For almost a century, Ecuador’s giant tortoises (陆龟) have been protected. These species are one of the largest living reptiles (爬行动物) on the planet. They live a very long life—the oldest tortoise on record was 175 years old. And, they all live on the Galapagos Islands.

Hunting the tortoises is illegal under Ecuador’s laws, but now the Attorney General’s office has opened an investigation into the remains of four tortoises that were found in the park. Tortoise meat is considered delicious, meaning there can be large financial gains made by wildlife hunters. “This is not an isolated incident,” said the Galápagos Conservancy, a US-based conservation organization in a statement. “In September 2021, the remains of 15 critically endangered giant tortoises from the subspecies Chelonoidisguntheri were found on Isabela. Evidence from the investigation showed that the reptiles had likely been hunted for consumption.”

The islands are considered one of the world’s best places to see wildlife, and they’re home to animal and plant species that are found nowhere else in the world. The famously fearless wildlife is believed to have been a source of inspiration for Darwin’s theory of evolution, following his visit to the islands in 1835. The islands were actually discovered by accident in 1535, when a Spanish ship was blown off course while sailing from Panama to Peru. Ridiculously enough, the ship’s captain was unimpressed by the islands, writing to the king that they were “worthless”.

In late August, a special unit for environmental crime traveled to the Galápagos Islands to investigate and interview park keepers about the incident. And when the keepers discovered four animal bodies on Isabela Island, just a few months after the discovery of 15 dead tortoises, environmentalists were shocked. There were once at least 250,000 tortoises on the islands. But now there are only fewer than 15,000 in the wild today, and two subspecies are already extinct. “Evidence from the 2021 investigation showed that the reptiles had likely been hunted for consumption,” Galapagos Conservancy continued. “Therefore, it comes as no surprise that many are worried that their population will continue to decrease if serious action isn’t taken soon.”

Researchers are looking into new ways to generate efficient photovoltaic energy (光伏能源) and for this they have been inspired by the v-shaped posture of the Cabbage White butterfly (菜粉蝶).

Photovoltaic energy is the science behind solar power, where light is turned into electricity. It is a two-step process. Step one is a photoelectric effect, caused by sunlight. The second step is an electrochemical process, which generates an electric current.

To improve the collection of sunlight, a research group has been inspired by the resting posture of the Cabbage White butterfly. The species has a natural range across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. To many farmers, the butterflies are regarded as a pest; to others, they are pretty to look at. To one research group the butterflies are an inspiration.

The butterfly adopts a v-shape in order to heat up its flight muscles before taking off. By creating solar panels (太阳能电池板) in this formation, scientists think that the quantity of power that a solar panel can produce can be increased by around 50 percent.

The Cabbage White butterfly is different to many other butterflies in using the v-formation. On cloudy days butterflies need to wait to receive enough sunlight in order to fly. However, by using the v-posture, the Cabbage White butterfly is able to take in more energy more quickly than other butterflies. In addition, the butterfly can reflect sunlight from its wings, which allows its flight muscles to be warmed to an ideal temperature.

The new research was conducted at the University of Exeter's Environment and Sustain --ability Institute (ESI) and the Centre for Ecology and Conservation. Discussing the findings with Laboratory Manager magazine, lead researcher Professor Tapas Mallick stated: “Biomimicry (仿生学) in engineering is not new. However, this research shows pathways to develop low cost solar power that have not been done before.”

The dog Pooch Chi Chi managed to open the door and let a fire crew in after his owner collapsed on the kitchen floor.

Responders were searching for another entrance when they heard a “click” as the dog managed to unlock the door to let them in, They found the man, named only as Mr Green, collapsed on the floor in the kitchen as the fire took hold on the hob. Firefighters then swiftly put out the fire and carried out first aid until paramedics(急救医士)arrived.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said “a potential disaster” was averted with help from the dog. They said they were called to the scene after a smoke detector was activated and a Careline alarm was sounded.

Mr Green initially answered the call but operator at Careline lost communication. Within six minutes, the crew was on scene and investigating. They could hear the alarm but were unable to establish contact with the man inside. With curtains drawn, the crew could not see in-side but could hear a dog barking. They tried the front door, but it wouldn’t open. As the crew looked for another entrance, they heard a “click” and the front door opened. The crew went inside to find a man collapsed on the floor in the kitchen when a fire was beginning to take hold on the cooker. They contacted the ambulance service, put out the fire and allowed fresh air in. Firefighters then carried out first aid and stabilized the man until paramedics arrived. It wasn’t until later in the incident that they discovered that Chi Chi had managed to open the front door and let the crew inside.

Ian Bolton, Crew Manager for Home and Partnerships at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service added: “Having monitored detection in people’s homes means the fire service are only minutes away from providing lifesaving assistance. This is a real success story and highlights the importance of Careline and the fire service. Careline’s system, combined with the speed of our crews getting to the incident, saved Mr Green’s life. The cherry on the cake. however, was Chi Chi letting the crews in before they had to force entry to the property. ”