【推荐2】On Indonesia’s eastern island of Sumba, a lack of electricity once left many communities in the dark at night. But off-grid(离网) solar energy programs are bringing people there limited electricity years before normal power systems reach them. Such small solar panels(电池板) mean a lot to them. They can work later in the evenings, help their kids with their homework and even hold more social gatherings. Besides, there are experts saying off-grid solar programs could be reproduced across the nation of thousands of islands and that the energy is renewable.

However, off-grid solar energy systems face problems too. Most villagers depend on donators, some international organizations, to pay most of the cost of solar panels, so, villagers without off-grid solar panels have to wait until there is enough money from the donators. And when solar systems break, imported parts are needed, which can be hard to find and costly. While the solar systems can power light bulbs and charge cellphones, they do not provide the same amount of power as a grid and thus cannot operate devices like a sound system for a church.

Despite these challenges, off-grid solar programs have proven successful in Indonesia and other places, such as Bangladesh and Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. These programs, offered by companies like Sumba Sustainable Solutions, help provide electricity for millions. The company has sent over 3,000 solar light systems across the island, reaching more than 3,000 homes. To continue the successful completion of off-grid solar projects, Sumba Sustainable Solutions is seeking support from Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership Deal, which involves loans and other money from developed nations and international financial companies. By increasing solar use in Indonesia, more people will have access to electricity and improve their livelihoods.

【推荐2】Do you know Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton? They are musicians who can make their instruments sing. But do you know there are some musicians who are greater than them? The drummers in West Africa, who play the dùndún drums, can make their instruments talk.

The researchers analyzed the Yorùba language and the drumming of dùndún drums. They found that the drumming sounds like the tones of the Yorùba language, while the correctness decreases when the drums are used only for music or less direct communication such as songs. The scientists also found four modes through which dùndún drums connect music and language. Called “talking drums”, dùndún drums can be used as purely musical instruments or what scientists refer to as speech surrogacy (替代).

More importantly, the research shows how studying non-western cultures can enrich the way scientists understand music and speech, according to lead author Dr Cecilia Durojaye. “These kinds of findings are useful for considering deeper relationships and understanding of various types of communication and the development of language and music,” she said. “The talking drum is unique because it has a foot in both language and music camps and its existence reminds us of the boundary (边界) between speech and music.”

While the talking drum is specific to the Yorùba language, speech surrogacy in music occurs across cultures, so the research can contribute to how scientists understand the phenomenon in general and in the Yorùba culture specifically. Speech surrogacy can spread history. Through musical instruments like these drums, one can know the history of a particular culture, as well as aspects of how the people think, their belief systems and values, and what is likely important to them.

But there is still much that scientists don’t understand about speech surrogacy. “Our study, which focuses on the spoken, sung and drummed forms, represents one of the first steps towards understanding these various structures,” Durojaye said. “We will continue exploring this unique instrument.”

【推荐3】In a study from Washington State University, researchers have uncovered a significant correlation between the closeness of older adults to green and blue spaces and their mental and physical well-being. The study offers convincing evidence that even small increases in access to nature can remarkably improve the health outcomes of older adults.

A mere 10% increase in forest space within a person’s living environment is linked to a noticeable decrease in serious psychological conditions. This type of suffering includes mental health challenges that need treatment and block normal social, occupational, or educational functioning. Similarly, the new study proves that enhancing green spaces, water bodies, or trail lengths by 10% appears to lower the likelihood of older individuals reporting their overall health as poor.

The researchers analyzed health survey data from over 42,000 people aged 65 and above living in urban areas of Washington state, spanning (跨越) the years 2011 to 2019. The experts related the health outcomes of these individuals to various measures quantifying their access to nature within their living areas.

Initially presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in April 2023, the research focused only on the link between psychological depression and closeness to natural spaces. The final study expanded to include additional metrics (指标) such as green space percentage and trail length, also taking into account demographic variables (人口统计变量) like race and education.

“Our findings suggest that abatement of our urban green and blue spaces due to rapid urbanization may not just have an environmental impact but could have a public health impact as well,” said Adithya Vegaraju, first author of the study.

Vegaraju said this research is among the first in the U. S. to specifically investigate the relationship between access to nature and health in the older population.