Topic Reading-Vol.4665-1/31/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China made a bet decades ago because it couldn’t compete with the US on cars. That bet is paying off big

Unlike the oil-rich United States, China depends on imports for oil. In order to reduce geopolitical liability, China has been promoting electric transportation and has become number one in the world, including subways, high-speed railways, and electric vehicles. They can be powered by homegrown electricity, including coal, solar, hydro, and wind. Of the record 31 million new cars sold in China last year, New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), including Electric vehicles (EVs) and Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) sales represented over 40%, about 12.8 million. It is expected the figure will rise to reach 50%, around 16 million this year, representing over 70% of the world NEV market. NEVs require new infrastructures, including power stations and power generation. In addition, to design and produce competitive and affordable NEVs, technologies and resources are needed, such as batteries, software, engineering, and suppliers, most of which are now domestically supplied. While other big car markets, the USA and Europe have pulled off the plug to incentivize or promote NEVs, China is on its way to becoming the number one NEV market and supplier to the world. Which country is now taking new initiatives to reduce fossil fuel consumption? 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/23/climate/china-evs-growth-oil-market/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4664-1/30/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Seven planets are lining up in the sky next month. This is what it really means

There are eight planets in our solar system. The average distance between the Earth and the Sun is called the Astronomical Unit (AU), which is often used to refer to the distance of other planets from the Sun. The time for our planet to orbit the Sun is 365 days or a year. Here are the distance from the Sun and the time for an orbit of each planet in our solar system.

Mercury 0.39 AU, 88 days

Venus: 0.72 AU, 225 days

Earth: 1.0 AU, 365 days

Mars: 1.52 AU, 687 days

(Asteroid Belt: 2.3-3.2 AU, 3-6 years)

Jupiter: 5.2 AU, 12 years

Saturn: 9.5 AU, 30 years

Uranus: 19 AU, 84 years

Neptune: 30 AU, 164 years

Because of the different orbit speeds, not all the planets are usually on one side of the Sun. But in January and February this year, all the other seven planets are almost lining up and visible, except for Mercury, from our planet. This event is called a planetary parade as planets look like lining up and marching across the night sky. While scientists aren’t sure if such an alignment has any impact on Earth or the Sun, they took advantage of the event in 1977 to conduct a Grant Tour of the outer Solar System, having visited four outermost planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Also, if some intelligence from another solar system observes our planets passing in front of the Sun, called the transit method, they might learn about our solar system.

Read the article and learn about what a planetary parade means to and offers us.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250117-planetary-parade-what-the-alignment-of-seven-planets-really-means-for-science

Topic Reading-Vol.4663-1/29/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Earth’s magnetic north pole is on the move, and scientists just updated its position

The North Pole and the South Pole are set geographic poles and mark the axis around which the Earth rotates. The magnetic poles are the points where Earth's magnetic field lines are vertical. Unlike the geographic poles, the magnetic poles are not fixed and move due to changes in Earth's molten core and magnetic field dynamics. It has typically moved about 10 km per year or less over the last 400 years, but in 1990, it drifted over 50 km per year. Currently, the North Magnetic Pole is moving from Canada towards Russia, and the South Magnetic Pole is moving in the opposite direction. Even though the Global Positioning System (GPS) itself isn’t affected by the magnetic poles, most positioning systems also use compass-based navigation, and they are affected, including smartphones and car navigation systems. But don’t worry. While airlines and militaries need to upgrade the software to maintain the precision of their fleet, vehicles, and missiles, you can still use your phone without an update because the predicted magnetic points were incorporated into the system. Their spatial resolution isn’t as high as aircraft. 

Read the article and learn about what magnetic poles are and how they affect our lives. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/21/science/magnetic-north-pole-new-position/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4662-1/28/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Champagne sales sink because people don’t want to celebrate

Sparkling wine is a generic term for any wine with carbon dioxide bubbles whereas Champagne is a type of sparkling wine produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation. It is a celebratory drink often consumed at social gatherings, weddings, and other ceremonial occasions or as an aperitif. Champagne is usually regarded as a symbol of celebration, prosperity, and success. Last year, Champagne shipments from France and sales in the home market both declined by 10% and 7% respectively. Indeed, there were concerns about rising inflation, political instability, and environmental disasters across the world, which might have held people back from toasting with the celebratory drink. Will Champagne sales pick up this year? 

