Topic Reading-Vol.2278-7/7/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

International Asteroid Day: Are we ready if an asteroid strikes Earth?

Have asteroids struck our planet? Yes, many times. Most recently, a 20-meter near-earth object, or NEO, entered the atmosphere and exploded over Russia in 2013 and caused substantial damages to a town called Chelyabinsk. The light from the meteor was brighter than the Sun and the energy released by the impact was about 30 times of that of the atomic bomb detonated at Hiroshima. And of course, there was an asteroid of the size of a mountain that hit earth 66 million years ago wiped out 80% of life on earth including most of the dinosaurs.

So, when will the next impact like that occur? Fortunately, there aren’t any known or detected NEOs that could post an immediate, significant threat as of now. Though a number of asteroids hit our planet every day, most of them are so small that they burn up in the atmosphere. But there are more and larger asteroids that could cause a significant damage or even catastrophe to the planet. NASA has been working with other space agencies of the world trying to detect and predict any sign of life-threatening collision. They are hoping to give a pre-warning of such event as early as 10 years before the impact.

Is a 10-year notice too short or too long? What about announcing a year before next election?

Enjoy reading and learn about space objects near Earth.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/29/world/international-asteroid-day-space-missions/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2277-7/6/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Hunting the people who kill elephants

Poachers catch and kill animals illegally on someone else's land to get valuable parts of them, such as elephant’s ivory and scale and Rhino’s horn, which are used to produce decorative items, leather, and medicine. Since the demand for such items is high compared to the supply, they are highly valued and traded in the black market. So, there are poachers who hunt elephants and rhinos in Africa. Though the number of such animal killers isn’t large, they can kill quite a few numbers of such wildlife animals. In fact, according to a 2014 study, the population of elephants in central Africa dropped by 64% only in 10 years.

Also, there are people and organizations that transport such valuable items to markets of demand, such as China and Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, as the economy of these countries grows, so does the number of poaching of elephants and rhinos.

Killers, traffickers, and sellers. They are all part of the supply chain of killing wildlife animals. And of course, there are buyers who reward them for their risks and work with money.

Enjoy reading and think about which part of the chain the cause of this cruel practice really is.

https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/?article=hunting-the-people-who-kill-elephants

Topic Reading-Vol.2276-7/5/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Horses can make facial expressions just like humans

It has been 5,000 years since horses became human companions like dogs and cats. To live with creatures that have numbers of facial and vocal expressions like humans, horses seem to have learned to read what humans are feeling from their expressions. They seem to understand an emotional state of a particular human and remember it. So, when the person shows up later again, the horse’s reaction is relevant to the previous expression of the person. If you want to be liked by a horse, you’d better be nice to him just like your friend.

Another finding from a recent research shows that they make as many as 17 facial expressions, three more than chimpanzees and only 10 fewer than humans. These expressions include "chin raiser," "sharp lip puller," "lip pucker" and "jaw drop." If you learn their facial expressions and show your emotional states clearly, you might be able to communicate with horses quite extensively.

Enjoy reading and learning how sensitive horses are with humans.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/26/sport/horse-facial-expressions-spt/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2275-7/4/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

China's 'heat pole' bakes as temperature hits 83 C

Though just being too hot doesn’t attract people, the extreme heat seemed to have drawn numbers of visitors to the middle of nowhere in the desert. Turpan Flame Mountain in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, also known as the heat pole of China, recorded 83 degrees Celsius on June 25^th. The sand and rocks had been baked during the day to reach the highest temperature of the year at 4:00 pm. Over 2,500 curious or eager visitors got there to feel the heat, and also to take photos in front of the 12-meter-tall jumbo thermometer, which can measure up to 100 degrees. The extreme heat bakes not only the land surface but also the eggs in a cooking pan. Sounds like hot-spring boiled eggs, doesn’t it?

Would you be interested in feeling the natural heat? What would your skin say?

Enjoy reading the article and see the photos and think if such experience is worth your time and money.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201806/27/WS5b33020ea3103349141df37c.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2274-7/3/2018

Topic Reading-Vol.2274-7/3/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Uber's Mideast rival is hiring women drivers in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the last country that prohibits women to drive.

It took over 80 years for women to get permission to drive but now they can get a driving license only after a 30-hour training. The demand seems to have been very high. Over 120,000 women applied for new licenses. So, businesses are trying to keep up with the booming demand, such as driving school and car companies.

And there is another one trying to lure new drivers. The peer-to-peer ride-sharing business. Careem, the Middle East's rival to Uber, is recruiting women to switch their seats. Yes, female ride-sharing drivers. It could be a good business opportunity because many women, or even some men for curiosity, may prefer riding a newly-joined female-driven car.

Will they charge a higher fee for a female driver if demand surges? Will male drivers lose their jobs?

Enjoy reading and think what other businesses might arise in the conservative kingdom.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/26/technology/careem-women-drivers-cars-saudi-arabia/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2273-7/2/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Supreme Court upholds travel ban

Another sign of the Divided States of America. The US supreme court ruled that the President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions to travelers from the designated countries is within the scope of executive responsibility. They are Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, and Venezuela. You can tell easily that these are the countries that have been producing quite a number of refugees in recent years.

The highest court was as divided as the sentiment of the people in the country, five-to-four, which means that if just one of the judges had had a different thought, the decision could have been different. The President seemed to be so pleased with the ruling that he tweeted immediately that the ruling was a tremendous victory for the American people and the constitution (and for him).

Enjoy reading and think what the President would have tweeted if the supreme court decision had been other way around.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/26/politics/travel-ban-supreme-court/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.2272-7/1/2018

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

McDonald's and Starbucks hit by plastics ban in India

As covered in Vol.2264, the world praised the progressive move by a Swedish furniture retailer to voluntarily abandon the sale or use of single-use plastics. On the other hand, US restaurant and coffee chains seem to suffer from damages both in the bottom line and brand recognition for not complying the laws that ban the use of single-use plastics, such as shopping bags, food containers, straws and lids for drinks and cutlery.

In fact, India is trying to eliminate single-use plastics by 2022 being alarmed by the research result that plastic is expected to weigh heavier than fish in the oceans by the middle of the century. Restrictions or bans on single-use plastics are already in place in most of the states, even though not all of them are strictly enforced.

If such bold initiatives to protect the environment can be taken in this massive democratic yet developing country, why other more established or developed countries, such as Japan and the US, haven’t taken any actions yet?

Enjoy reading and think if growing populism among democratic countries helps political leaders make a move to save the environment and the planet in a long term.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/25/news/companies/india-plastic-ban-mcdonalds-starbucks-maharashtra/index.html