【推荐1】The science of papermaking addresses the methods, equipment, and materials used to make paper and cardboard, these being used widely for printing, writing, and packaging. Today almost all paper is produced using industrial machinery.    1    .

The method of manual (手工的) papermaking changed very little over time, despite advances in technologies.    2    . Separate the useful fibre from the rest of raw materials. Beat down the fibre into pulp (纸浆). Adjust the colour, chemical, biological, and other properties of the paper. Screen (筛) the resulting liquid. Press and dry to get the actual paper.

    3    . It is made of stainless materials and set in a wooden frames similar to that of a window. Then completely bathe it in the liquid and draw it out. Water is removed and the wet mat of fibre is laid on top of a damp cloth. The fairly damp fibre is then dried. Finally, the paper is then cut to the desired shape and packed.

The wooden frame is called a “deckle” (定纸框).    4    . The “deckle edges” are one of the indications that the paper was made by hand. Deckle-edged paper is occasionally imitated today to create the impression of old-fashioned luxury.

    5    . It is also used in paper factories to check the quality of the production process. The “handsheets” made according to TAPPI Standard T205 are tested for paper characteristics such as brightness, strength and degree of sizing.

【推荐3】Spend some time watching flamingos(火烈鸟) and you might think that not much goes on, in their tiny heads.

But these elegant birds actually lead complex social lives. Each bird has certain other individuals it prefers to spend time with, and others it avoids. In other words, flamingos have friends.

For five years, Rose and his team observed the daily goings-on of five of the world’s six different flamingo species housed at the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire.

The partnerships that we see between birds are non-random. The birds are choosing who to associate with. “Male-female pairs spend time together, but so do same-sex pairs and even groups of three or four. And those relationships can last for many years.

“So there were some flamingos in the group that really didn’t care who their partner was for that day, they would flit (轻快地掠过) around... and they would have many different relationships with many different birds.” And of course there other flamingos that were less social butterfly and more alone wolf. But even they had a few close friends. “Those birds that were least social... had more investment in a spaller number of social connection with flamingos that they knew really well.”

Rose thinks that flamingos may have evolved (演变) their social lives due to their wetland habitats-in which the resources they need are concentrated in a small area.

If flamingos know their partners, if they know that these six birds, say, are friendly and they get on with them, they can them waste less energy scrapping and quarreling with other birds that they don’t get on with.

By spending time with their friends, flamingos can more efficiently direct their limited time and energy to activities like hunting and mating.

【推荐1】When a laptop or smart phone battery starts losing is power, the only options are to buy an expensive replacement or just keep it plugged in all the time. But a woman Mya Le Thai may have found the solution to this problem.

Thai was frustrated that the batteries for her wireless devices degraded (退化) over time, until they failed to charge fully. She did not like having to keep her laptop connected to an electrical outlet to keep it powered on. So, she decided to do something about that problem. At first, she and her team at UC Irvine thought about inventing a new battery. But as they experimented, Thai discovered something that might permit lithium-ion (锂离子) batteries to last forever.

Lithium-ion batteries power most wireless devices. Over time, the batteries lose the ability to hold a charge. Most of these batteries have a lifespan of about 7,000 charging cycles before they die. One of the reasons lithium-ion batteries degrade is their use of nanowires to carry electricity. Nanowires are extremely thin. A human hair is thousands of times thicker, for example. Nanowires are extremely efficient carriers of electricity, which makes them useful in batteries.

But, Thai had a theory-the nanowires might last longer if covered with a gel (凝胶). She and her team tested his theory. “It was a long process and a lot of work,” Thai said. The team tried many coverings for the wires. PMMA, a type of plastic, was one of them. The nanowires were coated with PMMA and cycled through charging 200.000 times. The PMMA coated nanowires showed no evidence of damage. The results suggest that batteries could last forever without losing charging ability.

Thai hopes to continue her research to understand why this gel works so well and to see if any other gel could create better results and she is enjoying the publicity about her discovery. She said she never expected her research to get media coverage. “It’s kind of cool,” she said. “I’m really glad people are showing interest in my work and not just in the work itself but also in technology and energy.”

【推荐2】Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

London

Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is a perfectly formed firework that knows how to present itself with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics(杂技), martial arts, dances and operas nearby.

San Francisco

San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the USA. The city was the main entry-point for the Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bangkok

With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty food, clothes and toys. Sunday Market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also famous for its gold dealers, and there are lots of gold shops along the road.

Port Louis

Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Built in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the dragon dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional dragon dances through the streets.

【推荐3】The Florida Sea Base Programmes

Diving Adventure

If you are a diver, this is your programme. During the programme you will be making as many as nine dives (weather permitting), including a night dive.We have open dates in June, July and August for the summer months and for fall we have opening in September, October, November and December. Check out the dates today.

Sea Exploring!

The name brings back the memory of pirates (海盗) sailing the high seas of the past. This adventure is for larger teams of 18 to 20 teammates. Sailing on a tall ship with your team, you will be making memories that you will share for the rest of your life with anyone who will listen. We can fit your timetable to meet your needs with these great dates.

Live Aboard Diving

The Florida Sea Base has the sailing and diving programmes joined for one wonderful adventure! On this adventure, you will spend your days not only in diving, but also in sailing around the Florida Keys. There are openings this fall and winter. Check now for open dates to spend your winter holidays in the keys. Fall dates are open now!

Just around the corner: the Christmas season in the keys! We have an opening for the Live Aboard programme on December 26. Book today — it won’t last long!

Diving Certification (证书)

The Diving Certification programme is designed for teammates who want to get a certification — all who complete the week successfully will be offered PADI certification! Come and learn how to dive in the beautiful waters of the Florida Keys.

We have the following dates open: August 5, August 12, August 19, August 22 and August 26. We also have programmes we offer in the fall: September 30, October 7, October 14, October 21, and many more dates. Check out the rest of the dates.