Read the article and learn about the decline in Champagne shipments last year.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/20/food/champagne-sales-2024/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4661-1/27/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘The heart of the universe’: How the Panama Canal changed the world

Panama lies between the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea, an extension of the Atlantic Ocean. With the backing of the United States, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903. The US was given the right to construct the Panama Canal the following year and completed the construction in 1914. Before the canal’s opening, ships had to sail all the way below South America to Cape Horn to cross the two oceans. The 80-kilometer canal with six sets of locks that raise and lower ships between the two oceans, saves over 12,000 kilometers in travel distance. Now, about 5% of all global trade and 40% of all US containers pass the canal. The canal’s control was handed over from the US to Panama at the end of 1999. The expansion project was launched in 2007 and completed in 2016, allowing larger vessels, New Panamax, to pass the canal. The canal is also a hot tourist destination. Over 800,000 visitors came to the canal’s main visitor center last year. Now, the new US president threatens to seize control of the Panama Canal. Why? How?

Read the article and learn about how significant the Panama Canal is to world trade.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/visiting-panama-canal-history-strategies/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4660-1/26/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What parents get wrong about childhood 'milestones'

We’ve all passed milestones in our early years, such as crawling, walking, speaking, drawing, and riding a bicycle. Baby milestones are developmental markers that indicate how a child is growing and learning. They are often grouped into categories like physical growth, language development, and social and emotional development. While parents expect and worry when their babies reach their developmental milestones, only a few know what should happen and when. Since each child has a different development speed, parents shouldn’t worry so much even if their babies are late to reach certain milestones. However, there are early signs of cognitive or physical problems. For example, delayed speech can be a sign of autism, and late walking might be a sign of cerebral palsy. Recognizing such signs early would help parents and experts support the child’s unique development. 

Read the article and learn about what childhood milestones could mean.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230109-what-parents-get-wrong-about-childhood-milestones

Topic Reading-Vol.4659-1/25/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Do you have a favorite child? A new study may answer why

Were your parents always fair to you and your siblings? Are you fair to each child of yours? While most parents say they are fair to each of their children, many children seem to feel different. Some parents tend to give preferential treatment to their loved ones over others to some degree, such as a better birthday present or a bigger smile. And other family members are aware of their preference. Studies found that favorite children often have better mental health, grades, and relationships. On the other hand, children who were not treated as favorably as other siblings sometimes have a risk for poorer mental health and family relationships. Since siblings are individuals, they shouldn’t be parented perfectly in the same ways. In the meantime, they shouldn’t feel less loved or ill-treated than others by their parents. Favoritism is something felt by those who feel less favored whether they are siblings, classmates, or co-workers. So, be warned, parents, teachers, and bosses.

Read the article and learn about parental favoritism.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/16/health/favorite-child-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4658-1/24/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Planet-warming gas levels rose more than ever in 2024

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming. Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have increased the amount of COs in the atmosphere at a rapid rate and caused the Earth's average global surface temperature to rise. Warming temperatures have melted the Arctic tundra’s permafrost to release CO2 instead of absorbing it. Also, the Amazon rainforest is absorbing less CO2 as they are hit by drought and wildfires in addition to deforestation by humans. As a result,  the planet-warming CO2 in the atmosphere rose faster than ever, and the global temperature rose over 1.5C above pre-industrial levels last year. Even with the effects of the natural El Niño phenomenon, where surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually warm, the rise of CO2 by fossil fuel burning and deforestation are outpacing other efforts to curb global warming. Although it is now more than evident that CO2 and temperatures are increasing faster than the Paris COP21 agreement, the 10-year-old pledge to limit the global temperature rise below 2C, humans aren’t acting fast enough to reverse or catch up with the trend. 

