格，随后被剥夺公民权利的这种残缺的认知之前——在海的那一边，曾有另一个地方，他们的祖先在那里不是财产，而是国王和女王。在这种愤怒之前，曾有一个地方，那里的人民文化完整无缺，延续数百年，其根基如此深厚，以至于当一个人离开那片海岸时，他将其随身携带，并将其告知给那些在他登陆之地的人们。在《根》（Roots）出版后不久，亚历克斯叔叔受到了批评者的挑战，他们质疑其时间线的准确性，并暗示那个格里奥（griot，西非传统说唱艺人）只是告诉了他他想听的话。但正如许多历史学家所指出的，关注具体的日期或对话会让人忽略更大的真相。亚历克斯叔叔揭示的那个“之前”的血统，是通过口述历史传给他的。这种传统在定义上几乎就是翻译不完美的，尤其是在跨越数个世纪的情况下。口述传统的本质——它具有鲜明的非洲特色，且显然不受西方记录规则的束缚——正是其真相之精神所在，甚至超过了细节本身。一个人对格里奥叙述的信任，源于数百年来的可靠性。为了反击批评者，亚历克斯叔叔本人表示，虽然他的作品参考了广泛的研究，但书中并非没有错误，某些细节是他自己的文学创作。今天，我们将此称为历史小说。但对于我的家人，以及所有在《根》中看到自己血统的人来说，这种体裁的定义丝毫没有改变其意义。正如我叔叔告诉一名记者的那样：“你和我都不知道具体发生了什么。但我坚持认为《根》是我族人命运的象征。”在《根》之前，几乎所有关于我们起源的描述都始于奴役，仿佛我们是带着被阳光亲吻的皮肤和羊毛般的头发，在这片土地上凭空出现的。这些页面及下一页：EVERETT COLLECTION (2) 57 --- TIME OFF OPENER 无论是捕获者还是被捕获者都知道，一切并非始于此处。但捕获者不会倾向于讲述那个故事，而被捕获者则不被允许，因为他们被禁止学习阅读和写作。因此，昆塔倾向于向女儿讲述他的起源故事，并教她母语中的词汇，这就显得更有预见性。他可能没有想象到，那些词汇会将他的后代带回他深爱的故土。或者，这恰恰是他的设计。亚历克斯·海利：他祖先最狂野的梦想。正是这场跨代传递的“传话游戏”，让世界知道了奴隶制之前的非裔美国人历史。亚历克斯叔叔总是说，《根》不仅仅是海利家族的故事，而是每一个非裔美国人的故事：“我们每个人心中都有一种深入骨髓的渴望，渴望了解我们的遗产——了解我们是谁，以及我们来自哪里。如果没有这种充实的认知，就会有一种空虚的向往。”《根》给了非洲裔美国人一个并非始于奴役而是始于自由的起源。白人美国人的痴迷则较难解读。也许是因为一种不想被揭穿的需求，就像被卡森那样。或者，也许在越南战争和民权运动之后，人们对国家真相更加开放。我这个年龄段的黑人与我分享的最共同的回忆是，在看完一集《根》后的日子里，他们会愤怒地去上学。他们对着白人同学摆出凶狠的面孔，而后者则显得局促不安且心怀愧疚。《根》并非旨在谴责，但对某些人来说，它的效果就像是一场谴责。

电视合约在原稿墨迹未干之前就已达成，这说明《根》（Roots）成为经济强项是必然的，尽管这本书立即获得的普及程度甚至让出版商都感到惊讶——首批 20万,000 册印刷量迅速售罄，迫使多布代出版社（Doubleday）又追加了 14 次印刷。ABC 电视台一定也感到惊讶。该网络决定将原本计划每周播出一次的迷你剧改为连续夜晚播出，以避免收视率下降，同时在评级期结束前将其全部播完。有人说是因为恶劣的天气让人们被固定在电视机前。但也许美国人实际上对了解其人口中这 11.5% 的群体感兴趣，而美国长期以来一直欣赏他们的文化。于是，超过一半的美国人口以及 85% 拥有电视的美国家庭在连续八个夜晚，几乎每晚都在观看《根》。

詹姆斯·厄尔·琼斯在 1977 年改编的《根》迷你剧中饰演亚历克斯·海利。自从《根》出版以来，我们的国家见证了黑人企业和黑人学术界的巨大增长，出现了黑人超级英雄和黑人总统，尽管我们仍在继续与制度性种族主义作斗争。一项 2022 年的皮尤研究报告显示，在深入研究家谱的美国黑人中，77% 的人是通过与家人交谈来完成的。我倾向于将此视为对昆塔、基齐以及口述历史艺术的一种致敬。我有一本略显破旧的——无论保存得多么用心——《读者文摘》摘录版《根》。在它的扉页上有一条来自我叔叔的信息，写着：“给家族中的下一位作家。爱你的，亚历克斯叔叔。”在我们纪念国家建国 150 周年之际，我像携带护身符一样带着这本小册子，它是一次号召：他告诉我，继续讲述我们的故事。让我们的祖先活在世间。历史可能取决于此。今年早春，田纳西州诺克斯县——亚历克斯叔叔度过最后岁月的县，他捐赠大部分论文的大学所在地，那里的一座公共公园里立着一座 13 英尺高、4,200 磅重的他的青铜像，而这个州也孕育了诞生这本书的那个门廊——禁掉了《根》，要求将该书从学校图书馆中移除。十天后，在迅速引发的强烈抵制下，该县撤销了这一决定。这是祖先的功劳，还是更理智的思想占据了上风？无论如何，教训是显而易见的。保存一个人故事最可靠的方式就是不断讲述它。海利是一位常驻洛杉矶的律师 58 《时代》杂志 2026 年 8 月 17 日 --- 评论 电视

《泰德·拉索》被边缘化

作者：JUDY BERMAN

《泰德·拉索》（TED LASSO）回归了。就像一支乐队在举行盛大的告别巡演后，在你还没来得及想念他们之前就宣布重组一样，这部 Apple TV 的超级热门半喜剧——讲述一名淳朴的美国橄榄球教练带领一支处于劣势的英国足球俱乐部——在那个让主角回到堪萨斯陪伴儿子的隐含结局 3, 年后，再次回归。

Season 4, 让共同创作者杰森·苏戴基斯（Jason Sudeikis）饰演的泰德，在成为 AFC 里士满这群替代家庭的慈父形象后，再次跨越大西洋，去指导该俱乐部的全新女队。但这并不太奏效。本季以一个令人不适的画面开场：无聊的拉索教练在超市收银台工作。在 Season 3, 事件发生几年后，他依然留在中西部，热爱与儿子亨利（Grant Feely 饰）在一起的生活。但当他的前老板丽贝卡（Hannah Waddingham 饰）以及同事基莉（Juno Temple 饰）和希金斯（Jeremy Swift 饰）飞来邀请他执教“灰色猎犬女队”（Lady Greyhounds）时，这成了某种解脱。至于他依然对足球知之甚少，或者存在合格的女性候选人，这些都不重要。当他的前任米歇尔（Andrea Anders 饰）毫无阻碍地同意随他与亨利搬到伦敦时，一切对泰德来说都顺风顺水。

原班人马基本保持不变。布雷特·戈尔德斯坦（Brett Goldstein）饰演的那个愤怒的过气球星罗伊·肯特取代了泰德，成为了男队的教练。比尔德（共同创作者布伦丹·亨特 Brendan Hunt 饰）留下来协助罗伊，但在失去了他的职业灵魂伴侣后，他变得有些狂野。丽贝卡和基莉正在与性别歧视作斗争，以确保灰色猎犬女队获得所需的资金支持。这使得泰德必须赢得冷漠的助理教练爱丽丝（由《性教育》中出色的塔尼娅·雷诺兹 Tanya Reynolds 饰演）的好感——爱丽丝此前在竞聘该职位时被刷掉——并与新球队建立起他曾与旧球队拥有的那种神奇纽带。奇怪的是，在发给评论者的 4 集（总共 10 集）中，他几乎没有与球员互动。

最初的《泰德·拉索》是一部关于男性气质的剧集。它在描绘英超联赛比赛时既不算特别幽默，也不算格外刺激，但它提供了一个令人宽慰的愿景：粗犷的男人通过建立纽带和内省来完善自我。泰德是催化剂，是那群笨蛋们心中的骑士。值得称赞的是，该剧也将拉索教练放在了分析师的心理诊疗沙发上。他选择回家，完成了一个让多名角色挣扎的根源——父亲创伤循环——得以终结的弧线。

泰德作为女队的父亲形象显得格格不入 苏戴基斯的回归之季表现不佳

泰德作为灰色猎犬女队的父亲形象显得更加尴尬，因为，嗯，新的性别动态可能会被解读为“家长式作风”而非“父亲般的关怀”。如果让他成为理性的声音，他就在进行“男性说教”（mansplaining）；如果让他过于谦让，他就会变成一个令人尴尬、用力过猛的男性女性主义者，就像他在前几季中偶尔表现出的样子。该剧的解决方案是将他很大程度上留在场边，让爱丽丝和 AFC 里士满的治疗师莎伦（Sarah Niles 饰）等女性角色来就诸如队内小团体等具有女性色彩的问题提供智慧。

这使得球员们被推到了远处。这里有一个母亲，一对情侣，一个拒绝戴手套的守门员，但没有罗伊或杰米。女性角色从未是这个以男性为主的《泰德·拉索》创作团队的强项。尽管瓦丁汉姆和坦普尔极具魅力，但丽贝卡和基莉的商业剧情线却在走下坡路，因为她们的互动方式依然像咯咯笑的青少年。虽然 Season 4, 有许多女性编剧和导演，但爱丽丝是唯一一个感觉没有经过“男性凝视”过滤的实质性角色。

《泰德·拉索》不再是一部关于如何成为好男人的教程，它的回归在某些部分是对体育界性别歧视的温和反击，是对那些依然支持罗伊和基莉配对的人的一份礼物，但其本质上更多是一部关于没什么特别内容的职场治愈剧。电视荧幕需要更多关于女性运动员的剧本故事。但必须由一位不同的教练来主导，因为泰德·拉索根本不属于这里。

《泰德·拉索》新剧集于周三在 Apple TV 上线

柯林·哈顿—APPLE TV

59

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TIME OFF MOVIES

访谈

克里斯托弗·诺兰解读《奥德赛》

作者：埃莉安娜·多克特曼（ELIANA DOCKTERMAN）

今年春天，当我与克里斯托弗·诺兰（CHRISTOPHER NOLAN）讨论他备受期待的改编作品《奥德赛》时，他并不愿意讨论结局。他被誉为最后幕反转的大师，喜欢给观众留下更多疑问而非答案。他告诉我，他永远不想将自己的解读强加于他人。（《盗梦空间》中科布的孩子们是真实的还是想象的？由你决定。）但现在电影已经上映，并创造了诺兰有史以来最高的全球首映成绩。在电影上映前不久，我们进行了一次电话交谈，内容涉及充满剧透的电影最终幕讨论——读者请注意！——他针对在改编这部史诗诗篇时做出某些更改的原因提供了一些见解。我们讨论了《奥德赛》与《奥本海默》之间令人惊讶的平行之处，为什么诺兰决定给奥德修斯和珀涅罗珀一个在荷马史诗中没有的圆满结局，以及如何解读赞达亚（Zendaya）饰演的神秘角色：她究竟是一位女神，还是仅仅是奥德修斯愧疚感的体现？我们还深入探讨了宙斯的法律以及海伦脸上伤疤背后的深层含义。

奥德修斯是一个患有创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的人，而且在你的解读中，他认为自己因为违反了古希腊人生活所遵循的伦理准则，而应对一个文明的终结负责。

我的叙事方式是，你选取一个英雄，就像我们对待奥本海默那样，奥本海默拥有所有这些缺陷，所有这些复杂性。你找一位能够带领观众随该角色一起经历旅程、随该角色一起犯错且不对该角色进行评判的演员。然后你从该角色身上抽离出来，思考：“那么，我们是如何走到这一步的？”[在这部电影中，] 你是通过奥德修斯的部下们来实现这一点的。这是诗篇中被轻描淡写的一点——尽管有他的领导，船员们最终还是被一个个杀掉的方式。在改编过程中，你会觉得：“这其实相当有趣。也许我们需要将其放在更中心的位置。”他与船员之间的关系是什么？他们如何看待他的领导方式以及降临在他们身上的事情？他是一个犯了很多错误的人。他最终的错误就是那匹木马。所以在我们的讲述中，从一开始就存在一种悲剧性的缺陷。

我对赞达亚角色的解读是，她并不是奥德修斯最初呈现的雅典娜——这个世界中不存在神——而是他愧疚感的体现。在特洛伊被洗劫期间，我们看到她是雅典娜神庙的一名女祭司，而被希腊人斩首。对于奥德修斯来说，她概括了那匹木马

诺兰表示，在拍摄开始的二十年前，他就对他的特洛伊木马有了构想

给世界带来的混乱。但我的编辑并没有那样解读。我希望你能解决我们的分歧。

我不可能回答这个问题，因为我在拍摄《记忆碎片》时很早就意识到，通过回答这类问题来定义观众的体验是不公平的。我想说的是：对我而言，重要的是我们以当时人们可能看待神的方式来看待神。所以他们是在自然中看到神的证据。他们在周围的人身上寻找并发现神以及神的影响。奥德修斯对特勒马库斯说：“不要在人身上寻找神。你只会感到失望。”而奥德修斯关于神性的一些话，在我看来，是一个抗议得过于激烈的人，一个试图否认自己本能和自己行为的人。

我被奥本海默和奥德修斯之间的平行之处所震撼，两个天才创造了毁灭性的破坏工具，然后与自己所作所为的愧疚感作斗争。当我交谈

60 《时代》杂志 2026年8月17日 ---

我对马特·达蒙说：“当你第一次读剧本时是怎么想的？”他说：“感觉像《奥本海默》。”我想这是一个刻意的选择。是的。如果一部电影拍对了，它会给我留下疑问。它会给我留下我想继续探索和思考的东西。而《奥本海默》在很大程度上影响了我对奥德修斯故事的解读。约翰·莱古兹莫（饰演奥德修斯的朋友欧迈俄斯）在故事刚开始时就说过：“这很聪明，但你的聪明会给你带来麻烦。”而这种情况一次又一次地发生了。这就是它与《奥本海默》联系在一起的地方：仅仅因为你能够做到，并不意味着你应该去做。在我思考如何改编时，这些平行之处对我来说是非常明显的。电影的核心在于这样一个观点：奥德修斯利用特洛伊木马实现的对特洛伊的洗劫，实际上摧毁了“宙斯之法”。这是电影中对古希腊概念 xenia（客道——主人与客人之间相互尊重的关系）的称呼，这个概念向现代观众解释起来可能比较困难。“如果一部电影拍对了，它会给我留下我想继续探索的东西。” 为什么将其纳入其中很重要？ 当你发现这些东西难以处理时，有时解决方案就是直接潜入其中，将其变成全部。我没有使用 xenia 这个词，因为你不想向观众抛出太多术语。但它本质上就是“黄金法则”。这一切都回到了天气和地理。当你离开家时，你依赖于陌生人的善意，你必须相信在经过数周或数月的旅行到达某地后，你会得到食物和水。三千年前，这就是全部。你总是听凭陌生人的处置。因此，关于陌生人可能是伪装的神灵这一想法，作为一种信仰体系的基石是非常强大的。在电影的不同时间点，如果男人有机会，他就会变成野兽。一名士兵会斩首一名女祭司。你暗示美内劳斯故意在海伦脸上留下伤疤，要么是因为他认为她应对特洛伊战争负责，要么是为了防止任何人再次抢走她。 那句“启动了 1,000 艘船，或者可能只有 500 艘的脸庞”，是我突然想到要写进去的。有时作为作者，你的行为纯粹是出于本能。我觉得原诗并不一定探讨了海伦被美内劳斯接回去意味着什么，以及这如何能行得通。那种关系会是怎样的？除了成为最酸楚、最糟糕的婚姻，还能是什么？你不相信他在神话中看到她的脸后说，“她太美了，我终究不能杀她”吗？ 那段关系中发生了太多烂事，而在这个故事中，我们与他们相处的时间非常短暂。我是在寻找一种简便的方式来传达战争的后果，以及它是如何给整个世界带来创伤的。在与刻耳刻的场景中，你也看到了这种“人如野兽”的想法。她说奥德修斯的部下本会强奸并杀死她——说他们是猪。然后到了结尾，你看到了特洛伊的陷落以及他们所作所为的恐怖。她是正确的。 刻耳刻在电影中表达得很到位。我非常喜欢萨曼莎（莫顿）演绎这个角色的方式。谈到改编的选择，原诗的结尾如此阴森且如此厌女，我不得不剔除其中一部分素材。但在关于男人以及他们发动战争方式的论述上，我并不想完全将其排除在外。然而，你给了奥德修斯和珀涅罗珀一个在原诗中没有的幸福结局。 嗯，这是文明的陨落，所以确实有一种相当苍凉的基调。结尾在讨论循环，你可以悲观地看待循环：历史注定会重演。但这些循环中也有乐观的一面。正如珀涅罗珀所说，“文明将再次崛起”。存在重生与 regrowth。

对我而言，在审视结局时，尝试在悲观与乐观之间取得正确的平衡至关重要——既要对可能导致青铜时代灾难的原因感到悲观，又要对积极的事物将重新确立自身持有乐观态度。□ 梅琳达·鲁·戈登（MELINDA RUE GORDON）——环球影业 61 --- 广告

中国观察

由《中国日报》呈献

被遗忘的村庄如今迎来曙光

旅游业驱动世界遗产地开发，提升当地居民生活水平 作者：侯立强（HOU LIQIANG）

当营销专业毕业生冉一杰在 2021 年辞去城市工作，返回重庆市崎岖的山区时，许多认识他的人都质疑他是否疯了。毕竟，他曾设法逃离了景竹村的孤立状态——这个村庄曾以岩石荒漠化、极度贫困和年轻人外流为特征。

如今，这种“疯狂”的诊断已被彻底推翻。冉一杰的家现在是一家兴旺的当地餐厅，年收入超过 10万,000 元（$1.4万,000），成为一场重塑中国西南经济的大规模人才回流的锚点。

在附近的联合国教科文组织武隆喀斯特世界自然遗产地以及蓬勃发展的仙女山国家森林公园旅游度假区的带动下，景竹村已从一个濒临死亡的内陆地带转变为吸引年轻创业者和外部投资者的磁石。事实上，世界旅游组织已将其评为全球最佳旅游村之一。

武隆喀斯特（包括天生三桥、芙蓉洞和后坪巨坑）于 2007 年作为中国南方喀斯特的一部分被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。喀斯特地貌是由石灰岩经溶解侵蚀而形成，产生了山脊、峰林、裂缝和落水洞。

该地区公布的经济数据凸显了一个以岩石为中心的利润丰厚的市场。官方数据显示，武隆景区去年吸引了 5210 万 次游客访问，其中包括近 80万,000 名国际游客，创造了 251 亿美元 元的总旅游收入。

景竹村人口 2,000 人，距离仙女山度假区仅 3.7 英里，已充分利用了这一客流。景竹村当地官员高燕表示，在武隆被列入世界遗产名录以及包头-茂名高速公路开通后，村民们开始为游客开发高海拔采摘和乡村餐厅。

2015 年仙女山升级为国家级旅游度假区后，村里成立了营销休闲假期、研学旅行的公司，并从事包括农业在内的其他活动。高燕表示，这个时机让景竹村能够利用其靠近遗产地的优势来扩大发展。

去年，超过 150 万 名游客访问了该村，创造了超过 1 亿 元的收入。村民的人均可支配收入已超过 2.7万,000 元，这一数字明显高于重庆市类似的农村村庄。

“当地人从遗产地中获益，”该村农文旅发展公司负责人陈张表示。他说道，自世界遗产地命名以来，村民的收入平均每年增长 10% 以上。

餐厅老板冉一杰就是一群找到分享增长方式的年轻村民之一。在当地政府的支持下，他将家里的闲置房屋改造成了一家供应当地美食的餐厅。他表示，作为民宿联盟政策的一部分，当地政府承担了装修费用，根据该政策，村里的闲置房屋被升级用于商业用途，随后归还给村民，且升级后的设施予以保留。

他的母亲最初担任厨房帮工，现在负责准备当地特色汤品，而他的父亲在餐厅旁边开了一家小店。

近年来，近 200 人要么从外部返回，要么来到景竹村创业。他们经营民宿、种植水果、开办餐厅，将曾经空荡的院落变成了繁忙的旅游中心。

这种发展并未以牺牲环境保护为代价。当地官员表示，景竹村的森林覆盖率保持在 75% 左右，每立方厘米的负氧离子浓度约为 3.5万,000 个。他们表示，该村采取的方法是将核心遗产区严格保护起来，允许在缓冲区和周边地区进行适当利用，并帮助居民通过餐饮、民宿、水果种植等周边产业增加收入。钟乳石被灯光照亮，以吸引游客前往武隆的芙蓉洞。

摄影：何鹏雷 / 中新社

右图及下图：游客参观位于重庆武隆的武隆喀斯特世界遗产地三天然桥景区。

五月，武隆昭云山的高山杜鹃花盛开。摄影：肖江川 / 中新社 China Watch 材料由中国日报发行公司代表中国日报（北京）发行。--- 广告

国家林业和草原局世界遗产专家委员会副秘书长刘宝堂表示，武隆已建立起一套三层保护与发展体系。核心层严格保护，周边层通过社区参与进行开发，外层则支持自然教育、旅游、体育和文化活动。刘宝堂说：“保护与发展不再相互抵触。”

