2023年10月

波斯波利斯的古代雕刻文本, 伊朗 Ancient carved texts from Persepolis, Iran (© George Hall/Alamy)

遥远的过去数据 Distant-past data

电子表格日

无论他们是数据透视表专家还是入门级新手，全球电子表格用户都有一个人要感谢。Dan

Bricklin在1979年的这一天发布了第一个电子电子表格程序，这一天现在被纪念为电子表格日。这一天是为了庆祝复杂的电网，这些电网重塑了从会计和工程到教育和项目管理的企业。就像支持现代数据处理的电子表格一样，古代文明也寻求创新的方式来记录和跟踪周围的世界。
楔形文字是一种以楔形符号为特征的文字，用于转录古代近东的多种语言，该地区大致相当于今天的中东地区。它的使用范围从青铜时代早期到公元1世纪初。阿契美尼德王室铭文在波斯波利斯（今伊朗）的出版再次揭示了17世纪初的楔形文字。这些铭文混合了多种语言，最终在
19 世纪被破译。

Spreadsheet Day

Happy Spreadsheet Day! Be they a pivot table pro or an entry-level novice, spreadsheet users worldwide have one person to thank: Dan Bricklin released the first electronic spreadsheet program on this day in 1979. The day celebrates the sophisticated grids that have reshaped businesses from accounting and engineering to project management. But data handling did not begin in the digital age. Ancient civilizations had their own ways of recording and tracking the world around them, as seen in our homepage image.

Cuneiform, a script characterized by wedge-shaped symbols, was used to transcribe languages of the ancient Near East, a region roughly corresponding to today's Middle East. First developed around 3500 BCE, it was used for thousands of years, until the 1st century CE. In the early 17th century, the publication of Achaemenid royal inscriptions at Persepolis—in modern-day Iran—shed light again on cuneiform. These inscriptions had a mix of languages and were finally deciphered in the 19th century.

帕拉塔塔, 阿雅克肖, 科西嘉岛, 法国 (© Jon Ingall/Alamy)

赤血群岛的守护者

帕拉塔和桑吉奈尔群岛的热那亚之旅，阿雅克肖

闭上双眼，想象一下身处在科西嘉岛美丽的日落下，聆听海浪的声音......

帕拉塔塔建于1550-1551年，是一座历史悠久的防御塔。这座塔位于帕拉塔半岛，距离科西嘉岛的阿雅克肖约15公里。为了保护科西嘉海岸免受海盗的袭击，热那亚在科西嘉岛的海岸线上一共建造了90座这样的塔，它只是其中之一。

在帕拉塔塔，你可以饱览桑吉奈尔群岛的壮丽景色。坐落在阿雅克肖湾的吉奈尔群岛是由四个岩石小岛组成的，因其在日落时岩石呈现出血红色，它也被称为“赤血群岛”。为了褒奖当地为遗址保护和可持续管理做出的贡献，赤血群岛和帕拉塔角均被授予了“法国大景区”称号。

金色落叶松和普鲁西克峰，魔力地带，华盛顿州，美国 Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington (© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion)

确实令人着迷 Enchanting indeed

金色落叶松和普鲁西克峰，魔力地带，华盛顿州

华盛顿州的魔力地带拥有700多个高山湖泊和池塘。早在欧洲定居者到来之前，魔力地带是美国原住民雅基马、奇努克和韦纳奇部落的家园。20世纪的伐木和采矿浪潮改变了这里的大部分地貌。如今，成群的山羊在公园里吃草，岩雷鸟在树上栖息。落叶松的针叶变成了金黄色，给岩石地形投下了温暖的光辉，这片土地也随之发生了变化。普鲁西克峰在魔力地带中脱颖而出，它不仅是华盛顿州喀斯喀特山脉阿尔卑斯湖荒野区的一颗璀璨明珠，也是该地区和魔力地带的象征。对于经验丰富的徒步旅行者和攀岩者来说，这是一个绝佳的地点，这里有各种难度的攀岩路线，吸引着熟练的登山者或冒险者一试身手。

Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington

That jagged granite summit is Prusik Peak, an icon of Washington state's Enchantments region, high in the Cascade Mountain range. Getting here means a long, strenuous hike, and for much of the year it is covered in snow. But from midsummer through the fall, hikers and climbers arrive here as the larch trees turn golden. The granite peaks and autumnal colors are not the only attractions. The Enchantments boasts more than 700 alpine lakes and ponds, as well as herds of grazing mountain goats that roam this corner of the scenic Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

"火环”日环食，多哈，卡塔尔 'Ring of fire' annular solar eclipse, Doha, Qatar (© Sorin Furcoi/Getty Images)

它燃烧，燃烧，燃烧 And it burns, burns, burns

“火环”日环食

天文爱好者和科学家们都在为今天倒计时：日环食即将到来，美洲的天空将变得暗淡无光！当月球运动到太阳和地球中间，三者正好处在一条直线上，月球就会挡住太阳射向地球的光，然后月球身后的黑影正好落到地球上，这时就会发生日食现象。但为什么今天的日食会有所不同呢？那是因为月球的轨道是椭圆形的，今天的月亮将运行到离地球最远的位置上。届时，月亮将变得更小，太阳的光辉也会因此透射进来，形成一个像"火环"一样的光环。我们在图上看到的就是2019年发生在卡塔尔多哈的日环食现象，这一景象将从今天开始在美国出现，一路从俄勒冈州前往德克萨斯州。然后，它将继续前往中美洲，并在南美洲结束旅程。虽然"火环"只能在特定的路径上才能看到，但在美国的50个州的部分地区也可以看到部分日食。如果你有幸看到这场“日食秀”，请务必小心。如果没有专门的护目设备，请不要直视太阳。

'Ring of fire' solar eclipse

Sky gazers have been counting down to today: a 'ring of fire' annular solar eclipse is here to darken the skies over the Americas! Solar eclipses happen when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, casting parts of Earth into shadow. In an annular solar eclipse, a halo effect is created when the moon blocks out most but not all, of the sun's light. An annulus—or ring—of light remains visible. Seen here from Doha, Qatar, in 2019, the phenomenon will appear today over the United States—traveling from Oregon to Texas before continuing to Central America and ending in South America. While the 'ring of fire' is visible only in certain areas, partial eclipses will grace parts of all 50 states.

For those fortunate enough to live on the path of this cosmic show, be cautious. Do not look directly at the eclipse without specialized eye protection. Don't hesitate to make travel plans to see it, as the US will have to wait until 2039 for the next such event.

加尔加诺半岛上的维埃斯特，阿普利亚，意大利 Vieste on the Gargano peninsula, Apulia, Italy (© Pilat666/Getty Images)

住在悬崖边的日子 Life on the edge

维埃斯特，阿普利亚，意大利

维埃斯特是意大利东海岸一个风景如画的小镇。它的历史是由诺曼人、拜占庭人和罗马人等不同文明编织而成的，可以追溯到数千年前。小镇的历史中心不仅有迷宫般的小巷、古色古香的建筑，还有一座可以俯瞰亚得里亚海的中世纪斯瓦比亚城堡。然而，真正吸引游客的是维埃斯特迷人的自然景观。这里以壮观的石灰石悬崖、原始的海滩和清澈的海水而闻名。事实上，维埃斯特的海水非常清澈，其水质已获得蓝旗认证。闻名遐迩的皮佐穆诺岩层有许多与之相关的传说，这些传说往往是关于一个名叫皮佐穆诺的年轻人和他的爱人克里斯塔尔达的故事的变种。维埃斯特集历史、自然奇观和休闲活动于一体，对于那些寻求纯正意大利体验的游客来说，这里仍是一个引人入胜的目的地。

Vieste, Apulia, Italy

Vieste is a picturesque town on the eastern coast of Italy. With origins dating back thousands of years, its history is a tapestry woven by various civilizations, including the Normans, Byzantines, and Romans. The town's historic center is filled with charming narrow streets, ancient architecture, and a medieval Swabian castle overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Perched on dramatic limestone cliffs, its stunning natural landscape also boasts pristine beaches and clear waters that have Blue Flag certification for their quality. The famous Pizzomunno rock formation has various legends associated with it, often about a young man of the same name and his lover Cristalda. With its blend of history, natural wonders, and leisure pursuits, Vieste remains a captivating destination for those seeking an authentic Italian experience.

