1 . Fly on a lamp on a summer evening and, within minutes, insects will begin to gather near the lamp. This behavior has given rise to a popular simile (比喻) that describes attraction: “like a moth (蛾) to a flame.” Though insects have been “drawn” toward bright light sources for a long time, scientists never truly understood why. Now, they may finally have an answer.

Insects aren’t attracted to artificial lights, according to a new paper published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. Rather, the glow (光) might be interfering with their natural sense of direction. The insects you see circling street lights, in other words, are likely lost.

The new finding depends on a theory about navigation. When insects fly, they can experience whole body acceleration up to five times greater than the acceleration caused by gravity. As such, it can be difficult for them to know which way is up and which way is down as they fly through the air.

The study authors suspect insects rely on the glow coming from stars, planets and the moon to reorient (定方向) themselves. For most of Earth’s history, the sky was the brightest source of light at night, so flying insects turned their bodies to make their backs face skyward. But then, artificial light entered the picture.

To reach these conclusions, scientists used high-resolution cameras to film insects flying around artificial lights in Costa Rica. They also attached tiny sensors to dragonflies and moths, then filmed motion-capture videos of them in flight. Together, these methods allowed researchers to slow down the insects’ normally fast pace and study their movements in greater detail. The footage showed insects turning their backs toward sources of artificial light — even at the price of crashing.

If the light’s above them, they might start orbiting it. When they fly directly over a light, they fly themselves upside down and that can lead to crashes. It really suggests that the moth is confused as to which way is up. After running some experiments, researchers determined that light shining straight down provided the least disruption to insects’ flight. Lights that pointed straight up, on the other hand, caused the most difficulties.

2 . Recently, a research team from Nanjing Agriculural University has rolled out Xunzi — a large language model (LLM)

Wang Dongbo, the leader of the research team, said that the large language model was named after Xunzi because Xunzi was not only an outstanding Confucian philosopher during the late Warring States Period (475 — 221 BC), but also a pioneer in presenting and explaining theories of linguistics in ancient China.

When asked why he and his team made the large language model, Wang explained, “Traditional Chinese characters, vertical layout (竖版), the absence of pausing and punctuation are all barriers that readers have to overcome when they read traditional texts.”

To create Xunzi the LLM,Wang and his team first needed to do a lot of research. Since 2013, his team has worked tirelessly to digitize Chinese classics like the Siku Quanshu.

“The hard work involves a large-scale corpus (语料库) of two billion Chinese characters, which has laid a solid foundation for the large language model,” said Wang. But their efforts seem to have paid off.

Now Xunzi the LLM can tag (标记), translate, punctuate, and understand scraps (片段) of ancient Chinese texts. It can even do part-of-speech analysis and retrieve (检索) specific information, such as names, events, and places from a text.

Through Xunzi's retrieval function,users can get more specifie cultural information. “The model can help us mine for more information hidden in our cultural legacy and find unnoticed models and connections,” said Wang. But Wang and his team aren't simply focused on target users in China. They are aiming at the rest of the world as well. They have shared the LLM on GitHub and other websites, allowing users to download and use it for free.

“Our team is committed to the philosophy of making our data and model globally accessible. We hope this will encourage more people to appreciate traditional Chinese culture,” Wang explained.

3 . Every year, about 15 billion trees are cut down to make way for agriculture, mining, logging. and urban expansion. Such mass deforestation has accelerated global warming and endangered the survival of millions of species. Though many nations, organizations, and even individuals have tried, no one could plant enough trees to make up for that loss — but some innovative entrepreneurs are working on a high-tech solution.

BioCarbon Engineering (BCE), a U.K.-based start-up, has developed a technique that could plant one billion trees per year. The method? Drones (无人机). Current tree-planting programs "are just not fast enough," said Irina Fedorenko, a co-founder of the company. "But our technology is automated, so we can scale up quite realistically and quite quickly."