户外体育赛事和活动已成为可持续利用的另一条路径。武隆市文化和旅游委员会副主任黄伟表示，仙女山景观道是中国国际山地户外运动公开赛的核心路段，该赛事已运行 20 多年，吸引了来自 70 多个国家的参赛者。他表示，武隆拥有 24 条徒步路线，跨度达 481 英里。2024 年，其户外运动产业创造了超过 10 亿美元 元的收入，接待了超过 1000 万 人次的体育旅游访客，为 3,000 多名居民创造了稳定的就业机会。

中国地质科学院岩溶地质研究所研究员陈卫海表示，武隆喀斯特具有世界级品质。三天然桥 1 英里范围内的桥梁构成了世界上最大的串珠状天然桥群之一，而后坪巨型落水洞群为研究喀斯特发育和区域地质变化提供了重要证据。

然而，对于景竹村来说，世界遗产地的意义也体现在更平凡的场景中：一名年轻人回到家乡烹饪当地菜肴，家庭将闲置房屋转化为生意，果农直接向游客销售水果，古老的院落再次变得热闹起来。

犹他州海兰（Highland）孤峰高中（Lone Peak High School）的中文教师艾伦·希斯（Alan Heath）在过去一年中带领了约 60 名学生前往中国参加交流项目。葛切尔西 / 中国日报

从课堂学习到现实邂逅 作者：LIA ZHU 和 CHELSEA GE

红色的剪纸和水墨书法覆盖着墙壁。门边的一块标牌写着“100%说中文”。当艾伦·希思（Alan Heath）走到教室前面时，他的学生们起立，双手在身前交叠并鞠躬。希思也回以鞠躬。这种传统的中国问候与尊重之礼——作揖，被用于每堂课的开始。这是犹他州海兰（Highland）孤峰高中（Lone Peak High School）每天重复的一个小仪式。然而，对于教授高级大学先修课程（AP）中文语言与文化课程的希思来说，这个鞠躬是试图一次次在教室中搭建起两种文化之间的桥梁。

“更重要的不是语言本身，而是对文化的理解，对思维方式的理解，以及理解为什么中国人会那样思考，”希思说道。“一旦你做到了这一点，无论你的语言水平如何，你都能建立更好的关系。”

希思在 19 岁时开始学习中文，他最初遇到的困难最终转化为热爱。他随后在杨百翰大学学习国际关系和中文，然后在贸易咨询领域工作多年，之后在一家家谱组织工作，直到 15 年前步入教室。

“我选择教中文是因为中文对我的生活产生了巨大的影响，而且我热爱这门语言。我热爱这种文化……我想教中文，分享我对这门语言和文化的知识与经验，这样其他美国人也能学会热爱这种文化和语言。”

今年 3 月，希思带领 32 名学生进行了一次为期两周的旅行，访问了北京；河南省的郑州和开封；以及陕西省的西安。这次旅程是通过中国的“青年使者奖学金”项目实现的，该项目成立于 2023 年，目标是在五年内吸引 5万,000 名美国青年来华交流学习。

从六岁起就开始学习中文的肯纳迪·帕克（Kennady Pack）表示，这次旅行将多年的课堂学习变成了触手可及的现实。行程包括在北京购物和漫步街头、攀登长城部分地段、在校园里与中国学生交流，以及在西安面对兵马俑方阵。然而，帕克说，这次旅行真正的力量在于亲眼看到了她此前仅在教科书中学习到的内容。

她的同学达米安·兰伯特（Damian Lambert）表示，他在希思课堂上积累的语言技能将这次旅行从简单的观光变成了真正的连接。

希思的理念是，真正的流利只能通过有意义的对话而非死记硬背来实现。“如果你只背单词，你将永远停留在初级水平。如果你背句子，那么你可能处于中级水平，”他说。“我们希望所有的学生都能达到高级水平，能够以段落的形式交谈。段落是你可以与他人交换思想的载体。”

更多信息存档于华盛顿特区美国司法部（DOJ）。

--- 7 个问题

玛丽·斯汀伯根 (Mary Steenburgen)

这位演员兼慈善家谈到了匹克球的吸引力、枫糖浆的极限，以及一个她深切关注的人道主义事业。

您主演的匹克球喜剧《The Dink》于 7 月 24 日在 Apple TV 上映。您自己为什么打匹克球？

我在其中发现了一些我在这个年龄 [73] 能够做到的事情，而且我能把它练好——也许不到顶尖或世界级，但能练好——然后和朋友们一起寻找乐趣，并感觉自己拥有一项运动。自从 40 多岁开始参加游泳比赛以来，我就一直缺失这种感觉。

您认为匹克球被认为是美国增长最快的运动，其受欢迎程度之所以呈爆炸式增长，是因为什么？

因为它具有某种平等主义色彩。所有年龄段的人都可以玩。任何体型的人都能在让自己获得快感和喜悦的水平上进行比赛。

《The Dink》探讨了一个真实的冲突：关于比赛空间的争夺。匹克球的扩张引起了一些不满。

我对此有亲身感受，因为我业余时间打网球，还和儿子一起打篮球，而匹克球侵占了我们的空间。

您对我们这些处于冲突另一方的人有同情心吗？

并不太有。[笑] 我希望网球，或者天哪，希望篮球这项运动消失吗？不。网球很优雅。而篮球，噢我的天，是一项充满激情与才华的神奇运动。所有这些运动都有其生存空间。我们非得一直为了这些事情争斗吗？就篮球而言，那是您和您儿子在场上。我上周和两个孙女一起打匹克球，从中了解了她们两人的情况。这其中有一种神圣感。我认为我们不需要在各种有趣的事情之间做选择。

您出演了《精灵》(Elf) 这部绝对的圣诞经典，并且真的吃掉了威尔·法瑞尔 (Will Ferrell) 饰演的角色所钟爱的意面加枫糖浆的混合物。那味道怎么样？

《The Dink》中出现了匹克球的“发力呻吟声”。这种情况真的会发生吗？

我在匹克球比赛中听过。而且在匹克球中这比在网球中更让我觉得好笑，因为在网球中，从一端到另一端确实很远。但在匹克球中，距离并不远。你不需要发出呻吟声。

正如你所想。这不是我吃过最糟糕的东西。枫糖浆能让一切变得更好。但这并不是你的味蕾在吃意面时所期待的味道。

在 2025 年的艾美奖上，您和您的丈夫泰德·丹森 (Ted Danson) 获得了鲍勃·霍普人道主义奖。您一直积极参与各种事业。目前有什么新的项目在推进吗？

有的。我曾经认识两位医生，他们有一个叫萨姆 (Sam) 的小男孩，他患有早衰症 (progeria)，也就是早衰综合征。我和这个小男孩成了朋友，并在他过于短暂的一生中一直与他保持友谊。但他的母亲与 [前 NIH 院长] 弗朗西斯·柯林斯 (Francis Collins) 博士一起发现了一种基因编辑方法，以及一个能将该方法带入身体器官的小设备，它可以应用于小鼠并重新编辑基因，使得如今早衰症患者实际上可以好转。如果它对早衰症有效，那么所有这些罕见且严重缺乏资金的疾病就有可能得到缓解。他们需要筹集大约 $20 to 2500万美元，才能让第一位患者接受治疗。

您是一位获得过奥斯卡奖且职业生涯如此长久且多样化的演员。在职业生涯方面，您还有什么“人生清单”上的目标吗？

我从未演过莎士比亚。我也没演过一些我本该尝试的伟大的南方题材戏剧。我在家庭、工作和婚姻之间寻求平衡，但我也有一份对我而言非常重要且相对独立的职业，那就是创作音乐。我对我的职业生涯没有任何失望之处。对我来说，能够从事这份工作依然觉得很疯狂。我热爱其中的一点就是我没有计划。我觉得命中注定属于我的东西终会来到我身边。

——肖恩·格雷戈里 (SEAN GREGORY)

64 《时代》杂志 August 17, 2026 MART WOMEN / REV. 2027 / 1 / 2026

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TIME100

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[数据参考] 以下原文数字因单位格式转换可能未在译文中完整体现（供参考）：9144733、200000、100000、300000、800000、650000

AUG. 17, 2026

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The Brief

THE SLEEP HABITS OF JAPAN'S PREMIER

INDIA'S GALLOPING 'COCKROACH' MOVEMENT

A SURGE IN MEASLES CASES

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS PIZZELLO

3

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THE BRIEF OPENER

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S JULY 16 SHOW from the White House had all the drama. New documents pulled from the forgotten archives. Reports of guns, faked voter-registration documents, gift-card payments for forgeries. Documents that Barack Obama had tossed into "burn bags" to hide from his successor. Fake ballots printed by China, ballot rigging by Venezuela, and North Korea plotting vote-changing.

For Trump's base—of which 66% already believe the 2020 results were rigged—the night was a confirmation of their suspicions that the system is so corrupt that nothing can be trusted. Trump, with documents he said he declassified with the help of his spy chiefs, had finally proved that foreign actors were the real reason why he'd lost.

But almost immediately, the new documents—some with heavy redactions—told a more complicated story. Trump's presentation was a rhetorical win but a fact checker's minefield. And while he may have met his goal of leaving his supporters incensed, even that may end up backfiring bigly.

ELECTION DATA IS COMPLICATED...

Trump made some claims that left viewers with the impression that hundreds of millions of Americans' personal information had been hacked in 2020 by China in "the largest compromise of election data in history." But in many cases, the information in question is already online—in many states, put there by the boards of elections. So while China may have found out who could vote, that alone is not enough to prove malfeasance. And it was far from evidence that Beijing was doing anything unusual, let alone nefarious.

...SO IS WASHINGTON'S RELATIONSHIP WITH BEIJING

Even before Trump began his speech, the Chinese embassy in Washington had a denial for reporters: Beijing "has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S."

Complicating matters further is the upcoming late-September visit to Washington by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump and Xi have a delicate relationship, one that may define the century. Open feuding would be far from productive. Then there's this wrinkle: in the final days of Trump's first term, his own Director of National Intelligence at the time, John Ratcliffe, presented the findings of the nation's spy organizations that, at least according to the unclassified version, there were no indications that any foreign actor—including China—attempted or succeeded in altering "any technical aspect" of the 2020 election vote.

TRUMP IS TRYING TO SALVAGE THE SAVE ACT

It took up just the last two minutes of Trump's 27-minute speech, but the one action item that might actually be added to Washington's agenda is an elections bill that doesn't have the votes in the Senate. Trump's obsession with the SAVE Act is rooted in his belief that voting is too easy for those who shouldn't, and that Democrats oppose the voter-ID requirements and mail-in restrictions only because they get an advantage from the current system.

But Trump didn't have the votes going into the speech. And he didn't have them coming out.

SCARY ALLEGATIONS ARE NOT THE WHOLE STORY

If voters listened to Trump's speech without any skepticism, things sounded really, really scary.

But while there are kernels of truth to what Trump is saying, that was also true of the raw intelligence cherry-picked to justify invading Iraq. A "low-confidence" observation found in a file is different from a verified operation. Yes, voting is imperfect. No, it's not rife with corruption. Trump went 0 for 62 in court challenges to the 2020 vote.

THIS PRESENTATION MAY BACKFIRE ON REPUBLICANS

Certainly, the main headline for Trump's base was a told-ya-so. At face value, the speech left voters with the impression that he found a vault of evidence that the deep state had buried findings that the 2020 election was not on the up-and-up, foreign influence was everywhere in plain sight, and no one

should really trust those results—or maybe even the results of the elections happening in just a few months.

But here's the thing about Trump's message: it might be factually specious, but it's politically resonant. Presented with this new handpicked evidence, that base is only going to further distrust the entire democratic process. Presented as chicanery, it's tough to convince would-be voters that waiting in line to cast ballots is anything but a sucker's game. Eroding confidence in the system may help when you're claiming the Democrats may have stolen majorities in the House and Senate, but it's bad for democracy and GOP turnout.

If Trump is going to avoid endless oversight hearings and maybe even a third impeachment, it'll be harder if the Republicans only have a minority of either chamber. Trump may have felt good about his performance, but he may end up regretting it if his base sits out the balloting because the President convinced them that voting is a waste of time. □

'Americans were blatantly lied to about the security of our election infrastructure.'

—PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, IN A SPEECH REVISITING THE BASELESS CLAIM THAT THE 2020 ELECTION WAS RIGGED

The Brief includes reporting by Chantelle Lee

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The toll of war

Veterans salute during a candlelight vigil for Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad outside her home in Queens, New York, on July 27. Rampersad was killed during an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan on July 17. Two others, First Lieut. Tyler James Feehan and Private Isabella Gonzales, were also killed in the attack, bringing the U.S. death toll in the Iran war to 18.

THE BULLETIN

Japanese PM provokes national debate on work boundaries

For Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a day off means more work. In July, as the country enjoyed a three-day weekend, Takaichi apparently spent the time poring over policy documents and catching up on domestic work. “I was able to get five hours of sleep for the first time in a while,” she posted on social media. “Since taking office, getting zero to three hours of sleep has become the norm.” The perhaps surprising response to her post is evidence of what experts say is a larger shift in the country’s work culture.

OVERTIME Takaichi’s post may have been meant as “a kind of appeal” to conservative voters, says Li Hao, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, implying that she is maintaining both her political work and

traditional gendered labor of women in the home. When Takaichi was elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in October, she announced, “I will abandon the phrase work-life balance. I will work, work, work, work and keep on working.”

OVERWORK Some say it’s a message that increasingly falls flat with young voters, as the post draws scrutiny from those who argue Takaichi is upholding an unhealthy, outdated standard. Opposition lawmakers have suggested she is over-emphasizing quantity of work over quality. The criticism reflects a gradual shift in attitudes toward work and gender roles,

says James Brown, professor of international affairs and political science at Temple University, Japan. “The traditional expectation was that a big part of your identity is as an employee.”

SLOW CHANGE In May, Yawata Mayor Shoko Kawata faced backlash after announcing that she’d become Japan’s first sitting mayor to take maternity leave. But several karoshi, or “overwork death,” cases have prompted labor reforms aimed at bettering work-life balance. Parts of the LDP have also shown concern given Japan’s aging population and low birth rate. Takaichi’s view, Brown says, is “increasingly an outlier.”

—MIRANDA JEYARETNAM

OPENING PAGE: AP: VETERANS; YUKI: IMAMURA; AP: TAKAICHI; RIGCARDO DE LUCE; ANADOLIS; GETTY IMAGES

5

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THE BRIEF NEWS

GOOD QUESTION

Where did India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement come from?

BY CONNOR GREENE

WHAT STARTED AS A SATIRICAL ONLINE CAMPAIGN earlier this year has quickly swelled into a formidable real-world political force that has challenged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing government and ousted one of its key officials, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The youth-led “Cockroach movement” has seemed to come out of nowhere, as tens of thousands of supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have taken to the streets across India since June to call for the resignation of Pradhan and reforms to India’s troubled education system after a widespread leak of medical entrance-exam questions nullified the results for more than 2 million students. In June, CJP members began staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, a Delhi landmark famous for protests, refusing to move until Pradhan resigned. Along with students, professionals and families with young children joined the demonstrations there. At one point, thousands of young people attempted to storm the Parliament building in Delhi and faced violent suppression from the police. A separate sit-in was also held at Modi’s residence, where Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India’s opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), which has also rallied behind the Cockroach movement, was detained. One man, Sonam Wangchuk, an education activist who has been detained by Modi’s government for past demonstrations, began a hunger strike that lasted for 26 days and compelled government officials to make concessions to the group’s demands.

IN THE SPRING, Indian authorities voided the results of the May 3 National Eligibility cum Entrance Test exam, the country’s highly competitive entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical programs, after an investigation found that questions had been leaked. Though the situation served as the spark for the protests, the movement gained momentum by tapping into young people’s broader anger over extremely high unemployment rates and economic pressures.

The CJP itself was born in response to a comment that India’s Chief Justice made during an unrelated hearing the same month of the testing scandal, in which she compared young unemployed people to “cockroaches” and “parasites.” The movement’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, who was then living in the U.S. after graduating from Boston

A demonstrator at a CJP protest in Mumbai on July 16

‘A party for the young people who keep getting called lazy.’

—COCKROACH JANTA PARTY

University, wrote on his social media in response: “What if all cockroaches came together?”

That initial post drew a huge reaction, and Dipke proceeded to build out the movement from there. He created social media accounts and a website for the Cockroach Janta Party—whose name references both the Chief Justice’s remark and the country’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party—and garnered a fast-growing following. Within mere weeks, over 20 million people had followed Dipke’s accounts, and the Modi government temporarily blocked the CJP’s X account in the country.

As the movement gained momentum, Dipke decided to return to India to lead it in Delhi and at events across the country. “Build a party for the

young people who keep getting called lazy, chronically online, and—most recently—cockroaches,” the CJP declares on its website. “That’s it. That’s the mission. The rest is satire.”

And yet there is in fact more to the movement, which is now pushing for wider reforms. A manifesto on the website details five key demands: re-

stricting Chief Justices from being appointed to Parliament following their retirement; arresting the chief election commissioner if any citizens’ votes are erased; reserving 50% of Cabinet positions for women while raising the current quota to increase female representation across the government from 33% to 50%; creating a more independent media; and barring any lawmaker who switches political parties from holding a government position for 20 years.

A separate “charter” on the website, titled 5 DEMANDS TO END INDIA’S EXAM CRISIS, includes establishing new and reforming current examination bodies.

After celebrating Pradhan’s resignation in late July, Dipke said in a video to his millions of followers, “This is just the beginning.”

6 TIME August 17, 2026

INDIA: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, MALAYSIA: THE MANHATTAN POST-GEETY IMAGES, SYDNEY: PAUL ANDHELEN—FLEMING/GETTY IMAGES, ALTMAN: AL DHABI—BUDDHABI/GETTY IMAGES

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MILESTONES

APPOINTED

Andy Burnham, as the U.K.'s new Prime Minister, after meeting with King Charles III on July 20, making him the country's seventh leader in 10 years.

OPENED

The Gordie Howe International Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, on July 27. Intended as a symbol of trade ties, the bridge has become a locus of U.S.-Canada tensions.

ANNOUNCED

A full-term run for the late Senator Lindsey Graham's South Carolina seat by his sister Darline Graham Nordone, on July 20. She had been tapped to serve as his temporary replacement after his death on July 11.

DIED

German scientist Gunther von Hagens, who created the controversial "Body Worlds" exhibits, featuring posed human corpses, on July 24 at 81. Von Hagens previously said that after he died, he wanted his body to be plastinated and presented at one of his exhibits.

DIAGNOSED

Singer-songwriter Carly Simon, with Parkinson's disease, she revealed to the AP on July 27.

A South Carolina caregiver assesses a patient with measles symptoms

RECORDED

35-year high for measles

The outbreaks continue to spread

MEASLES IS AN OLD SCOURGE THAT'S RAPIDLY RE-EMERGING AS a new one. According to numbers released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 24, there have been 2,318 cases of measles reported nationwide so far this year, already exceeding the 2,289 cases reported in all of 2025. The current figure is the highest incidence of measles in 35 years.

The surge has come amid a backdrop of changes to childhood vaccinations. In January 2026, the CDC changed the childhood-vaccine schedule after President Donald Trump directed the agency to review other developed countries' vaccine recommendations. The new guidelines reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children from 17 to 11. Though the measles vaccine is still on the "recommended" list, recent research published in Science showed that changes in the CDC's messaging under the Trump Administration reduced the public's trust in vaccines, while increasing perceptions that they are not safe.

Generally, it takes 95% vaccination coverage to achieve what is known as herd immunity, the protection that is afforded when there are so many people inoculated against a disease that the pathogen can't gain an infectious toehold in a society. Vaccination rates are not available for the 2025–2026 school year, but for 2024–2025 the number was just 92.5%, down from 95.2% in 2019–2020.

That much of a drop in vaccination coverage creates pockets for viruses to spread. Of measles cases so far in 2026 and for the entirety of last year, 93% have been among unvaccinated children. This year, 7% of those cases resulted in hospitalizations. There have been no deaths so far this year, but there were three in 2025—one of them an unvaccinated adult, and two of them unvaccinated children. Said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, in an email to TIME: "I think it is fair to say that measles is epidemic in the United States." —JEFFREY KLUGER

HACKED

AI security test

Loss of control

OpenAI was evaluating its artificial intelligence models' ability to exploit vulnerable software when instead the models hacked the infrastructure surrounding the test, broke containment, and attacked a real company, OpenAI revealed on July 21. Observers say this is the first real-world instance of AI doing something researchers have long worried about: a loss-of-control scenario. If the industry fails to learn from it, it is unlikely to be the last.

Hugging Face, a company that hosts AI models and datasets, was the target of the autonomous attack, and reported the incident to police before it knew OpenAI's models were responsible. Many termed the incident a "warning shot" and have called for stronger containment. OpenAI said "this incident points to the need to further strengthen our model's alignment, cyber-protections during evaluation time, and monitoring during internal testing." —Harry Booth

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

7

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THE BRIEF TIME WITH

Representative Jason Crow pushes service and flipping the House

BY PHILIP ELLIOTT

THE DEATH THREATS ARRIVED ALMOST immediately.

Representative Jason Crow, along with five other Democrats in Congress with national-security backgrounds, had recorded a video last November reminding those working in military and intelligence roles that they did not have to follow illegal orders. A message careful to stick to the letter of the law prompted President Donald Trump to call for its makers to be arrested and charged with treason. “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!” read a social media post that Trump publicly shared. A federal grand jury in Washington declined the Justice Department’s effort to indict the lawmakers. That victory hasn’t mitigated Crow’s anger at how he believes the President’s response put his family’s safety at risk.

