【推荐1】Over half of Tokyo’s residents don’t think the postponed 2020 Olympics should be held in 2021, backing either a further delay or complete cancellation because of fears for the coronavirus, according to a poll(民意调查) published on Monday.

The survey carried out by two Japanese news organizations is only a single data point, but comes after health experts warned that even a year’s delay may not be enough to hold the Games safely.

The poll found 51.7 percent of respondents hope the Games in 2021 are postponed again or canceled, while 46.3 percent want to see the rescheduled Olympics go ahead. Among those opposed to the 2021 Games, 27.7 percent said they want them canceled altogether, while 24 percent would prefer a second postponement.

The telephone poll, conducted by Kyodo News and Tokyo MX television between Friday and Sunday, received 1,030 replies. Of those who said they want to see the Games held in 2021, 31.1 percent said the event should be on a smaller scale, while 15. 2 percent said they want to see fully developed Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 was postponed in March as the coronavirus spread across the globe, causing the worst disruption(中断) to the Olympics since two editions were canceled during World War II. The Games are now scheduled to begin on July 23, 2021, although they will still be known as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Officials from Japan and the International Olympic Committee(IOC) have warned that it will not be possible to postpone them again, and even the year-long delay has created significant financial and logistical(后勤的) headaches.

Earlier in June, the mayor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike told AFP that the rescheduled Olympics will be safe despite the coronavirus pandemic, promising to make a “120-percent effort” to ensure the first-ever postponed Games can go ahead. Koike has been heavily involved in preparations for the Games, traveling to Rio for the handover ceremony after the last Summer Olympics.

【推荐2】The Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park in East China’s Zhejiang Province, founded in 2005, is the country’s first national wetland park.

Situated in the western part of Hangzhou, Xixi is only 5 kilometers away from the West Lake, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site in the city.

Water is the soul of Xixi. With an area of 11.5 square kilometers, the park is mostly covered by streams, ponds, lakes and swamps, with six long rivers forming a tangled network of waterways. Nearly 70 percent of the park is water and the length of waterways inside the park surpasses 100 kilometers.

Additionally, about 85 percent of the land in Xixi is covered by plants such as reeds, willows and persimmon(柿子)trees and a variety of wildlife living among them, making Xixi a great platform for animal and bird watching, scientific research and education.

Because of its abundant water resources and species, Xixi Wetland is an important part of Hangzhou’s ecosystem and helps purify water, relieve flooding, regulate the climate and maintain biodiversity. Nestled in an urban area of the city, it is dubbed “the natural purifier of Hangzhou”.

As well as providing a haven for people to enjoy the region’s natural charm, Xixi Wetland is also a cultural treasure trove(宝藏)which has been depicted and extolled by scholars throughout history.

Xixi was a land of idyllic beauty and a place of seclusion(隐居)in the eyes of ancient people. Inspired by the elegance of Xixi, many literati(文人)—including Su Dongpo, Tang Bohu, Dong Qichang and Yu Dafu —created numerous literary works about the place. Some of them are showcased on the inscribed boards and tablets dotted throughout the wetland park.

The Xixi Wetland was not quite so well-known to people until the famous Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang used it as a backdrop for part of his 2008 film If You Are the One, adding the wetland to the list of must-visit tourist attractions in Hangzhou.

Today, the pristine(未开发的)scenery, the rustic(淳朴的)charm of a country lifestyle and the ancient traditions of Xixi lure tourists from around the world.

【推荐3】Fossils (化石), the preserved remains of ancient life, serve as windows into the Earth’s rich history. The formation of the fossils is a wonderful journey that unfolds over vast stretches of time, catching good views of the diversity of life that once lived on our planet.

The journey often starts with the death of an organism in a specific environment. Whether it’s a plant, animal or microscopic organisms, the key factor lies in whether the remains are quickly buried. This initial step is critical to protect the organism from its enemies and environmental factors that could lead to breakdown.

As the remains are buried, they experience layers of sediment (沉积层). Over time, more layers gather, pressing the lower sediments. This process, known as sedimentation, plays a crucial role in preserving the remains by creating a protective environment that protects them from being destroyed.

Mineralization is also a key period in the fossilization process. It involves the infiltration (过滤) of minerals into the organic tissues of the buried remains. Groundwater, rich in minerals moves through these layers. The minerals replace the original organic material, transforming the remains into rock-like forms.

Sometimes, fossilization goes beyond mineralization to a process called petrification. Petrified fossils occur when the organic material is entirely replaced by minerals, often resulting in a good copy of the original organism. This transformation can preserve complex details, such as the skeletal features of animals. For softer organisms or parts like leaves or feathers, the fossilization process involves pressure. Under the weight of sediments, these delicate structures flatten but leave behind detailed imprints.

The final step in the journey comes when geological processes expose the fossilized remains. Archaeologists then unearth these treasures, revealing the secrets of Earth’s ancient inhabitants. This scientific exploration contributes to our understanding of evolution, biodiversity, and the ever-changing landscapes that have shaped the history of life on our planet.