A “lost tribe” that reached America from Australia may have been the first Native Americans, according to a new theory.

    If proved by DNA evidence, the theory will break long established beliefs about the southerly migration of people who entered America across the Bering Strait, found it empty and occupied it.

    On this theory rests the belief of Native Americans to have been the first true Americans. They would be classified to the ranks of escapee, beaten to the New World by Aboriginals (土著人) in boats.

    To a European, this may seem like an academic argument, but to Americans it is a philosophical question about identity, Silvia Gonzales, of Liverpool University said.

    Her claims are based on skeletons found in the California Peninsula of Mexico that have skulls quite unlike the broad Mongolian features of Native Americans. These narrow-skulled people have more in common with southern Asians, Aboriginal Australians and people of the South Pacific Region.

    The bones, stored at the National Museum of Anthropology (人类学) in Mexico City, have been carbon-dated and one is 12,700 years old, which places it several thousand years before the arrival of people from the North. “We think there were several migration waves into the Americas at different times by different human groups,” Dr. Gonzales said. “The timing, route and point of origin of the first colonization of the Americas remains a most contentious topic in human evolution.”

    But comparisons based on skull shape are not considered conclusive by anthropologists, so a team of Mexican and British scientists, backed by the Natural Environment Research Council, has also attempted to take out DNA from the bones. Dr. Gonzales declined yesterday to say exactly what the results were, as they need to be checked, but indicated that they were consistent (一致) with an Australian origin.

    Visitors must present all carried items for inspection upon entry. After inspection, all bags, backpacks, umbrella, parcels and other items as determined by security officers must be left at the checkrooms, free of charge, close to each entrance. All oversized bags, backpacks and luggage must be left at the checkrooms near the 4^th Street entrance of either the East or West Building. These items will have to be x-rayed before being accepted. Items of value, such as laptop computers, cameras and fur coats, may not be left in the checkrooms but may be carried into the gallery. We regret that the museum doesn't have enough space for visitors items larger than 17*26 inches in the gallery.

    Additional security procedures and checks may be taken according to the decision of the gallery.

    *For the safety of the artworks and other visitors, nothing may be carried on a visitor's back. Soft front-baby carriers are allowed, but children may not be carried on shoulders or in a child carrier worn on the back. Wheelchairs are available free of charge near each checkroom.

    *Smoking is prohibited. Food and drink are not permitted outside the food service areas. Unopened bottled water may be carried only in a visitor's bag. Cell phones may not be used in the gallery.

    *Animals, other than service animals, are not permitted.

    *Skateboarding is prohibited.

    *Picture-taking(including video) for personal use is permitted except in the special exhibits.

    *Please don't touch the works of art.

    It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word “congratulations”. I don't remember ever smiling so wide.

    Then I looked at my financial(财政的) package.

    The cost of Dream School's tuition(学费), room and board was around ＄40,000 ? An impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren't as famous as my first choice.

    In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn't sure what to do.

    One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents' financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.

    At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus (校园) including guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.

    As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out of that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years right there.

    In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream” university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me.

    Let me tell you, Johnson, this is going to be the biggest development in animal-imitative cybernetics (动物模仿控制学) since Hayes pioneered the field way back in 2014. Everybody's going to want a piece of my discovery! Everyone! Even United States of Earth Defense! I'm going to be the richest man alive!

    I can see you don't share my excitement yet. Just wait, old friend. Accompany me to my lab, and we will see who has the last laugh. You'll be begging me to take you on as a lab assistant after I...Oh, here we are. You first, my good man. You see, I had already come up with the perfect cybernetic engine, able to copy any life form. The question was, which creature would be the best show of my discovery? I've used a life form nobody's considered for cybernetics. It is powerful, graceful, intelligent, and best of all people love it. I chose the tiger!

    Go on, have a glance! Ha! Don't look so shocked, Johnson. I leave it powered down when I'm not testing it. It is rather great, though. Yes, all the latest technology, including claws (爪) I had made from vanadium alloy (合金). It cuts through steel like its wet cardboard. The process that I used to get its mind in the computer will be enough to ensure me fame and fortune.

    Huh? It did move, didn't it? I guess I left it on yesterday. No, don't look so nervous; I can shut off its main power with this remote (遥控器) right here. Nothing to worry about. I really don't think it's regarding you as a meal. Be reasonable, old...Oh, God! Johnson! The remote, where is it? Where?!

    Ah, there we go! Too late to save Johnson, though. What a pity. Better safe than sorry. There! God, what a mess. Even worse, I can't call the police now; the bad publicity would overshadow my breakthrough, and certainly frighten the investors. I've got to get rid of the body secretly, somehow. I could bury it, but I might be seen. I could burn it, but the smoke would be very doubtful. What to do?

    What to...

    I wonder...How fast can this cat eat?

    The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other forever. He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him.

    The next morning he said to the men, "Have you provided me with that sunset?"

    "No, sir," the men answered.

    The director was angry. "Why not?" he asked.

    "Well, sir," one of the men answered, "we're on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset."

    "But I want a sunset!" the director shouted. "Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one."

    But then a young secretary had an idea. "Why don't you photograph a sunrise," she suggested, "and then play it backwards? Then it'll look like a sunset."

    "That's a very good idea!" the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea."

    The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director. "Here it is, sir," they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased.

    They all went into the studio. "All right," the director explained, "now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the 'sunset' behind them."

    The "sunset" began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.

    The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.

    After attending another parent meeting about my 7-year-old child's behavior, I didn't know what to do. It was the second school we had tried for Nathan and, as always, everything was being done for my child's needs. It was also having bad influence on Nathan. He would come home and say, "Mom, I hate my life. I do not want to live any more." I was afraid that my son was beginning to suffer from depression(抑郁) and that I was losing him. We needed help.

    By the age of seven, Nathan had already had three surgeries (外科手术) for his ears. He was in great pain, which made it difficult for him to learn or pay attention. Despite Nathan's bad condition, the staff at two former schools seemed as if they didn't care. They often forgot to deal with his medication(药剂). As a result of many times of ear infections (感染), Nathan had hearing loss. To make things worse, Nathan's speech was not very good. Children would make fun of him and Nathan began to fall behind in study.

    When I first set foot into Ripley House Charter School, I knew this was the school for my son. It felt positive from the moment I entered. From the start, Mrs. Elsen and her staff heard my concern over Nathan. Mrs. Elsen dealt with my concern, not with empty words but with action.

    That day, Nathan came home from his first day of school saying, "Mom, I love school!" By the end of the week he was saying, "Mom, I like my life. I have a good life." Ripley House Charter School gave me my son back and saved our lives. Thank you for giving me back what we had lost—HOPE.