Scientists at Purdue University created the world's whitest paint — a discovery that not only adds yet another choice to the "which white should we paint this wall" dilemma, but also might help the climate crisis.
The paint was developed by Purdue mechanical engineering professor Xiulin Ruan and his team. It works through a passive cooling technology that offers great promises to reduce space cooling cost and global warming. "When we started this project seven years ago, we had saving energy and fighting climate change in mind," Ruan said in a podcast (播客) episode of This Is Purdue. They wanted to create a paint that would reflect sunlight away from a building, dramatically decreasing the need for air conditioning.
Heating, cooling, and lighting account for 28 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. And overusing air conditioning can overwhelm a city's power grid and cause blackouts (停电). In a Queens blackout in 2006, 175,000 people were left without power, which lead to 40 deaths. This paint could effectively be an alternative to air conditioners in some places.
The paint reflects 98.1%of solar radiation while also giving out infrared (红外线的) heat. Because the paint takes in less heat from the sun than it gives out, a surface coated with this paint is cooled below the surrounding temperature without using power. Covering a roof area of 1,000 square feet with the paint could create 10 kilowatts ofcooling power, the researchers found."That's more powerful than the air conditioners used by most houses,"Ruan told This Is Purdue.
You can't buy the paint just yet, but researchers are partnering with a company to put the paint on the market. While individual action to fight elimate change can help save our planet, it's important to note that the vast majority of the world's greenhouse gas emissions can be traced back to 100companies. Maybe we can douse(浇) those companies with this white paint, too — it could be worth a shot.
Britons are well known for the amount of tea that they drink.The average person in the UK consumes around 1.9 kg of tea annually That's around 876 cups of tea.Tea is drunk by all sections of society.But tea is not native to Britain.Most tea is grown in India and China.So,how did it become an important part of British culture?
Tea arrived in London in the 1600s.At this time,British ships were exploring the world and came across the drink in China.It was not long before green tea was available to buy. However,this was only available to the richer sections of society.
At the beginning of the 1700s,the amount of tea arriving in Britain increased gradually.Black tea arrived at this time.At first people drank this tea exactly as it was in China.They soon discovered that it mixed really well with a little milk and sugar,giving the drink a special British characteristic.
In the 1800s tea was still a product enjoyed only by people with money.At this time they began to have"afternoon tea".This involves drinking tea with a snack around 4 pm to avoid feeling hungry between lunch and dinner.It is a tradition that is still going today but has become less popular in recent times.
In the late 1800s,the price of tea decreased sharply as more tea began to arrive on ships from India and China.It was no longer a drink just for rich people.Tearooms-shops where you could buy and drink tea-started to appear across the country. People enjoyed drinking tea and socializing()in these places. At the start of the 20th century, Britons began to make tea in their homes whenever they felt like it.Kettles became necessary in every kitchen.
The biggest criticism(批评) of social networking is that our young people are losing their offline friends to online friends. In fact there is a lot of research that shows these criticisms are generally unfounded. Research by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that people are not replacing offline friends with online companions but are using them to support their offline relationships.
However, there is one part of social networking that is deeply worrying. We find ourselves in a hyper-connected world where people access social media day and night, excited to make announcements about the tiniest details of their lives. Research is starting to show that this culture is negatively affecting not our friendships but our character.
Professor Larry Rosen, in his book iDisorder, says that young people who overuse social networking sites can become vain, aggressive. But perhaps an even more disturbing effect is that one of our most basic emotions seems to be disappearing- empathy. This is the emotion that bonds us together; it allows us to see the world from our friends' points of view. Without it, we are far less able to connect and form meaningful adult relationships.
Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, suggests that people are no longer comfortable being alone. This is something confirmed by a study where 200 university students were asked to go without social media for 24 hours. Many admitted an addiction to their online social network; most complained that they felt cut off from their family and friends. But being alone is a time, Turkle argues, when we self-reflect and get in touch with who we really are. It is only when we do this that we can make meaningful friendships with others. She believes, as is the title of her book, that we are simply "Alone Together".
These potential changes in our characters are rather disturbing. If nothing is done, our young people could well be in trouble. Therefore, suggestions about ways to encourage our young people to avoid the problems of social networking should be made, so they can develop the kinds of friendships that are required to grow into well-adjusted and happy adults.
Bred to be sweeter, today's cherries, bananas and apples taste different than they used to but not necessarily better. Among fruit farmers, the word "quality" is now routinely used as a standard for "high in sugar", though firmness, color and size are also considerations. In a recent study about ways to enhance the sweetness of fruit using "molecular (分子的) approaches", a group of plant scientists wrote that, in general, the sugar content of many fruits are now higher than before owing to continuous selection and breeding. Modern apple varieties, the scientists stressed, were on average sweeter than older ones.
The sweetness of fruit depends not just on how it is bred but also on growing conditions, yield and harvest. The lead researcher, Sugiura, said, "If you could taste an apple harvested 30 years ago, you would feel the difference." He believed that modern apples are picked so early that even if they are bred for sweetness, they often don't develop their full character. The fragrance never develops in fruit that is harvested too early.
