1 . Engineers from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp ( CASC ) are known for their achievements such as landing a robot to explore Mars. However, the latest display of their wisdom and knowledge took place on the ground at the Bird’s Nest during the opening ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. They were tasked with building 11 major components for the 140-minute ceremony.

The “ ice cube (立方) ” , a structure covered by LED screens, was an example of engineers using their knowledge to handle technical challenges. The main body weighed 180 tons and had to be raised gradually during the ceremony, which meant that engineers needed to design a reliable method to lift it. Designers and technicians developed a foldable frame capable of lifting the huge cube in just 43 seconds.

Another visual breakthrough is a ground-based display screen covering 10,100 square meters. They used industrial internet technologies to connect more than 40,000 screens and monitor their working conditions. It is essential that engineers should place four signal transmission lines for the screen to prepare sufficient backup capacity to ensure that it functions properly.

The torches (火把) carried by Chinese athletes during the final legs of the relay in the stadium were developed by researchers who used their knowledge and skills gained from developing rocket engines. The torches can burn among wind up to 28 meters per second. They will not go out during strong rain or in low temperatures. New flag poles in the stadium flying the Chinese national flag and the Olympic flag were also designed and made by space researchers.

There is no doubt that technology from space industry has had an unexpected effect on the performance stage during the opening ceremony. Famous filmmaker Zhang Yimou, director of the opening ceremony, said, “As a crucial technical company, it was responsible for the design and construction work for the performance stage. The designs and equipment provided by this company worked very well and far exceeded our expectations. ”

2 . There’s just a 1 in 3, 700, 000 chance that a person will be killed by a shark in their lifetime, but the fear is still enough to have swimmers worrying about being perceived as prey (猎物). Now, new research supports the long-standing theory that when great whites do go in for a bite, it’s a case of “mistaken identity”.

A team of biologists from the UK and Australia compared videos of seals swimming with videos of humans swimming. They then edited the videos to simulate (模拟) a great white’s vision — the sharks are likely colorblind, and they can’t make out fine detail-and found that from the point of view of the ocean creatures, humans do indeed bear a strong resemblance to seals.

“Great white sharks are often regarded as ‘mindless killers’ and ‘fond of human flesh’. However, that's not the case — we just look like their food,” Laura Ryan, lead author of the study, said.

Despite their dissatisfying vision and spatial perception, great white sharks are highly visual creatures, and rely on motion and shadows when on the lookout for prey. To really see through the species’s eyes, the research team had to get creative.

“We attached a camera to an underwater scooter (轻便小车), and set it to travel at a typical speed for predatory sharks,” Ryan said in a statement. The researchers then paired the recordings with computer models to simulate how similar people look from a shark's view below the surface.

“I knew there would be some similarities, but not to the extent we have found,” Ryan said. “Specifically, I thought swimmers might not be as similar as surfers to seals as they typically aren’t involved in as many shark bites. However, the swimmers are also difficult to tell apart from seals.”

Ryan put it in a statement, “Understanding why shark bites occur can help us find ways to prevent them, while keeping both humans and sharks safer.”

3 . A recent story on TikTok showed how two neighbors found companionship during the lockdown because of the pandemic (疫情), thanks to a shared love of the piano.

The story started when Giorgio Lo Porto heard his neighbor playing the piano through their dividing wall. Lo Porto, an Italian living in London, decided to reach out to his neighbor and left a note asking him or her to play My Heart Will Go On. The mystery neighbor agreed, leading Lo Porto to send another note suggesting they play a duet (二重奏) together from the comfort of their own homes. The mystery neighbor started playing the piano at 2:00 pm, and when he stopped after finishing a part of a song, Lo Porto continued. Over time the duets between the two complete strangers became a regular weekend appointment.

Weeks later, the pair finally met and it was better than expected. The mystery pianist happened to be a 78-year-old Polish man named Emil, who was living in temporary accommodation until his house was sold. He lost his wife in December due to COVID-19 and all he had left was the piano. And the reason why he played at 2: 00 pm every weekend was that he and his wife used to do that.

