Mind's Eye Prep 2024

Flight

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In space no one can hear you bark

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does the Koh-I- Noor really belong with the jewels?crown

I am, once again, astonished by the pre-teen wisdom displayed in our annual magazine for prep schools, and by the sophistication of their writing!

In the following pages, personal health and happiness come first. Our writers lament impossible beauty standards set by social media, modern life causing bouts of anxiety, handedness making life more awkward than it should be, and the persistence of gender inequality letting down half the population. But there is hope for all because Deja vu is now neuro-scientifically explicable, and playing sport, sea-swimming and drinking coffee can all raise your spirits, as can petting dogs and horses, and helping to secure the global welfare of wild lizards and sharks. Most importantly, top-quality make-up at a decent price can be bought in-store at Sephora.

Sport is celebrated, as it is every year. The joys of skiing, netball, sailing and sprinting are joined, surprisingly, by tightrope-walking, and heroes such as Usain Bolt and Don Bradman ‘podium’ alongside a young lady who, at the age of fourteen, managed to sail solo round the world. And the tricky topic of trans competition is handled with great skill and tact.

There is a therapeutic strand in the culture writing too: we’re told that art and music have healing properties. We’re also told that the craft of flags deserves a better press and the novelist Harper Lee, artist Banksy and film-makers Walt Disney and George Melies deserve thanks for the riches they have given us all.

Technology never misses out in Mind’s Eye Prep. Developments in the last twelve months provoke expert discussions of gaming and computer coding, alongside concern about the sinister spread of surveillance cameras, the clinical rise of Apple Inc. and the persistent horror of sweat shops in the Far East.

Further afield, there are colourful articles on Tibet, India, Dubai, Kenya and the Seychelles, and several pieces of ‘big history’ about the evolution of culture and biology in our primate species. And if the scope of such anthropology is not wide enough for you, there are also detailed studies of the sun, moon, stars and the Big Bang.

Enjoy.

Anthony Lyons Editor The King’s School Canterbury

Design by Cobweb Creative

Flight of Terror

Lucas Howes of Solefield School says no one can hear you bark in space.

Imagine what a strange experience it is for humans to travel into space. Then imagine how totally mind-boggling it would be for your pet to do this. They would have no idea what was going on. However, various space missions have done just that, and several animals have now experienced the marvel of space travel.

The first-ever animal to travel into space was a fruit fly in a V2 rocket on 20th February 1947. Ever since then, many more creatures have orbited the Moon and the Earth. Some have survived; others were not so lucky. Do you think it is ethical to send animals into space for analysis and research? Or do you believe it is cruel? Read on and this article may determine your final view.

examined. Hundreds of courageous humans have experienced space travel all because of these die-hard animals.

I would need many hands to count every negative of sending an animal into space. It is just cruel and repugnant behaviour to use an animal as a test subject and cause them such distress. In addition, many have died during the re-entry or when their capsule failed. Those animals deserve better treatment and to live their life with their own species. Animals are forced to give up their time to prepare, by being locked in a tight space at a young age.

Tragically, Laika died from overheating and panic 4-7 days after lift-off.

The process of sending these truly heroic animals into space takes a lot of time and care. Primarily, the scientists must make sure their animals are small and light so that they fit in their capsule. In addition, the animal chosen would have been observed, under research conditions, for an extensive period so that scientists would know everything about them and deem them suitable for the mission. Animals are trained for confinement by being locked in a tight cell.

Countless different species have experienced being sent into space. There is a vast range from mammals to amphibians: monkeys, apes, dogs, cats, mice, rats, rabbits, and a frog! Although you may think that is all, there are different creepy-crawlies, birds, reptiles – and even fish – that have experienced it too: spiders, quail eggs, tortoises and even Medaka fish!

So, why is the scientific community putting animals through such stress and an ordeal no creature would choose to live through? The answer is simple: purely to test survivability and the potential for sending humans to the stars. Subsequently, other scientific phenomena, such as radiation and weightlessness, have been

From my personal standpoint, Laika was my favourite animal to ever be sent into the cosmos. This soviet space dog from Russia was one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the earth. A mongrel, also known as a non-breed dog, she was sent in the Sputnik 2 spacecraft on the 3rd November 1957. The mission aimed to prove that a living organism could survive being launched into orbit and continue to function under increased radiation. Tragically, Laika died from overheating and panic 4-7 days after lift-off.

A possible cause of her death was the failure of the central r-7 sustainer during her flight. The true cause and time of her death were not made public until 2002; instead, it was reported that she died when her oxygen ran out on day six or, as the Soviet government initially claimed, she was euthanised prior to oxygen depletion.

Flying an animal into space is cruel and dangerous. In my opinion, you should never use animals as test subjects because they are just as important as humans. In the words of Antony D. Williams: ‘We search for life on other planets and in other regions of our galaxy. Meanwhile, we destroy and ignore the other life on this planet.’ Although animals have shown some incredible dedication to their work, they should not have to die for a human’s sake.

Preparations for the flight. Icarus Films / Courtesy Everett Collection.

Photo: Laika (c 1954-1957) was launched in Sputnik 2 on 3 November 1957. She died of overheating.

Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

The RedCross

Elena R-G of Cumnor House explains why we still need the red cross.

The Red Cross is a life-changing charity that works in 192 countries and has branches such as the Red Crescent (the Muslim equivalent) and the American Red Cross (that helps 181 million people outside of the US). These linked organisations work primarily in disease prevention and rescue after disasters and in conflict zones. The Red Cross works directly on the battlefield unlike other organizations that send help from afar.

The Red Cross was set up by a Swiss executive in 1859. He founded the famous charity after seeing the devastation and destruction caused by war. That was 165 years ago and the Red Cross is still very much needed today. We really do not appear to have learnt from our mistakes. There are over twenty different ongoing wars, conflicts and disagreements in the world right now that currently require

the Red Cross’s involvement. The Red Cross supplies humanitarian aid (such as food, drinking water, medicine and dressings for wounds) to many of these conflict zones.

The Red Cross was set up by a Swiss executive in 1859. He founded the famous charity after seeing the devastation and destruction caused by war.

The Red Cross is one of the main charities that has been trying to recover through diplomatic channels the hostages that have been taken in Gaza and to return them to their families. Aid has reached Gaza during the pause in combat, an organized stop in fighting, which allowed significant numbers of prisoners from both sides to return to their countries and families. The Red Cross made this possible.

The Red Cross is politically neutral although it does go where aid is most needed and wanted. The Red Cross has been helping Ukraine for the past two years. As the Red Cross is neutral it did offer to help Russia but Vladimir Putin refused any humanitarian assistance. This is much like North Korea in the 2000s. It was also refusing all humanitarian aid even though there was a famine and many were dying. I think Putin refused the help from the Red Cross because the charity sometimes collects evidence of war crimes; although it is politically neutral, it also works for the right and just all the time. The Red Cross collected war crime evidence in Gaza and Israel.

