Can exercise during childhood protect you against memory loss many decades later?Exercise early in life seems to have lifelong benefits for the brain,in rats at least.

     “This is an animal study,but it shows that physical activity at a young age is very important—not just for physical development,but for the whole lifelong track of cognitive（认知的）development during ageing,”says Martin Wojtowicz of the University of Toronto,Canada.“In humans,it may delay the appearance of Alzheimer's symptoms（阿茨海默氏症）,possibly to the point of preventing them.”

    Wojtowicz's team divided 80 young male rats into two equal groups,and placed running wheels in the cages of one group for a period of six weeks.Around four months later—when the rats had reached middle age—the team taught all the rats to connect an electric shock with being in a specific.When placed in the box,they froze with fear.

    Two weeks later,the team tested the rats in three situations: exactly the same box in the same room,the same box with the room arranged differently,and a completely different box in a different room.

    The rats without access to a running wheel when they were young now froze the same percentage of times in each of these situations,suggesting they couldn't remember which one was dangerous.But those that had been able to run in their youth froze 40 to 50 percent less in both changed box settings.

    "The results suggest the amount of physical activity when we're young,at least for rats,has influence on brain and cognitive health—in the form of better memories—when we're older,"says Arthur Kramer of Northeastern University in Boston,who has found that,in humans,exercise promotes the growth of new brain cells.

    Where to Dine on a Budget with Kids in London

    Where to dine on a budget with kids? These four London restaurants are as welcoming as they are wallet-friendly.

    Barbican Kitchen at the Barbican Centre

    Europe's largest multi-arts venue is home to cinemas, a theatre, a concert hall and galleries so there are plenty of ways for families to work up an appetite before refuelling at the Barbican Kitchen. This ground floor restaurant serves a range of light bites, hot sandwiches and handmade pizzas and children under 12 eat free with every adult ordering a main meal.

    Sticky Fingers, Kensington

    Sticky Fingers in Kensington is a rock n'roll restaurant that serves classic American dishes. The kid's menu (for under 12) is just £7.95 for a meal, a drink and a dessert and if you visit on a Monday you can take advantage of the “Monday Madness” promotion for up to 50% off main courses for adults. Don't leave without exploring the Rolling Stones souvenirs including gold discs, guitars and photos of the band.

    Jamie's Italian, Various Locations

    Top British chef, Jamie Oliver knows a thing or two about catering for children. There are often “kids free” promotions running during school holidays but the regular kids menu is only £6.50 for a main dish, a salad and a drink. Activity packs are available for kids and the 2-course lunch deal for grown-ups is a bargain at £11.95.

    Vauxhall City Farm Café

    Combine a day with the animals and lunch with the family at Vauxhall City Farm, a community space home to horse pigs, goats and camels. Enjoy lunch at the Old Dairy Café which serves affordable sandwiches, soups, salads, cakes and dishes from a weekly specials menu. Half portions of everything are available for kids for around £2.

    I was selfish as a teenager. I usually spent my time thinking about myself and taking care of my own needs. I let my older brother do most of the work around the house until he left for college. I let my mom and dad worry about our bills and problems while I read books, played, and lost myself in my own imagination. This didn't change even when I went to college either. I studied hard but only to make my own life better. Even when I started to explore my faith, it was only to increase my own happiness.

    I married after graduation and decided to start a family. Of course, I had no idea what hard knocks reality had in store for my selfish soul. Soon I found myself unemployed, deeply in debt, and with a new baby on the way. l found out that life has little sympathy for spoiled people. In fact, all of the struggles I was going through were beating the selfishness slowly out of me.

    Still, I didn't give up on happiness. I knew that there must be a way to find it. I finally realized, however, that it had to include more than just my own needs, wants, and desires. The answer began to make itself clear one night shortly after my baby boy was born. I got a bottle and held him in my arms. As I was feeding him I looked down and saw his big, innocent, trusting eyes. I smiled and talked to him. Then he smiled and I could feel my heart growing, expanding with love. I felt such peace and joy. At that moment I had a hint of the truth: it is by growing our hearts with love that we find our happiness.

    Carolyn Arends wrote: "The more people you let into your heart, the bigger your heart gets. The more love you get, the more love you have to give. It just keeps growing." So, keep loving, keep living and keep caring. Keep growing your heart today, tomorrow, and always.

    The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.

    ⒈How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?

Finding: A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.

Step: Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.

    ⒉How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?

Finding: Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number doctors recommend.

Step: We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day—often inviting germs(病菌）to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with running water and soap for 20 seconds.

    ⒊How often do you think about fighting germs?

    Finding: Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.

    Step: Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge (海绵）that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.

    Your next Saturday night takeaway could be brought to you by a robot after a major food delivery company announced plans to use automated vehicles to transport meals. Europe's biggest online takeaway food company Just Eat has partnered with Starship Technologies to deliver food with robots on the streets of London later this month. "Nobody has ever done deliveries with land-based robots," said Allan Martinson, the chief operating officer of Starship.

    The robot courier can travel up to 4 miles per hour for about 10 miles. It uses a GPS signal and nine cameras to navigate (确定方向). Instead of a person arriving at their door, customers could find themselves receiving a notification on their phone that says a robot is on its way and a code to unlock the automated courier. "Put the code in, the robot opens up, and there's your food," said David Buttress, chief manager of Just Eat.

    The robot, which has so far been tested in Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Glastonbury, costs £ 1 to transport within 3 miles, compared with the £3 to £6 it costs for a human courier. To date 30 robots have driven nearly 5,000 miles without getting into an accident or finding themselves picked on by passers-by. They have driven in more than 40 cities around the world, including London and Tallinn, Estonia.

    An initial worry was how the public would react to robots. But Martinson said the public has been calm when passing the delivery machine on the streets. "The most surprising reaction has been the lack of reaction," said Martinson.

    Another significant fear was that people would disrupt (扰乱) the robots, or try to steal them and their contents. To prevent this, the robot is fitted with nine cameras, two way audio, and movement sensors that send a warning if it is lifted off the ground. And it opens only with a passcode provided to the customer via a notification. "It's much easier to shoplift than it is to steal a robot," said Martinson.

    What would you like to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? An astronaut? What do you need to do to achieve your dream job?

    Perhaps you think that studying well and then going on to work hard will get you the successful career you want. We are constantly taught that our hard work will eventually pay off.

    But a government survey has shown that hard work is not the only thing that will help you to move up the ladder. Two thirds of people believe that who you know matters more than what you know when it comes to social activity. So are the connections that you have more important than your education?

    Seventy-six percent of the people in the survey believed that family background is important in influencing your chances of success. They believe that if you are privileged from birth, you are more likely to have a successful career, especially if your family is wealthy.

    Even if you don't have a privileged background, the people you know can still make a difference to your career. Networking is a skill which is encouraged by many career advisers. Some companies run networking workshops to try and encourage staff to meet other people, to communicate and build relationships. It's a valuable skill.

    But the survey also showed something quite interesting. Although most people believed that networks are more important than education, many people put their own career success down to talent, rather than background. 41% of the people said that their parents' income had influenced their life, but at the same time, another 41% believed that they had achieved their own success.

    So which is more important, what you know or who you know? It seems that by working hard and making lots of connections, the answer may be that both are very important.