I am sorry that I haven't written this letter before now. It has taken me three years to gather the courage. I have started it so many times in my head, but was afraid that you would think it disrespectful of me to write to you. It does seem strange writing to someone I have never met, but part of me feels that I know you very, very well.

    We read your file one morning in September. We knew the contents would be difficult. Later that afternoon, we received the call from our social worker to tell us that you had passed away. Suddenly, we knew what we had to do.

    There was never any doubt. All I remember was a desire to protect this little boy, to give him the love and care he deserved. And really that was that; as far as we were concerned, David was now our son. There were further meetings, questions, paperwork, decisions, arrangements and preparations. Then, two months later, we met him for the first time. I hope the fact that I call him “our son” does not offend you. Sarah, you will always be his birth mother. But I make no apology in referring to him as our son.

    For the past three years, we have loved and cared for David. We have dealt with his anger, his confusion and his anxieties. David was taken away from you soon after his second birthday. I cannot imagine the pain that must have caused you. We know that you really wanted to be a good mother to David, but you could not cope when his father left.

    It is tragic that your life ended so early. I don't know how I will explain all these things to David as he grows up, or how he will explain his story and what happened to him during his early years. I hope that it does not cast a shadow over his life as his understanding deepens. I hope you can find comfort in the fact that, from all this pain, Sarah, you have given us the most wonderful gift – an amazing little boy who is completely fearless.

    It is so unfair that you did not receive the love and the warmth in your childhood that David now takes for granted. And although you never chose to hand your beautiful baby over, I can only feel gratitude towards you for this wonderful little boy who has made our lives complete.

    In a paper published in the journey Science Advance, researchers describe how Matabele ants, a species of large ant known for attacking termite colonies (白蚁群落), will, after the battle, pick up injured fellow soldiers and carry them back to the nest where they can recover.

    The paper is the latest in a growing body of research that this form of helping behavior, previously observed in some mammals and birds, may not require complex emotion, and may, therefore, be far more widespread in nature than previously thought.

    “Here we have an example of an individual saving another individual,” says lead researcher Erik Frank who conducted the research. “We can be quite certain that the ants don't know why they are doing what they are doing.”

    It's a behavior that pays off for the colony. Our classic conception of worker ants is that they are essentially abandoned, but Mr. Frank and his colleagues calculated that the practice of rescuing nest mates results in a colony size that is a 28.7 percent larger than it would be had the ants left their fellow soldiers for dead.

    “These injured ants are able to recover from their injuries, ” says Frank. “They are essential for the safety and the betterment of the colony. ”

    When a Matabele ant is injured, as often happens during battles with termites, its body will give off two smelly chemicals that tell other ants to carry it back to the nest. Indeed, the researchers found that using these chemicals to seek help from uninjured ants will effectively activate the rescue behavior, supporting their theory that the ants were acting on pure instinct(本能), not more complex emotions.

    “The more we study rescue behavior in ants and other animals, the more we are going to realize that it's not just limited to the species we've observed so far, ” says Karen Hollis, a professor at Mount Holyoke College, mentioning studies that found that dolphins help other injured dolphins to the surface for air, capuchin monkeys defend each other during intergroup battles, and rats free other rats that are trapped.

    The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure (冒险) parks, nature parks and so much more.

    There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you'll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas where they live.

    When you are on a bicycle, you have the advantage of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter way of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from passing it in a car.

    There are many choices of hiring (租用) a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many kinds and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike (双人单车), now is your chance, because they have those too.

    A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.

    Ever walked to the shops only to find, once there, you've completely forgotten what you went for? Or struggled to remember the name of an old friend? For years we've accepted that a forgetful brain is as much a part of aging as wrinkles and gray hair. But now a new book suggests that we've got it all wrong.

    According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age. In fact, she argues that some studies have found that our brain hits its peak between our 40s and 60s — much later than previously thought.

    Furthermore, rather than losing many brain cells as we age, we keep them, and even produce new ones well into middle age. For years it's been assumed that brain, much like the body, declines with age. But the longest, largest study into what happens to people as they age suggests otherwise.

    This continuing research has followed 6,000 people since 1956, testing them every seven years. It has found that on average, participants performed better on cognitive (认知的) tests in their 40s and 50s than they had done in their 20s. Specifically, older people did better on tests of vocabulary, verbal memory (how many words you can remember) and problem solving. Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed — how fast you can push a button when ordered. However, with more complex tasks such as problem-solving and language, we are at our best at middle age and beyond. In short, researchers are now coming up with scientific proof that we do get wiser with age.

    Neuroscientists are also finding that we are happier with aging. A recent US study found older people were much better at controlling and balancing their emotions. It is thought that when we're younger we need to focus more on the negative aspects of life in order to learn about the possible dangers in the world, but as we get older we've learned our lessons and are aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy.

    Many people, some even at a very young age, set the goal of graduating from college. One American woman in Texas waited a long time for her chance to reach that goal.

    The woman, 85-year-old Janet Fein, received her bachelor's degree (学士学位) from the University of Texas in December, 2018.

    Fein has had a full life. She raised five children and then had a career as a secretary (秘书) until she retired at age 77. But even then, she was not ready to take it easy and rest during a well-earned retirement. She decided to major in sociology (社会学).

    Fein grew up in the Bronx area of New York City. In high school, she just wanted to finish and get a job. After graduating early, at the age of 16, she went to work as a secretary.

    After getting married, she spent 18 years staying home with her children. She held several jobs throughout her life, including being a secretary at a Dallas hospital. That is the job she retired from in 2011. She received an associate degree (专科学位) in 1995. But she also wanted to earn a bachelor's degree. Fein took part in a state program that lets people who are 65 and older take free classes at public universities in Texas.

    She kept going to class even as her health condition worsened. During her studies, it became necessary for her to use a walker to get around and she needed oxygen (氧气) too. She also developed knee problems. So, Fein took online classes to finish the last part of her degree requirements.

    Renee Brown is one of Fein's care-givers. She says Fein has also inspired her. At 53, she plans to begin nursing school to further her career. Brown says Fein told her, "Renee, you can do it. If I can do it you also can do it, and you will feel so good about it. "

    Dearborn Heights, Michigan—2.7 million children under 18 have a parent in prison, and women put in local prisons are the fastest growing population. Shawna Reynolds has seen some of those women up close while working in the corrections system(劳教所) for 17 years, and she was encouraged to try something different.

    After seven years of education and collecting as much money as she could, Shawna created About Face Course Correction—a one-year rehabilitation program(康复项目) that offers a more personal way to help non-violent women prisoners. The program includes classes for women to finish their education, find a job and So on. "You can't expect people who have been in prison to stay in prison," Shawna says. "YOU want them to be helpful people but if you are not going to help them, it's not going to happen."

    The women live free for a year in a house in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Women like 20-year-old Jennifer Douglas, who dropped out of school, took drugs(吸毒), and has spent years in and out of prison. She says, "I was doing things I would never have thought I would do in my whole life. Because of About Face, Jennifer's life is changing. " "Everyone is starting to trust me again and proud of me and what I'm doing," she says. "It's helped me a lot. It has kept me on the right track."

    There are many other women like Jennifer. Every woman's story is different, but each woman is important. And Shawna is determined to break the cycle and help them turn their lives around. She is using her own money and donations to pay for the house and this program. If you would like to donate, please visit their Go Fund Me account here.