Life is full of funny moments, and not just for humans.

    Over the years, studies by various groups have suggested that monkeys, dogs and even rats love a good laugh. People, meanwhile, have been laughing since before they could talk.

    Jaak Panksepp, a professor at Bowling Green State University, US, said he would not be surprised if positive feelings could be produced in some animals. Dolphins, for example, have long attracted animal researchers because of the complex (复杂的) ways in which they communicate: a rich variety of sounds of different rhythms. A decade ago, researchers studying dolphins at the Kolmarden Wildlife Park in Sweden noticed a set of sounds the dolphins made during play-fighting. They concluded that the purpose of the sound was to suggest that the situation was pleasant and to prevent it from a real fight.

    Panksepp has even seen evidence of joy in crayfish (小龙虾). When given small amounts of drugs such as cocaine (可卡因) in a certain place, they appear to connect that location with pleasure. “Given the chance, they will always return to that place, perhaps in the hope of getting more,” he says. Panksepp wasn't sure it equals the same happiness that humans get from cocaine, but said it “could be in the same evolutionary category”.

    More studies are needed to really understand animals' laughter. Strangely enough, the answers may help with our own desires for cures for mental illnesses. Panksepp's experiments may soon lead to a new antidepressant (抗抑郁) drug that works by using the pathways in the brain behind positive feelings and joy. Perhaps pleasure and laughter in the animal world will help solve the depression in our own species one day.

    People aren't walking any more-if they can figure out a way to avoid it.

    I felt superior about this matter until the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel. The journey is a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car. And I wasn't in any hurry, either. I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness: motorosis.

    It is an illness to which T had thought myself immune(免疫的), for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time, we regarded 25 miles as a good day's walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship. And the effect was lasting. When I was 45 years old I raced—and beat-a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Statue of Liberty.

    Such enterprises today are regarded by many middle-aged persons as bad for the heart. But a well-known British physician, Sir Adolphe Abrahams, pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise. A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illness than one who exercises regularly. And walking is an ideal form of exercise-the most familiar and natural of all.

    It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot. The man walking can learn the trees, flowers, insects, birds and animals, the significance of seasons, the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world. He cannot learn in a car.

    The car is convenient means of transport, but we have made it our way of life. Many people don't dare to approach Nature any more; to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a steel river thundering on a concrete (混凝土) road. And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic to turn green.

    I say that the green of forests is the mind's best light. And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.

    According to a new US study, couples who expect their children to help care for them in old age should hope they have daughters because they are likely to be twice as attentive overall.

    The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, a sociologist at Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members.

    Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade, she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours.

    “Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face, such as employment or childcare, sons' caregiving is associated only with the presence or absence of other helpers, such as sisters or a parent's spouse(配偶),” she explained.

    “Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother.”

    “This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters.”

    In the UK, the 2011 census(人口普查) showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities – a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade.

    But many are doing so at the risk of their own health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full- time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts(相对应的人) who are not careers.

    San Francisco is a great city. Below are some ideas for educational activities and programs in San Francisco for this summer.

    The San Francisco School: Summer Programs

    There are summer camps for the children from pre-kindergarten through middle school at the San Francisco School. With programs such as "Fearless Writing" "A Green World" and "Re-Making Clothing", San Francisco becomes a great place for children to learn and have fun in the summer. Registration starts in the spring. Call 415-749-4550 to know more.

    San Francisco Art Institute: Community Education

    From children to elders, all people are welcome to sign up for all sorts of art classes all year round, such as "Adult Continuing Education", "Pre-college Programs" and "A Young Artist". Check online for schedules, class types, age groups and more or call 415-749-4500.

    San Francisco University High School: Summer Program

    This is a three-summer commitment and a great program preparing kids for college. It provides language and art classes in the morning and social studies such as sports and history in the afternoon. There are also fun activities such as a field day, a party night, a talent show, etc. 30 to 35 tenth-grade children are chosen each summer, so you have to fill out a form. Call 415-749-4558 to know more.

