【推荐1】The Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is so called because it combines the emblems (象征) of three countries — England, Scotland and Ireland (although since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom).

The term “Union Jack” possibly dates from Queen Anne's time, but its origin is uncertain. It may come from the “Jacket” of the English or Scottish soldiers; or from the name of James Ⅰ who originated the first union in 1603, in either its Latin or French form “Jacobus” or “Jacques”； or as “jack” once meant small, the name may come from a royal proclamation (声明) issued by Charles Ⅱ that the flag should be flown only by ships of the Royal Navy as a jack, a small flag at the bowsprit (船首).

The Union Jack was originally a royal flag (when the present design was made official in 1801, it was ordered to be flown on all the King's forts and castles, but not elsewhere); today it is flown above Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle when the Queen is not in residence. On news of a royal death, the Union Jack will be flown at half-mast (下半旗).

The flying of the Union Jack on public buildings is decided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the Queen's command. The Union Jack is flown on government buildings on days marking the birthdays of members of the royal family, such as the Queen's official birthday, and on the days of the State Opening and prorogation (休会) of Parliament; it is also flown on St David's Day, St George's Day, St Andrew's Day, and St Patrick's Day.

Although the Union Jack originated as a royal flag, it is now also flown by many people and organizations elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Its use as an emblem has extended beyond the form of a flag and the Union Jack is frequently shown on other objects.

【推荐2】Beep! Beep! Barcode (条形码) technology makes it faster and easier to buy things in stores. You’ve probably seen the black-and-white zebra stripes (条纹) on product packaging. This year, this great invention is 50 years old!

On a Sunday afternoon in 1971, IBM engineer George Laurer came up with a code that could be printed on food labels (商标). It became the basis for the Universal Product Code, which was used by many grocery companies starting in 1973, according to The New York Times. Before this, cashiers (收银员) had to ring up prices by hand.

Time has proven it to be a great invention. Today, barcodes are scanned (扫描) over 6 billion times every day and used by 2 million companies worldwide, PR Newswire reported.

What information does a barcode contain? Where the product comes from, where it has been, its price, expiration date (过期时间)... you name it. It can also help stores keep track of their products. For example, if there are 10 boxes of milk and a customer buys one, it will be recorded so that the store owner knows there are nine boxes left. In the 1980s, libraries started using barcodes to keep track of books in this way.

“Its creation allowed the first digitization (数字化) in the control of the stock (库存),” José Maria Bonmat from AECOC, a Spanish commercial association, told El Mundo.

The next generation of barcodes, such as QR codes, can hold more information. “They can tell consumers if a product contains allergens (过敏原) or if it is organic (有机的). This provides consumers with a greater level of trust in the products they buy,” said GS 1, an organization that develops global barcode standards.

【推荐3】Wetlands occur wherever water meets land. Wetlands exist in every country and in every climatic zone. Healthy wetlands store carbon, regulate the water cycle, and support 40% of the world’s biodiversity.

Jiangxi Poyang Lake Nanji Wetlands

Nanji Wetlands is located in the southern part of the main lake area of Poyang Lake, covering a total area of 33,300 hectares. It is an incredibly valuable ecosystem and serves as a vital habitat for various wetland bird species, including many national first-class and second-class protected animals.

Anhui Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve

The Anhui Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve is a freshwater lake wetland, with an area of 33,333 hectares. It is primarily set up as the wintering grounds of rare birds. Within the reserve, there are a total of 142 bird species, including 66 species of migratory (迁徙的) birds. This reserve holds the distinction of being the largest natural wintering ground for the hooded crane (丹顶鹤) population worldwide.

Gansu Yellow River Shouqu Wetlands

The Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve is located within Maqu county. It covers a total area of 203,401 hectares, with 132,067 hectares intended for wetland conservation. The primary objective of this reserve is to protect the highland wetland ecosystem, as well as the habitat of migratory birds, particularly the black-necked crane. In February 2020, it was officially approved as a Wetland of International Importance.

Guangdong Nanpeng Islands Reserve

Established in 2003, Guangdong Nanpeng Islands Reserve covers a total area of 35,679 hectares. In 2015, it was recognized and included in the International Important Wetlands Directory. The main focus of the reserve is to protect the unique underwater natural landscape, the ecosystems of the nearby coastal waters, the important rare and endangered marine (海洋的) animals.