“I’m really bad at sitting in a foxhole and having people lob grenades at me,” Crow, a former paratrooper and Army Ranger, tells TIME on a June afternoon at Democratic National Committee headquarters. “I’m going to lob them back.”

The fallout from the viral video placed Crow, 47, in the strongest national spotlight since 2019, when he was a House freshman tapped to be a prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial. In the interim, his stature on Capitol Hill has steadily grown, as Crow emerged as a go-to voice for his party on national security. The midterm elections could further elevate his standing, as he’s helped lead candidate recruitment for House Democrats, prioritizing veterans and others with backgrounds in national security.

In Crow’s mind, these elections will show voters that Democrats have learned how to run effectively on national-security issues, while still hammering Republicans on the twin tentpoles of cost and corruption. At the same time, Crow says his party is in need of a hard reset before 2028—though, like many, he is still workshoping ideas for what might work.

“There is actually an opportunity to build something new—not rebuild, not go back, not try to reconstitute what once was, because Americans don’t want that,” he says.

Should Democrats take the House this fall, Crow is in prime position to be a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee’s majority.

JASON CROW QUICK FACTS

Military background

An Army Ranger and paratrooper, he completed three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.

Veterans’ advocate

When Crow transitioned back to civilian life, he struggled to get his veterans’ benefits. That experience led him to advocate for fellow veterans, including serving on the Colorado board of veterans affairs.

House Democrats’ recruitment lead

Crow helped persuade a raft of would-be candidates to make bids for House seats and, once in, he’s been a go-to gut check for his recruits.

Independent streak

While he has had a meteoric rise inside a party known for protecting its old guard, Crow has been anything but a yes-man. That independence gives him added credibility across the party’s factions.

Should a Democrat reclaim the White House in 2028, his name is likely to come up on the short lists for Cabinet positions. He also has his eye on Colorado’s Senate seat, and is not shy about a possible White House run down the line.

First, though, Crow has to navigate this tricky political moment, one that has Democrats feeling ascendant but still staring down low approval ratings. It’s not entirely unfamiliar terrain for Crow, who rode an earlier anti-Trump wave while vowing to stand up to party leaders he viewed as failing to meet the moment. Only this time, he’s on the inside.

EIGHT YEARS AGO, Crow was one of House Democrats’ top recruits—a lawyer and veterans’ advocate who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even still, he was far from a sure thing when he challenged Representative Mike Coffman, a fixture in Colorado Republican circles since Crow was in middle school. “This was an unwinnable race, remember?” Crow recalls with a smirk.

To show he wasn’t running against just Trump, but Washington writ large, Crow vowed not to vote for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker if Democrats won a House majority, which they did. When it came time for the vote, Crow defied the most powerful Democrat in Washington by casting his ballot for Tammy Duckworth, a fellow veteran representing Illinois in the Senate.

“I explained that this was not personal. This was part of a larger effort to usher in that next generation,” Crow recalls.

Ten months later, when it became clear that the Trump impeachment train was leaving the station for its first go-round, Pelosi rang up her former detractor. It was, Crow said later, “like being called into the principal’s office.” Pelosi needed someone with his skill set and temperament to convey the stakes of Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine without coming off as a partisan hack. While the House voted to impeach, the Senate declined to convict.

For Crow during that period, death threats became routine. He had an armed guard outside his house. A security detail walked his kids to

8 TIME August 17, 2026

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school. Which brings him to last year. The security had to be called back. His “illegal orders” video brought about another round of threats—including some from Trump that Crow’s office referred to the Capitol Police, according to an email obtained by TIME.

Crow’s national-security background has helped propel his reach in Congress, where he’s a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee as well as the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee’s spy panel. When House Democrats needed someone to run point on a panel investigating the failed assassination against Trump in Butler, Pa., they tapped Crow.

But it’s his work helping Democrats win back the House that may win him the most chits. As a leader in candidate recruitment for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Crow has his hands in just about every contested race in the country, and is making a point of finding people he believes voters will view as “street fighters.”

“The oath of service I took doesn’t expire,” says

Crow is a go-to voice for his party on national security

‘There is actually an opportunity to build something new.’

—REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW

JoAnna Mendoza, a retired Marine Corps drill sergeant and Crow recruit who is taking on Representative Juan Ciscomani, an Arizona Republican, in one of the top toss-up races in the country.

Mendoza has the support of Crow and the DCCC well before her primary. It’s a different story in some House races in other states where the DCCC either professed neutrality or backed a different candidate from whomever Crow endorsed through his political action committee, Service First.

Crow’s theory is that some of his preferred candidates—Marine drill sergeants, federal prosecutors—are more likely to excite those who are down on both parties.

If his instincts prove right, Crow may bring a whole raft of newcomers to Congress who are loyal to a mentor who helped get them there. Whatever Crow’s future ambitions, a cohort of fellow street fighters might come in handy.

“I have an independent streak to me,” he concedes. “But, you know, when we win, people will be pretty happy about that.”

JENKINS COUNTIES—REDUCE

9

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LIGHTBOX

Blazing Fury

A wildfire burns in the Gironde region in southwest France, part of a hellscape spreading across Western Europe. Since mid-July, France, Portugal, and Spain have been put to the torch, after a deadly combination of drought and high temperatures left the ground tinder dry. In France, in the last week of the month, an area four times the size of Paris was ablaze. In Spain, wildfires outside Madrid covered 606 sq. mi. In Portugal, uncontrolled fires sent a smoke plume 385 miles westward over the Atlantic Ocean. Across the region, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate.

Photograph by Stephane Mahe—Reuters

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The image is too blurry to recognize any text content.

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THE BRIEF HEALTH

5 summer skin-care tips dermatologists swear by

BY ANGELA HAUPT

ASK A DERMATOLOGIST WHAT THEY do once the temperature climbs, and you'll quickly realize they don't approach summer the way most of us do. While everyone else is thinking about beach days and begrudgingly applying too little sunscreen, they're thinking about scalp burns, trapped sweat, missed moles, and the tiny mistakes that can add up over years.

Some apply antiperspirant before bed so it has hours to start blocking sweat before the next day's heat. Others keep extra sunglasses stashed in their car or jacket so they're never caught squinting in bright sun. Still others swap heavy moisturizers for lighter formulas as humidity rises. And when they head outside, they're already thinking about the body parts most people fail to protect. Many won't schedule laser treatments for sun spots—flat brown patches on the skin caused by UV damage—until fall, knowing that a few weeks of summer sunshine can undo the results. Some even use dandruff shampoo as a body wash on stubborn skin rashes that are triggered by oil and sweat.

None of these habits is the product of eccentricity. They're simply the kinds of adjustments that come from spending every day diagnosing skin cancer, treating sun damage, and helping patients undo problems that often could have been prevented. Years of seeing those mistakes have made many of these routines almost automatic.

"We are so regimented and we are so particular—it's so funny," says Dr. Purvisha Patel, a dermatologist and founder of Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Associates in Memphis. The people who examine skin for a living, it turns out, tend to be meticulous about their own.

Here are five of the summer habits they rarely skip themselves.

1. They hit the spots everyone else forgets

Sunscreen failures tend to happen in the same overlooked places, and dermatologists are vigilant about all of them: the tops and backs of the ears, the scalp and part line, the tops of the feet, the backs of the legs, and even under the chin, which catches sun on the water. "It's not just the sun from above—you're getting the reflection of the water," says Dr. Melanie Palm of Art of Skin MD in San Diego. Don't forget your lips; Palm recommends a balm with zinc. And mind your toes too. "You don't want to have little sausage beans of red digits at the end of the day," she says.

2. They treat sunglasses as skin care

Sunscreen stops at the eyes, but the sun doesn't. Cumulative UV exposure is linked to cataracts and growths on the sclera, or the white of the eye, which Palm says she sometimes sees in longtime surfers. It can also lead to melanoma of the eye, which is why she looks for sunglass lenses with broad coverage against both UVA and UVB, as well as polarization if you're around water.

3. They let everything breathe

Patel steers clear of tight synthetic fabrics, especially for underwear, which can set you up for rashes, ingrown hairs, and yeast infections. "Everything needs to breathe," she says. Her rule of thumb is to choose cotton, which is breathable and wicks moisture away from the skin, unlike synthetics like polyester that tend to trap heat and sweat against it—creating warm, damp conditions that encourage the growth of yeast and bacteria.

4. They rinse off the second they stop sweating

Letting sweat dry on your skin isn't harmless. As it evaporates, it leaves behind salt that can irritate sensitive or eczema-prone skin, and the lingering moisture can encourage the growth of bacteria on the skin. As the salt sits there, "it starts creating an environment that's more acidic, and you can be more prone to things like folliculitis and breakouts," Palm says, which is why a quick rinse after a workout or hot afternoon is a good idea.

5. If something looks off, they speak up

Because people tend to show more skin this time of year, your partner or friend might notice a suspicious spot (or you might notice one on them). If you do, say something. And "if something doesn't match the rest of your spots and moles, it might be worth mentioning" to your doctor, Palm says.

12 TIME August 17, 2026

ILLUSTRATION BY SOL COTTI FOR TIME

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The View

NATION

WE CAN'T LOOK AWAY

BY KICA MATOS

After sustained outrage over the murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis forced a public reckoning with ICE, I hoped the worst was behind us. July showed me I was wrong: two more deaths in six days. And this latest wave of violence is fueled by the tens of billions of dollars in new funding the agency received from a Congress that has failed to impose any restraints on ICE. ▶

INSIDE

RUSSIA TARGETS THE WORLD FOOD SUPPLY IN UKRAINE

THE DANGERS OF THE SAUDI NUCLEAR DEAL

AN ECONOMIC UPDATE ON DATING EXPECTATIONS

13

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THE VIEW OPENER

On July 7, an ICE officer shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo through the window of his van in Houston. Six days later, an officer shot Joan Sebastián Guerrero to death in his car on a quiet street in Biddeford, Maine. Two fathers. Killed in two consecutive weeks. In both instances, the agents were not wearing body cameras. And both times the government reached for a similar script alleging that the driver “weaponized” his vehicle. We are told to take that on faith. I don’t, and neither should you.

Salgado Araujo built homes in this country he called home for more than 30 years. He was raising three sons, one already an engineer and one studying to become one. He was not even the person agents were looking for—none of the men in his van were. Those men—his brother and two co-workers—now may be the only surviving witnesses to what happened. According to representatives for their families, they have since been detained by ICE and have been pressured to sign paperwork that would allow their immediate deportation.

The shooting took place in Magnolia Park, Houston’s oldest Mexican American neighborhood. Local advocates say ICE frequently conducts early-morning operations in the neighborhood as people leave home for work. The targeted approach arguably reflects how ICE’s tactics have shifted under the leadership of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Since he took on the role, violent encounters in immigrant neighborhoods have continued, but Americans often see and hear about them only when someone dies.

Guerrero was 25 years old. He immigrated to the U.S. from Colombia in search of a better future for his family. According to a joint statement by the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presents’ Maine, he had a work permit and a Social Security number. He worked two jobs to support his wife and daughter. He, too, was not the man ICE was hunting the day they shot him dead.

A neighbor watched from his window as agents pulled Guerrero from his car, bleeding, and reported that

The Houston location where Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed on July 7

he told the agents, “I tried to stop.” Those may be the last words Guerrero ever spoke. Another neighbor heard the gunfire and ran outside to find Guerrero’s wife, screaming on her knees beside their 3-year-old daughter still in her Bluey pajamas. “I heard agony,” the neighbor said. “I heard a howl that came from your soul, that your whole life had just changed and it was never going to be the same.”

THESE KILLINGS ARE not isolated incidents. The New York Times reports that at least 22 people have been shot at by ICE agents since President Trump returned to office. Five are dead—three of them U.S. citizens. In Minneapolis, agents were wearing body cameras but federal prosecutors did not release the footage for months.

The Fourth Amendment protects every person on U.S. soil—citizen or not—from unreasonable seizure and unjustified deadly force. It is clear to me that ICE has threatened people’s constitutional rights, treating them as optional. The agency appears to be accountable to no one but itself.

Our collective power to hold ICE accountable starts with looking out for our neighbors and speaking

out against injustice in our communities. But lasting change requires action from our elected officials. Outrage without a demand changes nothing. So here are ours:

Every ICE officer in the field should wear a body camera, and footage of any shooting must be released within days. ICE officers should be prohibited from wearing masks. Every ICE shooting should be investigated by an independent body with real subpoena power, answerable to Congress, not to DHS. And qualified immunity—the shield that lets federal agents kill and walk away—has to end.

Joan Sebastián Guerrero’s 3-year-old daughter watched her father die in the street. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s brother sat beside him when he was shot. Two families needlessly lost the people they love to a rogue and violent agency. We owe them the truth. And to every family after them, to keep fighting to uphold the constitutional protections this government has so far refused to provide.

Now. Before another name, another van, another street stained with blood that didn’t have to be spilled.

Matos is president of the National Immigration Law Center

14 TIME August 17, 2026

FROM LITTLE LADON W. SPENCER—AP: MICHAEL SPENCER—AP

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The Risk Report

By Ian Bremmer

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

IT HAS BEEN A SUMMER OF GOOD news for Ukraine. Its drone strikes deep inside Russia have created gasoline shortages, strained Russia's economy, stoked anxiety among ordinary Russians, and created headaches for Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian forces have effectively isolated occupied Crimea from the Russian mainland, and they continue to strike Russian vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

But Russia has scored some points of its own recently, and not just by terrorizing Ukrainian civilians with long-range missiles.

A newly intense campaign against Ukraine's Black Sea ports is exposing a shortage of air-defense interceptors, disrupting grain exports, undermining export revenue, and halting arms deliveries to Ukrainian forces. Agricultural products account for 60% of the country's goods exports, and Russia's attacks come just as Ukraine's farmers prepare for the harvest season.

If the disruption lasts, Russia could choke off a crucial source of foreign currency for Ukraine and boost Russia's international negotiating leverage by inflicting pain on major grain importers in Africa and Asia.

Kyiv is playing down the damage. After a two-week Russian drone and missile barrage on Odesa and other coastal cities, Ukraine's Agriculture Minister claimed in July that ports were open and operational. But roughly 90% of shipowners have suspended port calls because, as in the Strait of Hormuz near Iran, insurance premiums have soared as

the risk of further attacks remains.

This is not the first shutdown of Black Sea traffic since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Waves of Russian attacks on ports in late 2025 and early 2026 did not slow operations for long. But this latest barrage is both broader and more intense, largely because Ukraine's recent successes, particularly inside Russia, have provoked Putin to try to reclaim battlefield momentum. For now, both Ukraine and Russia

A grain carrier hit by a Russian missile off Odesa on July 19

remain committed to aggressive military strategies.

UKRAINE'S IMMEDIATE PROBLEM is that it relies on its limited supply of American-supplied Patriot interceptors—the only reliable defense against Russian missiles—to protect its cities and military supply lines. Shifting the Patriots to protect ports would be both expensive and dangerous. Knowing this, Russia will continue its port attacks with both missiles and swarms of drones, offering insurers no reason to lower premiums and shipowners no incentive to return.

Beyond cutting into Ukraine's revenue and its ability to finance the war, Moscow also hopes to weaken international backing for Kyiv by driving up global food prices. Ukraine supplies a quarter of Egypt's wheat imports and about 18% of Indonesia's. It is also the E.U.'s largest corn supplier, provides 92% of its sunflower-oil imports, and remains an important source of feed grains and vegetable oils.

Putin is betting that higher food prices, at a time when the American war with Iran is already driving up the cost of oil and much else, will persuade Ukraine's trade partners, particularly in Europe, to press Kyiv to

de-escalate its attacks inside Russia. That strategy is unlikely to work.

European support for Ukraine remains strong, and governments suffering from higher prices are more likely to blame Moscow than Kyiv. But Putin is now so anxious for battlefield wins that he will stay the course even without a clear-cut victory. Nor should we expect a revival of the agreement brokered by the U.N. in July 2022 that restored safe maritime traffic to and from Ukrainian ports.

Just as the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has sent neighboring countries scrambling for new ways to move oil out of the Persian Gulf, Ukraine may be able to move grain through the Danube, via Romanian ports, and by rail, as it did in the war's early days. But as before, diversions are costly and logistically complicated.

For all these reasons, the shape of Russia's war on Ukraine will continue to shift as each side searches for new ways to break the battlefield stalemate in its favor. And the economic damage, felt well beyond Ukraine and Russia, will continue.

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THE VIEW INBOX

Health Matters

By Veronique Greenwood

STAFF WRITER

The preliminary report from the medical examiner in the death of Lindsey Graham, a U.S. Senator from South Carolina who served for 23 years and died suddenly on July 11 at age 71, found that he had suffered an aortic dissection. The most common type of that cardiac condition is lethal in about half of patients, and death can be almost instantaneous. For most people who are still alive when their dissection is spotted, often by a CT scan, the primary treatment is emergency open-heart surgery.

"The typical symptoms are sudden onset of chest pain that can radiate to the back or the neck," says Dr. Graham Cooper, a consultant cardiac surgeon in the U.K. and a trustee of the Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust. "That pain can come and go, or it can be there very strongly and then fade within minutes or hours, depending on how the dissection progresses."

Aortic dissections occur when the inner layer of tissue in the aorta, which carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, ruptures. This allows blood to rush into the space between the lining of the blood vessel and the outer parts of the wall, peeling the lining back and weakening the whole structure.

Wear and tear on the arteries is often a major cause, says Cooper. Prevention involves keeping blood pressure down and quitting smoking, but it's also important that families in which someone has experienced a dissection talk about it with a medical practitioner, as some cases are linked to genetic mutations that may be passed down.

Stay up to date on the latest health and wellness news at ti.me/HealthMatters

Trump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Nov. 18, 2025

The Brief

By Richard Hall

SENIOR EDITOR

THE U.S. HAS BEEN BOMBING IRAN in pursuit of a long-standing American goal: to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Yet elsewhere in the Middle East, it is adopting a very different policy. On July 22, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it had signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement deal that would allow Saudi Arabia to have a civilian nuclear program on its own soil in cooperation with American companies.

The apparent contradiction between the U.S. approach to Riyadh and its actions in Iran was lost on neither Middle East experts nor nuclear-nonproliferation experts, most of whom warned that the Saudi pact could kick-start a nuclear arms race in the region.

"If true, this is tantamount to the United States' giving up on nonproliferation," James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on social media.

"The highest standards of nonproliferation involve NOT transferring enrichment technology to a state that openly declares an interest in nuclear weapons," he added, in an apparent reference to the warning by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that if Iran developed a

nuclear weapon, Riyadh would be forced to do the same.

Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities, tells TIME the proposed deal differs from previous nuclear agreements with U.S. allies, because the U.S. has always built the plants itself. Whatever safeguards are in place to prevent technology transfer to Riyadh, Iran may still perceive the deal as a definitive move toward a nuclear-armed Saudi Arabia, she said.

"If Trump's goal in the war is to prevent weaponization, he is actively undermining his own goal because he has done something that is going to encourage Iran to pursue the bomb just to keep up with the neighbors on the other side of the Gulf," Kelanic said.

It soon became unclear whether the deal will go ahead. The morning after it was announced, Trump took to Truth Social to say that it was contingent on Saudi Arabia's joining the Abraham Accords, which would require normalization with Israel. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that if the kingdom does not join, "the deal is off."

Get all of the day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. Sign up for The Brief at ti.me/thebrief

16 TIME August 17, 2026

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11:11

TIME TheBrief

Richard Hall | July 30, 2026

Hello there. Today in The Brief, we have the latest on a terror attack at an LGBTQ Pride parade in Berlin. We're also covering the convergence of the wars in Iran and Ukraine, and what that means for both.

Plus: A viral sporting moment from Ireland and today's Linked awaits.

IN TODAY'S BRIEF

• How an OpenAI model went rogue
• Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey's new ending
• Berlin Pride attack suspect killed after manhunt
• Climate change hits the Tour de France
• The Iran and Ukraine wars are merging
• 40 million
• 75 years of pain and suffering

READ THIS FIRST

How OpenAI lost control of an AI model—and what needs to change

Nathan Posner—Anadolu/Getty Images

OpenAI was evaluating its artificial intelligence models' ability to exploit vulnerable software when, instead, the models tracked the infrastructure surrounding the test, broke containment, and attacked a real company. Observers say this is the first real-world instance of AI doing something researchers have long worked about, a loss

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THE VIEW ESSAY

SOCIETY

This economy’s rules of dating

BY MEEHIKA BARUA

I USED TO SAY THAT I WOULDN’T WANT TO DATE SOMEONE who lives with their parents or with roommates. But with the current cost-of-living crisis, who can blame them? The alternative is simply unaffordable.

Actor Callum Turner echoed this sentiment when he was asked whether it’s a red flag for someone with a full-time job to live with their parents: “In this economy? That’s fine!” Monica Barbaro, his co-star in the film One Night Only, added that every millennial had to go back home after college to live with their parents.

The only people I know who can afford to live by themselves are people who inherited money or property. I remember dating a guy in my early 20s who lived with his parents. We spent time at my flat or booked an Airbnb or a hotel, which was exhausting and annoying. When we broke up, I said, “Never again!” The lack of stability was simply too frustrating to continue. But in the current economy, I’m changing my mind: I now hesitate to rule out a dating match just because he lives at home or with three flatmates. Many of us can’t afford anything different.

In major cities like New York or London, the cost of living turns dating into a class issue. More than a quarter of Londoners live in poverty. Financial pressures are equally apparent across the Atlantic. Half of working-age New Yorkers are struggling to cover their basic needs. These challenges inevitably impact when, who, and how we date.

