【推荐1】Filtration (过滤) systems are designed to remove multiple harmful substances from water or air at the same time, but pollutants in soil can only be tackled individually or a few at a time — at least for now. A method developed by research center could help turn soil improvement processes from piecemeal to wholesale.

Current methods of removing pollutants from soil take a lot of time and are expensive. Some purification techniques also generate secondary waste streams and use up significant amounts of water or electricity. A team of researchers from the research center showed that mixing polluted soil with non-poisonous compounds that drive electrical current, then destroying the mix with short bursts of electricity does flush out both organic pollutants and heavy metals without using water or generating waste.

The electricity bring soil temperature up to 1000 – 3000 degrees Celsius as needed in seconds, turning organic pollutants into non-poisonous minerals and poisonous heavy metals into steam. Moreover, the process is beneficial to soil fertility (肥沃).

“This newly established method, which we called high-temperature electrothermal process (HET), can remove multiple pollutants at a time,” said Bing Deng, the leader of research team. “It was surprising to us that we do not damage the soil in the process. Being able to regenerate the soil and put it right back where it was is a huge advantage over existing technologies,” said Tour, “Plants actually like it more, because of the minerals that get freed up in the thermal cycling.”

According to researchers, the process worked equally well on wet soil and it was economical and environmentally friendly. They developed two models for both off-and on-site experiments, and were looking forward to taking this process to the next stage—field testing.

【推荐2】Scientists in Australia thought they had developed a new tracking device to help them monitor magpies, but these intelligent birds had other ideas.

Initially, researchers planned a pilot study to learn more about the movements and social dynamics of magpie. The study was also designed to test the effectiveness of a new tracking device that would fit on small birds. “Instead, the birds outsmarted us,” explained Dominique Potvin, a zoologist at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Most trackers are too big to fit on small sized birds, and small trackers tend to be limited when it comes to data storage, battery life, and reusability. The new trackers, which weighed less than one gram, would charge and send data wirelessly without needing to recapture the birds. They were attached to a rigid belt that could only be released with a magnet. The design was meant to be durable, except for a weak point where the magnet needed to function. Once the trackers were on, researchers could attract the previously trained birds back to an outdoor ground “feeding station” where the trackers could charge, and the team could download the data.

The team placed trackers on five magpies using their special belt. However, just ten minutes after setting up the last magpie, they noticed something unusual: an adult female without a tracker was busy trying to remove the device from a younger bird, eventually succeeding. This pattern was repeated in the following hour, and by the third day all trackers had been removed.

Researchers are unsure if the same female magpie removed all the devices or if multiple birds cooperated. However, “what we have observed is the first documented case of rescue behaviour in magpies”, according to the paper — something the researchers hadn’t considered going into the project.

But that’s how science works sometimes. The team didn’t get the data they wanted, but their experiment still produced interesting results.

【推荐1】The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and University of Central Lanca-shire (UCLan) share findings of a project to improve student engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

It’s long been acknowledged that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are under-represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. Now, research conducted by UCLan and funded by STFC shows the causes of this problem and points to innovative solutions. The Blackpool Physics; Inspire, Engage, Research (PIER) project found that primary school children from low socio-economic areas are just as interested in science but lack knowledge about possible science careers.

The PIER project is following a group of pupils as they progress from Grade 6 to Grade 9, using surveys, interviews and other assessments to measure interest in science. These initial findings suggest that attempts to increase science participation among young people should not simply promote the subject as “fun” or “interesting”. Instead, greater impact could be achieved by demonstrating clearly how science can open possible future career opportunities.

Many of the pupils taking part in the study understood that studying science could be useful but few could explain why, suggesting a need for greater education about STEM careers. As well as broadening our understanding of the issue, the PIER project is solving the problem head on. The team has carried out a variety of activities each year for the participants, including “meet the scientists” events, trips to UCLan’s Alston Observatory as well as family science events at school.

Lead Researcher and STFC Fellow in Public Engagement, Professor Robert Walsh, said, “Much government policy towards boosting science in higher education focuses on an assumed lack of interest and desire in low-socioeconomic groups.” However, the enthusiasm is already there and this “hidden science identity” needs to be revealed and translated into real-life prospects for these young people. We’re recommending that programs instead allow young people to explore their science identity more fully and provide innovative ways to discover the jobs that studying science may lead to.

【推荐3】In addition to a list of benefits for a healthy gut, yogurt may greatly reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. A recent study in the American Journal of Hypertension found that men who eat at least two servings of yogurt per week had a 21 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and risk among women dropped by 17%.

A team of scientists at Boston University's School of Medicine studied more than 740,000 individuals who had previously suffered from high blood pressure. Using health questionnaires administered over the last 30 years, the scientists measured yogurt intake and weighed it against heart-related health problems such as heart attack or stroke.

In a press release, one of the study's authors showed that the team behind the report had initially wanted to see if fermented dairy products could aid poor cardiovascular health. The study shows a relationship between yogurt and heart health—but it's not yet clear whether eating yogurt actually reduces risk, or that overall healthier people tend to eat more yogurt, so more research will have to be done.

Still, recent studies have found health benefits of a variety of probiotic and dairy foods, including the super-food kefir which significantly boosts gut health. And recent scientific research has found heart-healthy benefits from eating small amounts of cheese every day.

While the researchers didn't target a particular variety of yogurt, it's important to recognize that yogurt brands greatly vary in the dairy aisle, and some are better for you than others. It's clear that yogurt can be a great addition to your diet due to probiotics, calcium levels, and a healthy source of fat.

Regardless of which kind you choose to pick up, this new evidence could finally be the final bit of buzz to get you to include yogurt as your daily diet. Added bonus? There's a way you can try a lot of different yogurts for free this month, too.