【推荐2】People born in winter are more likely to suffer mental health disorders, according to a recent study carried out by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

Researchers raised baby mice from birth to weaning in either “summer” light cycles of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark or “winter” cycles of 8 hours of light and 16 hours of dark. A third group experienced 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark a day.

Then half the winter mice stayed in a winter cycle, while half switched to a summer schedule. The summer mice were similarly split. The mice raised in equal periods of light and dark were split into three groups, one of which stayed on the 12­hour schedule, one of which joined the winter group, and one of which joined the summer group.

After 28 days, it turns out the summer­born mice behaved the same whether they stayed on the summer cycle or switched to winter. But among the winter­born mice, those that stayed in winter kept their previous schedule, while those that switched to summer stayed active for an extra hour and a half, which indicates that mice born and weaned in a winter light cycle showed dramatic disruptions in their biological clocks.

The finding is the first of its kind in mammals, and it could explain why people born in winter are at higher risk for mental health disorders.

“We know that the biological clock regulates mood in humans,” said study researcher McMahon. “If the mechanism similar to the one that we found in mice operates in humans, then it could not only have an effect on a number of behavioral disorders, but also have a more general effect on personality.”

【推荐3】Researchers concerned with space exploration say they have discovered new evidence that Mars once had a large northern ocean. The discovery adds to existing evidence that the ancient Mars had the right conditions to possibly support some form of life.

Today, any water on Mars is believed to be in the form of ice because of the planet’s extremely cold desert temperatures. But there is a rich amount of evidence suggesting that rivers, lakes and even oceans once existed on Mars. A study by the American space agency NASA suggested that about 4.3 billion years ago, Mars likely had an ocean that covered nearly half of Mars’ northern hemisphere(半球). Another NASA-supported study guessed that about 3 billion years ago, the climate in much of the planet’s northern hemisphere was very similar to today’s Earth. The study noted that at that time, Mars likely had a much thicker atmosphere than today and had an active northern ocean.

Two American researchers recently released a set of maps to provide new environmental evidence of a large ancient ocean on Mars’ low-lying northern hemisphere. The team collected data from satellite images and photos of Mars. They then combined them to create maps of the planet’s northern hemisphere. Using the maps, the researchers were able to piece together evidence of shorelines that sat at the edge of a huge body of water about 3.5 billion years ago.

The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. Benjamin Cardenas, an assistant professor at The Penn State University, was a co- writer of the study. He said the study’s findings showed the possible ocean in that area of Mars was changeable and interesting. “It was dynamic ( 动 态 的 ) . The sea level rose significantly, ” he said. “Rocks were being deposited (沉积) along its basins at a fast rate. There was a lot of change happening here. ”Besides, Cardenas suggested the new study also provided useful information on Mars’ ancient climate and developmental history. “Based on these findings, we know there had to have been a period when it was warm enough and the atmosphere was thick enough to support this much liquid water at one time, ” he said.

【推荐1】Last night’s meteor(流星) shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothsclild, Emerald Valley’s mayor, people gathered in the suburbs of the city, carrying heavy telescopes, expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city’s lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

“My family was so frustrated,” admitted town resident Duane Cosby, “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds, bats frogs, snakes, etc. For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association. “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

Countless more animals casualties result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings, but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans, too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase person’s chances of getting cancer.

Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of high pollution. For years, Flagstaff, Arizona, has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night.