A big part of the success of the Red Cross is its volunteers. Ever since its beginnings, women have been allowed to volunteer and engage actively in

A big part of the success of the Red Cross is its volunteers.

providing aid. After volunteering, quite a few women have moved on into politics or media to try to bring about change. I think this is because these women have seen the horrors of a war first-hand and want to make a difference through politics and media.

Claire Bertsch Inger, for example, worked for the Red Cross and exposed the famine (1984) in Ethiopia. She was interviewed by Michael Buerk (a BBC presenter) on television. In that interview she was able to highlight the extent of the Ethiopian famine and this motivated Bob Geldof to organize Live Aid: this was a fundraising concert held on the 13th of July 1985 that raised a staggering £114m that was used to alleviate some of the problems caused by the famine.

We still need the Red Cross. The Red Cross still helps millions of people worldwide. Without the Red Cross millions of valuable lives would be lost. We should all support the Red Cross.

Ever

since its beginnings, women have been allowed to volunteer and engage actively in providing aid.

The Red Cross has been helping Ukraine for the past two years. As the Red Cross is neutral it did offer to help Russia but Vladimir Putin refused any humanitarian assistance.

Break Coffee

Trixie Belle Bramley-Brett of JKS celebrates the daily drink many of us take for granted.

In the 15th Century a law was passed in Turkey that women could divorce their husbands if they weren’t providing them with enough coffee.

Did you know that coffee is the second-most-traded material on Earth, or that it has been shown to reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s by 65%? Probably not. Even though millions of people drink coffee every day, not many people have done additional research: Where does it come from? Is it good for us? What is the average number of espresso shots in each cup? I decided to take a deep dive into the rather exotic liquid that’s part of many people’s lives.

Asian Palm Civets consume the berries and, because they can’t ingest them, they undergo a special kind of fermentation in the stomach.

The most expensive coffee is found in cat faeces but sells for £80 a cup! Asian Palm Civets consume the berries and, because they can’t ingest them, they undergo a special kind of fermentation in the cat’s stomach. The farmers collect, wash, and sell the recovered berries as Kopi Luwak coffee.

one story claims a farmer had a herd of goats that would start dancing whenever they ate red berries from a bush.

74% of Americans are daily coffee consumers, while only 63% regularly consume it in England. Some of the most popular kinds of coffee are Arabica and Robusta (77 and 141 milligrams of caffeine each respectively), espressos (63-80 milligrams), lattes and black coffee. Did you know that coffee beans are fruit pits, not beans? And coffee was originally chewed, not brewed, by African tribes centuries ago? They used to grind up the beans, mix them with animal fat and roll them into energyrich coffee balls!

Although there are many different origin stories about how coffee was discovered, one such story claims that a farmer had a herd of goats that would start dancing whenever they ate red berries from a bush. The farmer took some of this mystical red fruit to a monk, who mashed up the berries to make a drink. He drank it and stayed up all night, thus discovering coffee.

In the 15th Century a law was passed in Turkey that women could divorce their husbands if they weren’t providing them with enough of the drink, and this was one of the first instances of women being able to divorce men. By then, coffee had been so deeply incorporated into the culture that this seemed perfectly acceptable. Such is the power of coffee!

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and this is certainly true for the webcam. The story goes that in 1991 researchers at Cambridge were annoyed by having to get up to make coffee and, more importantly, by the disappointment of an empty pot. And so they made a webcam to monitor the whereabouts of the coffee pot.

So, the next time you line up in Starbucks, Costa or even stand at your own kettle, you might taste a difference by reflecting on these facts about coffee. Why not tell your barista? Or regale your colleagues and classmates with stories about a drink that has one of the most fascinating histories?

Did you know that coffee beans are fruit pits, not beans? And coffee was originally chewed, not brewed, by African tribes centuries ago? They used to grind up the beans, mix them with animal fat and roll them into energy-rich coffee balls!

Height of Ambition

Philippe Petit crosses a highwire between the Twin Towers, August 1974. AP Photo/Alan Welner.

Raefe Davy of Solefield School explains what you need to soar on the high wire.

Have you ever tried keeping your balance while walking along a thin wire or rope? This is the art of tightrope-walking, also known as funambulism. If you are a dare devil, you might take it one step further and try high wire – basically the same sport but performed at a height of at least 20 feet (6 metres).

Now, you might be wondering what skills you would need to become a high-wire walker. Good posture is a starting point. You also need to lower your centre of gravity and can do this by bending your knees to lower your hips. And then work on your balance and don’t fall off! Do this by sticking your arms out horizontally to spread your weight. The effect can be boosted by carrying a long balancing pole. In addition to your body being where it should be, you also need your mind in the right place. Here’s where confidence and unbreakable nerves come in.

Philippe Petit, now 73, is a famous highwire walker. When Philippe was only 6 years old, he had a passion for magic, juggling and acrobatics. This developed into highwire walking, and he has performed an array of stunts, such as a handstand on the edge of the North Tower of the Twin Towers, walking between the steeples of Notre Dame Cathedral and walking across the edge of Sydney harbour bridge.

Petit crossed multiple times and rested in between. AP Photo/Alan Welner.

Helen managed to cover 150m (492 ft) between the Battersea Power Station chimneys at a dizzying height of 66m.

The police called his act the ‘artistic crime of the century’.

Most famously, in 1974, Phillippe walked between the Twin Towers illegally with no safety measures and ended up being arrested. The police called his act the ‘artistic crime of the century’. And even at the age of 73 he has not retired and is now planning to highwire a fivestorey building in Washington DC.

Most famously, in 1974, Phillippe walked between the Twin Towers illegally with no safety measures.

walk for charity. When she was 27, Helen managed to cover 150m (492 ft) between the Battersea Power Station chimneys at a dizzying height of 66m. She completed this in 11 minutes using an 8m-long balance pole.

Before our journey ends, I want to tell you about Helen Skelton, a former Blue Peter presenter, who was inspired by the documentary about Philippe Petit walking between the Twin Towers. She trained in France to perform a death-defying tightrope-

If you ever find yourself inspired by highwire walkers like Petit or Skelton, do not try this at home! Find a circus academy to show you the ropes – and, of course, DON’T FALL OFF!

donottrythis athome!Finda circusacademy toshowyouthe ropes.

Helen Skelton walks on a tightrope between two of the chimneys at Battersea Power Station, London. PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo.

Philippe Petit lying down on a tightrope between the Twin Towers, more than 1,300 feet in the air with no safety harness. August 1974.

Solo Going

Louis Delstanche of Vinehall admires the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the globe

solo.

Laura Dekker was the youngest person in the world to sail singlehanded around the world. This amazing journey took 518 days, and she covered about 27,000 miles on a 40-foot boat called Guppy.

Laura was born in New Zealand on the 20th September 1995 whilst her parents (a Dutch father and a German mother) were on a seven-year sailing trip. Laura grew up having a strong bond with the ocean and spent the first five years of her life regularly sailing with her father. When her parents split up in 2002, Laura stayed with her father in New Zealand whilst her younger sister and mother returned to the Netherlands. She continued her

passion for sailing, and owned several boats, all named Guppy.

