[Photo/Unsplash]
>Don't be a 'hot-head'
长时间日晒会削弱脑力
Working in hot temperatures is already known to cause hyperthermia – a rise in body temperature – which can cause physical exhaustion.
众所周知，在高温下工作会导致中暑并让人体力衰竭。
But now scientists say prolonged exposure of the head to the sun also affects the brain's ability to function properly.
但现在，科学家们指出，头部长时间暴露在阳光下也会影响大脑正常运行的能力。
A study by university teams in Denmark and Greece provides evidence that direct exposure to sunlight – especially to the head – impairs motor and cognitive performance.
丹麦和希腊的大学团队开展的一项研究证明，直接暴露于阳光下——尤其是头顶——会损害运动和认知表现。
The decline in motor and cognitive performance was observed at 38.5 degrees.
在温度达到38.5度时可以观察到运动和认知表现的下降。
Researchers said those exposed to sunlight for long periods should cover their heads.
研究人员称，长时间暴露在阳光下的人应该戴遮盖头部。
[Photo/Xinhua]
>Couple spend lockdown in castle
英情侣因疫情独享古堡
A young British couple have spent coronavirus lockdown in a medieval castle with a spa, cinema, and 83 guest rooms.
一对年轻的英国夫妇在一座中世纪城堡中度过了新冠疫情封锁期，城堡里有水疗、影院和83间客房。
Laura Jamieson and Michael Smith have been the sole occupants of an 800-year-old five-star hotel, Ashford Castle in Ireland, for nine weeks.
爱尔兰的阿什福德城堡是拥有800年历史的五星级酒店，劳拉•杰米森和迈克尔•史密斯是这家城堡酒店九个星期里仅有的入住者。
They moved into the castle when lockdown began to maintain its buildings and 350-acre estate until the time comes for tourists to be allowed to visit.
他们在封锁初期搬入城堡，负责建筑和350英亩庄园的维修工作，直至这里重新对游客开放。
Laura said, "It's been surreal. We've been incredibly fortunate that we were able to have this experience."
劳拉说："这太不真实了。能有这样的经历，我们非常幸运。"
But they admitted it's not all as glamorous as it may sound.
但他们也承认，住在这里并不像听起来那么迷人。
They are responsible for keeping the massive property clean - vacuuming, flushing 160 toilets and dusting chandeliers.
他们要负责这座巨大庄园的卫生清洁，包含吸尘，冲洗160个厕所，给吊灯除尘等工作。
[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
>'Mommy brain' does not last
研究:'一孕傻三年'非事实
"Mommy brain" is a long-held perception that mothers are more forgetful and less attentive.
"妈咪脑"是一种根深蒂固的看法，即女性当了妈妈后更健忘，注意力更差。
"In most studies, however, attention and memory tests are given to mothers very early postpartum," said Valerie Tucker Miller, a PhD student in Purdue University's Department of Anthropology.
美国珀杜大学人类学系博士生瓦莱丽•塔克•米勒称："然而，在大多数研究中，注意力和记忆力测试的对象是那些处于产后极早阶段的女性。"
"There are a few issues with that," she added. "When you first have a child, you have a cascade of hormones and sleep deprivation that might be affecting attention and memory processes in the brain."
她还说："这没什么问题。当你刚有孩子时，会遇到一连串的激素和睡眠缺乏问题，这可能会影响大脑中的注意力和记忆过程。"
In a new study, Miller compared reaction times among 60 mothers, all of whom were at least one year postpartum, and 70 non-mothers.
在一项新研究中，米勒对60名母亲(均处于产后一年以上)和70名非母亲的反应时间进行比较。
The results show that mothers performed equally as well or better compared with women who had never been pregnant or had children.
研究结果显示，与从未怀孕或从未生育的女性相比，妈妈们表现得同样出色甚至更好。
"We wanted to see the long-term effects of maternity," Miller said. "Overall, moms did not have significantly different attention than non-mothers, so we did not find evidence to support 'mommy brain' as our culture understands it. It's possible, if anything, that maternity is related to improved, rather than diminished, attentiveness."
她说："我们希望看到为人母的长期影响。总的来说，母亲与非母亲的注意力没有太大差别，因此我们发现没有证据支持人们所谓的'妈咪脑'。如果说有的话，那么为人母可能与注意力的增强而不是减弱有关。"
A McDonald's store in Shanghai, China. [Photo/VCG]
>Plastic straws to be phased out
麦当劳将停用塑料吸管
The Shanghai-headquartered McDonald's China said on Tuesday that it has decided to phase out the use of plastic straws in China, which will reduce plastic consumption by an estimated 400 tons each year. Diners can enjoy cold drinks directly through McDonald's new type of cup lids. The new initiative has been launched in nearly 1,000 McDonald's outlets in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, starting from Tuesday, and is expected to cover other outlets across the Chinese mainland by 2020, the company said. McDonald's has been contributing to plastic reduction since 2007 by using paper takeout bags, paper McFlurry cups, and smaller cutlery.
总部在上海的麦当劳中国6月30日表示，该公司决定在中国逐步停用塑料吸管，据估计，此举每年将减少400吨塑料用量。消费者可通过麦当劳的新型杯盖直接饮用冷饮。自6月30日起，这项新举措在北京、上海、广州、深圳等近千家麦当劳门店率先实施，预计年底前将覆盖中国内地所有门店。自2007年起，麦当劳一直致力于减少塑料使用，其举措包括使用纸质外带袋，麦旋风纸杯和更小的餐具。
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