【推荐1】Historic Royal Palace -Tower of London

On the banks of London’s River Thames is an infamous castle. On your visit you will discover surprising stories of kings, queens and criminal plots. The Tower of London is a 1,000-year-old castle that protects the Crown Jewels. Kings and queens demonstrated their power from here, shaping society and influencing our country. See wonderful displays of arms, which were made and stored in this secure tower. Step into the luxurious palace of kings and queens in history, designed as a place to live and rule. Explore the spaces where famous prisoners were kept and discover the drawings they left behind 500 years ago. Book online at a discount at hrp.org.uk/tower.		A secure castle Be amazed by the Crown Jewels, the nation’s treasures stored within these heavily defended walls. These priceless symbols of royalty are still used by kings and queens today for state occasions. A royal palace Meet the Yeoman Warders, popularly called ‘Beefeaters’. They live here and have guarded the Tower for hundreds of years. Join them for a free guided tour of the Tower, starting every 30 minutes. An infamous prison Find the places where people were imprisoned awaiting trial or punishment. Discover where kings, queens and religious criminals were locked away, and where three English queens were killed.
Gift shops Our fantastic shops sell a wide range of wonderful books, gifts and souvenirs so you can remember your day. Great food Enjoy a tasty home-cooked meal at the New Armouries Cafe inside the Tower, or street food and a drink on the wharf outside the Tower’s entrance. Drink a tea or coffee inside at the Raven’s Kiosk and buy a cold drink or ice cream at the Jewel Kiosk. Eat in style at the Perkin Reveller overlooking the river. Audio guides Discover the Tower with an audio guide and experience five expert tours.		Opening times Open daily (except 24 – 26 Dec and 1 Jan) 1 Nov – 28 Feb Tue – Sat 09:00 – 16:30 Sun – Mon 10:00 – 16:30 (Last admission –16:00) 1 Mar – 31 Oct Tue – Sat 09:00 – 17:30 Sun – Mon 10:00 – 17:30 (Last admission –17:00) Allow at least 2 – 3 hours for your visit. How to get here Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB Underground: Tower Hill DLR: Tower Gateway Train: Fenchurch Street and London Bridge Bus: 15, 42, 78, 100 and RV1 Riverboat: Tower Pier Sightseeing buses: included in all major tours

【推荐2】Please be advised that Nairobi like any other large city has a security and crime problem. However, if you observe the following simple guidelines, you will have a trouble-free seminar (研讨会) here:

1. Do not wear a money belt. This makes you an instant target.

2. Cameras of all kinds are a favorite with snatchers (抢夺者). Feel free to use them within the Starehe Campus and the hotel grounds but not in the streets.

3. Ladies’ handbags are also a regular snatch. Avoid carrying one, and if you must, be alert and hold on to it tightly.

4. Jewelry and even glasses with valuable frames are also often targeted. Bear this in mind.

5. When in a vehicle, keep the doors always locked, and the windows only slightly open -- especially at traffic lights, junctions and in slow moving traffic.

6. Be aware of street children. Their begging often quickly transforms into something more unpleasant.

7. Stay with the main party all the time, and avoid wandering off on your own.

8. Finally, the best defence is to be alert at all times and conscious of your environment. Should you have any problem or need help at any hour of the day or night, call any of the following and they will do their best for you:

Office fixed, home fixed and mobile phones

KENEDY HONGO 763856/761221 7631820733 761294

FRED OKONO 761221 764988 0733 604490

EDWIN OTIENO 761221 761642/763011072 701279

【推荐3】While the human world is suffering from the novel coronavirus outbreak, our planet is actually showing certain signs of “recovery” from the damage caused by human activity. According to the BBC, new satellite images released by the European Space Agency showed that levels of air pollutants and greenhouse gases have “fallen sharply” in major cities in Europe and the United States ever since the lockdown(活动限制) started.

This is what happened after recent discoveries in Antarctica. An international team of 89 scientists found that the ice in Greenland and Antarctica is melting six times faster in the 2010s than it was in the 1990s. And in February, Argentina’s Marambio research station in Antarctica recorded a record high temperature of 20.75 ℃ on the continent.

So what exactly will happen if the temperature keeps rising and the ice keeps melting? A third study might give you an idea. A team of scientists drilled a hole into the seafloor in west Antarctica and extracted material from underground, in which they found traces of roots, spores and pollen—typical products of a rainforest—that dated back 90 million years ago. In other words, Antarctica was very likely a rainforest back when the dinosaurs walked on Earth. But given the fact that the South Pole has four months of darkness during winter—even millions of years ago—scientists believe that the rainforest could only exist if the greenhouse gas concentrations were extremely high back then to keep the continent warm when there was little or no sunlight.

