RSS Feed

5/31/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4420-5/31/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Come to China, enjoy six amazing teas
Tea is said to have been born in China centuries before the common era began. Today, various kinds of teas are enjoyed including black tea, green tea, white tea, brown tea, oolong tea, and herbal tea in cultures around the world. But tea is most deeply embedded in Chinese culture with a long history of tea serving and with a wide variety of tea types. Here are six popular teas that produce aromas, fragrances, and tastes in China.
West Lake Longjing tea is a special kind of green tea that is harvested in the West Lake area of Hangzhou. White Peony tea is a white tea that is rich in antioxidant properties and provides immune-boosting benefits. Jin Jun Mei is a new variety of black tea originated in Fujian province. The world-famous Pu’er tea is a uniquely fermented tea from the mountainous Yunnan province. Enshi Yulu is an old type of green tea that resembles pine needles. The flavourful Jasmine tea combines the fragrance of jasmine flowers with tea leaves. Which of these have you tasted or would you like to try?
Read the article and see the images of some of China’s renowned tea variations.

5/30/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4419-5/30/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Plans for ‘world’s largest coastal regeneration project’ revealed in Dubai
Established as a small fishing village in the 19th century, oil-rich Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It has flourished as a regional hub and tourism since the late 20th century. As Dubai is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, it has a beautiful, long seashore where many luxury hotels stand. Now, a new project called Dubai Mangroves has been launched to plant over 100 million mangroves along over 70 kilometers of Dubai’s shoreline. Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone. Once planted, the mangroves are projected to absorb over 1.2 million tons of CO2 a year, an equivalent of CO2 emitted by 260,000 gas-powered vehicles. They are also expected to create a natural habitat for fish and coastal flora and fauna, improve fishing and aquaculture industries, and become an eco-tourism attraction. Sounds like a very rosy, green project, doesn’t it?  
Read the article and learn about Dubai’s new green project with mangroves.

5/29/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4418-5/29/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Many high schools are curbing the use of AI. These schools are leaning in
Should high schools allow students to use AI for their school work such as research, summarize, or write papers? When the use of typewriters became popular, some worried that students might lose the chance to develop handwriting skills, a nice-to-have skill but not so essential nowadays. When electric calculators became commonly available and affordable, people worried that students would not develop calculation skills, which are no longer considered essential, either. Then computers, tablets, and smartphones have already been used in many classrooms. And think of the spelling and grammar check features on the apps and devices students use. Are they deteriorating or helping students’ writing? Actually, teachers are using those tools to prepare classes and assess students’ work. Now AI has been becoming increasingly popular among students and teachers since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. If teachers find AI helpful for their jobs, it seems quite natural to have their students use it effectively and productively for their future. In fact, some schools are having their students use AI to come up with unique solutions. Those who use AI as their learning tool or partner seem to develop AI literacy for their future.
Read the article and learn about how AI is being used in high school education.

5/28/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4417-5/28/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
24 of the world’s best sandwiches
A sandwich is a general term for a food typically consisting of a filling that is placed on or between pieces or a split roll of bread. The filling could be anything, cheese, meat, fish, sausage, vegetables, or jam. Any type of bread could be used to sandwich the filling, including sliced loaf, split roll, bun, pita, or bagel. Extended variations include open sandwiches, wrapped sandwiches, tacos, hotdogs, and hamburgers. The term "sandwich" is named after an English noble, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, in the 18th century who wanted to grab food during his gambling games. Today, there are wide varieties of sandwiches around the world. In some of them, the filling is the main part while others use the filling to enjoy the taste and flavor of the bread. Whichever the style might be, the right combination of the filling and bread, along with sauce, dressing, seasoning, and spice would make a great sandwich.
Read and learn about 24 delicious sandwiches around the world.

