【推荐1】Dogs wag (摇摆) their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back, a study has found.

Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behavior of 30 dogs, catching their responses to a range of stimuli (刺激物) with video cameras. To conduct the study they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years. The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Bari University. The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli. They were tested one at a time.

The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners—a positive experience—their tails wagged energetically to the right side. When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right, but with somewhat less enthusiasm. The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag, although with less intensity again. The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog, similar to a German shepherd, changed the direction of tail wagging to the left. Researchers thought the dog was thinking of moving back. When the dogs were not shown any stimuli they tended to wag their tails to the left, suggesting they preferred company. While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video, it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood of dogs. Computer and video systems, for example, could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that they were required to approach.

【推荐2】“You should get a cat,” my doctor said. “A cat?” I couldn’t even look after myself! I took a deep breath and carefully considered the idea of welcoming a feline (猫科的) friend into my life.

Adopting an animal during the height of the pandemic was far from easy. When my partner and I found Cinnamon, her adoption information made her out as the perfect kitten. We filled out the paperwork and had a few weeks to prepare for her arrival.

When she came home, it became increasingly obvious that Cinnamon didn’t understand “no”, “stop it” or “don’t do that”. She was the worst cat I’ve ever owned. I was beginning to doubt my doctor’s advice. We decided to start taking her for walks. I could hardly leave the house before, but my heart couldn’t say no to Cinnamon. Cinnamon showed me what bravery looked like. If there was a dog at a park, she would run toward it. She jumped without knowing where she would land. She loved adventure. I found myself mirroring her behavior after a while, jumping out of bed without a second thought. I began to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning.

Cinnamon unfortunately passed away after a medical accident, leaving a cat-sized hole in my heart the day she left us at only six months old. I’m no stranger to sadness or grief, but losing my pet so suddenly was the most confusing emotional experience I’ve ever had. She was supposed to help me through more of my life than the three short months we had her. She no longer wakes me up at 5 a.m. begging for breakfast, but she is still the reason I get up every morning.

Our time is often cut unpredictably, unmistakably short. It would be a shame to live life being anything less than brave and adventurous.

【推荐1】Cars which can read drivers, brainwaves and speed up their reaction times by judging acceleration, steering (驾驶) and braking, could be available within five to ten years. Pioneered by Nissan, the Japanese motoring giant unveiled their Brain-to-Vehicle technology (B2V) at the CES 2018 trade show in Las Vegas, US. The company claims it will enable vehicles to interpret signals from the driver’s brain, redefining how drivers interact with their cars.

Nissan also said that as well as making road travel safer, the cars will keep adapting to make driving more enjoyable. “When most people think about autonomous driving, they have a very impersonal vision of the future, where humans relinquish control to the machines,” said the company’s Executive President Daniele.

“Yet B2V technology does the opposite, by using signals from their own brain to make the drive even more exciting and enjoyable. Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are moving people to a better world by delivering more autonomy, more electrification and more connectivity.”

The development is the result of Nissan’s research into the use of brain decoding technology which can predict a driver’s actions and detect discomfort. By catching signs that the driver’s brain is about to initiate a movement - such as turning the steering wheel or pushing the accelerator pedal — driver assist technology begins the action more quickly. This can improve reaction times and enhance manual driving.

“Other possible uses include adjusting the vehicle’s internal environment,” said Dr Lucian, who’s leading the B2V research. For example, the technology can use enhanced reality to adjust what the driver sees and create a more relaxing environment. “The potential applications of the technology are incredible. This research will be a boost (促 进) for more Nissan innovation inside our vehicles in the years to come.”

Nissan’s goal is to offer the best driving assistance in manual driving mode so that a driver can be in complete control of his or her car. They hope to implement the technology into their vehicles in between five to ten years.

