"Half the park is after dark" is more than a clever saying; it's a way of life — especially for TylerNordgren. He's an artist, astronomer and national park lover who invented the expression and illustrated (加插图) the accompanying poster(海报) series for the national parks. The printed pictures show the midnight blue sky with the vastness (浩瀚）of the Milky Way. They usually picture a star-lit silhouette (轮廓) of one of the park's driving attractions, and most posters will mention "See the Milky Way" or "Half the Park Is After Dark."
Unfortunately, the night sky, or the actual night sky, isn't something most people get to experience fully. According to a recent study, over 80 percent of the world cannot see the whole night sky because of light pollution. From streetlights to buildings to giant advertisements — think Time Square in New York — artificial light illuminates( 照亮 ) the night sky, stealing the stars from us. This is why Nordgren encourages us to get away from light pollution and experience the true starry sky in a national park.
"Think about all the history and all the people who ever looked up at the stars and wondered about the universe. That's something that we no longer have today," says Nordgren. "Get out into nature, and see the universe beyond our own atmosphere. And when you see that, you feel awe ( 敬畏 )," says Nordgren. According to a 2018 study, experiencing awe can increase feelings of humility( 谦逊 ) — making one kinder, more modest and more positive. One can feel this sense of awe after hiking a mountain or seeing the Milky Way.
Imagine experiencing a national park after dark. As the sun goes down, the park empties. Many park visitors return to their campsites or hotels, and now the park is quiet and peaceful. "This is a great time to experience some of the park's best features," Nordgren says. "Your eyes will most likely adjust, but bringing a flashlight is always a good idea. It's always wise to make sure you're not hiking near cliffs(峭壁) in the dark and be aware of what sort of wildlife may be in the park."
Tetraplegic paticnts (those who can't move their upper or lower body) are prisoners of their own bodies. Now a robot arm is to help them interact with their world. This research was completed by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). Professor Aude Billard and Jose del R. Millan worked together to create a computer program that can control a robot using electrical signals from a patient's brain.
First, the user wears an EEG cap to have their electrical signals inside their brain scanned(扫 描)effectively, which are then interpreted by the machine-learning algorithm (算法).The computer then sends signals to the robot arm to determine how it moves. As the robot arm performs a motion,the algorithm is looking to get feedback from the user when it makes a mistake: perhaps it moved too fast, or too violently. The end goal is that the robot can learn the right movements for a task in a given context. For example, you might want the arm to use a bit of force to throw a paper ball, but you might want it to be gentler when putting glass bottles.
In the team's research, they trained the robot arm to pick up a glass. The arm would move towards the glass and the user's brain would decide if they felt it was too close or too far away. The process is repeated until the robot understands the optimal route for the individual's preference - not too close to be a risk but not so far away to waste movement.
"Training an algorithm to read brain waves in a consistent fashion was the most challenging part, because the brain is not only focused on the hand but also processing many other things," said Millan. "This means our algorithm will never be 100 % accurate."
The researchers hope to eventually use their algorithm to control wheelchairs, which would allow people in wheelchairs to have greater control over their movements, speeds and general safety. However, this does require consistency over time to the algorithm.
Born in Wales in 1950, Martin Lockley was a pioneer in the study of the dinosaur tracks and footprints preserved in rocks around the world. His work helped his fellow paleontologists (古生物学家) understand what the footprints can tell us about dinosaurs and the world that they lived in.
The footprints and tracks left behind by dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals are called trace fossils (痕迹化石). They can offer clues to how quickly an animal walked or ran and even what their skin may have looked like. Compared with the body fossils of bones and teeth, trace fossils contain evidence of the interactions that the animals had with their environment and can describe what the physical environment may have looked like. They offer a more reliable way to imagine the speed of a dinosaur than analyzing the bones.
Lockley's mother and father were nature lovers. Lockley loved to observe nature. His father inspired him to "just go out and observe and trust your observations", which proved important in Lockley's launching his future career in dinosaur research. He took that advice with him to Gunnison, southwest of Denver, the United States. While North America is home to some of the largest number of fossil footprints in the world, Lockley's work with prints and his father's words took him far and wide. He explored fossil and track sites in China, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom.