约翰迪化石床国家纪念地中的彩绘山，俄勒冈州，美国 The Painted Hills in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon (© Ben Herndon/Tandem Stills + Motion)

消失的回声 Echoes of extinction

彩绘山，俄勒冈州

为了庆祝国际化石日，今天我们一起来了解一下位于俄勒冈州的约翰迪化石床国家纪念地中那迷人的彩绘山。一层层色彩鲜艳又富含粘土的土壤构成了彩绘山迷人的景观。此外，这些山丘还记录了该区域数百年以来的气候和生态系统的变化。在这里，游客们可以自由地参观博物馆内陈列着的动植物化石。在纪念地的克拉诺单元，人们可以一窥负鼠化石、岳齿兽化石、剑齿虎化石和海龟化石的风采，而这些遗迹也在提醒着人们，我们的星球曾活力无限、生机勃勃。

National Fossil Day

For National Fossil Day, we're looking at the mesmerizing Painted Hills, found in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon. Those stripes of red, tan, orange, and black were formed over tens of millions of years, the different layers in the claystone hills reflecting changes in the climate over that period. The monument itself is divided into three units, Painted Hills, Clarno, and Sheep Rock. In the latter, you'll find the Thomas Condon Visitor Center with a paleontology lab and a museum displaying hundreds of fossils. In the fossil beds, the remains of more than 100 species of mammals have been found, including saber-toothed tigers, turtles, and opossums, as well as many fossilized plant species. While the landscape might sometimes look otherworldly, it offers us a peek into Earth's dynamic and fascinating history.

索普里斯山，科罗拉多州，美国 Mount Sopris, Colorado (© Jason Hatfield/Tandem Stills + Motion)

高高的落基山脉 Rocky Mountain high

索普里斯山，科罗拉多州

巍峨的索普里斯山矗立在科罗拉多州落基山脉中部的一支名为埃尔克的山脉上。它位于卡本代尔镇附近，拥有两个显眼的山峰，即东索普里斯山和西索普里斯山。很多人误以为索普里斯山是一座火山，但实际上，该山体内部的岩浆并没有喷发出来，而是在约10,000英尺的地下深处结晶后形成了一个巨大的被岩石覆盖的穹顶。除了自然魅力之外，索普里斯山还是多个土著民族的圣地，比如历史上曾在该地区居住过的犹他人部落就是其中之一。因此，索普里斯山一直是落基山脉的标志性景点，吸引了众多游客和探险者前来参观。

Mount Sopris, Colorado

The rising sun hits the twin peaks of Mount Sopris in this autumnal scene, in Colorado's Elk Mountains, in the Rockies. Known as East Sopris and West Sopris, the two summits are both 12,965 feet in elevation, towering over the town of Carbondale, in the Roaring Fork Valley. It's a common misconception that Mount Sopris was a volcano but, although magma built up beneath its surface, it never erupted. Instead, it crystallized about 10,000 feet beneath the Earth's surface, creating a massive rock-covered dome. Erosion by rain, melting snow and glacial ice then shaped it into this twin-peaked giant over tens of millions of years.

Mount Sopris was a hallowed site for Indigenous peoples, including the Ute tribes who have historically inhabited the region. The Roaring Fork and Crystal Valleys served as seasonal dwellings and hunting territories for the Parianuche and Yampa bands of the Ute people. The mountain continues to be a beloved emblem of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, drawing in visitors and adventurers alike.

