Researchers say that newborn babies react differently to native and foreign vowel(元音) sounds.It suggests that language learning begins before their birth.But how much learning of speech sounds is unknown.

Scientists have known that about 10 weeks before birth，a fetus can hear sounds outside its world.But Christine Moon，a psychologist，found that unborn babies may also start to learn languages.So Christine Moon and her coworkers tested the newborn babies' responses (反应) to different vowel sounds，which are the loudest in human speech.

It might seem difficult for scientists to learn anything about newborn babies，because of their poor language ability.But for their experiment，Christine Moon and her coworkers found a good method—they used special pacifiers(安抚奶嘴)connected with computers.The researchers studied 80 healthy newborn babies.Half of those babies lived in the United States，the other half in Sweden.Each baby had a pair of soft headphones next to his or her ears.When a baby sucked (吮吸) on the pacifier，the computer would send sounds through the headphones.

Christine Moon's team recorded each baby's responses.American babies were more likely to continue sucking on their pacifiers when they heard Swedish vowel sounds than when they heard English vowel sounds.Swedish babies were more likely to continue sucking on their pacifiers when American vowels were played.The babies' responses show that they stopped to pay more attention to vowel sounds like those from their parents' language.

Christine Moon also suggests that new parents should be careful about trying to give language lessons to unborn babies.Playing extra sound might actually disturb them.They hear plenty already.

For many years, studies have shown that birth order affects personality, but new research confirms that whether you’re an older, middle or younger child bears an impact on career path too. Led by psychologist Emma Kenny, the researchers found significant evidence to support the theory that birth order has a clear and marked effect on career paths.

In order to reach their conclusions, a team of statisticians analyzed a random sample of over 500 of the most successful individuals from 11 different career groups to identify statistically significant patterns.

One of the most clear findings was that middle children are 30 percent more likely to become company CEOs than their siblings. The researchers suggested that this could be because having to fight for attention results in middle children developing personality features such as competitiveness, flexibility and diplomacy, which then makes them suited to high-flying roles which require thoughtfulness and high levels of management. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are all middle children. In encouraging news for middle children across the world, the study also found that they’re 41 percent more likely to be Olympic athletes.

Interestingly, the researchers found that the majority of astronauts are first-born children-Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong are prime examples. Eldest children are also most likely to become scientists or engineers like Stephen Hawking and Tim Berners Lee.

Youngest children like Johann Sebastian Bach and Mozart were found to be 50 percent more likely to have careers in classical music, possibly for their “sensitive and idealistic personality traits”, the researchers suggest.

As for only children, the study suggests they’re more likely to become artists due to their “Perfectionist and mature personality traits.”

The average UK family has 2.44 children, but the researchers found that family size does play a part - scientists were found to come from much larger families than average.

Insect numbers have quickly declined by half in some parts of the world due to climate change and intensive agriculture, a study has found. The combined influences of global heating and farming are driving a “substantial decline” of insects across the globe, according to UK researchers.

Lead researcher, Dr Charlie Outhwaite of University College of London, said losing insect populations could be harmful not only to the natural environment, but to human health and food security, particularly with losses of pollinators (传粉者). “Our findings highlight the urgency of actions to preserve natural habitats, slow the expansion of high-intensity agriculture, and cut emissions to reduce climate change,” she added.

The rapid decrease of populations of insects around the world has caused widespread concern. However, scientific data gives a mixed picture, with some types of insects showing extreme and sudden declines, while others are staying steady.

In the latest study published in Nature, the researchers pulled together data on the range and number of nearly 20,000 insect species, including bees, ants, butterflies and dragonflies, at about 6,000 different areas. In areas with high-intensity agriculture and on-going warming, insect numbers have quickly declined by 49%, compared with relatively untouched places that have so far avoided the most severe impacts of climate change.

“Careful management of agricultural areas, such as preserving natural habitats near farmland, may help to ensure that vital insects can still thrive (茁壮成长),” said Dr Tim Newbold, another study researcher. “We need to acknowledge how important insects are for the environment as a whole, and for human health and well-being, in order to address the threats we pose to them before many species are lost forever.