In addition to finding the tracks, Lockley devoted time and energy to preserving these important parts of the fossil record. This includes guiding the politics needed to create UNESCO world heritage sites so that future generations wouldn't lose out on these precious relics of the past.
Paul Nelson runs a raspberry farm in the northern U. S. state of Minnesota. Raspberries are a popular red fruit that people like to eat in the summer. However, at the farm, Nelson and his team spend a lot of time worrying about fruit flies.
The flies cause damage by laying eggs in the fruit. Nelson said the flies can ruin fruit farms if farmers are not willing to put the time in to fight them. Farmers use chemicals to kill the flies or place covers over the fruit plants to protect them. It is a lot of work, and even with the hard work, they lose 20 to 30 percent of their crop each year.
Researchers at North Carolina State University are working to solve the problem. In the laboratory, they are changing the DNA of female flies to make sure that any babies they have are not able to reproduce. The scientists published their work recently in a publication called the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They found that if they mated one of their flies with a normal fly, 99 percent of the later generations would not be able to reproduce. The scientists used computer models to make predictions and found that by releasing modified(改良的) flies over time, they could reduce the population of fruit flies in an area like a farm in only five months.
It is not the first time that scientists have considered modifying the DNA of an insect. Scientists are using genetically modified mosquitoes to reduce the population of the insects that cause diseases such as yellow fever, dengue and Zika. The use of gene modification technology has not been used as often in agriculture because it is easier to use pesticides (杀虫剂). Max Scott, a professor who worked on the study, said past methods for releasing genetically modified insects would be costly for farmers if they were used. However, his group is studying a new method which can reduce the population of fruit flies so fast that it would not cost so much.
Polar bears normally feed on ringed seals that they catch on ice floes(浮冰) offshore. But as the ice disappears in a warming world, many bears are spending greater amounts of time on shore, eating birds' eggs, berries and grass. However the animals rapidly lose weight on land, increasing the risk of death. The polar bear has become the victims for global climate change, but the reality of the impact on this species is complicated.
Increasing global temperatures are now seen as their biggest threat. That's because the frozen Arctic seas are key to their survival. The animals use the sea ice as a platform to hunt ringed seals, mostly in late spring and early summer. But during the warmer months many parts of the Arctic are now increasingly ice-free.
To understand how the animals survive as the ice disappears, researchers carried out a study, where they followed the activities of 20 polar bears during the summer months over a three-year period. As well as taking blood samples, and weighing the bears, the animals were fitted with GPS-equipped video camera collars. This allowed the scientists to record the animals' movements, their activities and what they ate.
In the ice-free summer months, the bears adopted different strategies to survive, with some essentially resting and conserving their energy. The majority tried to search for vegetation or berries or swam to see if they could find food. Both approaches failed, with 19 of the 20 bears in the study losing body mass, by up to 11% in some cases. On average they lost one kilogramme per day. "Regardless of which strategy they were trying to use, there was no real benefit to either approach as far as being able to prolong the period that they could survive on land," according to lead author Dr Anthony Pagano, from the US Geological Survey in Alaska.
"It is likely that polar bears will disappear from areas where sea ice will be lost in future, but difficult to say just when and where," said Jon Aars from the Norwegian Polar Institute who was not involved in the study.
Guidelines for Family Meetings
One good way to build cooperation among everyone in a family is to have a regular family meeting. Getting into the habit of family meetings takes time. Making the meetings work takes effort.
Meet at a regular time. A regular time might be once a week. Plan to have the meeting last from twenty minutes to an hour.
Make a list of topics. Some people call this list of topics an agenda. Post it on the refrigerator. Then people can add to it during the days before the meeting.
The leader reads the meeting list and keeps things on track. Still, letting each person in the family have a chance to lead is important. Younger children will need help to do this.
Take notes. Write down the agreements and plans made in the meeting. These written notes are the minutes. Take turns doing the job of note-taking. Some families put them on the refrigerator near the next meeting's agenda. Ask teens and older children to read the notes to younger children who don't read yet.