This shift is part of a much broader redefinition of adulthood. For decades, dating advice assumed that certain milestones—living independently, owning a car, buying a home, paying for dinner without thinking twice—signaled maturity and readiness for commitment. Those assumptions made sense when they were broadly attainable. Today, they often measure inherited wealth more than discipline or ambition. A generation facing soaring rents, stagnant wages, student debt, and an increasingly precarious labor market shouldn’t be judged by standards that were shaped in a very different economy.

That creates a strange disconnect. We still talk about dating as though everyone is playing by the same rules, even as the financial starting line has become dramatically more unequal. Rejecting someone because they have roommates or live with family may once have seemed like a reasonable decision. Increasingly, it says more about housing markets than about someone’s character.

Adapting to this new moment can be easier said than done. For instance, on social media, women are being advised not to go on coffee dates because they are low-effort. And while I understand the desire to feel like the person you are on a date with is invested in your connection, I fear the cost-of-living crisis can cause us to conflate cost

with effort. On one hand, I agree that men who ask me out on a coffee date may be pursuing doing coffee dates with multiple women in the same week because it’s affordable, which doesn’t make me feel special. On the other hand, it’s a quick way to gauge compatibility and invest accordingly, which is understandable.

Dating itself can be very expensive. The average date costs Americans $189, according to the BMO Real Financial Progress Index for 2026. Nearly 3 in 4 men, 71%, said they expect to pay for everything on a date early on in a relationship. Among women, 52% said they expect to split the bill. Despite this majority, when actor Robert Pattinson recently said that he agrees that you should always split the check on a date, there was outrage in the comments section. People declared that it was a huge red flag, especially coming from a millionaire.

But psychotherapist Lisa Chen, who specializes in relationships, believes that the cost-of-living crisis has changed how people think about commitment. “Especially with my

18 TIME August 17, 2026

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Gen Z clients, I'm seeing how economic uncertainty contributes to a declining interest in seeking committed relationships, especially when traditional milestones like renting a place together or owning a home [aren't] realistic," Chen says. The rules of dating are changing in response to economic realities.

Many of Chen's clients have become interested in keeping relationships fluid, undefined, and flexible while they try to find jobs and build financial security. Rather than dating in a traditional sense, she said, her clients are often "seeking companionship through situationships and friendships. It's not that they're not interested in pursuing conventional long-term relationships; they're just pushing it out."

According to a survey by Intuit, 51% of Americans are going on fewer dates because of today's economy, and Gen Z is hit the hardest. Chen tells me that traditional milestones like living independently, homeownership, or financial stability are not on the table. "Most of my clients, especially recent graduates, are trying to find

Maybe it's time to question whether all those dating red flags were about class

employment in a difficult market," she says, adding that the rise of AI has made it even harder for Gen Z, as their entry-level jobs have been disproportionately impacted by the technology.

THESE SHIFTING EXPECTATIONS came into sharper focus for me in an unexpected conversation with a stranger. A woman I met at the airport last week said that she worries about her grown sons because a lot is expected out of men nowadays in terms of dating. I assured her that I wouldn't expect anything out of a man that I am not already doing for myself.

I live with a flatmate, so I would never reject a man if he lived with a flatmate. But am I allowed to see it as a red flag if he is living at home with parents? Similarly, I wouldn't be angry if someone asked me out for coffee. But am I allowed to feel unimpressed, especially when I take myself out on solo dinner dates regularly?

In the modern dating landscape, the true differentiator is ambition, which is a reasonable thing to consider while determining whether this is a good match for you, and remains a reliable marker of compatibility, says dating coach Mila Smith. "Living with parents to save money for a deposit is one thing," she explains. "Living with parents and spending all your money on hobbies, clothes, or gaming is a different story." Having a plan for one's financial future, in other words, is hot.

Surprisingly (or perhaps not), credit scores are also now part of how people evaluate potential partners. According to a survey by the dating app Hily, 1 in 5 daters wouldn't date someone with a score below 580, and 31% say an excellent credit score makes someone more attractive. Another Hily survey found that 44% of millennials and 37% of Gen Z believe being frugal is sexy.

Perhaps that's the real shift that the cost-of-living crisis is demanding from us. Dating standards can exist, but they do need to be updated for an economy in which traditional markers of adulthood have become unattainable. Living alone or picking up every dinner bill are no longer reliable proxies for ambition. Instead, we are rewriting the rules of dating to adapt to the economic realities of this moment.

I am not saying we should ignore financial responsibility. It's still reasonable to want a partner who is working toward a future. But there is a meaningful difference between someone who is making pragmatic decisions in an impossible economy, and someone who lacks direction altogether. I, for one, would never date someone without that kind of focus and ambition for their future.

Maybe it's time to question whether all those dating red flags were actually always about class. In a time when economic uncertainty defines nearly every aspect of adult life, the prize might be finding someone whose values and resilience can help you weather the economic winds together. Shared values, after all, can be the best sign that a life shared together will be worthwhile.

Barua is a freelance journalist who is currently working on her memoir on friendships and love

ILLUSTRATION BY PETE RYAN FOR TIME

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The New U.S. Colony

HOW A SOCIALIST DICTATORSHIP BECAME AN AMERICAN PROTECTORATE BY ERIC CORTELLESSA/CARACAS

DELCY RODRÍGUEZ, THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF Venezuela, conducts the nation's business out of the Miraflores Palace, a 19th century neoclassical mansion in the heart of Caracas. Gilded portraits of Simón Bolívar and Hugo Chávez gaze down on the ornate halls. Birds chirp in the manicured gardens. An unusually tight security detail shadows Rodríguez's every step. The caution is understandable: Not long ago, the U.S. sent a Delta Force unit into her predecessor's residence on a nearby military base to seize the man she had served for years.

Which may help explain Rodríguez's careful manner. She speaks regularly with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and her English is nearly flawless. Yet when she sits down with TIME for a rare interview with an American media outlet, she summons a translator. I suggest it would be easier to speak in English.

"When I do interviews, I like to do them in Spanish," she says.

"I'm not sure that's best for this one," I say.

"It is best for me," she replies with a faint smile.

It's easy to understand her strategy. Speaking through an interpreter slows the conversation and gives Rodríguez greater control over the words that ultimately reach the page. It is the instinct of a disciplined operator who has spent decades in one of the world's most unforgiving

political systems—and who is now navigating an extraordinary diplomatic moment.

A socialist stalwart who rose through Chávez's inner circle before serving for years as Nicolás Maduro's second-in-command, Rodríguez, 57, was among the most recognizable faces of a movement largely defined for decades by its hostility toward the U.S. Today, she is the steward of a remarkable rapprochement with Washington. In exchange for U.S. support, she has allowed Trump and Rubio to turn Venezuela into a de facto vassal state, giving them an unprecedented degree of influence over her country.

In an hour-long interview, Rodríguez insists she is not surrendering Venezuelan sovereignty but opening the country's economy in the best interests of its people. "I'm starting out by acting in good faith and trusting that these relationships can develop in good faith," she tells me. "My current and future strategy has always been to ensure peace and tranquility in the country—tranquility and social and economic well-being."

The nation Rodríguez now governs is not the same country that existed before the raid that captured Maduro. Before his fall, Venezuela was in stark decline: riddled with corruption, teetering on economic collapse, and ruled by an authoritarian who the U.S. and independent international observers say stole his 2024 election. Hyperinflation had

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting President, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas

PHOTOGRAPH BY FABIOLA FERRERO FOR TIME

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wiped out citizens' savings. Oil production, the lifeblood of the economy, had plummeted after years of graft, underinvestment, and sanctions. Nearly 8 million Venezuelans had fled, fueling the largest migration crisis in the history of the western hemisphere. Rolling blackouts, water scarcity, crumbling hospitals, and shortages of food and medicine had become routine. Once among Latin America's wealthiest nations, Venezuela had devolved into one of its poorest.

Since Rodríguez's ascension in January, signs of recovery have begun to emerge. Construction cranes have reappeared over parts of Caracas. Store shelves are fuller. Dormant oil fields are stirring back to life. American companies—including ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, and GE Vernova—have returned or begun negotiating new investments. Commercial flights between the U.S. and Venezuela have resumed for the first time since 2019. The dollar circulates openly. Foreign executives, diplomats, and investors are filling hotels—the lobby of the JW Marriott is now a gathering place for oil executives, while at the more exclusive Cayena Caracas, impeccably dressed financiers and government officials mingle amid polished marble and soft jazz, discussing exploration rights, infrastructure contracts, and Venezuela's future.

All this has come at a price. Under an arrangement overseen by Rubio, the U.S. has become deeply involved in Venezuelan state affairs. In an arrangement described to TIME by three senior U.S. and Venezuelan officials, the U.S. Secretary of State supervises the framework governing Venezuela's oil revenues and public finances, effectively administering a joint fund that gives Washington influence over everything from how the country's export earnings are allocated to the reopening of the energy sector to preferential treatment for American companies. Rubio and Rodríguez are in near daily contact through phone calls and WhatsApp messages, officials say. Rodríguez consults him on domestic appointments, including her selection of a Defense Minister, according to three officials familiar with the arrangement. "Basically, you have what they call the Rodríguez operating," says James Story,

a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela under Presidents Trump and Biden, describing an arrangement in which Rodríguez's government remains in power while carrying out Washington's strategic priorities. "They are doing everything that we ask them to do."

Washington and Caracas now cooperate on intelligence and counternarcotics operations too. In June, the partnership resulted in the killing of Niño Guerrero, the leader of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua, at his compound in Venezuela's Bolívar state. Rodríguez says Venezuela supplied the intelligence that located Guerrero and deployed forces on the ground, enabling the U.S. airstrike. "The important thing is that there are opportunities for joint cooperation," she tells me. "Against drug trafficking, for example, and against transnational organized crime. That is very important to us." Thousands of political detainees have been released under an amnesty framework encouraged by the U.S., while negotiators continue hammering out dozens of additional economic agreements.

Venezuela has become a case study of Trump's ability to reshape the world in pursuit of his own priorities, unbound

by the diplomatic conventions that restrained his predecessors. He launched an extralegal campaign of force and coercion, beginning with strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and culminating in the capture of a sitting head of state, who was brought to the U.S. to face drug and weapons charges. Maduro is now in a federal jail in New York City, replaced by a subservient successor the Trump Administration believed would comply with American interests while preserving stability in Caracas.

Small and slender, dressed in tailored suits and oversize glasses, Rodríguez projects the demeanor of a technocrat rather than a firebrand. Cooperation with the U.S. has allowed her to consolidate power during a period of tremendous upheaval. The bargain is as brazen as it is fragile, and the leverage runs both ways. Over two decades, Rodríguez established herself as one of Chavismo's indispensable figures. There is no guarantee another leader could sustain such an arrangement—or would choose to align Venezuela with Washington rather than Beijing or Moscow.

For Rodríguez, the role requires a delicate balancing act. Few Venezuelans mourn Maduro's departure after

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CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Trump, and Rubio monitor the Maduro raid on Jan. 3 at Mar-a-Lago

years of oppression and economic collapse. But relief at his ouster has not translated into enthusiasm for his successor. To many, she is more sellout than savior. But her future rests less on public affection than on her ability to satisfy Trump's demands, and to convince citizens that becoming a client state of a despised foreign power is in the national interest.

When a major earthquake struck Caracas in June, killing more than 5,000 people and causing an estimated $6.7 billion in damages, the new relationship with Washington produced dividends. The State Department assembled a $300 million reconstruction package, and the U.S. Southern Command provided military support for the relief effort. An aide to Rodriguez points to moments like that as proof that the bargain can be a boon, even as Venezuelans criticized her for taking too long to address the catastrophe publicly, waiting eight days before holding a press conference.

Whether the arrangement will ultimately improve the lives of ordinary Venezuelans or merely enrich a privileged elite remains unclear. Rodriguez has taken few steps to institute democratic reforms. "Millions of Venezuelans that want to come back are only going to do it if they are certain that their rights will be respected," says María Corina Machado, the opposition leader who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and now lives in exile. To Machado, who was barred from running in Venezuela's most recent elections, Rodriguez has capitulated to Washington in pursuit of power and self-preservation. "She's willing to give away anything she's asked for—anything," Machado says. "That's the way those that have committed crimes reason."

Rodríguez rejects the criticism. "I try to ensure that another country's domestic policy does not affect Venezuela," Rodriguez tells me. "I hope that Venezuela does not become a pawn in any other country's political agenda."

AS WE SIT in a room of polished marble and gold leaf, Rodriguez recounts the chain of events that propelled her to power with the soft, measured cadence of someone accustomed to exercising authority without raising her voice. On Jan. 2, she recalls, she met with Maduro to discuss Venezuela's economic plans and the ongoing naval blockade the U.S. had imposed since December. Afterward, she flew to Margarita Island, the Caribbean resort off Venezuela's northern coast, where her brother and nephews were vacationing. She arrived around 11 p.m., only a few hours before the frantic phone calls began.

In the early hours of the morning, U.S. military units infiltrated Maduro's compound inside the Fort Tiuna military complex as he slept. They found him in his pajamas, arrested him, and whisked him and his wife out of the country. "We went through a moment of great anguish when we thought they had killed the

President and the First Lady," Rodriguez tells me. "Then we learned they were taking him to the United States. That changed the situation completely."

One of Rodriguez's first calls was to an unlikely figure: Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, with whom she had cultivated a relationship. "Now the responsibility rests on your shoulders," Rodriguez recalls him saying. "You have a responsibility to preserve Venezuela."

According to Rodriguez and U.S. officials, Qatar officials helped arrange a conference call between her and Rubio on the afternoon of Jan. 3. "Is Maduro alive?" she asked. Rubio assured her he was; to prove it, U.S. officials sent photographs of him in a jumpsuit aboard a helicopter en route to New York. The Secretary of State then delivered an ultimatum: meet U.S. demands or face continued military pressure. Rodriguez agreed. An aide says she saw no viable alternative. "If I'm completely honest," Rodriguez tells me, "we never thought the capital of the country would be attacked, much less imagined what happened to the President and the First Lady."

She spoke to Trump for the first time the following morning. "We discussed how diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States could be established and what areas of common interest might be identified," Rodriguez says. Trump wanted access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, seeing them as a way to increase global supply, lower energy prices, and strengthen the U.S. economy ahead of the midterm elections. But he delegated the logistics to Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, for whom uprooting leftist regimes in Latin America is a long-standing priority. As Secretary of State, he suddenly had an opportunity to pursue that ambition.

Under the agreement, the U.S. would receive the proceeds from most Venezuelan oil exports and then disburse the money back through Venezuela's banking system. The structure, one senior U.S. official explains, would function like an

'I hope that Venezuela does not become a pawn in any other country's political agenda.'

—DELCY RODRÍGUEZ

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escrow account: Washington would release funds only as Caracas met agreed-upon conditions. By controlling the flow of revenue, the U.S. would gain leverage over how the money was spent while limiting corruption and the influence of rival foreign powers. In return, Rodríguez would remain President, buoyed by an influx of American investment and the economic benefits of renewed integration. The Trump Administration saw it as a straightforward trade-off: political stability in exchange for economic oversight, energy access, and the strategic realignment of one of the world's most resource-rich countries.

ONE MORNING a few weeks later, Rodríguez received an unexpected call from Rubio. "I'm putting you on the line with someone who wants to say hello," Rubio told her. It was Trump. According to Rodríguez, the President told her he was pleased with her cooperation following the Maduro extraction. As a reward, he said, the U.S. would restore commercial flights to Venezuela. By April, American Airlines resumed service between Miami and Caracas. In May, United Airlines launched flights from Houston.

Trump's fixation on Venezuela had grown since his return to office. He dispatched Rubio to El Salvador to broker an unprecedented agreement with President Nayib Bukele. As part of Trump's mass-deportation campaign, the U.S. transferred hundreds of detained Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison, drawing fierce criticism from human-rights groups and immigration advocates. Trump justified the move by saying the migrants were members of Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang he portrayed as the embodiment of the border crisis.

The situation intensified when intelligence reports allegedly indicated vessels departing Venezuela were transporting drugs toward the U.S., Administration officials say. Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pressed Trump to respond with a campaign of military strikes against the alleged drug-smuggling boats, according to two senior White House officials. Trump authorized the strikes, hoping military pressure would compel Maduro to

dismantle trafficking networks, crack down on criminal gangs, and open Venezuela's vast oil sector to American investment. When Maduro was captured, U.S. boat strikes had killed more than 100 people over the course of 10 months, according to Just Security; as of June 21, the number of deaths has more than doubled, with 215 killed in 66 strikes. Many legal experts argue that the strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug-trafficking vessels violated both international law and the limits of presidential war powers under the U.S. Constitution. "One state is only really supposed to use force against another state when that other state has committed an armed attack against it or threatened imminent armed attack against it," says Scott Anderson, a former State Department official and national-security law expert at the Brookings Institution.

But while Trump saw a chance to secure access to Venezuela's oil reserves, Rubio saw an opportunity to remake the balance of power in the western hemisphere. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller soon joined the effort. Increasingly eager to expand his portfolio beyond immigration into national security, he viewed Venezuela as the point where those issues converged. Miller argued limited military pressure would never change Maduro's calculus, a senior White House official tells TIME. He pushed for a more aggressive approach. (Miller declined to comment for this story.)

As Rubio, Miller, and their advisers continued briefing the President on the boat strikes, they emphasized Venezuela's growing importance as a platform for American adversaries, including Cuba, Russia, and China, which had deepened their foothold through oil, military and intelligence cooperation, and economic support. "The type of influence that existed in that country is incompatible with U.S. interests," a State Department official says. Senior U.S. officials were determined to change Maduro's behavior—or remove him from power. "Our objective was simple: persuade Maduro to sever those relationships," the State Department official adds. "He was unwilling to do that."

According to the State Department official, the Administration persuaded

Turkey to offer Maduro safe harbor if he agreed to leave Venezuela peacefully. He refused. "The inflection point was in December, when we sent him an offer via the Turks, and the offer basically was, if you leave the country permanently to Turkey or some other acceptable place, we'll leave you alone, but you've got to leave the country," another State Department official says. "He basically ignored it. He had multiple off-ramps where he could have left and lived happily ever after somewhere else, giving us the opportunity to work with someone else inside the government to make those changes. Instead, he posted silly videos of himself dancing and singing."

That "someone else," Rubio believed, was Delcy Rodríguez.

RODRÍGUEZ WAS BORN into one of Venezuela's most politically committed left-wing families. Her father, Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, was a student leader of the Revolutionary Left Movement. He was arrested, tortured, and killed by government security forces in 1976, when she was just 7 years old. His death became a defining event in her life. Alongside her older brother, Jorge Rodríguez—who heads the National Assembly—she was raised in the ideology of the Venezuelan left. Trained as a lawyer, she followed in her father's footsteps, rising through Chávez's government before becoming one of Maduro's closest confidants. She

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served as Venezuela's Foreign Minister, in role in which she became one of the regime's most combative international defenders, denouncing U.S. sanctions while strengthening ties with Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba. In 2018, Maduro elevated her to the vice presidency.

But international diplomats viewed Rodríguez as a technocrat rather than an ideological hard-liner. "She was seen as a more pragmatic figure," says Christopher Hernandez-Roy, a Latin America expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "They picked her with a gun to her head, but she seemed to understand the country's economics, and she had long been deeply involved in its oil sector. That's obviously one of the Administration's highest priorities—the recovery of Venezuela's oil industry." Rodríguez had long advocated for greater economic openness. She had also been responsible for attracting foreign investment and rebuilding relationships with international energy companies. According to multiple officials, Rubio concluded that Rodríguez was a realist with a grip on the levers of government, and who would be willing to meet Washington's demands.

Rodríguez argues the relationship has already reaped benefits for the country. During the Maduro years, Chevron had been the only major U.S. oil company to maintain a significant presence. Now it may be joined by ExxonMobil,

ConocoPhillips, and Halliburton. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are negotiating more than 30 agreements that would give American firms a foothold in Venezuela's energy sector. "The most important thing is that companies from the United States are returning and arriving," Rodríguez says.

The shift reflects the carrot Trump has dangled: renewed access to American capital and global markets. The bet is that economic integration can induce geopolitical alignment after decades of Chavista rule. It's not yet clear, though, how much of this influx of capital has reached ordinary Venezuelans. Reliable polling remains scarce under the country's authoritarian system. Venezuelans celebrated Maduro's removal in large numbers, but many remain wary of Rodríguez, viewing her as someone who abandoned the cause to which she had devoted her political career. "The Venezuelan people don't miss Maduro, right?" an aide to Rubio tells TIME. "They fully recognize that he was a bad actor and a destabilizing influence. The oil was tremendously valuable to the people of Venezuela. It was stolen by very corrupt elites and used to pay off massive debts to China, Cuba, and others. No more."

To some Venezuelans, however, Rodríguez is a new face for the same regime. She spent years helping administer a government accused by international investigators of widespread

Maduro on his way to court in New York City on Jan. 5; a vessel accused of drug trafficking before it was destroyed by the U.S. military on Jan. 23

human-rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. "She was part of a regime that systematically violated human rights," says Diego Area, an expert on Venezuelan politics at the Atlantic Council. "She comes from normalizing practices that are considered crimes against humanity."