Read the article and learn about another record of climate change. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c30dn5dn53jo

Topic Reading-Vol.4657-1/23/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Is this the $200,000 ticket to cheating death?

Hibernation is a natural process for animals to survive cold or food scarcity. It might be used for people during a long space trip in the future. Cryonics is the process of storing a dead body by freezing it until science has advanced to bring that person back to life. A German cryonics start-up is now offering the service to newly dead persons with diseases for a second life in the future when medical technologies advance to the level that cures the diseases. In this service, once a paid customer is pronounced dead, his or her body is moved to the company’s ambulance to cool the body to sub-zero temperatures and supplied with cryoprotective fluid to prevent water from becoming ice crystals and destroying the tissue. Then the body is cooled down to -196C to preserve for indefinite timeframes. Even though there is no proof that complex organisms of human brain structures can be restored safely and functionally, a few dead people and pets have already been cryopreserved, and nearly 700 people have signed up for the $200,000 service. How different is awakening from cryonics compared with anesthesia or hibernation?

Read the article and learn about what the cryonics service is about.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250115-cryonics-the-start-up-that-wants-to-freeze-you-in-suspended-animation

Topic Reading-Vol.4656-1/22/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What's the secret to Denmark's happy work-life balance?

Situated between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Denmark is a small Nordic country with a population of around six million. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are both autonomous territories of Denmark. Danish people, or Danes, are often ranked the happiest people in the world because of their social equality, trust, empowerment, welfare system, and work-life balance. For example, Danes are happy to pay a 25% value-added tax on most items and over 100% on new cars because they can see what they get in return, including free education, health care, and social welfare. In workplaces, workers are given five weeks of paid vacation annually and six months of paid maternity and paternity leave. Also, they enjoy flexibility during the workday to take care of their family affairs and personal businesses. Since they feel more trusted, entitled, and empowered, they become responsible for their jobs and accomplish their tasks without feeling pressured or stressed. 

Read the article and learn about Denmak’s work-life balance.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20g7705re3o

Topic Reading-Vol.4655-1/21/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What relaxation looks like in one of the world’s hardest working countries

The average length of working time depends on economic, social, and societal factors. According to OECD figures, annual working hour levels in South Korea were at 1,872 per worker in 2023, 5th longest on the OECD ranking. It’s quite longer compared to 1,810 annual hours in the US, 1,607 in Japan, 1,531 in the UK, and 1,340 in Germany. Also, South Korea is highly urbanized with 80% of its 51 million population living in cities, and the Seoul Metropolitan Area alone is home to more than half of the nation’s population. South Koreans are highly educated. Its university entrance rates, nearly 80%, have created a highly skilled workforce making the country both one of the most highly educated countries in the world and one of the highest percentage of citizens with a degree. However, it has also created serious competition to get or retain good job opportunities in such a high-tech, fast-moving, and competitive environment. So, how do those highly pressured, hardworking urban South Koreans relax on their day off? 

Read the article and see the photos of South Korea’s leisure culture.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/12/style/south-korea-leisure-culture-photography-wellness-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4654-1/20/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Moon rover-inspired robot could be a game-changer for Japan’s ageing farmers

Where there is a problem, an opportunity arises. The number of Japan’s farmers has halved since the millennium, and they are fast aging. In fact, only 20% of the farmers are under 60 years old. One way to fill the labor shortage is to bring in more immigrants and expatriates. However, since farming is seasonal in most parts of Japan, it is not easy to obtain workers when they are needed. One way to solve or ease the labor shortage is robotics. An Israel-American PhD who specializes in space robotics came up with a farm rover, called Adam. The rover can work alongside farmers or autonomously to help them transport produce. It follows the farmer from an adjustable distance or moves autonomously between two points on the farm. Also, the rover can be equipped with a grass-cutting or pesticide spray attachment. Because of its autonomous mobility, Adam can be used for patrol, security, or transporting goods and materials in plants or construction sites. If a rover works on the Moon and Mars, why not on the Earth?