On Laura’s sixth birthday, she received a dinghy sailing boat that she quickly learned to sail on her own and on her eighth birthday she got a book called ‘Maiden Voyage’, a story about a female who sailed around the world solo. This inspired Laura to continue her sailing path and her next plans were very ambitious.

Laura grew up having a strong bond with the ocean and spent the first five years of her life regularly sailing with her father.

With the help of her father, Laura bought a bright red ketch (a twomasted sailing boat). Laura spent her entire 2008 summer holiday on board

Guppy, sailing around the Netherlands. When she was 13, her father suggested that she sailed to England to gain experience (in fact he was trying to put her off, as he knew the strong weather and rough seas she would encounter). However, she made it across the North Sea to Lowestoft and then the local authorities in England requested that her father come to the UK to accompany her on her return journey (putting her in a children’s home until he arrived).

In August 2009, she announced her plan to sail solo around the world.

in July 2010, her parents were given back responsibility and they allowed her to set sail on her voyage aged only 14.

She was well prepared to take on the challenge, as well as having the backing of her father. However, the Dutch government had other ideas and tried to stop her and started a series of eight court cases that took more than ten months. Eventually, in July 2010, her parents were given back responsibility and they allowed her to set sail on her voyage aged only 14.

On the 4th August 2010, Laura left from the Netherlands and headed for Portugal. Her father was on board until she got to Gibraltar. She eventually set sail from Gibraltar for the Caribbean on 21st August 2010 with the aim of completing a single-handed round-theworld trip. On 21st January 2012 after many amazing experiences (including capsizing 20 times!) she arrived back in St. Maarten in the Caribbean at the age of 16, making her the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the world solo.

During and after the voyage, Laura became quite well known and took part in several publicity campaigns promoting her circumnavigation. She also became the youngest person ever to obtain the Yacht Master Ocean Certificate, a highly regarded sailing qualification. In 2018 Laura donated her beloved Guppy to a charity to teach young children to sail. Sadly it was announced later that Guppy was wrecked on a reef in the Pacific Ocean. In 2018 Laura set up the Laura Dekker World Sailing Foundation to provide sailing experiences and life lessons for young people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds, helping them to learn skills such as teamwork and leadership and to develop selfconfidence and responsibility.

Having sailed quite a bit myself and enjoyed physical challenges such as the Three Peaks, I find Laura’s story inspirational.

she arrived back in St. Maarten in the Caribbean at the age of 16, making her the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the world solo.

Laura Dekker arrives on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. Photo: AFP

Beauty Rules

SMany makeup products have harsh ingredients that can compromise your skin’s natural protective barrier. The more you use, the more you need.

Alyse Baines of SJCS claims social media are wrecking the self-confidence of girls.

ocial media have had a huge and negative impact on the mental health and social confidence of young girls. It's always ‘Oh, she’s so beautiful, I wish I had her face’ or ‘I wish I had her stomach’ or ‘I wish I was that skinny’. Social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat, have caused girls’ insecurities to skyrocket.

Perhaps a solid example would be helpful. Girls will be scrolling through TikTok and come across a GRWM (Get Ready With Me) and there will be a drop-dead gorgeous girl presenting the video. She will most likely be ranting about the ‘imperfections’ of her face and skin, although she looks beautifully unreal, even before putting on her makeup. She will continue to ‘get ready’ and coat her face in serums and foundations that will influence all the girls watching her, thinking they need to wear makeup that will maybe make them ‘pretty’, when in reality it would hide their natural beauty.

Well-known influencers on Tiktok, such as ‘Katie Fang’ or ‘Tallulah Metcalfe’ or ‘Issey Moloney’, make really enjoyable videos that are fun to watch because they include the audience and they are very relatable. Some other influencers, however, aren't as nice. They get sent free packages from brands and they’re not even grateful. They will make sure you see all their expensive products and make you feel jealous and sad.

Many makeup products have harsh ingredients that can compromise your skin’s natural protective barrier. The more you use, the more you need. Makeup clogs your pores, which leads to acne breakouts, so in trying to make yourself look prettier by covering your face with harmful products you

end up making your skin worse. This makes girls even more insecure, making them feel like they are ‘ugly’ or ‘disgusting’, when they are in fact really pretty.

On platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram and TikTok, there seems to be an unwritten rule about always having to be thin otherwise you're ‘overweight’, but you can’t be too thin otherwise you're ‘anorexic’. There seems to be an unwritten rule about always having to wear makeup to be pretty, otherwise you're ‘ugly’, but you can’t draw attention or wear too much otherwise you're ‘trying too hard’. There seems to be an unwritten rule about always having to eat healthy food otherwise you are ‘fat’ and ‘unhealthy’, but you can never eat too much healthy food otherwise you're ‘trying to impress someone’ or ‘you’re boring and never have fun’. All of these ‘rules’ are confusing and unnecessary and have all come from social media. There is no good reason for these platforms to exist. Everybody is beautiful just the way they are.

All of ‘rules’these unnecessaryconfusingareandand have all come from social media.

Saved by the Dog

From my own experience of owning a dog I have first-hand understanding of what it is like caring for an animal. My dog has definitely influenced my life for the better.

For Julie, Bunker has become more than just a friend: he has become a lifesaver.

Are you stressed or suffering from anxiety? Are you lonely? Do you want to get fit? Do you want to change your state of mind for the better? Dogs help with all these things.

Julie Barton is the perfect illustration of the benefits of owning a dog and how a pet has changed her life. At the age of 22 Julie was diagnosed with clinical depression. The depression was severe, and Julie and her family could not find anything to suppress it, let alone cure it. Julie tried everything: medicine, family holidays, lots of rest and sleep but nothing seemed to work.

This was until she got a dog called Bunker. Bunker changed everything and helped to get Julie back on track. Because of Bunker, Julie had a reason to get out of bed in the morning, to get out of the house. For Julie, Bunker has become more than just a friend: he has become a life-saver.

Thanks to the help of Bunker, Julie is now an award-winning author with quite a few books to her name. Julie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two daughters, and a small menagerie of pets.

This is a simple yet brilliant example of how a dog can change someone's life, no matter how troubled they are. Bunker is living proof that an animal can help someone's mental health for the better.

Sam Smith of SJCS shows how dogs can improve our lives.

Cover

The Secret Street Art of Banksy by Megan Munro of SJCS.

as soon it was sold the painting began to shred itself; there was a paper shredder built into the frame underneath the painting.

Banksy is an artist with an exceptional talent for finding art where no one else can. He looks at everyday objects and makes them into a work of art, using stencils and spray paint. No one knows what Banksy’s real name is, but people say his actual name is Robert Banks. There have been occasional interviews with Banksy, and he hides his identity wearing an old cap and a T-shirt over his face, leaving his eyes uncovered. He has managed to keep his identity a secret since 1993, because he could face criminal charges for vandalism, property destruction and criminal mischief. In one interview, the interviewer said, ‘We don’t mind passing your details to the police.’ Banksy only answered with, ‘Well, what details have you got?’

