【推荐1】Smells are complex and often have changeable structures, and can show meaningful information about an animal’s surroundings, like the location of food sources. But it was previously assumed that mammalian (哺乳动物的) brains can’t fully process these changes in smells because they happen so rapidly, much faster than an animal can smell.

Using behavioral experiments, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and University College London found mice can, in fact, be trained to detect very rapid variations in smells, at rates previously not thought possible and that mice can use this information to distinguish whether smells are coming from the same or different sources, even if they are very close to each other. The mice were able to correctly distinguish this difference. This suggests that the mammalian olfactory (嗅觉的) system is also key in processing the awareness of physical space and guiding decisions important to survival.

Andreas Schaefer, group leader of the Sensory Circuits and Neurotechnology Laboratory at University College London, says, “From an evolutionary point of view our findings make sense as they help to explain why there is a lot of computational power within the olfactory bulb (嗅球), the part of the brain to which the nose sends signals. It’s not only processing chemicals from smells but also calculating information about physical distance and sources. It would have been strange for evolution to create such processing power in this part of the brain if it were not being used to help the species survive.”

As part of the study, the researchers designed new technologies including a piece of high-speed smell delivery equipment that can measure several smells at the same time with extremely high precision. These innovations will enable more complex work on the ol factory bulb, increasing our knowledge of how this brain region processes information about the environment and influences behavior. Finally, the team aim to build understanding of how sensory circuits link the external world with internal thought and action.

【推荐2】Canada geese are a common and plentiful North American bird found in many urban parks, golf courses, airports, or areas with large lawns near water. They are a large waterbird with a fairly brown body, pale breast, and long black neck with white cheeks.

Canada geese are particularly attracted to urban areas for the many grassy lawns near small bodies of water. They can often be seen feeding on lawns or playing in shallow water by tipping forward and extending their necks underwater to reach for plants. Canada geese prefer to gathering in large flocks (群) and can be seen flying over in the classic V formation.

In Chicago, Canada geese may remain in the city throughout the year, although some geese get used to moving long distances to more southern sections for the winter or northward in spring to breed. Each breeding season, pairs build large open cup ground nests and lay 2 to 8 eggs which are raised in a single brood (窝). Urban habitats are also attractive to this species as neatly-maintained lawns make it easy when grazing with young to keep watch for approaching enemies. It is, however, their use of these urban areas that often leads to conflicts with humans.

As Canada geese numbers rise, so do their conflicts with humans. Canada geese’s daily activities may damage gardens and landscaping. Geese may also cross roads when searching for food or walking between nesting sites and bodies of water, slowing movement or posing a potential risk on the roadway. Although direct injuries by fierce geese are uncommon, people sometimes fall and pick up injuries when surprised by a charging goose. Additionally, people often feed the birds. Not only are the types of food people typically provide, such as bread, unhealthy for the birds, but this encourages high concentrations of geese leading to more harmful behavior and higher risk of diseases. Lastly, plane-bird conflicts are estimated to be rising, likely due to increasing numbers of planes, but also increases in populations of certain bird species, including Canada geese. Although crashes rarely result in an accident, they often cause costly damage to planes.

【推荐1】We all come from various backgrounds and have many differences in how we view the world and how we live our lives. Some earn more money than others, and some live in rural communities with diverse natural resources at our fingertips. Different cultures may be by several factors.     1    

Every culture has their own spin (导向性陈述) on what foods people eat and how they prepare them. In larger communities, there are often plenty of options to explore.     2    . Therefore, these smaller rural communities are often more limited in their experiences, diversity of choices and exposure to other cultures not represented within the local community.

My time in the military took me to the lands far from home where I lived with a diverse group of fellow soldiers.     3    . This allowed me to learn more about their cultures and foods in a safe environment. These similar experiences also exist within many of our diverse local communities.

    4    . Due to their climate, governmental structure, growing seasons, or advances in technology over the years, different cultures have different reasons as to why they eat what they do. According to the article “Why We Eat What We Eat”, produced by the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, “The quest for food has shaped the development of our society.”

So consider this: explore other cultures via food.     5    . But as you learn more about the background, you may find your world view broadened more than you may have envisioned.