I have learned something about myself since I moved from Long Island to Florida three years ago. Even though I own a home in Port St. Lucie just minutes from the ocean, an uncontrollable urge wells up to return to Long Island even as others make their way south. I guess I am a snowbird stuck in reverse. Instead of enjoying Florida's mild winters, I willingly endure the severe weather on Long Island, the place I called home for 65 years.

    I'm like a migratory bird (候鸟) that has lost its sense of timing and direction, my wings flapping against season.

    So what makes me fly against the tide of snowbirds? The answer has a lot to do with my reluctance to give up the things that define who I am. Once I hear that the temperature on Long Island has dipped into the range of 40 to 50 degrees, I begin to long for the sight and crackling sound of a wood fire. I also long for the bright display of colors—first in the fall trees, and then in the lights around homes and at Rockefeller Center. Floridians decorate, too, but can't create the special feel of a New England winter.

    I suppose the biggest reason why I return is to celebrate the holidays with people I haven't seen in months. What could be better than sitting with family and friends for a Thanksgiving turkey dinner, or watching neighbors' children excitedly open gifts on Christmas? Even the first snowfall seems special. I especially enjoy seeing a bright red bird settling on a snow-covered branch. (My wife and 1 spend winters at a retirement community in Ridge, and I'm grateful that I don't have to shovel.)

    While these simple pleasures are not unique to Long Island, they are some of the reasons why I come back. Who says you can't go home?

    It used to be a matter of fact when Peter Pan – a character from James Matthew Barrie's 1911 book – said: “All children, except one, grow up.”

    But this “fact” doesn't seem to apply to today's world anymore.

    According to the NPD Group, a US market research company, sales of toys to adults in the UK increased by more than 20 percent in 2016, three times the pace of the children's toy market itself. These toys ranged from puzzles and Lego building sets to vehicle models and action figures. And more than half of the sales came from millennials – people born between the 1980s and 2000s.

    “Adults of the 21st century are channeling (疏导) their inner child, one toy at a time,” commented website Koreaboo. This is also why these adults are sometimes referred to as “kidults”.

    According to Frederique Tutt, an analyst at NPD, the motivation of these grown-ups is to escape the stress of today's fast-paced world. They are driven toward the more immediate pleasures brought by toys than those brought by, say, getting a promotion, which is far less easy to achieve.

    “It reminds me of the playful side of life,” Rob Willner, a 25-year-old PhD student in the UK, told The Telegraph when talking about his love for Lego, which he said brings him both comfort and entertainment.

    Despite this, some social scientists see the trend as disturbing. To Frank Furendi, a professor at the University of Kent in the UK, the fact that so many adults are pursuing “the thrills (刺激) of youth” is the evidence that “adulthood has got nothing attractive about it anymore”, he told The New York Times.u “That's actually quite sad.”

    But scientists are probably just worrying too much. According to Canadian comic book artist Todd McFarlane, collecting toys could simply be a way for people to express their individuality (个性).

    “It's just pop culture stuff. It's stuff that says, 'I like a little of this and I like a little of that',” he told ABC News. “[It's] no big deal.”

    So now that over 100 years have passed since Peter Pan, perhaps it's time to introduce a new “fact”, as stated in the tagline (品牌宣传词) of the UK fashion brand KIDULT: “Growing old is mandatory (强制性的), but growing up is optional.”

B

    Researchers say they have created a new super-tough material in the laboratory. It is stronger, lighter and costs less than steel. But the new material is not a product of high technology. It is wood. Researcher Liangbing Hu says that it can compete with some of the world's strongest materials or even replace steel.

    The product is called Super Wood. It doesn't require any special raw, unprocessed material. That means the cost of the product will be relatively low.Hu said, “We can start with very cheap wood, and also very fancy, expensive wood. But in the end, we get very similar performance.”

    Super Wood is made by partially removing a natural polymer called lignin（木质素）. Hu explained, “Lignin is like glue to hold all the parts together in natural wood. To be able to densify（增密）the wood completely, some of the lignin has to be removed. “Strong chemicals are put on the wood to remove about half of its lignin. Then, after being left in extreme heat and pressurized for a day, the treated wood is ready.

    The wood is strong enough to build automobiles, airplanes, wind turbines and more. Researchers are finding many new ways to use wood, including creating batteries and see-through wood and paper.Hu said, “Wood has been existing on Earth for more than a million years. And human beings have been using wood for furniture, construction for more than 10 thousand years. And the more we worked on this material, we realized, we have never fully exhausted the potential of this amazing material.”

