【推荐1】We offer a programme of lectures by members of the MCLL community and other lifelong learning organisations, as well as university faculty members who have been invited to share their research with us on a variety of topics. View Instructions on How to Register Online.

A retired American IT professional, Richard Harris, will take us deep into a social media’s business model, its differences from traditional media, recent examples of its use for misinformation and possible solutions that respect freedom of expression. A lively round-table discussion not to be missed!

Mental health was known to the public quite late. Many countries are finding ways to reduce its impact, but many factors get in the way. However, progress is visible, and hope is justified. Mare Laporta will discuss different aspects of mental health and exchange ideas about ways to improve the situation.

The Silk Road refers to a network of routes, covering over 6,400 km, used by traders from the Han Dynasty of China who opened trade in 130 BCE until 1453 CE. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations that changed the Western world. Topics such as gunpowder, the compass (指南针), paper-making and printing will be presented.

Between 1840 and 1930 a million French-Canadians left Canada to work in the United States. Many were employed in textile (纺织品) factories in the New England states. In these areas they set up communities where they maintained the French language and culture. In this lecture Muriel Herrington will describe their working and living conditions and show their impact.

【推荐2】There really are apps for everything-and some could end up saving your life.

You will have to pay for this digital skin check app, either on an ad hoc (随时) or a subscription basis, but with an estimated fifth of skin cancers going undiagnosed during lockdown, it could be well worth it. You simply take a photo of any suspicious spot with your phone and you'll then receive a risk indication from Skin Vision within 30 seconds.

An app like this is more useful for saving someone else's life than your own, but arguably it's a necessity on your smartphone. It gives advice in dealing with emergencies, including choking, allergic reactions and performing CPR. You don't have to have an internet connection in order to use it.

This free download is one of a growing number of smartphone apps that could mean the difference between life and death. What 3 Words divides the world into 3×3 metre squares, giving each one a unique combination of three words. This allows emergency services-or anyone else you give the location to-to reach you. Used by the vast majority of emergency services in the UK, not to mention other control centres around the world, it has been credited with saving thousands of lives.

Lots of us use WhatsApp for messaging and calling, but do you know it also has a Live Location feature that can let a loved one know your whereabouts in case you' re in danger? You simply press the +key in a chat, select "Location", and then press "Share Live Location", which enables any participants in the chat to see your location in real time for the duration you choose.

【推荐3】As the electric vehicle (EV) increases, drivers may start to find queues adding to their more time at charging stations. One potential solution to this is to swap out the run-down battery pack for a new one, and a company has just revealed that it’s managed to do so in just five minutes.

Since the company launched its first-generation battery swap station back in 2021, the company reports that stations have been built across the San Francisco Bay Area to support fleet (车队) partners in testing the quick-swap solution. The company has also been in consultation with a delivery services to get a better understanding of their needs.

“When working with these fleets, we continuously heard that despite efforts to electrify fleets, drivers could spend up to 10-12 hours at a charging station.” said the company in a blog post. “There is a lack of reliable EV charging for city residents who don’t have access to garages and the option of overnight charging, and our new solution seeks to fix that.”

The latest station is designed to support EVs of all sizes—from small passenger cars to mid-sized delivery vans. EVs fitted with modular batteries could roll onto the platform and have its spent modules automatically removed and replaced with fully charged ones within 10 minutes. The removed battery units are then recharged, ready for the next customer.

The shoebox-sized battery modules have been developed to improve their safety, and can be fit for any modern EV. The new stations have been redesigned for easier building at a site in just three days, and have also been made more durable to suit different local conditions as the company expands. They can also be remotely monitored 24 hours for enhanced safety and customer support.

The company is now calling for more EV manufacturers, fleet operators and municipalities to join them in the quest to electrify.