Banksy’s most famous artwork is the Balloon Girl, which is in Waterloo, London.

deliver messages to the public, about political oppression, war crimes and world injustice.

Banksy has at least 37 artworks around Bristol and London, and some even in Los Angeles and Bethlehem. The value of Banksy’s artwork can be huge. The reason for the high prices? Banksy’s art is very rare and very famous and very fashionable.

He has managed to keep his identity a secret since 1993.

We all know some of Banksy’s art: the balloon girl, bomb hugger, spy booth and many more. But do you know why he came into spray-painting in the first place? When Banksy was younger, he was inspired by a graffiti artist called Robert Del Naja, also known as 3D. Robert is a British artist, musician, singer and songwriter. He emerged as a graffiti artist in Bristol and was a member of the band Massive Attack. Robert is now a singer and in 2009 he received the British Academy’s Ivor Award for his outstanding contribution to music. Banksy was also wanting to

Banksy’s most famous artwork is the Balloon Girl, which is in Waterloo, London. It made another appearance as a painting in Sotheby’s London. At the auction the painting sold for £1.4 million, but as soon it was sold the painting began to shred itself; there was a paper shredder built into the frame underneath the painting and it shredded halfway before it malfunctioned. After all this publicity, the painting was re-sold again but this time for £25.4 million! Banksy had intended for the artwork to be shredded the whole way through the frame, falling in worthless tatters on the floor. Banksy later complained: ‘In rehearsals it worked every time.’ The huge point he was trying to make about capitalism and wealth massively back-fired.

CODERead

Matthew Coates of Newton Prep asks if you can teach computational thinking.

Computational thinking is the process of breaking down a problem into simple steps that can be easily turned into instructions for a computer. This is becoming increasingly important in our age of digitalisation and the rise of AI. But this raises an important question: Can you teach someone to think computationally? If so, what methods can be applied?

Teaching program design using a conventional, lecture-based approach is difficult. In my own experience, a teacher explaining on the whiteboard each line in a computer program is not an effective way to understand why the program was written that way or how to build one yourself.

But the same internet technologies that make computational thinking so important also open up new ways to

teach and learn it. For example, Scratch is a web-based coding environment where people can create programs by dragging colour-coded blocks together. The blocks are shaped like puzzle pieces, so that only blocks that make sense together can be attached. The Scratch website lets you build, save, and run your projects, and display your finished projects publicly.

I learned to use ray-casting to work out what a character can ‘see’, and later on I built this up to produce a 3D maze game.

easy to read, and the code blocks can’t be attached to each other in non-logical order, Scratch isolates the computational thinking aspect of programming. The interface makes the syntax appear naturally, vastly simplifying the flow from ideas to instructions.

Programming is a combination of being able to use the right syntax to express your logical steps and computational thinking. Scratch’s block-based coding engine, where programs are produced by dragging blocks of code together and where the syntax reads almost exactly like English, is a very useful learning aid. Because the syntax is so

Other coding apps for kids can be even simpler, like Scratch Junior and Kodu, but this can be a disadvantage. These apps make it easy to get from code to idea, because they are made up of blocks that take very specific actions (like ‘stun a character’ or ‘make my character dance’) but make it harder to go from ideas to code because the language makes it difficult to express actions that go beyond the pre-set scenarios. That is, the languages are too limiting.

the same internet technologies that make computational thinking so important also open up new ways to teach and learn it.

This requires a balance, which is exactly what Scratch does. It has many simple, general-purpose blocks that a beginning coder can easily assemble into whatever structure they need (like ‘repeat these actions until a condition is met’ or ‘when my character is touching something red, do this’). You can also browse the Scratch website to see projects produced by other users and look at how they do things for inspiration. For example, this was how I learned to use ray-casting to work out what a character can ‘see’, and later on I built this up to produce a 3D maze game.

A great next step, or a good starting point for more mature programmers, is Python. This is a powerful language with easy-to-understand syntax and much more flexibility than Scratch. For example, in Python it is easy to define new functions, and to work with lists of objects. Python is used for middleware in lots of modern platforms: bringing

New tools like Python and Scratch make programming much more accessible.

in data, processing it, and passing it on to other systems. This is because of its support for its large number of available libraries and tools and many APIs (Application Processing Interfaces). For example, I used Python to make an ‘AI-powered ghost’, by making calls to Microsoft Azure (to listen for speech and convert it to text) and then to OpenAI (to pass the text to ChatGPT, asking it to roleplay a response) and then back to Azure again (to speak the response using a human-like synthetic voice).

Computational thinking is rewarding and immensely useful. It is an essential skill that everyone should try to develop. New tools like Python and Scratch make programming much more accessible and, as we move into an increasingly high-tech world, computational thinking and programming will become more and more important.

as we move into an computationalhigh-techincreasinglyworld,thinking and programming will become more and more important.

Ibet at some point in your life you’ve had to wait for something. The results of something important? An exam? An interview? Or maybe something not so important. You just sent that rant to your best friend? See those three dots on the bottom of the screen? I know you’re feeling that slight dread rising in your stomach, that boulder in your throat. Tests? Hard. Test results? Horrible. But why?

Up! Wait

Isobel Bispham of SJCS explains how to cure anxiety.

The feeling of uncertainty is almost worse than disappointment, and studies show that the less you know, the more you worry. Often, people will turn down a chance for a better job on the off chance they might not get it. This fear is often tied into anxiety, and people with anxiety are prone to a heightened fear of the uncertain.

Eventually, it all goes back to the fight or flight response which happens when we experience anxiety or fear. Let me explain. Fight or flight (also known as the acute stress response) is a natural phenomenon, where your amygdala sends a chain of reactions through your body, indicating that a predator or other threat is nearby. This triggers catecholamines (a category of hormones that increase heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate) to start working, and you feel an adrenaline rush. Also, it raises your stress levels, giving you a sense of impending doom. This reaction was superimportant and lifesaving back in the Stone Age, and still is useful today, but your body isn’t great at discerning a real threat from normal day-to-day life.

Scientists have been researching this using a method where the participants are sorted into three different groups and given a small electric shock: one group is told they are going to feel it; one isn’t told; and one is told that they might feel it. The third group had a much larger reaction, and it increased their discomfort significantly. It also heightened this response when the senses of one of the participants was taken away.

There are lots and lots of ways you can combat and eventually overcome this fear. Possibly the most important is identifying the cause and calming yourself down. Focusing on things that you can control and reminding yourself that it isn’t actually a life-threatening situation can help.

Focusing on things that you can control and reminding yourself that it isn’t actually a life-threatening situation can help.

Your best friend has replied with a text that warms your heart, and your anxiety dissipates. What were you worried about anyway? Well, now you know: there was no scary predator, and you may not have aced that test, but at least you’re calmer now. There is not a single chance you’re going to meet a woolly mammoth in your life, so I think you’re pretty safe.

Roughly 0.5% of the UK’s population identify as transgender and under 1% of the populationprofessionalbecome athletes.

TransSport

sport.

