【推荐1】Airport security is there to protect you, but it may also give you a cold -or worse .

To all the places and surfaces we’ve been warned are covered with germs－the subway seat, airplane cabins, the ATM－add the airport security trays(托盘). The plastic security trays －used at airport checkpoints around the globe and touched by millions of passengers as they drop shoes, smartphones, baggage and other items into them to clear X-ray scanners－have been found to have a variety of germs in them, including the ones responsible for the common cold, according to researchers in Europe.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham in England examined frequently touched surfaces at Helsinki Airport in Finland during and after peak hours in the winter of 2016 and found rhinovirus, the source of the common cold in them. They found it on half the baggage trays, more than on any of the other surfaces they tested. It wasn't found on toilet surfaces at the airport. The findings could help improve public health strategies in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases worldwide.

The European Union has funded a research project, called PANDHUB, on preventing the spread of“high--threat ” pathogens(病原体) on public transportation, and the study by the University of Nottingham is part of that project .

"The presence of germs in the environment of an airport has not been examined previously, said Niina Ikonen, who was involved in the study.

Finavia, the company that operates Helsinki Airport, said in an email,“At Finavia airports, the hygiene(卫生) standards are applied in accordance with health officials' requirements－all surfaces are cleaned daily and all security checkpoint trays, etc., are washed regularly."

Washing your hands properly and coughing into a tissue or sleeve, especially in public places, can help minimize the risk of catching infectious diseases, said Jonathan Van-Tam, a professor at the University of Nottingham. "These simple measures can help prevent the spread of germs and are most important in crowded areas like airports that have a high volume of people traveling to and from many different parts of the world." he added.

【推荐1】British shoppers buy 2.15 million tonnes of clothing and shoes annually, yet UK citizens have an estimated £30 billion worth of unused clothing gathering dust at the back of the wardrobe（衣柜）. But new technology could see the end of that, with the garments themselves giving owners a gentle reminder of their existence.

“Smart clothes” could help us clear out our drawers by sending messages or tweeting us if they haven't been worn for a good while. If these alerts are ignored, the garments will get in touch with a clothing charity and ask to be reused, with an organization automatically sending out donation information. They could also be programmed to put themselves up for auction（拍卖） on eBay.

Academics at Birmingham City University are developing the “connected wardrobe” to encourage more suitable clothes consumption. The concept sees garments tagged（给……加标签） using washable contactless technology, known as radio-frequency identification.

Mark Brill, senior lecturer at Birmingham City, said: “Think of the surprise when an owner suddenly receives bids for items they didn't know were in their wardrobe”.

“The connected wardrobe is a practical, pleasant concept to encourage people to think about their clothing consumption. Finally, I hope it will encourage more appropriate fashion consumption,” He added, “Perhaps we can even move away from the idea of ‘ownership’ of clothing. When we’ve worn them enough, the items will pass themselves on to their next keeper to wear.”

It follows in the footsteps of the “Internet of Things” — a concept that sees ordinary household items connecting to the internet in order to share information. From adjusting your alarm clock to monitoring the temperature of your home, the Internet is changing the way we live.

Now, the “Internet of Clothes” will see that neglected garments will tweet and text the owners “asking” to be worn depending on the weather and frequency of wear. Clothes will keep track of other information such as who owned it previously, as well as how much it originally cost, who made it and how much the worker was paid for it.

【推荐2】“Do you have Wi-Fi?” It’s my most-asked question when visiting new cities. Nowadays, having access to Wi-Fi is essential if you plan on making the most of any trip abroad. But far too often I spend $ 5 for a tiny cup of coffee just to use a café’s Wi-Fi and charging port. Replacing this costly exchange with their interpretation of a city center, the designer of Kuube, a Hungarian startup, has created a smart bench equipped with all the necessities that a modern-day traveler might need to comfortably move through any city.

Kuube’s smart bench comes in three sizes. All come with USB ports, wireless chargers, and a Wi-Fi hotspot function-free for everyone. All three smart benches charge up thanks to solar panels, which makes them easily movable.

First comes Kuube^ECO, the smallest of the three smart benches. It’s a three-seater that comes equipped with two USB ports and one wireless charger. It has unlimited Internet access thanks to its Wi-Fi hotspot. The bench with one display screen continuously monitors its environment, such as changes in UV levels or air pressure — displaying them on its monitor for those interested. Then comes Kuube^NANO, the middle child that can seat up to four people and comes with all the same offerings as Kuube^ECO. And finally comes the largest option, Kuube^PLUS. This smart bench offers more of a group, or family seating style and can accommodate up to eight people. It offers four charging options and two display screens.

The three smart benches all have an aluminum chassis (铝制底座) that’s recyclable and are made from natural ash wood for the seating sections. Kuube is clearly a sustainability-focused startup that’s combining design and technology to make cities and parks friendlier to everyone.

【推荐1】About 5,300 years ago, people from the grasslands of modern-day Russia and Ukraine expanded rapidly across Eurasia. Within a few centuries these “Yamnaya” left a lasting genetic mark on populations from central Europe to the Caspian Sea. Today, archaeologists call them “eastern cowboys” for their livestock herding (畜牧) and highly mobile lifestyle.

But one part of the classic cowboy picture was missing: horseback riding. Although cattle bones and solid carriages have been found in Yamnaya sites, horse bones are hard to find, and most archaeologists assumed people did not start to ride horses until at least 1,000 years later.

In a new study published in Science Advances, researchers say they’ve found the earliest evidence of horseback riding not in the bones of ancient horses, but in their Yamnaya riders. “Everyone has focused on horse remains to get an idea of early horse riding,” says co-author and University of Helsinki archaeologist Volker Heyd. “Our approach was to look at humans.”

The researchers looked at more than 150 bones unearthed in Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria — the western frontier of Yamnaya expansion. The Yamnaya were well-fed, healthy, and tall; the chemical composition of their bones showed protein rich diets consistent with herding cattle and sheep. But the bones showed signs of distinctive wear and tear. They also showed thick spots on the leg bone consistent with lots of time spent on the horse back. Healed injuries matched the kinds of damage a kicking horse might cause, or what sports medicine doctors today see in riders thrown from their horses.

“In terms of trying to identify people riding horses, I think they’ve done the best job possible bioarchaeologically,” says bioarchaeologist Jane Buikstra. “That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, or convincing, ultimately.”

More samples — including horse bones with signs of riding, such as bit marks or back bone damage from the weight of a rider — would help make the case, says CU bioarchaeologist Lauren Hosek. What the group has found “is really interesting”, she says. “But there’s a lot more work to be done when the risks of drawing the final conclusion are as high as the earliest horse riding.”