5/27/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4416-5/27/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Over 60 places around the world charge tourist taxes – and there’s more to come
Tourist taxes have been levied by national or local governments to temper over-tourism and generate income to improve public infrastructures and preserve monuments, facilities, and the environment. For example, Bhutan charges $100 a day to an adult visitor (lowered from $200). Barcelona uses the city’s tourist tax to fund construction and development projects locally, around €5 per day per person. Most tourist taxes are added to the price of the accommodation, but some popular tourist destinations like Venice introduced a 5 visitor's tax to those who don’t stay overnight. Since the number of visitors to Venice is over twice as many as that of the residents, the city may need to discourage incoming day tourists who don’t contribute to the local economy as much as visitors who stay overnight. Considering the waste management, public toilets, conservation of natural habitats and historical monuments, and social housing, most tourists seem to be content to make a little financial contribution to the place where they enjoy visiting. Will you?
Read the article and learn how tourist taxes are charged and used in popular tourist destinations.

5/26/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4415-5/26/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Certain vegetarian diets significantly reduce risk of cancer, heart disease and death, study says
Vegans avoid all animal products, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and even honey. Vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, or fish but Lacto-ove vegetarians eat, eggs, and dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and milk, too. It has been long known that people who follow plant-based or plant-predominant diets often live healthier lives as vegetables and fruits provide vitamins, minerals, and other antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In fact, while plants have more fiber, they have less saturated fat and no cholesterol. Not surprisingly, such healthy diets are found to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and inflammation, which could lengthen your life, according to studies. Should you then eat only vegetables and fruits to live a healthier and longer life? It seems that plant-based diets work better when they are maintained in balance and with exercise.
Read the article and learn about the benefits of vegetarian, or mostly vegetarian diets.

5/25/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4414-5/25/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
Microplastics are polymer fragments smaller than 5 millimeters, and nanoplastics are less than 1 micrometer in size or about 1,000th of a human hair, which are small enough to migrate through the tissues into the bloodstream. New research found that there are as many as 240,000 micro and nano plastics in a liter of PET bottled water. (Vol.4362)
Then what about the food we regularly eat? Most of the animal and vegetable protein samples tested recently contained microplastics, new research found. Even vegetables and fruits aren’t free from plastic particles as they absorb microplastics through their roots and transfer them to the leaves and fruits. Also, any packaged food items like salt, sugar, tea bags, and even rice contain microplastics and therefore nanoplastic particles, which are small enough to invade individual cells and tissues in major organs. Since we live in a plastic-contaminated world, there is little, but still, something we can do to reduce taking plastic particles from food and drinks we consume.
Read the article and learn about how contaminated the food we eat is by plastic particles.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/22/health/plastics-food-wellness-scn/index.html

5/24/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4413-5/24/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The latest list of top US baby names has a few surprises
The five most popular baby names in the USA back in 2000 were Emma, Olivia, Isabella, Ava, and Sophia for girls and Noah, Ethan, Jacob, Liam, and Logan for boys.
In 2023, they were Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, and Sophia for girls and Liam, Noah, Oliver, James, and Elijah for boys.
As the Latino population increases in the USA, names of Latin origin become more popular. For example, a boy name Mateo ascended to the 6th on the popularity list from #11 in 2022. Mateo is a name of Spanish origin meaning "gift of God." The English version of Mateo is Matthew, a name of Hebrew origin, the name of one of Jesus's twelve disciples. A girl name Olivia is also a Latin name meaning “olive tree”, the feminine alternative to the boy’s Oliver. Also, pop culture and social media, such as TikTok, Instagram, and online dramas influence baby names. In the past, the popular names changed gradually but nowadays, they change faster due to demographic and social influences.
Read the article and check the top baby names in the USA.

5/23/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4412-5/23/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The fight to save the African penguin
The African penguin is a penguin species that lives in southern African waters. It has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask. They feed mainly on fish like sardines and anchovies as well as squid. The once-numerous population of the African penguin has been rapidly decreasing and now the species is endangered. The estimated number of breeding pairs is less than 9,000 in South Africa and is declining by around 8% each year. So it won’t be too long before the African penguin goes extinct. The causes of the population decline are natural predators like seals, extreme storms and flooding caused by climate change, and commercial fishing, most of which are caused by human activities. Now, conservationists are demanding the South African government take immediate actions that are biologically meaningful, including tougher restrictions on fishing practices to protect penguins’ colonies. Since penguins are so vulnerable to other animals and environmental changes, humans can decide and act either to save or extinguish the species.
Read the article and learn about another endangered bird species that only lives around the south of Africa.