Should transgender athletes be banned from the Olympics and other sporting events? Some sports, such as England Field Hockey, argue that because it’s a non-contact sport trans athletes should be allowed to play. Others suggest that there should be a separate category for transgender athletes. Roughly 0.5% of the UK’s population identify as transgender and under 1% of the population become professional athletes.

The case against transgender women taking part in women’s sporting events is based on the argument that trans women have an unfair advantage because of their strength. When boys are aged 13 to 14 they experience changes in their bodies that make them physically stronger than girls. This is why senior schools and sports clubs often don’t play mixed sports because the boys have an advantage that would be unfair on the girls.

Men are physically stronger than women. Statistics show that in a 100m sprint in the Rio Olympics in 2016 the men’s first-place time was 9.81 seconds (Usain Bolt) and the women’s first-place time was 10.71 seconds (Elain Thompson-Herah). So the woman’s top time would not even have placed if she was in the men’s category and certainly wouldn’t have won gold. She probably wouldn’t have even qualified, or she would come last because the eighth-place time was 10.60 seconds, and her time was 10.71. If a trans woman competed against women, she would be likely to win given her unfair advantage.

England women’s hockey has said it would allow a transgender woman on the team because hockey is a noncontact sport which, they argue, is unaffected by strength.

But it can be argued that a transgender player will have stronger passes or can hit further, and the teams would have to adapt to their playing style.

Australian-born transgender cricketer, Danielle McGahey, will no longer be able to play at an international level because the ICC has said that any player who has been through male puberty will not be able to compete in the women’s game at an elite level. World Athletics likewise has voted to ban transgender women from elite competitions if they have undergone male puberty.

In the Olympics the IOC has said that transgender women have an unfair advantage but that each individual sport will have to make its own decision. The IOC has changed the rules for the Summer Olympics in 2024. There was one transgender woman competing in weightlifting in 2020 but she was eliminated due to not being able to complete any of her lifts.

the IOC has said thatwomentransgender have an unfair advantage but that each individual sport will have to make its own decision.

Hattie Milton of SJCS wonders whether trans women should be allowed to compete in women‘s

Mystery Moon

Tymofii Ladnyi of Vinehall explores the mysterious anomalies of the moon.

You may think that the Moon is a boring spherical satellite, but I don’t. Every night since I was 4 years old, I would go outside with my dad and little brother, and since that time, the moon has been a part of my life.

Have you ever considered the fact that we have never seen the other side of the object which lies just in front of us right up in the sky? What if I tell you that the correct answer to this question is NO. It is universally known that all planets and all satellites in our solar system spin around their own axis and other planets in different directions. Nevertheless, one little celestial body called The Moon breaks all the laws of Physics – it rotates around our planet in such an incredible way that only one side of the Moon faces Earth. It is weird, isn’t it? It’s like it was created not as the result of the Big Bang and its chaotic consequences, but by some super-advanced civilization. Hence, what kind of space engineers would be able to synchronize the orbit, the angle and the speed of rotation of the Moon around the Earth in a constantly rotating way that, during that time, it is always turned towards us with only one side? And this happens despite the fact that our planet is constantly moving in different directions at an enormous speed (about 1,000 mph around its axis and 67,000 mph around the Sun).

overlaps the disk of the Sun, making an impression that it is not inferior to the Sun in any shape or form. Moreover, the Moon is sometimes so huge and bright that it casts a strong shadow from objects.

Have you heard that moonlight is considered to be cold? Some experiments show that the sunlight, reflected from the Moon to the Earth, makes objects a little colder than similar objects nearby that are shaded from the moonlight. Weird, isn’t it? How can just a normal reflected light make objects cooler? All of these questions pique increased interest in a deeper study of our satellite.

The Moon breaks all the laws of Physics - it rotates around our planet in such an incredible way that only one side of the Moon faces Earth.

Another thing to point out is the physical abnormalities of the Moon’s craters. They have a circular form, but is that even possible? This would require all the meteorites to fall under a right angle, which is next to impossible due to the constant rotation of all cosmic objects including the Moon. Craters are unlikely to be shaped as perfectly rounded circles. And yet, in most images of the Moon, we are accustomed to seeing the Moon peppered with perfect, circular craters.

Finally, it is well known that the Moon has a big significant impact on our planet’s everyday life, as its rhythms create tides and changes in temperature, along with the movements of the wind and much more.

There is one more oddity: the Moon is exactly 400 times closer to the Earth than the Sun, and at the same time 400 times smaller than the Sun. That is why these two objects appear identical in the sky, despite huge differences in sizes and distances. Therefore, we are able to observe solar eclipses when the Moon fully

Every time I look at the Moon in the evenings, I always ponder the many mysteries of the Moon. These mysteries make me wonder about the nature of the formation of our satellite and its huge influence on our planet.

While most retailers are concentrating on their websites, Sephora has put their focus on the IRL (in real life) experience.

Pretty Powerful

For those of you who are not into beauty, you may not have heard of the beloved, all-powerful and allconsuming beauty department store, Sephora. It is a retailer of beauty products with over 300 brands, along with its own private label, Sephora Collection, and sells a variety of different cosmetics: skincare, fragrance, nail colour, beauty tools, body lotions and haircare. It has been around for a while, but it has only recently arrived in the UK.

And, oh my, when it arrived in the UK did people get excited! Over 5,000 people queued up, some had even camped overnight, just to be the first through the doors of this beauty empire. The first store in the UK opened in Westfield White City in October 2022 and the second in Westfield Stratford in November 2023. I couldn’t make it on the opening day, but I made my own pilgrimage to the site a few weeks later.

But why is it so special? At Sephora, buying beauty is a whole experience. Yes, you can get well-packaged products in lots of other stores but at Sephora there’s more. Along with the helpful shop assistants who are there to recommend exactly which foundation shade you need, to the various stations where you can try out many of the products, to the DJ booth playing groovy tunes as you shop, Sephora have nailed it. While most retailers are concentrating on their websites, Sephora has put their focus on the IRL (in real life) experience. ‘Making our stores exciting and engaging is a critical part of what we need to do,’ says Rougeot, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sephora.

But others may say there is a different reason for Sephora’s crazy popularity. Social media. Young girls especially are easily influenced by TikTok and the hundreds of videos that show beautiful girls with their £100 moisturisers and ten-step skincare routines. This is certainly true, and some do obsess over things on social media. Although this could be seen as a problem, it is, undoubtedly, partly what is making Sephora do so well.

Social media has helped create a teen obsession with buying beauty products, but Sephora has gone to great lengths to create a ‘beauty playground’ that fans flock to. This should be applauded when, these days, people are shopping online. Sephora is creating a fun place to go, not just sit around at home pressing ‘Add to Basket’.

Over 5,000 people queued up, some had even overnight,camped just to be the first through the doors of this empire.beauty

Celia Hicks of JKS asks why sephora is so popular.

Have you ever wondered what the lowest instrument is, or the loudest?

