3 . Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek has been honored with this year’s Templeton Prize. The award recognizes individuals whose life’s work brings together science and spirituality.

Wilczek is known for his research into the laws of nature. In a statement, the John Templeton Foundation said his work changes “our understanding of the forces that govern our universe.” It said he used physics to address “the great questions of meaning and purpose pondered by generations of religious thinkers.”

John Templeton created the prize in 1972. It is one of the most highly valued prizes at more than $1.3 million. Past winners include Jane Goodall, Mother Teresa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Wilczek told The Associated Press, “It’s a company I’m very glad to join in.” He added, “It’s encouragement in a direction that I’ve really only taken up in a big way quite recently… which is thinking about not just what the world is and how it came to be this way but what we should do about it.”

Over a long career, Wilczek had many successes. He won the 2004 Nobel Prize along with David J. Gross, and H. David Politzer for their 1973 research explaining the unusual properties of the strong force. Wilczek is currently a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Arizona State University and Stockholm University. He is also the founding director of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s T. D. Lee Institute. He has also written several books that are informed by science but look into spiritual and philosophical questions.

Heather Dill is the Templeton Foundation president. In a statement, she said, “Like Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, he is a natural philosopher who unites a curiosity about the behavior of nature with a playful and profound philosophical mind.”

4 . For some people, nothing beats a long walk on a sandy beach. But there’s no denying that it’s not as easy or as fast to get around on the beach as it is on a road or a sidewalk. But why is it so hard to walk on sand?

The problem with sand is that it’s soft; you “sink in” at each step. This forces you to use 2.1 to 2. 7 times more energy with every step you take. Another idea is that people walk more difficultly on soft than they do on hard surfaces, a study found. The researchers compared how people walked on foam (沫) and hard surfaces by analyzing the forces under their feet and how much oxygen each person consumed. They found that walking on soft surfaces, such as sand, mud and snow, caused people to take longer steps — actions that use more energy than walking on a hard surface.

But as experienced beach walkers know, there’s a way to make it easier to walk on sand: Just add water, When sand is wet, it becomes more compact (紧密), and walking on it is more similar to walking on hard surface. In other words, it’s much easier to cross a beach by walking along the shoreline, where the waves roll in and out. This is a balance though; too much water could make the sand soft once again. If water isn’t an option, there is another way to make walking on sand easier — increasing your surface area. This could be accomplished by wearing shoes.

Although it’s more difficult, there are some good reasons to exercise on sand. The impact forces are lower on sand than on hard surface. Research suggests that walking across sand is much easier on your joints (关节) and muscles, especially compared with an unforgiving surface such as concrete (混凝土). This means sand is a better surface for helping athletes recover more quickly from workouts.

5 . Traveling with friends or family is always a fun bonding experience, and one of the best ways to do that is by taking a charter (租赁) bus.       1     .

Security and safety

    2     . When hiring a bus, it is much harder for someone to steal it because there are not enough cars or people they can distract during an escape attempt. Additionally, some companies provide their security personnel on board their buses which adds an extra measure of safety for all passengers and the company itself.

    3    

When chartering a bus, you have more flexibility than renting cars or traveling by train. You’ll also have the convenience of being able to specify precisely how much space and comfort everyone in your group needs during the trip, which is essential if there are mobility issues among some members of your party.

Comfort

If you’re traveling with more than one or two people, there may be more comfortable ways to travel than staying in a car.     4     , especially if you’re traveling long distances. The seating will be comfortable, and there will probably be many electrical outlets where you can plug your devices in.

Convenience

There are many advantages of booking a charter bus over a rental car when traveling with a group, but the biggest one is convenience. If you book a charter bus, the bus company will pick you up at your start location, drive you to your end location, and even wait for you at any place where you want to stop.     5     .

6 . With the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park to its east, Zhongnanhai to its south, Beihai Park, also known as Northern Sea Park, is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardenst (皇家花园) in China located in the center of Beijing.

Beihai Park is said to be built according to a traditional Chinese legend. The story is that once upon a time there were three magic mountains called “Penglai”, “Yingzhou” and “Fangzhang”. Gods in those mountains had a kind of medicine which would help humans gain immortality (永生). Consequently, many emperors constantly sought those mountains. I For example, Emperor Qin Shihuang had sent people to look for the magic mountains but they failed. Emperor Wudi, the fifth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty did similar things.

It was believed that different mountain-water combinations in ancient Chinese architecture led to totally different effects. So from then on, almost every emperor during the succeeding dynasties would build a royal garden with one-pool-with-three-hill layout near his palace. Beihai Park was surely built after this traditional style: the water of Beihai with Zhongnanhai is the Taiye Pool; the Jade Flowery Islet, the island of the Circular City and the Xishantai Island represent the three magic mountains.

Actually, Beihai Park was initially built in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) and was repaired and rebuilt in the following dynasties including Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The large-scale rebuilding in the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) generally established the present scale and pattern. In 1925, it was first opened to the public, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.

It is enjoyable to walk around the various scenic areas in Beihai Park. There are many places to visit, including the Bai Ta, Five-Dragon Pavilions, Nine-Dragon Wall, Yong’an Temple and so on. There is also a classy restaurant called Fangshan Restaurant where the Empress Cixi once dined.

7 . Children’s Sci-fi Art Predicts Extraordinary Future

More than 80 sci-fi artworks are on display at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, showing a beautiful yet puzzling future. The “Brave New Sci-Fi World” exhibition features paintings and art installations (设备) by students from Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing and other cities. They imagine the future as a world where robots and human beings co-exist.