    Rudolf Steiner College: Summer Programs

    Rudolf Steiner has summer programs for those who want to take courses such as teaching grade courses 1 to 8. Registration is at the beginning of April. Call 415-749-4560 for more about it.

    These activities and programs are usually popular, and if you are interested, get up and join us!

Immersive Van Gogh

From the creators of the blockbuster show in Paris seen by over two million visitors and still wowing crowds in Toronto, the west coast premiere(首场) of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit will bring the art of Vincent to life in Los Angeles.

Immersive art is not just a technical way to represent video and audio in huge spaces. The word immersive indicates a deep commitment of intentions which connect images and sounds in a way that the audience is able to experience a different way of the art.

True to its name, this exhibition transforms the iconic(偶像的) paintings of Vincent van Gogh into moving, wall-filling projections. "Immersive Van Gogh" promises half-a-million cubic feet of projections that pull from some of the post-impressionist's most recognizable pieces, including The Bedroom, Sunflowers and, yes, The Starry Night.

You will experience art like never before—lose yourself in entrancing, moving images that highlight brushstrokes, detail, and color—truly illuminating(照亮) the mind of the genius.

LOCATION

        The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is located at a secret place situated in the heart of Los Angeles. To be announced before the exhibit opens, existing ticket holders will receive an email with the place name and location once it is made public.

TICKET PRICES

        Tickets are available online at www.vangoghla.com. 

GIFT SHOP

        Stop by our Exhibit Gift Shop to take the magic of Van Gogh home with you! From clothing and jewelry to home décor, children's books, and so much more, you will find unique and thoughtful souvenirs at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. Also be sure to check out at our online store!

        Experience the organic landscapes of Van Gogh's imagination, and journey through his brilliance and madness in a completely new and unforgettable way. 

On a recent Wednesday, archaeologists announced a groundbreaking discovery that challenges our understanding of early human capabilities. They have unearthed what is believed to be the oldest wooden structure ever found, dating back nearly half a million years. This discovery at Kalambo Falls in northern Zambia, near the border with Tanzania, suggests that our ancestors were more technologically advanced than previously thought.

The wooden structure, which is exceptionally well-preserved, dates back at least 476,000 years. This timeline predates the emergence of Homo sapiens, as detailed in a study published in the journal Nature. The wood shows evidence of having been cut and shaped using stone tools, indicating a level of craftsmanship that was not previously attributed to these early humans.

The structure, which is thought to have functioned as a walkway or platform elevated above the seasonally wet ground, demonstrates a purposeful construction technique. A collection of wooden tools, including a wedge and a digging stick, were also found at the site, further supporting the idea of a developed woodworking tradition.

Larry Barham, an archaeologist at the University of Liverpool and the lead author of the study, described the structure as involving "the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports." A notch was cut into one log, and another tree was shaped to fit through this notch, providing stability to the structure.

The use of wood by early humans was already known, but it was typically associated with basic tasks such as starting fires or hunting. However, the discovery at Kalambo Falls indicates a more sophisticated application of woodworking skills. Barham explained, "The structure involves the intentional shaping of two trees to create a framework of two interlocking supports," which required a level of planning and execution that suggests a higher cognitive ability.

The preservation of the wooden structure is remarkable, given that wood typically decays over time, leaving little trace for archaeologists to study. The high water levels at Kalambo Falls are believed to have played a crucial role in preserving the structure for centuries.

These findings from Kalambo Falls not only provide evidence of an early human ability to manipulate their environment but also suggest a more complex cognitive capacity among these early humans than what has been inferred from stone tools alone. Barham concluded, "The finds from Kalambo Falls indicate that these earlier humans, like Homo sapiens, had the capacity to alter their surroundings, creating a built environment." This discovery underscores the need to reassess our understanding of early human technological and cognitive development.