【推荐2】Many robots have been sent to explore Mars. Such robots have usually looked like a box with wheels. These robots are useful but extremely expensive, and they break easily. Also, they cannot do many tasks. So scientists have been developing “snakebots”, which move like snakes.

The way a snake is shaped lets it get into very small spaces like cracks in rocks. It can also push its way below the ground or climb up different kinds of objects, like high rocks and trees. A snakebot would be able to do these things, too, making it much more effective than regular robots on wheels which easily get stuck or fall over. Since they can carry tools, snakebots would be able to work in space as well. They could, for example, help repair the International Space Station.

A snakebot is built like a chain made of about thirty parts or modules. Each module is basically the same in that they all have a small computer and a wheel to aid movement. The large computer in the “head” of the snake makes all of the modules in a snakebot work together.

The modular design of the snakebot has many advantages. If one module fails, another can be added easily. Snakebot modules can also carry different kinds of tools, as well as cameras. Since each module is actually a robot in itself, one module can work apart from the rest if necessary. That is, all the modules can separate and move on their own, and then later, reconnect back into a larger robot. Researchers are also trying to develop snakebots made of a special kind of plastic that can change its shape using electricity, almost like animal muscles. Snakebots made with this plastic will be very strong and hard to break.

Overall, the snakebot design is much simpler than that of common robots. Thus, snakebots will be much less expensive to build. With their versatility (多功能性) and affordability, snakebots seem to be the wave of the future, at least as far as space robots are concerned.

【推荐1】Recently, my friends Hazel Markus and Alana Conner published a book on culture. It isn’t a book on exploring cultures or talking about why you should always accept a business card from a Japanese businessman with two hands and admire it. Instead, Clash talks about eight cultural conflicts and frames those conflicts as paths to self-knowledge. In other words, it describes the self, and our individual cultures, as relative. This self-insight can help you better navigate our increasingly global world.

For example, one distinction discussed by Markus and Conner is the distinction between Americans from different parts of the United States. People from different states have different expectations and assumptions about how things should be done, and even what things should be called. Often, it is only when a person comes up against another way of doing things that these assumptions become apparent. I attended Carleton College, a liberal arts college in Minnesota. Within my first two days of being there, I realized that I possessed an assumption about rain. Coming from California, I expected that it didn’t rain in summer and that when it did rain, it would rain all day. When I woke up on September 2, to a downpour that lasted 20 minutes, that assumption was revealed to be false.

There was a particularly colorful discussion in my dorm about the game “duck, duck, goose” vs “duck, duck, gray duck”. The point is, only by coming into contact and comparing my assumptions to others did I realize that my assumptions were just that—my view of how things should be and not necessarily the truth.

Why is it important to understand your cultural background beyond your race and ethnicity(种族特点)? Because if you understand yourself, you are better prepared to recognize and embrace alternatives. For instance, a research by William Maddux has shown that people who have significant multicultural experiences are more creative. Also, if you understand where you come from, you may be more understanding of conflicts that are arising, and be able to address those conflicts in cooperative ways.

【推荐3】No matter where you live, giving gifts is a common way for us to express thanks, concern or love. Although the reasons for giving gifts are about the same around the world, the traditions of giving gifts can be quite different from one another.

In Europe, don’t accidentally cut yourself out of someone’s life.

In the US, a set of kitchen knives seems like the perfect gift idea for a wedding or holiday. However, in certain European countries like Germany, superstition (迷信) defines that a knife presented as a gift will end your friendship. There is a way to beat this superstition: tie a penny to the knife or gift box. The receiver then returns the penny to you as a “payment” to drive away the bad luck.

In Native America, your host gives gifts rather than receives them.

The Native American gift giving custom is exactly the opposite to that of any other culture. Traditionally, during weddings and some big celebrations (birthdays aren’t always included), guests are the receivers of gifts rather than the host.

In Japan, presentation is paramount.

The Japanese place great emphasis on the act of gift giving, and presentation plays a big role in determining how your gift is received. For example, it’s considered unpleasant to uncovered cash. So whether you’re sending money as a gift or just leaving a tip, place your money in an envelope to ensure it’s received in a respectful manner.

In China, red envelopes and even denominations (偶数的面额) bring good luck.

Chinese New Year has a rich set of traditions. One of the most popular customs of this holiday is giving out money in red envelopes. Known as yasuiqian, these gifts are meant to bring good luck. In addition to how you give money, there’s also superstition relating to the amount you give. Giving an odd numbered amount of money is considered bad luck. It’s important to make sure that even the first digit is even as numbers like 30 and 50 are considered odd.