Humans have been using rudimentary tools for somewhere around half a million years. But it was only about 45,000 years ago that we made any real advancements beyond knocking about with stones and fire. Then suddenly, in just one tenth of the time, we learned not just how to knock a fig from a tree with a stick, but how to create jelly bean candy that tastes like figs. Never mind complex democratic governments, wireless Internet and space travel. So what has caused the rapid progress of the past 45,000 years? The answer, scientists believe, is a phenomenon known as ‘collective intelligence.’

To say that China is big and populous is to state the bleeding obvious. But in the light of a government announcement last month revealing the country’s population will top 1.4 billion by the end of 2015, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the scale of this figure. That’s one thousand four hundred million people – nearly five times the population of the US, which covers a similar sized land mass. Even a growth rate of just one percent would mean an extra 14 million people on the planet each year. In the face of such mind-boggling stats it’s easy to see why population control has been so high on the Chinese government’s political agenda for the past 50 years.

Fifth-grade students at Western International School of Shanghai are making a difference musically: They've written an original song, Make a dream come true, and recorded it at Mao Livehouse. Now they want you to buy it to help two students'  two-year-old cousin, Chloe, who suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a degenerative motor-neuron disease which means that muscles shrink and become weak.  Spinal Muscular Atrophy kills more babies than any other genetic disease.

Chloe will need a custom-made wheelchair when she turns three. And proceeds from the fifth-graders' cd sales will help buy the RMB 90,000 wheelchair.

If you would like to help, please contact Anne Drouet ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Fiona Collins ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or phone 69766388 to make a donation.CD sales start May 31.

From April 19th-23rd, teachers and students at Shanghai Community International School’s Pudong Lower School set out to create a week of activities, learning, projects, and fun geared around Earth Day.

The planning and preparation for this big week started months ago, when students and teachers recognized the importance of saving our most treasured resource of all: Earth. Led by the students and teachers from “The Green Team,” the school community rallied around supporting this global awareness and it all concluded with a fantastic week.

We came across this handy new website to help you learn Chinese at your convenience, from the comfort of your home and PC.

Forget traveling across town, sticking to appointments, with Chinese Helping you can save travel costs, and quite literally go at your own pace in your own time, in your own home.

All you have to do is sign up and real teachers will advise and help you via Skype and MSN.

Teachers are fully trained graduates who charge a competitive rate of as little as $10 per hour and will tailor the program to you.

For more information visit www.chinesehelping.com