【推荐1】Classical Music Festivals around Europe This Summer

The festival, marking its 30th anniversary, has become known for attracting the biggest soloists (独奏者) in the world. But the real magic of Verbier is connecting great musicians at the height of their careers with young artists through the Verbier Festival Academy. This year, 223 students from all over the world will receive training and attend masterclasses with the greats.

July 14-July 30, verbierfestival.com

Since 1930, the festival has been presenting Puccini’s masterpieces to crowds of thousands every summer. We’re picturing the Italian summer days closing with a gentle warmth, accompanied by fine opera and a cool glass of wine in hand, and the waters of Lake Massaciuccoli and the Tyrrhenian Sea rippling nearby.

July 14-August 26, puccinifestival. it

In 2023, as in previous years, the festival will team up with University of Granada to invite students to take part in the Manuel de Falla Courses, which offer masterclasses and workshops in composition, musical analysis, performance and more.

July 21-August 19, granadafestival. org

Edinburgh International Festival is Edinburgh’s arts offering, and in 2023 welcomes violinist Nicola Benedetti in her first year as festival director. Picking up the baton (指挥棒) from previous director, Fergus Linehan, the Scottish violinist has described the role as “the honour and responsibility of a lifetime” and she is-perhaps unbelievably-the first Scottish and the first female festival director since the festival began in 1947.

August 4-August 27, eif. co. uk

【推荐1】Weighing a dinosaur is no easy task. These extinct creatures were massive, and for the most part, all that remains are their bones, as their organs and skin have long since disappeared. However, new research has found more than one way to measure the mass of these creatures.

In a paper published recently in Biological Reviews, scientists evaluated the two existing ways that calculate how much a Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) might have weighed. Led by Nicolas Campione from the University of New England, they examined an extensive database of dinosaur body mass estimates from as far back as 1905, with weight estimates for an individual ranging from 3 tons to 18 tons.

In an essay published by The Conversation, Campione explains that for years, scientists followed two rival (对立的) approaches for calculating a dinosaur’s weight. These methods were long thought to be at odds with each other, but Campione’s team found that both techniques are actually quite accurate.

Using limb circumference (肢体周长) to work out an animal’s mass is already widely used across a variety of modern land animals. The same method can be applied to dinosaurs: Researchers essentially measure the bones in living animals, such as the femur (股骨) in an elephant’s leg, and compare that figure to a dinosaur’s femur.

The second method involves calculating the volume of 3D reconstructions of dinosaurs, which serve as approximations (近似值) of what the creature would have looked like when it was still alive. Occasionally, these methods have come to very different conclusions.

David Evans, a researcher at the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto, says it’s important to use both methods because dinosaurs, like humans, did not come in one neat package. “There will always be uncertainty around our understanding of long-extinct animals, and their weight is always going to be a source of it,” he says in a statement. “Our new study suggests we are getting better at weighing dinosaurs, and it’s paving the way for more realistic dinosaur body-mass estimation in the future.”

【推荐2】Playing sports at school makes people “grittier” and harder working, boosts the chances of achieving long-term goals, and having successful careers, say scientists. The Ohio State University team analyzed National Sports and Society Survey data on almost 4, 000 men and women across the US and asked study participants to rate themselves on a scale of 1-5 on eight statements. They included “I am diligent. I never give up.” And “I am a hard worker”. None of the statements was directly related to sports. 34% of those who did sports as a youngster scored high on the grit scale, compared to 23% of peers who gave up. One in four of those who never played sports ranked low, compared to just 17% of those who did. Lead author Dr. Emily Nothnagle said practicing drills on the field can improve pupils’ lives for decades, adding “The grit they develop from playing sports can help them for the rest of their lives”.

The findings, published in the journal Leisure Sciences, were supported by more sophisticated (复杂的) statistical analyses that accounted for respondents’ demographic (人口的) characteristics. But it appears only children who keep at it-and play continually—get the benefit, say the researchers. Some may just be born with the grit to help them succeed at sports as a young person and then continue to benefit from that trait as an adult. “Quitting could reflect a lack of perseverance, which is a crucial component of grit,” said a researcher. “It could also make quitting an activity, and not persevering, easier the next time.”

Adults who played sports as kids generally perceived the experience helped improve their work ethic, and that perception was linked to their grit scores as adults even though the researchers said people can gain or lose grit throughout life.

【推荐3】Most kids spent their summer holidays playing video-games, watching TV and sleeping in.Parents can follow the steps below, and your kids can break their summertime tech habits and adapt to a school-friendly schedule in two weeks.

Shift bedtime

There’s nothing more important to kicking off the school year successfully than getting sufficient sleep. Two weeks before school begins, schedule bedtime back by about 20 minutes a night to stop kids staying up late or sleeping in. Instead of a long, fun bathtime, switch to a quick shower. Keep all digital devices out of their bedrooms and buy them alarm clocks.

Set screen goals

Having intentional goals for screen use can help kids change their tech habits. You might decide to make screen time a reward rather than a right. Set limits on digital activities such as no videogames until they complete homework. Don’t jump to no apps but consider using apps that control the length of time kids can use a device. Establish zones in your house where electronics simply are not allowed. Besides, get your kids involved in activities that don’t need a screen.

Make a schedule

A summer spent without routine can make jumping back into the structure of school difficult for kids. Setting a schedule for the last two weeks of summer can work. Ms. Rawson, founder of the Screen Time Clinic, suggests creating blocks of time that mirror those of the school day,arranging 30 to 50 minutes for an activity, depending on the kid’s age, along with a set lunchtime. Kids should have a say in deciding how to fill the day’s time blocks. The activities can involve anything but screens.