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Out-of-work Chinese actors turn to theme parks as immersive characters after AI squeezes short-drama jobs_我的网站

一 |     Mosquitoes use the body odor, heat, and carbon dioxide that humans emit, varying from person to person, to find their next meal. The study, which was published in the scientific journal Cell, reveals that mosquitoes may perceive odors via a variety of distinct pathways, in contrast to animals, which have a single set of neurons that detect each sort of odor.,Female mosquitoes use the variety of odors that people and other animals produce to find the blood that will feed their eggs. The olfactory neurons in the insects' antennae, which are where they take up scents, detect and send scent information to the brain.,Groups of human-odor receptors on the olfactory neurons in the antennae of female mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) were rendered inactive by the study's lead author Meg Younger and her colleagues at Boston University in Massachusetts using the gene editing tool CRISPR.,"We found that there’s a real difference in the way mosquitoes encode the odors that they encounter compared to what we’ve learned from other animals,” Younger is quoted as saying in the Guardian report on the findings.,According to Younger, the scientists believed that mosquitoes would adhere to the core tenet of olfaction, which states that each neuron expresses only one type of receptor.,“Instead, what we’ve seen is that different receptors can respond to different odors in the same neuron," she added.,This reportedly suggests that mosquitoes can still detect human odors after losing one or more receptors. The researchers asserted that this backup system may have developed as a survival mechanism.,"The mosquito Aedes aegypti is specialized to bite humans, and it is believed that they evolved to do that because humans are always close to fresh water and mosquitoes lay their eggs in fresh water. We are basically the perfect meal, so the drive to find humans is extremely strong," Younger explained,In the end, the researchers argued, knowing how the mosquito brain perceives human odor could be used to influence biting behavior and stop the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever that are transmitted by those insects.,"One major strategy for controlling mosquitoes is to attract them to traps to remove them from the biting population. If we could use this knowledge to understand how human odor is represented in the mosquito antennae and brain, we could develop blends that are more attractive to mosquitoes than we are. We could also develop repellants that target those receptors and neurons that detect human odor," Younger concluded.,Notably, Christopher Potter at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland recently found a similar phenomenon in fruit flies, or Drosophila melanogaster.,“If one of these types of olfactory receptors is mutated or no longer functioning, there’s this backup system," Potter is quoted as saying in the New Scientist report. “It’s changing the dogma of what we thought we knew about the olfactory system.”,Science & TechSmell of Blood: Mosquitoes' Scent-Based Host-Seeking Mechanism Revealed16 May, 05:54 GMT。    

    Chinese actress Luo Xinyuan played Huang Rong, a beloved wuxia heroine, at Hengdian World Studios. Photo: Courtesy of Luo XinyuanAs China's once-thriving live-action short drama industry looses speed due to the weight of AI-generated content and shrinking investment, a growing number of young actors who once starred in micro-dramas are moving to a different kind of stage: playing roles at cultural tourist attractions. 
There, they play martial arts heroes and folk characters for live audiences, finding steadier income and real-time connection with viewers. 
"Earning a living with your own hands is nothing to be ashamed of," actress Luo Xinyuan told the Global Times, even as many still hold out hope, waiting for good scripts.
The migration reflects a stark reality. In the first quarter of 2026, AI micro-dramas accounted for more than 95 percent of all micro-dramas released industry-wide, sharply squeezing the space for live-action productions. 
By July, pay for leading actors had shrunk by over 50 percent, mid-tier actors by more than 80 percent on average, and daily wages for bottom-rung extras had fallen into double digits, China's CCTV reported.
Luo, a 21-year-old actress, experienced the downturn firsthand. She came to Hengdian, China's largest film and television production base, to shoot short dramas. "When I first arrived, there were many crews preparing in one hotel. Now sometimes there are only one or two, or none," she told the Global Times. 
This May, she began playing the role of Huang Rong, a beloved wuxia heroine, at Hengdian World Studios. Her daily routine includes interactive stage competitions, parades and live audience interactions, working nearly 13 hours daily during the peak summer season.
"It's tiring but fulfilling," Luo said. "There are no scripts here. It's more about playing with visitors face to face." The change has eased her anxiety. "When I was filming, I kept worrying about the next job. Now I feel more stable."
Yin Jiaxuan, 25, took a different route. He started his career as a professional character performer at major theme parks, starring in immersive shows based on popular game and film IPs before transitioning to short dramas and online movies in mid-2024. 
At the industry's peak, he moved seamlessly between sets. 
"One crew wrapped, and the next was already arranged. I'd go straight to makeup the next day and start filming the day after," he said. Now he keeps both identities, taking film roles when they come and returning to scenic spots during holidays.
Yin rejects the stigma that screen acting is the only proper path. 
"Screen acting is seen as the professional main road, while street-level performance is treated as amateur work. This invisible prejudice has trapped many performers," he said. Yet the tangible stage offers something the camera cannot. 
"Performance comes from life and is higher than life - that is the core of film creation. But now I realize that beyond artistic expression, performance is about building human connections."
Both actors shared that theme park characters must do more than act; they must draw tourists into the scene, delivering emotional value on demand. Visitors come to the scenic spot not just to sightsee, but "to step into a fantasy."
    Yin Jiaxuan Photo: Courtesy of Yin JiaxuanScenic areas are reaping the benefits. Media outlets have reported that in Kaifeng's Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City, Central China's Henan Province, tourists who interacted with these characters stayed an average of 2.3 hours longer per day. 
Every extra 30 minutes of stay raises the probability of secondary consumption by about 25 percent, according to local data. Revenue jumped from about 80 million yuan ($11.86 million) in 2022 to 1.27 billion yuan in 2025. 
While Hengdian World Studios has used characters to boost repeat visits, with annual pass holders returning multiple times "for a specific character."
Cultural scholar Yu Jinlong told the Global Times that the influx of trained actors is upgrading immersive tourism. 
"In the past, theme park characters were mostly amateurs doing costume photos. Now professional actors can build complete characters, improvise and connect storylines, turning scenic spots into open-air theaters," he said. 
Yu pointed out the uniqueness of China's character boom compared with global immersive entertainment. 
"Unlike Western theme parks that rely heavily on mature imported IPs and standardized performances, China's scenic character culture is rooted in local wuxia (martial hero) history and folk customs, encouraging personalized improvisation. Many local scenic spots create hit immersive projects with small investments, forming a unique online-offline communication loop via social media," Yu said. 
As China's cultural consumption shifts from sightseeing to participation, Yu said the young actors swapping short drama sets for scenic spots may be shaping a new hybrid career for the country's entertainment workforce.
For Luo, the recognition from visitors is a reward in itself. 
"There are tourists who travel from far away just to see my performance. It feels good to be recognized," she said. "Actually, I'm still exploring too. But I think you should do what you love, as long as you have the ability."
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