The pair finished a final duet together — Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata — before Emil moved out at the end of February.

While this is heartwarming in itself, the story has a heartbreaking ending: On March 14, Lo Porto shared that his old neighbor had passed away in his sleep. He said, “Now he is reunited with his wife.”

While saying goodbye to Emil, Lo Porto wrote, “Dear Emil, I knew very little about you, but you changed my life. You gave me back my passion, and we shared that with the world. You’ll be in my heart. I’ll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you’ve been mine, too. Bye, Emil.”

5 . International Women's Day is March 8. The first celebration was held in 1911, and the event was recognized by the United Nations starting in 1975.

It's a great time to think about the origin of the word "woman". Some people think the word “woman" is a compound(混合)of the words“womb”and“man". Not so. Rather,it's a compound of "wife" and "man", a combination that can be traced back to Old English. You see, when Old English was first being spoken in the 5th century AD, there were two distinct words for men and women: "wer" meant "adult male",and "wif” meant “adult female". There was a third word,“man", which simply meant "person"or "human being”. These words could be combined:“wer" plus“man"(in the form of "waepman")meant "adult male person" and“wif” plus"man”("wilman") meant “adult female person”.

Those middle forms,“wimnan"and "wommon"with the two M's in the middle, remind me of Noah Webster's efforts to simplify English spelling by suggesting changing the spelling "woman” to“wimmen" to have the spelling better match the pronunciation. He put that in his 1806 Compendious Dictionary o f the English Language, but it didn't become popular.

And the Old English word for "adult male" evolved into a simplified form. The compound word "weapman" melted into the simple word we use today: "man".

Maybe the lesson to take from all this is that the role of women in society has always been complex. Whatever the case, the word "woman" today was originally a compound of the Old English words for"woman” and “human being”.

8 . 24 Solar Terms: 5 things about Major Snow

Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, which falls on Dec 7 this year. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly. Here are 5 things you should know about Major Snow.

Snowy winter

The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road. In the south, snowflakes fall and the world turns white. A proverb about the snow says, "A timely snow promises a good harvest".     1    

    2    

The red plum blossoms (梅花) in contrast with the white snowy world is a feast for the eyes and have inspired many great poems. The plum blossom, which originated in China, is respected in Chinese culture for its bravery against severe winters.

Eating lamb

Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow.     3     People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup with their families and friends. Nanjing residents like to stew lamb with some plants to make it more nutritious.

Making sausages

During Major Snow, people in southern China make sausages, an important part of preparation for the Spring Festival.    4    . The sausage should be dried in the shade, and is edible after a week.

Preventing respiratory (呼吸道的) illness

During this period, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and properly drinking water.    5    . At the same time, don't drink cold water after exercise.

“That is a sleeping dragon.” Napoleon,    1    was the future French emperor, once said. “Let him sleep! If he wakes, he will shake the world.” In 1803, he recognized China’s potential. In charge    2    the greatest military and economic power of his day, Napoleon had an eye for opponents. Now, China’s total domestic product passed    3    of both Britain and France. If Napoleon arrived in Beijing today, he would    4    (undoubted) say, “I told you so.”

Nowhere is China’s influence more apparent than Beijing. As China’s    5    (politics) and cultural center of China, Beijing offers a quick look into the nation’s expansive history and its rapid    6    (develop). You’ll find preserved palaces spreading elbows with new subway stations and peaceful lamaseries(藏传佛教寺院)    7    (share) space with world-class stadiums. Many of the city’s historical sites, such as the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square ,     8    (be) well-known to the world. Yet, the most popular attraction    9    (locate) outside Beijing: The Great Wall of China winds through the hills north of the city. When you witness this    10    (astonish) accomplishment of ancient China, you too will sense the great potential of this modern country.