5/22/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4411-5/22/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Malaysia’s ‘orangutan diplomacy’ plan slammed as ‘obscene’
Orangutans are great apes that live in parts of the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. They are among the most intelligent primates and demonstrate skills like treating wounds (Vol.4401-May 12) and using tools to break open nuts. However, their populations have declined to a critically endangered level due to poaching, habitat destruction, and deforestation. One of the main causes of forest destruction is palm oil plantations. Palm oil, the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, is vital for Malaysia’s economy. It is produced in plantations that were once rainforests where Orangutans inhabited. Despite the fact that palm oil production threatens the critically endangered species, the Malaysian government announced a plan to gift orangutans to some of its important trading partners of palm oil. It is cited as “Orangutan Diplomacy” like China’s “Panda Diplomacy”. Environmentalists and conservationists criticized that while China's conservation efforts for giant pandas are well organized and implemented, Malaysia’s orangutan habitat is converted to palm oil plantations. Do the gentle great apes have to play a diplomatic role at the cost of their habitat loss?
Read the article and learn about Malaysia’s orangutan diplomacy.

5/21/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4410-5/21/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Hurricanes, heatwaves and rising seas: The impacts of record ocean heat
On top of higher air temperatures, there is more moisture in the air and increased sea surface temperatures on the planet. The world temperature had already been 1.5C warmer than the preindustrial level for a full year until last February. Also, global ocean surface temperatures have been hotter than ever for over a year. Since oceans absorb heat from the air and release it slowly, substantial heat is being stored in the oceans. The rise in the air and ocean temperatures has been caused mainly by rising greenhouse gas emissions, of course. Also, there was a major El Niño event last year, which raised surface water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. The world has been witnessing these temperature rises in recent years and is going to experience more extreme weather conditions that are sparked by warmer temperatures and more moisture in the air. Rains will pour heavily, hurricanes and typhoons will develop rapidly, and temperatures and humidity will rise steeply. Since substantial heat is being stored in oceans, the upcoming La Niña phase won’t be so much help for extreme weather conditions this year and beyond.
Read the article and learn about the impact of warming oceans.

5/20/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4409-5/20/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The ‘world’s largest’ vacuum to suck climate pollution out of the air just opened. Here’s how it works
Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies extract carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the ambient atmosphere. Carbon dioxide removal is achieved when ambient air makes contact with chemical media like an aqueous alkaline solvent or sorbents. The extracted CO2 is then sequestered in safe long-term storage. Earlier this month, the world's biggest DAC plant called “Mammoth”  started operating in Iceland. The operation of the DAC is powered by geothermal energy, which is abundant in the volcanic country. The carbon captured is injected beneath the ground and transformed into stone, which locks up the carbon permanently. When it runs at full capacity, the DAC plant will pull 36,000 tons of carbon a year, which is equivalent to the annual emission of 7,800 gasoline vehicles. Critics say carbon removal technologies like DAC are too expensive and energy-consuming. The producer/operator of Mammoth is aiming to lower the costs of their DAC plants down to an economically practical level, $100 per ton, around 2050.
Though carbon removal doesn’t reduce CO2 emissions, it does help reduce CO2 from the air as long as it is operated by clean energies.
Read the article and learn about this massive CO2-sucking plant in Iceland.

5/19/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4408-5/19/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
South Korea’s birthrate is so low, the president wants to create a ministry to tackle it
The population of South Korea has been declining slightly but steadily in recent years and is projected to show a further and steeper decline in the coming years. The main reason for the population decrease is the nation’s low fertility rate, the world's lowest, which decreased from 1.24 in 2015 to 0.72 last year. Women are so concerned about their career advancement and the financial cost of raising children that they delay childbirth, give up having any babies, or even stay unmarried. Also, the population of the greater Seoul exceeds 50% of South Korea&s total population, which makes the cost of living, especially the housing cost too expensive for young people to form a family and raise children. Socially, there is a significant gender pay gap in workplaces, unshared domestic burdens, and discrimination against single parents or unmarried couples. South Korean government has been tackling the problems for years but has had no success. Now, stating the low birth rate as a national emergency, the government is planning to establish a new ministry to change the trend. Japan already has had a Minister of State for Measures for the Declining Birthrate since 2007 and has appointed 25 ministers so far but has shown no progress. How much influence does politics have on social matters?
Read the article and learn about South Korea’s new attempt to increase the birth rate.