Read the article and learn about a simple rover to solve Japan’s aging farmers.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/japan-robot-farming-kisui-adam-spc/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4653-1/19/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why you probably aren't washing your towels often enough

How often do you wash your towels? Do you wash them regularly or when they are visually dirty? Towels can become contaminated fast with bacteria from our skin, the air, and toilet flushes. When you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes after drying your hands or body with a towel, you transmit those bacteria from the towel to your body. For example, kitchen towels that are used on dishes, hands, and surfaces could spread foodborne pathogens and could cause gastroenteric infections resulting from Salmonella, Norovirus, and E. coli. Also, if you use a towel that was used by a person vomiting or with diarrhea, you could be infected with the same disease. That’s why public places use paper towels or hand driers. Indeed, even though the fluffy fibers still look clean, you may wash the towel regularly like your underwear, which you most likely wash every day and wear only for yourself.

Read the article and learn how invisibly unclean the towels in your home are.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250110-how-often-you-should-wash-your-towels-according-to-science

Topic Reading-Vol.4652-1/18/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Million year-old bubbles could solve ice age mystery

How do we learn what the world was like thousands of years ago? One way is to study ice cores hidden deep beneath polar ice cores. These frozen time capsules preserve air bubbles from thousands of years ago, painting a picture of climate and environmental conditions in those days to help scientists reveal how much our planet has changed. Scientists are particularly interested in learning what happened in the Mid-Pleistocene Transition period, between 900,000 and 1.2 million years ago, when the length of the cycle between cold glacial and warm interglacials changed. But treasure hunting is no easy task. Scientists had to transport the drilling equipment for 40km by snowmobiles in the east of Antarctica at 3000m elevation where the temperature goes -35C to extract a 2.8im-long ice cylinder. Then, they cut the cylinder into one-meter pieces, cool them at -50C, and transport them to European institutions by boat. By studying what the world was like long ago and how the climate works, our future might be projected better.

Read the article and learn how to collect, transport, and analyze time capsules from Antarctica.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypyg4vq8ko

Topic Reading-Vol.4651-1/17/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why some animals appear to mourn their dead

Some animals are known to display distress when they lose their offspring or a close companion. Wild horses are seen gathering around the grave of a lost member. Dogs, cats, and rabbits are found crying and searching for their companions. A killer whale mother was spotted pushing the body of her dead offspring for 17 days. A young chimpanzee suffered from clinical depression when his mother died, stopped interacting with others in his group, refused to eat, and died. Also, Hachiko, a legendary Akita dog, kept coming to a train station in Tokyo to wait for his owner longer after his death. There are many stories like these about animals crying, grieving, or searching for their companions. This might mean those animals don’t just understand the loss of their close companions but are having difficulty adjusting themselves to the situation without their loved ones. Why?

Read the article about how some animals behave when they miss their kin.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250110-why-some-animals-appear-to-mourn-their-dead

Topic Reading-Vol.4650-1/16/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Drinking sugary drinks may increase your risk of death. Here are alternative options

Sugar-sweetened beverages, or sugar drinks, are beverages with added sugar, including any type of sugar, corn syrup, or fructose. For example, a can of Coke contains nearly 40 grams or 10 teaspoonfuls of sugar. A typical grande (16-ounce) caramel Frappuccino contains as much as 60 grams of sugar, equivalent to 15 teaspoons. Do you put that many spoonfuls of sugar into your coffee or tea in a day? Studies found that sugary drinks increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases because they have no nutritional benefits other than calories. Also, they enter the bloodstream and raise blood sugar fast without the breakdown processes as solid foods. Compared with desserts, ice cream, or sweet foods, these “empty sugars” in liquid form are less nutritious but more harmful to health. Then how about alternating sugar with artificial low-calorie sweeteners? It is still a short-term patchwork but not a long-term solution. So, what should you do if you regularly enjoy sugary or sweetened drinks?