I first became interested in weird instruments when I played the Last Post for Remembrance Day. I played the Last Post on the trumpet, but it was written for a bugle. I started looking into bugles, and how to play them. That got me interested in other types of trumpet, like the soprano or subcontrabass trumpet. From there I looked into other types of instruments that I had never heard of before, like the octobass and the Ðàn Tre. The more that I looked into these instruments, the more I felt that they deserved to be recognised and played. Here are some examples of instruments that I think deserve more time in the spotlight.

I will begin by telling you about what I think is one of the most neglected instruments in the world. It is the Stradivarius viola, supposedly the best viola in the world, and it costs $45 million. It was made by Antonio Stradivari (a famous instrument maker) and in 1701 was auctioned as the best viola in the world. But nobody would buy it. People said it was too expensive, and 322 years later it still does not have a home. I think it is really devastating that instruments like these are not played just because they have been priced too highly. It was played by Peter Schidolf from 1964 to 87, but has been in storage since. Don’t you think it’s sad that such an amazing instrument has not been played in nearly 40 years? I do. I would love to hear it played.

out stick of bamboo. It is said to have a sound somewhere between a guitar and Vietnamese bamboo zither (which is most likely what it was inspired by). However, there are only two in the world, so very few people have heard it in person. I have listened to it online and it has a weird but beautiful sound, which is not heard by enough people.

The instrument was handcrafted by Vietnamese refugee Minh Tam Nguyen out of a metal can and a hollowed-out stick of bamboo.

Next, I will tell you about the octobass. The octobass is 12 feet high and can play notes lower than humans can hear. Though some might say this instrument is pointless, when it is played well it has a beautiful sound, like the rumbling of a volcano. There are only seven in the world, and they are very difficult to play. They have three strings, and they are so big you can see the strings vibrating when they’re plucked. In order to fret the strings of the octobass you have to press a pedal that pushes a lever onto the string, as the strings are too big to fret with your fingers. The bow is made of solid wood and is too heavy to hold with just one hand. I think it is a shame that again such an interesting instrument is kept in a museum and barely ever played. It is a truly unique instrument and I find it very upsetting that it is not appreciated.

Rare Music

I will now talk about a lesser-known instrument, the Ðàn Tre. The Ðàn Tre was invented in a refugee camp in the Philippines to cure a young man’s boredom. The instrument was handcrafted by Vietnamese refugee Minh Tam Nguyen out of a metal can and a hollowed-

I myself am a devoted musician, and I play the trumpet, the cornet and the drums, and I also sing. It makes me sad that some of the world’s most interesting and unique instruments are neglected or hidden away because they are unusual. I hope that I have helped you appreciate just a few of these lesser-known instruments, and have interested you in music, which is my passion.

Eliza B of Cumnor House laments the obscurity and neglect of the world‘s weirdest musical instruments.

Arlo Kent of Vinehall wants us to save one of the world‘s most beautiful places.

If you have ever been to Kenya, you will know that its beautiful landscapes and wildlife are nothing short of spectacular, and these are spectacles we need to protect. There are many reasons for protecting Kenya's natural wildlife. First, many species in Kenya are already facing extinction for reasons like poaching and climate change. Only 8% of Kenya is protected by national parks, which leaves the rest open to poachers and other hunters, who continue to ruin this paradise. So, ask yourself this: do you really want a whole ecosystem to be destroyed by huntsmen? And as someone who has been there myself, I would hate to see it ruined by careless individuals.

Some of the ways we can stop people endangering these species is by going on protests, donating money and raising awareness online. There are many different charities you can donate to, like Kenya Wildlife Trust (KWT) and The Nature Conservancy, which both help preserve Kenya's natural wildlife. Many organisations are trying to help conserve Kenya’s wildlife, such as Conservation Capital, which aims to try and protect the indigenous wildlife, and make money from it at the same time, and African Impact, which aims to give out life-changing volunteer work and internships to people, so that they can help the wildlife as well. 

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only 2,500 Grevy’s Zebra are left in the wild.

Kenya

Many organisations are trying to help conserve Kenya’s wildlife, such as Conservation Capital, Kenya Wildlife Trust (KWT) and The Nature Conservancy.

One of the most endangered species in Kenya is the African Elephant. Every day, 100 elephants are killed and every year 20,000 are slaughtered for their body parts, meat, and tusks. These animals are one of many species who are suffering because of our lack of help. One of the other species that are going extinct is Grévy’s Zebra, only 2,500 of which are left in the wild, due to illegal hunting, and drought caused by climate change.

One of the main threats that Kenya and the rest of the world are facing is climate change. Kenya and other countries in the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer have rainy and dry seasons, instead of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Because of climate change, these seasons are now becoming much more intense, which means it is much harder for animals to find food and water.

We don’t just need to protect the animals in Kenya. We also need to help the people in Kenya who (though not all of them) have to

Every day, 100 elephants are killed and every year 20,000 are slaughtered for their body parts, meat, and tusks.

pray that they have enough food and water to last them the day. We can help these people by donating money to charities that help feed, clothe and give water to all the people who are not as fortunate as us. But we don’t need to just do this. We also have to give them more medical support because there are many diseases in Africa. Many villages in Kenya get their water from rivers, but the water is filthy since it is also where animals bathe and drink, so the water can cause cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, Hepatitis A, and many more diseases.

We must try our hardest to preserve the incredible beauty of this landscape, as well as the rest of the world, as it helps the ecosystem to balance out, which also lowers greenhouse gas emissions, for future generations to come. We must also help the people of Kenya, suffering from drought and climate change, so their children will be able to experience this breathtaking world.

We also need to help the people in Kenya who (though not all of them) have to pray that they have enough food and water to last them the day.

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We must try our hardest to preserve the incredible beauty of this landscape, as well as the rest of the world.

Many villages in Kenya get their water from rivers, but the water is filthy since it is also where animals bathe and drink.

ParadiseDreaming of

Clemmie Hammond-Waters of Skippers Hill tells us why her sanctuary is the seychelles.

The Seychelles is heavenly. It has the most beautiful clear-glass ocean. The environment is tropical. You can let go of your stress and dip your toes into silky, smooth, grainy sand. I found this country spiritual because of the amazing effect it had on me. I have had many dreams swimming in the glass waters. The marine life is superb with such a variety of many different specimens anyone would love to come to this world. Would you want to swim in clear waters, tan your skin with bliss and feel the warm soothing breeze against your body?

Even in the winter it is luxuriously hot, so you could enjoy a 28 degrees Christmas lying on a worryless beach.

When I first came to the beautiful island of Saint Anne in 2022, my mind wondered if I was conscious and not lucid-dreaming. However, I experienced the most delightful two weeks of my life. There was fresh tropical fruit and the sweet aroma of sandy beaches. I was lying in the healing sun, tanning my skin, and swimming in the glass barrier of clear ocean water. The Seychelles in my opinion is a must-go experience that everyone should have for all the reasons I have listed and more! Imagine yourself lying on the comforting sand remaining conscious but slowly drifting away into the ocean’s breeze. You see a friendly crab just walk by you not threatened, not scared, just happy to enjoy your presence. Swoosh, swish, swoosh, crash: you hear the ocean's rhythmic patterns soothe your cluttered mind and relax you.

