A shark moving around the coastline is normally a worrying sight，but this waterborne drone(无人机)threatens floating rubbish instead of people.

Developed by Dutch company RanMarine, the WasteShark takes nature as its inspiration with its whale shark-like mouth. Responsible for collecting waste, the drone will begin operations in Dubai Marina in November after a year of trials with local partner Ecocoast.

According to RanMarine, the WasteShark is available in both autonomous and remote-controlled models. Measuring just over five feet by three-and-a-half feet(1.5 meters by 1.1 meter)，it can carry up to 352 pounds of rubbish(159.6 kg)and has an operational battery life of 16 hours.

By 2016 there were approximately 150 million tons of plastic in the world's oceans. One paper from December 2014 estimated that over a quarter of a million tons of ocean plastic pollution was afloat.

"WasteShark also has the abilities to gather air and water quality data, remove chemicals out of the water such as oil，and heavy metals，and scan the seabed to read its depth and outlines，"said Oliver Cunningham, one of the co-founders of RanMarine. "Fitted with a collision-avoidance system, the drone uses laser imaging detection and ranging technology to detect an object in its path and stop or back up if the object approaches."

"Our drones are designed to move through a water system, whether it's around the perimeter(周边) or through the city itself. The drones are that last line of defense between the city and the open ocean," added Cunningham. "WasteSharks are operating in Dubai, South Africa and the Netherlands and cost $ 17,000 for the remote-controlled model and just under $ 23,000 for the autonomous model."

Dubai-based operator Ecocoast has two WasteShark drones. Co-founder Dana Liparts says they will clean waterfronts for clients including hotels and environmental authorities and that Ecocoast' intention is to have the collected rubbish recycled or upcycled. However, Liparts argues that cleaning waterways doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution and requires a combination of new technology, preventative measures and changing people's attitudes towards littering.

Children love gardening. Here are 4 unique and memorable presents that are sure to be appreciated:

1. Big Kid’s Garden Tool Set

If you really want your kids to help out with the yard work, this garden tool set for children is a great idea. Coming with four pieces—rake, hoe, shovel, and leaf rake—this set is designed and sized for kids five years and up. Each tool is made with a metal head and a wooden handle—these are real tools that they can use in the garden. These kid’s garden tools are perfect for preparing garden beds for planting or cleaning up leaves in the fall.

2. Grow Light System

Here’s the next best thing! The Jump Start T5 Grow Light System is ideal for seedlings, cutting, lowers and other house plants. The super efficient T5 lights help with the growth by providing 15-200 more heat than traditional grow lights. It features simple lamp (夹子) for cay lamp height, adjustment, and the fixture has an internal reflective finish that directs more light to plants. The equipment won’t take up too much spa and it’s no too expensive.

3. Hydroponic Herb Garden Kit

If your kids are a little more high tech and less willing to get their hands dirty, you can still get them into gardening. Fully hydroponic, this self watering planter makes it easy to grow select herbs, veggies, and fruit without a traditional garden. This is a great option for a classroom or apartment dwellers who don’t have a yard. It’s also good for parents who don’t have a green thumb but want to teach their children about growing plants and food.

4. Electric Pressure Washer

The Sun Joe Electric Pressure Washer can perform a variety of cleaning tasks outdoors. Remove oil from concrete, rust from steel and caked mud on equipment. Its 34-inch spray (喷射) length and rear wheels provide easy access to hard-to-reach areas such as 2-story buildings.

For more information, call Anaclerio at 708-864-6584 or Carlisle at 708-205-9141.

Disease-carrying mosquitoes can spread diseases without affecting themselves. Nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year, which results in over one million deaths. Humans experience continuous pressures from disease-carrying mosquitoes in many parts of the world, so we have to find ways to fight against those insects because they keep getting scarier.

Even though DEET remains the most commonly used, and most powerful, mosquito repellent (防护剂) ever developed, scientists are actively pursuing effective products based entirely on plant oils. While DEET is an effective contact repellent, many people dislike the oily feel and smell on their skin, and sometimes some people are sensitive to it. Consumers are always interested in alternatives to DEET and other synthetic (合成的) repellents, so there are numerous natural repellents on the market.

In my lab at Iowa State University, my team and I have been conducting research on natural products as possible insect repellents for the past 20 years. In the past few years, three of my Ph. D. students have contributed greatly to our research by designing, synthesizing, purifying, characterizing and testing more than 300 closely related chemicals coming from the best of natural repellents like citronellol, menthol and thymol.

These students have successfully tested these repellents against three species of dangerous mosquitoes. The first group of the new repellents act through the air. These chemicals have a vapor action that provides protection. These are potentially most useful in backyards, parks, houses, barracks and horse barns. The other group of the new repellents are the classic ones that stop insects from standing on a treated surface, such as human skin, clothing or tents; some researchers have conducted testing on some humans to confirm the effectiveness and identify the very best ones.

The new repellents were designed and made from the natural materials in plant essential oils. They maintain many of the advantages of the natural repellents: They are fully biodegradable (可生物降解的), with no ecological concerns or environmental wastes, and generally considered safe like the thousands of types of plant essential oils used in the flavor and perfume industries. However, thorough testing will be conducted to determine if they are truly non-poisonous because there is still no enough evidence.