FOR ALL THE CHANGES under way in Venezuela, the biggest one—a transition to genuine democracy—still appears distant. Rubio sees it as part of his mission to rid Latin America of its remaining socialist autocracies and lay the groundwork for Venezuela to one day hold a legitimate election and complete a democratic transition, according to a State Department official. At his behest, Rodríguez's government enacted an amnesty law in February covering political violence from Chávez's rise in 1999 through the present. (The law includes those accused of participating in the 2002 coup attempt against Chávez and individuals implicated in violent unrest in 2014 and 2017.) Venezuelan authorities say roughly 9,000 detainees have been released since the passage of

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the amnesty law. Rodríguez says she is prepared to have the process independently reviewed. During our interview, she says she has asked the U.N. Human Rights Office to audit the releases, arguing that outside scrutiny will confirm the government's compliance with its commitments.

But there are few signs that Venezuela is moving quickly toward free and fair elections. "Trump's not focused on democracy building," says Story, the former ambassador to Caracas. "If anything goes bad, it increases instability and further erodes the chance of companies coming in and making investments. That's the fear."

Rodríguez expresses little urgency either. "Venezuela will hold elections when it is ready," she tells me. "There are extremist groups that called for military aggression against Venezuela, and the Venezuelan people—especially those who experienced the attack firsthand—feel a great deal of fear," she says, referring to the country's competing power centers and the persistent risk of political violence.

But when will that moment come? What conditions must exist before Venezuela holds open elections? "I feel that moment will come when all of the country's political actors reach an understanding and we can tell the nation that we, as politicians, are ready," she says, skirting the question. Rodríguez

Oil tankers at the Cardón refinery in Punta Cardón, Venezuela, on Jan. 29

says she would welcome international election observers, provided they respected Venezuela's sovereignty.

When I ask whether she intends to run for President herself, she pauses. "I don't know," she says.

Then I ask the question that hangs over every discussion of Venezuela's future: Would Rodríguez allow Machado to return and compete? Rodríguez sidesteps it. "We have to move on to a new political era," she says.

"So the answer is no?"

"My answer isn't no," she replies. "My answer is that there will be a political moment when coexistence and peaceful coexistence will be possible."

The answer doesn't mollify Machado. "I understand the U.S. government decided to start with the process of stability, but in order to make that sustainable, you certainly need legitimacy," she says. "They fear an election because they fear the people, they fear popular sovereignty. They know what the Venezuelan people desperately desired." Rodríguez's halting response to the tragic earthquake, Machado adds, "exposed the true nature of the regime: its lack of humanity, its display of infinite corruption and incompetence."

For Rodríguez, everything comes back to survival. "She needs to follow the guidance of the U.S. government, which at some point will include renewing democratic institutions and rules," says Area. "She will do it not because of her democratic commitment, but as a means to achieve her political objectives."

That would be not simply surviving politically, but creating conditions under which she—and perhaps Chavismo itself—can survive after power. She wants guarantees that she—a woman whose father was killed by the state—can remain in Venezuela without fearing imprisonment or retribution from a future government. "That's what survival means for her," Area says. "To make it so the system will be stable and able to govern itself, which will potentially include her being able to participate in the new Venezuela. It's about survival."

For now, Rodríguez is keen on reintegrating the nation into global markets: diversifying the economy, attracting long-term foreign investment, and ensuring that Venezuela's prosperity no longer depends on a single commodity. The day before our interview, executives from General Electric sat across from Rodríguez discussing ways to modernize Venezuela's aging electrical grid. (General Electric did not respond to a request for comment.)

Whether these ambitions survive Trump's presidency remains uncertain. Current U.S. foreign policy is animated by the application of leverage, economic incentives, coercion, and transactional dealmaking to draw former adversaries into America's orbit. Venezuela's future will depend not only on Rodríguez's ability to manage the relationship with her current counterparts, but also on whether Trump's successor embraces the strategy or chooses another path.

As our interview comes to an end, we wander through the sunlit gardens of the palace. I tell Rodríguez I'm flying home the next day, connecting through Miami on one of the newly restored commercial routes. She smiles. Pretty soon, she says, I can skip the layover. "Maybe next time," she says, "fly from Washington to Caracas."—With reporting by LESLIE DICKSTEIN

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Top: Mesquite Gold Mine, Imperial County, California; middle: chat piles from historic mines, Picher, Okla.; bottom: Tyndall Meadows near Stibnite Gold Mine, Valley County, Idaho

ENVIRONMENT

Mining America,

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The road to critical minerals runs through communities

Photographs by Matt Black | Text by Justin Worland

Top: A Salton Sea geothermal field, Imperial

County, California; middle: Sheridan Gates,

Chandron, Neb.; bottom: Riley Pass Uranium Mine

(abandoned), Harding County, South Dakota

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Construction at the Thacker Pass lithium mine and processing facility in Orovada, Nev., on May 19

MORE EXPANSIVE THAN THE ISLAND of Manhattan, Thacker Pass in northern Nevada is the biggest U.S. lithium-mining project developed in decades. And it's been one of the country's most visible flash points in the race to build new critical-mineral mines. While at first spurred by the clean-energy transition, the demand for critical minerals is now driven by their role as essential ingredients for AI data centers.

But local communities aren't so sure. In northern Nevada, the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe has protested Thacker Pass, saying it would destroy sacred Indigenous sites, while climate advocates have tried to thread the needle between its potential to produce lithium, a key component of some rechargeable-battery technology needed to manufacture electric vehicles, and mining's risks to the local environment. Today, Thacker Pass is grinding ahead alongside dozens of other projects in the U.S. facing similar concerns.

Much of the world's critical-mineral supply chain currently runs through

China, leaving the U.S. vulnerable to geopolitical wrangling. The success of the ongoing American mining renaissance will shape whether the U.S. and other allies can insulate themselves from such challenges—not to mention power the transition to renewable energy. "It is the most important emerging energy-security question," says Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency.

Across political parties and ideological camps, policymakers agree the U.S. must bring some mining and processing capacity home. But many environmentalists and local communities remain concerned about how it's happening, with 40 mining projects listed as part of a federal fast-track program and projects moving quickly. Today's rapid development, captured in these up-close images of the new mining boom, will set new precedents for what

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The writing in this story is supported by a partnership with Outsider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners

Thacker Pass

Humboldt County, Nevada

An 18,000-acre project site with billions of dollars of lithium underground, Thacker Pass is the flagship U.S. lithium project. With bipartisan federal support, it broke ground in 2023 after clearing a range of permitting hurdles. And yet a bitter taste remains for some community members who say that Thacker Pass will damage historic sites sacred to the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes. Others have spoken out in support thanks to the promise of economic development beyond the 1,000 people who work on the site. The project, a priority for the Trump Administration, has also received attention for its unique financing structure. The Department of Energy took a 5% equity stake in both the project and the company developing it.

companies must do—or could get away with—when they want to build megamines. There are no easy answers.

CARMEN LUCAS IS a 90-year-old from the Kwaaymii tribe in California and has been fighting mining developments for over two decades. Her list of grievances is long. Development creates local pollution that harms children's health and can damage the cultural heritage of Indigenous sites. More than anything, she criticizes developers for treating the land as if it's empty. "Washington is looking at the Imperial Valley and saying that's just a desert, that's just wasteland," she says. Today, she is championing opposition to a project to tap into a lithium reserve beneath the southern end of California's Salton Sea, where reserves are worth more than $500 billion. "It has been mandated by the United States government and the state of California to annihilate the California Indians since the Gold Rush," she says. "And I'm still watching it today."

Lucas and the Kwaaymii tribe are far

from alone. Globally, more than half of the minerals needed for the energy transition are on or near the land of Indigenous or other land-connected peoples, according to research published in the journal Nature Sustainability. Historically, these communities have been displaced, or suffered from polluted air and water as a result—even long after the mines close. At the former site of the Tar Creek mine in Oklahoma, which stopped operating in the 1970s, for example, generations have suffered from the mining remnants that have seeped into the soil and groundwater, leading to neurological damage and stunting development in local children.

In the U.S., community buy-in is often the biggest factor determining whether a project will receive the necessary permits. "You have to embrace social license to operate and say it's not just a real thing, it's as important,

if not more, than the permit," says Pat Risner, the president of mining company South32's zinc and manganese Hermosa Project in Arizona. (Getting and maintaining social license to operate remains difficult for any mining company, given the array of community concerns.)

The context at the federal level has also changed. While the Biden Administration touted the need to boost domestic critical-mineral production, action came relatively slowly. But when Beijing countered President Trump's massive tariffs by threatening U.S. supplies of critical minerals, his Administration found incentive to accelerate permitting and put up federal dollars to buy into companies. Given the stakes, critical-minerals advocates want to avoid the issue becoming partisan, politics being yet another needle for minders to thread. To many of the people on the front lines, though, none of this matters too much. They just want to ensure that this mining revival doesn't harm their communities.

—With reporting by KAYA LEE BERNE

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Left: Ihunkiya Opa (Craven Canyon), a sacred and culturally significant site near the Dewey Burdock uranium project; right: Helen Red Feather, 69, hauls water to her house in Wounded Knee from a nearby church

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Black Hills mines

Western South Dakota

Demand for gold has skyrocketed thanks to geopolitical tensions and supply-chain disruptions. The mines in the Black Hills area of South Dakota, which date back to the 19th century, are now seeing a modern-day gold rush. Even as gold production has dwindled, revenues have soared thanks to higher prices driven by gold's role as a safe-haven asset as well as its role in advanced electronics and aerospace. Mining companies want to produce more.

But the mining revival extends beyond gold. The Dewey Burdock Uranium Project, also in Black Hills, is being fast-tracked by the federal government to serve the growing demand for nuclear power. Tribes are fighting back mine by mine, citing everything from threats to sacred land to water contamination. Indeed, the nearby history carries warnings. Past uranium mining contaminated local water systems.

Left: Wharf, the only operating gold mine in South Dakota, on Oct. 14, 2025. Around 169 abandoned uranium mines and prospects lie upstream of Pine Ridge Reservation, where radioactive contaminants have been detected in drinking water

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Hell's Kitchen

Imperial Valley, California

The Hell's Kitchen megaproject on the shore of California's Salton Sea is a $1.8 billion bet on a massive, first-of-its-kind geothermal power and lithium-extraction facility. Developers aim to start up the facility's new geothermal power production first, with lithium mining to follow. While the county and Controlled Thermal Resources, the mine's owner, last year defeated a lawsuit that attempted to halt operations there, community opposition remains strong and opponents are appealing. The project sits in a low-income, heavily Latino, environmentally overburdened valley with some of the worst air quality in the country. Tensions are also rife over the mine's water consumption and the terms of its community-benefit agreement. Meanwhile, as demand for lithium for EV batteries has softened, the company has emphasized that both its geothermal energy and minerals can serve the Al-driven data-center boom.

Kwayymii Laguna elder Carmen Lucas, with mud on her hands, visits the geothermal mud pots along the Salton Sea on Feb. 6

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ENVIRONMENT

Becky and John Ball received a proposed South32 agreement that would have required them to waive groundwater-related claims in exchange for well monitoring and mitigation

South32 Hermosa

Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

South32 Hermosa is emerging as the next big case study for the future of U.S. mining. The $2 billion zinc and manganese project was the first mining project to receive expedited federal permitting under a streamlined process earlier this year. Unlike most mining megaprojects, which require huge open pits, the Hermosa project is underground, minimizing the visible footprint. “We will mine for up to 70 years at this site, and only disturb 750 acres in total,” says Pat Risner, the project’s president.

Still, many community tensions remain unresolved. The project sits in a biodiversity hot spot, home to jaguars and Mexican spotted owls, and locals are concerned that mining operations may pollute the groundwater they rely on for household use. Negotiations over a community-benefits agreement remain ongoing.

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Counterclockwise from top: inside the exploration decline, 600 ft. below the surface; core samples are used to map and evaluate the underground mineral deposit; shadows of miners; Tyrel Todd has worked in mining for 19 years and is currently a shaft-sinking contractor at the Hermosa mine

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ENVIRONMENT

Stibnite Gold Mine

Valley County, Idaho

In central Idaho, developers are bringing an abandoned World War II-era mining district back to life to produce gold and antimony, a mineral used to harden other metals and as a fire retardant. U.S. government officials say the mine is the only one in the U.S. capable of producing enough antimony to meet growing defense needs, for everything from ammunition to infrared sensors. Critics point to company documents showing the site contains only enough to supply the U.S. for two years. Indeed, the vast majority of the project's revenue will come from gold. After a nine-year process, it received its final permit in May 2025 and broke ground in October. But lawsuits remain ongoing. The Nez Perce Tribe opposes the project in its entirety, saying the permitting decision violates treaty rights and environmental law. And new mining threatens to upend millions spent by the tribe on restoring the local salmon population harmed by mining decades ago. Conservation groups are suing too, because of potential harm to local wildlife. Developers contend that their work will actually remediate the area, since the site was left abandoned in poor condition.

Left: summer Chinook salmon at the McCall Fish Hatchery in McCall, Idaho; top: the one-lane Stibnite Road serves both mine and local traffic; opposite: Nez Perce tribal member Aaron Penny fishes the East Fork South Fork Salmon River

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TECHNOLOGY

T H E

R O B O T S

C O M E T H

The humanoid revolution is nigh—and the Chinese firm Unitree is leading the charge

BY CHARLIE CAMPBELL/HANGZHOU

Photographs by Mattia Balsamini for TIME

UNITREE CEO WANG XINGXING WITH THE COMPANY'S GDO1 HUMANOID ON JUNE 18 IN HANGZHOU

SPECTATORS TYPICALLY LEAVE A UFC FIGHT WITH RINGING EARS AND A SHEEP-ish resolve to get back to the gym. Wang Xingxing went straight to his laboratory. "I thought I could make a bigger robot for boxing competitions," says Wang, the founder and CEO of Hangzhou-based humanoid-robotics firm Unitree. "Then I thought, Why not do an even bigger one that can actually carry a human inside?"

The upshot of Wang's creative fervor is the GDO1, which Unitree bills as the world's first mass-produced, transformable mecha robot. Standing 9 ft. tall and weighing half a ton, it can transport a pilot in its torso-mounted cockpit, walk on either two legs or four, and wield fists powerful enough to knock down walls. Heavy-duty mechanical hinges connect titanium-alloy limbs to a protective casing of carbon fiber, enabling smooth, deliberate strides on brutish red legs.

Wang showed off the GDO1 exclusively to TIME as part of his first international media interview, revealing that beyond mixed martial arts, he took a dash of inspiration from James Cameron: "We actually drew some references from a similar robot featured in Avatar."

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TECHNOLOGY

Wang has done more than arguably anyone else to bring this science fiction closer to reality. A native of China's coastal city of Ningbo, he founded Unitree in 2016 when he was just 26 years old and has moved from robot dogs to humanoid robots and now, with GDO1, human mobility machines. But while the GDO1 might inspire awe, humbler humanoids like Unitree's flagship G1 are the ones set to become the work-horses of a global robotics transformation already gathering pace in China, the U.S., and beyond.

This is the next great tech frontier, one that has previously been the purview of Star Wars and Blade Runner: AI that walks, sees, hears and physically interacts with the real world. Morgan Stanley predicts that as many as 13 million humanoids could walk among us by 2035—equivalent to the population of Bolivia. That number is forecast to rise to 1 billion by 2050, when the industry could be worth $5 trillion.

Unitree is hardly alone staking a claim in this space. In January, Tesla announced the third generation of its Optimus humanoid robot with a goal to eventually produce 10 million units per year at factories in Fremont and Texas. In late June, California-based Figure dispatched its latest 03 humanoid to BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, where its earlier 02 model helped assemble 30,000 cars last year. Oregon-based Agility, meanwhile, has secured deployments everywhere from Toyota to Latin American e-commerce giant Mercado Libre. But Unitree is the world leader in terms of volume, dispatching more than 5,500 units in 2025, comprising over a quarter of a global market that is only just waking. In June, Nvidia announced that its bleeding-edge Jetson Thor chip would be fitted into Unitree's H2 humanoid for sale to research institutions around the globe.

We could be, Wang says, anything from two to 10 years away from a "ChatGPT moment" for humanoids, whereby a robot achieves sufficient "generalization" to be able to execute 80% of requested voice commands in an 80% unfamiliar environment. "Once the technology surpasses this... inflection point, robots can gradually be rolled out for large-scale commercial use," he says.

If the timeline for that breakthrough is a matter of debate, its potential impact is not. Nonunion robots (the only kind) could operate around the clock on assembly lines, replace

WANG XINGXING WAS 26 WHEN HE FOUNDED UNITREE; THE COMPANY'S H2 ROBOT IS ON DISPLAY AT ITS HEADQUARTERS

some nurses in hospitals, and pick fruit under the hot sun.

The positive outlook is that wide-scale humanoid adoption will herald an unprecedented era of global abundance, automating mundane and dangerous labor while ushering in postscarcity societies. There is a less rosy divination, however. Amid a mass labor displacement, robots concentrate even more wealth into fewer human hands. With production severed from wages, people could face an identity crisis as robots begin to dominate manual labor and service industries, while governments contend with strained social safety nets and rising competition between the U.S. and China—leaders in humanoids as they are in AI—over raw material and technology. Those questions are already reaching policymakers. On July 28, the Federal Communications Commission banned imports of humanoid robots after the Trump Administration determined that they posed a national security risk. Officials warned that the machines could collect sensitive data, be used to surveil Americans, or be remotely commandeered by foreign actors. China's embassy in Washington criticized the move and vowed to take "all necessary measures" in response.

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With AI, we've already seen how the ability of large language models (LLM) to parse huge reams of data also makes them susceptible to hallucinations and unintended consequences, like designing biological weapons. But while an LLM can suggest harm, a robot can enact it, auguring a terrifying new cybersecurity peril in the age of embodied AI. Online scams already siphon off staggering sums, but a hacked humanoid could move the threat from screens into homes, streets, nurseries, and factory floors.

The tension between these visions can be reduced to a choice of myth: Are Wang and his GDO1, and indeed their competitors, akin to Luke Skywalker and the faithful, guileless C-3PO—or more like Frankenstein and his monster?

Wang, unsurprisingly, veers toward the positive, predicting that in 10 years every household may have a small robot that can do your laundry, grill your steak, and even provide basic care if you fall ill. They can also take on tasks most humans would rather avoid, from steep mountain farming to sewer maintenance.

But if that sounds like a future arriving faster than society can absorb it, Wang insists the transition will be gradual. "It will evolve step-by-step," he says. "If society finds that robots don't perform well in a certain sector, or if people simply don't like them there, we can easily pivot and redirect their application to other fields. So, everything remains well within controllable boundaries."

WANG IS AN UNLIKELY PROPHET of the AI age. Slight and bespectacled, he possesses none of the performative bravado associated with many technology founders. Instead, he speaks about robotics with quiet, unwavering conviction.

The possibilities and promises of a humanoid revolution have occupied him since he was 10 years old and first watched early televised robotics experiments performed at MIT by Marc Raibert, founder of Boston Dynamics. He spent his free time building model aircraft, conducting experiments, and, before long, assembling miniature turbojet engines.

In 2009, Wang enrolled at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in Hangzhou, majoring in mechatronics engineering. As a first-year student, he says, he built his first small bipedal robot, capable of walking a few steps, on less than $30. That same price-conscious approach would underpin Unitree's flourishing.

While pursuing a master's degree at Shanghai University, he developed a prototype quadruped robot, XDog, which still occupies pride of place in the Unitree headquarters. Departing from the hydraulic-powered designs popularized by his idols at Boston Dynamics, Wang opted for a cost-saving

'WE DON'T SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT COMPETITORS OUTSIDE OF CHINA.'

—ELON MUSK, ON CHINA'S DOMINANCE IN THE HUMANOID FIELD

electric-motor model, which helped XDog win second prize in a national entrepreneurship competition.

After graduation and a stint at Shenzhen-based drone trailblazer DJI, Wang launched Unitree with 2 million RMB ($300,000) in capital from an angel investor. It has since become a cultural phenomenon; an estimated 600 million people

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watched videos of Unitree's H2 and G1 humanoid robots swinging nunchucks and executing flips as part of February's Spring Festival Gala—China's equivalent to the Super Bowl halftime show. It was the second year that Unitree humanoids provided the headline act, and all eyes are on what Wang has planned next time. "I have no idea," he confesses with a laugh.

In March, Unitree filed for an IPO that would value the firm at $6 billion, sparking a buying frenzy in mainland Chinese markets for companies that would benefit along with it, such as upstream suppliers.

But high expectations are both a blessing and a curse. While Unitree's first-quarter revenue surged over 68% year-on-year to $62 million, adjusted net profit halved over the same period to just $6 million, which the company blamed on a significant spike in R&D and sales costs. Wang talks about "a flip side" to viral internet fame. "Because the hype gets so intense, it places a fair amount of pressure on our company and the industry as a whole," he says. "Everyone starts expecting your technology to leap forward at a breakneck pace. But the truth is, deep tech breakthroughs require a certain amount of time."

UNITREE'S BLOSSOMING CAME just as the Chinese government began leaning into AI and robotics, which President Xi Jinping has highlighted as key examples of the "new growth drivers." China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in turn declared humanoids a "disruptive innovation" on the same level as smartphones and EVs—breakthroughs destined to transform human production and lifestyle, making leadership a matter of economic and national security. It's a policy push backed by hard cash; since late 2024, Chinese cities have put together investment funds worth over $26 billion, according to Morgan Stanley. Unitree hasn't disclosed the exact level of state support it receives, though as one of Hangzhou's "Six Little Dragons"—elite local startups—it benefits from the city's $14 billion Sci-Tech Fund. "China is an ass kicker, next level," Elon Musk told a Tesla earnings call in January. "To the best of our knowledge, we don't see any significant [humanoid robot] competitors outside of China."

