With my hands and knees on the floor of the airplane, I was searching for an old lady's missing hearing aid during the flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. It occurred to me that this may not be the most dignified posture for a Buddhist nun(尼姑).

    I had seen the old lady from the seat in front of me as she walked up and down the passage with a flashlight. I asked a few times what was wrong, but she didn't answer at first —– she couldn't hear me. She was wearing a woolen coat. Judging from her accent, she came from Eastern Europe.

    Do you know how much hearing aids cost? Thousands, especially for the new tiny hidden-in-the-ear type she described. It takes a long time for an appointment to make a new one, and many doctor visits to get the thing adjusted right. Therefore, my dignity seemed less important than finding that hearing aid. But how does one find a tiny black object in a shadowy jet cabin（机舱）

    The lady wasn't even sure where or when she had lost it. At one point, a couple of flight attendants did a random search around the lady's seat; I wasn't impressed. They left suggesting that she search the seat of her previous flight! My flashlight turned up all kinds of small objects, bits of plastic, broken pieces of headphones.

    The old lady said that she gave up. Yet I couldn't. After we landed, as passengers streamed past us, I insisted that the lady move aside while awaiting her wheelchair. Then I got into a real down and dirty search among the dust under her seat and on the floor.

    Look! A little peanut-sized shiny black object caught the light of my flashlight in a floor crack near her seat.

    What a rush. “I found it!”

    With great astonishment and gratitude, the old lady responded, “I haven't the words to express my thanks!”

    On a clear night, you can see a sky paced with stars. But you can't see planets orbiting any of these stars, even with the strongest Earth—based telescopes. Astronomers reported that they discovered seven Earth—sized planets orbiting a nearby star called TRAPPIST – 1 in February. They had to rely on indirect evidence to tell them that the planets are there. By doing some math, they figured out the number of planets and the distance of their orbits.

    TRAPPIST – 1 is a red dwarf （红矮星）, much smaller than our sun, but larger than Jupiter (木星). If the sun were the size of a basketball, TRAPPIST – 1would be the size of a gold ball. This star is one of our closest neighbors, just like the moon to the earth in space.

    When astronomers using Earth-based telescopes to study TRAPPIST – 1,they noticed that every once in a while, it became slightly dim（昏暗）. They decided that a planet must be passing in front of the star, blocking part of the light. This dimming would come and go as the planet orbited the star, passing alternately (交替地) behind and in front of the star regularly.

    By making careful observations, astronomers expected to get a rough idea of the planet's size from the pattern of dimming light. But the light level changed often and not at evenly spaced (均匀间隔的) times. The astronomers had to conclude they were looking at more than one planet! To get additional data, NASA's spritzer Space Telescope measured TRAPPIST –1's brightness nearly continuously for 20 days, catching 34 crossings of planets in front of the star. Sorting through the mess of data, the astronomers found that the innermost planet completes its orbit in 1.5 Earth days, while the outermost planet takes 20 days. Once you know how long it takes each planet to complete an orbit, you can work out how far it is from the star compared with the other planets.

    The TRAPPIST – 1 planets are not alone. So far, astronomers have found more than 3,400 planets that orbit other stars.

    Do you want a pleasant holiday? The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough!

    Peterborough Museum

    The Age of the Dinosaur is the museum's main attraction this summer. Get close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands-on exhibits! The museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays in August.

    Call 01733-864663 for details.

    Saxon Youth Club

    School holiday fun: Young people aged 13—19 will be able to produce their own music, compete in sports activities, or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club, Saxon Community Centre, Norman Road, Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. Plus an aeroball tournament will take place on Thursday,12th August between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

    Call 01353-720274 for details.

    Houghton Mill

    Alice Through the Looking Class—a new production of the family favorite on Monday, 30th August. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play. Gates open 5:30 p.m., performance 6:30 p.m.—8:30 p.m. Tearoom will be open until the end of the interval. Adult￡ 10. Child ￡7. Family ￡20.

    Booking advisable on 0845-4505157.

    Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey

    Farmland Games: From Welly Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches, come and join the Farmland Team. Collect your sporting stickers and create a colorful rosette that is fit for a winner! No need to book, just turn up between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, 19th August. Suitable for children aged four and above, each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission. Tickets Cost￡7 per child.

    For further information, call 01223-810080.

    Depression and suicidal thoughts have doubled in young Americans, according to a new study from the American Psychological Association.

    Likely triggers? Cell phones and social media.

