【推荐1】Given how valuable intelligence and automation are, we will continue to improve our technology if we are at all able to. At a certain point, we will build machines that are smarter than we are. Once we have machines that are smarter than we are, they will begin to improve themselves. The concern is really that we will build machines that are much more competent than we are. And the slightest divergence (分歧) between their goals and our own could destroy us.

Just think about how we relate to ants. We don’t hate them. We don’t go out of our way to harm them. In fact, sometimes we take pains not to harm them. We step over them on the sidewalk. But whenever their presence seriously conflicts with one of our goals, we will kill them without hesitation. The concern is that we will one day build machines that, whether they’re conscious or not, could treat us with similar disregard.

The bare fact is that we will continue to improve our intelligent machines. We have problems that we desperately need to solve. So we will do this, if we can. The train is already out of the station, and there’s no brake to pull. If we build machines that are more intelligent than we are, they will very likely develop in ways that we can’t imagine, and transcend us in ways that we can’t imagine.

So imagine we hit upon a design of super intelligent AI that has no safety concerns. This machine would be the perfect labor-saving device. It can design the machine that can build the machine which can do any physical work, powered by sunlight, more or less for the cost of raw materials. So we’re talking bout the end of human labour. We’re also talking about the end of most intellectual work. So what would apes like ourselves do in these circumstances?

But the moment we admit that information processing is the source of intelligence, we have to admit that we are in the process of building some sort of god. Now would be a good time to make sure it’s a god we can live with.

【推荐2】More than ten years after introducing “Google Glass”, Alphabet Inc. has created a new kind of smart eyeglasses. The company says the wearable computer device can translate different languages in real time.

A working model of the yet-unnamed device was presented to the public last month during the yearly Google conference. Google did not say when the glasses might go on sale to the public.

The previous Google Glass device included a wearable camera that could film what the wearers saw. That caused widespread privacy concerns. The camera element also gave Google Glass a kind of science-fiction look. The latest device looks more similar to traditional glasses.

A brief demonstration of the new eyeglasses described its translation ability, but did not provide additional details. The company also did not say whether the new device would be equipped with a camera. A demonstration explained that a person, wearing the glasses and talking with someone who speaks a different language, can see the spoken words in their own language. The description showed translations including English, Mandarin, Spanish and American Sign Language.

The new device is one of several products shared at the conference that are currently in development. The company says the products aim to better connect Google services with activities happening in the real world. This includes company offerings for searching and viewing maps, as well as other services using the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI).

Eddie Chung, a director of product management at Google, spoke to developers about the new eyeglasses. “What we’re working on is technology that enables us to break down language barriers, taking years of research in Google Translate and bringing that to glasses,” he said. “Apart from breaking down language barriers, another use of these translating glasses is enabling communication with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. While these glasses might not be a revolutionary product like Google Glass, they could provide a relatively simple solution to a real-world problem.”

【推荐3】While jewelry made from gold can be beautiful, most people admit that wearing the heavy metal over long periods of time can get a little annoying. Now, researchers from Swiss university ETH Zurich have created a new form of lightweight gold that weighs five to ten times less than traditional 18-carat gold—which typically consists of 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper—but has the same purity.

The researchers began by mixing gold with water, salt, protein fibers and other materials. They then replaced the water with alcohol and placed the mixture inside a high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) box. The reaction between the gas and alcohol transformed the golden plastic into a light material that can be heated to melt and made into whatever form was needed. "This gold has some characteristics of plastic,” says team leader Raffaele                    Mezzenga, professor of Food and Soft Materials at ETH Zurich.

In addition to being lighter, the "plastic” gold has other advantages over traditional forms. It can be melted into shape at about 105 degrees Celsius, much lower than the 1,064 degrees Celsius required to melt pure 24-carat gold. The metal's firmness can be easily adjusted by changing the components at the beginning of the process. It is also much easier to vary the color. "As a general rule, our approach lets us create almost any kind of gold we choose, in line with the desired properties, says Mezzenga.

The researchers, who published their study in the journal Advanced Functional Materials on January 10, 2020, believe the new lightweight gold will be able to replace the metallic version in most traditional applications, including jewelry and watches. However, given that most buyers associate high-quality gold with weight, that may take some time. But the material will undoubtedly be beneficial for use inside electronic devices, chemical catalysts (催化剂),and even radiation shielding.

【推荐1】Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is an important ecological screen for the north of China and even the whole country. Building a green great wall to ensure China’s ecological security is one of the most important things of autonomous region.

The largest ecological function zone in the north of China, Inner Mongolia has a variety of landscapes, including forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers and lakes. In recent years, the region’s environment has improved, with its forest and grassland area having increased and desert reduced.

However, it still faces a number of challenges in ecological preservation. For instance, the region faces severe water shortages with the number of lakes dropping from 427 in 1987 to 145 in 2010. In addition to a lack of rainfall, huge water consumption in agricultural and industrial production has worsened the water shortage. Too much use of fertilizers has damaged the soil and affected the growth of grass, accelerating the expansion of the desert, which results from a lack of water.