First, a drone scans the land and develops a 3-D map of the area. Then, using the data from this "smart map", the team develops an algorithm (算法) for a unique planting pattern. A drone uses the algorithm to carry out the planting strategy. The drone flies about six feet above the ground, firing growing seeds at a speed that will get them under the soil. The species planted by drone has a better survival rate than helicopter spreading that's more commonly used. Some species even have survival rates nearly identical to hand planting.

With GPS and imaging technologies, experts agree that drones have become useful for accurately mapping large areas of land and measuring tree growth. But some scientists are more skeptical about their success as a planting technology to tackle deforestation on a large scale. After all, they only have so much range and battery life.

"Drones are good for measuring secondary growth and looking at where the forest is coming back, but you fight deforestation at a socioeconomic level," says Arturo Sanchez, director of the University of Alberta's Center for Earth Observation and Sciences. "The issue of climate change is not forest restoration, the issue is energy. It is controlling coal plants, power plants, automobile emissions. Planting trees is very important, but when you look at the distribution of CO₂ emissions, deforestation accounts for 10 to 15 percent. The rest is energy. That's what needs to be controlled."

4 . In a heartwarming display of community spirit, six student lacrosse (长曲棍球) players from Roslyn High School in New York have come together to make sports more accessible for people with disabilities. The initiative, dubbed" Lacrosse My Heart," was started by a group of teenagers who were inspired to create a more inclusive environment for their peers with disabilities.

The program focuses on adapting lacrosse, a popular sport in the area, to meet the needs of individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities. The students have designed specialized equipment and rules to ensure that everyone can participate, regardless of their abilities. For example, they have created larger goals and lighter balls to make scoring easier, and have implemented modifications such as allowing players to use their hands to catch and throw the ball. These adaptations have made the sport more accessible and enjoyable for all participants.

The program has gained significant support from the local community, with many schools and organizations donating resources and volunteering their time. The students have also received guidance from experts in adapted physical education, ensuring that the program is safe and enjoyable for all participants. This collaboration has helped to create a program that is both inclusive and beneficial for everyone involved.

One of the key aspects of Lacrosse My Heart is its emphasis on building relationships between able-bodied students and those with disabilities. The founders wanted to create an environment where kids with disabilities could feel included and build friendships with their peers. This approach has been successful, with participants reporting increased confidence and social skills.

Lacrosse My Heart is not only providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in sports but also promoting understanding and acceptance among young people. By creating a welcoming environment and adapting sports to meet individual needs, these high school students are breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of community that goes beyond the playing field. Their efforts are not only changing lives but also inspiring others to create more inclusive spaces for individuals with disabilities.

5 . CitySprouts is a non-profit school garden program that works with public schools to build capacity to integrate the school garden into teaching curriculum and the school culture. CitySprouts Summer Program is based in Cambridge and provides 100 youth (ages 11-14) with hands-on learning through growing, harvesting, preparing and eating healthy food in an urban garden. With an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the summer program fosters a strong connection to their natural urban environment through working and learning in the garden.

CitySprouts is seeking energetic, diverse, and outgoing college students to provide essential support to the Summer Program. We expect to accept 8-10 students as CitySprouts Summer Fellows for nine weeks during the summer. CitySprouts Summer Fellows can expect a significant learning opportunity as well as opportunities for career exploration.

Summer Fellow Responsibilities:

·Participate in weekly staff meetings

·Maintain safety during youth meal preparation

·Complete special garden maintenance and construction projects with garden crew

·Engage in daily lesson and activity planning in STEM-SL curriculum, gardening skills and cooking

·Assist the Garden Coordinator in teaching a team of summer middle school interns about growing food, garden care, healthy cooking, science of the garden, and the natural environment

Important Notes:

Fellows are central to our summer staffing and the success of our summer youth program, so we ask for a commitment to the full-nine week time period. The CitySprouts Summer Fellowship is an unpaid position. We ask all Fellows to either secure funding through their schools service learning & career center or receive internship credits from their college or university.

