【推荐1】Human beings learn technology from nature. They tend to imitate it.     1     It did take us a while to learn, though. However, not until the mid-twentieth century was the word “biomimicry (仿生学)” first introduced.

One of the first examples would be the invention of Velcro (魔术贴), a material that was born after a walk in the countryside by an engineer and his dog. On returning home, he found his socks were filled with little burrs (刺果).     2     They were covered by many tiny hooks (勾). He used those qualities for some kind of fabric. And then Velcro was born.

    3     A high-speed train used to create great noise while exiting a tunnel because of the air pressure. Eiji Nakatsu, an engineer and bird-lover, was inspired by the kingfisher’s beak (鸟嘴), able to dive into the water at great speed with almost no friction, to create a new design. That’s how the modern bullet train, much more efficient and quieter, was born.

Secondly, there would be the imitation of Nature’s strategies and mechanisms. For instance, dolphins have mastered the art of sending out ultrasound (超声波) without disturbing each other. A team of researchers have analyzed the way dolphins adjust these frequencies.     4    

Finally, there’s the imitation of the efficiency within an ecosystem.     5     For example, the street is full of tiny holes to empty water in flooding seasons and the foundations of buildings grasp the hillsides like the roots of trees.

【推荐2】The Himalayan Mountains are home to the highest peak in Mount Everest. Now the first complete study of this remote region shows that is glaciers (冰川) lost billions of tons of ice from 2000 to 2016.

This is the first comprehensive look at what’s happened to glaciers in the Himalaya over a 40-year time, said lead author Joshua Masurer.

“Our study shows a strong signal of glacier ice loss linked to rising temperatures from climate change,” Maurer says. As much as quarter of the regions ice has been lost, he said, “Temperatures in the region have risen one degree, and one degree was indeed enough to produce such a great loss of glacier ice.”

The signal showing Himalayan ice loss linked to rising temperatures would not be so clear if it weren’t for the U. S satellites that photographed the region. Declassified photos from those satellites were turned into 3-D models to show what the glaciers’ elevations and sizes were in the 1970s, Maurer said. Those were then compared to more recent complex NASA satellite photos that shows changing elevations of the ice over time.

The ice and snow in the region are the source for Asia’s great rivers. The study did not include the huge neighbouring ranges of high mountains, but other studies suggest that similar melting is under way there as well.

This melting means flooding and the creation of many glacial lakes. In May 2012, one such flood killed over 60 people in villages near Pokhara, Nepal; it also destroyed houses. Some 800 million people depend in part on rivers from Himalayan glaciers for irrigation, making electricity, and drinking water. The more rapid melting appears to increase the river water during warm seasons, but scientists say that will decrease within decades as the glaciers lose mass.

【推荐2】NOTED GLOBAL UNIVERSITIES

University education is something that remains embedded within us till our last breath. Here are some famous universities with wonderful academic research performance and global reputations.

Founded in 1636, Harvard has the largest endowment in the world, with over 20% international students. Its library is the largest academic one in the world, possessing around 19 million volumes at its over 70 libraries. For Harvard undergraduates, the majors—social sciences, biology/biological sciences, history, math and psychology, are their top choices.

Tsinghua traces back to 1911, whose international students come from over 100 countries. Recently, 41% of the university's non-Chinese students were under graduates. It offers various subjects: science, engineering, literature, arts, history, philosophy, economics, management, law, education and medicine, with around 200 student groups, such as the Zijing Volunteer Service.

The exact date of its founding is unknown, but it traces back to at least 1096. More than half of Oxford's graduates conduct research as part of their studies. Research at Oxford takes place in its academic divisions: humanities, mathematical, physical and life sciences, medical sciences, and social sciences.

Founded in 1472, it's home to the social science and humanities disciplines, while its "HighTech Campus" is home to the natural and life sciences. It has 18 academic divisions, including faculties of business administration, medicine and social sciences and offers over 200 degree programs.

【推荐3】Many people avoid apologizing because admitting to wrongdoing makes them uncomfortable. “We like to view ourselves as good people-as kind and considerate,” says Ryan Fehr, a professor at the University of Washington. “Apologies force us to admit to ourselves that we don't always live up to our own standards. We might also fear that the victim won't accept our apology, further damaging our positive sense of self. For these reasons, an apology can be very difficult to give.”

For many, apologizing is stressful, awkward and uncomfortable. But a heartfelt apology has positive effects. It can improve your mental health, repair damaged relationships and promote self-esteem. “Apology acts as a signal of one's moral character,” Fehr says.

Researchers at Ohio State University have determined that effective apologies have five elements: expressing regret, explaining what went wrong, acknowledging responsibility, offering to repair the situation and requesting forgiveness. All five aren't necessary every time. “The more of those elements were included, the more likely the apology was seen as convincing,” says Roy Lewicki, the lead study author. “Acknowledgement of responsibility turned out to be the most important piece, followed by an explanation of why it happened and declaration of regret.”

“Sometimes, an immediate apology is called for,” says Antony Manstead, a psychology professor at Cardiff University. “But if the other party is angry at your wrongdoing, it may be more effective to wait, because their anger may stop them accepting an apology. Some research suggests that a delay increases an apology's effectiveness because it conveys that the wrongdoer has had time to reflect on. his/her misdeeds,” says Mara Olekalns, a professor of management at Melbourne Business School. “The best time to apologize is when one feels ready to sincerely apologize,” says Etienne Mullet, research director of the Ethics and Work Laboratory at the Institute of Advanced Studies. “There is nothing worse in these situations than insincere apologies.”