【推荐1】The nation watched with horror as wildfire in California damaged the town of Paradise and surrounding communities. It was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, killing 85 civilians and destroying nearly 14,000 residences. More than 50,000 people were left homeless.

Watching the news coverage from his home in Denver, Colorado, Woody Faircloth was saddened by the destruction. Many people found themselves homeless with nowhere to live. He just couldn’t imagine being in that position. He knew he wanted to do something to help. He set up a GoFundMe page and invited people to donate so they could purchase and restore a used RV (休闲车) for a family.

Through social media, Faircloth eventually got connected with a family of six that was greatly in need. Faircloth filled the RV with supplies and started the nearly 1,200-mile drive to California to deliver the vehicle. That first donated RV led to another and Faircloth had more than 100 requests for RVs from homeless families. Witnessing how great the need was, Faircloth turned his idea into a nonprofit organization, “we have a platform to help, we have to keep helping,” said Faircloth, whose group has so far given more than 65 RVs to wildfire survivors.

Today, only a minimal amount of rebuilding has begun in Paradise and a majority of the area’s displaced population is still homeless. Faircloth connects with RV owners interested in donating or selling their used RVs at a low cost. He refits the RVs himself and negotiates costs when he needs to hire professional mechanics for heavy-duty repairs. Once the RV is ready to go, Faircloth organizes a way to transport it to the survivors. The work is constant for Faircloth, who also has to do his fulltime job as an account manager. But seeing the impact of his efforts inspires him to keep going. “We have made connections with people at their most vulnerable (脆弱的) moment. It’s such a powerful thing for them,” Faircloth said.

【推荐1】Yesterday, people on the social media site Twitter reacted with surprise and humor to a report that claimed, “Scientists have taught spinach to send emails.” That’s not exactly true, but the “news” is based on some amazing work done by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) scientists in 2016, and it’s still worth learning about.

Scientists at MIT have managed to change ordinary spinach plants into natural sensors which can detect chemicals used in bombs. Using a cheap and small computer system, the spinach can even send a warning email.

The secret to giving spinach these special powers is nanotechnology. For this experiment, the scientists placed two different kinds of nanotech materials into spinach plants: some were tiny sensors; others were tiny tubes called carbon nanotubes. To get the tiny materials into the plants, the scientists put a liquid containing the nano-materials on the bottom of the plants’ leaves. That’s where the plants normally take in CO₂ gas.

Once the tiny sensors and nanotubes were in the spinach leaves, the plants did the rest of the work. As part of their natural process, the spinach plants pull water through their roots and into their leaves. If the water contains certain chemicals that are used in bombs, the sensors in the leaves make the nanotubes give off a slightly different kind of light.

By watching the plants constantly using a camera attached to a cheap computer, the scientists set up a system that can send a warning email if chemicals from explosives are detected in the water.

The researchers say it takes about 10 minutes for the plants to react to the chemicals. The computer the scientists used is about the size of a playing card. They say that in the future, their system could even use a cellphone with its camera changed slightly.

Detecting chemicals used in bombs is just one of the many uses the researchers are exploring. The scientists believe that in the future, such a system could give farmers detailed information about the health of the land and water on their farms.

【推荐2】A discovery in animal science is causing close attention among dog owners nationwide. The discovery was made by the famous researcher and vet (兽医), Dr. Mary Goldstein, or Dr. Mary, as he's known in the industry.

“I used to spend a lot of time teaching owners to spot red flags—like restlessness (坐立不 安), lethargy, and antisocial behavior—so they can tell when their dog is asking for help right away,” he recalls. “ But now, I want to help people take a more active method to their dogs' health.”

It was this idea that led Dr. Mary to discover a remarkable new care technique that could help your dog lead the longest, healthiest life possible — no matter their age.

“It was amazing to see the transformation, especially in older dogs who were already slowing down,” he says. “In a matter of weeks, their energy and enthusiasm noticeably improved. They had more energy, they were more playful, more limber, more relaxed … it was pretty astonishing. Even their coats looked healthier.”

Over the course of his career, Dr. Mary has treated countless animals and been at the forefront of veterinary advancement for years, but he believes this to be his most important discovery to date.

“It's rooted in science typically used for humans, but I've made it very simple to use for dogs,” he explains. “ I think it's exactly what our four-legged friends have been asking for.” earlier this month, Dr. Mary released an educational video for other dog owners, so they could follow his plan for a medical treatment at home.

If you'd like to try increasing your pet’s life span using Dr. Mary's method, click below for more complete instructions.