Jim Cooper, an apple farmer in England, is regretful to admit the fact that many people will never taste the "strawberry hint" in a really ripe Pearmain, a type of heritage apple. In a way, the rise of consistently sweeter fruit in our lifetimes has been a victory of plant breeding. After all, it's a rare person who would seek out bitter grapes if they could have sweet ones instead.
But the sweetness of modern fruit is not without its problems, especially for people with diabetes (糖尿病), who have to reduce their intake of higher-sugar fruits. Fruit that is bred sweeter also tends to be lower in the chemicals that make it healthy. Considering health, maybe the real problem with modern fruit is that it has become yet another sweet thing in a world with sugar. Even grapefruits, which used to be quite bitter, are sometimes now as sweet as oranges. If you've never tasted a sour cherry, how can you fully appreciate a sweet one?
A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized (强调) the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.
One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, "You don't say!" "You don't say!" I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate topic (适当的话题). "Well, I'd better change the topic." So I said to him. "Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?" "Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent." He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. "The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.." Soon I was interrupted again by his words: "You don't say!" I couldn't help asking, "Why do you ask me not to talk about it?" "Well, I didn't request you to do so," he answered, greatly surprised. I said, "Didn't you say you don't say?" Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, "‘You don't say' actually means ‘really!' It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English idioms." Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.
Music is present in any part of the world, and it is appreciated and felt everywhere. Without its presence, life could be boring. Studies show that music is good for your body and mind. .
Music can increase pain management. Listening to music can help increase your pain tolerance (耐痛性). Listening to music can help you gain a sense of control over your ability to deal with pains. If you have a certain pain, for example, listening to music that you enjoy can help reduce the pain that you experience.
● Listening to certain types of music, such as relaxing music, can naturally reduce both your heartbeat rate and breathing rate. Additionally, music has shown promising results as a treatment for heart disease. Whether it involves listening to music or composing music, the calming effect that music produces further improves your heart's health by supporting it throughout the healing process.
●Music can reduce anxiety and depression When it comes to anxiety and depression, music treatment can help to reduce the amount of stress hormones. For example, listening to music that you enjoy can naturally decrease the amount of cortisol (皮质醇) that your body releases.
●Music can improve self-expression and communication. Self-expression and communication are an important part of the human experience, especially when it comes to basic emotional and mental health needs. By listening and singing along to music, kids who struggle to interact and communicate with others can practice using the very skills needed to do so.
A. Music can improve heart health.
B. Music can increase your heartbeat rate.
C. Here are some benefits of music treatment.
D. They are two common pains in your daily life.
E. It has been proved to be helpful for anxious and depressed people.
F. Listening to music can also help decrease the strength of your pains.
G. For kids weak in both areas, music treatment can help develop their relative skills.
The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone. I'm checking emails and looking at Twitter all before I've even gotten out of bed. And I'll keep doing that throughout the entire day, until I go back to bed for the night.
If, like me, you feel unbalanced by how much time you're spending online, a strategy called digital minimalism (简约主义) may help. .
Set some basic boundaries
Try deleting social media apps from your phone to create natural barriers to accessing them. If that's not enough, you can use screen timers or app blockers to make it even tougher to log back on. . And that could also change how you communicate with other people.
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One study found that sleeping without phones improves sleep, relationships, focus and health and increases happiness and quality of life. So, sleeping without a phone is good for you, and charging your phone somewhere else could help you experience that benefit.
Recognize your emotions
Ask yourself how you feel when you're logged in: ? Are you energetic? Do particular apps arouse certain emotions? When you're online, write down how you feel and see what patterns you have. From there you can decide what to keep, what to get rid of.
Take up your hobbies
You might notice you have a lot more time on your hands if you start practicing digital minimalism and using the Internet less. Make a list of activities you enjoy and people you like hanging out with. , you can try one of those hobbies or call a loved one instead.
The goal with digital minimalism isn't to figure out how to live without social media or the Internet. It's to be more aware of when and how you use it.
A. Are you stressed
B. Benefit from phones
C. Here's how to get started
D. The following tips can help
E. Don't go to bed with your phone
F. When you feel the urge to grab your phone
G. Setting these boundaries changes the way you use the Internet and social media
Ways to Cheer Up a Colleague(同事)
The difference between success and failure is a great team. What should you do if your colleague is stressing about a deadline, going through a breakup? Try these simple ways to cheer them up in any situation and turn any frown(皱眉) upside down:
Ask open-ended questions and be a good listener.
If your colleague can't share their feelings freely, that makes a situation more complicated. In this case, asking open-ended questions is the way to enable the flow of ideas— you don't really need to talk a lot, just show your interest and listen carefully.
Share a walk
Besides numerous health benefits, walking also is a great stress-relieving and meditative activity. Also, consider going to the cinema or theatre, hanging out in the club or eating out in the park, drinking coffee at the cafe or going shopping—make sure that you choose the activity they enjoy and act.
