【推荐2】In Shark Bay, Australia, bottlenose dolphins that aren’t related have been observed teaching each other a new way to use a tool, a behavior that until now scientists have found only in humans and other great apes. It’s also the first known example of dolphins passing on such knowledge within the same generation, rather than between generations. That’s significant, the authors say, because such social learning between peers is rare in nature.

In a practice called shelling, dolphins will chase fish into abandoned giant snail shells on the seafloor, then bring the shells to the surface and shake them with their noses, draining the water and catching the fish that fall out. In 2007, Krutzen launched a study of Shark Bay’s dolphins, identifying more than a thousand individual dolphins over 11 years. During this time, scientists observed shelling 42 times among 19 dolphins. Half of these events occurred after a marine heatwave in 2011, which may have caused a die-off among giant sea snails, leading to more abandoned shells on the seafloor.

Because of the length of their study, scientists had thorough knowledge of the individual dolphins, family histories, ages sexes, and behavior, making it easier for them to study the 19 dolphins that practiced shelling. For instance, they observed that the dolphins that practice shelling hang out with other shelling hunters, so it’s likely that they copy the action from those they spend time with, says study lead author Sonja Wild, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Konstanz in Germany. Although 42 observations are a small data set, the scientists add it’s likely the behavior is actually common; it only lasts a few seconds, making it harder for people to spot it from a boat.

The team had assumed that environmental factors — specifically, whether shelling dolphins did so simply because they lived in a shell-rich area — could explain this peer-to-peer transmission (传递). A genetic trait (遗传特性) among a family group was another possible reason.

So the researchers combined their data on the dolphin sightings, as well as genetic and environmental data, into a computer model that proposed various ways shelling could be passed on between dolphins. The model that supported this kind of transmission was the strongest outcome, according to the study.

【推荐1】Sri Nihal Tammana, age 13, of Edison, New Jersey, was named a winner of the 2022 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The Barron Prize annually honors 25 outstanding young leaders who have made a significant positive impact on people, their communities, and the environment.

Nihal founded Recycle My Battery to promote and facilitate the recycling of used batteries. His nonprofit places free battery recycling bins(箱子)and educates young people and adults about battery recycling. In just three years he has built a team of more than 250 student volunteers across the globe who have recycled nearly 200,000 batteries and educated millions of people. Nihal learned at age 10 that 15 billion batteries are thrown away each year and that most end up in landfills(垃圾填埋地)where they pollute groundwater, harm the ecosystem, and can cause catastrophic fires. Inspired to tackle the problem, he began collecting used batteries from his community. He put them in free recycling bins at stores like Staples until he was told he was bringing too many and had to stop.

Undeterred, he reached out for help from Call2Recycle, the largest battery recycling nonprofit in North America. Call2Recycle agreed to assist and provided recycling bins for free, which were placed in schools, libraries, and other public places. Nihal’s organization now operates across the U.S. and is expanding to other countries including Canada, Switzerland, and India. “Earth gives us so much — oxygen, food, water — everything! So it’s important that we give something back when we can,” says Nihal.

The Barron Prize was founded in 2001 by author T. A. Barron. “Nothing is more inspiring than stories about heroic people who have truly made a difference to the world,” says T. A. Barron. “And we need our heroes today more than ever. Not celebrities, but heroes — people whose character can inspire us all. That is the purpose of the Barron Prize: to shine the spotlight on these amazing young people so that their stories will inspire others.”

【推荐2】You must have heard about jogging as a popular way of keeping fit, but what about plogging?

Plogging is a combination (结合) of jogging and picking up litter, from the Swedish phrase “plocka upp”, which refers to picking up rubbish. Plogging usually contains running outside, with a bin liner or carry bag, while picking up rubbish which is thrown on the ground. The idea of plogging is mainly about environmental protection as well as physical health — to care for Mother Nature as well as your body.

As a workout, plogging is more useful than simply running, because it provides more body movements by adding bending and stretching. As 2018’s hottest way of fitness, plogging has grown in popularity in more than 40 countries.

