2 . On July 28, I retired from my position. After teaching for many years, I looked forward to kayaking (划独木舟) with my grandsons, seeing friends and traveling for leisure with my husband. But my body had other plans for me. A broken spine (脊椎) in my back took me down a path that upended my plans.

I have long had back pain. However, I pushed through the pain to do my work, which worsened my condition. Doctors urged an operation when increased disability meant I could not sit, stand or walk for a long time. But I wanted to see whether physical therapy (治疗) could create an easier option.

Indeed, hard work with a great physical therapist has let me improve my mobility, sitting and standing. But X-rays told a different story. My spine was unstable and bending. After careful consideration and a second opinion from another professional, I agreed to surgery yet in the near term. Needless to say, the past months have been tough and the way ahead will be even tougher. Kayaking with my grandsons in the peacefulness of the lake is all out of reach, for now.

When I met my physical therapist for the first time, I was a mess. He listened to me outline my history with tears and then calmly said, “You have to make friends with your body.” I have repeated that line to myself daily and worked to embrace my body. I have focused on gratitude. I’m grateful that I do not have a fatal disease. I’m grateful that the body I have remains alert to the world, loved by family and friends. I’m grateful that I am still myself.

I don’t know exactly how the future will play out. The surgeon assures me that I should be able to get in my kayak by summer. But I may have to make friends with a different body, one that is mine regardless of the shape.

3 . If there was an app on your phone that claimed to improve your memory, would you be willing to try it? It’s hard to resist the idea of having a better memory. After all, our memories are delicate and can be affected by various factors such as diseases, injuries, mental health conditions, and aging.

In response to this perceived need, the brain training industry has grown rapidly, offering a wide range of accessible and affordable mental exercises through smartphone and tablet apps. Many researchers have found evidence suggesting that well-designed exercises can improve mental abilities and even lead to better scores on IQ tests. They compare the brain to muscles, suggesting that targeted repetition of memory exercises can strengthen and condition our memory processes, similar to how athletes engage in strength and conditioning by repeatedly exercising specific muscle groups.

In contrast to everyday activities like reading a detailed article or solving a complex puzzle, memory training apps are specifically designed to provide a more challenging workout for the brain. These apps typically involve tasks that require tracking a large number of objects while being distracted by a secondary task, such as mental calculations or exploring a game’s landscape. If this brain training proves effective, it could be beneficial for individuals with brain-related disabilities or those recovering from conditions like cancer.

Critics, though, argue that while the concept is appealing, the overall evidence fails to demonstrate significant improvement in core brain processes. Additionally, despite the claims made by many apps and brain training companies, scientists have yet to identify the key factors that make an intervention truly effective or determine the best approaches to address the diverse needs of individuals seeking help.

While the question is still open to debate, there is evidence suggesting that short-term working memory training can benefit high-functioning individuals, such as college students. However, it’s important to note that brain training, like diet and exercise, is unlikely to have identical effects on every individual.

7 . The vision of a completely blind man has been partially restored using light - sensing proteins first found in algae (藻). He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa 40 years ago. When he was treated with optogenetics (光遗传学), which uses light to control precisely the activity of brain cells, the ability of one of his eyes to detect light was restored.

The first step in the treatment was gene therapy (治疗). The genetic instructions for making the light - sensing proteins were taken from algae and given to cells in the deep surviving layers of the retina at the back of his eye. Now when they were hit with light they would send an electrical signal to the brain. However, they would respond only to amber light, so the patient wore a pair of goggles (protective glasses) with a video camera on the front and a projector on the back, to capture what was happening in the real world and project a version in the right wavelength onto the back of the eye. It took months for high enough levels of the rhodopsins to build up in the eye and for the brain essentially to learn a new language to be able to see again.

The man first knew it was working when he realized he could see the painted stripes of a crossing. He can now grab and count objects on a table, Nature Medicine reports. Dr Jose - Alain Sahel, from the Institute of Vision, in Paris, said: "This patient initially was a bit frustrated because it took a long time between the injection and the time he started to see something. But when he started to report he was able to see the white lines to come across the street you can imagine he was very excited. We were all excited.”

Prof Botond Roska, from the University of Basel, said: “The findings provide proof - of - concept that using optogenetic therapy to partially restore vision is possible.”

8 . Sneezing is one of the many wonders of the human body and one of our protective reflexes (反射动作). When something stimulates the inside of our nose - such as dust or pollen - the tiny nerve endings inside our nose send a message to our brain that in turn sends out messages to many parts of our body to release the sneeze.

Sometimes you feel the urge to sneeze when you're in a meeting or during the quiet part of a play or concert. You might do your best to stifle the reflex so you don't sneeze. But it's better to interrupt your coworkers and seatmates than risk health consequences, say researchers.

According to a case described in the journal BMJ Case Reports, a 34 - year - old in Leicester in the U. K. ended up hurting his throat while trying to hold in a forceful sneeze. The man said he felt a “popping” sensation in his neck after pinching (捏) his nose and holding his mouth closed to stop a sneeze. The pressure didn't have anywhere to go, so it tore the soft tissue. The man had to be fed by a tube after the incident and eventually made a full recovery.

I know all sorts of sneezers, quiet ones and loud ones. Each person is different. As Dr. Mitchell Grayson, a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, explains, “Some people have bouts (一阵) of sneezing. It's a neurologic reflex, and it depends on the person. Some people may have 10 to 20 sneezes in a row.” It usually depends on the level of irritation in your nose, because you'll keep sneezing until you get it out.

The saying that your eyes will pop out of your head if you sneeze with them open is false. Our eyes shutting tight when we sneeze is simply a reflex, much like our leg going up when our knee is tapped. It doesn't really have a good reason 一 it just happens.

9 . Ways to protect eyes from screens

Too much screen time may cause serious eye strain (眼疲劳) and even a sharp decline of eyesight. That's a big problem a lot of people are faced with nowadays, especially those who work on a computer. The following tips may be helpful.

Get regular eye tests

Experts recommend having a comprehensive eye exam every year to detect (探测) problems before they develop. During this test, you should tell the doctor how often you use your phone and your computer.     1     Tell your doctor about it, and your eyes can be tested more accurately at that distance.

Give your eyes space

    2     Studies on computer-related eye strain suggest that screens should be no closer than 40 cm from your face. If this makes it hard for you to read, consider increasing the size of the text rather than moving the screen closer.

Take breaks

This may not always be practical if you're quite busy, but it's important not to stare directly at a screen for too long.     3     While surveys have shown that many office workers take no more than half an hour a day away from their computer, it's recommended that you take a 15-minute break after every two hours spent at your screen.

    4    

Staring at a screen continuously for hours on end may make it difficult for you to focus. To avoid this, many eye experts recommend the “20-20-20 rule” — looking away from your phone/computer screen every 20 minutes and focusing on an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. The science behind his trick is that looking at objects at a distance relaxes the focusing muscle in the eye.     5