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Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to our emissions pose a twin threat to the world's coral reefs. Higher temperatures stress corals and this can lead to mass bleaching (漂白) and death. In addition, atmospheric CO₂ absorbed by the ocean makes the water more acidic and weakens coral skeletons. This, along with pollution and overfishing, has already created a crisis for the planet's reefs.

To find out more about the extent and speed at which coral species could adapt, Jury and his colleagues at the University of Hawai'i collected dozens of specimens of eight different coral species from reefs around O'ahu, Hawai'i. They were then grown in an outdoor lab under four different conditions: under today's climate, one with temperatures raised by 2℃ but water chemistry unchanged, another with temperatures held but water chemistry made more acidic, and the last with both temperature and water chemistry changed to produce the warmer, more acidic conditions.

The test lasted as long as six months, but "the corals did surprisingly well", says Jury. All saw lower growth rates-a measure of coral health -under the more stressful conditions. Yet individuals of all species survived the combined stressors, with no clear trade-off between tolerance to heat and acidity.

In fact, there is building evidence of a significant potential to adapt to changing oceans. For instance, in a second study published this month, Melissa Naugle at Southern Cross University in Australia and her colleagues analysed heat tolerance of different coral species on the Great Barrier Reef. They found unexpectedly large variation in heat tolerance, even among corals in the same part of the reef, which could be especially valuable for efforts to restore reefs by breeding more tolerant corals.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," says Lisa McManus at the University of Hawai'i, who wasn't involved with any of the research. But she cautions that any adaptive potential still depends on how much coral is left after extreme events. "In a lot of areas around the world, there's little coral cover left."

The Ratcliffe-on-Soar station in central England is to finish its final shift at midnight, after more than half a century of turning coal into power. Owner Uniper says many of the 170 remaining employees will stay on during a two-year decommissioning (停用关闭) process.

The UK government hailed (赞扬) the closure as a milestone in efforts to generate all of Britain's energy from renewable sources by 2030. The shutdown makes Britain the first country from the Group of Seven major economies to phase out coal — though some other European nations, including Sweden and Belgium, got there sooner.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the plant's closure "marks the end of an era and coal workers can be rightly proud of their work powering our country for over 140 years. We owe generations a debt of gratitude as a country. The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning."

The world's first coal-fired electricity plant, Edison Electric Light Station, opened in London in 1882. Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which opened in 1968, is a landmark whose eight concrete cooling towers and 199-meter chimney are seen by millions of people a year as they drive past on the M1 highway or speed by on trains.

In 1990 coal provided about 80% of Britain's electricity. By 2012 it had fallen to 39%, and by 2023 it stood at just 1%, according to figures from the National Grid. More than half of Britain's electricity now comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar power, and the rest from natural gas and nuclear energy.

"Ten years ago, coal was the leading source of this country's power — generating a third of our electricity," said Dhara Vyas, deputy chief executive of Energy U. K. "So, to get to this point just a decade later, with coal's contribution replaced by clean and low carbon sources, is an incredible achievement. As we aim for further ambitious targets in the energy transition (转变), it's worth remembering that few back then thought such a change at such a pace was possible."

My father had died four months earlier and I had been wearing a gold ring of his that was gifted to me. On the second day of our hike, as the rest of our group set off after lunch, I was walking at the back with my wife when I looked down at my hand where my dad's ring usually was. It was gone.

I spent the next few minutes and hours being comforted by my friends and family and regretting how I could lose something so precious on a hiking trip. My friend encouraged me to search for my ring in my pack, which I did when we stopped for a drink. There was no ring.

We set up camp and settled in at Kingfisher Flat, the most beautiful campsite, sitting beside a flowing creek. That night I went to sleep and eventually reconciled that my ring was gone for good.

Finishing the hike the following day, back at Mambray Creek, my mate said we should have one last look for the ring at the campsite before setting off. I went along with the idea, especially given there were toilets nearby and it was a four-hour drive back to our home on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

As we approached our campsite our friends started searching around the grounds for the ring. I inspected our fuel gauge completely, while my eldest daughter walked to the fire ring where we'd been chatting and laughing. Seconds later I heard my daughter say "I've found it!"

I seriously could not believe what she'd said until she presented me with my dad's ring. I accepted the ring, hugged my daughter and to this day find it hard to believe my dad's ring was found. This precious chapter made the two nights hiking something I will never forget.

Paris

Daytime temperatures in the 70s makes summer one of the best times to wander around the City of Light. Dine alfresco at a cafe along the Champs-Élysées, or have a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens or on the lawns in front of the Eiffel Tower. The only cons: bigger crowds and higher prices on hotel rooms. You may want to consider a vacation rental to save money, and you should plan to visit world-renowned attractions like the Louvre first thing in the morning to avoid a great many tourists.

Great Barrier Reef

Australia's Great Barrier Reef offers some of the most scenic snorkeling and diving on the globe at hot spots like Osprey Reef and Heron Island. And, believe it or not, your tourism dollars can help protect this quickly disappearing natural wonder. However, you don't have to be a diver to fully enjoy this region. Sailing on the open ocean and kicking back on a Whitsunday Islands beach will no doubt satisfy relaxation seekers.

London

Get down to London town for your next summer vacation. Spend your days touring the grounds of Buckingham Palace and admiring London's green spaces from above with a ride on the London Eye. Though temperatures historically sit in the 70s during these warmer months, heat waves bringing weather in the 90s aren't unprecedented (史无前例的). If you're willing to deal with some heat and the crowds the season brings, you are guaranteed to have a jolly good trip.

1.你参加的项目;

2.你取得的成绩;

3.你的感受。

注意：1.词数100左右;

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯;

3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Sam,

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Li Hua