Have you recently noticed people carrying trash bags while jogging? Or their hands filled with old plastic bottles? You might soon! Because plogging is making its way to the United States. It has been popular among exercisers who are tired of rubbish along their way.

“I’m not going to just let litter sit there. I’m not going to just walk past that plastic bottle,” said Emily Wright, a plogger in California.“I run a lot and I love to spend time in nature. It’s so easy to just bring the litter and put it in the nearest bin, and it makes you feel that you’re doing a difference!”

Laura Lindberg, who lives in New York, said a few months ago she learned about plogging and had what she called an “aha moment”. She has been plogging for several weeks along the Hudson River. “It makes me feel good for so many reasons,” Lindberg said. “Plogging not only helps the environment, it’s quite good for my health.”

Plogging is an easy, affordable way to get fit and help the environment at the same time. To join the wave, all you need is a pair of sports shoes and a rubbish bag, so what are you waiting for?

【推荐3】Some exhibitions and new displays create lots of waste. So museums are increasingly aware of the role they have to play in dealing with that. At Manchester Museum, John Miller and Robert O’Conner have developed their own approach to creating a circle from the exhibition, to exhibition changeover, and back to the museum workshop, reusing materials in any way they can.

Holding different exhibitions and displays means that museums are often left with structures (结构体) that won’t be used again. At the end of an exhibition, John and Robert carefully take down and cut all materials into workable units, ready to be reused wherever needed. When Pinc College based at Manchester Museum needed new classrooms, the workshop team were able to use completely recycled materials to build them.

While it’s easy to think of new as being better, reusing materials doesn’t mean you can’t create beautiful displays. Last year, the museum placed Illuminating Nature, a surprising window display showing some objects under UV light. Almost every part of it was reused. The only thing that needed to be bought was the UV lights, proving you don’t need to spend much to create something impressive.

No matter how many materials you try to reuse there will always be something left over. Why not keep an eye out for charities or local groups who would welcome a donation? As with many museums, paint is often bought for an exhibition. And there will be a few extra cans left over. Manchester Museum usually takes them to Betel UK, a charity that supports people losing their jobs. The paint is used by Betel UK in their workshops for people to learn special skills and then refresh furniture (家具) which is then sold in their shops.

The impressive efforts of John and Robert are a shining example of a museum team that is establishing best practices and proving its determination to build a greener world. Their work inspires other teams to move away from the growth-model thinking that’s been influential in museums for the past twenty years.

【推荐3】The Ice Cream Machine is no ordinary tale. It’s a flavorful (好味道的) book made up of six stories, all of which have the same title, but each has a different story centering on one subject, ice cream.

One ice-cream story focuses on a boy and his robot in the distant future. Another is about a father and daughter who invent an ice-cream machine. My favorite story in the book talks about two sisters, Pam and Penelope, who try to enter an ice-cream-eating contest. The six stories go with black-and-white illustrations (插图) from six different artists.

The Ice Cream Machine is inventive and fun. Its author, Adam Rubin, has a lot of experience when it comes to writing about food. His most famous children’s book is Dragons Love Tacos. It was a No.1 New York Times best-seller. “I like to write about food because it’s universally beloved by people of all different cultures,” Rubin says. “It’s something we can all relate to.”

Rubin hopes The Ice Cream Machine inspires kids to write. Its jacket turns into an envelope in which readers can send him their stories. Rubin says writers should write about things they like. “If you’re trying to write something that someone else likes, you might not get it right. Then no one’s happy,” he says. “But if you focus on writing about something that you like, then it’s fun. When it makes you happy, your writing will bring joy.”

I recommend The Ice Cream Machine to anyone who likes creative storytelling. The book goes down just like ice cream: smooth, enjoyable, and with a pleasant aftertaste.

Rubin’s favorite flavor of ice cream? “Chocolate chip,” he says. Don’t tell him, but the best flavor is actually birthday cake！