Activities involving firecrackers and fireworks on Chinese New Year's Eve (NYE) are common in Chinese culture. Previous studies revealed that such human activities significantly influence the ambient air quality and negatively impact human health. However, both the academia and the public lack a deep understanding of the extent and consequences of such human-induced air pollution. Therefore, it...

The double anniversary next year, which marks the 150th anniversary of the first publication of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin and the bicentenary of his birth, has provided the media with a welcome peg to celebrate the naturalist's enormous contribution to modern biology. While the BBC is planning several programmes, beginning later this year, Channel 4, a commercial British televisio...

Half a century of a work defining a landmark in Discrete Event Dynamic Systems theory is worth underlining. This invited contribution, of festive character, albeit I fear inadequate, is a modest tribute to the memory and work of Carl Adam Petri. It was considered convenient to remember some of the personal contacts we had with him. The price is a certainly biased view.