{Topics on 07.28} Please Make Sure to Touch Topics in Advance & Post a Comment

[TOPIC 01] How to Stay Cool During a Heat Wave While hot weather can be uncomfortable and annoying (boob sweat!), extreme heat can also be dangerous. Here are some handy tips on how to stay cool -- and safe -- from Jeff Rabrich, M.D, the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospitals in New York and Bess Catherine Stillman, M.D., an emergency room physician at Beth Israel Medical Center, also in New York City.   1. Plan ahead. If you have to do chores or plan to exercise outdoors, try to avoid the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., which is the hottest part of the day, says Dr. Rabrich.   2. Dress smart. Good thing white is a hot summer trend! Wearing loose-fitting, light-colored colored clothing will help heat dissipate from your body, says Dr. Rabrich. What better excuse to treat yourself to some new maxi dresses?   3. Drink up! What's the best beverage to combat dehydration? "Water, water, water," says Dr. Stillman. Also, it may be tempting to look up a recipe for margarita popsicles, but steering clear of alcohol and caffeine is your best bet, since both can be dehydrating. Dr. Stillman recommends carrying a water bottle with you and drinking throughout the day.   4. Water sounds boring? Make it yummier! Dr. Stillman suggests adding cucumber and raspberry to your water, or you can try fresh mint, lemon and lime. Or, for a boost of omega-3s with your H2O, Dr. Stillman says to add a teaspoon of chia seeds (available at health food stores) to your glass. "It tastes better than putting salmon in your water!" she says.   5. Feeling overheated? Get out of the heat. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's really important to go someplace cool if you're feeling too hot, says Dr. Rabrich. Some of our favorite cool places: the mall, the movies and Starbucks (have you ever noticed it's always super cold in Starbucks?!).   6. Eat watermelon. Dr. Stillman says eating fruits that are high in water content can help you stay hydrated and cool, and SELF contributing editors Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, registered dietitians and co-founders of C&J Nutrition, say watermelon is PACKED with water (not to mention vitamins A and C and phytonutrients!).   7. Going for a swim? Great, says Dr. Stillman, but keep in mind that sunlight reflected off the water can give you a severe sunburn. Reapply sunscreen often, wear a hat, take breaks in the shade and don't forget -- just because you're in and surrounded by water doesn't mean you don't need to DRINK lots of water!   8. Check your medications. According to Dr. Stillman, some antihistamines and certain antidepressants can put you at a higher risk for heat exhaustion , because they can keep you from sweating effectively, and certain antibiotics can increase your sensitivity to sunburn. So it's a good idea to check labels and consult with your doctor.   9. Spritz yourself! Dr. Rabrich explains that sweat is your body's mechanism for cooling itself down. So anything that helps sweat dissipate, like a spray of water that dries and evaporates, can help cool you off. A spray bottle or even one of those fans with water will do the trick nicely.   10. Get chilly. Ice compresses cool you down quickly, says Dr. Stillman, especially when applied under your arms and to your groin, because those areas have lots of blood vessels. And hey -- if you have a friend in Japan, have her send you an ice bra. Yep -- that's a real thing, and will sure cool you down fast!    1. How is the weather these days in Korea? 2. Do you like summer? Why/why not? 3. Aside from water, what other beverages do you think are good to combat dehydration? 4. How do you stay out of heat? Where do you usually go? or Let's talk about your own vacation plan. 5. Have you tried ice compress? If not, would you like to try it? How does it cool us down on an extremely hot day?     [TOPIC 02] Batman Could Fly, but He'd Crash and Die Scientists have finally answered one of life's mysteries – whether Batman can really fly. Researchers from Leicester University in the U.K. conducted tests on the type of cape Batman wears as he flies around Gotham City watching for mischief and criminals. They concluded that he would be able to glide pretty well, but would crash at high speed and die once he tried to land. The researchers say this is because the wingspan of his cape is too short to allow him to land smoothly. Researcher and superhero addict David Marshall said: "If Batman wanted to survive the flight, he would definitely need a bigger cape. Or if he preferred to keep his style intact he could opt for…jets to keep himself aloft." The research paper is called 'Trajectory of a Falling Batman'. The research team tested the physics behind the cape worn in the 2005 movie "Batman Begins". The wingspan of the cape is 4.7 metres, which is around half that needed for a human to land safely. The research team said that if Batman jumped from a building about 150 metres high, he would be able to glide for about 350 metres. The problem would come when he attempted to land. The impact would be the equivalent of being hit by a car driving at 80kph. The team concluded that: "Clearly gliding using a batcape is not a safe way to travel, unless a method to rapidly slow down is used such as a parachute."   1. What do you think of Batman? 2. Who is your favourite superhero? 3. Why do you think superheroes are so popular? 4. If you had Batman's powers, would you use them for good or bad things? 5. How do the superheroes in your culture compare to Batman, Superman, Spiderman, etc.? 6. Which superhero's power would you like?