Styrofoam, or polystyrene, is a light-weight material, about 95 percent air, with very good insulation properties, according to Earthsource. org. It is used in products from cups that keep your drinks hot or cold to packaging material that protects items during shipping.

   With the above good features, Styrofoam still enjoys a bad reputation. It cannot be recycled without releasing dangerous pollution into the air. The U. S.. Environmental Protection Agency says it is the fifth-largest creator of harmful waste.

   But now the common worms which are usually disgusting can come to the rescue, specifically, mealworms. Scientists from the U. S. and China have discovered that mealworms can digest plastic. One mealworm can digest a pill -sized amount of plastic a day. Study co-author Wei-Min Wu says that in 24 hours, the plastic is turned into carbon dioxide.

   Since Styrofoam has no nutrition at all, are the worms hurt by eating plastic? Much to the scientists' surprise, the study found that worms eating Styrofoam were as healthy as worms eating bran(谷糠).

   The researchers will study the worm's eating habits and digesting system, looking to copy the plastic breakdown but on a larger scale. Once the way can be put into practice, it will make a revolutionary difference to the disposal of plastic.

   "Solving the issue of plastic pollution is important", says Wu, a Stanford University environmental engineering instructor. After all, our earth is small and landfill space is becoming limited with too much garbage waiting to be dealt with, he says.

   About 33-million tons of plastic are thrown away in the United States every year. Plastic plates, cups and containers take up 25 percent to 30 percent of space in America's landfills. One Styrofoam cup takes more than 1 million years to recycle in a landfill, according to Cleveland State University.

●Health, Wellness and the Politics of Food

   9:00-9:45 a.m. Blue Tent

   Panelists(成员): Jami Bernard, David Kamp, Marion Nestle and Peter Singer.

   Hosted by Denise Gray, science writer for The New York Times.

   How does what we eat not only affect our bodies, but also the world? The food and nutrition experts debate the role that the diet plays in both personal and global health, and present a look at food politics.

●Sports writing: For the Love of the Game

   9:50—10:35 a.m. Blue Tent

   Pauelists: Christine Brennan, Ira Rosen, Joe Wallace and Joe Drape.

   Hosted by William C．Rhoden, sports writer for The New York Times.

   Whether catching that key moment of victory or defeat, or covering breaking news, sports writers are anything but audience. Listen as some professionals discuss the special experience in reporting of sports news.

●The Art of the Review

   11:15-12:00 a.m. Green Tent

   Panelists: John Freeman, Barry Gewen, David Orr, Celia McGee and Jennifer Schuessler.

   Hosted by Sam Tanenhaus, editor for The New York Times Book Review.

   How much of an effect does the book review have on book sales? Join this group of critics they discuss the reality of the book review and bestseller lists, and how they choose books for review.

●New York Writers, New York Stories

   3:00-3:45 p.m. Green Tent

   Panelists: Cindy Adams, Richard Cohen, Ric Klass and Lanren Redniss.

   Hosted by Clyde Habeman, columnist for the City Section of The New York Times.

   Join this inspiring group of New York-centric writers as they talk about why New York is a gold mine of ideas for their work.

International Studies (BA) 
     Key features 

● Recognizes the "global community"    

● Has close connections with practical research 

● Much of the teaching is done in small discussion groups 
     About the course 

 The course gives you chances to know great power polities between nation states. It will provide more space to study particular issues such as relationship among countries in the European Union, third world debt, local and international disagreement, and the work of such international bodies as the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, and the World Bank. 
     The course puts theories into the working of the international system with close attention to particular countries. You will also have a better knowledge of methods of solving the international problems. 

 Related courses 

BA (Hons) Community Management 

BA (Hons) Public Policy and Management 

 Employment possibilities 
     International organizations
     International business  

Earth Science (BSc) 
     Key features 
     ● Based on key courses and the latest research findings 
     ● Pays much attention to practical skills 
     ● Offers chances for fieldwork (实地考察) 

About the course 
     The demand for natural resources is becoming an increasingly serious problem for the future of mankind. Graduates in Earth Science will play an important role in meeting this demand, and in knowing the meaning of using the natural resources. 
     The course covers geography and geology. You will carry out fieldwork in the UK and possibly overseas, and a research in an area of interest to you in the final year. 

  Related courses 
     BSc (Hons) Geograhpy 
     BSc (Hons) Geology 
     Employment possibilities 
     Mineral, oil, water or other related engineering industries

Powder Mountain Resort is hosting a new snowboarding contest Saturday that is free and open to the first 100 people. The Burton Qualifiers, the new traveling contest series, includes seven stops throughout North America and is open to the general public. The top snowborder from Saturday's local event will win $100 and the opportunity to advance to the finals at Seven Springs Resort in Pennsylvania, according to Powder Mountain Resort marketing coordinator JP Goulet. The contest is open to the first 100 snowboarders who register Saturday morning at the event. Registration for the event will be held at Hidden Lake Lodge at Powder Mountain Resort.

   During he Burton Qualifiers, each rider will be given an hour to impress the judges who will score based on style and tricks. The top three riders will be awarded a cash prize, and the top six overall snowboaders will also earn a spot to compete at the finals at Pennsylvania's Seven Springs Resort. From there, participants will have a chance to advance to the world event in Japan to compete for $10,000.

   Powder Mountain opened in 1974 and now offer's seven ski lifts(滑雪缆车). The resort recently opened a new run for the season located next to the Hidden Lake Terrain Park. Also new this season is an added dining option located at the bottom of the mountain. The North Fork Table and Tavern uses a wood-fired oven to cook pizza and offers a full bar. It is the fourth restaurant at Powder Mountain. The resort is probably most well-known for its adventure skiing, Goulet said. Because the resort is privately owned and operated, it has access to 15,000 acres in the area and guides offer full-day ski tours around the mountain. Powder Mountain doesn't offer accommodations at the resort, but has a variety of rentals located within 4 miles of the mountain.

A

Looking for new and creative ways to reach your fitness goals? Now’s the time to check out the following hottest fitness apps(应用程序) for the new year.

Hot5

Platform: iOS

Cost: Free
Hot5 contains pages and pages of 5-minute video workouts that are easy to follow. You can find video workouts of all varieties and difficulty levels that will work you out with only five moves. Hot5s are modern. It is also beautifully designed and user friendly.

GymPact

Platform: iOS, Android

Cost: Free
We all need a little motivation when it comes to working out, and GymPact is a perfect way to get inspired. Make a commitment to working out a certain number of times a week. Choose the amount of money you are willing to risk. If you don’t achieve your goal? Your credit card gets charged. Achieve your goal? You get paid!

Fitocracy Macros

Platform: iOS,

Cost: Free
More than just a calorie-counting app, Fitocracy Macros tracks only the calories you take in. You’ll have to research how many calories are actually in the food you eat. That aside, it’s a simple and easy app that will help you achieve your dieting goals.

Zombies(僵尸), Run! 2

Platform: iOS, Android

Cost: 25yuan
Zombies, Run! 2 mixes games and stories into your run as you complete missions in a world full of zombies. Whether you’re gathering supplies, saving a fellow human, or avoiding a crowd of the undead, this app adds excitement to your normal jog with imagination and competition.