Does using an eco-friendly paper straw (吸管) give you a good feeling because you’re doing something for the environment? “Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” says researcher Dr. Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp. “However, the presence of PFAS in these straws means that could be discredited.”

PFAS chemicals, infamous for their longevity and potential harm, can adversely affect humans, wildlife and the environment. They biodegrade (生物降解) very slowly over time and can persist over thousands of years in the environment, a property that has led to them being known as “forever chemicals”. They are linked to various health issues, including thyroid disease, liver damage, kidney cancer and so on. Furthermore, these chemicals are used in everyday items, such as outdoor clothing and non-stick pans, to make them water and heat-resistant.

For a more in-depth analysis, the research team purchased 39 different brands of drinking straws made from five materials — paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic, and then conducted two rounds of testing for PFAS. They found that most brands (69%) contained PFAS, with 18 different PFAS detected in total. In paper straws, PFAS was detected in 90% of the brands tested. PFAS was also detected in 80% of brands of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straw brands and 40% of glass straw brands. They were not detected in any of the five types of steel straws tested.

“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows they are not necessarily biodegradable,” says Dr. Groffen. “We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw — or just avoid using straws.”

The PFAS concentrations (浓度) were low and, considering that most people only use straws occasionally, pose a limited risk to human health. However, PFAS can remain in the body for many years and concentrations can build up over time. “Small amounts of PFAS, while not harmful in themselves, can add to the chemical load already present in the body,” Dr. Groffen concludes.

Some people say that city living in the 21st century is stressful and offers no advantages, but I don’t agree with them completely.

With the development of high-tech and the improvement of living qualities, more and more people crowded into the city, which leads to the uncontrollable urbanization(城市化). Because of this, some of the largest cities must be fairly oppressive(压抑的) places in which to live if you are short of money or unemployed. However, for those with much income, a city provides colourful environment which enables people to enjoy their modern life. In that case, I believe the advantages of urban living far outweigh its shortcomings.

Regarding shopping, as for me, rather than click on the Internet to get what I want, I prefer to window-shop. All kinds of shopping malls and supermarkets located in the city centre really content me. What’s more, a large city’s service even covers numbers of the surrounding towns and benefits many people.

In terms of entertainment, city residents are usually spoiled for choice, from amusement park to sport stadium, whoever you are will find exactly what you need. Maybe going to a concert tonight and visiting museums tomorrow. The city always contains various activities and full of energy.

The city also provides better opportunities with so many choices and challenges. Cities with universities offer high-standard education so that graduates from these places always get ideal jobs with considerable salary. Every day in the business district, you can see a fierce competition among those large companies, while there are exactly places that may give birth to talents.

Many people may complain about the traffic jam or pollution in the city, but I think with some useful measures to take, our city will be more habitable rather than stressful.

The Age of Information is mushrooming, perhaps even bulging. If you tried to download all the data available today, you’d need more than 180 million years to do so. But you are wrong to assume that all this information would stimulate a boost of innovation to match the output of data. Indeed, the last time we found ourselves in a period of significant innovation, pursuing the ideas with the biggest spark, was more than 120 years ago, in a period called the Age of Insight.

Innovations, both big and small, start with a new idea. Often, these ideas occur as a moment of insight-the result of a novel connection in our brains made between existing and new information. Studies show insights involve quiet signals deep in the brain, just under the surface of awareness. Anything that helps us notice quiet signals, such as taking breaks between meetings, only adopting necessary learning approaches or avoiding distractions like social media, can increase the chance of insights. However, it’s becoming more challenging to find those quiet signals with the increasing use of technology, filling every moment with emergencies and an endless supply of content.

Besides, we also want to increase the quality of them-to be able to sort through big new ideas and find the ones that have real value, which can be hard to measure. Launched in 2015, the Eureka Scale(尤里卡量表) allows us to assess the strength of our insight experiences on a five-point scale, which is marked by intense emotions, motivation, memory advantage, aftershocks, and following ideas. The Scale combines these five variables into a single value and allows us to define the importance of a new idea. The level-5 insight, involving the richest emotion, motivation, and lasting impact, holds the greatest significance.

Because insights are one of the best ways to drive engagement, innovation, and behavior change, the Eureka Scale has broad applications for measuring and improving individual and organizational performance. More importantly, it can be used to measure the impact of different kinds of work environments and learning approaches on participants’ growth-both in the moment or afterward.

In order for organizations to benefit from another age of insight, it’s not enough to try to access more data or increase the number of insights we generate. Instead, it’s about making space for the biggest ideas to emerge from all the information. Using the shared language of the Eureka Scale as a way to measure how important ideas are, relative to each other, will enable better decision-making toward practical and competitive outcomes. And if we’re to enter a new age of insight, we must design our environments to allow for the best insight possible to surface.