5/18/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4407-5/18/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Super-aged Japan now has 9 million vacant homes. And that’s a problem
The population of Japan has been declining consistently since 2011. As the number of newborns declines, the country is losing several hundred thousand residents each year. There were only 753,000 babies were born last year while nearly 160,000 died. As a result, there were 126.3 million residents back in 2020, but there are only 124.0 million as of April this year. Also, Japan is the world’s most-aged country, with 30% of the population being 65 years or older and around 10% being 80 years or older. As people age, it becomes difficult to live in a house by themselves, and those who have a chance move to care houses. When the sole resident of a house dies, the property is inherited by their descendants if any, but if the house is too old, badly maintained, and/or inconveniently located to live in or sell, the property is abandoned. According to recent government stats, there are as many as nine million such vacant homes in Japan. In some regions, over 20% of the houses are unlived. These abandoned houses are troublesome to the local community as they become potential risks and hazards in case of disaster or emergency. Also, they could undermine the property value of the neighborhood. Since most Japanese value newer houses, the number of such vacant houses is expected to rise. It sounds like Japan is building more houses while increasing the dead inventory.
Read the article and learn about the housing problem in a country where its population is shrinking.

5/17/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4406-5/17/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The insect farmers turning to AI to help lower costs
The black soldier fly is the insect farming industry's crown jewel, representing a protein source that can make our food more sustainable. They are considered neither pests nor vectors. Instead, their larvae decompose organic substances and return nutrients to the soil. Also, they are an alternative source of protein for aquaculture, animal feed, and pet food. A small company near Bangkok, Thailand rears black soldier fly larvae to produce animal feed for shrimp and pig farms. The larvae are fed with fruit and vegetable waste to grow. In order to maximize production efficiency, the company uses AI to control the environment, optimize space, and feed the larvae. As more trials and errors are fed into the AI model, it will learn to provide more efficient solutions that will help reduce the production cost, which is still a few times more costly than soybean feed at the moment. If grown efficiently with environmentally friendly feed and in an environment with the help of AI, black solder fly larvae might one day become an ideal source of nutrients for fish, animals, pets, and even humans. Until then, AI needs to be fed with sufficient data.
Read the article and learn about how insect larvae and AI could help feed animals better.

5/16/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4405-5/16/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
How to buy your first luxury watch
Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega, Patek Philippe, and Panerai are some of the luxury watch brands in the world. They are highly appreciated and valued by wealthy people and fans. But why a watch? Smartphones provide more accurate time and features like a stopwatch and alarm. Also, smartwatches have features like messaging, health conditions monitoring, and weather and news reports. So, functionally, watches are no longer advantageous than modern devices. However, some people are willing to spend thousands of dollars to wear a luxury watch like jewelry that matches their status, fashion, wealth, or pride. They feel happy every time they put it on/off and check the time. Also, they feel proud when others look at it. There seems to be a considerable emotional return on investment. Then how should a first-time buyer decide to purchase a new or preowned watch, which model, or from where?  
Read the article and learn about the tips to buy a luxury watch.

5/15/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4404-5/15/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
How the computer games industry is embracing AI
Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, Global Offensive, and League of Legends are some of today’s most-played computer or online game titles. Since many gamers are highly enthusiastic and critical about the games they play, game producers pour enormous amounts of time and resources into the production of new games and successive versions. Games are created by taking several key steps, including concept design, prototyping, development/coding, and testing. You may think AI helps code game software in some way or another. But nowadays, AI is being used in nearly every step to create and produce games. For example, if a concept designer asks questions to AI about the game story they are working on, it’ll give them answers from very different perspectives from humans, which could help them design innovative game concepts. Also, instead of depending on developers’ imagination, developers can have AI suggest what happens next after a certain action or situation in the game context, which tends to be more dynamic and innovative than humans. Game production is another area where humans are using AI to help their creative works.
Read the article and learn about how AI is helping game production.