Take time for fun. Meetings are a good way to solve problems. To add fun to meetings, talk about good things. Thank each person for some help given during the week. Ask each person to do the same. Ask people to talk about what is good for them right now. This sets a positive tone. It also teaches your children to encourage other people—and themselves.
A. Take turns being the leader.
B. But that's not all they are for.
C. Here are some ideas to help you.
D. Some people wonder if a family meeting is worth the effort.
E. Find a place to post the notes so that everyone can read them.
F. This rule applies to parents as well as teens and younger children.
G. This helps you deal with the things that are important to each person in the family.
Five nutrition myths and what health experts want you to know instead
MYTH 1: Fresh fruits and vegetables are always healthier than canned, frozen or dried varieties.
Research has found that frozen, canned and dried fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. However, some canned, frozen and dried varieties contain added sugars, saturated fats and sodium, so be sure to read nutrition labels, especially on prepared foods.
MYTH 2:_
By the 1980s, doctors, government health experts, the food industry and the media were reporting that a low-fat diet could benefit everyone. As a result, many people replaced calories from fat with calories from refined carbohydrates such as white flour and added sugar. In reality, healthy fats help reduce your risk. Examples of those include monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, avocados and certain nuts and seeds) and polyunsaturated fats (found in sunflower oil, walnuts, fish and flaxseed).
MYTH 3: "Calories in, calories out" is the most important factor for maintaining weight.
It's true that if you burn more calories than you consume, you will probably lose weight. Rather, it's the types of foods we eat that may be the long-term drivers of those conditions. Ultra-processed foods can lead to weight gain.
MYTH 4: Plant beverages are healthier than dairy milk.
While the nutrition of plant-based beverages can vary, many have more added ingredients which can contribute to poor health than cow's milk. Almond (杏仁) beverage on the other hand, typically has one or two grams in the same amount.
MYTH 5: Potatoes are bad for you.
Potatoes have often been vilified in the nutrition community because of their high glycemic index, which can spike your blood sugar. However, potatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, fibre and other nutrients, especially when consumed with the skin on.
A. All fat is bad.
B. All fat is not beneficial.
C. The reason for this is that they are rapidly digested.
D. They are also inexpensive and available year-round in grocery stores.
E. Typically, cow's milk has about eight grams of protein per 250 millilitres.
F. They can be an easy way to make sure there are always fruits and vegetables available at home.
G. But research does not suggest that eating more will result in becoming overweight or obese.
Bird flu: What threat to humans?
There are lots of different types of bird flu and most are harmless to people. Some can potentially spread from birds to people if there is prolonged and close contact.
How do people get it?
The biggest risk comes from prolonged and close contact with infected birds. . Bird flu cannot usually be passed from human to human. Scientists are concerned that the virus may one day mutate(变异) and acquire the ability to spread in people.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms in humans are similar to those of other types of flu: a temperature, cough, headache, chills, aching muscles and a runny or blocked nose and sneezing. , and usually about three to five days after coming into contact with the virus.
What's the treatment?
If it's thought that you might have symptoms of bird flu, you'll be advised to stay at home, or you'll be cared for in hospital in isolation from other patients. Doctors can prescribe antiviral medicines to help prevent complications.
?
You can reduce your risk of infection by washing your hands regularly (particularly after going to the toilet and before handling food) and using a tissue when you need to cough or sneeze (and turning away from others if they are coughing/sneezing).
You can feed wild ducks and birds, but make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Do not go near sick or dead birds.
Can I still eat chicken?
. Poultry and eggs can be safely eaten as long as they are handled hygienically and cooked thoroughly.
A. How can we avoid it
B. How can we prevent the spread of it
C. These symptoms can come on suddenly
D. You are advised to consult doctors when not feeling yourself
E. Painkillers such as paracetamol can also help with the symptoms
F. The virus is easily destroyed by cooking so there is no reason to worry
G. This means farmers who need to handle poultry are more likely to catch it
Tidying your desk, watering your plants, folding clothes — these household chores (家务) are very common. I often find myself 1 these little chores. If the deadline of a task is coming, I'll clear up the papers 2 around my office to make me feel not so nervous.
I'm not 3 in this. As facing the influenza (流感), many people 4 finding new interest in looking after their homes as a way of 5 uncertainty. Psychologists (心理学家) say these chores may 6 encourage you to become active.