Ru Chen, from Shanghai New Putuo Primary School, has pictured a robot chameleon (变色龙) to be used in outer space to aid in the search and rescue of human beings in case of danger.

Li Jiaqi from Guangzhou Dongfeng East Road Primary School has painted a city where advanced technologies are everywhere, and even the city itself turns into a large robot.

Huang Yanrui from Beijing Shijingshan Gucheng No. 2 Primary School imagines his rubber, pencil box and such stationery (文具) becoming conscious robots, and beginning to design future human beings.

Wang Zhihan, from Shanghai Shangde Experimental School and her schoolmates, stick electronic components on stone faces as a metaphor (隐喻) for the increasingly unclear boundaries between the reality and virtual world. “We hope to remind people never lose yourself in a world with advanced technologies,” she said.

The exhibition will last till November 4.

Opening hours:

Tuesdays-Sundays 9: 00- 17: 15; legal holidays 8: 45- 18: 30.

Transportation Guide:

Metro: Metro Line 2: Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station.

Metro Line 4, Metro Line 6 and Metro Line 9: change to Metro Line 2 at the Century Avenue Station.

Bus Routes: Bus 184, 640, 794, 983, 984, 987, 1023, 640 inter-zonal bus will take you there.

8 . For college-bound students, leaving home and moving into a new environment can be a stressful experience. As for the students with anxiety, the transition can be more challenging.    1    . They may feel it complicated to share a space with unknown roommates. But with your proper supports in place, they can work through these challenges.

Make preparations ahead

When a student with anxiety is unprepared for the stress of being away from home, combined with the need of independence, can cause a false belief that the transition is simply too hard to handle. This can result in an anxious thought pattern, making his college life a nightmare. When he is prepared for it, on the other hand, all the challenges can be solved practically.    2    

Discuss appropriate expectations

Establishing healthy expectations can help cut down the pressure. Parents and rising college students might approach the transition with a hope that things will be better in college.    3    . Quite different from high school in academics, even a straight-A high student is likely to experience an academic roadblock during college.

Create a support plan

If your college-bound student is currently working with a therapist(治疗专家)for anxiety treatment, chances are the therapist is helping him prepare for the transition and figure out a support system.    4    . Talk it over with your teenager before he makes the transition.

    5    

While making your teens aware that they can cope with their anxiety independently, you are to ensure that help is available on campus. Establish a weekly check-in to catch up and provide support. Encourage him to seek out help on campus if his anxiety increases. By enabling them to use the resources available in his new environment, you send a positive message to them: You can do this.

9 . Imagine if it were easy for everyone to get to the seashore, to smell the sea winds and to feel seawater on their skin. Wouldn’t it be great if people with walking difficulty could also get closer to the ocean to enjoy the thrill of a sunset, watching the sun’s rays light up the waves? The good news is that things are moving in the right direction!

In a CDC study, around 14% of adults in the US report a mobility disability, defined as serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. This can make vacation planning a challenge and put some destinations off-limits. But technology companies like Mobi-mat are making a day at the beach for people with limited mobility a reality.

Mobi-mat has developed some exciting innovations like non-slip roll-out accessibility mats(垫子). These function like red carpets at movie premieres(首映), taking people with special needs right to the seashore. They are made of a fine nylon material that is designed for people who use wheelchairs or may otherwise need a firmer surface to cross the sand.

More cities are working to make enjoyment of the beach much more wide-ranging in other creative ways based on regional conditions. The town of Jupiter in Florida has opened up access to its beaches to people who have trouble going up and down stairs via three new wide wooden walkovers. The Miami Herald recently reported on the upcoming construction of a wheelchair-accessible beachfront observation platform, and upgraded park with adaptive playground and exercise equipment for people with disabilities in Miami Beach.

Inspired by creative innovation, forward-looking policymakers and companies, and the shared demands of disabled people who are calling for better access to beautiful beach locations, it seems that many more people of all abilities will be able to head to the beach.

10 . The MetroCard New York, a thin plastic rechargeable card, is a good option if you are planning to take a tour of New York and are looking for a simple and inexpensive way to get around!

Which to choose?

Depending on your preferences, you can choose among the following types of cards:

The pay-per-use card: Pay-per-ride MetroCard

A metro journey costs $ 3 (single fare), but with a Pay-per-ride MetroCard you will only pay $2. 75. Your card will be charged for each journey you make.

Note that a card can be used by up to 4 people-i. e. if you only have one card in your group of 4 people, you can access the subway or bus by swiping(刷卡) it 4 times. However, if there are 5 of you, you will need a second card: the Pay-per-ride MetroCard can only be swiped 4 times in a row.

The unlimited use payment card: Unlimited Ride MetroCard

The 7-day-unlimited MetroCard is valid(有效的) for 7 straight days. It costs $33. If you use public transport often during your stay, it will quickly become profitable! That’s why it’s the most commonly used card for tourists.

The 30-day-unlimited MetroCard is valid for 30 days. It costs $127. You have unlimited swipes on the subway and buses for 30 days, and you can’t pause it once started.

The One-year MetroCard is valid for a whole year, so it is of no interest to tourists.

How to use?

You have to swipe your MetroCard through the reader and then wait for the display to say “GO”. Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as it sounds at times. As with many other Metro passes, it can be kind of tricky at first, but if you can’t get it working, you are not alone. Just watch other people and do what they do.