“We didn’t know that this Cretaceous (白垩纪的) greenhouse climate was that extreme,” Johann Klages of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany and a co-author of the research told the Guardian. “It shows us what carbon dioxide is able to do.”

Ice or no ice, Antarctica will be—and has always been—fine with extreme changes. The human world, however, may not be.

Now, during the coronavirus lockdown, we’ve seen the changes resulting from less human activity. Hopefully, we’ll hold on to those changes—not for Antarctica or the planet, but for ourselves.

【推荐1】London has a new unusual magazine. But it is not printed on paper. Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is on TV.

In order to read this magazine you have to have a decoder. Each page of it is numbered, so you only have to dial the number to choose which subject you want to read about. There is a wide choice — everything is included from cooking to the latest sports news.

If you want to read the news, the first thing you have to do is to turn to the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number, 100 for example. The news is on pages 101 to 109 so you push out the numbers and the news appears written across your screen. Perhaps you want to go out in the afternoon, so you press 181, and a brightly coloured weather map appears on the screen. But the weather is terrible so you decide to go shopping and dial 162 for a list of the week’s best bargains. But should you drive or take the train? To answer that question you only have to press 189 for the traffic report. It is very simple to use. But probably the best thing about the service is that it is being updated all the time. Journalists type new material directly onto the screen and whole pages of the magazine can be replaced in minutes.

London already has three services. One is transmitted (输送) by ITV while the other two on BBC. BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because they can be taken with you everywhere. But many people would agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not just our reading habits but our way of life thoroughly.

【推荐2】Annette Larkins is an incredible woman who looks like a healthy 40-year-old, although she just turned 70. She follows a special raw diet and only drinks rainwater.

She looks so young that people mistake her to be the daughter, when she’s out with her husband of 54 years, but I suppose he isn’t complaining.

Mrs. Larkins says the secret to her beauty lies in her special diet, consisting of organic vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts grown in her own garden; she calls it the “fountain of youth”. The woman doesn’t touch anything that has been cooked.

And another strange thing she does is to collect rainwater, to keep her garden blossoming, but also to drink. But the residents of Miami-Dade County, Florida, didn’t always have such a healthy lifestyle. In fact, she consumed meat regularly, as her husband used to own a meat factory way back in the 1960s. It was then that she decided to change her eating habits forever. And what a great decision that was. I mean, just look at her!

When she started off, Mrs. Larkins was just looking for a few health benefits and never anticipated that she would look like a 40-year-old at the age of 70. Over the 27 years that she has been eating raw, Mrs. Larkins has written two booklets railed Journey to Health and also produced a DVD containing all her healthy secrets.

Her husband, Mr. Larkins, wishes he had followed her example, because now he looks much, much older and also suffers from diabetes（糖尿病）and high blood pressure. He takes prescription medicine every day, but Annette doesn’t even take an aspirin.

【推荐3】Scott Ward didn't have any risk factors that he knew of for cancer so he ignored the lump on his neck until he couldn't ignore it anymore. Dr. Donald Doll, the doctor who treated Ward for his cancer, said, “We’re seeing more and more younger and healthier patients. They're not smokers or drinkers. It's HPV-related.” “Normally, you think of HPV (乳头瘤病毒), you think of women,” Doll added, “while it's a misconception that only women have to be concerned with cancers caused by this virus.”

Luckily, there's a vaccine (疫苗) that's been around for more than a decade that can protect against the HPV virus. If all boys and girls received it, no one would get HPV-related cancers. The HPV vaccine is best when given to children between 9 and 12 years old, before they are sexually active. But teenagers and young adults can still benefit from the vaccine.

Not everyone who gets the HPV virus develops cancer. But it is a risk factor. The agency says about 14 million people in the U.S. alone become infected with HPV each year. Yet, about half of all U.S. adolescents have not been fully vaccinated against HPV, which requires a series of three shots. The CDC says the side effects are generally short term and not serious. They can include dizziness, headache, fever, pain and etc.

Ward’s recovery was difficult. But he’s now cancer-free. Ward wishes the HPV vaccine existed when he was a teen. He says if he had kids, he would get them vaccinated. “HPV-related cancers are cancers no one needs to get.” Ward said.