Read the article and learn how harmful sugar-sweetened beverages are to your health.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/06/health/sugary-drinks-deaths-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4649-1/15/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China's overqualified youth taking jobs as drivers, labourers and film extras

In the last few years in China, over 10 million university students have graduated each year. Have they found and settled into the jobs they studied or qualified for? It is estimated that around 20% of new university graduates are unemployed. But the figure might be much higher if those who gave up searching for jobs are included. While many students are seeking higher degrees to have better prospects, the job market needs more technical skills like programming or maintenance, or “hands”, such as factory laborers, car drivers, restaurant servers, and cleaners. Also, there seems to be a mismatch between academic qualifications and job suitabilities among many university graduates. Were they really interested in the academic field they studied in the first place? Does the dream job they wished to have match their personality or suitability? When technologies advance faster than ever, what is more important to find a dream job, higher education, vocational training, hands-on experience, or personal suitability?

Read the article and learn how China’s university graduates are struggling to find “good” jobs.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8nlpy2n1lo

Topic Reading-Vol.4648-1/14/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sweden allows nearly 10% of wolf population to be killed. The government wants an even more drastic cull

The wolf is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. Wolves eat large wild hooved mammals, smaller animals, livestock, and garbage. Though their population relative to humans is not as large as the crocodiles in and around Darwin, Australia (Vol.4646), there are quite a few wild wolves in European countries. Thanks to legal protection, the population of wild wolves is estimated to exceed 20,000 from 14,000 in 2016 in the EU. This year, the Swedish government wants to reduce its wolf population of 375 by 10% as part of its effort to lower the minimum wolf population from 300 to 170 to protect humans and livestock, even though the status of wolves is still “highly threatened” on The Swedish Red List. As the Convention of the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) recently lowered the protection status of wolves from “strictly protected” to just “protected,”  conservationists are worried that other European countries like Germany, Italy, or Spain would downgrade the wolf’s protection status and cull more wolves as Sweden does. How many wolves are too many to protect human lives? How many are too few to cause genetic problems to protected species? 

Read the article and learn how Sweden is trying to coexist with wolves. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/04/europe/sweden-wolf-hunt-controversy-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4647-1/13/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Canada country profile

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced to resign after nine years of tenure. Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its residents living within 200 km of its border with the US. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants, the main driver of its population growth of ten million between 1977 and 2023. The current population is a little over 41 million. Canada officially became a country on July 1, 1867, when all the former colonies and territories that became involved in the Canadian Confederation joined. It now consists of 10 provinces and three northern territories. Ontario is the largest province with nearly one-third of the country’s population. French-speaking Quebec is the second most populated province followed by British Columbia. Do you know which city is the capital of Canada and these three most populous provinces, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto? 

Read the article and learn about Canada and its history.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-16841111

Topic Reading-Vol.4646-1/12/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

To conserve or cull? Life in Australia's crocodile capital

Crocodiles are large, cold-blooded reptiles that live in tropical regions. The most aggressive one is the saltwater crocodile that lives in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. As their skins were valued and traded freely, their population fell to around 3,000 in Australia’s Nothern Territory (NT) before hunting was banned in 1971. Now, NT, whose population is just around 250,000, is home to 100,000 wild saltwater crocodiles. Darwin, the capital city, is a small coastal city surrounded by beaches and wetlands inhabited by many crocodiles. Crocodiles are silent, ambush hunters that sit, watch, and wait. If you swim in Darwin Harbor or the Adelaide River nearby, the chances for survival are 10 or 15 minutes at most. As they still are a protected species, how does the local government protect people from these massive, aggressive hunters? Also, their skins are highly valued and traded for luxury accessories. How are the skins of protected species openly traded?

Read the article and learn about the largest living reptiles in Australia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2v14vxdjeo

Topic Reading-Vol.4645-1/11/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Mystery volcano’ that erupted and cooled Earth in 1831 has finally been identified

Between 1300 and 1850 CE, the Earth, particularly in the North Atlantic region, was cooler than normal by about 0.6 degrees Celsius relative to the average temperature between 1000 and 2000 CE, called the Little Ice Age. It is also believed that an unidentified volcano erupted explosively in 1831, which threw huge quantities of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, lowering global temperatures by 1˚C. The cooling caused a devastating impact worldwide, failing crops and starving people. It was assumed that the mystery volcano would be somewhere in tropical regions like the Philippines. But a recent study has identified the mysterious volcano as Zavaritskii volcano on Simushir Island, part of the Kuril Islands archipelago in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Since the island has never been inhibited, there is no written record of the eruption. However, a chemical analysis of the ash and shards of volcanic glass sampled from Greenland’s ice core and a geochemical comparison of samples show that the sulfur fallout in 1831 and the samples from Zavaritskii caldera are identical. A mystery solved.

