【推荐3】As data and identity theft becomes more and more common, the market is growing for biometric (生物测量) technologies—like fingerprint scans—to keep others out of private e-spaces. At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.

Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low-cost device (装置) that gets around this problem: a smart keyboard. This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence (节奏) with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key. The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user’s typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus, the keyboard can determine people’s identities, and by extension, whether they should be given access to the computer it’s connected to—regardless of whether someone gets the password right.

It also doesn’t require a new type of technology that people aren’t already familiar with. Everybody uses a keyboard and everybody types differently.

In a study describing the technology, the researchers had 100 volunteers type the word “touch” four times using the smart keyboard. Data collected from the device could be used to recognize different participants based on how they typed, with very low error rates. The researchers say that the keyboard should be pretty straightforward to commercialize and is mostly made of inexpensive, plastic-like parts. The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.

【推荐1】New bio-plastics are being made in laboratories from straw, wood chips and food waste, with researchers aiming to replace oil as the source of the world’s plastic.

The new approaches include genetically modifying bacteria to eat wood and produce useful chemicals. But the bio-plastics are currently significantly more expensive to make than fossil fuel-based plastics.

Land and seas around the world, from high mountains to deep oceans, have become polluted with plastic, prompting major public concern. The world has produced 8bn tons of plastic since the 1950s and demand is still rising.

While some waste plastic is recycled, much of it is burnt to produce electricity, resulting in carbon emissions that drive climate change. In contrast to plastic made from oil, plastics made from plant-based materials only release the carbon the plants absorbed from the air as they grew. Bio-plastics will also give more options for products that biodegrade (生物降解) in the environment, although they can be made very long-lasting if required.

“Plastics are an incredible enhancement to our daily lives,” said Paul Mines, CEO of Biome Technologies in the UK, which has spent t5m in the last five years on bio-plastics research. “But we can’t go on using fossil fuel-based materials. About 6-7% of every barrel (桶) of oil is used to make plastics.”

“Using plant materials is feasible,” said professor Simon, at the University of York. “Replacing half of the nation’s plastic bottles could be done using just 3% of the sugar beet crop, 5% of wheat straw or 2.5% of food waste,” he said.

Currently, just a few thousand tons of bio-plastic are used in the UK each year, compared to millions of tons of conventional plastic. Mines said this could rise to about 20,000 tons in the next five years.

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【推荐3】A rare 765-year-old gold coin found on farm land in Devon in south-west England is expected to sell for up to half a million pounds at auction. It is believed that the coin was made more than 750 years ago, during the rule of the English King Henry III. It is one of only eight known to exist.

Featuring a picture of King Henry III on one side and a cross and roses on the other, the coin is around 2.5 centimetres across. It was made with gold that came from north Africa. It was found in September last year by a detectorist (someone who looks for items buried underground using a metal detector) in Hemyock village. The detectorist had no idea how rare the coin was until he posted a photo of it on social media, where it was spotted by a history expert.

The finder, who doesn’t want to be named, was told to take the coin to the British Museum, where it was confirmed that the coin was very rare. According to the law, the finder is allowed to keep it because it’s a single coin and not part of a bigger haul but he has decided to sell it. He told the BBC, “The coin was found in an unappealing field and could quite easily have never been recovered. Now it is protected for future generations to enjoy.”

The coin is especially valuable because it was one of England’s first gold coins. The country’s coins were made of silver until King Henry III, who ruled from 1216 until his death in 1272, introduced gold ones with his picture on them.

Professor David Carpenter at King’s College London, has traced the coin back to a man called John de Hidon, who was the lord of Hemyock Manor. Carpenter thinks the coin may have fallen out of someone’s pocket—either de Hidon himself or one of his staff.

【推荐1】Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.

After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity-or extreme overweight-among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17%-and is growing.

【推荐2】Jobs Week: Find Your Next Job Here

▲ A Registered Nurse

Average salary: $ 65,470 per year

Top cities for hiring: San Antonio, Texas;Chicago, Illinois;Dallas, Texas

In the United States, registered nurses (RNs) are clinicians who have completed at least an associated degree in nursing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS)has identified it as one of the top ten occupations for career growth. RNs can either practice independently or as part of a healthcare team.

▲ A Retail Associate

Average salary: $ 21,410 per year

Top cities for hiring: Atlanta, Georgia;Houston, Texas;Chicago, Illinois

Retail workers sell products and help customers find the products they want. According to the BLS, nearly 14. 8 million people were employed as retail workers in 2014. Top places to find retail positions include Walmart, Target and Macy’s.

▲ A Truck Driver

Average salary: $ 46,000 per year

Top cities for hiring: Atlanta, Georgia;Houston, Texas;Indianapolis, Indiana

Truck driving doesn’t require a college degree and can pay well even at the entry-level stage. It takes a certain kind of person to work the long weeks away from home — but with a high level of demand, it can be a great career choice for someone who wants job security without the cubicle (工作间).

▲ A Web Developer

Average salary: $ 62,500 per year

Top cities for hiring: Chicago, Illinois;New York;Atlanta, Georgia

Tech jobs like Web Developer frequently top lists of the best jobs for pay, worklife balance, and career welfare. The wide use of the Internet means that web developers are in continuous demand, and there are no education barriers preventing job seekers from learning programming languages like Java or Python.

【推荐3】University of the Philippines Diliman

Established as the flagship campus and largest constituent University of the Philippines School System in 1949, UP Diliman is currently ranked within the top 500 of the 2023 World University Rankings.

Notable is its consistent ranking in government-backed polls (民意调查) as one of the most significant higher education institutions in the Philippines. In Asia, it’s been ranked 60 in the Best Universities List.

What impresses people is that it features the most number of Center of Excellence departments in the country, proof of its wide range of high-level courses and programs. The school employs more than 1,500 teaching staff and enrolls almost 24,000 students.

Top Courses/Programs of This University

Journalism, Broadcasting, Biology, Physics, Political Science, Literature, History, Geology, English, Environmental Science.

Tuition Fee

Php 40,000 — Php 50,000

Requirements for Admission

(1) Must offer an official copy of academic record.

(2) Must pass the UP College Admission Test.

(3) Must meet UP’s required weighted average of final grades in High School.

Steps:

(1) Complete application Form 1 online.

(2) Have your high school principal or school head complete the UPCAT Form 2.

(3) For Non-Filipino applications: Pay the UPCAT Application fee.

(4) Get your Test Permit.

(5) UPCAT results are released in April two months after the exam. They can be accessed via UPDiliman’s official website.