Please click here to include two references that can speak to your work or school experience. Please send one page application resumetomiddleschoolprogram@citysprouts.org .

7 . Discovering your passion is a journey of self-exploration and understanding. It involves delving into your innermost thoughts and feelings to find what truly ignites (点燃) your spark.     1    .

Reflect on your experiences

Look back on your life and identify moments that have brought you joy, fulfillment, or a sense of purpose. Think about the activities, people, or causes that have excited you in the past.     2    .

    3    

Experiment with new hobbies, skills, or activities. Try something that piques (激起) your curiosity or that you’ve always been interested in but never had the chance to explore. This could be anything from learning a new language to taking up a sport or trying an artistic medium.

Listen to your emotions

    4    . What activities or moments make you feel alive, excited, or fulfilled? What causes your heart to race or your eyes to sparkle? These are clues to your passion.

Surround yourself with supportive people

Seek out individuals who are passionate about their lives and who can inspire and encourage you. Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, or mentors who can provide guidance and encouragement on your journey.

Embrace failure and setbacks

Discovering your passion isn’t always a smooth process.     5    . Don’t let these discourage you. Embrace the challenges and learn from them. Use them as opportunities to grow and refine your understanding of what truly ignites your passion.

9 . The Best Bike Tours in Barcelona

Duration: 3 hours

Your ride for the day is a beautiful handmade bamboo bicycle that will make you stand out among other cyclists! You can explore the colorful legacy (遗产) of street art and graffiti (涂鸦) in the Catalan capital, most of which can be found in the former industrial district of Poblenou.

Duration: 2.5 hours

Fancy a glass of wine in the very bar where Picasso staged his first art exhibition and the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca hung out with his friends? On this small-group tour, you’ll not only enjoy a wonderful bike ride around Barcelona’s Old Town but also get to stop for wine tasting at the famous Els 4Gats café restaurant, which first opened in 1897.

Duration: 3 hours

The Hidden Parks & Playas Tour is a relaxed trip through the fashionable and relaxing district in Barcelona, which is full of urban parks and enjoys a long stretch of golden beaches. It is perfect for a cool afternoon cycle.

Duration: 4 hours

You can’t leave Barcelona without visiting Gaudi’s Park Guell. So why not jump on the only bike tour that takes you there? The park is packed with interesting features and the views over the city are exciting. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of this Gaudi Life & Legacy Tour that takes you to all of the architect’s greatest works, from his unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Família (unmissable!), to the UNESCO-listed mansions (大厦)Casa Milà and Casa Batlló.

10 . The aim of establishing school rules and regulations is to encourage good behavior, teach students self discipline (自律), and maintain a harmonious learning environment to match the image and reputation of our school. School rules and regulations are applicable to all students.

Role of the parents

The primary duty and responsibility of the parents is to educate their children by example to respect the dignity of others, They are also very influential in developing among their children the virtues of love, justice generosity, industry and honesty which are important to their lives.

Attendance and punctuality

School schedule: Students should be in their classrooms prepared to work by 7: 30 am. Regular attendance and punctuality are important for the academic progress of the students. Students must be regular in their attendance and have at least 80% attendance in order to sit for tests and examinations. Absence lasting for more than three days has to be accompanied by a medical certificate.

Language

English is the only language to be used by students in school (except during the other language lessons).

Discipline

One of the most important aspects of education is discipline, which is the training that develops self-control, orderliness, efficiency, and character. The basis of all discipline is the principle of respect — respect for one’s self，for others, and for all children.

In order to form proper habits and attitudes, the following rules for good conduct are expected to be followed by every student:

•Respect for all school property (所有物) and the school uniform;

•Observe silence in specific areas;

•During school hours, students are required to be in their respective (各自的) classrooms;

•Possession and use of cell phones are strictly prohibited in the school.