Read the article and learn how the mystery volcano that erupted in 1831 was identified.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/03/science/mystery-volcano-1831-eruption-simushir/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4644-1/10/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The survivors of recent crashes were sitting at the back of the plane. What does that tell us about airplane safety?

On December 25 last year, 29 of the 67 people on board the Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 survived the accident, which is believed to have been caused by a Russian missile. The survivors were all sitting at the back of the aircraft, whose front half was completely destroyed. Then on the 29th, Jeju Air flight 2216 belly-landed Muan International Airport in South Korea and crashed into a concrete structure, killing all but two crew members who seated in the rear of the aircraft. Does that mean seats in the back are safer than front seats in case of an airplane accident? It depends on the accident, but the chances of survival seem higher if you sit closer to an exit even though modern planes are built to withstand impacts and slow the spread of fire and are also designed to have everyone onboard be evacuated in 90 seconds. In addition, if you pay attention to the safety instructions, check the exits, and practice releasing the seatbelt quickly, you’ll be more prepared for an emergency situation. And if something happens, follow the instructions. In January last year, Japan Airlines flight 516 collided with a coastguard aircraft at busy Tokyo Haneda Airport. Even though the aircraft burned to ash, all 379 people on board survived the crash. They completed the evacuation within 11 minutes after the plane collision even though only three of the plane’s eight evacuation slides were usable. The success of the evacuation is attributed to the cabin crew’s proper guidance and calm passengers, none of whom exited with hand luggage. Next time you fly, prepare and evacuate smoothly in case of an accident.

Read the article and learn how to increase the risk of survival in case of an airplane accident.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/plane-crash-safest-seat-evacuation/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4643-1/9/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Welcome to the New World Order of automakers. Soon, only the big survive

Around 75 million new cars were sold in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The number of new energy vehicles (NEVs), including battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars, accounted for around 20% of the total sales in 2023 and over 22% in 2024. The growth of NEVs has been driven by China, where over 10 million NEVs were sold last year, or about one in three new cars. While the shift to NEVs from gasoline-powered vehicles has given advantages to newly born NEV-only automakers like the US’s Tesla and China’s BYD, it is putting pressure on traditional automakers in the US, Europe, and Japan. In fact, they are losing businesses, especially in China and Southeast Asia. Also, the cost of developing NEVs, especially the batteries and power units, has pushed the prices of NEVs and slowed sales growth in Europe and the USA. Furthermore, R&D investment for auto-driving is becoming too much of a burden even on large automakers like Toyota, GM, and Volkswagen. One way to manage the increasing costs and heating competition is a merger. Last year, Honda and Nissan announced that they agreed to merge by 2026. But will the size still matter as much as the focus and speed in the new auto market?

Read the article and learn about the survival game in the auto industry.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/03/business/automaker-mergers-to-come/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4642-1/8/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Eight ways to stay happier this year, according to science

What makes you feel happy, pleasure, or satisfaction? Most people can become happier unless they are under extreme conditions like war or disaster. There are a few tips that help you feel happy. Having good friendships is a known way to be happy, especially when you become old (Vol.4641). Feeling sympathy for your friend’s suffering or delight in their happiness is the foundation of good friendship. Also, you will feel good if you do something for others, like volunteer work or pet caring. Interestingly, research suggests that learning about family history provides psychological benefits. Another simple thing you could do is to write down, or just remember a few good things that you have experienced. You can also think about fun activities or events that make you feel happy. True. Happy things make you see things and live your life positively. In the meantime, you might not want to think too much about being happier. Instead, it’s better not to worry so much about happiness. There are quite a few tips to be happier but none fits for all. 

