【推荐1】While the rest of us are sleeping, freshwater turtles (龟) from Central America to Asia are getting out of the water and basking (月光浴) at night. There have been reports of this behavior before, but now a new study is the first to document the widespread occurrence. The findings suggest this may be a common and almost entirely overlooked aspect of many species’ ecology.

Dr. Donald McKnight, one of the researchers, said he and a colleague first observed freshwater turtles night basking at the Ross River in Townsville, Australia. “We think it’s related to temperature. The water is staying so warm at night that it’s actually warmer than the turtles like to be and they can cool down by coming out of the water,” says McKnight.

For the study, researchers put cameras to watch the night activity of as many freshwater turtle species as possible. The cameras were set up in 25 locations. They were programmed to take a photo every two minutes. They collected data on 29 species of freshwater turtles.

It would be lovely to think the turtles are just enjoying some leisure time when things are quiet. But the researchers note that in most cases, the turtles got out of water when the water was too warm and the air was cooler. Given the warming planet, that’s admittedly a bit depressing. However, not all of the nighttime baskers were escaping too-warm water. According to the study, turtles in India exhibited more basking on cooler nights, rather than warmer nights, and those in Africa spent more time basking at night in winter than in summer. The reasons for these differences are unclear. It may be that at some sites or seasons, turtles are escaping unfavourably warm water temperatures, while at others, they are taking advantage of the warm air to increase their body temperature and escape unfavourably cold water.

Regardless of the “why” behind different species’ reasons for midnight basking, it’s a fascinating look at behaviors not previously documented by scientists. And it is at least encouraging to know that turtles are figuring out important behaviors tied to climate change.

【推荐3】Bonobos (倭黑猩猩) display responsibility toward grooming (梳理) partners, which is similar to that of people working together on a task, a new study suggests. Until now, investigations have shown that only humans can work collaboratively toward a common goal supposed to require back and-forth exchanges and an appreciation of being responsible for a partner.

Biologist Raphael a Hessen of Durham University in England and colleagues studied 15 of the endangered great apes at a French zoological park. The researchers interrupted 85 instances of social grooming, in which one ape cleaned another’s fur, and 26 instances of self-grooming. Interruptions consisted either of a keeper calling one bonobo in a grooming pair to come over for a food reward or a keeper rapidly opening and closing a sliding door to an indoor enclosure, which typically signaled mealtime and thus attracted both bonobos.

Social grooming resumed (恢复), on average, 80 percent of the time after food rewards and 83 percent of the time after sliding door disruptions. In contrast, self-grooming or playing alone was resumed only around 50 percent of the time, on average.

Bonobos generally resumed social grooming with the same partner within one minute of an interruption, usually near the original grooming spot. Groomers frequently took up where they had left off on a partner's body. And bonobos more often cried, gestured or otherwise communicated when restarting social grooming if they had been the one responsible for staring the session or interrupting it for a food reward. That was especially true of higher-ranking bonobos in the community, suggesting some awareness of having broken a common commitment and wanting to signal friendly intentions when rejoining lower-ranking grooming partners. Still, it’s likely that bonobos think in less complex ways than people do about joint commitments. In previous studies, even 3-year old children were much less willing to interrupt joint tasks for rewards than bonobos were in the new experiments.

【推荐2】A New Jersey couple and a homeless man have been accused of making up a feel﹣good story that raised more than ＄400,000 through GoFundMe.

The couple, Kate McClure and Mark D'Amico, and the man, Johnny Bobbitt Jr., face a charge of second-degree theft, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said Thursday.

The couple said they met Bobbitt when he gave his last ＄20 to McClure, who was stranded on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, so she could put gas in her car，then started the GoFundMe campaign as a way to thank him.

The paying-it-forward story that drove this fundraiser might seem too good to be true, Coffina said at a press conference.

Unfortunately, it was. The entire campaign was based on a lie.

After fees, the money of the campaign netted about ＄367, 000, all deposited into McClure's accounts, Coffina said. Bobbitt received ＄75,000, and within months McClure and D'Amico had wasted their share on buying a car, high-end handbags and trips, Coffina said. They also used it at casinos(赌场), he said.

Coffina stressed that while Bobbitt, a veteran (老兵), deserves thanks for his service to the country and sympathy for his situation; he was fully involved in the crime, using media to help "promote the dishonest campaign".

According to Coffina, McClure and D'Amico first met Bobbitt at an off-ramp（驶出匝道）near a casino they regularly went, at least a month before the GoFundMe campaign went live.

They went back to the spot a month later, Coffina said. D'Amico took a picture of McClure and Bobbitt that became the face of the GoFundMe campaign that they started hours later, Coffina said.

【推荐1】I’m sitting at the counter in my favorite Boston bookstore-café, laptop open, writing. Ten minutes ago I ordered coffee. The server, a young, dark-haired woman with a broad smile, paused and quietly said, “I just want to tell you how much your TED talk meant to me — how much it inspired me. So even though you don’t know me, you helped me figure out what I really wanted to do with my life — go to medical school — and then you helped me do what I needed to do to get there. Thank you.”

Tears in my eyes, I asked, “What’s your name?”

“Fetaine,” she said. Then we chatted for the next ten minutes about Fetaine’s challenges in the past and newfound excitement about her future.

Everyone who approaches me is unique and unforgettable, but this kind of communication happens far more frequently than I’d ever have expected: a stranger warmly greets me, shares a personal story about how they successfully dealt with a particular challenge, and then simply thanks me for my part in it. They’re women and men, old and young, struggling and wealthy. But they all have felt powerless in the face of great pressure and anxiety, and all discovered a surprisingly simple way to get rid of that feeling of powerlessness.

For most authors, the book comes first, then the responses. For me, it was the other way around. First, I conducted a series of experiments that gave rise to a talk I delivered at the TED Global conference in 2012. In that talk, I discussed some interesting findings about how we can quickly increase our confidence and reduce our anxiety in challenging situations. I also shared my own struggles and how I learned to become more confident. Immediately after the twenty-one-minute video of the talk was posted on the Internet, I began hearing from people who had seen it.

Of course, watching my talk didn’t magically give Fetaine the knowledge she needed to do well on the Medical College Admission Test. But it may have freed her from the fear that could have prevented her from expressing the things she knew.

【推荐3】Charlotte (the spider) and Wilbur (the pig) were alone.Wilbur lay resting after the excitement of the ceremony. His medal still hung from his neck.

“Charlotte,”said Wilbur,“why are you so quiet?”

“I like to sit still,”she said.“I’ve always been rather quiet...”

“Yes,but you seem different today.Do you feel all right?”

“A little tired,perhaps. But I feel peaceful. Your success in the ring competition this morning was, to a small extent, my success. Your future is assured. You’ll live, secure and safe, Wilbur. Nothing can harm you now. These autumn days will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall. Christmas will come, and then the snow of winter. You’ll live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world, for you mean a lot to Zuckerman (the owner) and he’ll not harm or kill you, ever. Winter will pass, the days will lengthen and the ice will melt. The sparrows will return and sing and the frogs will awake. All these sights and sounds will be yours to enjoy, Wilbur - this lovely world,these precious days...”

Charlotte stopped and a tear came to Wilbur’s eye. He then said.“Charlotte,when I first met you, I thought you were cruel!”

When he recovered from his emotion,he spoke again.

“Why did you do all this for me?”he asked. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.”

“You are my friend. That in itself is a big thing.” replied Charlotte. “I made my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while and we die. A spider’s life can’t simply trap and eat flies. By helping you, I was trying to lift up my life a little.“Well,”said Wilbur.“I’m not good at making speeches. I haven’t got your gift for words. But you’ve saved me, Charlotte, and I’d gladly give my life for you-I really would.”