Even in the winter it is luxuriously hot, so you could enjoy a 28 degrees Christmas lying on a worryless beach. Fear not: islanders speak French and also most people speak English so you would get the hang of it. The capital of the Seychelles is Victoria, a colourful place full of markets and excitement. The markets sell fresh fish, fresh fruit, beautiful bracelets and more. Would you enjoy this?

The day is warm and blissful where you could spend your time snorkelling, scuba-diving or just enjoying the sun on a towel. The night remains tropical but cooler and refreshing aromas cluster the air. There are also beautiful hikes that surround that earthy, natural island with glistening views that will drop your jaw. The ocean is clear as plastic but underneath it is a marine party filled with colours and life. Amazing marine animals live here, like whale sharks, reef sharks, octopuses, puffer fish and even dolphins. The island cost is cheaper than Bali, with an even bigger range of activities like I have listed above. If you came here, if you saw the luxurious surroundings, then you would agree with me that it is heavenly, and you wouldn't want to leave.

I found this place meaningful because I have never before experienced the kindness and generosity from the former islanders. The environment is almost tattooed on my brain; it is all I can think about. The elegant marine life and the clean silky beaches are just a luxury to experience and if you go to this heaven you will think so too. It is so different from England but it feels like home to me; it has an enchanting spell that somehow has been cast on me. I would honestly recommend it for you if you want to increase your dopamine and feel all-round better. The grey skies which fill with pollution and sad rain sit in England, but in the Seychelles they mirror the clear blue ocean.

Chill Out

Lucy Clifton of Marlborough House enjoys cold water swimming.

Cold water swimming is not everyone's first choice as a hobby. The levels of coldness can be petrifying and would put off even the hardiest of swimmers on cold days. But sitting in a freezing tub for minutes, or swimming in a freezing lake, wakes you up and makes you feel alive again.

Cold water swimming can improve your stress tolerance. The temperature of the water creates a stress reaction in the body just like when you get into a frightening situation. The body releases the stress hormone, cortisol, causing your breathing and heart rate to increase. Anyone who has done this before will know that the stress reaction recedes when you are submerged in the water, getting used to the temperature. Remaining calm in the water trains your body to deal with stressful situations, and this helps in other areas of your life when stress arises.

zone builds confidence and courage as well as giving you a sense of accomplishment.

However, cold water swimming can have its disadvantages, such as cold shock. After the first gasp of cold shock, hyperventilation kicks in and you cannot control it. You might start to breathe rapidly and because you cannot control it, it can lead to a feeling of panic. New swimmers tend to go into the water in an upright position and that can be less buoyant, causing panic to set in, increasing the chance of drowning.

Remaining calm in the water trains your body to deal with stressful situations, and this helps in other areas of your life when stress arises.

Also, this type of swimming can be a mindfulness exercise. When you immerse yourself in cold water you are sending your nervous system into overload. Nerve endings transmit responses to your brain, telling you just how cold every part of your body is. Focusing on your breath as a coping strategy helps, and this mindful breathing can be used in other areas of your life.

You can also get a boost of self-esteem because the process of forcing yourself to stay in cold water can increase your mental strength. Getting yourself out of your comfort

Swimming in a group is recommended. Cramps can start anywhere, and some people have cramps more often than others. If you are cold, cramping is more likely. If you do get cramp, you would be unable to swim so you should float on your back and call for help. ‘After drop’ is a feature of swimming where you can feel colder when you get out of the water than when you were in the water. To avoid the effects, it can help to get dry, dressed and warm as soon as you get out of the water. Dress immediately, starting with the top half of your body.

Cold water swimming is great to lift your spirits and wake up your body. Although it has its downsides, like cold shock and cramps, it has amazing benefits such as improving your stress tolerance too. It is a wonderful activity to do when you are feeling like you need to have a burst of energy or a wake-up. I have done cold water swimming before, and I have to say it is very exhilarating.

Happy Place

Zoe Coombs of Marlborough House celebrates her happy place.

They help me forget anything that’s happened in school, relieve my stress, and just help me free my mind.

Doesn't everyone have their happy place, or shouldn't everyone have their happy place? Well, I do, and it’s horses – every part of horses, whether I'm riding them, feeding them or even just spending time with them. They help me forget anything that’s happened in school, relieve my stress, and just help me free my mind. Horses and I, we just connect.

My family has been riding for many years, all my mum's life and all of mine. Since the day I could talk I would beg my mum to go riding. I have always been happiest when on a horse. We do mounted games, jumping and eventing.

Since the day I could talk I would beg my mum to go riding. I have always been happiest when on a horse.

Can you believe that something so little as visiting the horses every night could help your mental health so much? Because it really does. Although riding horses can be strenuous and hard work it has huge benefits. It is therapeutic, and their calming presence can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as really strengthening your body, especially your core.

Millions of children suffer greatly with their mental health, maybe because of something going on in their life right

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being around the thing you love, whether it is a horse, pet, or your family, can increase your self-esteem and mental health by an amazing 10%.

now or it may just occur naturally for no real reason. According to a recent survey, mental health problems affect one in ten children now, and it is also shown that having your happy place and being around the thing you love, whether it is a horse, pet, or your family, can increase your self-esteem and mental health by an amazing 10%. Well, this is where having the calming presence of a horse around you really helps.

Horse riding and looking after a horse is expensive and hard work, so of course it may not be possible for everybody. But even just being able to go to a yard once a week can really help to boost your mood. Just push yourself out there and go and find your happy place; it may be scary but when you are there it is so worth it. So, do you have your happy place?

Cosmic Lighthouse

James Mather of Newton Prep recalls the thrilling discovery of our first pulsar.

One early morning in February 1967 Jocelyn Bell Burnell was working at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge, when suddenly they received a strange signal on their radio telescope array. This signal seemed to ‘pulse’ with a strangely precise period of exactly 1.334 seconds. At the time, they called this odd signal ‘Little Green Men’, thinking it was contact from aliens. But it turned out to be something so unusual it changed our view of the universe. Unbeknown to Jocelyn she would receive many awards for her discovery – the first pulsar.

During a star’s life, there is a battle between two forces happening in its core: gravity and pressure. Inside the core, temperatures can reach over 10 million degrees. This causes its atoms to literally fuse together in what’s known as a fusion reaction. However, due to the star’s mass, gravity is always trying to compress the star, while fusion is trying to expand it. These two forces must remain balanced for a star to exist. At the end of its life, a star expands when the force of fusion overcomes the force of gravity. Slowly, the star cools as it uses up its fuel. In some cases, fusion wins, and the star ‘evaporates’, leaving a glowing iron core. However, if gravity wins this cosmic battle, the star collapses at over a quarter of the speed of light and explodes in a colossal supernova.

stronger than Earth’s. This magnetic field channels ‘beams’ of high-intensity radio waves and light that shoot out of the poles. However, some of these neutron stars also rotate, usually hundreds of times a second, meaning these beams spin around like a lighthouse known as a pulsar, and this is what Jocelyn saw – beams of light sweeping the Earth from over nine quintillion miles away in outer space.

