【推荐2】Though pigs may never fly, a two-year-old pig in Franschhoek, South Africa is proving they sure can paint! Meet Pigcasso, the world's first known pig artist whose masterpieces are selling for thousands of dollars to benefit Farm Sanctuary S. A. , Africa's only registered shelter for rescued farm animals.

Joanne Lefson, who saved Pigcasso from a slaughterhouse(屠宰场) two years ago, discovered the animal's artistic talent accidentally. The South African activist says, of the numerous toys presented to keep the then four-week-old piglet entertained, it was the paintbrushes that seemed to attract her the most. "They were the only thing she didn't eat," Lefson quips.

The rescuer decided to present the pig with canvas and paint and see what happened. To her delight, Pigcasso began creating works of art that can best be described as "abstract expressionism". Now weighing a hefty(重量）450 pounds, the celebrated pig, who loves to paint the area's scenic landscapes, has a dedicated "studio" at Farm Sanctuary S.A. where she resides. Lefson says, "I do not force her to paint. She paints when she wants to. "

Pigcasso's artwork, which has thus far been sold online, is currently on display at Cape Town's picturesque Victoria ~ Alfred Waterfront. Dubbed "Oink", the pop-up exhibition will run through March 5before heading to London-Paris-Berlin, and Amsterdam. Lefson says its main aim is to highlight the effect of animal agriculture on the planet and inspire change.

While Pigcasso is the first pig and first nonhuman to headline an exhibition, she is not the first animal to create masterpieces. Elephants, sea lions, and even penguins have shown similar artistic talent--in exchange for some treats, of course!

【推荐1】One debate about chicken eggs is why white eggs usually cost more than brown ones. Some people think white eggs are more nutritious (有营养的). Is that true? According to Sherman Hickman, the director of community outreach and education for Hickman’s Family Farms, it’s first important to know why chickens have different egg colors.

Jesse LaFlamme is the CEO of Pete and Gerry’s Organic Egg. She says, the chicken breed (品种) decides whether or not hens have pigment genes, the natural chemical that results in a colored shell. Although all eggs start out white in color, shell color can change from white to brown and even blue in some rare breeds. An interesting way to know what color eggs a hen lays is to look at the color of its ear feathers (羽毛), LaFlamme says. Breeds such as the Leghorn chickens lay white eggs, while Orpington chickens lay brown eggs and Ameraucana chickens produce blue eggs.

Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is a popular choice for farmers because it lays more eggs. Hens that produce colored eggshells, however, usually are larger and require more feed and energy to create that painted shells. Since those breeds cost more to feed, their eggs are more expensive.

Although eggs sometimes look different and are priced differently, it’s impossible to know their nutrition according to shell color alone. “Choosing between brown and white eggs is a matter of personal preference,” Malina Linkas Malkani, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says. “But it’s important for people to know that the color of the eggshell is related to the breed of the hen, not the egg’s nutrition, quality or shell thickness.” What does affect the nutrition is the specific food the hen eats, according to Malkani.

【推荐2】Apps such as Snapchat already give users the ability to add dog ears, colorful hats and other images onto smart phone photos. Virtual(虚拟的)mirrors are a little different. They are designed to let users see what they would look like wearing something that they might want to buy, such as eyeglasses and earrings.

A smart mirror is an app that turns the screen of a smart phone or other mobile device (装置) into a mirror, using its camera. As users look at the image(影像), the app will make it appear as if they are wearing the object. These smart mirror Apps are becoming popular among retail(零售的))businesses, which want to get people into their stores.

Peter Johnson is with FaceCake Marketing Technologies. He said, “Virtual try-on off the ability to try on a great many objects, many more than they would be able to try on if were no such kind of App.” Recently, Johnson showed how an app called Dangle works. It lets store customers try on different earrings(耳环)without touching a single pair Dangle can be used on a computer. It uses the app's facial recognition technology to make it appear as if the user is wearing earrings. The earrings in the image appear almost real.

With Dangle, retailers can show customers all of their earrings in a short period of time---something almost impossible without technology. There are other good reasons to use the app. Trying-on goods with the virtual mirror means there is nothing to damage, lose or at risk of being stolen.