5/14/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4403-5/14/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
For those who sit to study or work many hours a day, exercise is essential for health and fitness. The simplest and easiest exercise is daily walking. All you need are shoes, time, and determination. It is a baseline movement for your body and helps circulation, digestion, and decompression. However, your body needs more exercise to keep your body functional, such as stretching and bending in different directions. Also, if you want to improve your fitness or athletic performance, you need to add athletic movements, such as throwing, jumping, pushing, working out, or whatever is required to do the activity or develop muscles. You don’t have to do a lot every day or for a long time. Instead, you want to start activities you can comfortably do first, and once you get used to doing it regularly, you can add more activities for a longer time or more often. Then you’ll find yourself enjoying exercising and improving your health and fitness both physically and mentally.
Read the article and learn the tips to be healthier and more fit.

5/13/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4402-5/13/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The lunar far side is wildly different from what we see. Scientists want to know why
Launched on May 3, Chang'e 6 is a robotic lunar exploration mission by China National Space Administration. It is aimed to get a sample of soil and rock from the far side of the Moon and bring it back in 53 days. The lander module will collect two kilograms of samples from 2 meters below the surface and place them in an attached ascent vehicle, which will make an autonomous rendezvous and dock with an orbiter, and then robotically transfer the sample into a return capsule for delivery to Earth. It seems like a technologically amazing mission. But why does China dedicate so much funds and engineering resources to studying the far side of the moon even though it hasn’t been studied as much as the near side? Is the far side so different from the near side that we always see?
Read the article and learn about why there is the near side and far side of the Moon and how different they are thought to be.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/03/world/lunar-far-side-moon-exploration-scn/index.html

5/12/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4401-5/12/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Wounded orangutan seen using plant as medicine
Orangutans are great apes that live in parts of the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. They are among the most intelligent primates, but their populations have declined to a critically endangered level due to poaching, habitat destruction, and deforestation. They are known for their ability to create and use tools like sticks for insect extraction and leaves for makeshift umbrellas. Recently, scientists observed a male orangutan in the wild treat a deep wound on his face by chewing leaves of a certain plant and applying the paste to the wound to heal it. The leaves the orangutan used are the ones used by humans traditionally to treat diabetes and malaria. Although other wild primate species are known to swallow, chew, or rub themselves with plants that have medicinal properties, scientists have never seen them use plants to treat recent wounds. The scientists believe that the orangutan intentionally used that particular plant to treat his wound because he applied it repeatedly until it healed.
Are we more similar to great apes than we are different from them?
Read the article and see the photos to learn about how an orangutan used the traditional treatment for a deep facial wound.

5/11/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4400-5/11/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
China's third aircraft carrier begins its maiden sea trial
An aircraft carrier is a large warship that serves as a mobile airbase, allowing the launch, recovery, and maintenance of the aircraft on board. They are the centerpiece of modern naval warfare and the presence of an aircraft carrier strike group provides the military force far beyond their shores. Also, the presence of an aircraft carrier can deter aggression by other countries because of the power projection. The US has 11 carrier strike groups, each of which is led by an advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that can carry over 50 aircraft, more aircraft than most airforce bases have. The UK has two modern large carriers that were commissioned in 2017 and 2019. China has two carriers in service, both of which use an upward-curved ramp or ski jump take-off system. Now, Fujian, the newest and largest one with advanced electromagnetic catapults like the ones on US carriers, started its maiden sea trial on May 1. When it enters the service a few years later, China will then be able to deploy as many aircraft carriers as the US in the Eastern Pacific region at a time. Will that deter tensions in the recently volatile cross-strait and South-China Sea regions?
Read the article and learn about the maiden sea trial of China’s newest aircraft carrier.

5/10/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4399-5/10/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
A 300-year-old settlement resurfaces as severe drought dries up a dam in the Philippines
Pantabangan Dam is a dam on the Pampanga River on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It provides water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, and its reservoir, one of the largest in Southeast Asia, affords flood control. When the construction of the dam began in 1971, residents of the three-century-old town called Pantabangan were relocated. The abandoned town sank beneath the reservoir when the dam was constructed. However, the old sunken town has appeared six times when water levels dropped. Last month, the water level went down by 50 meters from normal because of the continuing drought and scorching heat, and the ruins emerged and became a tourist attraction. Yes, the El Niño climate played a role in the extreme heat of over 40 degrees Celsius, but global warming also makes the region hotter and drier longer than before. Unfortunately, Pantabangan Dam’s reservoir isn’t the only one that resurfaces the sunken land in the world.
Read the article and learn about how global warming and weather patterns are affecting water supplies.