    "More US adolescents and young adults in the late 2010s, vs the mid-2000s, experienced serious psychological distress, major depression and more attempted suicide (自杀)", says lead researcher Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University. "These trends are weak or non-existent among adults 26 years and over, suggesting a generational shift in mood disorders instead of an overall increase across all ages."

    Twenge believes this trend is partially due to the explosion of digital culture over the past decade, which may have twisted modes of social interaction enough to affect mood disorders.

    The study analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which tracked drug and alcohol use and mental health issues in more than 200,000 youths aged 12 to 17 from 2005 to 2017 and almost 400,000 adults from 2008 to 2017.

    Major depression in the last 12 months increased by 52 percent in kids from 2005 to 2017 and 63 percent in young adults aged 18 to 25 from 2009 to 2017. There was also a 71 percent jump in young adults experiencing serious psychological distress in the previous 30 days from 2008 to 2017.

    So what's so different now? Twenge says research shows young people just aren't getting as much shuteye as they did in previous generations.

    Whereas older Americans might have established more stability in their lives, sleep-disrupting social stressors are likely at their peak for teens and young adults in this digital era, she says. Older adults are also less likely to let devices interfere (干预) with sleep.

    These results suggest a need for more research to understand how digital communication versus face-to-face social interaction influences mood disorders and to develop specialized interventions for younger age groups.

    Her suggestion? Put your phone down at least an hour before bedtime.

    We have recently heard some interesting ways that 5G wireless technology might change our lives in the future. One project in Britain is testing this superfast technology, but not on humans. Instead, the experiment involves an unlikely group of Internet users—cows. The system connects the animals to 5G in an effort to automate the milking process.

    The project was developed by American technology company Cisco Systems. It is part of a Cisco-led program called 5G Rural First. Cisco says the program seeks to explore the future of 5G connectivity in rural communities around the world. Rural areas are expected to be the last to receive 5G service.

    Testing areas were set up on farms in three rural areas of England. The cows are equipped with 5G-connected devices that link up to a robotic milking system. The system uses sensors and machine learning to fully automate the process, System designers say the technology takes over after a cow feels ready to be milked and walks toward an automatic gate. The device is designed to recognize each individual cow. It then positions equipment to the right body position for milking. During the process, machines release food for the cow as a reward.

    One of the test areas is in the town of Shepton Mallet, in southwest England. There about 50 of the farm's 180 cows are fitted with 5G smart collars and health-observing ear sensors. Project officials say the devices do not harm the cows and the sensors permit farmers to immediately identify any problem or health concerns.

    Other technology tools powering the 5G smart farms include automated brushes that work automatically when the cow rubs up against them. Sensors also control the amount of light to the cows' living areas depending on the weather. And, an automatic feeding system makes sure the animals always get enough to eat.

    Nick Chrissos works on the project for Cisco. He said the system could connect every cow and every other animal on the whole farm. "That's what 5G can do for farming—really release the power that we have within this farm, everywhere around the United Kingdom, and everywhere around the world."

    Peyto Lake, Canada

    Located in Banff National Park, Canada's first national park Peyto Lake is one of the most wonderful lakes in the world. What makes it truly beautiful is its unique greenish-blue color, and placement in the Canadian Rockies. Named after trail guide Bill Peyto, this lake is located at a height of 1,860m.

    Entry Details: $9.80 adult, $8.30 senior, $4.90 youth, and $19.60 family

    Best Time to Visit: July, August, and September

    Lake Argentino, Argentina

    Located in the Patagonian province in Argentina, the lake is truly beautiful. Surrounded by glaciers and snow-covered mountains, the lake presents visual delights like none other. With a maximum depth of 500 meters, it's the biggest freshwater lake in Argentina. The lake is famous for fishing.

    Entry Details: $15~$20, changes as per season, but entry for tourists above 70 years of age is always free.

    Best Time to Visit: December to March, and late November

    Lake Baikal, Russia

    Being the world's oldest and deepest lake, Baikal is about 395 meters long, 49 meters wide and 1,637 meters deep. It holds more water than the Five Great Lakes of America combined, and is thus the largest freshwater lake globally. Located in the south Russian region of Siberia, a trip to view this lake is a trip of a lifetime!

    Entry Details: No Entrance fee here

    Best Time to Visit: March to April

    Lake Como, Italy

    Considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, Lake Como has attracted tourists since Roman times. Located in Lombardy, Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. Surrounded by villas and palaces, this lake has attracted some of the wealthiest. Today, many celebrities(名人) have houses here. Here you can enjoy water sports, take a flight over the lake, or try skiing during the winters-every tourist has something he's going to like!

    Entry Details: Free

    Best Time to Visit: July and September