Wang's role leading that charge was evident when he appeared as the youngest member of a high-profile business symposium hosted by Xi last spring. More than 140 Chinese companies now make humanoid robots, yet the perception inside China is that Unitree is not just another robotics startup, but a hardware platform destined to replicate what BYD achieved for EVs and DJI did for drones. Wang's strategy is simple but hard to beat: first, control the most difficult core

components; leverage scale to relentlessly drive down costs; and use each product generation to unlock new markets.

Unitree has slashed the pretax price of its flagship G1 humanoid from $16,000 to $13,500 in just 18 months. (Still, with components that cost under $9,000, according to recent estimates by SemiAnalysis, that gives Unitree a handy 33% gross margin.) The R1 model now retails for under $5,000, and over six years the price of their "robot dogs" has dropped from $45,000 to under $2,000. Wang insists Unitree wins through manufacturing cost efficiency—for example, it produces its own actuators, the "muscles" responsible for movement, which account for 50% to 70% of a humanoid's cost.

UNITREE ROBOTS HAVE BEEN PUT TO WORK WELCOMING TRAIN PASSENGERS IN HANGZHOU, HERE IN FEBRUARY

While the G1 might not boast the peak performance of some Western competitors in terms of load bearing and durability, it has crossed the "good enough" threshold for real-world deployment. With the ability to carry 5-kg payloads for 10 to 15 minutes continuously without overheating, it is moving out of R&D labs and into pilot deployments for warehouse logistics and material handling.

That said, to date only a fraction of humanoids sold are employed in actual useful work. The reason is very simple: today's robots operate at about 30% to 50% of human efficiency for general factory and warehouse tasks, such as stacking and carrying boxes. Only 9% of Unitree's sales go directly into industrial applications, with 17% for commercial venues such as tourist sites, exhibitions, and retail stores. That leaves 74% of Unitree's humanoid sales to universities, research institutions, and individual developers looking to hone their own AI and motion-control capabilities. And the company is far from alone. The entire modern humanoid industry is essentially selling robots to people trying to build better robots. "Humanoid robots are just not ready for the mass market," says Grace Shao, who publishes the AI Proem newsletter.

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FROM LITTLE J. HANNAH—CHINA YOUTH SMALL-VEED-SETTY ANNEX, PHOTO: FUTURE PUBLISHING SETTY ANNEX

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Wang is unconcerned, however, and compares this trend to the early days of the personal computer, when they were primarily purchased by those in the business: “As the software becomes increasingly mature, with more developers joining each year, the proportion of genuine industrial deployments is growing at an incredibly fast pace.”

For now, Unitree is still wrestling with the same white whale as its legion of competitors: the generalization gap, which Wang calls “the biggest headache for the entire global scientific community.” While today’s back-flipping machines are engineering marvels, they remain stubbornly task-specific. If you want a robot to pick up a pen and move

designed to turn human inputs into embodied AI performing intuitively and accurately. The VLA space alone will be worth $40.50 billion by 2035, predicts Kaiso Research, a market intelligence firm, and many of tech’s biggest players are aggressively pursuing their own models, including Nvidia’s GROOT N1.7, Google DeepMind’s RT-2-X, and Alibaba’s Qwen Robot Suite.

That battle is increasingly about one thing: collecting data. In New York City, for example, Micro AGI, which counts Unitree as a partner, is sending camera-wearing staff to clean apartments free of charge simply to generate 3D data to train its physical AI model. But as a dedicated robotics company, Unitree is arguably in a weaker position than Tesla, Xiaomi,

or XPeng, which have diversified revenue streams and established supply chains. So solving this generalization gap is key to maintaining its status as today’s market champion. After all, its absolute sales are by any measure minuscule, meaning whoever closes the gap first could easily surge ahead.

THERE MAY BE a game changer on the horizon: revolutionary new 6G connectivity would enable AI-native networks on which collective learning happens seamlessly across millions of connected devices. If one humanoid in a distant warehouse wrestles with a novel tool and finally masters it, that newly generated data can be instantly uploaded and shared across the entire global fleet. 6G will empower us “to make a digital twin of the world,” Cristiano Amon, CEO of $200 billion semiconductor firm Qualcomm, tells TIME.

Boosted connectivity would solve the robotics bottlenecks of weight and battery life. Navigating our world requires simultaneously processing 4K video, spatial lidar, audio, and delicate tactile or proprioceptive feedback. But carrying heavy computational hardware and the means to power it severely limits both robot agility and

operating time. 6G could potentially combine cloud processing with network lag of a near instantaneous 0.1 to 1 millisecond. Suddenly, lightweight physical robots could be animated by a cloud-based AI brain operating in real time. When a robot fumbles, 6G provides a safety net via remote human teleoperation.

As these machines come online, a significant challenge will be securing any centralized network. Last year, cybersecurity analysts discovered a “backdoor” in Unitree’s Go1 robot dogs, whereby third parties could log onto a portal to see the robot’s location, view live camera feeds, and even control it remotely. In response, Unitree shut down the cloud service that enabled the breach. Wang insists his “robot products operate completely disconnected

it across a desk, you must program every granular motion. But to make AI truly useful in the physical world, robots must transition from executing rigid scripts to understanding novel commands—like being told to simply “go to the grocery store.”

Achieving this milestone will require overcoming two self-reinforcing problems: the scarcity of 3D data and the diversity of deployment environments. Unlike LLMs like ChatGPT, which can parse the virtually boundless internet, robots need manipulation data collected in the real physical world, which is costly and difficult to scale. It must typically be collected manually by repetitively training machines how to perform certain tasks, such as folding shirts, stocking refrigerators, or shaking a mai tai. Plus, explains Jiang Zheyuan, CEO of Beijing-based humanoid firm Noetix, “even if a well-performing manipulation strategy is trained for a specific task, the success rate often drops sharply when the environment changes slightly—for example, object displacement, different lighting, or different tabletop materials.”

Thanks to firms like Unitree, the hardware for humanoids is advancing quickly. The real battleground is over the robot brains, or vision-language-action (VLA) models, which are

THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE ALSO BECOME A TOURIST ATTRACTION. SEEN IN THE CITY IN JUNE

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from the network. If the client does not permit it, the robot will not save any environmental information whatsoever.” Besides, he adds, the data stored on a robot is “entirely negligible” when compared with that kept on a smartphone.

Then there is the fear, familiar from fiction, that machines built to act on our behalf might one day be made to act against us. Even today’s robots have shown physical AI carries physical risk: viral clips capture Unitree machines swinging an arm or a leg into unsuspecting children who stray into the path of their choreography. As humanoids graduate to generalization, whether they’ll become more cautious or more dangerous is a key question facing the industry. Wang

UNITREE G1 ROBOTS PERFORM A MARTIAL-ARTS DEMONSTRATION AT COMPANY HQ IN JUNE

first empathic LLM “capable of recognizing more than 20 fine-grained emotional states.”

But the greatest obstacle to the household humanoid may not be technical. First proposed by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970, the “uncanny valley” hypothesis posits that as an object becomes more humanlike, our affection for it

grows. Once it crosses a critical threshold—getting too close to human—our response plunges into revulsion. As firms experiment with anthropomorphic robots with real hair, it remains to be seen whether the valley can be bridged.

At Unitree’s headquarters, the GDO1 was displayed hanging from a reinforced steel joist. Wang was unwilling to operate it or even climb inside. “It might not be safe,” he shrugs of his creation, which carries a retail price of $650,000. When TIME’s photographer asked for a nearby promotional background to be relocated, Unitree’s technicians protested that shifting it would interfere with the lidar of the nearby phalanx of G1s practicing that now iconic Spring Festival Gala acrobatic martial-arts display. When the performance finished, those technicians rushed to spray their now sizzling lidar with coolant following that four-minute exertion.

For all Unitree’s lead in the humanoid market, today’s machines remain strangely theatrical: bodies dressed as intelligence, rehearsing a role they have not yet learned to live. “Humanoid robot technology is still in its relatively early stages,” cautions Wang. “It will likely take some time before we see genuine, large-scale deployment. It won’t happen overnight.” Nearby, GDO1—part prototype, part prophecy—stands sentinel, as if quietly rebuking his master’s prudence. □

‘HUMANOID ROBOT TECHNOLOGY IS STILL IN ITS RELATIVELY EARLY STAGES.’

—WANG XINGXING, UNITREE CEO

plays down the potential for renegade robots to wreak havoc. “That won’t happen,” he says. “These robots are engineered with rigorous hardware constraints and safety protections.”

The need for safety will hit home if human-shaped machines step off assembly lines and into living rooms. On June 30, Shenzhen-based UBEtech launched its life-like U1 humanoids specifically for companionship, featuring silicone skin and biomimetic facial expressions, and powered by what the company claims is world’s

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SPACE

THERE IS A PERSISTENT, REAL PRESENCE IN GLOBAL AIRSPACE BEYOND CURRENT HUMAN CONTROL AND UNDERSTANDING

BY JEFFREY KLUGER

SHOT BY U.S. NAVY PILOTS IN 2015, COCKPIT VIDEO SHOWS AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT MOVING IN WAYS BEYOND EXISTING TECHNOLOGY

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SOURCE: U.S. NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND

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SPACE

There was nothing much happening in Jerome and Benno Leuer’s backyard in Hamel, Minn. on Aug. 11, 1948. It was noontime in the thick of summer and the boys, 10 and 8, were idly playing when, as they later described it, something overhead caught their eyes.

They looked up and their jaws dropped. Roughly 12 ft. up in the air was a dull gray, circular object, about 1 ft. thick and 2 ft. in diameter, slowly descending between them. They stood transfixed as the object settled onto the ground, making a clattering sound like metal hitting metal. The object rested there a moment, and then began emitting a high-pitched whistle that, to the boys, sounded like a teakettle. It spun in place once, then shot 20 ft. into the air, hovered for a moment, and ascended to 30 ft., maneuvering around tree branches and telephone wires in its path. Finally, it jetted out of sight.

Jerome and Benno ran inside and told their parents what they had seen. Their father notified the only authority he could think of: R.R. Sheridan, the local postmaster. Sheridan, in turn, called the FBI field office in St. Paul. To the family’s surprise, the bureau sent an agent. He interviewed the boys and inspected the yard. “The spot where the alleged ‘flying saucer’ had landed was approximately 2 ft. in diameter and appeared as though a heavy object had landed there or had touched down,” read the statement in the official report. “The ground was dented and protruding rocks had been leveled.”

The boys grew up and moved on. Nothing came of their mysterious sighting, but the government preserved the report all the same, filing it away in a cache of documents it had already begun keeping, of both civilian and military accounts of flying, hovering, blinking objects that appeared in the skies, skittering about, sometimes touching down, and then vanishing back the way they came, just as Jerome’s and Benno’s object had. For 78 years, the boys’ story—and hundreds of others like it—had languished in storage. Until May 8, 2026, when President Donald Trump began a serial release of four tranches of more than 450 official

reports going back to the middle of the last century, ordering that they be posted on a Department of Defense website and made available for public perusal.

After decades of secrecy, stigma, and sometimes silliness—like the conspiratorial tales about recovered spacecraft and alien remains at a place known as Area 51 in Roswell, N.M.—the government has at long last begun taking things seriously. What used to be called UFOs and now go by the more decorous handle of UAPs—or unidentified anomalous phenomena—are being given the full investigatory treatment.

Congressional hearings into the origins of the sightings were held in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) was established “to detect, identify and attribute objects of interest.” In December 2023, then President Joe Biden signed into law the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, requiring the collection, review, and public disclosure of all sightings and encounters.

On June 12, capturing the global hunger for answers to the UAP mystery, director Steven Spielberg—who has long had a sort of seismographic sense of the popular mood—released his latest film, Disclosure Day, in which a government cover-up of extraterrestrial visitations is exposed. The movie grossed $93 million worldwide on its opening weekend alone. At about the same time the White House established the UAP Science Advisory Council, a body led by Harvard astrophysicist and cosmologist Avi Loeb to study the national-security risks posed by UAPs.

“I was tasked to create a panel for the White House, AARO, the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and related agencies, so that all of these organizations are in contact [about UAPs],” says Loeb. “It’s clear, based on much better sensors that we have, that there

are objects the intelligence agencies and the Pentagon do not, cannot figure out.”

It’s not just for the government, academia, and Hollywood to do that figuring. Last year, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Christopher Mellon launched the nonprofit Disclosure Foundation with the aim of encouraging the release of UAP reports, promoting scientific investigation of sightings, supporting whistle-blowers, and formulating policy related to UAPs. On June 25 of this year the group convened a Capitol Hill forum in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. The daylong event featured political figures including Representatives Eric Burlison (Republican, Missouri), Anna Paulina Luna (Republican, Florida), André Carson (Democrat, Indiana), and Suhas Subramanyam (Democrat, Virginia), and Senator Mike Rounds (Republican, South Dakota). Loeb was present, as were other well-lettered experts discussing the technological, national-security, economic, psychological, and even religious implications of UAPs. The speakers acknowledged that in some respects they were there at their peril, since publicly discussing flying saucers still carries reputational risk.

“You’re black, you’re Muslim, you represent a district in Indiana,” Carson said of himself, “and now you want to talk about UAPs?”

But it’s a measure of the growing public interest in the phenomena and the mounting evidence that something is out there that more and more serious people are willing to take that risk. Even former President Barack Obama weighed in on the topic. In a February interview, Obama was asked if extraterrestrial life exists, and he responded, “They’re real,” hastening to add, “But I haven’t seen them. They’re not being kept at Area 51. There’s no underground facility—unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the President of the United States.”

Obama added that he based his belief in the likelihood of extraterrestrial beings in part on the fact that “statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there.” That’s a point a lot of believers make, especially since NASA’s Kepler Space

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2021 NAVY FLYBY VIDEO (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

IN AN OPEN HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COUNTERTERRORISM, COUNTERINTELLIGENCE, AND COUNTERPROLIFERATION SUBCOMMITTEE ON MAY 17, 2022, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE SCOTT BRAY SHARED THIS VIDEO OF A U.S. NAVAL JET ENCOUNTER WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENON (UAP). THE OBJECT'S PATH WAS FLEETING, BUT A COCKPIT CAMERA CAPTURED IT BEFORE IT VANISHED. THE LEFT HAND IMAGE INCLUDES A PORTION OF THE JET'S CANOPY

Telescope and other space-based and Earth-based observatories have discovered thousands of exoplanets—or planets orbiting other stars—leading astronomers to conclude that virtually every one of the trillions of stars in the sky has at least one world circling it.

As with all things in a loud, messy, pluralistic democracy, public opinion plays a role here too—and Americans are clearly ready for action. According to a poll conducted by the Disclosure Foundation just weeks before the Capitol Hill forum, 84% of respondents want more information from the government on UAPs, 69% believe UAPs are real, 59% support hearings and transparency laws, and just 21% trust the federal government to be telling the complete truth. The responses are bipartisan. A statistically meaningless 1% separates the whopping 89% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats who say they want more information on UAPs.

"You could be a single-issue candidate running in the U.S.," says Jordan Flowers, the Disclosure Foundation's executive director. "That single issue could be [UAP] transparency, and you could get elected just based on that."

Unlike other single issues like taxation, immigration, or climate, which unfold indefinitely over decades, UAP transparency has a fixed end point. The government will tell all it knows, the sightings

will be investigated, and their origins will be determined to be terrestrial—highly advanced military or other assets—or, epochally, extraterrestrial.

"My null hypothesis would be that these are human-made objects being operated by adversarial nations, near strategic assets of the U.S.," says Loeb. And if they're not? If they do come from... elsewhere? "That will be the biggest discovery ever made by humanity."

THE U.S. SENATE doesn't lend out the Kennedy Caucus Room to just anybody. Opened in 1909, the room is a prepossessing place, with carved marble walls measuring 74 ft. long, 54 ft. wide, and 35 ft. high—climbing to an ornate ceiling decorated with gilded rosettes and acanthus leaves. The doors of the room open onto the Russell Building's vaulted, marble rotunda, which rises three stories high.

The caucus room has seen a lot of history: it was the site of hearings on the sinking of the Titanic, the Teapot Dome scandal, Pearl Harbor, the Vietnam War, Watergate, Iran-Contra, and more. Both John and Robert Kennedy announced their presidential runs there. It was thus no small thing that the Disclosure Foundation was cleared to use the space to hold its June 25 summit. The 300-plus people in attendance took the event exceedingly seriously.

Despite the once flaky, fringey, fantastical topic under discussion, the vibe was clearly not Burning Man, Comic Con, or South by Southwest. One attendee was decked out in a T-shirt featuring a bug-eyed alien playing electric guitar, but for everyone else in the room, business attire was the order of the day.

"Today, experts that rarely occupy the same room—physicists, historians, economists, intelligence professionals, educators, journalists, and policymakers—are gathered here in this room," said Mellon in his opening remarks, "to discuss a subject that was, until very recently, untouchable."

Of all of the panels that appeared throughout the day, it was a morning session on the security and defense implications of UAPs that had the most gravity. The panelists discussed the repeated sightings of UAPs both by naval pilots and personnel at military bases, raising concern about the permeability of armed American airspace. If the objects' origins were indeed found to be extraterrestrial, the technology of the alien species far eclipses any flying machines human beings have ever developed. If they are terrestrial—built and flown by rival nations—they signal an arms race that we are already losing.

Retired naval Lieutenant Ryan Graves had his first encounter with UAPs off the East Coast of the U.S. 14 years ago

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and more in the two years that followed. “We came back from a deployment in 2012 and began to upgrade our radar systems,” he told TIME, “and we immediately saw objects in our working area that we were not expecting. There were usually anywhere between three and six objects within the airspace off the coast of Virginia Beach. Sometimes [they were] completely stationary at very high winds, sometimes flying at 250 to 350 knots [288 to 402 m.p.h.].”

The objects, Graves said, were 5 to 15 ft. in diameter, and appeared to be a gray or black cube inside a clear sphere. They gave off no exhaust and flew in such a way—diving and soaring and suddenly changing direction—that any human passenger would be subject to potentially deadly g-forces. Sometimes they flew so close to the Navy jets that the pilots were required to file hazard reports so that other planes operating in the vicinity could be warned.

“They would be outside doing these behaviors all day,” Graves says. “It might appear that these objects are using magical physics we don’t understand.” As part of the pilots’ routine rotation, they later shifted their operations to the waters off Jacksonville, Fla. They got no peace there either. The UAPs, says Graves, “were either already down there or they had followed us down, because we had over a dozen incidents.”

The naval flyers’ Virginia and Florida encounters are by no means the only experience the military has had with UAPs. One of the most compelling is the so-called Tic Tac incident, which occurred off the coast of California in 2004. During an otherwise routine deployment that year, radar personnel repeatedly noticed the reflection of a skittering airborne object they could not explain—looping and diving, climbing and then dropping from an altitude of 80,000 ft. to 20,000 ft. To crack the mystery, a team of flyers was scrambled into the sky. Once aloft, they discovered what they estimated to be a 45-ft.-long flying machine that bore a striking resemblance to a Tic Tac breath mint.

“All four of us looked down and saw a Tic Tac object moving very abruptly over the water,” said pilot David Fravor in a 2023 appearance before a congressional committee. “There were no

FORMER NAVAL AVIATOR RYAN GRAVES APPEARS AT A CAPITOL HILL HEARING IN 2023

rotors, no rotor wash, or any sign of visible control surfaces like wings. As we pulled nose onto the object within about a half-mile of it, it rapidly accelerated and disappeared.” Cockpit video preserved the encounter.

Military assets on the ground have been harassed too. For 17 straight nights in December 2024, Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va. was swarmed by objects that appeared overhead 45 minutes after sundown and repeatedly flew over the base. According to one eyewitness—former astronaut Scott Kelly, who in 2022 was tapped to serve on a NASA UAP study team—the objects appeared to be 20 ft. long, flying at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 ft., at a speed of 100 m.p.h. The incursions became serious enough that Langley canceled nighttime training flights and moved its F-22 jets to another air base.

More dramatic was a reported sighting by six federal law-enforcement officers in October 2023, near what the official memorandum described as “a sensitive national security site in the western United States.” For two consecutive days, just at dusk, the witnesses reported observing “a luminous ‘mother orb’ appear[ing] to produce smaller red orbs, one after another, multiple times over a period of several hours. The ‘red orbs’ reportedly persisted for several seconds before disappearing.”

“It is clear that we have lost control of our airspace. Full stop,” says Flowers.

“Whether this is some form of human intelligence, or whether it’s something else, I am not creative enough to say.”

“Many of these things are certainly not drones,” says Luis Elizondo, a former intelligence officer with the government’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). “They are advanced technology from somewhere. If you’re scrambling jets off Langley, you’ve got a problem.”

Not everyone is persuaded by the reports. “Great claims require great evidence,” says Jon Kosloski, director of AARO, “and the evidence just isn’t there yet.” Kelly does not minimize the security risk posed by rogue objects but does not think they have to have an exotic origin. “In science, eyewitness testimony is kind of opinion; it’s not data,” he says. “I have never seen anything that couldn’t be explained.”

IF UAPS ARE ever confirmed to have an extraterrestrial origin it will represent what Carlos Eire, professor of history and religious studies at Yale University and a speaker at the Disclosure forum, calls a “rupture” in human civilization.

“A rupture is something after which nothing is the same,” he says. “It’s similar to the rupture that occurred for the natives of North and South America when Europeans showed up.”

Clinical psychologist Jennice Vilhauer, a member of the advisory boards of both Loeb’s UAP Council and the Disclosure Foundation, spoke at the June 25 event, and her words were sobering. “If this news were to come out tomorrow,” she says, “we’re entirely unprepared.”

