1 . Between the 16th and 17th century, the efforts of France’s Jesuits played a key role in the transportation of science and culture between China and the West. Their first mission to reach China dates back to 1552, when St. Francis Xavier arrived on a Chinese island. He died on the island a year later, having never reached the mainland. But three decades later, the Jesuits made a second and successful attempt. During their stay, the Jesuits introduced Western science, mathematics, astronomy, and visual arts to China and took part in philosophical conversations with representatives of Confucianism. Importantly, the Jesuits also took precious art and cultural artworks back to France. Their furniture, architecture and design all became influenced by the Chinese style.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the popularity of chinoiserie (中国风格) continued to increase, particularly in England. Many of the architectures were covered with chinoiserie wallpaper relating to flowers, birds and trees. But shortly after, the popularity began to wane. The appeal of China and East Asia had to compete with other tastes, such as Turkish, Egyptian and Greek.

The first three decades of the 20th century witnessed a revival (复兴) in the popularity of chinoiserie both in Europe and America. Chinese dragons were drawn on cushions, curtains and wallpaper, while Chinese coats and hairstyles proved popular with women. The style was associated with modernity and was a by-product of World War I. Chinoiserie was associated with wealthy, stylish women and attached itself to the boom in entertainment as people dressed up to visit cinemas.

In 2024, chinoiserie is making yet another comeback. The rise of social media and home blog lifestyle pages has seen demand increase for imitations (模仿) of Chinese artwork and furniture. But critics point out how much of it is based on an idea of Chinese art and design and who actually creates it.

4 . Dr. Joseph Dituri, who is 55 and known as “Dr. Deep Sea”, has just finished an amazing adventure. For 100 days, the University of South Florida scientist lived in a small room underwater. He set a new world record, beating the old record of 73 days.

The farther you go below the ocean’s surface, the greater the pressure. The mission, known as Project Neptune 100, was a scientific attempt to study the effects of living in a high-pressure environment for a continuous period. In his undersea room, Dr. Dituri was living with pressure that was about 66% greater than the pressure on the surface. He believed that high pressure could help people live longer and stay healthier as they get older and that it could also help doctors treat different medical problems, including brain injuries.

Actually, Dr. Dituri went through several big changes. For one thing, he became 1.3 centimeters shorter during his time at the higher pressure undersea. He was also able to sleep much better. His physical conditions greatly improved in a couple of other ways, too.

While he was living underwater, Dr. Dituri stayed busy. He used the project as an educational experience for the youth. “I have communicated with thousands of young people to get them interested in science, technology, engineering and math,” he said. He had online chats with over 5,500 students from 15 different countries. Meanwhile, he kept teaching his college classes and worked with other marine experts to figure out ways to protect and take care of the ocean.

Dr. Dituri said his favorite part of the project was talking with young people. “If we can get people excited about science, that would be a great success to me!” he said. “Maybe one day, one of them will come back and break the record I just set. My greatest hope is that I can inspire a new generation of researchers to push back the boundaries.”

5 . The design theory behind a pair of tiny robots may one day find its way into environmental monitoring, as well as search and-rescue tasks. Modeled after a water strider (水黾), an insect, the two robots each weigh in at 8 and 55 milligrams, and may mark the smallest, lightest, and fastest fully functional micro-robots in the world, according to Washington State University (WSU).

Developed by a team of WSU researchers, the robots’ tininess largely relies on a material known as a shape memory alloy (合金). Although shape memory alloys change form when heated, they can “remember” their original shapes and return to them after cooling. Because of this, the two micro-robots do not require standard motors, and they use light and small ones instead of bulky moving parts.

Both the robots’ motors are each made up of two shape memory alloys, allowing them to move their fins as fast as 40 times a second while also lifting over 150 times their weight. “They’re very technologically sound. The development of the very lightweight robots opens up new possibilities in micro-robotics,” said Conor Trygstad, a material engineering PhD student and study lead author. “Although the robots are impressive when compared to other robots, the pair still fall behind their biological relatives’,” Trygstad said. They can currently move at a speed of about six millimeters a second; a water strider, by comparison, speeds along at about a meter per second. For now, the robots also require wired (连线的) power sources, thus seriously preventing any real-world applications for the moment.