    From roller coasters to adventure tours performances to experiments, there are plenty of exciting attractions in the UK. Here is our pick of the best attractions that children can visit.

    The Natural History Museum

Why go: This really is the grandfather of all London museums—the beauty of the building and the amazing exhibits. Look out for the whale skeleton(骨架) occupying the entry hall, but don't miss the largest piece of gold (or a model of it) in the minerals gallery. You can easily spend a day here—tasty steaks, sandwiches and pizzas. Try to avoid weekends, because the crowds are larger

    Best for: Children aged 5 and over. If time is limited, families should go quickly and directly towards the dinosaur gallery, because it's really wonderful.

    Details: Entry is free, although there is a charge for some temporary exhibitions

    Legoland

    Why go: Some 80 million Lego bricks have gone into the creation of this colourful park. There are thrilling rides and countless ways to spend money in shops. Yes, the queues can be long (unless you pay extra for the queue-jumping equipment, which is useful though it does not cover all rides)

    Best for: Legoland is aimed at children under10s, with pre-schoolers particularly well catered for in Duplo Valley

    Details: ￡32 per person; under 3s go free. 25 per cent discount for booking online more than seven days in advance.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London —The Making of Harry Potter

    Why go: You've read the books, you've watched the films, but no Harry Potter fan will want to miss the chance to go behind the scenes at the film studios where all eight of the movies were made. Sharing the secrets behind the most successful film series of all time and yet still managing to keep the sense of magic alive, this studio tour gives visitors access to two locations filled with original sets and costumes

    Best for: Children aged 7 and over, and anyone with an interest in filmmaking

    Details: ￡39 adults; ￡31 children; under 4s go free

    Three-quarters of the world's coffee farms destroy forest habitat to grow coffee in the sun and typically use harmful pesticides (杀虫剂) and chemicals that poison the environment. When forests disappear, migratory (迁徙的) songbirds disappear, too. In order to deal with severe population and habitat loss, Smithsonian scientists created the Bird Friendly certification.

    Bird Friendly coffees are shade-grown, meaning the coffee is planted under trees, rather than on the land that has been cleared of all other plants. Coffee experts say shade-grown coffees taste better, because the beans ripen slower than coffee grown in the full sun, resulting in a richer, more complex flavor. Bird Friendly certified coffees grow under bio-diverse shade that provides habitat for migratory songbirds and other wildlife, stores carbon and fights climate change. Bird Friendly coffees are also certified organic, meaning they are grown without pesticides, which is better for people and for the planet.

    Bird Friendly producers can also earn more for their crops. The wood and fruit trees on shade coffee farms provide farmers with additional income. Every cup of Bird Friendly coffee purchased rewards these farmers with a little more money for being good stewards of the environment and encourages them to continue conserving Bird Friendly habitat.

    Buying Bird Friendly supports the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's conservation research aimed at understanding and protecting your feathered friends. You can purchase Bird Friendly certified coffees around the world and protect wildlife and habitat with every cup. Find a store or cafe near you, or better yet, have it shipped to your door when you order online.

    Many people find that music lifts their spirits. Now a new research shows that music therapy (疗法) can be a useful treatment for depression.

    The finding that music therapy offers a real medical benefit to depression sufferers comes from a review by the Cochrane Collaboration, a non-profit group that reviews health care issues. Some studies looked at the effects of providing music therapy to patients who were receiving drug treatment for depression. Others compared music therapy to traditional talk therapy. In four out of five of the trials, music therapy worked better at easing depression symptoms than therapies that did not employ music, the researchers found.

    “While the evidence came from a few small studies, it suggests that this is an area that is well worth further investigation.” said lead author Anna Maratos. Ms. Maratos notes that music therapy might be particularly useful for adolescents who may reject a traditional form of counseling. Some older patients also may not be comfortable talking about their feelings but do tend to express themselves through songs.

    There are two main types of music therapy. Sometimes, a therapist will listen to music with a patient and talk about the feelings or memories that it arouses. In another form, the therapist is a skilled musician and will improvise (即兴创作) music with the patient. If the patient doesn't play an instrument, he or she might be given a simple percussion (击打) instrument and the therapist will play along.

    Other studies have shown a benefit from music therapy in the treatment for dementia, learning disabilities, strokes and pain management during labor and birth. The problem is that there isn't very much high-quality research. "It doesn't easily attract serious research funding. It's difficult to do high-quality, large-scale trials." said Ms. Maratos.