1 . Many ancient populations used inscriptions (铭文) to document different parts of their lives. But the objects containing such inscriptions have been damaged over the centuries.

The researchers, led by Alphabet’s AI company DeepMind, developed a new AI-based method which serves as a technological tool to help researchers repair missing inscriptions and estimate the true origins of the records. They call their tool Ithaca. The system is the first deep neural (神经的) network that can restore the missing text of damaged inscriptions. The researchers said it trained Ithaca on the largest collection of data containing Greek inscriptions from the non-profit Packard Humanities Institute in California. Feeding this data into the system is designed to help the tool use past writings to predict missing letters and words in damaged inscriptions.

The researchers reported that in experiments with damaged writings, Ithaca was able to correctly predict missing inscription elements 62% of the time. In addition, the tool was 71% correct in identifying where the inscriptions first came from. And when historians work on their own, the success rate for restoring damaged inscriptions is about 25%. But when humans teamed up with Ithaca to assist in their work, the success rate jumped to 72%.

Thea Sommerschield from Ca’Foscari University of Venice said the system had already provided new information to help researchers reexamine important periods in Greek history. In one case, Ithaca confirmed new evidence presented by historians about the dating of a series of important Greek decrees (法令). The decrees were first thought to have been written before 446/445 BCE. But the new evidence suggested a date in the 420s BCE. Ithaca predicted a date of 421 BCE. The date change may seem small but it has significant implications for our understanding of the political history of Classical Athens.

The team is currently working on other versions of Ithaca trained on other ancient languages. DeepMind has launched a free, interactive tool based on the system for use by researchers, educators, museum workers and the public.

3 . We’ve heard people say that we shouldn’t worry too much about the future. But this saying doesn’t hold true in the technological world. Here, you always need to think about the future, or else you won’t have the chance to be in the digital age. There are so many new inventions that come up daily, which help in making our lives better and easier.

The iPod we use daily was once a far-fetched thought of Mr. Jobs, which has become a reality today. Similarly, when television was launched, we thought nothing could beat this invention. Then came cable television, and now it’s the age of digital television. Similarly, until a few years ago, 3D was limited to movies, but today, we have 3D blueprints, 3D graphics, and 3D television sets as well. All these inventions were just a prediction by their inventors, but they later, went on to become a part of our lives. Similar predictions can be made for the future.

For example, how about having human-like robots that understand our instructions by simply speaking to them? We can talk with these robots regularly and simply instruct them to perform a particular task. If you want tea, you can simply require your robot to make it for you. These robots can be useful in industrial fields as well. For example, you can simply ask the robot to switch on the manufacturing line.

If waste keeps increasing, the future will see many problems related to pollution. So what about having a waste recycling machine that produces notebooks? Yes, I’m not talking about the regular recycling machines that give us raw materials we need to put to effective use. If we build recycling machines that produce a particular product out of the waste, it’ll do much help to the environment as well.

This list can go on and on. Our imagination has no limits and so does technology. Who knows? Maybe one of these ideas may become a reality in the near future!

4 . Amazing Train Journeys

The Beijing to Lhasa Express, China

Departs daily; Distance—2,330 miles; Duration—40 hours

Linking the royal wonders of Beijing with the dreamlike palaces of Lhasa, the Z21 train travels from the modernity of urban China to a once-remote land. Running westward, the train climbs nearly 16,400 ft (5,000 m) on its journey to the roof of the world: the Tibetan Plateau.

London to Fort William on the Caledonian Sleeper, UK

Departs daily; Distance—509 miles; Duration—13 hours 30 minutes

This overnight train journey is filled with the romance of rail travel. It’s just a pity that the whole experience—from dining-car chatting and light beer, to being carried into a la-la land by the rhythm of the rails and waking to bedside views of towering peaks—feels like it’s over in a flash. Though it may be short, the Caledonian is surely Britain’s best train ride.

Tazara Railway, Tanzania and Zambia

Departs twice a week; Distance—1,160 miles; Duration—46 hours

Few trains offer the chance of spotting big game from your seat, but the Tazara Railway does exactly that. For many, the highlight is neither the scenery nor the wildlife, though; it’s the chance to spend two days watching everyday life out of the window, and enjoying the crowds and chaos when the train pulls to a stop.