Alec Gefrides is with the American technology company Intel. “We always hear about the big store closings,” said Gefrides. “But Intel sees technology becoming more important in providing customers with a better experience.”

【推荐3】The wonderful experiment I am going to introduce proves that air is just all around and that it presses down upon us. Air pressure is a wonderful force. When you swim underwater, you can feel water push down your body. The air all around you does the same. However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this. The pressure is caused by a layer of air called the atmosphere. This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home. But make sure that you are supervised, because you will need to use matches. Now for the experiment！

What you need:

·A hard-boiled egg without the shell

·A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg

·A piece of paper

·A match

Method:

1） Check that the paper will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle.

2） Tear the paper into strips and put the strips into the bottle.

3） Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle.

4）Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle.

Result:

Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle. Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment. But be careful when you handle matches.

Why it happened

As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen（air）in the bottle. The egg acts as a seal in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside. This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle. The outside air pressure against the egg and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! This proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on it.

【推荐1】Famous for its tolerance(宽容) as well as its narrow houses and broad canals(运河), Amsterdam is undergoing a change of attitude when it comes to the millions of tourists that come to see it each year. Tolerance has reached its limits in the capital of Dutch, which is now actively urging visitors to head elsewhere.

Ellen van Loon, a partner at Dutch architectural firm OMA, says, “We don’t want to turn into a Venice. While tourism earns the Dutch economy around 82 billion euros a year, the problem we are currently facing is that Amsterdam is so infatuated by tourists that we just have so many tourists coming to the city. ”

Netherlands tourist officials recently took the decision to stop advertising the country as a tourist destination. “Perspective 2030”, report, published earlier this year, stated that the focus will now be on “destination management” rather than “destination promoting”. The document also describes the country’s future strategy, acknowledging that Amsterdam’s livability will be severely influenced by “visitor overload” if action isn’t taken.

Solutions listed include working to discourage groups of visitors by either limiting or completely shutting down accommodation and entertainment products aimed at them, as well as spreading visitors to other parts of the Netherlands. Some of these measures have already come into play. Last year, the famous “I Amsterdam” sign was removed from outside the Rijksmuseum, the city’s main art gallery. The two-meter-high letters have been moved to various lesser-known neighborhoods in order to persuade travelers to leave the center of the city.

But will the measures being put in place be enough to save it from being damaged by its own success? Like many other locals, Ellen van Loon fears that Amsterdam has already lost its uniqueness forever. “The reason tourists come here is that; there’s something in the character of Amsterdam they love,” she explains. “But at a certain point, when the number of tourists is increasing and increasing, they actually kill what they loved in the first place. ”

【推荐3】A remarkable variety of insects live on this planet. Insects have survived on earth for more than 300 million years, and may possess the ability to survive for millions more.

Insects can be found almost everywhere—on the highest mountains, in the cold South Pole and in bubbling hot springs. They dig through the ground, jump and sing in the trees, and run and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and various shapes. Insects are extremely useful to humans,pollinating (授粉) our crops as well as flowers in meadows,forests, deserts and other areas. But some insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas, can transmit disease.

There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their amazing ability to adapt permits them to live in extreme ranges of temperatures and environments. They can survive on a wide range of natural and artificial foods - paint, books, grain, plants and animals. Because they are small, they can hide in tiny spaces.

A strong, hard but flexible shell covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or mates. Also, insects have an enormous reproductive capacity: An African ant queen can lay as many as 43,000 eggs a day.

Another reason for their success is the strategy of protective color. An insect may be right before our eyes, but nearly invisible because it is cleverly disguised (伪装) like a green leaf, lump of brown soil, a seed or some other natural object. Some insects use bright, bold colors to send warning signals that they taste bad. Others have wing patterns that look like the eyes of a huge predator, confusing their enemies.

【推荐1】The “back garden” of Europeans: Dubrovnik

The first time we went to Dubrovnik, Croatia, I knew it wouldn’t be our last. It was October 2006 and for our first wedding anniversary, we decided to get away from it all and head off to what was then a country that few of our friends or family knew much about, except the news of war that had dominated (支配) in the previous decade.