Read the article and find the one that might make you feel happier.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241231-eight-ways-to-stay-happier-this-year-according-to-science

Topic Reading-Vol.4641-1/7/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why later life can be a golden age for friendship

It is a known fact that friendships are beneficial for the well-being and even physical health of people of any age. Especially for older people, interactions with close friends seem to boost their happiness even more than with family members. Since friendships are relationships among those who want to interact and spend time with each other, being with friends is often more fun and less stressful than being with families or relatives. Interestingly, while young people tend to expand their social contacts, older people do the opposite because they prefer spending time with those who know and understand them well. As friends of older age tend to be more forgiving and positive with each other, they foster even closer relationships. Then how many close friends should they have? A study found that having four close friends seems ideal. 

Read the article and learn how friendships affect the well-being of older people.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241212-why-later-life-can-be-a-golden-age-for-friendship

Topic Reading-Vol.4640-1/6/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Seeking tourists: Four countries that are actively welcoming travellers

Because of over-tourism, some popular travel destinations like Barcelona, Venice, and Ginzan Onsen, Japan (Vol.4637) started limiting the number of visitors and/or charging fees for day visitors. Even though tourism stimulates the local economy and creates jobs, too many tourists and their outrageous behaviors are annoying to residents and destructive to local communities and infrastructures in some hotspots. In the meantime, there are some places where tourists are welcome. Greenland is constructing a new international airport to accept more tourists later this year, which allows larger aircraft to fly directly from both sides of the Atlantic. To prepare for the 2030 World Cup, Morocco is developing its tourism infrastructure and building new hotels. Serbia, a small, landlocked country in the Balkans, wants to bring in more tourists to help diversify rural livelihoods, local economies, and mountain tourism. Georgia, a former Soviet republic at the intersection of Europe and Asia, also plans to attract more visitors by improving accessibility, public transport, and cruise ship ports. So, before choosing your next travel destination by SNS, check out places where tourists are more than welcome.

Read the article and learn about four places that are open to tourists.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240905-seeking-tourists-four-countries-that-are-actively-welcoming-travellers

Topic Reading-Vol.4639-1/5/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Future of space travel: Could robots really replace human astronauts?

On April 12, 1961, a then-Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, orbited the Earth just once, and parachuted to the ground. On July 21, 1969, two US astronauts stepped onto the Moon. They spent 21 hours and 36 minutes there jumping around the landing module, shooting videos, and collecting samples. Both missions were more symbolic than scientific. On November 2, 2000, the first crew arrived to live on the International Space Station (ISS) to operate the crewed space laboratory for scientific research, including studies of dark matter and crystal growth for medicine. On August 6, 2012, NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity landed on Mars to investigate the Martian climate and geology, environmental conditions for microbial life, and habitability for human exploration. While robotic spacecraft have reached all planets and many asteroids in our solar system and recently the Sun, humans have only orbited the Earth and landed on the Moon since Gagarin. Actually, robots and machines can conduct scientific research in distant and inhospitable locations far more easily and economically than humans as they don’t require oxygen, hydration, nutrients, toilet, or sleep even though they aren’t as fast or flexible as humans. So why do we still try to send humans to the Moon again and to Mars? In 203X, the first humans landed on Mars after a nine-month space journey…

Read the article and learn what humans and robots can do in space travel.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7keddnj31o

Topic Reading-Vol.4638-1/4/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

2024 has been a nerve-wracking year for plane travel. How safe is it really?

Last year, there were two fatal airplane incidents in December alone. One was the Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243, an Embraer 190 aircraft, that crashed, or shot down, in Kazakhstan on Christmas day that killed 38 people on board, leaving 29 survivors. On the 29th, South Korea’s Jeju Air’s flight 2216, a B737-800, arriving from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members crashed and caught fire at a local airport in South Korea, and all but two crew members were killed. In the meantime, on January 2 last year, a Japan Airlines A350 aircraft collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on a runway at the busy Haneda Airport, Tokyo. Still, all 379 passengers and crew members of the plane evacuated from the burning aircraft, which was burnt to ashes only minutes later. How safe is it to fly? Statistics show that in recent years, the risk of commercial flight accidents was around one in every million or so flights and the risk of per boarding is around one in 14 million. If you compare these with those on the road, car accidents occur much more frequently and kill more people. Do these stats make you feel safer to fly?

