【推荐1】We've heard of AI (Artificial Intelligence) taking human jobs, but I bet mayors (市长) don't really think their jobs can be threatened any time soon. They were wrong, and the AI running for the mayor of a Tokyo district was clear proof of that.

AI can't legally run for high-ranking public management positions yet, but one mayoral candidate from Tama City, Tokyo, intended to maximize the use of artificial intelligence in running city affairs. He was running his campaign (竞选运动) as “AI Mayor”. Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone.

“For the first time in the world, AI will run in an election,” human candidate Michihito Matsuda announced on Twitter. “Artificial Intelligence will change Tama City. With the birth of an AI Mayor, we will conduct balanced politics.”

The AI Mayor was campaigning like its human competitors. Posters were shown all over Tama City and campaign trucks were blaring out promises of an AI utopia (乌托邦) and asking for support.

Some people called Michihito Matsuda's campaign a stun (噱头): as a human would still be the one legally in charge. However, others said that they were excited about the future of AI running things in the background, adding that it had to be a better choice.

【推荐2】Digital technology has made life easier for most people. With a smartphone in hand, people can shop online, watch TV shows and arrange a taxi. Zhu Yiwei, 17, from Anhui province, wanted his grandfather to have access to this convenience, so he bought him a new phone as a gift. But his grandfather still uses the phone just for calling and messaging. “He said other functions make him confused,” said Zhu.

This is a common problem faced by the elderly in the digital age. Although China already has more than 900 million Internet users, among them, those aged 60 and above make up just 6.7 percent, according to the Statistical Report on Internet Development.

Even though the elderly have access to the Internet, they mainly do it for communication and information acquisition, according to a survey by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Other services are still strange to them. That’s why elderly people are sometimes called “digital refugees”. For example, since the COVID-19 pandemic, people are often asked to show a green health code on their phone to get into public places. But most elderly people don’t use smartphones. Even if they have one, many don’t know how to operate it, People’s Daily noted.

“We have made a lifelong contribution to society, but now we feel abandoned by it,” a 75-year-old Beijing resident surnamed Bai told the Global Times. For the elderly, one way of mastering digital technology is to learn from younger family members. However, not all of these younger people have the patience or time to teach the elderly. In addition, aging results in many physical problems, such as weak eyesight and bad memory. This makes it harder to use smartphones.

The government and other organizations in China are trying to help. See Young, a Beijing-based NGO, aims to help China’s elderly use mobile services. Student volunteers have been providing free computer and smartphone training for elderly people in over 200 communities across the country.

Zhao Jingchuan, 17, from Xi’an Gaoxin No 1 High School, and his team members also tried to help. This year, their draft proposal was brought to the two sessions. They suggested more ways to help introduce the technology to the older generation, including sending manuals (手册), offering technical support, and cybersecurity education.

【推荐2】Princess culture is less about a princess lifestyle, and more about great-depth of character, serving as a beautiful reminder of worth—whether a girl is a princess or not. In Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess, Sara Crewe survived her many tragedies and hardships by remembering “I am a princess. All girls are… even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young. They are still princesses.” Whether child or adult, all can benefit from the belief that no matter their circumstances, they always have value—that true self-worth goes beyond appearance or environment and is found deep within. No matter how difficult our circumstances are, princesses encourage us to remember our worth.

Spend much time with a four-year-old girl in the U.S and you will likely see some sort of princess play, whether it is dressing up, acting out stories, or playing with princess-themed toys. This particular type of pretend play is very important to children. Lindsey and Colwell found that children who regularly engage(参与)in pretend play have more positive emotions with peers(同龄人), score higher on emotional understanding, and are better at emotional regulation one year later. Research suggests that princess play specifically can lead to rich experiences for children as they expand on the stories of familiar characters.

Princesses also provide examples of “women who rule”, showing women and girls that they can be accepted as the heroines of their own stories and lead with wisdom and maturity(成熟). In other words, princesses inspire potential.

Adults often think of princesses in a negative way someone who is too proud or crazy about their appearance. But in children’s imagination, the word “princess” allows them to think about what they can become. Maybe they won’t save the world, but they will defend their values. Maybe they won’t have the perfect figure, but they can develop the confidence to move beyond appearance.

【推荐3】Space is becoming more crowded. Quite a few low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites have been launched into the sky, which are designed to move around the Earth only a few hundred kilometres above its surface. SpaceX and OneWeb plan to launch LEO satellites in their thousands, not hundreds, to double the total number of satellites in orbit by 2027.

That promises to change things on Earth. LEO satellites can bring Internet connectivity to places where it is still unavailable. This will also be a source of new demand for the space economy. Morgan Stanley, a bank, projects that the space industry will grow from $350 billion in 2016 to more than $1.1 trillion by 2040. New Internet satellites will account for half this increase.

For that to happen, however, three worries must be overcome. Debris (碎片) is the most familiar concern. As long ago as 1978, Donald Kessler, a scientist at NASA, proposed a scenario (设想) in which, when enough satellites were packed into low-Earth orbits, any collision could cause a chain reaction which would eventually destroy all spacecraft in its orbital plane. Solutions exist. One solution is to grab the satellites with problems and pull them down into the Earth’s atmosphere. Another is to monitor space more closely for debris. But technology is only part of the answer. Rules are needed to deal with old satellites safely from low-Earth orbits.

Cyber-security is a second, long-standing worry. Hackers could take control of a satellite and steal intellectual property, redirect data flows or cause a collision. The satellite industry has been slow to respond to such concerns. But as more of the world’s population comes to rely on space for access to the Internet, the need for action intensifies. Measures will surely be taken to protect network security.

The third issue follows from the first two. If a simple mistake or a cyber-attack can cause a chain reaction which wipes out hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, who is responsible for that? Now the plans of firms, wishing to operate large numbers of satellites are being studied. But there is a long way to go before the risks are well understood, let alone priced.

As space becomes more commercialized, mind-bending prospects open up: packages moved across the planet in minutes by rocket rather than by plane, equipment sent to other small planets, passengers launched into orbit and beyond. All that and more may come one day. But such activities would raise the same questions as LEO satellites do. They must be answered before the space economy can truly develop.

【推荐2】Beavers, like humans, change their surroundings to fit their needs. Known as Nature’s engineers, they tear trees down to build lodges to live in and dams to raise water levels for protection from predators. Dams also slow water’s flow while blocking sediment (沉积物) that would otherwise flow downstream. The resulting wetlands often attract wildlife diversity where none had existed. There are challenges, though. Beaver dams sometimes cause flooding, and most people prefer trees alive and upright.

Communities face a delicate balancing act, learning to coexist with beavers. In late 2019, many people enjoying Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) path became beaver fans as one furry family transformed Sparrow Pond -a sediment-filled, man-made storm-water management area- into an oasis for birds, frogs, turtles and deer.

Yet such activity caused concern. As beavers worked, they raised water levels about five feet. The increased depth allows beavers to survive underwater if the pond ices over in winter. But county officials were concerned about how higher water would affect the steep soil bank supporting the paved hike and bike path.

To find a good balance between protecting the W&OD path and the beavers, in April, the county installed a “beaver baffle” — a pond leveler. Beavers often rush to plug leaks in their dams. Baffles stabilize water levels by creating a hidden exit for high water to escape through the dam, unnoticed by the beavers.

Recently, Andrew Jones, 18, organized a tree-caging event -- putting wire cloth around large tree trunks to discourage beavers from biting them. It also protects people from injury due to random trees falling.

“We cover the trees we don’t want them to eat, while providing others they like,” said Luisa Robles, Greenbelt’s sustainability specialist. Some new trees are periodically planted just for the beavers. “We need to learn to yield a little of our wants to share the Earth’s resources.” she said.

Sparrow Pond’s 2023 restoration project will restore proper water depth and improve wildlife habitat without creating problems for the path. “A beaver baffle will also be included so beaver families can make the pond their home in the future,” noted the project’s flier.

The balancing act continues.

【推荐3】SEA Summer High School Programs 2022

Science at SEA

Science at SEA is a four-week program for rising high school juniors and seniors, as well as recent high school graduates, which focuses on the coastal and offshore marine(海洋的) environment around Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The program includes a shore component on the SEA campus in Woods Hole and a sea component aboard the Sailing School Vessel (SSV) Corwith Cramer.

July 21- August 13            Expense: $4, 000

SEA Quest

SEA Quest is a two-week program that welcomes high school students and recent graduates. Participants will gain hands-on experience conducting field research, sailing a tall ship, and understanding of the complexities of creating and managing marine reserves. They return home with a broader sense of the ocean’s importance to our planet and the need to preserve this precious resource for future generations. Life here is fast-paced. No prior sailing experience is necessary. Strong desire to learn is required!

July 11 - July 22             Expense: $ 3, 200

SEA Cape

This three-week summer program at SEA offers current high school students the opportunity to study the marine environment from a variety of perspectives: scientific, historical, and literary. Participants live and study at our campus in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

June 27 - July 14            Expense: $ 3, 800

SEA Expedition

This two-week summer program for high school students, including graduating seniors, is centered on learning by doing. SEA Expedition is a multidisciplinary experience that welcomes students to participate in every aspect of a challenging offshore sailing , and occurs entirely aboard the ship SSV Corwith Cramer. Life at sea is fast-paced and tough.

July 5 - July 17             Expense: $ 3, 500