2 . A California high school student recently took top honours at a worldwide science competition. Jeffrey Chen won the Breakthrough Junior Challenge prize in science earlier this month. The prize comes with $250,000 that Chen can use for college. The aim of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is to influence young people so they will think creatively in science and mathematics. Students aged 13 — 18 produce short videos which explain a complex science or math subject in an interesting way.

The 17-year-old Chen was chosen over 14 other finalists from the United States, Canada and India. The judges included several well-known scientists and educators. Branko Malaverojvodic, 18, of Peru, won the challenge’s “Popular Vote” contest. He received more than 16,000 likes, shares and positive reactions for his video on cryptography (密码学). You can watch it and the other videos on the Breakthrough Facebook page.

In his prize-winning video, on YouTube, Jeffrey Chen talks about neutrinos (中微子). “This is a neutrino. You can’t see or feel them, but every second each of us are bombarded with trillions of them.”Chen explains neutrinos are particles that are smaller than an atom. He talks about how they can be used in astronomy.

The competition was open to students from around the world. More than 11,000 students competed in the 2021 competition. Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, praised Chen’s science video. “Jeffery is a natural science communicator,” Khan said. A California newspaper, The Daily Journal, said the competition combined Chen’s two great interests — astronomy and film-making and he artfully explains a complex top and makes it easier to understand. Chen said he hopes to continue combining his interests as he studies environmental technology in college. He wants to work on climate change.

3 . The Olympic Museum’s educational programs are now free!

As of 1 January 2023, our educational programs are free! Teachers can tailor their visits to their own needs and interests, choosing between self- guided tours, guided tours and workshops, with online educational resources also available.

Here is all the practical information you need to organize your visit. In order to make a reservation, please fill in the pre-reservation form. This form is a must for all types of visits. There are four ways to visit the Museum with your class:

●Guided tour: Visit the permanent exhibition accompanied by one of our activity leaders.

Duration: 90 minutes

●Workshop + guided tour: Themed tour of the exhibition (permanent or temporary depending on the topic) and workshop in the Gym or Studio, all accompanied by an activity lender.

Duration: 2×45 minutes

●Workshop + independent visit (optional): Accompanied by an activity leader, make the most of a themed workshop and extend your Olympic experience by visiting the exhibitions independently.

Duration: 45 minutes for the workshop, unlimited for an independent visit

●Independent visit: Access to all exhibition areas except educational areas.

Duration: unlimited

Practical Information

Self-guided visitors in groups with a reservation will be given priority at the entrance. If the exhibitions are too crowded, we may not be able to give you the privilege.

Safety distances between adults and students/ children must be respected.

Rates

All our educational programs are free of charge for those under the age of 16.

●Children up to the age of 15: free

●Students aged 16 and over & adults: $ 14

●Accompanying adult (1 for 1-10 students, 2 for 11-20 students, etc.): free

4 . Check out our top 5 weather apps for your smart phones, which will keep you one step ahead of nature.

6 . If you see a group of people bend their knees, hold their arms out, and swing their bodies around...don’t panic, just a few surfskaters.

A surfskate board, which originated in the United States, is a type of skateboard that uses a specially-designed front truck to give riders the feeling of surfing on land. As riders shift weight between the heelside and topside, the special front truck turns the board sharply and helps produce momentum(冲力), pushing riders forward and changing directions.

This summer, the sport has gained favor among Chinese consumers and is soaring in popularity among all ages, spurring(刺激) a billion-dollar market.

On lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, searches related to surfskating rose 420 percent year-on-year in the first half. The sudden increase in searches started in February. As of August, surfskate-related posts surpassed 60,000. Trending topics include tutorials and board recommendations.

On the short-video platform Douyin, posts labeled “surfskate” had over 150 million views by August. A one-minute video post with top viewership had over 189,000 likes. The sport also became a trendy topic on Weibo and Kuaishou.

“You can see an increasing number of people practicing surfskating at almost all ages in a wide space inside the community I live in.” said Beijing resident Ma Yuan. “I knew about surfskating from social media and decided to give it a try. It was easier than I thought. In addition, surfskating requires a lot less equipment compared with many other sports. I can start skating at a random(任意的) place and all I need is a board. Above all, it helps me lose weight and reduce work and life pressure.”

8 . A trip to the capital wouldn't be complete without seeing the following attractions in London.

The London Eye       (Tickets from £24.50)

Explore London from above on the London Eye. Your ticket includes a 30-minute flight with breathtaking views over London as well as an amazing 4D experience. Book ahead to save money and skip most of the queues with a fast-track entry ticket.

Tower of London       (Tickets from £25)

Hear the many stories of the Tower of London on a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour. See the famous Crown Jewels, the White Tower and find out what it was like to be a prisoner in the Tower of London.

Kidzania London       (Tickets from £18.50)

Test out a range of professions and activities including journalism, animal care, cabin crew and tour guiding at KidZania London. Work to earn KidZos and save them for next time or spend them in the Airport Shop. Great for kids to learn and have fun.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich       (Tickets from £16)

Visit the home of time and explore outer space at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. See and stand astride the Prime Meridian line (子午线), the reference point for Greenwich Mean Time. Learn about the history of longitude (经线), touch a piece of rock from outer space, and enjoy amazing views over London.

Coronavirus information: London is currently subject to a four-week national lockdown from 5 November, which means attractions are temporarily closed. You can still book tickets in advance ready for when they reopen with social distancing and other safety measures in place. Cycle or walk to these attractions where possible.