古老的事故，古代的艺术 Celebrating Indigenous heritage

弗里蒙特岩画，恐龙国家纪念碑，犹他州

今天是美国土著人日！弗里蒙特人是著名的原住民族群之一，他们从公元0年到1301年一直生活在今天的犹他州及其周边地区。这个庞大的族群以其独特的岩画描绘了古老的故事，展示了古代的艺术，在该地留下了永恒的印记。如今，许多美国人都会参加土著日的庆祝活动，如艺术展览、传统音乐和讲故事等。此外，恐龙国家纪念碑、弗里蒙特印第安州立公园和麦基泉岩画也能让人们了解土著人民世世代代延续下来的悠久历史。

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Our homepage today celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day. In the US, the second Monday in October is dedicated to the enduring cultures that have shaped the nation. Among them are the Fremont people, who lived in and around what is now Utah, for more than 1,000 years up to 1300 CE. This broad group of communities left a lasting mark on their region with their distinctive petroglyphs, a form of ancient art chipped or carved into rock. Today, many Americans participate in Indigenous Day celebrations such as art exhibitions, traditional music, and storytelling. Locations such as Dinosaur National Monument, Fremont Indian State Park, and McKee Spring provide insights into the history of this ancient culture that lived here for centuries.

大自然的威严 Nature's majesty awaits!

杜鲁门斯堡的州立托格汉诺克瀑布公园，纽约州

托格汉诺克瀑布公园位于纽约风景秀丽的手指湖区，是由流入卡尤加湖的溪流侵蚀雕刻而成的自然奇迹。这座美丽的公园不仅是托格汉诺克瀑布的所在地，还有迷人的小径、独特的岩石和众多野生动物。“托格汉诺克”这个名字的起源不明，但主流观点认为它结合了易洛魁语和阿尔冈昆语，大致的意思是“森林中的大瀑布”。该公园始建于1924年，在这里你既可以沿着小径徒步，欣赏瀑布和岩石的全貌，也可以在卡尤加湖潜水，亦或是带一副双筒望远镜观鸟。如果你的目光足够敏锐，就可以观测到火鸟、潜鸟以及大角鸮等当地鸟类。

Taughannock Falls State Park

Taughannock Falls State Park, in New York's scenic Finger Lakes area, is home to this magnificent waterfall of the same name, which plunges 215 feet over the cliffs into the gorge below. The park also boasts stunning pathways, unique rock formations, and numerous wild animals. It's not certain where the name Taughannock came from, though a leading theory says it is a combination of Iroquois and Algonquin terms, roughly translating to 'great fall in the woods.' The park, which was founded in 1924, guarantees visitors memorable adventures, whether you hike the rim paths for panoramic views of the falls and rock formations, take a plunge in Cayuga Lake, or bring a pair of binoculars for birding. A keen eye can spot winged locals such as turkey vultures, common loons, and great horned owls.

这是怎么做到的！ Here's how it's done!

世界教师日

每年的10月5日是世界教师日，这一天是所有教育工作者的庆祝日。1966年10月5日，国际劳工组织和联合国教科文组织共同审议通过了《关于教师地位的建议书》，因此当天也被设立为世界教师日。这一文件不仅肯定了教师的重要作用，而且规定了教师的权利与责任，同时提出了关于教师技能认定等方面的国际标准。

正如教师塑造思想和未来一样，大自然也提供了传递知识的“专属方式”：栖息在南极半岛和南极岛屿的岩石中，成对出生的巴布亚企鹅幼崽见证了自己父母的奉献精神。父亲和母亲在牢固的一夫一妻关系中共同抚养它们，把食物带回石巢。在喂食和养育30天后，为了安全和学习本领，幼崽会加入“托儿所”，企鹅父母们会亲身教导它们的生存技巧。

World Teachers' Day

It's World Teachers' Day, time to celebrate those who dedicate their lives to transmitting knowledge, skills, and experience. Just as teachers shape minds and futures, nature too offers its own ways of passing knowledge. Nestled in the rocky landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic islands, gentoo penguin hatchlings, born in pairs, benefit from dedicated parental support. The father and mother raise them in a bonded, monogamous pair, bringing food back to the stony nest they have built together. After being fed and raised for 30 days, the chicks join a larger flock known as a crèche or nursery for safety and to learn social behavior. Penguin parents and their community pass on their wisdom through the language of survival.

星空迷