Climbing Without Ropes

    The popular image of the mountain climber is of a person carefully climbing a steep cliff with a network of safety ropes, but it is not the only kind. Many climbers now enjoy bouldering. It's more accessible and better for the environment.

    Here is an example of a climber addressing a bouldering problem.

    Figure 1: The climber has two routes she could take, one to the left and one to the right. The left one appears easier because it has a jug within easy reach, but look what happens if she chooses that direction. She gets stuck on the rock and has to go back down. Sometimes that is even more difficult than going up.

    Figure 2: The climber takes the one to the right this time. Using a foothold and placing her right hand in a crimp, she is able to lift herself up and locate other handholds. After only a few moves, she is able to throw her leg over the top of the boulder and pull herself up.

    Researchers are trying to figure out exactly when and where a lizard got trapped in the sap(汁、液) of a tree. Over time, the tree sap turned into amber (琥珀), preserving the lizard's mains, which a man discovered and donated to the Miller Museum of geology at Queen's University. But the man didn't report the amber's age and where he got it.

    “The man who donated it died, unfortunately,” said Ellen Handyside, an undergraduate student at Queen's University. “We are really starting from scratch in determining its history Ellen Handyside is leading the research into the amber-surrounded lizard. She and her colleagues analyzed the chemical composition of the 4.7-inch -long piece of amber and learned some facts. “The amber wasn't actually artificial,” she told Live Science, “and we found that it did match up quite well to an amber sample.”

    The researchers analyzed the amber's carbon and hydrogen isotopes(同位素) and the results indicated that the amber was formed from the sap of a flowering tree. Moreover, the results suggested that the tree and the lizard, for that matter, lived in an area with a lot of rainfall and dated to the Neogene, a period that lasted from the end of the Paleogene Period 23.03 million years ago to the beginning of the present Quatemary Period. Next, the scientific team realized that the 2.7-inch-long lizard was likely a gecko(壁虎), according to a detailed, 3D, digital model of the animal's body that the researchers created through X-ray microscopy scans.

“We looked at the skull —the teeth are in place and the ear bones are there too. And we've even got some flesh, skin and its long toes,” Handyside said. “It's fantastic!” She said she hoped that they could figure out how the creature fit into the gecko family tree. “When you think of a gecko, you think of short and fat toes and sticky pads. That isn't what we're looking at, but it's more likely to live in trees. If it were a tree-living creature, then its death actually could make more sense,” Handyside said.

    Camping wild is a wonderful way to experience the natural world and, at its best, it makes little environmental influence. But with increasing numbers of people wanting to escape into the wilderness, it is becoming more and more important to camp unobtrusively (不引人注目地) and leave no mark.

    Wild camping is not permitted in many places, particularly in crowded low—land Britain. Wherever you are, find out about organizations responsible for managing wild spaces, and contact them to find out their policy on camping and shelter building. For example, it is fine to camp wild in remote parts of Scotland, but in England you must ask the landowner's permission, except in national parks.

    Camping is about having relaxation, sleeping outdoors, experiencing bad weather, and making do without modem conveniences. A busy, fully—equipped campsite (野营地) seems to go against this, so seek out smaller, more remote places with easy access to open spaces and perhaps beaches. Better still, find a campsite with no road access; walking in makes a real adventure.

    Finding the right spot to camp is the first step to guaranteeing a good night's sleep. Choose a campsite with privacy and minimum influence on others and the environment. Try to use an area where people have obviously camped before rather than creating a new spot. When camping in woodland, avoid standing dead trees, which may fall on a windy night. Avoid animal runs and caves, and possible homes of biting insects. Make sure you have most protection on the windward side. If you make a fire, do so downwind of your shelter. Always consider what influence you might have on the natural world. Avoid damaging plants. A good campsite is found, not made—changing it should be unnecessary.

    In my generation, most people assume. We assume that after getting a driver's license, we should see a brand new car sitting in our driveway. We assume that the latest iPhone product should be in our hands as soon as something goes wrong with our old one. We also assume that college, being as expensive as it is, is given. However, what we don't realize is that all of these things are very special privileges.

