【推荐1】I enjoyed this trip for the opportunity to witness the Cranes (鹤) returning from Wood Buffalo National Park,some with their young of the year. I wondered, at the changing skies of Saskatchewan, often the vivid oranges and pinks of a sunset made me pause, but it was the clouds clouds of feathers as ducks, geese, and cranes lifted off fields and lakes in numbers so numerous, they blocked out the sky at times, that blew my mind.

The desire to travel and explore is strong within the human condition. We might think we must journey “away” to enjoy a holiday, and sometimes we do. But other times, a simpler exploration, digging deeply into landscapes and cultures that we think we know. reveals the best sights.

I grew up in Saskachewan when cranes were fighting back from extinction, and I wasn’t a birdwatcher. But, returning with Eagle-Eye Tours as a bird-loving RCGS Travel Ambassador, I wondered at the conservation successes that allowed us to find these rare birds reliably.

My favourite memory from the trip is of an old farmer driving a large trick who slowed down for our group,standing in the middle of a road, excitedly watching a flock of cranes. Rather than scolding us for blocking traffic, he invited us into his backyard for a better view! He explained how he’s been providing quiet reserves for many years as the birds stop to rest and feed before flying south to Texas. It’s moments like this that make the travel special, and companies like Eagle-Eye Tours craft itineraries (行程) that allow these unexpected discoveries.

I enjoyed sharing these experiences with other nature lovers on the Royal Canadian Geographical Society branded trip and look forward to doing it again in October 2024.

【推荐1】TANAKA KANE became the third person ever to turn 118, according to the Gerontology Research Group, a team of academics. She is also the first citizen of Japan to reach 118—but is unlikely to be the last. The country has the world's longest life expectancy, and 80,000 people aged at 100 years old or older.

The unusual longevity enjoyed in Japan is credited to diet. Japan largely banned meat for l_,200 years, and still consumes relatively little meat and dairy. Too much of these can be damaging, since they contain saturated fatty acids(饱和脂肪酸)，which correlate to heart disease. Studies have also tied eating lots of processed red meat to a greater risk of stroke. But too little may be unwise as well, because they provide chemical substance that may be needed for our blood-tube walls. In a study of 48,000 Britons, vegetarians were unusually resistant to heart disease, but likely to suffer from strokes.

In theory, a lack of animal-based food could have contributed to Japan's historical cerebrovascular(脑血管)death rate. In 1960-2013, as the country's deaths from strokes reduced, its annual meat intake rose from near zero to 52kg per person (45% of America's level). Tsugane Shoichiro of the National Cancer Centre in Tokyo says that his citizens may need meat and dairy to keep their blood tubes strong―though not so much that those tubes get blocked.

Some evidence supports this view. One paper from the 1990s found that the parts of Japan where diets had changed most also had the biggest drops in cerebrovascular death rate. Another study, which tracked 80,000 Japanese people in 1995-2009, showed that strokes were most common among those who ate the least chops and cream. Although Japan's decline in cerebrovascular deaths could stem from other causes, these data suggest that nutritional shifts may have helped.

The unhappy irony is that Japan's health gains, paired with a low birth rate, threaten its economy. By 2060, 40% of Japanese could be 60 or older. That would produce more birthday cakes with 118 candles—and fewer great-grandchildren to blow them out.

【推荐2】Lime has launched its latest Gen4 e-bike, featuring a series of upgrades, among which an interchangeable battery is the most characteristic, in an effort to improve the sustainability and availability of the company’s shared vehicles.

The launch is initially limited to Washington D.C., but the e-bike will gradually spread in other cities this spring, including Atlanta and Charleston in the U.S.

In early 2021, Lime announced a $50 million investment in the Gen4 model. The battery can be used between Lime’s Gen4 e-bikes and Gen4 e-scooters(电动滑板车), which will hopefully result in reduced van trips for the Lime’s operations team replacing the batteries. The feature is also designed to improve reliability for the service and prevent large numbers of uncharged, unusable vehicles lying around on sidewalks.

“The launch of our Gen4 e-bike is an important step toward achieving our mission of building a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free,” said Wayne Ting, CEO of Lime. “Standardising our exchangeable batteries across modes is a leap forward for Lime and the broader micromobility industry, making operations more efficient and sustainable, while improving reliability for riders.”

Other significant updates to the bike include increased motor power, an improved phone holder, new handlebar display(already seen on Lime’s e-scooters), an automatic two-speed transmission for a smoother ride, and a modular(组合式的)design which the company says makes the bike’s usable life longer. Durability(持久性)is a major issue for the miromobility industry.

The demand for e-bikes, shared or otherwise, appears to be continuing at a steady pace, as Americans apparently bought electric bikes at greater rates than they did electric cars during the pandemic. Here’s all the electric bikes and scooters that rolled into CES 2022 for a glimpse of what’s ahead.