In the late 1950s, a Russian geneticist called Dmitry K. Belyaev attempted to create a tame (驯化的) fox population. Through the work of a breeding programme at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics at Novosibirsk, in Russia, he sought to find the evolutionary pathway of tame animals. His test subjects were silver-black foxes, a melanistic (带黑色的) version of the red fox that had been bred in farms for the color of their fur.

    He selected the animals based on how they responded when their cage was opened. About 10% of the foxes displayed a weak “wild-response”, meaning they were docile around humans. Those that hid in the corner or made aggressive voices were left in the farm. Of those friendly foxes, 100 females and 30 males were chosen as the first generations of parents.

    When the young foxes were born, the researchers hand-fed them. They also attempted to touch or pet the foxes when they were two to two-and-a-half months old, for strictly measured periods at a time. If the young foxes continued to show aggressive response, even after significant human contact, they were thrown away from the population—meaning they were made into fur coats. In each selection, less than 10% of tame individuals were used as parents of the next generation.

    By the fourth generation, the scientists started to see dramatic changes. The young foxes were beginning to behave more like dogs. They wagged their tails and “eagerly” sought contact with humans. By 2005-2006, almost all the foxes were playful, friendly and behaving like domestic dogs. The foxes could “read” human hints and respond correctly to gestures or glances.

When thinking about quitting(停止) smoking…

    List all the reasons why you want to quit. Every night before going to bed, repeat one of the reasons 10 times.

Decide positively that you want to quit. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be. Develop strong personal reasons as well as your health and responsibility to others. For example, think of all the time you waste taking cigarette breaks, rushing out to buy a pack, hunting a light, etc. Set a date for quitting — perhaps a special day like your birthday, a holiday. If you smoke heavily at work, quit during your vacation. Make the date holy seriously, and don't let anything change it. Begin to condition yourself physically; start a modest (适当的) exercise; drink more water; get plenty of rest.

    Immediately after quitting...

    The first few days after you quit, spend as much free time as possible in places where smoking is prohibited, e.g. libraries, museums, theatres, department stores, etc.

    Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice. Try to avoid wine, coffee, and other drinks which remind you of cigarette smoking.

    Strike up a conversation with someone instead of a match for a cigarette.

    If you miss the feeling of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else - a pencil, a pen, a ruler. If you miss having something in your mouth, try a fake (仿制的) cigarette.

    When Carson Palmer, a professional American football player, hurt his arm a few years ago, he took a week off from throwing the football. But in his head, Palmer practiced every day. The following weekend, Palmer had the best game of his life.

    For more than a century, scientists have been trying to understand how this mental training works. In the 1930s, researchers proved by experiment that when you're imagining an action, your brain sends signals to your muscles(肌肉) which are too weak to tighten the muscles but might help train the body to perform. In other words, mental practice might create a pattern in your head, like an inner how-to guide for a particular skill.

    Sports psychologists have conducted hundreds of studies comparing imagined and physical practice for actions. On the whole, the research shows that mental training works. A 2012 study, for example, compared 32 amateur golfers who practiced hitting the balls to another 32 who merely held a golf club in their hands and visualized（想象）their swings. Under the same training rules, both groups improved their skills by getting the ball about 4 inches closer to the hole.

    Visualization has advantages over the real thing: You can do it anywhere, even when injured. It is safe-a major plus for high-risk performers such as gymnasts and surgeons. And you can practice for longer periods of time because you're not restricted by physical tiredness, That's not to say it's easy, we've had Olympic-level athletes sitting in our lab, visualizing the movements for two hours," says Tadhg Macintyre, a sports psychologist at the University of Limerick in Ireland. “When we're done, they're absolutely tired.”

    It doesn't work for everyone, though. "If you're a novice, the effect can be harmful,” warns Macintyre. If you're trying to visualize a free throw, and you don't even know the proper movement, then you're probably going to mentally practice the wrong skill.”

