Topic Reading-Vol.3094-9/30/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The super-adaptable chimps that can withstand climate change
Not all chimpanzees are created equal.
The chimpanzee is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. Chimpanzees show signs of intelligence, such as the ability to remember symbols, cooperation, tool use, recognition of themselves in a mirror, and perhaps language. Like early humans adapted to the changing environments, from ice ages to long periods of warmth, caves to buildings, hunting, and gathering to farming, chimpanzees also seem to have adapted to the new environments. Also, chimps that inhabit savannah expose themselves more to their predators, endure the harsh climate, and live with scarce resources while the ones in rainforests have abundant places to hide, hunt, and sleep in. Naturally, their behaviors are different. So, when global warming becomes global heating and causes floods, droughts, severer storms, and deforestation, they are likely to change their behaviors to adapt to their new environments or to migrate to more endurable habitats, if there are any left. But the narrower the gap from the present environment, the easier for chimps to adapt. The same sounds true to humans, doesn’t it?
Enjoy reading the article and think about which could adapt to the changing environments better, us, or our cousins.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200924-the-super-adaptable-chimps-that-can-withstand-climate-change

Topic Reading-Vol.3093-9/29/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Last ever Airbus A380 superjumbo assembled in France

Since the first flight half a century ago, Boeing 747, also known as Jumbo, has been produced and used for both airliners and cargo. This partly-double-decker wide-body aircraft received over 1,500 orders and the last dozen are soon to be delivered in a year or two.

Boeing’s arch-rival, Airbus, delivered the first full-double-decker superjumbo, A380, only 15 years ago and has recently completed the last production. Airbus hoped to deliver 1,200 when they launched the project, but it received minus 64 orders, meaning cancellations exceeded new orders since 2015. The company had no choice but to cease the production of this once-proud flagship aircraft.

What was to blame the most, over-expectation, multi-national politics, or competitive ego? Whoever gave the green signal to this super-jumbo project can tell the story.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about the production and fate of this short-lived airliner.https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/final-airbus-a380-assembled/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3092-9/28/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why plastic-surgery demand is booming amid lockdown

Celebrities and politicians always try to look good in front of people and cameras and they are very much used to it. Of course. It’s their job. But most people aren’t used to looking at themselves on a screen for hours every day. They neither expected to do their jobs in front of a camera nor imagined to be seen themselves on screens by others. But this is exactly what many people today have been experiencing since March when the coronavirus became a pandemic. They found themselves sitting in front of their PCs hours every day for online video meetings, conferences, training, or classes. They then compare themselves with others on the video and begin wondering if they look as good as others do. Some people even consider taking facial augmentation or surgery to look better. That sounds understandable under the circumstances as they can show their faces in full only via online. As a result, online inquires for cosmetic upgrades increased substantially in the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.

Does lockdown make you feel good things better and bad things even worse?

Enjoy reading the article and think if you want to turn off the self-view video in your next Zoom meeting.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200909-why-plastic-surgery-demand-is-booming-amid-lockdown

Topic Reading-Vol.3091-9/27/2020

Topic Reading-Vol.3091-9/27/2020
Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Tel Aviv set to become first city with electric roads that charge public transportation
Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, Tel Aviv is the second-most populous city in Israel with a population of nearly half a million. As part of the initiatives to improve the air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the city has installed electric infrastructure under the road to charge e-buses that are equipped with electricity receivers. When those buses drive on the special charging lane, energy is transferred from the road to the buses’ receivers. The system will allow the buses to run without stopping to charge electricity or pump gas. This way, no e-charging stations are needed for electric vehicles. Sounds like a good idea?
Then, read the article and learn more about this e-charging road in Israel.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/22/business/tel-aviv-electric-charging-road/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3090-9/26/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Airbus looks to the future with hydrogen planes

Greta Thunberg knows the easiest and surest way to reduce aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Don’t fly. Indeed. As the coronavirus pandemic grounded most of the passenger aircraft in the world, the sky is cleaner than any time in the past few decades. While the aviation and travel industries are hoping to fly passengers as soon as possible, environmental advocates are pushing the governments and aviation industry to promote a green recovery. Though it will take more than a decade, Airbus, an aerospace giant, came up with plans to bring about zero-emission aircraft. There are three designs, a turbofan, turboprop, and blended-wing body aircraft. All these models would burn liquid hydrogen to create electrical power. The concept sounds ideal but there are infrastructure and supply problems that need to be overcome, which seem to require governments and beyond-industry collaborations.

However, as zero-emission vehicles are on the rise on the ground, the same must happen in the air and on the water.

Enjoy reading the article and think when you’ll take a zero-emission flight and to where.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54242176

Topic Reading-Vol.3089-9/25/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Must-watch videos of the week
Is that a pet cub? No way. It’s an unexpected visitor to the house. While the man was enjoying a snooze by the poolside at his own house, this black bear wandered into the property, sipped water from the swimming pool, and sniffed the man’s foot. The man was still happily asleep until the curious bear nudged man’s foot, which surprised both the resident and the intruder. The bear immediately made a 180-degree turn and ran away while the man picked up his smartphone reactively and pointed it at the running bear like a gun.
Did he intend to flash the light or make a sound to scare the bear?
Enjoy watching the video and think about what his reaction meant for.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/18/app-news-section/videos-of-the-week-mobile-september-18/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3088-9/24/2020

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
A London coffee shop is charging $64 for its premium brew -- here's what it tastes like
Are you a coffee drinker? If so, how do you drink coffee? Do you drink coffee mainly to get caffeine, taste it condiments like milk, cream, sugar, or cinnamon, enjoy specialty coffees like cappuccino, café au lait, or frappe, or spend quality time with premium coffee?
While coffee is found or served nearly anywhere in developed countries at convenience stores, vending machines, fast food restaurants, and coffee shops like Starbucks, there are quite a few specialty coffee shops that serve premium coffee and time.
One of such high-quality coffee shops in London serves a $64 coffee in a wine glass. The coffee is graded at the highest level by the international competition. It is ground by hand at the table and brewed by an expert and served in a tall wine glass to allow the drinker to enjoy the flavor, just like red wine. If you are to try this premium coffee, you ought to smell, taste, and enjoy it like a coffee connoisseur and never dare to ask for sugar or cream for it.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about what a premium coffee is like.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/expensive-coffee-london-gbr-scli-intl/index.html