【推荐2】Among the more practical advice that can be offered to international travelers is wisdom of the toilet. I do not mean those squats (下蹲) you see at the gym. No, strong glutes (臀肌) will not save you here. I mean the deep squat. This position is so stable that people in China can hold it for minutes and perhaps even hours…

Of course, squat toilet is not unique to Asia, nor is the deep-squatting position. But so common is the position in Asia and so rare it is in the West that it’s been nicknamed the “Asian squat”. Bryan Ausinheiler, a physician in California said, “The squat is a great model for a multi-segmental movement pattern. You have to fold everything up underneath you.” There’s a lot going on.

But the key factor seems to be ankle flexibility. This is also in part. Ausinheiler says, why kids have no problem squatting. “I measured my daughter’s ankle flexibility when she was one day old,” says Ausinheiler. “She has 70 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion (背屈)! Normal in the West is like 30.” So humans are born squatters; some of us lose it when we stop trying. Body shape also seems to play a role. People with the longest legs have the worst squat.

Believe it or not, no one appears to have actually studied born ability in deep squatting across ethnic groups. “You would have to take kids from the time they’re born in China and never let them do any squats to be a control group, and it’ll never happen,” says Matt Hundson, a physiologist at the University of Delaware, humorously. And finally, it may not matter. Practice and training make the bigger difference.

Some believe America’s squat problems can be blamed on toilet seats. Yet this ability that comes so naturally has been lost ----- and it’s not so easy to get it back. But the position, while doable, is not very comfortable for me.

【推荐3】Do you know that some people have memories that are completely wrong? They remember things that never happened. Sometimes, many people have the same wrong memory. When this happens, it’s believed that it is because of the Mandela Effect.

People first noticed the Mandela Effect in 2013. That year, Nelson Mandela passed away. However, thousands of people remembered him dying in the 1980s. They described watching his funeral on TV. But in fact, Mandela lived to be 95 years old. How could that be? How could so many people have the same wrong memory?

Most experts explain the Mandela Effect using brain science. When we make memories our brains keep them in groups. Each group includes memories that are similar to each other. Sometimes, our brains mess up. They mix two similar memories together. That’s why people thought Nelson Mandela died in the 1980s. They knew he was imprisoned (坐牢) during the 1980s. For some reason, they mixed his imprisonment with his death.

That would explain why so many people in 2013 thought Nelson Mandela was already dead. But would it explain why all those people gave similar descriptions of his funeral? Could all those people have mixed up the same two memories?

Another theory about the basis for the Mandela effect originates from quantum physics (量子物理学) and relates to the idea that rather than one timeline of events, it is possible that alternate realities or universes are taking place and mixing with our timeline. In theory, this would result in groups of people having the same memories because the timeline has been changed as we shift between these different realities. You aren’t alone if you think this sounds a little unrealistic.

There are many other examples of the Mandela Effect. Have you ever seen the Mona Lisa? Many people remember the woman in the painting with a frown or was straight-faced. If you look at the Mona Lisa today, you'll find she’s smiling. Do you know where New Zealand is in relation to Australia? However, there is a community of people who claim to remember New Zealand being northeast instead of southeast.

Are these wrong memories the result of mixed memories, or is there another explanation? Without further science research, we can’t say for sure!

【推荐1】Recently, Australian scientists learned something unexpected about magpies ( a kind of bird ) when they tried to attach trackers to them to learn more about how far they flew and what they did during a normal day as they are concerned that magpies may have a hard time adjusting as the world warms up because of climate change.

It’s hard to find trackers that work well with small and middle-sized birds. The previous trackers were either too heavy or didn’t last long enough. The researchers tried a new tracker on the magpies. They were light and could be recharged (再充电) without wires (电线) while they were still on the birds. And to keep the trackers on the birds without causing flying problems, the researchers developed a special device to hold the tracker in place. It was strong, so it wouldn’t come off by accident. But it had a special release controlled by magnets (磁铁). This was meant to allow the scientists to free the birds from the device, without having to catch the birds again.

