Dolphins and fishermen in Laguna, Brazil, like the same food: Mullets (鲻鱼). But rather than compete, the two have formed an alliance. Common bottlenose dolphins will chase schools of mullets toward shore, where a row of fishermen stand waist-deep in the water, nets in hand. The fishermen can’t see the fish through the murky water, so instead, they watch the dolphins. When the marine mammals slap their heads or tails against the water, they cue (提示) the fishermen to cast their nets, which in turn breaks up the schools and makes individual fish easier for the dolphins to catch.

Now, a new study suggests the dolphins are willing partners in this cooperation. They pay close attention to the humans, timing their actions to maximize their catch. The animals may even be guiding the people, says Simon Ingram, a marine biologist. He says, “It’s almost as if the dolphins are training the humans.” Fishers must understand the dolphins’ cues, learning them over time, Cantor, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Cambridge, says. “The dolphins are almost like teachers.”

This fishing partnership has passed down through the generations, lasting for more than a century. According to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers suggest dolphins that hunt with humans have increased survival rates over those that don’t. These cooperative dolphins are more likely to stay near the shore, reducing their chance of entanglement (缠住) in illegal fishing gear. Fishers were also more successful when they worked with the dolphins. When dolphins were present, the fishers were 17 times more likely to catch fish and netted nearly 4 times more mullets when they timed their casting with the dolphins’ signals. This is really incredible cooperative behavior.

Other populations of dolphins have also been known to cooperate with human fishers, herding fish toward shore or into nets off eastern Australia, Mauritania, and Southeast Asia. But these practices have either disappeared or are in decline.

Reasons you should make time for the sunset

Here's why you should consider making time to watch the sunset.

1. It can slow down time.

Seriously. By witnessing the beauty of the sunset, you can slow down your perception (感知)of time. 【小题1】 Amazingly, by taking the time to look at the vast sky, we're actually empowering ourselves to regain control of the clock.

2. It can provide energy for you.

Even if you have to go back to the office after you watch that last sliver disappear below the skyline, taking a few minutes out of your day to experience some of the golden hour will be worth it. 【小题2】Often when we feel exhausted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized (给予能量)is to connect with nature.

3. It will force you to put your phone down.

When we regard the experience of sunsets as special occasions, we feel the urge to document and save them——as if keeping photos of their beauty will help us remember that wonder ful feeling. 【小题3】.

4. It will inspire you.

There's a reason sunsets are a timeless and constant inspiration to poets, writers and romantics.

5. 【小题4】.

All of us are drawn to sunsets, but people in a few special places really regard the sunset as a daily opportunity to give thanks；【小题5】, Crowds gather to cheer and applaud it, reinforcing (加强)the idea that we should celebrate and be thankful for each day.

“WHAT KIND OF BIRD is this?” the text from my wildlife protector friend had asked. I had to look closely at the photo. It was an owl (猫头鹰), found dragged and dropped on someone’s backyard. I figured that she was about two weeks from being old enough to fly.

Cleaned and warmed, the tiny owl survived. Together we planned a “soft release”. “The idea was that as she gained the ability to fly, we would let the young owl wander off rather naturally, on her own schedule, into the very suitable woodland behind our home.”

Her care came to us for what we thought would be a few weeks at most. We called her Alfie. But the recovery took longer than expected. When she should have been able to fly, Alfie could only walk on the ground. Winter was in the air, making easy food much less available, and she had never learned to hunt. I would not risk letting her loose and having her starve. When summer was again at its fullest, I left the door open. Alfie disappeared one day. A week later, my wife texted me: “Guess who’s back. After that, Alfie centered her territory around our backyard, and before long, we started seeing another owl.

Alfie became the owl she was born to be when she left our protection for the risks and rewards of free agency. She and her mate raised three baby birds that first year, building new links in the great chain that has gone unbroken for millions of owl generations.

Alfie lives in relationship, and our surprising capacity to relate to one another expanded my perspective on her life and mine. Birds and humans have not had a common ancestor for more than 300 million years, yet Alfie always enjoyed a little head scratch that we enjoyed giving. Our nervous systems still relate, allowing us to share such pleasures. People for thousands of years lived in relationship with nature and with their communities. If there is one lesson from Alfie, it is that to live in relationship is how we might heal.