If you've not heard that the decade-old princess-culture is causing problems—especially if you're a parent—you must be actively working to avoid it.

    The latest study adding fuel to the fire comes out of Brigham Young University and finds that the Disney princess obsession can be harmful to girls.

"I think parents think that the Disney princess culture is safe. That's the word I hear time and time again—it's safe." Lead study author Sarah M. Coyne of the Mormon institution in Utah noted in a press release. "But if we're fully jumping in here and really embracing (accepting) it, parents should really consider the long-term impact of the princess culture."

    So, what's the problem this time around? Same as always, confirmed the study, published in the journal Child Development, which involved the assessment of 198 preschoolers: Lots of engagement with princess culture (whether through moves or toys) can lead to gender-stereotypical(性别定性) behavior as well as self-critical body image.

The strict gender stereotypes can hold girls back. "They feel like they can't do some things," Coyne said, "They're not as confident that they can do well in math and science. They don't like getting dirty, so they're less likely to try and experiment with things."

On the other hand, "Disney princesses represent some of the first examples of exposure to the thin ideal," Coyne said. "As women, we get it our whole lives, and it really does start at the Disney princess level, at age 3 and 4."

So, what should a parent do? Try his or her best to avoid all princesses for the entire of a girl's childhood? I'd say, have moderation in all things, have your kids involved in all sorts of activities, and just have princesses be one of many, many things that they like to do and engage with." Coyne suggested. "This study has changed the way I talk to my daughter, the things I focus on, and it's been really good for me as a parent to learn from this study," Coyne said. "I usually can't say that my research findings have such a personal impact on my life."

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    If you want to convince the boss you deserve a pay rise or promotion, the solution could be simple—eat the same food as they do. Psychologists have discovered managers are much more likely to instantly trust us if we choose the same dishes as them.

    During experiments, discussions over wages and work conditions were much more successful if both sides chose to snack on the same treats. And shoppers were much more likely to buy a product advertised on TV by someone eating a similar food to them at the time.

    The reason is thought to be so-called similarity attraction theory — where people tend to like others who have similar tastes or habits to themselves. But this is believed to be one of the first studies highlighting the role of food in this relationship. Researchers at Chicago University in the US conducted a series of experiments to examine food's role in earning trust.

    In a test, participants were told to watch TV — where someone pretending to be a member of the public praised a certain product. The volunteers were given Kit Kat(巧克力) bars to nibble（轻咬）, while the TV people ate either a Kit Kat or grapes as they talked.

    The results showed viewers were much more likely to express an interest in buying the product if the TV showed the other person eating a Kit Kat too.

    The researchers added, ―Although similarity in food consumption is not a sign of whether two people will get along, we find consumers treat this as such. They feel more trusting of those who consume as they do. It means people can immediately begin to feel friendship and develop a bond, leading to smoother transactions from the start.

    Harley Street psychologist Dr Lucy Atcheson said it was already known that wearing similar clothes could instantly create trust. But this was the first report that food had the same effect. She said, This is really interesting. It makes sense as people feel they have common ground and can trust the other person. That means negotiations are more likely to be successful.

    My elephant adventures began in 1984 when, with our one-year-old daughter, my husband and I crossed the jungle in a jeep, slicking behind a lorry for comfort and company. The elephants standing like watchers on either side of the forest highway had us praying for our safety. One elephant made loud noise and angrily pawed (抓) the ground, warning us off. We raced away before they could attack.

    It was wise to keep elephants at a distance. We heard stories of tourists whose jeeps were overturned, and a couple of photographers were killed because they moved too close. Elephants are misleading animals. They give people an impression of being quiet and kind, so tourists think it's safe to picnic in the jungle (丛林). Yet angry elephants have knocked them down in seconds before they could take off.

    Elephants might make life unpredictable and dangerous. It's difficult for inexperienced environmentalists to even, begin to grasp this reality. I've heard city people say " We humans are encroaching (侵害) on their forests." But what's the solution?

    When a poor farmer borrows heavily to plant a crop, he'll do anything to protect it His life depends on it Elephants ruining an about-to-be-harvested corn field cannot expect to be welcomed like special guests. The battle between beast and farmer is violent.

    Experts are working on solutions to human-elephant conflicts (冲突). Some are sure to fail to like the plans to build electric fences around human settlements. Elephants rapidly figure them out and come in, around and over them.

    There are more questions than answers, for sure. But as my husband said, "More people die in car accidents every single day, in every city on the earth. But they won't take cars off the roads, will they?" So we need to seek practical ways of preventing elephant accidents.

    Here are some exciting holidays to make your travel fun and a learning adventure.

    Salsa Dancing Holiday, Cuba

    In Cuba, many all-inclusive resorts(全包式度假胜地) offer free salsa lessons as part of their services, but there are many travel routes available through travel companies that will arrange for dance lessons over the course of your two-week stay, as well as an opportunity to taste authentic Cuban cooking, lifestyle and music. By the end of your holiday, you will be a dancing expert!

    Big Life Stretch, Spain

    Travel opens up opportunities that you do not have at home. Leaving your familiar surroundings might open your mind and bring changes. Big Life Stretch is one-way holiday near Malaga, Spain, in the mountains. You will spend a week surrounding yourself by nature. Guests participate in the scheduled life coaching, and also learn the techniques to hug changes.

    Photography Holiday, Spain

    Taking pictures is a major part of every holiday, but how many of us are good at it? Why not take this opportunity to learn how to really record your travel memories during the trip? In scenic Torrox, Spain. Photography Holiday offers 8-day-long all-inclusive vocations (room and board), photography workshops and personalized photography tours. The holiday includes traditional Spanish homes, the mountains and the sightings of sunrise over Lake Vineula.

    Wild Cookery, Scotland

    If you are looking for a cooking holiday for a change, consider Wild Rose Outdoor Cookery courses. Head out to Scottish Highlands for the weekend, where you will hunt for greens and other cooking materials and learn about ways of cooking outdoors, like fireside cookery, hot stones and pit (坑)cooking.

Rachel Carson was a science writer widely respected for her books about oceans.But she also devoted years to gathering scientific research that would awaken the public to the dangers of modern chemical pesticides.Her work,Silent Spring,became one of the most influential books of the 20th century.And it launched the modern environmental movement.

Born in Pennsylvania,she became a marine scientist working for the US government,primarily as a writer and editor.Her first three books,Under the Sea-Wind,The Sea Around Us,and The Edge of the Sea were physical explanation of life in and near the sea.They made Carson one of the best-known and respected science writers.But then she turned her time and talents to a new subject.

Carson had been concerned about the dangers of the pesticide DDT since the mid-1940s.At first DDT was a symbol of the progress of modern chemistry.It had saved countless lives by killing lice and mosquitoes that spread deadly diseases.But Carson doubted whether spreading large quantities of poison throughout the environment could be completely safe.She painstakingly gathered research to prove that the chemical industry was overconfident about the safety of chemicals that hadn't been tested.

Carson published her research as a book,Silent Spring,in 1962.It caused an uproar.Carson was immediately attacked by the chemical industry.Millions of citizens tuned in to watch a television program analyzing the issue.Carson's calm and reasoned arguments turned the audience in her favor.Finally,her work convinced the president to call for an investigation.Eventually 12 of the most toxic chemicals Carson wrote about in Silent Spring,including DDT,were banned or cancelled.She grew physically weak and endured a lot of pain.Yet she refused to stop working on the book.She died on April 14,1964,at the age of 56.Her writings helped move the nation toward a new understanding of how humankind depends on the interconnection of all forms of life on Earth.