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A simple hug and a friendly smile can break the ice and make another feel much better. Hugging is especially helpful when you don't have the right words. Moreover, a recent research shows that hugging causes the release of oxytocin (催产素), a chemical known as a natural stress reliever.
Motivate them with powerful positive team quotes.
Wise bosses often begin or end a huddle by sharing a working together quotes they know that it's a very effective way to cheer up their workers. So, just do the same thing:⑤
A. Give them a hug.
B. Share an influential quote to inspire your upset colleague.
C What would you like me to do for you to tackle problems?
D. Make sure that your colleague is ready to accept your help.
E. Sometimes it's enough just to speak out to feel a huge relief.
F. How can you help deal with others' bad mood, problems, and bad luck?
G. So, don't miss this opportunity to cheer up your colleague by sharing a relaxing walk.
In the past year, I had an unforgettable experience of learning tai chi. Honestly speaking, I admitted that I (feel) hesitant at first but with time passing by, it really had a huge effect on me (physical) and mentally. Not only were I deeply impressed by the moves that caught my imagination, such as "white crane spreading its wings" and "golden rooster standing on one leg", but also I (inspire) to explore Chinese culture.
It is all about keeping a balance between yin and yang, are believed to form the unity of opposites. The practice of taichi aims (maintain) the balance of our body through opposite (movement): up and down, left and right, forwards and backwards, breathing in and breathing out. By performing the routine, tai chi eventually brings a state of physical and mental peace. No wonder it is a best way to relax your mind and body.
I also experienced a short period of tiredness and boredom. Thanks to the patient guidance of professional coach, I gradually found to my (satisfy) that I could focus on peace of mind and sleep better, (enable) me to stay cool under pressure. I am sure I will continue to practice tai chi and enjoy benefits it has brought me.
Mamianqun, or horse-faced skirt, is a traditional Chinese fashion that has exploded in popularity in recent years. (date) from the Song dynasty, it gained popularity among women during the later Ming and Qing dynasties, men also wore Mamianqun in informal settings. It features a broad waistband that can be tied at the waist, forming "A" or "H" shape. What (true) sets the Mamianqun apart are its pleats (褶皱), which are not only decorative, but also allow for freedom of movement. (motivate) by traditional Chinese cultural elements, designers create abundant patterns on the skirts. Its unique design makes ideal for mix-and-match daily dressing, perfectly proving that it's not just a relic of the past, but a functional and stylish (add) to modern wardrobes. This rebirth (fuel) by a growing sense of cultural pride, which encourages people to embrace their heritage by combining traditional clothing their daily dressing. Caoxian, a county in Shandong province, is generally considered (be) the heart of Mamianqun production and holds a deep cultural heritage of han fu. In recent years, the Mamianqun business in Caoxian has been thriving, attracting a wave of young people to start their own businesses.
African students who participated in a Chinese agricultural development program have returned to their home countries, aiming to use they've learned to help local farmers increase grain yields.
In the Science and Technology Backyard program, which （launch）in 2009 at China Agricultural University in Beijing, students conducted research in experimental field s in rural areas while using their （acquire）knowledge to help Chinese farmers. Phiri, one student from Malawi in Africa, expected hopefully, "We are well on our way to establishing successful STBs, purpose is to empower the farmers of Malawi with the knowledge and tools they need （shape）their agricultural futures." Due to poor soil quality and a lack of modern agricultural technologies, the yield for Malawi's main crop, maize, is （relative）low. Many farmers are not growing enough food to sustain （they）.
Phiri and other African students, together with their teachers often engaged in conversations with farmers in the fields. Jiao Xiaoqiang, associate professor in charge of the program, said such （engage）is very necessary. "The core of the project lies bringing technicians and farmers together. Only by truly participating in this process and understanding how to spread technology to farmers can they make a real impact when they return to Africa."
A taxi driver specially gave a free ride to a mother and her little boy Tyler who had a sudden attack of an illness on the road.18 years later, a touching 1 followed.
66-year-old Carl booked a taxi to the hospital. He had 2 from work and had developed health 3 due to old age. He was waiting outside his house when a taxi approached him 4 . Carl waved at the young driver. He got in and 5 the driver to drop him off at the hospital.
They didn't 6 much during the half-hour drive. When Carl 7 his wallet, he found he had no cash. "Hey, do you accept cards?" he broke the silence, only to be 8 to tears by the young driver's reply. "Sir, you don't have to pay me. All the trips I make to the hospital are free!" Carl was greatly 9 and asked, "Free? But why?"
The driver smiled, "When I was little, I suffered from an attack in need of 10 treatment on the road, and a kind taxi driver drove me to the hospital for free and 11 my life. My mother told me the driver never 12 for trips to the hospital. His 13 inspired me, so I do the same!"
Carl's heart felt lighter and happier. "What's your name, young man?" he inquired the driver. And tears of joy 14 his eyes when the driver said, "My name is Tyler." Be the light that helps others 15 the darkest of times.