5/09/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4398-5/9/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
The electric car revolution is on track, says IEAElectric vehicles (EVs) have a battery instead of a gasoline tank, and an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. They are purely motor-powered vehicles. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a combination of gasoline and electric vehicles, so they have a battery, an electric motor, a gasoline tank, and an internal combustion engine. The gasoline engine kicks in only when the battery runs out. These two types of vehicles are generally considered EVs. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), EV sales will reach 17 million this year, which will represent roughly 20% of this year’s new car sales projection. Over half of those new EVs will be sold in China, the world’s largest EV market where over 30% of the new cars sold last year were EVs. The agency also predicts by 2035, half of cars sold in the world will be EVs. Price, battery power, and charging infrastructure seem to be the keys to EV market growth. Also, the connectivity with smartphones that EVs offer might drive young car buyers to choose EVs over gasoline vehicles. The trend already seems to have been set.
Read the article and learn about how EV sales are growing in the world.

5/08/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4397-5/8/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
'Invisible in our own country': Being Muslim in Modi's India
The bloody partition of British India took place in 1947 into two independent nations, Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. Now, of India’s 1.4 billion population, nearly 80% are followers of Hinduism and around 14% are Muslims. As a result of the 2019 general election, of the 543 seats in India’s House of the People, 293, or 54% are taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a rightwing political party with a focus on Hindu nationalism. The ruling party advocates for policies that support Hindu interests and cultural values. It also promotes Indian nationalism, emphasizing pride in the country’s history, and culture, and strengthens national security. In addition, the relationship with Muslim-majority Pakistan has long been marked by decades of conflict. What is life like for Muslims in such a conservative, Hindu-dominated country? On one occasion, a nine-year-old Muslim student was called “a Pakistani terrorist” by his classmates. Are 200 million-plus Muslims treated in the same ways as Hindus in India?
Read the article and learn about the situation of Muslims in India.

5/07/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4396-5/7/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
How robots are taking over warehouse work
Humans are intelligent and flexible when it comes to working in warehouses. Human workers can see and judge how to pick up items, carry them, and put them into boxes almost instinctively. However, if you try to have robots do all these jobs smoothly, safely, and efficiently, it takes a lot of technology, engineering, and investment, especially when the size, shape, and weight of items vary widely. As online shopping keeps growing, it is robots that are handling the increasing number of items and boxes in warehouses and fulfillment centers. Ocado is a British online grocery retail, fulfillment, and logistics company. In their warehouse, hundreds of AI-trained robots are working 24/7 to pick, move, and pack most of the items into boxes. Human workers are now handling items that robots aren’t ready for yet. But as technologies advance, more items will be handled by robots. It seems like the same transformation that has been occurring in factory automation.
Read the article and see the video to learn how things are done behind the scenes of online shopping.

5/06/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4395-5/6/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Streaming and texting on the Moon: Nokia and NASA are taking 4G into space
It seems that the Moon is being projected to be colonized in the near future. NASA, the US space agency, was directed to work with other agencies to develop a lunar-based time system (Vol.4373).  If that is the case, it is essential to set up a communication system on the Moon to collect and analyze data, share information, and sustain operations. For deployment of such infrastructure 384,000 kilometers away from the Earth, it is advantageous to have compact, low-footprint network equipment that can be transported and deployed easily. So, NASA and Nokia, a Finnish telecom and IT company are now working together on setting up a cellular network on the Moon. Once such a lunar communication network is established, data communication, mission control, and even personal interactions via cell phones can be made as easily and swiftly as being on the mother planet. Will Amazon have a delivery service to the Moon then?
Read the article and learn about the future communication system on the Moon.

5/05/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4394-5/5/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
World's biggest 3D printer whirs into action
3D printing creates three-dimensional objects layer by layer from a computer-aided design (CAD), or a digital 3D model. One of the key advantages of 3D printing is the ability to produce very complex shapes or geometries that would be otherwise infeasible to construct, including hollow parts or parts with internal truss structures. Since 3D printing uses only the material needed to create an object, it also reduces material waste. Materials used for 3D printing include polymers, metals, and ceramics. It is used for producing prototypes for automotive, aerospace, and electronics, customized products including medical devices, prosthetics, and dental implants, and even architecture and construction with concrete and composite materials. Last month, the University of Maine, USA introduced the world’s largest polymer 3D printer that could print a 29-meter-long house by itself. When recycled polymer or residual wood is used as material to feed into the printer, it’ll produce more eco-friendly houses.
Read the article and learn about what a large 3D printer could create.