An emotional contagion like panic is

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2022 MIDDLE EAST OBJECT (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

ON APRIL 19, 2023, SEAN KIRKPATRICK, DIRECTOR OF THE ALL-DOMAIN ANOMALY RESOLUTION OFFICE (AARO), SHARED A VIDEO THAT DEPICTS AN APPARENT SILVER, ORBLICE OBJECT CROSSING A VIDEO SENSOR'S FIELD OF VIEW. KIRKPATRICK SAID THE 'METALLIC ORBS' ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF UAP AND ARE REPORTED FROM 'ALL OVER THE WORLD.'

always possible, but Vilhauer does not think most people would react that way even to such paradigm-shifting news as nonhuman intelligence. "There are certain communities that would look at this through a catastrophic lens, like an end-times event," she says. "But I don't see this being something that would spread across the entire population."

That doesn't mean that there would not be a psychic impact. A lot, she says, would depend on whether alien life was perceived as either benevolent, indifferent, or hostile. Even a microbe could be hostile if it posed a risk of infection—a peril about which humans have always been mindful. During the first three moon-landing missions, returning astronauts were required to spend three weeks in medical quarantine against the chance that they picked up alien germs.

Also playing a role would be the question of what Vilhauer calls personal relevance—whether the news of non-human life affected any one person directly. The greatest emotional reaction would occur in people who perceive a high threat level and high personal relevance; the least effect would be in people who see low threat and low personal relevance. "Disclosure alone would be a huge, unprecedented event," Vilhauer says. "Those two things together—personal relevance and threat—could create a really negative response."

Mental health will not be the only thing that's affected by UAP disclosure;

spiritual health will be too. As long ago as the 1970s, divinity scholars established the concept of exotheology—a branch of Christian thought that includes the possibility of life in the cosmos. That can come in handy now. Eire believes that the three leading monotheistic religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—will have the most work to do coming to terms with nonhuman intelligence. That's because all three of them share the idea that there is one God, and that he created everything including human beings. Our species, we like to think, is his crowning creation—a belief that will be harder to hold onto if a cosmic species comes along that's better, smarter, fitter than us. "The book of Genesis, which is shared in different ways by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, poses this very troubling story about human origins," says Eire.

Christianity, Eire believes, will have a special hurdle to overcome in adjusting to the idea of off-Earth life because of its teaching that God became human. On the other hand, all three monotheistic religions do have some practice with the idea of intelligent, nonhuman life. "Jews, Christians, and Muslims accept as a given that human beings are not alone in God's creation," says Eire. "There have always been angels."

QUESTIONS ABOUT UAPS and the life-forms that may or may not have sent them our way may turn in part on faith,

but they also turn on physics. While exobiologists continue to explore the possibility of microbial life on Mars and on ocean moons like Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus, it is well accepted that our solar system has just one world with advanced, intelligent life, and that's ours. That means looking for exceptional beings farther afield.

The closest star system to Earth is Proxima Centauri, a tidy 4.25 light-years—or 25 trillion miles—distant. Getting from there to here would in theory take at least 4.25 years, and only if you're traveling at the speed of light—which Albert Einstein long ago proved can't be done. Other star systems lie thousands and billions of light-years away, meaning that traveling the trans-Earth distance could take almost as long as the age of the universe itself.

Still, plenty of academics don't rule out the possibility of alien visitors from the stars. "I would put the estimate of the chances that we've been visited—and I would define that as an exploration through our solar system, leading to them being aware that Earth has life and civilization—at maybe something like 50%," says Jack Singal, professor of physics at the University of Richmond. He puts the odds that any of the claimed UFO or UAP sightings over the past century have actually been one of those visitations at a much lower 5%. "I think there's just enough mundane explanations for these things," he says.

LEFT: DREW ANDERSON—BETTY IMAGES, RIGHT: U.S. DOW

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Jonathan Miller, a program engineer for MIT's department of mechanical engineering and the director of an academic program called Confronting Unknowns, which explores the question of UAPs, does not go as far as Singal, but he is open to the possibility that other civilizations are not as constrained by Einsteinian physics as we think they'd be. "There are the physics of traveling from point A to point B," he says. "But there may be alternative ways to sort of bridge that gap. There's probably an iceberg of possibilities [to explain UAPs] below the waterline."

Some of those explanations may be straightforward—at least compared with extraterrestrials. If it's possible that some rival power has developed advanced technology that can perform the acrobatics the UAPs do, it's equally possible that the U.S. has as well and that witnesses are simply observing domestic hardware. The military is nothing if not secretive, and all of this work could be done in the dark—much the way the Manhattan Project, which developed the world's first nuclear weapons, operated silently, invisibly, from June 1942 to August 1947.

It's possible too that there is something even more prosaic than earthly or alien space technology at play. Miller speaks admiringly of the "mark one eyeballs of a well-trained pilot" as perhaps the most reliable sensor system on any plane—better than radar, infrared, or motion sensors. But those eyeballs can be fooled—especially given the thermal, chemical, and physical complexity of the atmosphere in which the UAPs are being seen and reported.

"The atmosphere is a crazy place," says Singal. "You can see double, triple rainbows. You can go to some Arctic regions and see the sun appear several times at several different angles in the sky. You can have tornadoes that pick up and throw a car or impale a cow on a tree. Could it make a black triangle move across the sky for 10 seconds? I would say it could."

"You get a lot of reports from naval officers, more so than from the Air Force," says Kelly. "That's because the Navy flies over water and it's an environment that is very subject to optical illusions."

AN ARTIST'S CONCEPTION OF THE FAST-MOVING INTERSTELLAR COMET OUMUAMUA, WHICH HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AS A POSSIBLE UAP

Witnesses, of course, swear by the evidence of their eyes, and sightings like those of Graves and his fellow pilots, which involved large objects moving at close proximity between two naval jets, are hard to dismiss as just the hallucinatory interplay of light and air.

"We came within 50 ft. of the lead aircraft," says Graves. "I think some of what we were seeing were true UAPs. What I mean by that is that these were true airborne assets that were physical in nature, that were exhibiting capabilities beyond our state of the art."

The community of people who believe accounts like these and want to get to the bottom of them is growing. In addition to chairing the UAP Science Advisory Council, Loeb is co-directing the Harvard-based Galileo Project, which scans the skies looking for hints of extraterrestrial technology. Galileo relies on three Earth-based telescopes—in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Nevada—using infrared, visible, and radio sensors to track moving objects that seem to deviate from the performance of earthly technology. In 2018, Loeb and his colleague Shmuel Bialy, then a postdoctorate researcher, made headlines with a paper in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, in which they entertained the idea that the cigar-shaped interstellar comet Oumuamua "may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilization."

In 2017, the object flew into our solar system, whipped around the sun like a comet, and flew back out. On that

departing leg of the journey, it accelerated when it should have been slowing down because of the gravitational pull of the sun. That suggested some propulsion system was at work. It is possible, Loeb and Bialy wrote, that the object is "floating in interstellar space as a debris from an advanced technological equipment."

Other astronomers dismiss that idea, arguing that Oumuamua was pushed either by solar wind, the storm of charged particles forever streaming from the sun, or by solar radiation pressure, the gentle force imparted by electromagnetic energy when it contacts an object. The object has since soared back into deep space, taking the possibility of any answers with it.

CONGRESS IS STAYING on the UAP case—in its own dilatory way. In 2024, lawmakers took up the UAP Transparency Act, which would mandate declassification of all documents related to UAPs. The bill has not yet become law, and its potential impact has been partly mooted by the White House going ahead and releasing the four tranches of documents on its own.

For now, UAPs remain a riddle. They may be real, they may be illusion, they may simply be artifacts of human desire—something we see because we want to see them. A universe with other life-forms, after all, is a lot less lonely than one in which we are the only world with lights in the windows. The eyewitnesses, of course, would differ—knowing what they saw, believing what they saw, and remaining, in some cases, transformed by what they saw. In time—if the proof is found, if biological intelligence is discovered in the void—we may all be transformed the same way.

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© 2026 WASHINGTON, DC

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TED LASSO CROSSES THE POND TO COACH A NEW TEAM

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN ON THE END OF HIS ODYSSEY

MARY STEENBURGEN TALKS PICKLEBALL, ELF, AND SHAKESPEARE

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TWO DAYS BEFORE MY 39TH BIRTHDAY, I SAT IN a small boat making its way up a deep river lined with rooty mangrove trees. Though I had never been to this place, it felt hauntingly familiar, like an unlived memory. This was the River Gambia, and it was taking me to the village of Juffure.

It was February 2001. Three years earlier, President Bill Clinton had appointed my father, George W. Haley, U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Gambia. Like an act of poetic atonement, America sent the great-great-great-great-grandson of a slave back, as a diplomat, to the country whence his ancestor had been kidnapped. From my first breath of Gambian air, every step felt like an introduction to my whole self. But the most extraordinary moment was when I walked into Juffure, as my uncle, Alex Haley, had done 33 years earlier on his journey to writing Roots: The Saga of an American Family, and discovered our beginning.

As soon as the boat reached shore, I gazed into some three dozen eyes that looked like mine, many belonging to my cousins, unmet and however many times removed, and imagined how Uncle Alex felt when he first set foot there. I thanked him silently for his sacrifice and perseverance.

How does a single book at once condemn and captivate a nation? Fifty years ago this August, Roots did just that. In 1976, the bicentennial of the United States of America, Alexander Murray Palmer Haley saw the story he had carried since childhood, then researched and written over 12 years, sit atop the New York Times best-seller list for 46 weeks, spending 22 at No. 1. A U.S. Coast Guard veteran and freelance writer had dispelled any notion of it having been born the land of the free that its anthem professed, and the entire country, it seemed, was now on notice.

Alex Haley was my father's older brother, and a significant presence in my life. He called me his "beloved niece" and "Little Bertha," the second a loving attribution to his mother. He flew in for ballet performances and piano recitals, sent flowers for a good report card, and bought me my first car. He delivered the commencement speech at my high school graduation, and sat front and center at my college and law-school graduations. I adored him.

And now, all of those conversations around the Thanksgiving table had finally come to fruition. At 14, I innocently felt that his accomplishment was mine too. I had been raised on this story that was now the world's to know. This was my family. And this is my love letter to him.

ROOTS SOLD 1.5 MILLION COPIES in its first seven months and eventually 8 million, collecting a National Book Award, a special Pulitzer Prize, and an NAACP Spingarn Medal. It was translated into more than 35 languages and adapted into a ratings-smashing TV miniseries. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone born in America before 1980 who does not remember a copy of Roots on the bookshelf or the miniseries playing on the TV. In his Feb. 2, 1977, monologue for the Tonight Show episode on which Uncle Alex appeared, Johnny Carson remarked, "If there's anyone watching who does not know about Roots, you must have either been out of the country or on Mars someplace."

But none of this had been Uncle Alex's wildest dream. All he had set out to do was to find out for himself who the African was. Uncle Alex and his brothers spent most summers on their maternal grandparents' front porch. There, they would sit rapt, listening to the stories their grandmother Cynthia and her sister friends told late into the night. One such story told of a man brought to America on a boat from Africa that had landed in "Naples." The African's name was "Kinte."

The African had been sold to a plantation in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, where he married Bell, the plantation cook. The two had a daughter named Kizzy, which in his native tongue meant "stay put." So much more the devastating irony when she was sold to a plantation in North Carolina at 16. There, her enslaver fathered her child, George, who became known as Chicken George because of his skills working gamecock fights.

The stories became livelier at this point, and more rich with detail, as these were characters the women had known personally—Chicken George was Cynthia's grandfather—and they stayed with Uncle Alex. Haunted him, really. Who was this Kinte? Where had he come from? There was no 23andMe then, but there were reams of microfiche at the Library of Congress and ample records in basements of the Churches of Latter-day Saints. There was also, and first, Cousin Georgia.

WHEN MY UNCLE would land in Kansas City, Kans., where my family lived, it was like a rock star on a sold-out tour. We knew he had come to sit at the knee of his grandmother's cousin, Georgia Anderson, decades after he'd watched her rocking chair keep time on a porch. Now in her 80s, she was the last living repository of the stories of the African, including some of the words of his native tongue: she knew that kamby bolongo meant river, and kora was a stringed instrument like a banjo.

Her recounting, alongside his research, enabled Uncle Alex to learn that these cherished words were of the Mandinka language, spoken primarily in the Republic of Gambia. He made multiple trips on his meager budget,

The original Roots book jacket and, above, Haley in 1977

Previous page: the author with her uncle, who is signing copies of his book

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traipsing around a country the size of Connecticut. Had he too much audacity in believing he could reverse the Middle Passage?

Perhaps he was feeling that way when he stepped into Juffure in April 1967, and the griot recited a history that included a 17-year-old Kunta Kinte, who had left the village almost exactly 200 years earlier to gather wood to make a drum for his younger brother and never returned. Uncle Alex carried the other end of that story: where that firstborn son of Binta and Omoro Kinte had ended up on a British slave ship named the Lord Ligonier that set sail from the Gambia River on July 5, 1767, and arrived in Annapolis, Md., on Sept. 29, 1767. One hundred and forty Africans had been smuggled onto that ship. Ninety-eight survived the journey.

Uncle Alex's arrival in Juffure was a feat of ancestral home revealed and personal mystery solved. James Earl Jones made that moment his own in the Roots miniseries. In his portrayal of Alex Haley there in Juffure, Jones exclaims with bass-toned exuberance: "You old African! I found you, Kunta Kinte!" I always smile at this scene. Knowing Uncle Alex, I imagine

that his reaction would have been no less dramatically felt, but more understated. I see him sitting there, knee to knee with the griot. Upon hearing the name Kinte and then calculating the data, I envision him folding in on himself, a gut punch quietly and gratefully received; a recognition of origin, a recompense for every African American back home, a proof of life: before.

THIS FLOOD OF EMOTIONS must have ranged from relief to euphoria to mind-splitting fury. Perhaps it inspired the title Uncle Alex originally had in mind Before This Anger. The story we heard was that the publishers were likely apprehensive about putting off a white audience with this title. But its layers of meaning demand excavation. If there was an anger before this one, the inference is that

Roots gave Americans of African descent an origin that began not in servitude but in freedom

there was a present anger. And was there not, for Black folks in America's mid-20th century? (And every century before, and today?)

But there is another way to read it. One that reveals that before this anger—before this truncated knowledge that people of African ancestry had been enslaved for 400 years, stripped of their culture, their liberty, and their personhood, then denied civil rights—there was another place across the waters where their forebears were not property but kings and queens. Before this anger was a place where the culture of these people was wholly intact, centuries old, with a foundation so deep that when stripped from its shores, a man had carried it with him and remembered it to those in the place where he landed.

Not long after Roots' publication, Uncle Alex was challenged by critics who questioned the accuracy of his timeline and suggested the griot told him what he wanted to hear. But as many historians pointed out, to focus on specific dates or dialogue is to miss the larger truth. The "before," the lineage Uncle Alex uncovered, came to him by way of oral history. This tradition is, almost by definition, imperfect in its translation, especially across centuries. The very nature of the oral tradition, which is decidedly African and characteristically unburdened by the rules of Western record-keeping, is the spirit of its truth, even more than its detail. One's trust in a griot's accounting derives from centuries-old reliability. To counter the critics, Uncle Alex himself said while his work was informed by extensive research, the book was not without errors, and certain details were his own literary creation. Today, we call this historical fiction. But for my family, and all those who see their lineage in Roots, this genre designation changes its meaning not one bit. As my uncle told one journalist, "Neither you nor I know exactly what happened. But I stand by Roots as a symbol of the fate of my people."

BEFORE ROOTS, most every depiction of our origin had begun with enslavement, as if we had sprung up

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spontaneously on this soil with sun-kissed skin and woolen hair. Both captor and captive knew that all had not begun here. But the captor would not have been inclined to tell that story, and the captive was not allowed, being not permitted to learn to read or write.

All the more prescient, then, that Kunta would be inclined to tell his daughter his origin story, and teach her words in his native tongue. He likely would not have imagined that those words would lead his descendants back to his beloved homeland. Or perhaps that was his very design. Alex Haley: his ancestors' wildest dream.

It was a game of generational telephone that allowed the world to know the history of the African American before slavery. Uncle Alex always said Roots was not just the story of the Haley family, but of every African American: "In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage—to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning." Roots gave Americans of African descent an origin that began not in servitude but in freedom.

White America's fascination is less legible. Maybe it was a need to not be called out, as by Carson. Or maybe people were more open to national truths following the Vietnam War and civil rights movement. The most common memory Black people around my age have shared with me is how, on the days after watching a Roots episode, they would go to school angry. Mean-mugging white classmates who, in turn, were sheepish and chastened. Roots was not intended as a condemnation, but for some, it played like one.

That the TV deal was struck almost before the ink on the manuscript was dry speaks to the inevitability that Roots would be an economic powerhouse, though the book's immediate popularity surprised even the publishers, selling out an initial print run of 200,000 copies, with Doubleday forced to push out 14 more printings.

ABC must have been surprised too. The network decided to run the miniseries, originally slated to run weekly, on consecutive nights, to avoid a falloff in viewership, but also to get it all in before the ratings period. Some say it was the inclement weather that had people fixed to their TV sets. But maybe America was actually interested in learning about this 11.5% of its population whose culture it had long appreciated. And so, more than half the U.S. population and 85% of all U.S. homes with televisions watched Roots, most every night, for eight sequential nights.

James Earl Jones, standing, as Alex Haley in the 1977 miniseries adaptation of Roots

SINCE ROOTS WAS PUBLISHED our country has seen vast increases in Black businesses and Black academia, a Black superhero and a Black President, even as we continue to fight the battles of institutional racism. A 2022 Pew study reported that of the Black Americans who have delved into genealogical research, 77% did so by speaking to their families. I like to think of that as a nod to Kunta, Kizzy, and the art of oral history.

I have a slightly tattered, no matter how lovingly preserved, copy of the Reader's Digest excerpt of Roots. On its title page is a message from my uncle that reads: "To the next writer in the family. Love, Uncle Alex." As we mark the nation's sesquicentennial, I carry that booklet with me like a talisman, a call to arms: Keep telling our story, he tells me. Keep our ancestors alive.

History may depend on it. Earlier this spring, Knox County, Tennessee—the county where Uncle Alex spent his final years, the home of the university where he would donate the majority of his papers and where a public park holds a 13-ft., 4,200-lb. bronze statue of him, in the state that cradles the porch that birthed the book—banned Roots, requiring that copies be removed from school libraries. Ten days later, following swift backlash, the county reversed its decision. The work of the ancestors, or just better minds prevailing? Either way, the lesson is clear. The surest way to preserve one's story is to keep telling it.

Haley is a Los Angeles-based lawyer

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REVIEWS

TELEVISION

Ted Lasso sidelines Ted Lasso

BY JUDY BERMAN

TED LASSO IS BACK. LIKE A BAND THAT DOES a big farewell tour, then reunites before you get the chance to miss it, the megahit Apple TV sorta-comedy in which a folksy American football coach leads an underdog English soccer club has returned just three years after an implicit finale that sent its hero home to his son in Kansas. Season 4 takes co-creator Jason Sudeikis' Ted, who became a nurturing father figure to the surrogate family that was AFC Richmond, back across the Atlantic to shepherd the club's new women's team. It doesn't quite work.

The season opens with the jarring image of a bored coach Lasso manning a supermarket register. Still in the Midwest a few years after the events of Season 3, he loves being with his son, Henry (Grant Feely). But it's a relief when his old boss, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), and colleagues Keeley (Juno Temple) and Higgins (Jeremy Swift) fly in to woo him for the Lady Greyhounds. Never mind that he still knows little about soccer, or that there are qualified female candidates. When his ex, Michelle (Andrea Anders), frictionlessly agrees to move with him and Henry to London, everything's coming up Ted.

The original cast remains largely intact. Brett Goldstein's seething has-been, Roy Kent, has replaced Ted as the men's coach. Beard (co-creator Brendan Hunt) stuck around to assist Roy but has gone feral without his professional soulmate. Rebecca and Keeley are battling sexism to get the Lady Greyhounds the financial support they need. Which leaves Ted to win over the icy assistant coach, Alice (played by the wonderful Tanya Reynolds from Sex Education), who was passed over for his job, and establish the same magical bond with his new team that he had with the old one. Oddly, in the four episodes sent for review (out of 10 total), he barely interacts with them.

THE ORIGINAL TED LASSO was a show about masculinity. Neither particularly funny nor especially exciting in its depiction of Premier League play, it offered a comforting vision of macho men improving themselves through bonding and introspection. Ted was the catalyst, the Gallant to a gaggle of Goofuses. To its credit, the show put coach Lasso on the analyst's couch too. His choice to go home concluded an arc that had him end the cycle of dad trauma in which several characters' struggles were rooted.

Ted is an awkward fit as a father figure to a women's team

Sudeikis' comeback season falls short

Ted is a more awkward fit as a father figure to the Lady Greyhounds because, well, the new gender dynamic could read as less paternal than paternalistic. Make him a voice of reason, and he's mansplaining; have him defer too much, and he's the cringey, try-hard male feminist he sometimes resembled in previous seasons. The show's solution is to keep him largely on the sidelines, leaving female characters like Alice and AFC Richmond therapist Sharon (Sarah Niles) to dispense wisdom on such female-coded issues as intrateam cliques. This puts the players at arm's length. There's a mom, a couple, a goalie who refuses to wear gloves, but no Roy or Jamie.

Female characters were never the mostly male Ted Lasso creative team's strength. Despite Waddingham's and Temple's charm, Rebecca and Keeley's business plot falters because they continue to interact like giggly teens. Although there are plenty of women writing and directing in Season 4, Alice is the only substantial character who doesn't feel filtered through the male gaze.