Read the article about how safe, or unsafe, it is to fly on a commercial flight.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/30/business/plane-travel-crash-safety-record/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4637-1/3/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Japan’s scenic hot springs town restricting tourists amid fights over the best photo spots

Fueled by the weak Japanese yen, a record number of tourists visited Japan last year, surpassing the previous record set in 2019. Those visitors aren’t just visiting those historically popular towns like Tokyo and Kyoto but are now exploring hot remote destinations like Ginzan Onsen, or a silver mine hot spring, in Yamagata prefecture. It takes several hours from Tokyo by bus, train, or airplane because the hot spring town sits away from the highway, train station, or airport. This remote hot spring town has been visited by an increasing number of foreign tourists lately because of the famous snow-covered sights in the winter when the whole town and area are covered with heavy snow. There are a-century-old buildings in the center of the town. It is a pedestrian-only district whose bridges and streets are lit by gaslight. Like other SNS hot spots such as Kamakura-Kokomae station in Kamakura and Fuji-Kawaguchiko town, those tourists are so eager to get a hot photo spot that they often ignore traffic rules, cause congestion, and dispute or even fight each other. The hot spring had no choice but to require day visitors to buy tickets after 8 pm and drivers to park their cars away from the town and use the shuttle bus to the town. Overtourism is now everywhere. 

Read the article and learn how a remote hot spring town is trying to manage the surging visitors.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/27/travel/japan-ginzan-onsen-limiting-entry-overtourism-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4636-1/2/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Kakeibo: The Japanese art of saving money

Do you know if you are spending your money wisely? Not so many people do not keep track of how much they spend on what each month. Tracking expenditures is a nuisance and annoyance partly because it reminds you how much you wasted. But it helps you get your spending under control just like companies and organizations budget expenses and manage finances. 

“Kakeibo” is a Japanese budgeting method that helps households manage their finances and save money. It was developed by a female magazine journalist in 1904. It focuses on mindful spending and saving, an attitude towards budgeting by showing the record keeper how to spend and save well by tracking income, fixed expenditures, savings, and living expenses. Indeed, if you sort and record all the cash inflows and outflows, you’ll become more conscious of how you spend your money especially when you write them down on paper. When inflation persists, you definitely want to get your finances under control not only to make ends meet but also to save for the future or enjoy your life today.

Watch the video to learn how a simple booking technique could help manage your finances.

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0g6q7wd/kakeibo-the-japanese-art-of-saving-money

Topic Reading-Vol.4635-1/1/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Nasa makes history with closest-ever approach to Sun

A happy new year to you. Did you have a chance to see the first sunrise of the year?

Named after an American solar and plasma physicist, the Parker Solar Probe is a NASA space probe launched in 2018 to observe the Sun’s outer corona. The 1m x 3m x 2.3m probe travels faster than any human-made object at nearly 700,000 km/h, fast enough to travel from London to New York in less than 30 seconds. It is protected by a thick carbon-composite shield to endure the Sun’s heat, as high as 1,400C, and radiation. On December 24, the probe successfully made its 22nd fly-by the Sun, the closest one about six million kilometers from the Sun’s surface. That was much more inner than Mercury’s orbit and was only four centimeters from the Sun if the Sun and the Earth's distance were one meter. But why do we need to study the Sun and its corona? Corona is mysterious but influential in our lives. Its temperature reaches over a million degrees while the Sun’s surface temperature is around 6,000C. Why? Also, the probe may find clues about the solar wind, the charged particles bursting from the corona, which affects electricity grids, electronic devices, and communication systems. 

Read the article and learn about the solar probe that might help us understand our Sun and its corona better.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrwdxpljyxo