A computer can get very hot when it works on a lot of programs. It can cost a lot to cool the computer. So some scientists want to know what would happen if the heat from the computer could be used.

    Large Internet companies such as Google and Microsoft have thousands of computers. As these computers deal with information， they produce lots of heat， so they need huge cooling systems. These systems send the heat into the air.

    A company in Holland thinks paying to make the computers work and then paying again to cool them are a waste of energy. So the company developed a special device—the e-Radiator.

    Boaz Leupe， head of the company， says that e-Radiator works as a heating system and saves money. He explains that the energy is used twice—once to heat the home and once to cool the computer and that the users don't have to pay to cool their computers.

    Five homeowners in Holland are testing the heating system in their homes.

    “We pay for the computer using， so， in that way， homeowners get heating for free.” Boaz says.

    Jan Visser is one of the homeowners. “If you use the computer more， the e-Radiator producers more heat，” he says， “It cannot provide enough heat if you don't use your computer often.” But he is ready to try it. It's a great help for his family.

    The company says e-Radiators produce heat temperatures of up to 55℃. It says the system could save its users about $440 a year.

    Some days, don't you think, "Wouldn't it be nice if the laundry would just do itself?” Self-cleaning clothes may sound crazy. But Australian researchers have found a way to make something like this possible!

    A team at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, found a way to put special nanostructures (纳米结构) into clothing, which can then clean the clothes. When sunlight hits the nanostructures, they break down the dirt and stains (污渍) that don't belong on your clothes.

    The nanostructures don't break down the actual clothing because cotton and the other clothing materials are too strong to be broken down. According to CNN, the researchers cover the clothing in a solution made of silver and copper (铜) nanostructures. All it takes is 40 minutes of sunlight and your clothes will look as good as new.

    So if you spill on yourself during lunch, you can step outside for a walk, and it will be clean by the time you go inside. It not only makes your life easier, but it can also be good for the environment.

    According to the US Department of Energy, the average load of laundry uses about 25 gallons (about 94 liters) of water. Water is a very important resource, so using less of it to wash clothes is better for the environment. But one of the scientists at RMIT University knows more needs to be done.

    “There's more work to do before we can start throwing out our washing machines,” said Dr Rajesh Ramanathan, “but this is a strong foundation (基础).”

    So what's the next step? Ramanathan wants to either start selling the solution by itself or convincing (说服) clothing makers to treat the clothing with the solution while clothes are being made.

    It is park at the bottom of the ocean. It's cold down there too. There's no air to breathe. The water pressure is high. There may be fishes that could hurt you. The deep sea can be an unpleasant place. But people are still fascinated by it, not just because of the amazing scenery. The seafloor might hold the secret to the beginning of life on Earth.

    Oceans cover more than two-thirds of our planet. Yet, we have explored just a small part of the underwater world. A new project is there to explore the ocean deeper. A new US machine can carry people down to as deep as 6,500 metres. It will take the place of an older machine called Alvin. The old one has been in use for 40 years, but it can only go down to 4,500 metres. Alvin played a key role in many important tasks. Alvin helped biologists collect worms, chemists gather rocks, and oceanographers (海洋学家) map the seafloor and take water sample (样本).

    But now it's about time for a new one. The new machine will be like Alvin. It'll also be about 27 feet long, about the size of a small school bus. The seating area inside will be small, about two metres wide. Like Alvin, it'll carry a pilot and two passengers. It will be able to move like Alvin does. It'll give passengers more chances to enjoy the view. Alvin has only three windows. The new one will have five. It will travel more than a mile an hour faster than Alvin. Getting to the bottom faster and moving around more quickly will allow researchers to make the most of their time underwater.

    Lidong usually comes on November 7 or November 8 every year. It is the Chinese word for one of the 24 solar terms(节气). It means the beginning of winter.

    As the weather gets colder and there is less sunlight, people might get sick easily. According to scientific research, adults usually have two to four colds each year, while young children suffer from six to eight colds each year, especially in winter months. One of the best ways to keep healthy during winter is to stay warm.

    There are many ways to stay warm. A living room should be around 18-21℃, and you can also use a hot water bottle to keep warm. Getting plenty of exercise is always a good idea to keep your blood moving. Food gives us energy and helps to warm us from the inside. Add some things to your winter dishes, such as pepper, ginger, and garlic. These things can make you warm. A winter coat warms you up from the outside. Add several layers(层) of thin clothing, for example, a shirt and a thin sweater, to stay even warmer. Clothes made from wool are usually very warm.

    How can you make winter days colorful? Is it too cold to play outside? Don't worry. Here are some tips for having fun at home. Give it a try!

    Enjoy a movie with your parents. There are a lot of choices, such as Spy Kids. You can also talk about the movie with your parents after it's over.

    Cook a meal with your parents. You can cook some simple dishes, such as eggs with tomato. You may need your mother's help for the first time.

    Read your favorite book. Reading is not only helpful for your writing ability, but can also help to build your character.

    We sometimes call the lion "the king of the forest", because it is stronger and more dangerous than other animals. It can 1 faster than many animals and hunt the best. It is the highest animal in the 2 food chain.

    In the sea, the shark is one of the animals at the top of the food chain. It can swim faster than 3 other sea animals, and it can use its big teeth to eat them.

    What is at the top of the world's food chain? People are! We are not the biggest or fastest, but we are the 4. We could not run faster than cheetahs(猎豹), so we 5 cars and now we can move the fastest. We could not fight better than lions, so we invented guns. Now we can hunt the best.

    People's inventions are clever, but they can be 6, too. For example, people built 7, and now they make the air and rivers dirty. This can make terrible changes. Dirty rivers kill fish. 8 bears cannot eat the fish. If we kill one part of the food chain, other parts also will die. Remember that we are a part of the food chain, 9 we are in danger, too! If we protect animals, we are protecting 10! We could and we should do something for the world!

    Some people wonder why countries spend millions of dollars on space projects. They want to know how space research helps people on Earth. Actually, space technology helps people on Earth every day. This is called "spinoff technology". Spinoff technology is space technology that is now used on Earth.

    In early space programs, such as the Apollo missions(任务) of the 1960s and 1970s, and in the space shuttle missions today, scientists developed objects for the astronauts to use on the moon and in space. We now use some of these objects every day. For example, we have Quartz clocks and watches with an accuracy of one minute a year. We purify the water we drink with a water filter(过滤器) designed for the astronauts' use in space. The cordless, hand-held tools we use in our homes, such as cleaners, flashlights, drills, and irons came from the technology of these early space programs.

    On cold winter days, we can stay warm with battery - operated shoes and socks, and insulated(绝缘的) coats and jackets. All of these clothes are similar to the spacesuit designs that keep astronauts comfortable in the temperatures of the moon, and are spinoffs from space technology.

    These products are only a few examples of the many ways space technology helps us in our everyday life. No one knows how new spinoff technology from the International Space Station will help us in the future.