【推荐1】If you were to move to a new country with a different language and bring along the family dog, your pet would likely have a hard time understanding commands from the locals₉ according to a new study looking at how dogs’ brains react to different languages.

The new study was conducted by lead author Laura Cuaya, a neurobiologist at Eotvos Lordnd University in Hungary, who recently moved from Mexico to Tokyo alongside her dog Kun-kun.

Cuaya and her team trained 18 dogs, including Kun-kun, to lie motionless in an MRI machine so the researchers could scan their brains. As the dogs were being scanned, the researchers played the dogs three different recordings: a Spanish reading from the famous children’s book The Little Prince; a Japanese reading from the same book; and a series of human noises that did not resemble speech at all. All of the dogs had been exposed to only one of the two languages, meaning one was familiar to them and the other was unfamiliar. MRI scans revealed that dogs’ brains can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar languages? making them the first-known, and so far only, non-human animals to be able to tell the difference between human languages.

During the experiments, researchers also found that older dogs showed more activity in the secondary auditory cortex of the brain, suggesting they were better at differentiating familiar and unfamiliar languages than younger dogs. “I think that the main reason that older dogs are better at differentiating languages is the amount of exposure to the language Cuaya said. “Older dogs have had more opportunities to listen to humans while they talk.”

What makes dogs unique is that they do not need to be trained to distinguish between human languages. “Their brains detected the difference naturally, perhaps due to the domestication process,” Cuaya said. “While it is possible that many species can distinguish between human languages ₉ dogs are one of the few that are interested in hearing us.”

【推荐2】In a heartwarming video that has gone viral, a herd of elephants can be seen reuniting and greeting their caretaker after 14 months at a shelter in Thailand. It’s for some reason that animals are said to be loyal (忠诚的) companions to humans and any animal lover will tell you that there’s something indescribable and unique about them. If anyone needed any more proof of their undying loyalty, this should serve as a good example.

In the video, the man, identified as Derek Thompson, who is the Save the Elephant Foundation co-founder, can be seen standing in a shallow water body as the elephants approach him. The elephants greet and hug Derek with their trunks and he pats them. “Elephants reunite with their caretaker after 14 months,” read the caption. The video has received more than 3.7 million views and more than 1.5 million likes. People have left tons of reactions to the video.

Earlier in June, another video went viral showing an elephant bidding farewell (告别) to his loving mahout (看象人) who lost the battle against cancer. The incident, which happened in Kottayam, saw the elephant named Pallat Brahmadathan paying last respects to his master Omanachettan, who had cared him for nearly a quarter of a century. The emotional moment left the entire gathering teary-eyed.

According to local reports, Omanachettan was known for his love for elephants and had been taking care of them for over six decades. Learning about the condition of Omanachettan, the owner of the elephant had taken the animal to pay last respects to his mahout. The emotional scenes occurred as the animal raised its trunk and bowed near the body of Omanachettan.

【推荐1】When traditional treatments fail to help patients with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD强迫症)，an implant that shocks the brain with electrical pulses (脉搏) just might, a new research review shows. It found that the treatment — known as “deep brain stimulation,^” or DBS — can offer significant relief to as many as two-thirds of such patients.

“OCD involves forced and bothersome thoughts that the individual cannot silence, and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce the anxiety.” said study author Dr. Sameer Sheth, a professor of neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Examples of OCD include repeated handwashing, ordering and arranging, repeating words in one’s head, and checking and double-checking.

Enter DBS for the brain. “It consists of a stimulator typically put under the skin in the upper chest and connected to an electrode (电极).”Sheth said. “The electrode is placed in specific regions in the brain, aiming that by restoring activity in these areas to a more balanced state, DBS settles the symptoms of OCD.”

To find out whether it works, Sheth’s team reviewed the findings of 31 studies conducted between 2005 and 2021. Altogether, the studies included 345 adult OCD patients, at an average age of 40. The review showed that after a treatment period of about two years, DBS had produced obvious symptom improvements in two-thirds of the patients. Significant depression relief was also owed to DBS treatment. About one in five patients experienced at least one serious side effect of DBS. Still, Sheth stressed that the upside is hard to ignore. He added, “there is actually little risk of DBS for appropriately selected patients.”

“Since the DBS electrodes are placed in the brain regions contributing to OCD, it is not a surprise that it works.” said Dr. Gopalkumar Rakesh, a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. “Although it’s not a brand-new treatment, DBS really is in the more-research-needed stage of development. So I would say that the results of this study point to the need for even more research to determine which patients would really adjust to that treatment to have the greatest benefit.”

【推荐3】Over the past few months, the Let Them Theory has been making waves online. It started when Mel Robbins, a popular motivational speaker, shared it on Instagram. In her video, Robbins talks about the importance of letting go of control in certain situations, advocating for a model shift in how we interact with others.

Robbins insists that too often, we waste time and energy trying to push others into meeting our expectations. Instead, she proposes a simpler, more liberating approach: “letting them” be themselves. “Let them be themselves because they are revealing who they are to you. Just let them. Then, you get to choose what you do next.” she said.

Dr. Sophie Mort, a clinical psychologist and mental health expert, offers deeper insights into the psychological foundation of this Theory. She said that our natural desire to control others often originates from a need to relieve our own anxieties and uncertainties. However, such attempts often result in disappointment and exhaustion as we realize the uselessness of our efforts. Basically, the theory emphasizes the acknowledgment that we cannot control the actions or decisions of others. It urges us to give up the burden of forcing our desires onto those closest to us and accept the mindset of acceptance.

While the theory may not be formally recognized in clinical settings, its principles connect with established concepts such as acceptance and mindfulness. It shows the essence of acceptance and commitment therapy, emphasizing the importance of accepting our thoughts and feelings without judgment. Meanwhile, marriage and family therapist Chapell Marsh further explains the resemblance between the theory and the psychological concept of “locus of control.”

The theory received a lot of positive responses. Many claim that adopting this approach has fostered harmony and minimized conflicts in their interactions. However, it’s urgent to recognize the limitations of the theory. While it promotes acceptance and nonjudgmental attitudes, it must not be employed in situations where safety is compromised or where necessary conversations are avoided. “Avoiding difficult conversations can lead to problems,” said Chapell Marsh.

【推荐2】A book called The Power of Language explores influences of speaking more than one language on the way people think and act.

Language plays a significant role in all aspects of human social and cognitive（认知的）life. People communicate with each other in a language. The language people speak also influences the way they think. These effects become even more complex when people speak more than one language.

If you speak more than one language, chances are you use them in different situations. You may speak one language at home and another at work. If you are asked to think about something fun in the language you speak at home, you are more likely to think of an event with your family, but when asked in the language you speak at work, you will think of an enjoyable interaction with colleagues.

The language used to answer the question makes it easier to think of memories associated with using that language. The memories you are reminded of in a situation affect what you are likely to do and even how you are likely to feel in that situation.

In addition, properties of the language can affect your decisions. In the book, the writer points out that some languages（like English）require you to use different tenses when talking about events in the present and the future. Other languages（like German and Chinese）do not. Existing evidence suggests that people who speak languages whose grammar uses a different tense between present and future are less likely to make choices that benefit their future selves than people who speak languages that do not. Consequently, the actions you take when speaking different languages can have very different influences on your future.