    New cars, the latest technology and college fees are something that most people have in the place where I live. I'm not necessarily complaining about this. I live in a very fortunate area, and I try to remind myself of that every day.

    Getting nice things is great, but sometimes, the competition that rules our lives gets too fierce. When someone else gets something great, you begin to think, "Why can't I have that?" When everyone around you goes to college, you think that one day you will obviously do the same, because who doesn't?

    Even now, being almost done with my first year of college, I constantly see people who forget why we're here, and how lucky we are to be on this campus. All of the distractions can surely keep you from doing your best, and they can easily make you forget your real purpose at college. The parties, friends, events, and overall social life can move you into a never-ending whirlpool (旋涡）of not doing schoolwork. Having fun is a part of life, but balance is the key when it comes to college.

    Appreciation nowadays is slowly fading into a distant thought. We constantly forget how lucky we are to have the things and the life that we do. Surely, who doesn't dream of a new car waiting for them, or that brand new iPhone that you see in all of the commercials? But wanting something is different from expecting it. Setting yourself up with an "I should get this" attitude will only push appreciation further away.

    Appreciate what you have, but don't expect what you don't have. Say thank you to those who help and support you, and realize that whoever you are, you're lucky in a great way.

    Imagine possessing something that you loved so much. Imagine what it would feel like if you lost it. While that item may be something as simple as a doll, you would still feel very upset, but you could replace it with a new one. Now imagine losing something that you depend on for survival and cannot be replaced. That is what it would be like if we lost the natural environment around us.

    Firstly, I believe the environment should be preserved because it supports human life. One of the largest examples is that we get all of our food and drinks from the environment. If the environment were to be destroyed beyond revival, then the human race would be over in months. Scientists have yet to find another planet with similar conditions to the Earth, and if it's found, we don't have the technology to get to that planet on time.

    Secondly, I believe that the environment serves as an amazing educational tool for students. When I was in second grade, I had an absolute interest in animals. When we had a field trip to the Daggerwing Nature Center, I was very excited. When we got there, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. There was a bridge to get to the main building, and under the bridge was a small swamp (沼泽) with turtles, fish, and my personal favorite, alligators. I was so surprised that I almost ran into the tour guide. We walked into the building and saw various animals in their habitats. I was so inspired by this visit. Six years later, I have taken an animal behavior class for three weeks. Meeting by chance with the environment can inspire people, and if preserved it will continue to inspire people.

    In conclusion, the environment is so valuable because it can't be replaced, keeps us alive, and serves as a great educational tool.

    We are lucky to live in a world that is full of incredible technology. Our living rooms are packed with computers, LCD TVs, video game systems, and Blue-ray players that help us enjoy the latest entertainment. Although these items bring us joy and convenience, they also create a lot of junk. Each device needs its own plug and adaptor to keep its batteries recharged, and over time these wires get tangled (缠绕在一起的). Thankfully, something has come along to help rid our homes of this mess while still supplying these devices with the power they need. It's called wireless charging and this trend is just starting.

    Wireless charging has a lot of potential for smartphones and other electronic devices. Electronic devices can absorb the electricity once they're placed on a special charging mat. There are several advantages that wireless charging offers over traditional methods. For starters, cords (电线) have a tendency to wear out with use. Wireless charging users never have to worry about buying replacement cords. Wireless charging is also far more convenient for medical implants, as patients won't need to recharge their devices through the skin using cords. In turn, this cuts down on the risks of infection. Wireless charging can also bring safety benefits, as wired charging devices that come in contact with water can increase the chances of getting an electric shock. Wireless charging gets rid of that danger completely.

    Still, there are a few drawbacks to wireless charging. The first is speed. It takes a bit longer to charge devices wirelessly than it does if the device is plugged in. The process also requires more heat, so devices tend to get a bit hotter, which could create other safety issues. Also, since devices must be left on a special pad while charging, it is harder to operate them while they are powering up. This limitation may be gotten rid of in the future, as researchers are developing transmitters (发射器) that can charge several different devices in a room without the need to connect to a charging pad. Although wireless-charging technology may be far from perfect, it seems like a step in the right direction as we move towards a less-tangled future.