5/04/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4393-5/4/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  New Delhi chokes as trash mountain fire spreads hazardous fumes
A landfill is a designated area where waste materials are disposed of by burying them under layers of soil or just piling up on the ground. It is the most common form of waste disposal. In India, there are over 3,000 landfill sites across the country, which combined release over 14% of the nation’s total methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Methane could cause asthma and increase the risk of stroke as well. Also, liquid from waste materials in landfills can contain harmful chemicals and pollutants, posing risks to human health and ecosystems. Once the soil is contaminated with hazardous substances, it makes the land unsuitable for use. Last month, New Delhi’s largest landfill burst into flames, causing heat, methane emissions, and a thick and pungent haze over the capital. In nearby communities, people suffer from poisonous gases, strong odors, and soaring heat. Since chemical reactions could cause dangerous fumes or fires, it is essential to sort and treat garbage before they go into a landfill.
Read the article and learn about what could happen if a landfill caught a fire.

5/03/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4392-5/3/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
The scavengers stalking the world's cities
Scavengers are birds or animals that feed on dead animals. They play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming dead animal and plant material, which helps prevent the spread of disease and recycle nutrients back into the environment. In the wild, scavengers can include a variety of animals such as vultures, hyenas, jackals, ravens, crows, and certain species of beetles and flies. Each of these animals has unique adaptations that allow them to efficiently locate and consume carrion, contributing to the balance and health of their ecosystems. But as urbanization sprawls into natural areas, the traditional habitat for wildlife is diminishing. Then scavengers and other wild animals started searching for food out of their habitats into human settlements, raiding garbage bins, wandering streets, and even invading homes. Imagine a baboon, bear, or elephant trying to eat leftover food in a plastic bag in your backyard. They could end up eating not only easy, high-energy food remains but also non-edible things like plastic bags and even disposable forks and straws. Such unwelcome interactions should be avoided for both parties.
Read the article and learn about how close wild animals live to human settlements.

5/02/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4391-5/2/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Plastic-choked rivers in Ecuador are being cleared with conveyor belts
There are several points where plastic waste can be reduced, including production, distribution, consumption, collection, and recycling. Each process requires rules, funding, education, system, infrastructure, and implementation, all of which are essential for reducing plastic waste. The last line of defense to prevent plastic waste from flowing into the seas is to collect it in rivers. One startup in Ecuador, a country in northwestern South America, is trying to skim off and remove plastic waste from rivers by using a conveyor to prevent ocean-bound plastic. Once collected, the plastic waste is sorted for recycling or landfill. Also, the waste is studied to identify where it came from. Then the responsible municipalities, businesses, and communities can work to stop or reduce plastic waste. If this collection method is used actively, it’ll help reduce plastic waste floating in the rivers, and eventually into the seas.
Read the article and learn about how a startup in Ecuador is trying to reduce plastic pollution.

5/01/2024

Topic Reading-Vol.4390-5/1/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Deforestation pushes animals in Uganda forest to eat virus-laden bat poo
Guano is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. It is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients that are essential for plant growth. Bat guano is found in caves around the world. Many cave ecosystems depend on nutrients from bat guano. Animals in a Uganda forest are eating bat guano as their natural food source is demolished for farming by humans. According to a new study, bat guano is loaded with viruses, including one that is linked to Covid-19. Although it is still unknown if the virus found in the guano can be transmitted to humans, this finding shows how new infections could be transmitted beyond species, wildlife-to-wildlife, and possibly wildlife-to-humans.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a SARS-associated coronavirus. It was first identified at the end of February 2003 during an outbreak that emerged in China and spread to other countries. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It spread around the world and became a pandemic in 2020. The suspected cause of these infectious diseases is bats.
Read the article and learn about how bat excrement could affect the health of wild animals and humans.