There was just one problem — the birds didn’t like the trackers. The researchers placed trackers on five magpies. But just ten minutes after setting up the last magpie, they noticed something unusual: an adult female magpie was helping another magpie get free from its device. By the third day, none of the birds had trackers anymore.

The scientists were disappointed about the trackers, but they realized that the magpies had taught them something else: that magpies are able and willing to help each other out. They don’t know how the magpies cracked the difficult problem of getting the device off. They also don’t know if it was just one magpie or several which removed them. However, the researchers are glad they’ve learned about the saving behavior of magpies and now they need to try again to figure out a good way to track these clever birds.

【推荐2】“Folk singers are more like poets than singers,” Li Yahe, a music businessman, once told China Youth Daily.

That saying perfectly describes Zhang Lei, the 34-year-old champion of the fourth “Voice of China” singing competition, which ended on Oct 7.

Critics thought Zhang’s success as a victory for folk singers. The Voice of China used to attach great importance to singing skills and vocal techniques, which are not necessarily what folk singers are good at. “Folk songs are more about emotions and storytelling,” said Li.

Folk is one of the oldest musical styles. It dates back to ancient times, when people sang about their everyday lives and the society around them.

A powerful comeback

Folk music became popular again in the Western world in the 1960s. During social revolutions, many young Westerners turned to the simple rhythms of folk. Pioneers included US singer Bob Dylan, whose songs are reflections of some social issues like the Vietnam War. Singers at that time used traditional folk instruments like the banjo, the upright bass, the mandolin and the piano.

In the late 1970s, folk music was introduced to Taiwan. The rise of singers like Lo Tayu and Chyi Yu popularized folk music, particularly among young Chinese people.

At that time, folk tunes were based on simple song structures, with pleasant chord progression and pretty lyrics, just like during old times. But they focused more on the dreams and sorrow of youth than on politics.

This continued to be the case when the folk “wave” swept Chinese mainland in the 1990s.

Folk pioneers

Sadly, it didn’t last long in China. Folk gave way to pop in the late 1990s, when people started living more fast-paced lives. But that didn’t mean folk music had disappeared from the music world entirely.

“The drop in the popularity of folk songs is because the business mode of the music industry is outdated, not because of the music itself,” folk singer Song Ke once said.

He was right. Recent years have seen folk songs gaining popularity, with the appearance of singers like Li Jian and Song Dongye.

“The popularity of the Internet has shocked the traditional profit model in music industry,” Lu Zhongqiang, manager of 13-Month, a music recording and publishing company, told Tencent Entertainment. “Not-so-well-known music starts showing its strength when the production of mainstream music is declining,” he added.

【推荐3】It's good to share, right? Growing up as kids we are told to share our toys and not be selfish. We also live in an age where discussing our feelings is encouraged. But when does it all become too much? With new fashion trending all the time, such as dance challenges and wearing a pillow as a dress, the question is: when can sharing become oversharing on social media?

What is oversharing? The term has become associated with social media, but it doesn't only belong to this platform. Imagine you head to a party and you meet someone. Within five minutes they have given away details about their personal life. While some of us may try to escape these people, according to marriage therapist Carolyn Cole, this form of oversharing could come from a strong desire to connect with someone. But how does this translate to social media?

Dr. Christopher Hand, a lecturer in internet psychology, says the more details people disclose, the less sympathy we express when things go wrong. This could be due to a belief that we attract our own negative experiences the more we share them. It seems that the idea of searching for sympathy by oversharing, is generally viewed as negative rather than the cry for help it could actually be.

However, Dr Hand's research also seems to suggest that the more positive posts we share on a platform, the more socially attractive we become. Even back in 2015, Gwendolyn Seidman PhD, said that we should avoid complaining and being negative online. We are supposed not to show off, as it's now known—especially about our love lives. It makes sense—if your date is going 'that well', would you really have time to share a photo with text?

So, how can you know if you are oversharing? Well, why not ask your friends in real life. They would probably be more than happy to tell you if your posts about your breakfast or your complaint about your lack of money really are too much.