【推荐1】In the summer of 2019, Tomas Quinones was undertaking a seven-day “bikepacking” trip, covering some remote desert in Southern Oregon, US. His trip had been marked with the usual minor troubles. But there had also been those moments of unexpected kindness from strangers.

On the last day of his trip, he was riding down a dusty track when he came upon a man lying unconscious on the desert floor. Quinones tried to give him some water with little success. Luckily, he called the emergency rescue team and an ambulance arrived within an hour. “I never had a doubt about what I would do,” he said. Quinones, who’d received some gestures of help over the course of his trip, paid it forward.     

The odds are, if you’ve spent any time in the wild, you’ll have experienced these gestures of kindness from strangers or given them yourself too even if they were nothing so dramatic as the aid given by Quinones.

So what is it about being outside in nature that makes people want to help others? The first explanation is that in the wild, there may not be any other help. According to the “bystander effect”, the more people who are in the presence of someone needing help, the less likely any of those people are to actually provide it.

But another idea is that there is something about nature itself that seems to promote “prosocial” attitudes. As a recent study suggests, exposure to nature can promote feelings of transcendence-a sense of connection to other people, to the world around us and to the universe.

When we take adventure into the wild, we are easy to get hurt. And that makes us look at the world differently. So, in the wild, where we lose our normal possessions, surroundings and identities, we seem more willing to go the extra mile for someone. It’s in nature that we can learn new things about humanity.

If your chosen destination is a hot tourist spot，you are likely to be bothered by masses of tourists，noise and long line ups at your intended site visits. At this point you might wonder why you ever left home. Here are some tips to avoid the crowds and the frustrations that might otherwise ruin your trip.

    1     Smart travelers can avoid the queue when visiting abroad-the London Eye， Britain's Houses of Parliament，Italy's Vatican Museums，and the Louvre in Paris. You can keep cool with online ticket sales.

Often special organizations get after-hours or behind-the-scenes access to famous places. You'll get a guided tour and beat the rush.    2    But if large crowds routinely ruin your experience，spending a little extra cash will save your trip.

For shorter lines，fewer people，and better opportunities to interact and enjoy the attraction，stop by during the week. In many cases，you'll have the place to yourself. Take it one step further，and head to museums，galleries or tourism hot spots after 2 pm.    4    

Some travelers often cancel their plans when there are reports of a storm on the approach.     5    By keeping an eye on weather broadcasts，brave souls can often score great last-minute deals or empty attractions.

【推荐2】An Online Event

Depending on advanced theory and brand new results from powerful telescopes, Mack explores possible finals for the universe and what they’d look like. If you’re interested in all of this, you’re welcome to Mack’s inspiring lecture, after which there’ll be a question and answer session.

Early bird tickets offer ￡12 discount before October 6.

Your ticket includes:

● Live lecture lasting 60 minutes including Q & A with Katie Mack

● Access to a recording of the talk so that you can watch it over again with the next 12 months

● Additional content from New Scientist magazine

About the speaker:

Katie Mack is known for her humorous comments and for making science accessible. She has over 350,000 followers including JK Rowling on Twitter.   Throughout her career as a researcher, Mack has studied dark matter, black holes, and the formation of the first galaxies. Her new book The End of Everything is a great exploration of the destruction of the universe.

Event information:

This online event will start at 1:00 pm on Thursday, October 13.

Booking information:

Tickets can’t change to any other New Scientist event. Refund(退票) can only be done if New Scientist cancels this event.   Neither New Scientist nor its parent company will be responsible for any additional expenses caused by ticket holders in relation to the event. Tickets are available ahead of time through Eventbrite.

Do not miss your chance to see Texas’ first modern art museum—the McNay Art Museum. There are more than 20,000 different and significant works. With beautiful Spanish gardens and the amazing architecture of the building, the art within the walls isn’t the only wonder to see.

TEL:(210)8245368

The San Antonio Art League & Museum is a great showcase for local artists and home to permanent exhibits, many of which express the history of the area. The museum houses both traditional and contemporary works.

Address: 130 King William Street, San Antonio

TEL: (210) 2231140

The Guinness World Records has probably brought you amazing stories of all the record holders in the world. This museum is a good choice for the entire family, as it contains some of the most amazing oddities in the world.

Address: 329 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio

TEl: (210)2262828

For a cowboy-style activity, head to the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum is located only two blocks from the Alamo, offering a convenient location to those who are visiting Downtown San Antonio. After being built over 130 years ago, the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum has become a unique place for locals and tourists alike to visit. Here, guests will be able to feast upon delicious dishes.

Address:318 E. Houston Street, San Antonio

TEL: (210) 2474000