Little chores may be useful because they occupy the mind, leading us to devote fewer resources to the things that 7 us. We may find household makes us 8 when we finish them, but this depends on where we place our 9 .
In a study, researchers 10 51 participants into two groups. Half of them were encouraged to 11 focus on washing the dishes. "12 washing the dishes, one should be aware that he is washing the dishes". Another half only needed to know something 13 how to do washing without being encouraged to focus their awareness on the activity.
Finally, the participants were asked to take a questionnaire about their feelings. Those who had fully engaged with the experience reported a better mood. This included the reduced 14 and even a sense of "inspiration", as if the simple activity had 15 their minds.
The Chinese government recently finalized a plan to set up a Giant Panda National Park (GPNP). (cover) an area about three times size of Yellowstone National Park, the GPNP will be one of the first national parks in the country. The plan will extend protection to a significant number of areas that (be) previously unprotected, bringing many of the existing protected areas for giant pandas under one authority (increase) effectiveness and reduce inconsistencies in management.
After a three-year pilot (试验) period, the GPNP will be officially set up next year. The GPNP (design) to reflect the guiding principle of "protecting the authenticity and integrity (完整性) of natural ecosystems, preserving biological diversity, protecting ecological buffer zones, leaving behind precious natural assets (资产) for future generations". The GPNP's main goal is to improve connectivity between separate populations and (home) of giant pandas, and (eventual) achieve a desired level of population in the wild.
Giant pandas also serve an umbrella species, bringing protection to a host of plants and animals in the southwestern and northwestern parts of China. The GPNP is intended to provide stronger protection for all the species live within the Giant Panda Range and significantly improve the health of the ecosystem in the area.
China-made autonomous sweepers are grabbing attention all over the globe, as the country uses its technological expertise (专长) (release) new quality productive forces in the field of cleanliness.
A Shanghai-based high-tech company has received world's first road testing license for autonomous sweepers. The company's latest product, (launch) in March, combines three cleanliness tasks—sweeping, road spraying, and garbage transportation and is able to cut overall cleanliness operation costs by 70 percent. Equipped technologies including millimeter-wave radars (雷达), cameras and high-precision positioning, the sweepers can achieve precise edge fitting, safe obstacle (障碍) avoidance, emergency avoidance, flexible turning and direction switching during operation.
In recent months, its advanced technology and features have attracted the attention of several local residents as well as (visitor). The vehicles operate powerfully, especially during extreme weather. After completing the daily cleaning tasks, they (automatic) drive to the garbage collection area and complete dumping (倾倒) task by (they).
Liang Haiming, director of Hainan University's Belt and Road Research Institute, said that unmanned sweepers made in China have advantages in automation technology, smart management and the application of new energy, helps to improve safety and work (efficient).
"In addition to cleanliness, the field of autonomous driving (include) limited and low-speed environments such as distribution, shared travel, public transportation, ports and terminals, and mining operations," Liang said.
A group of Chinese researchers issued a data map of the soil organic carbon (SOC) content for global black soil areas, (reveal) the quantification of agroecosystems and global food security, according to the recent issue of the journal Remote Sensing of Environment.
Research has shown that carbon cycle is (significant) influenced by agricultural soils. The accuracy mapping of SOC content can help to clarify the carbon sequestration capacity (碳汇能力), quantify agroecosystem and contribute global food security. But it is still challenging to acquire (rely) SOC content datasets.
The study (publish) in the journal was done by researchers from the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. According to the journal, the researchers (collect) more than 191,000 scenes of remote sensing images and elevation model data, and used meta-learning convolutional neural network model (generate) high-resolution data map for global black soil regions.
The data in the study indicates that the SOC content in the global black soil regions shows a decreasing trend, which can be divided into the significant decrease phase from 1984 to 2000, the moderate decrease phase from 2001 to 2021.
The result from the study also shows that the four major black soil (region) in the world have different rates of SOC decline. The SOC decline rates of the Russian-Ukrainian Plain and the Pampas Plain of South America are higher than of the northeast China and the Mississippi River Basin in North America.
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Enhancing Social Skills in Students
