【推荐1】Monkeys seem to have a way with numbers.

A team of researchers trained three Rhesus monkeys to associate 26 clearly different symbols consisting of numbers and selective letters with 0­25 drops of water or juice as a reward. The researchers then tested how the monkeys combined — or added — the symbols to get the reward.

Here’s how Harvard Medical School scientist Margaret Livingstone, who led the team, described the experiment: In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screens. On one part of the screen, a symbol would appear, and on the other side two symbols inside a circle were shown. For example, the number 7 would flash on one side of the screen and the other end would have 9 and 8. If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen they would be rewarded with seven drops of water or juice; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with the sum of the numbers — 17 in this example.

【推荐2】For people, many other animals, family matters. Consider how many jobs go to relatives. Or how an ant will cruelly attack intruder (入侵的) ants but rescue injured, closely related nest-mates. There are good evolutionary reasons to aid relatives, after all. Now, it seems, family feelings may stir in plants as well.

A Canadian biologist planted the seed of the idea more than a decade ago, but many plant biologists regarded it as heretical-plants lack the nervous systems that enable animals to recognize kin (家族), so how can they know their relatives? But with a series of recent findings, the belief that plants really do care for their most genetically close peers-in a quiet, planty way-is taking root. Some species control how far their roots spread, others change how many flowers they produce, and a few tilt (倾斜) or shift their leaves to minimize shading of neighboring plants, favoring related individuals.

“We need to recognize that plants not only sense whether it’s light or dark or if they’ve been touched, but also whom they are interacting with,” says Susan Dudley, a plant evolutionary ecologist, whose early plant kin recognition studies sparked the interest of many scientists.

Beyond broadening views of plant behavior, the new work may have a practical side. In September 2018, a team in China reported that rice planted with kin grows better, a finding that suggested family ties can be used to improve crop yields. “It seems anytime anyone looks for it, they find a kin effect,” says Andre Kessler, a chemical ecologist at Cornell University.

【推荐1】THE NIGHT THE EARTH DIDN’T SLEEP

Strange things were happening in the countryside of northeastern Hebei. For several days，the water in the village wells rose and fell，rose and fell. There were deep cracks that appeared in the well walls. At least one well had some smelly gas coming out of it. Chickens and even pigs were too nervous to eat，and dogs refused to go inside buildings. Mice ran out of the fields looking for places to hide，and fish jumped out of the water. At about 3：00 a.m., on 28 July 1976，bright lights were seen in the sky outside the city of Tangshan and loud noises were heard. But the city’s one million people were asleep as usual that night.

At 3:42 a.m., everything began to shake. It seemed as if the world were coming to an end! Eleven kilometres directly below the city, one of the most deadly earthquakes of the 20th century had begun, a quake that even caused damage more than 150 kilometres away in Beijing. Nearly one third of the whole nation felt it! A huge crack, eight kilometres long and 30 metres wide, cut across houses, roads, and waterways. Hard hills of rock became rivers of dirt. In less than one minute, a large city lay in ruins. Two thirds of the people who lived there were dead or injured. Thousands of children were left without parents. The number of people who were killed or badly injured in the quake was more than 400,000.

Everywhere survivors looked，there was nothing but ruins. Nearly everything in the city was destroyed. About 75 percent of the city’s factories and buildings，90 percent of its homes，and all of its hospitals were gone. Bricks covered the ground like red autumn leaves，but no wind could blow them away. Most bridges had fallen or were not safe to cross. The railway tracks were now useless pieces of metal. Tens of thousands of cows，hundreds of thousands of pigs，and millions of chickens were dead. Sand now filled the wells instead of water. People were in shock—and then，later that afternoon，another big quake shook Tangshan again. Even more buildings fell down. Water，food，and electricity were hard to get. People began to wonder how long the disaster would last.

But hope was not lost. Soon after the quakes，the army sent 150，000 soldiers to Tangshan to dig out those who were trapped and to bury the dead. More than 10，000 doctors and nurses came to provide medical care. Workers built shelters for survivors whose homes had been destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people were helped. Water and food were brought into the city by train，truck，and plane. Slowly，the city began to breathe again.

Tangshan started to revive itself and get back up on its feet. With strong support from the government and the tireless efforts of the city’s people，a new Tangshan was built upon the earthquake ruins. The new city has become a home to more than seven million people，with great improvements in transportation，industry，and environment. Tangshan city has proved to China and the rest of the world that in times of disaster，people must unify and show the wisdom to stay positive and rebuild for a brighter future.

【推荐2】Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding (繁育) programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf (犀牛幼崽). When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity (圈养).

The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.

【推荐3】Experienced climbers of Mount Qomolangma are wondering if new proposed rules will solve the root causes of various deadly accident on the world’s tallest mountain. The proposals, if approved by the government of Nepal, would add steps to the permitting process for mountaineers as well as limitation to tourism companies to prevent the disaster in last May happening again.

Traditionally, Nepal has given climbing permits to anyone prepared to pay a fee of $11, 000. In 2019, the government approved a record high of 381 permits. With essential Sherpas and guides added, more than 800 people were trying to reach the peak during the short weather window. The overcrowding led to deadly delays in what is known as the “death zone”, the area above 8, 000 meters, and the death of eleven climbers eventually, many of them dying in late May after they were stuck there. It also raised suspicions that guide companies were urging inexperienced or incompetent mountaineers to attempt the climb.

To reduce the potential risks, among the suggested changes is a rule for those who want to climb the Mount to have a qualified doctor prepare a report on their medical history and general health. Another is that climbers provide evidence they have climbed another tall mountain in Nepal. They will also need to be accompanied by a trained Nepalese guide.

American mountaineer Ed Viesturs said the proposed changes will likely limit the amount of climbers able to plan journeys up the Mount, yet will not do enough to stop the “group think” mentality that led to the traffic jam in late May. He said climb leaders at base camp also needed to consider how to fix the problem. “I know several climbers who waited until later and had the mountain almost to themselves,” Viesturs said of the 2019 climbing season. “We really need to answer why so many people are there on the same day? How can you control it?”