Winter sports are constantly evolving and new sports activities are regularly being created. This makes sure your next holiday in the snow is an unforgettable experience. 

Snow biking

The snowbike — a cross between a bicycle and skis — guarantees pure fun and a unique skiing experience for snow fans above six. Snowbikes can be used on well-cared-for slopes (斜坡) and riders navigate the slopes with the additional help of short foot skis. And it can be ridden without the rider having previous experience.

Freeriding

There is no other winter sport that gets you closer to nature. Due to the truly unaffected character of the slopes, snow and weather conditions have to be taken into special consideration when freeriding. Therefore, it is very important to be accompanied by a professional guide who knows the skiing area inside out and who is able to correctly assess the weather conditions. 

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is the perfect activity for those who want to explore the untouched winter landscape. The snowshoes distribute the weight of the person carrying them over a larger area so that the feet only sink lightly into the snow. Handling snowshoes is easy and does not require any previous experience: Simply fasten your snowshoes, pick up your sticks and off you go!

Snowtubing

Snowtubing is an activity for winter fans of all ages and involves sliding down a snowtubing slope in a rubber tire. Snowtubing tracks are often located close to a ski lift. This gives the tuber the opportunity to immediately go back up the mountain after the ride. The activity is the perfect and fun end to a day of skiing. 

Scientists have created the first lab-grown coffee, which they say "smells and tastes like the real thing". The Finland-based researchers used a process called cellublar agriculture, which includes taking out cells from a small plant or animal sample. In the latest example of lab-grown options, cell samples were taken from Arabica, a popular coffee plant that makes up 56 percent of global production. With lab-grown coffee, the researchers say that they can deal with problems facing the global coffee industry, such as a need for clearing space for coffee plants to keep up with an increasing need for the drink worldwide.

The research is being conducted at VTT Technical Research Centre based in Espoo, Finland — the country that drinks the most coffee per person. "The process uses read coffee plant cells," Dr. Heiko Rischer, head of plant biotechnology at Finland's VTT research center, said. "At first, a cell culture is started from a plant part, for example, a leaf. The formed cells reproduced on a specific nutrient medium. In the end, the cells are transported to a bioreactor from which the biomass is then harvested. The cells are dried and roasted then coffee can be brewed. "

The first collection produced by VTT in their laboratory smells and tastes like traditional coffee, according to the results of a "sensory analysis". After drinking a cup, Dr. Rischer said, "There is a surprisingly full smell. In terms of smell and taste, our trained sensory judgement and analytical examination has found the coffee bears similarity to ordinary coffee," he said. "The experience of drinking the very first cup was exciting."

The idea that coffee cells could be used to make coffee was presented back in 1974 by plant scientist P. M. Townsley. But the VTT scientists have put the theory into practice with their lab-grown brew, which they think could hit the market by 2025.

When travelling on the railway, I always arrive early to take photos or films of trains on my phone. I do it for my teenage boys. I'll text these images to them, and they'll text back saying "Great pics" and occasionally get very excited if I've videoed a rare engine.

My older one, Solomon, now 17, had an early and strong interest in trains. By the age of two, he had identified his favourite train of all—the Class 465, a four-car electric multiple unit. One day, passing the railway station, he started laughing with pleasure. A train was waiting at the far platform. It looked like a 465 to me by its shape and size, but Solomon noticed it had five cars instead of four and most important of all, the first three digits of its number were 376. It excited him that he had discovered not only a new train but a new set of number. Classes 465 and 376 are common, but each train has its own unique number. That is part of the appeal, specific details.

My younger boy, Valentine, 15, came to trains through a different route: new technology. I was walking past our local station when I saw something special. A new train I'd never seen before. If such a train could exist in my rundown local station, anything was possible. Science fiction just became a science fact. I had just seen the Class 395, the Javelin, Britain's fastest train. A few months later, there would be one leaving our station every half hour to London.

Valentine adored the Javelin. Trips became fraught because both boys wanted to travel on their favourite train—the Class 465 versus the Javelin. We negotiated with them—we'd take the 465 on the way there, the Javelin back home. Everyone was happy.

My husband is also a railfan. Having the boys has allowed him to pursue his passion. Trains are our shared passion, a timeless source of pleasure.