【推荐1】As the air cools and sunlight decreases each fall, thousands of western monarch butterflies (帝王蝶) return to California to spend winter. One of the best places to watch the colorful scene is Pismo Beach.

From now through February, over 10, 000 will fly to trees at Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, one of five locations in the state to host so many of the colorful creatures. Just like tourists, the western monarchs prefer the sunny and warm conditions of the beachside state park.

The migration peaks in November, when the last of the western monarchs settle into the trees at Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. Some have flown over 1, 000 miles from as far away as Canada to escape winter's low temperatures. The butterflies gather on tree branches, where they mostly remain sitting, until sunlight bathes the trees and the western monarchs begin to beat their wings. Activity reaches its peak in February.

While this annual sight is wonderful, it pales in comparison to what used to be. Millions of western monarch butterflies used to spend winter in California and Mexico only a few decades ago. Climate change, loss of natural habitat and harmful chemicals are just a few of the environmental threats that have caused a more than 99% decrease in populations since the 1980s, according to a research.

“In monarchs’ overwintering trees, there were once so many butterflies that the sound of their wings was described as a summer rain,” states the Center for Biological Diversity. “Early newspaper descriptions described branches breaking under the weight of so many butterflies.”

Conservation efforts are underway in several states, including California, to help restore populations of monarch and western monarch butterflies. However, it is unknown how successful these attempts will be. Scientists are concerned about the possibility of a complete collapse of the species since numbers have dropped so dramatically in the last few years.

【推荐3】Macquarie Island is a tiny island that’s part of Australia. It’s about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. The island’s been made a world heritage area because it’s so untouched, but this unique environment is under threat from some unwanted visitors.

It all started when seal hunters came to the island in the early 1800s. They brought rabbits with them as a source of food for the journey, and also on board the ships were rats and mice, which made their way onto the island too. They’re being blamed for destroying the homes of marine birds, causing soil loss and ripping up plant cover, as these before-and-after photos show.

So what’s being done about the problem? It starts with a team of helicopters that fly across the island carrying these giant containers. Inside them are poisoned pellets (有毒饲料) which are dropped and spread across the island. For any rabbits that survived the baiting (诱饵) , there’s a plan B. This special team of dogs is being put through a final training. It’ll be their job to track down any remaining rabbits. They have to also learn to behave around the island’s native wildlife. The dogs could be here for years or until the task is complete. The dogs don’t actually kill the rabbits. They find them, then the hunters decide to either catch the rabbits or shoot them.

But the program has received a bit of criticism. Some people argue 25 million dollars is a lot of money to be spending on wiping out rabbits and rodents (啮齿目动物), and in the process, some native birds will be killed because of the baiting.

The reality is the problem isn’t going to be solved overnight. The people running the program say that even if one pair of rabbits is left alive, the whole task will be seen as a failure, which means these guys could be here for a long time, trying to ensure that this precious island remains protected from pests.

【推荐1】Some Questions About Coronavirus

How long does coronavirus last?

Every case of coronavirus is different, but experts have a general idea of how long the typical course of the illness lasts. Most people can expect to recover within two weeks after the onset of symptoms, but more severe cases could last up to six weeks — and for some, dubbed “Covid long haulers,” symptoms can linger for months.

What are the symptoms of the coronavirus?

Symptoms of the coronavirus can seem a lot like the flu. Initially, a fever, cough, and shortness of breath emerged as the three most common symptoms of COVID-19. Now, other signs such as muscle pain, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell are on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) symptoms checklist.

How long does coronavirus live on surfaces?

Though the conronavirus is typically transmitted through the air via respiratory droplets (from an infected person sneezing or coughing) rather than by touching objects and materials, the virus can still remain viable on variety of surfaces, according to the CDC, though it’s not exactly clear for how long.

How is coronavirus spread?

According to the CDC, COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person, usually through close contact (within six feet). Being near an infected person who coughs, sneezes, or talks can expose you to their respiratory droplet carrying the virus — and they can spread the virus even if they don’t have any symptoms yet. If those virus-containing particles are inhaled (吸入) or land in your eyes, nose or mouth, you could become infected.

【推荐1】As you can imagine, there are numerous types of advertisements in different mediums, on different channels, and have different goals for their business.

1. Print Advertising

The first print ad ran in England in 1472. Since then, this type of advertising has become available in newspapers, magazines, and similar methods of carrying a brand’s message to its ideal end user. In this ad method, the advertiser pays the publisher to place their ad in the publication.

2. Radio Advertising

Radio advertising dates back to 1920, when the first commercial radio stations were launched in the United States. In this ad method, the advertiser pays the radio station to play their ad during selected breaks between music or a radio show.

3. Television Advertising

Television ads originated in the 1940s with the promotion of practical items and political campaigns. In this ad method, the advertiser pays the local or national TV network to show their ad during selected breaks in the network’s regular programming.

4. Internet Advertising

Internet advertising took root in the mid 1990s. In this ad method, the advertiser pays the website owner to place their ad in exposed spaces that are minor to the website’s own content. Internet advertising has gone on to include video, search engine marketing, and more.

But, as you know, the advertising types above have developed dramatically since their respective (各自的) origins. Some ads have been memorable years after they first ran.

So how do you create an advertising strategy that works fine? This blog post is devoted to the ads and campaigns we can learn from.

【推荐2】Secret parenting can start as early as pregnancy. Research shows that some women hide their pregnancies, especially in roles in which they feel they have to compete with men and don’t want to reveal anything that might “get in the way” of work. Working women often feel the need to go “above and beyond” normal standards during pregnancy.

It continues after birth. Women report wanting to hide their breastfeeding at work because it is forbidden, and doing so is such an obvious sexual difference that highlights their new status as mothers. There are dozens of stories about women feeling forced to prove they can still work overtime even when their children are ill as well as those who purposely don’t share photos of their children or talk about them at all.

That women feel the need to behave this way is no surprise. Mothers have long been seen as less committed and less competent in a work environment. They are passed over for promotions with greater frequency than fathers, and are less likely to be hired than non-mothers. When flexibility is available, those who use it face prejudice and are more likely to be classified into roles with less responsibility. We know the gender pay gap widens after childbirth; salaries of working mothers decline for each child a woman has.

This is because workplaces are structured around men rather than women, and still have an image of the “ideal worker”: an employee who always puts work first. “Anything that signals otherwise diminishes you in the eyes of your employers,” says Daniel Carlson of the University of Utah.

Then there’s the fixed idea that women are more capable in the domestic area, men in the office, which still has a significant impact on how we frame paid work and family life. “It’s understandable that women feel this continuous work/family conflict because we’re asking the impossible. Women have entered the paid labor force, but we have not seen the changes in men at home to pick up more of the domestic work,” says Caitlyn Collins of Washington University.