The local government encourages planting trees on grassland as they can get more pay for trees than by growing grass. However, the trees they plant often have a low survival rate as they have a high water consumption rate. Also, to treat wetlands, some areas have planted a large number of a single tree species. This practice may damage biodiversity (生物多样性) and endanger the survival of certain animals.

Experts suggest taking the region’s water resources and weather conditions into consideration in future ecological projects.

【推荐2】Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Something shows that windmills (风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.

For many centuries, people used windmills to grind (磨碎) wheat into flour or get water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in faraway areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radio. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were hardly used.

During the 1970s, people started becoming more cared about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would run out one day. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher costs. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.

【推荐3】Many experts are calling the growing problem of global waste a worldwide health crisis in since pollution from trash is not only harming the world’s oceans, air and soil but also endangering people’s health as well as the livelihood of all living creatures.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Such a dilemma raises the question, is there a more responsible way of dealing with trash? Fortunately, there is.     1    One example of this is what’s often called the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Reducing the use of plastic containers as well as reusing and recycling bottles and cans decreases the amount of garbage being sent to landfills. As a result, less money is spent on waste management, and countries’ financial burdens are significantly relieved. Such positive effects on an economy are known as a circular economy.

Circular economy

Traditionally, manufacturers would make a product to be used and disposed of by consumers. This linear (直线型的) model of production offered no help in the fight against global waste.     2    .

Once a product’s value is exhausted, the materials are recycled and returned to manufacturers. The outcome is less waste. One large-scale example of this is happening on the island of Taiwan.

    3    

In 1997, Taiwan established its signature 4-in-1 Recycling Program, consisting of communities, government cleaning teams, recycling companies and the Recycling Fund. Residents separate their recyclable waste. The local government collection teams collect it.    4    . Importers and manufacturers who are responsible for the recyclable products pay a fee into the Recycling Fund. The Recycling Fund is an essential aspect of the program used to subsidize (补贴) the recycling disposal system, support education and research and development as well as finance recycling efforts in the future.

Turning garbage into gold

By following a circular system, more products than ever are being manufactured using recycled materials. Environmentally-friendly decisions like these help to conserve natural resources, reduce pollution, save landfill space and even create new job opportunities.     5    .

【推荐1】Having spring around makes you feel different after such a long winter journey. The power   of sunshine brings us a lot of comfort, optimism, self-confidence and of course a smile. Imagine how great it will be if we are so positive all year round!

Living like this is possible if you really think about it. In order to exist in such a state of happiness, we must have sunshine radiating from within ourselves, shining from our   hearts,   minds and souls. Actually, that's your choice, and if you think that way then your own life will reflect that attitude of yours!

In order to make “sunshine” or rather “light” part of our being, it is so important that you watch your thoughts, your words and your actions so that you will accept what you really feel you'd like to create in your own life. Watch your thoughts and really become aware of how many negative thoughts pass through your mind about yourself and other people around you. Watch to see how often you gossip ( 说 闲 话 ) about other people, which is actually often attached with feelings of jealousy (妒忌) and insecurity(不安全感) about yourself.

You are also supposed to take a close look at your “intention”. How many of you do something for another person without expecting to receive something in return? It might not even have to be a material or physical thing you expect; expecting to be recognized for what you have done is enough to create conditions on your intention. Think about it!

Putting all of these together, it seems that most of us are creating monsters inside us just by simply talking, thinking and not putting our heart out with the right intention towards helping someone else. If you take all your negative attitudes in one hand and measure your need to feel “sunshine” in the other, you will see how both these elements really contradict each other.

Be brave and break your patterns and your habits this spring, and by doing so, you will allow the true sunshine to take place by radiating out from your heart and into your life and the lives of the people around you!

【推荐3】Sitting on the edge of the world, Sydney is considered as one of the world’s greatest cities for a reason. Want to relax yourself in Sydney? This shortlist of things to do and see in Sydney should point you in the right direction.

Everyone knows about Bondi Beach and its Icebergs pool, restaurants and the crashing waves are the postcard image of Sydney. Bondi is a great place to start. But after you’ve caught some sun or taken a surf lesson with Let’s Go Surfing, we’d suggest taking the Coogee Coastal Walk. Beginning at the Bondi Icebergs swim club, the 3.7-mile walk affords amazing cliffside views of rock pools and bays.

Sydney is full of events and performances every night of the week. The first place that jumps to mind is the iconic Sydney Opera House, designed by Jorn Utzon. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this incredible piece of architecture doesn’t just do opera. You’ll also find stand-up comedy. ballets, and more. But it’s not the only place in Sydney putting on a show. The 1920s State Theatre, in the central business district, is known to host international ballets, concerts and world-class orchestras.

Go to the zoo

From the skyline views to the charming grounds, there’s a reason why Sydney’s Taronga Zoo attracts more than I million visitors every year. The expansive space plays host to more than 4,000 animals, including tigers, giraffes, kangaroos, platypus, koalas, Komodo dragons, elephants, lions, chimps and more. Love it so much that you never want to leave? Stay the night in one of its luxury safari (狩猎) tents.

Nicknamed “the coat hanger”, the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932. Like the Sydney Opera Houses it was an engineering-masterpiece than was way ahead of its time. Sure, you can walk or cycle across the bridge, but the best way to appreciate the architectural wonder is up close and personal.