Going forward, however, the team plans to copy other small insect species while also creating a new water strider robot which can move at a higher speed. Depending on using small batteries could also greatly increase the robots’ areas of use, If the breakthrough designs continue improving, similar micro-robots could one day be employed to monitor hard-to-reachor dangerous environments.

7 . That rapidly expanding market has been built around seltzer water − a product favored by celebrities and influencers alike. Despite its growing popularity, seltzer water has some known disadvantages and plenty of advantages that consumers might want to be aware of.

Seltzer water, also called sparking water(气泡水) or bubbly water, “is created when carbon dioxide bubbles are added to still water,” says Jamie Bering, MD, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Indeed, it’s the injection of that carbon dioxide gas under pressure “that causes the bubbles and fizzy quality of seltzer water,” explain Jen Messer, a nutrition consultant at Jen Messer Nutrition. 

Though seltzer water is just as hydrating(补水) as regular water, it does have some advantages and disadvantages different than drinking tap water alone. Messer says that sparking water can be “more interesting, appealing and enjoyable than plain water” especially so because it often comes in “a wide variety of flavors.” 33 , “which makes seltzer water a good choice for those looking to reduce their calorie intake or avoid added sugars.” In this way, sparking water can also be a great way to transition away from soda. “Seltzer water can be used as a healthier alternative to drinking soda,” says Bering.

Lisa Young, a professor of nutrition at New York University, says that some people who drink the bubbly liquid “have also found that drinking seltzer water can also provide temporary relief from indigestion(消化不良).” 

But seltzer water has some disadvantages as well. For instance, Messer agrees that many people have reported that seltzer water can help with indigestion, but “interestingly, other individuals have found that seltzer water actually causes stomach discomfort such as bloating or gas.”

And Messer says the liquid isn’t great for anyone trying to reduce sodium(钠) in their diets. “Your favorite can of seltzer water may have 100 or 200 milligrams of sodium, which doesn’t seem like much, but it can really add up,” she says. That’s especially worth keeping in mind for people watching their blood pressure. 

Young says that because seltzer water is also acidic, “high consumption may affect the teeth over time.” In fact, not only can such acidity cause tooth decay, but people who drink a lot of seltzer water may also not be getting as much decay-preventing fluoride(氟化物) as people who drink tap water since fluoride is added to most supplies of drinking water in America.

10 . Looking at art should be like walking in the countryside. You may not know exactly where you are, what bird is making that strange sound, or what the hill ahead of you is called, but that’s part of the fun of it. You don’t need to know these things to feel the beauty of nature.

Of course, if you do know your birds, trees and local history, a walk can be more attractive. Yet such knowledge comes slowly. It is picked up through experience. A true knowledge of nature cannot just be given to you through an app on your phone. Imagine pointing your phone at the hill and getting plenty of information on screen. Would that enrich your dreamy walk or ruin (毁灭) it?

Braggarts enjoy an app that allows them to show off their knowledge, for example, about baroque (巴洛克风格的) paintings. In fact, apps in museums try to provide on-screen art history at once just to encourage people to read their phones instead of looking at paintings.

It is a mistaken idea that you need to be spoon-fed (灌输) amazing facts about a work of art in order to appreciate it. Our first experience of a work of art should be raw (自然状态的), unguided, and a bit puzzling, like following a path in the woods. Later, you might choose to do some personal research into the work. It can further increase your enjoyment and appreciation for it. Yet it is best done when you’re away from the art itself, so that even when you return, the work still feels fresh.

Anyone who thinks knowing some dates and details makes you better understand a work of art is wrong. We all need to put aside our screens and our supposed knowledge when we look at art. Let the paintings flow in;let your intuitions (直觉) fly off. Art is a journey in the wilderness or it is nothing at all.