    The Adler Planetarium(天文馆) is part of the lake front's "Museum Campus", which along with the Shedd Aquarium(水族馆) and Field Museum, attracts a huge number of visitors every year. The Adler Planetarium is included with the purchase of a Go Chicago Card.

    Address: 1300 South Lake Shore Drive

    Phone: 312-922-STAR(7827)

    Getting to the Adler Planetarium by Public Transportation:

    Either the south-bound CTA bus line #146(Marine-Michigan), or Red Line CTA train south to Roosevelt, then take a Museum Campus trolley (电车) or take the CTA bus #12.

    Driving from Downtown of Chicago:

    Lake Shore Drive (US 41) south to 18th Street. Turn left onto Museum Campus Drive and follow it around Soldier Field. Look for signs that will point you to the visitor parking garage. The Adler Planetarium is just northeast of the parking garage.

Parking at the Adler Planetarium:

    There are several lots(停车场) on the Museum Campus, but most tend to fill up quickly and your best bet is in the main parking garage. Parking for all lots is $ 15 per day.

    Adler Planetarium Hours:

    Daily: 9：30 a. m. -- 4: 30 p. m. The Adler Planetarium is open every day except     Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Extended Hours: From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Adler Planetarium is open from 9: 30 a.m.--6: 00 p. m. daily.

    Adler Planetarium Tickets:

    General Admission(exhibits only): Adults, $ 7; Seniors (aged 65+), $ 6；Children(ages 4--11), $5.

If you've ever seen a sparrow steal your dog food or a crow open a garbage bag, you get a sense of that some birds have learned to take advantage of new feeding opportunities—a clear sign of their intelligence. Scientists have long wondered why certain species of birds are more innovative than others, and whether these capacities stem from larger brains or from a greater number of neurons（神经元） in specific areas of the brain.

It turns out that it's a bit of both, according to a recent study by an international team that included members from McGill University published in Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The researchers used a new technique to estimate the number of neurons in a specific part of the brain called the pallium in 111 bird species. The pallium in birds is equal to the human cerebral cortex（大脑皮层）, which is involved in memory, learning, reasoning, and problem-solving, among other things. When these estimates about neuron numbers in the pallium were combined with information about over 4,000 feeding innovations, the team found that the species with the higher numbers of neurons in the pallium were also likely to be the most innovative.

"The amount of time chicks spend in the nest as their brains develop might also play acrucial role in the evolution of intelligence," says McGill University Emeritus Professor Louis Lefebvre who spent more than 20 years gathering examples of feeding innovations. "Larger species of crows and parrots, which are known for their intelligence, spend longer in the nest, which allows more time for the brain to grow and accumulate pallial neurons."

The results of the study help to deal with previously opposed views of the evolution and significance of brain size and show how a life-history perspective helps to understand the evolution of cognition.

In many urban Chinese offices, a trend（趋势）is gaining popularity among young professionals. The trend {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（know）as "office farming" involves growing fruit-bearing plants such as bananas and pineapples right at their desks. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（particular）, these fruits, which often come with half-ripened（半熟的）fruits, are easy to care for, as they require just regular water changes and nutrient（营养的）additions.

This trend is not just about {#blank#}3{#/blank#}（decorate）; it is also about functionality. These beautiful plants can produce fruits, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} adds an interesting element to the usual office environment. As {#blank#}5{#/blank#}result, these desk gardens quickly become office attractions, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}（offer）a unique way to break the ice and foster social interactions（相互作用）among colleagues.

The appeal of these fruit-bearing plants is evident on social media platforms, where thousands of these plants {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（sell）. This trend connects China's farming traditions {#blank#}8{#/blank#}modern city life. It also reflects broader social trends. Office workers seek to relieve the stresses of long working hours and {#blank#}9{#/blank#}（difficulty）environments by taking part in more calming and nature-oriented activities. As the practice grows, more workers are considering increasing their indoor gardens and adding more variety to their collection of plants {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（bring）a sense of happiness to their office surroundings.