Start Reading More in 2021

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

V.E. Schwab

In 1714, Addie LaRue made a bargain to live forever. Since then, she's traveled the globe trying to leave her mark on the world — but when you live for centuries, it's hard for anyone to remember your name. That is, until she meets a man in a hidden bookstore hundreds of years later who does. This time-traveling tale will fill your heart with magic and wonder.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Isabel Wilkerson

Through stories about real people （like Martin Luther King Jr.） and intense historical research, author Isabel Wilkerson links the hidden caste（等级）systems of America with India and Nazi Germany, and examines the solutions that are necessary in order for the country to move forward. This novel is eye-opening, informative and an absolute must-read.

Midnight Sun

Stepbenie Meyer

"Midnight Sun" was one of the most highly expected books of 2020. In this fifth companion book to the popular “Twilight” series, readers get a glimpse into the vampire Edward Cullen's views on his relationship with Bella Swan, accompanied with details of his past and inner thoughts. Fans. of the series will finally be able to understand the star-crossed lovers' tale as a whole.

The Girl With the Louding Voice

Abi Dare

This tale follows Adunni, a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village, who wants nothing more than an education. Despite many barriers that come her way, Adunni manages to escape poverty in order to build the life she dreamed of. This story of determination and hope will teach you about the power of reaching for your dreams and never giving up.

The 47-year-old mum has donated a kidney（肾） to a stranger and part of her liver（肝）to a sick little boy. Sue is even trying to give away a lung. which would make her the only living person in the world to have made so many selfless donations. She said: “To be able to give someone their life back is fantastic. At the moment, giving a lung isn’t possible in this country. but I’d love to do it.”

Sue’s first donation was the kidney in 2001. She explained: “You don’t need two kidneys. A lot of people are born with only one. Why not give one to someone who needs it?” But at that time it was illegal here to give an organ to a stranger. So Sue from Dulwich, south London who accepts only travel and living expenses, posted an internet ad saying: “Free kidney. no conditions attached.”

Larry Rosenfield from Colorado in the US answered the ad. He was 60, suffering from a kidney disease and time was running out. After establishing she was a match for Larry, Sue flew to the US. “The Colorado hospitals wouldn't accept me because it was the time of mad cow disease, so Larry found a hospital in Wisconsin that would do the operation.” Larry is now 73 and leading a full and active life.

Now Sue would like to donate a lung. In 2006, selfless donations became legal in the UK but not for lung donations so she's planning to go to America again.

And she insists her husband Roland, 51, and their 19-year-old son Daniel back her all the way. She said: "Some of my friends don't understand but. I'll never regret it. It's about changing lives. It's a great feeling.”

“Snow algae（藻类）is already a part of summer on the Antarctic Peninsula. A warming planet may mean a lot more of it. The algal blooms（藻华）that blanket parts of Antarctica’s snow cover in the summer are likely to expand as the planet warms.” researchers say in a new study.

“Green snow algae is found in warmer areas along the coastline where summer temperatures are above freezing. but still cold enough for there to be snow.” say scientists in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It’s also more abundant in areas in close proximity to nesting sites and gathering places for animals like penguins and seals, whose feces（粪便）fuel the algae’s growth.

Green algae isn't new for Antarctica—it’s known to have been there to some degree for decades. New Scientist notes. But what researchers found suggests that climate change could have a major impact on algae in Antarctica, which in turn, could have its own impact on a warming planet.

The scientists don't predict that green algae will spread on all part, of the penguin. In fact. some small low-lying islands are likely to lose algae, because those islands may lose their summer snow cover altogether-and the snow algae can't grow without snow. But they predict the amount of green algae is likely to grow on larger pieces of land, where it can spread upward to higher ground that still has snow.

So what does more algae mean, besides turning the landscape green? It’s not totally clear. The green algae works as a carbon sink—the current amount of algae in Antarctica pulls about 500 tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year. On the other hand, algae also makes the surface of the snow darker, which leads to less sunlight being reflected from the snow's surface. Scientific American notes. That means that more of the sun's heat gets absorbed, speeding up wanning. It's high time that we should protect our planet.

Brain games do not make you smarter. Companies like Lumosity made their bones throwing around terms like "brain elasticity'' to publicize their specific brand of brain promoting training, but upon further review, their claims were a bit dubious. They paid the price in the form of a $2 million false advertising fine, but their misstep doesn't mean there's no daily avenue to higher cognitive（认知的）function.

For kids, the best way to help improve cognitive function is through aerobic exercise. For adults, the best bet is more sedentary, and fortunately a bit less intense; if you want to up your energy and brain function, take some time out of your day to practice Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation（冥想）.

A new study from the University of Waterloo took a look at the effects of 25 minutes of daily Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation on brain function and energy in a group of 31 adults. The participants were asked to complete 25 minutes of quiet reading as a control activity and 25 minutes of varied meditation at random intervals. Following each activity, the participants were asked to perform a task which would measure their brain function and energy level.

The research found that following both meditation and Hatha yoga, participants would perform significantly better at the task. The participants who practiced Hatha yoga saw the most sizeable bump in performance.

“There are a number of theories about why physical exercises like yoga improve energy levels and cognitive test performance,” said Kimberly Luu, the study’s lead author, via Science Daily. "These include the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain, and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. Though ultimately, it is still an open question.”

Twenty-five minutes of Hatha yoga in exchange for higher cognitive function? Not bad at all.