We were met by the friendliest people, so passionate and fiercely proud of their country. The weather was a perfect 20℃, which warmed our souls as we had escaped the autumnal blues in the UK for a week. And the sea was the cleanest and bluest I had ever seen. This was our first of many stays at the Dubrovnik Palace Hotel where every room has never-ending sea view and you feel as though you could be the only ones there. It has a spa and a pool, and it offers blissful privacy that we longed for as newlyweds back then.

Every time we return we find something new, even in the beautiful UNESCO site of the old city. I think it took us a few walks up, down and around the walls before we finally found the little hole-in-the-wall bars of Buza I and Buza II.

Even now, my husband and I often talk of our first visit where the cable car up to Mount Srd lay in ruins and we walked up the 412 meters peak which stands proud behind the whole city. It was so hot that I drank and drank, but having reached the top to take in the stunning view of the Elaphiti Islands, I was quick to discover there were no toilets for this western visitor at that time, I think it was the fastest walk down back to the town we have ever had! Luckily, the visitors of today looking to find the locations of their favourite TV show (Game of Thrones) can use the cable car, which was fully restored back in 2010.

【推荐2】Canada’s 4 Prettiest Fall Camping Destinations

Standing beneath a cathedral of tees with orange and red maple leaves, it’s hard to imagine a better place to experience fill in Canada. The majestic colours of sugar and red maple trees are best seen in mid-September to mid-October. Aspens, tamaracks and red oak trees, on the other hand, hit their peak in mid-to-late-October.

Rugged mountains glaciers, forests and wild rivers make Jasper a perfect fall camping destination. More than 1,200 kilometres of hiking trails showcase a brilliant display of fall colours. Jasper is hone to the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserve, an area free of artificial light pollution, so get ready to enjoy countless stars and constellations with the naked eye at night.

Whether you’re coming for the cool ocean air or a unique showcase of fall colours, the Cape Breton Highlands will not disappoint. The only sound you’ll hear will be the leaves crunching under your boots when exploring the Cabot Trail. Cold-blooded campers can even try pitching a tent by the sea. If you like back-country camping, go for ‘Fishing Cove.’ Want a large kitchen shelter and flush toilets? Try ‘Maclntosh Brook.’ There’s lots to choose from in these Maritime fall camping destinations.

You don’t have to be a wine aficionado to appreciate the Okanagan, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt. Fill a tetra park with wine to enjoy while watching the sparkly Okanagan River reflect the beautiful colours of autumn. Wine not your thing? Grab some fresh fruit from one of many orchards instead. And don’t forget to bring your binoculars: The park is a favourite of bird and bat-watchers alike.

【推荐3】Anti-smoking ad campaign

Every year millions people around the world die because of smoking. Every pocket of contains poisonous chemicals that can lead to lung cancer and heart disease. This costs countries a lot of money and causes great damage to the welfare of the people. There are huge numbers of smokers in Asia. This is why anti-smoking is chosen as the subject of our ad campaign.

The target audience is high-school teenagers. Our main aim is to discourage young people from smoking. Our research shows that health and future is what young people care about. We will educate them about the bad physical effects of smoking and how smoking affects those people around them. We will explain all the advantages of not smoking, such as saving money which can then be spent on other things. Our interviews also indicate that young people are concerned about what is cool and what their friends like. We will show how smoking is not cool or attractive, because it makes people smell terrible, and gives them bad teeth, skin and fingernails. If we can convince young people not to start, they might then urge their parents and other people to give up smoking, too.

Our campaign will start on 31 May, World No Tobacco Day. We will put large posters around the school with our logo and slogan. Our website will provide students with more information about smoking. We will also publish an article in the school magazine informing students about the dangers of smoking, and we will organize an essay competition as well. Our slogan: Smoking kills!   

Many people think that smoking is cool or enjoyable, but they are not fully aware of the damage that it does to their health. This is why we choose this picture as our logo. We want to shock people into realizing that many smokers die all too soon from illnesses and diseases related to smoking.