Perurail’s Lake Titicaca Railway, Peru

Departs twice a week; Distance—241 miles; Duration—10 hours

Traveling across the Altiplano, from the shores of Lake Titicaca to the beating heart of the Inca capital, the railway from Puno to Cuzco cuts a picturesque path through the snow-dusted peaks and fantastic valleys of the Andes. Passengers can enjoy the landscape from an open-air observatory car, as they travel through remote towns and villages.

6 . I am a multisport athlete and seasoned coach. When I was growing up, school wasn’t really my thing, but sport very much was. Athletics connected me to my school community by giving me a sense of belonging and success even when I struggled in the classroom. When I entered education, I knew I wanted to be more than a coach on the field and court — I wanted to help students like me make meaningful connections to school through sports.

I designed a program around the concepts of comfort and stretch zones. On day one, I set up a range of equipment for different sports across a field. In groups, students discussed sports that they felt comfortable and safe playing. They then took turns selecting their comfort sport on the field, doing a brief share, and playing with their group. Afterward, we had a class discussion on the importance of doing things that bring joy and passion, and how sharing that passion with others motivates us and the people around us.

On day two, with the same field design and sporting equipment, I introduced the idea of stretch zones. Students formed the same groups as on day one and discussed which sports were out of their comfort zone and more challenging to them. Some of my students were shy and others slightly frustrated (沮丧) as they struggled to perform the skills in sports in which they were not comfortable. Then we discussed, as a class, how even when something is challenging, if we recognize the difficulty and intentionally practice, we give ourselves the opportunity to overcome it over time.

The program required more than just adjusting my curriculum (课程) — it also meant some changes to the way I taught. I found myself opening up to my students and sharing my own hardships and successes with them. As a result, my students felt freer to be their real selves.

8 . Lapland's reindeer (驯鹿) grow well in winters of -30℃ and even colder. So when rain falls instead of snow during the coldest months in the Arctic,it makes food hard to get for them. Now one of the best-loved symbols of Christmas is probably dying out. Numbers have fallen by over half in the last two decades as the place warms at four times the global average rate.

The animals are used to pull sleigh (雪橇) rides for tourists. The rides are part of Lapland winter wonderland experiences in thousands of British tourists each year. But this year the working herd had to be moved 60 miles further north due to the absence of snow. As a result, they can't be provided in some areas, making it hard for people to earn a living.

Lapland is often described as Europe's last great wilderness, home to lynxes, brown bears, wolverines and golden eagles. Tourism is a big part of the economy, and the town of Rovaniemi is also the "official home of Santa Claus". But changing climate (气候) is threatening its tourism industry. A report by The Finnish Climate Change Panel warns of flooding and increased rainfall, with Rovaniemi most at risk. Firms that rely on snow "will have great effects on visit levels" and these industries may be forced further north.

Erkkila of the Arctic Husky Park in Rovaniemi says: "Tourists see pictures of the Santa Claus village covered in snow and when they get here they think, 'Is this the winter wonderland?'." The Husky Park bought a wheeled cart (车) six years ago as a replacement for sleigh rides when the snow fails.

In the past it was thought the Arctic was warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. But a report published last week by scientists showed the rate is actually four times the global average.

9 . My mother suffered COPD and heart failure, which made her have great difficulty breathing or catching her breath. For the last 5 years of her life, my most common memory was of her leaned over an outdoor trash can, trying to get enough air.

I was away getting my Master’s in Theatre Arts when she passed away. My mind was unhinged (精神错乱的). They pulled me off my desk and took me to the local mental health facility. I was just at tech week for the show Fefu and Her Friends. My office mate and fellow director Sarah Jane Hardy took over the production and saw it safely through.

But this is just the beginning of the kindness that surrounded me. She sat with me in my apartment when I returned and let me fall apart in a safe space. My dad traveled with me from Phoenix to Utah to see the final performance. My department chair allowed me to fold over my thesis (论文)and turn it into an MA researched thesis so I could return home at the end of the year having graduated. My roommates helped motivate me to go to classes.

This was one of the hardest chapters in my life and so many people came to help me to heal. I think before this time I would have prized intelligence or education as the highest trait (特点) in a person, but afterwards, I’ve felt that kindness defines people most. The world would be a cold place if we did not have friends who showed it openly in our times of need.