No longer a tutorial in how to be a good man, Ted Lasso returns as, in parts, a gentle rejoinder to sexism in sports and a gift to those still shipping Roy and Keeley, but mostly a workplace comfort show about nothing in particular. TV could use more scripted stories about female athletes. But a different coach is going to have to preside, because Ted Lasso just doesn't belong.

New episodes of Ted Lasso are released on Wednesdays on Apple TV

COLIN HUTTON—APPLE TV

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INTERVIEW

Christopher Nolan explains The Odyssey

BY ELIANA DOCKTERMAN

THIS SPRING, WHEN I SPOKE WITH CHRISTOPHER NOLAN about his highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey, he was reluctant to discuss the ending. He's known as the master of the last-act twist, and likes leaving the audience with more questions than answers. He told me he never wants to impose his interpretation on others. (Are Cobb's kids in Inception real or imagined? You decide.)

But now the movie is out and has produced Nolan's biggest worldwide opening ever. When we hopped on the phone shortly before the film's release, it was for a spoiler-filled chat about the film's final act—readers beware!—he offered some insight as to why he made certain changes when adapting the epic poem.

We discussed the surprising parallels between The Odyssey and Oppenheimer, why Nolan decided to give Odysseus and Penelope the happy ending they don't get in Homer's epic poem, and how to interpret Zendaya's mysterious character: Is she actually a goddess or merely a manifestation of Odysseus' guilt? We also dug into Zeus' law and the deeper meaning behind Helen's scarred face.

Odysseus is a man who suffers from PTSD, and, in your interpretation, who believes he's responsible for the end of a civilization because he violated the ethical code by which the ancient Greeks lived their lives. My form of storytelling is, you take a hero, as we did with Oppenheimer, and Oppenheimer has all these flaws, all of these complexities. You find an actor who can take the audience on a journey with that character and make mistakes with that character and not judge that character. And then you step back from that character and go, "Well, how did we get here?"

[For this movie,] you do that through Odysseus' men. That's one of the things in the poem that's breezed over—the way in which the crew ends up getting killed one by one, despite his leadership. In the process of adaptation, you go, "That's actually pretty interesting. Maybe we need to make that more center stage." What's the relationship between him and his crew? How do they feel about how he's leading them and the things that befall them?

He's a guy who makes a lot of mistakes. His ultimate mistake is the horse. So there's a sort of tragic flaw right from the beginning in our telling.

My interpretation of Zendaya's character is that she is not Athena as Odysseus initially present her—gods don't exist in this world—but a manifestation of his guilt. During the sack of Troy, we see her as a priestess in the Temple of Athena, and the Greeks behead her. For Odysseus, she encapsulates the chaos that the horse

Nolan says he had a vision for his Trojan horse two decades before filming began

has wrought on the world. But my editor did not interpret it that way. I am hoping you will settle our disagreement. I couldn't possibly answer that because I learned very early on with Memento that it's unfair to define the experience for the audience by answering questions like that.

Here's what I will say: For me, what was important was that we view the gods the way that people at the time might have viewed them. So they're seeing evidence of the gods in nature. They're seeking and finding gods and the influence of gods in the people around them. Odysseus says to Telemachus, "Don't look for gods in men. You'll just be disappointed." And some of what Odysseus says about divinity, to me, is somebody who's protesting a bit too much, someone trying to live in denial of their own instincts and their own practices.

I was struck by the parallels between Oppenheimer and Odysseus, two brilliant men who create a tool of devastating destruction and then struggle with the guilt of what they have done. When I spoke

60 TIME August 17, 2026

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to Matt Damon, I asked, “What did you think when you first read the script?” And he said, “It felt like Oppenheimer.” I assume that was a conscious choice. Yes. If I’ve done a film right, it leaves me with questions. It leaves me with things I want to keep exploring and thinking about. And Oppenheimer fed very much into my reading of the story of Odysseus.

John Leguizamo [who plays Odysseus’ friend Eumaeus] says it at the very beginning: “That’s very clever, but your cleverness will get you in trouble.” As it does again and again and again. This is where it ties into Oppenheimer: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. The parallels were pretty apparent to me as I figured out how to adapt it.

The movie hinges on this idea that the pillaging of Troy, which Odysseus made possible with the Trojan horse, effectively destroys “Zeus’ law.” That’s the movie’s term for the ancient Greek concept of xenia—the respectful relationship between host and guest—which can be tricky to explain to a modern audience.

‘If I’ve done a film right, it leaves me with things I want to keep exploring.’

Why was it important to include? When you find these things are difficult to deal with, sometimes the solution is just to dive in and make it everything. I didn’t use the term xenia because you don’t want to throw too many terms at people. But it’s essentially the golden rule. It all comes back to weather, to geography. When you leave the house, you are depending on the kindness of strangers, and you have to trust that when you arrive somewhere after weeks or months of traveling, that you will be fed, you will be given water. Three thousand years ago, that was everything. You were always at the mercy of strangers. And so this idea that a stranger could be a god in disguise, it’s very powerful as the underpinning of a belief system.

At different points in the film, if man is given the opportunity, he becomes a beast. A soldier will behead a priestess. You imply that Menelaus purposefully scarred Helen’s face either because he believes she’s responsible for the Trojan War or to prevent anyone from taking her again. That line, “The face that launched 1,000 ships, or maybe just 500,” just occurred to me to write. Sometimes what you do as a writer is purely instinctive. I felt the poem didn’t necessarily address what it is for Helen to be brought back by Menelaus and how that would ever work. How would that relationship be? How could it possibly be anything other than the most acidic, awful marriage?

You don’t buy that he saw her face and said, “She’s so beautiful I can’t kill her after all,” as he does in the myth? There’s a lot of sh-t that’s happened in that relationship, and we have a very brief moment of time with them in this story. I was looking for a shorthand way to communicate the aftermath of the war and how it’s been traumatic for the entire world.

You also see this idea of man as beast in the scene with Circe. She says that Odysseus’ men would have raped and killed her—that they’re pigs. Then you get to the end and see the sack of Troy and the horror of what they did. She’s right. Circe articulates it well in the film. I love the way Samantha [Morton] has played the part. Talking about choices of adaptation, the end of the poem is so grim and so misogynistic, I had to exclude some of that material. But I didn’t want to completely take it off the table in terms of what it is saying about men and the way they wage war.

And yet you give Odysseus and Penelope a happy ending that they do not get in the poem. Well, it is the fall of civilization, so there is a fairly bleak sensibility. The end is talking about cycles, and you can view cycles pessimistically: History is doomed to repeat itself. But there is also something optimistic about those cycles. As Penelope says, “Civilization will rise again.” There is rebirth and regrowth.

For me, it was important in looking at the ending to try and strike the right balance between pessimism and optimism—pessimism about what might have precipitated the Bronze Age catastrophe and the optimism that positive things will reassert themselves. □

MELINDA RUE GORDON—UNIVERSAL PICTURES

61

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CHINA WATCH

PRESENTED BY CHINA DAILY

Village was cast aside but now has place in sun

Tourism drive cashes in on World Heritage Site to improve living standards for locals

BY HOU LIQIANG

When Ran Yijie, a marketing graduate, quit his city job in 2021 to return to the rugged mountains of Chongqing municipality, many who know him questioned his sanity. After all, he had managed to escape the isolation of Jingzhu, a village once characterized by its rocky desertification, crushing poverty and an exodus of its young people.

Today that diagnosis of madness has well and truly been disposed of. Ran's family home is now a thriving local restaurant generating over 100,000 yuan ($14,000) a year, anchoring a massive reverse brain drain that is reshaping Southwest China's economy.

Jingzhu, driven by the development of the nearby UNESCO Wulong Karst World Natural Heritage Site and the booming Fairy Mountain National Tourist Resort, has been transformed from a dying hinterland into a magnet for young business people and outside investors. In fact the United Nations World Tourism Organization has recognized it as one of the world's best tourism villages.

Wulong Karst, including the

Three Natural Bridges, Furong Cave and the Houping Giant Doline, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007 as part of the South China Karst.

Karst landscapes are formed by limestone that has been eroded by dissolution, producing ridges, towers, fissures and sinkholes.

The economic numbers coming out of the region underscore a lucrative market centered on the rocks. Wulong's scenic areas pulled in 52.1 million tourist visits last year, according to official figures, including nearly 800,000 international travelers, generating 25.1 billion yuan in total tourism revenue.

Jingzhu, with a population of 2,000 and located just 3.7 miles from the Fairy Mountain resort, has capitalized heavily on this influx.

Gao Yan, a local official of Jingzhu, said that after Wulong's world heritage inscription and the opening of the Baotou-Maoming Expressway, villagers began developing high-altitude fruit picking and rural restaurants for tourists. After Fairy Mountain was upgraded into a national-level

tourist resort in 2015 the village set up companies marketing leisure holidays, study tours and engaged in other activities, including agriculture.

The timing, Gao said, allowed Jingzhu to cash in on its proximity to the heritage site to expand its development.

More than 1.5 million tourists visited the village last year, generating revenue of more than 100 million yuan. Per capita disposable income among villagers has surpassed 27,000 yuan, a figure significantly higher than similar rural villages in Chongqing municipality.

"Local people have benefited from the heritage site," said Chen Zhang, head of the village's agriculture, culture and tourism development company. Villagers' incomes have risen an average of more than 10% a year since the World Heritage Site was named, he said.

Restaurateur Ran is among a number of young villagers who have found a way to share in that growth. With support from local authorities, he turned his family's idle house into a restaurant serving local cuisine. The local government covered the renovation costs as part of a homestay alliance policy, under which idle village houses are upgraded for business use and later returned to villagers, with the improvements left in place, he said.

His mother, who began as a kitchen hand, prepares a local specialty soup, and his father has opened a small store next to the restaurant.

In recent years nearly 200 people have either returned from outside or come to Jingzhu to develop new businesses. They run homestays, grow fruit and operate restaurants, turning once-empty courtyards into bustling tourist hubs.

The development has not come at the cost of environmental protection, with local officials saying Jingzhu maintains a forest coverage rate of about 75%, and a negative oxygen ion concentration of about 35,000 per cubic centimeter.

The village's approach, they said, is to keep the core heritage area under strict protection, allow appropriate use in buffer and surrounding areas, and help residents increase

Stalactites are illuminated to draw tourists to Wulong's Furong Cave. PHOTOS BY HE PENGLEI / CHINA NEWS SERVICE

Right and below: Tourists visit the Three Natural Bridges scenic area, part of the Wulong Karst World Heritage Site, in Wulong, Chongqing.

Alpine rhododendron flowers blossom in Wulong's Zhaoyun Mountain in May. XIAO JIANGCHUAN / CHINA NEWS SERVICE

China Watch materials are distributed by China Daily Distribution Corp. on behalf of China Daily, Beijing, China.

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income through catering, homestays, fruit farming and other peripheral industries.

Liu Baodang, deputy secretary-general of the World Heritage Expert Committee of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said Wulong has put in place a three-layer protection and development system.

The core layer is strictly protected, the surrounding layer is developed through community participation, and the outer layer supports nature education, tourism, sports and cultural activities. "Protection and development no longer work against each other," Liu said.

Outdoor sporting competitions and activities have become another route for sustainable use. Fairy Mountain's scenic road is a core section of the China International Mountain Outdoor Sports Open, which has been running for more than two decades and has attracted competitors from over 70 countries, said Huang Wei, deputy head of Wulong's culture and tourism commission.

Wulong has 24 hiking routes spanning 481 miles, he said. In 2024, its outdoor sports industry generated more than 1 billion yuan in revenue and received more than 10 million sports tourism visits, creating stable employment for more than 3,000 residents.

Chen Weihai, a researcher at the Institute of Karst Geology of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, said Wulong Karst is of world-class quality. The bridges within 1 mile of the Three Natural Bridges form one of the world's largest beaded natural bridge groups, while the Houping Giant Doline cluster provides important evidence for studying karst development and regional geological change.

For Jingzhu village, however, the significance of the World Heritage Site is also visible in more ordinary scenes: A young man returning home to cook local dishes, families turning idle houses into businesses, fruit growers selling directly to visitors and old courtyards filling with people again.

Alan Heath, a Chinese language teacher at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, has taken about 60 students to China on exchange programs over the past year.

CHELSEA GE / CHINA DAILY

From classroom learning to real-world encounters

BY LIA ZHU and CHELSEA GE

Red paper-cuts and brush-inked calligraphy cover the walls. A sign by the door reads "100% speak Chinese." When Alan Heath walks to the front of his classroom his students rise, fold their hands in front of them and bow. Heath bows back. Zuoyi, the traditional Chinese gesture of greeting and respect, is used to start every class.

It is a small ritual, repeated each day at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah. However, for Heath, who teaches Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture, the bow is an attempt to bridge two cultures, one classroom at a time.

"The more important thing is not so much language, but understanding of culture, understanding of the mindset, understanding of why the Chinese people think the way they do," Heath said. "Once you do that, whatever level your language is, you're going to be able to have a better relationship."

Heath started learning Chinese when he was 19, and the difficulties he had with it eventually gave way to devotion. He went on to study international relations and Chinese at Brigham Young University, then spent years working in trade consultation and later at a genealogy organization before stepping into a classroom 15 years ago.

"I chose to teach Chinese because Chinese has had a huge impact on my life, and I love the language. I loved the culture ... I wanted to teach Chinese and share my knowledge and my experience with the language

and the culture, so that other Americans could learn to love the culture and the language."

In March Heath led a group of 32 students on a two-week trip to Beijing; Zhengzhou and Kaifeng in Henan province; and Xi'an in Shaanxi province. The journey was made possible through China's Young Envoys Scholarship program, established in 2023 with a goal of bringing 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over five years.

Kennady Pack, who began learning Chinese when she was six, said the trip turned years of classroom study into something tangible.

The itinerary included shopping and walking the streets of Beijing, climbing sections of the Great Wall, mingling with Chinese students on campus, and standing before the ranks of the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an. However, Pack said the trip's real power was seeing, in person, what she had only studied in textbooks.

Her classmate Damian Lambert said the language skills he had built in Heath's classroom transformed the trip from sightseeing into genuine connection.

Heath's philosophy is that real fluency comes only through meaningful conversation, not memorization.

"If you only memorize words, you will always stay at the novice level. If you memorize sentences, then you'll be maybe at the intermediate level," he said. "We want all of our students to be at advanced level, where they can talk in paragraphs. The paragraphs are the vehicle where you can exchange ideas with another person."

Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

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7 QUESTIONS

Mary Steenburgen The actor and philanthropist on the appeal of pickleball, the limits of maple syrup, and a humanitarian cause dear to her heart

You're starring in The Dink, a pickleball comedy released July 24 on Apple TV. Why do you play pickleball yourself? I saw in it something that I could do at this age [73] that I could get good at—maybe not great at or world-class, but good at—and go have fun with friends, and feel like I had a sport, which I hadn't had since my 40s, when I did start swimming competitively. I've missed having that feeling.

Why do you think pickleball, considered the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., is exploding in popularity? Because it's sort of egalitarian. All ages can play. Any body type can play at a level that will bring you pleasure and joy.

The Dink plays on a real conflict: the fight over playing space. Pickleball's expansion has ruffled feathers. I've felt this firsthand, as I play tennis recreationally and basketball recreationally with my son, and pickleball's encroached on our space. Do you have sympathy for us folks on the other side of this conflict? Not really. [Laughs.] Do I want the sport of tennis, or God forbid, the sport of basketball to ever go away? No. Tennis is elegant. And basketball is, oh my God, a magical sport full of heart and brilliance. And there's room for all of it. Do we all have to keep fighting over things? In the case of basketball, it's you and your son out there. I played pickleball with both my granddaughters last week and learned something about both of them. There is a holy thing to that. I don't think we have to choose between things that are fun.

You appeared in Elf, a stone-cold Christmas classic, and actually ate the spaghetti and maple syrup concoction favored by Will Ferrell's character. What did that taste like?

The Dink features pickleball grunters. Does that really happen?

I've heard it in pickleball. And it amuses me even more in pickleball than tennis because in tennis, legitimately it's a long way from one side to the other. But with pickleball, it's not that far. You don't have to grunt.

Exactly what you think. It's not the worst thing I've ever eaten. Maple syrup makes everything better. But it's not what your taste buds want out of spaghetti.

At the 2025 Emmys, you and your husband Ted Danson received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. You've been active in a variety of causes. Is there anything new you're working on? There is. I once knew two doctors and they had a little boy named Sam, who had progeria, which is premature aging syndrome. I became friends with this little boy and remained friends with him throughout his all-too-short life. But his mother, along with [former NIH director] Dr. Francis Collins, found a method of gene editing, and a little device that carries that into the organs of the body, that can go in mice and re-edit genes to where someone with progeria today can actually get better. If it works with progeria, there's a chance that all these rare and deeply underfunded diseases could actually be alleviated. They need to raise about $20 to $25 million to get this first patient to have this.

You're an Oscar winner who has had such a long and varied career. Any bucket-list items, career wise? I've never done Shakespeare. I've never done some of the great Southern kind of plays that I probably should have done. I balance what I do between my family and work and my marriage, but I also have a very important career to me that's quite separate, which is I write music. I don't look at anything about my career with any disappointment. It's crazy to me still that I get to do this. One of the things I love about it is that I don't have a plan. I feel like what's meant to be mine is going to come my way. —SEAN GREGORY

64 TIME August 17, 2026

MART WOMEN/REV. 2027/1/1/2026

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QA Report - Time International Edition - 17.08.2026.pdf

Pipeline

• Extraction route: mistral-ocr
• extraction_route=mistral-ocr
• Translation chunks: 64
• Extraction warnings:
• [OCR-ROUTE] FORCE-MISTRAL: All PDFs route directly to MistralOCR.

Non-model Checks

• WARNING: missing numeric tokens from source: 13500, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20162, 25.1, 27000, 3450, 35000, 353
• WARNING: Missing proper nouns in translation: Abraham Accords, Actor Callum Turner, Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, Advanced Placement Chinese Language, Advertising For, African American, After Fairy Mountain, Again

The, Agriculture Minister, Air Force - WARNING: source dates, money, or percentage tokens may be missing

Model QA

经过严格审核，该翻译件存在多处致命性错误（BLOCKING），主要集中在数字量级、关键事实幻觉以及未清理的内部标签。

以下是详细审核报告：

═══ 审核结果 ═══

1. 数字量级错误 (BLOCKING)

• 地狱厨房项目金额：
  • 原文：$1.8 billion bet
  • 译文：耗资 $1.8 亿的赌注
  • 错误：Billion（十亿）被误译为“亿”。量级相差10倍。
• 早衰症筹款金额：
  • 原文：raise about $20 to $25 million
  • 译文：筹集大约 $20 to 2500万美元
  • 错误：严重的数字拼接错误，将 20-25 million 译成了“20 到 2500万”，导致金额范围完全错误。
• 武隆户外运动收入：
  • 原文：created more than $1 billion of revenue (推测，译文出现 $10 亿美元)
  • 译文：创造了超过 10 亿美元 元的收入
  • 错误：出现“亿美元 元”这种冗余且不专业的单位表达。

2. 严重幻觉/事实错误 (BLOCKING)

• 英国首相身份：
  • 原文：Andy Burnham, as the U.K.'s new Prime Minister
  • 译文：安迪·伯纳姆...被任命为英国新任首相
  • 核查：虽然译文忠实于原文，但原文本身是一个极大的事实错误（Andy Burnham 是市长而非首相）。作为 QA，此处应标记为 [SOURCE_OCR] 或 [WARNING]，但译文在处理此类异常信息时未做任何标注。
• 特朗普演讲内容：
  • 译文：出现了大量关于“中国印刷假选票”、“委内瑞拉选票操纵”、“朝鲜策划更改投票”等极其具体且敏感的政治指控。
  • 核查：在 STRATIFIED TEXT SAMPLES 的 THE BRIEF OPENER 部分，原文仅显示 PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S JULY 16 ...[MIDDLE PORTION OMITTED FOR QA]...。译文在此处填充了大量原文样本中完全不存在的细节。
  • 判定：严重幻觉。译者在面对省略号（OMITTED）时，自行脑补或调用了外部知识库填充内容，违反了翻译基本原则。

3. 交付标签与残留英文 (BLOCKING/WARNING)

• 内部标签残留：
  • 译文：这样的入住体验 truly 绝无仅有。
  • 错误：truly 为未翻译的残留英文，且处于句子中间，属于典型的清理不彻底。
• 格式混乱：
  • 译文：![-58.](-58.)
  • 错误：直接将 Markdown 损坏的图片链接暴露在正文中，未进行清理。

4. 术语与翻译质量 (WARNING)

• 人名翻译：刘 Alyssa (Alysa Liu) 翻译生硬，通常应为“刘艾丽莎”或保留原名。
• 单位冗余：多次出现 2.7万,000 元、3万,000 辆 这种将中文万位与英文千位分隔符混用的畸形格式。

═══ 总结 ═══

审核结论：[BLOCKING]

主要原因： 1. 金额量级错误：Billion $\rightarrow$ 亿（地狱厨房项目）。 2. 严重幻觉：在原文被省略（OMITTED）的段落中，自行虚构/填充了大量关于选举舞弊的政治细节。 3. 数字格式崩溃：出现 2500万美元 (原 20-25M) 和 2.7万,000 等无法接受的数字表达。 4. 交付质量低：残留英文 truly 及损坏的图片标签。

建议：全篇打回重译，严禁在原文缺失部分进行“脑补”填充。