A single teaspoon of pulsar material would weigh as much as Mount Everest!

Since pulsars are quite rare, we don’t know a lot about them. In fact, when a pulsar is born, all the mass of the previous star is compressed into it. Most pulsars are very small, often only a few kilometres in diameter. This means that they are very dense. A single teaspoon of pulsar material would weigh as much as Mount Everest! At the subatomic level, some physicists believe that they have a type of matter that could break Physics, literally called ‘strange matter’. Additionally, inside the core, the temperatures are so hot that they create a ‘soup’ of particles known as a quarkgluon plasma. Many properties of pulsars are still unknown, but learning more about them may give us crucial information about how the universe formed.

This is how pulsars and neutron stars are formed. Born from the death of another star, their core is 100 trillion degrees at their formation. Inside the star, the atoms are so compressed that they form what physicists call ‘Nuclear Pasta’, long strings of atoms like spaghetti and flat sheets like lasagne.

But what were these strange pulses Jocelyn saw? Neutron stars have incredibly strong magnetic fields, over two quadrillion times

Jocelyn’s discovery is widely regarded as one of the most amazing astronomical discoveries of the 20th Century. Back then, she was only 24. Seven years after her discovery, in 1967, the discovery won the Nobel Prize for Physics. Controversially, the award didn't go to Jocelyn because she was only a postgraduate student at Cambridge. It is often suggested that her being a woman also led to her omission from the prize. Instead, it went to her mentor, Antony Hewish. Sadly, she would never get a Nobel Prize for her discovery but has still amassed an impressive collection of awards. To this day, Jocelyn is a Visiting Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford and continues to inspire and teach people around the world.

The great stone became a special possession of Queen Victoria, who wore it as a brooch.

Crowning

Aaryan Mitra of JKS relates the feud for the star of the crown jewels.

The diamond is said to have come from the mines of India thousands of years ago.

The star of the Crown Jewels, the Koh-I-Noor diamond, is one of the most dazzling gems in the world. But who does it belong to, and where does it come from? Some say it was ‘given’ to Britan by India, while others say it was ‘stolen’, but when we explore the origins of the diamond we discover a feud between the two countries.

The diamond is said to have come from the mines of India thousands of years ago and is said to bring good luck to its owners, while also carrying a curse. Hindus believe the stone is cherished by the god Krishna, and so it is of great value to Hindus. But others disagree, claiming the diamond originates from Pakistan or even Afghanistan. Digging deeper into history will help us find the answers.

“Imprisoning Duleep’s mother in 1849, the British forces made the young king sign a treaty giving away the diamond.

all of India’s gold, including the KohI-Noor, which remained in modernday Afghanistan for 70 years. Feuds erupted among different leaders about the ownership of the diamond, causing chaos.

Many people still argue that the diamond was a ‘gift’ from India to Britain, though evidence suggests it was stolen.

Through all this chaos, the British saw a chance to grab the diamond. After the throne was passed down, along with the diamond, the only monarch left was a young boy, King of India at only 10 years old: Duleep. Imprisoning Duleep’s mother in 1849, the British forces made the young king sign a treaty giving away the diamond.

India was one of the only places that sourced diamonds. Brazilian mines were only discovered in 1725. So far, there have been no exact records of when the diamond was crafted, although there is a written account of the Koh-I-Noor being fixed on a throne built in 1628. The throne was constructed at the time of the Mughal Empire, the wealthiest state in Asia, with a population of two million people. But this all changed when Persian ruler, Nader Shah, invaded Delhi in 1739, looting almost

The great stone became a special possession of Queen Victoria, who wore it as a brooch. Then it became a part of the Crown Jewels and is on display today. Many people still argue that the diamond was a ‘gift’ from India to Britain, though evidence suggests it was stolen.

What do you think? Whose side are you on?

D HighLife

Emily Vermeeren Povlsen of Newton Prep venerates the toughness of Tibetans.

uring the Winter season in the Tibetan mountains temperatures can drop to -40°C. With these temperatures you would imagine it is impossible to live there, but you’re wrong. The Tibetans are an ethnic group indigenous to the Tibetan mountains and they live up there all year round including the freezing cold winters. You're probably wondering how these people, who are 13,000ft in the air and cut off from a lot of modern technology, survive up in the mountains.

To start with, native Tibetans have adapted physically to live in these freezing temperatures. Tibetans have a better responsiveness in their respiratory system, which means they have more breaths per minute and more blood cells.

This makes living in these high altitudes much easier. Tibetans also have larger lungs to develop large amounts of haemoglobin in their blood to then carry more oxygen in their body to make up for the lower amount of oxygen in the thin air at those altitudes.

Other than physical adaptations, how do these Tibetans go on day to day? As expected, it’s relatively hard to get food during all the snowstorms but they hang leftover meat outside and eat it cooked or frozen and use their barley from the harvest to make bread called tingmo. The Tibetans will never eat fish since it is seen as a reincarnation of the God of Water so eating fish would be sinful.

Tibetans obviously can’t get around in cars with 18 inches of snow, so they mainly walk or ski during winter time to get anywhere.

Tibetans are facing immense restrictions on their religious practices, travel and language.

Tibetans also have a lot of clothing layers that are thick and soft. There are two main types of robes they wear, a chuba or a pulu. A chuba is a woollen robe made with inner layers of sheep fur and a pulu is made by fluffing and combing the wool, twisting it into a thread, and then weaving it with a wooden shuttle loom.

The Tibetans are under threat. Chinese law persecutes Tibetans for preserving their cultural identity. Tibetans are

there are 5 to 7 million Tibetans living in the Tibetan mountains all year round, with the yearly temperature average being -20C.

being jailed, tortured and violated just for celebrating their traditions. Tibetans are facing immense restrictions on their religious practices, travel and language. Since 1959 the communist government has committed genocide against the Tibetans because they are Buddhists.

You probably wouldn’t want to live in the Tibetan mountains but there are 5 to 7 million Tibetans living in the Tibetan mountains all year round, with the yearly temperature average being -2°C. So, as you can tell, what I’ve told you is only the tip of the mountain.

Tibetans have a better responsiveness in their respiratory system, which means they have more breaths per minute and more blood cells.

Read Good

Kirah P-J of Cumnor House salutes the genius of Harper

Lee‘s first novel.

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in small town in Alabama. The novel is a about a young girl coming of age and is filled with compassion, innocence, hatred, cruelty and, most importantly, love. I was around Scout’s age when I first read this book, still climbing trees every other day and leaping fences with my sibling. I felt that, even though this book was written over 50 years ago and in America, I could be there, in her shoes, and this really brought this story to life for me, even more than the dramatic characters and plot. This book also talks about tolerance and justice for others in future generations. It is filled with stories about Scout’s childhood with Jem, her brother, whose influence helped her to understand the negative aspects of life in America in the 1930s.

To Kill A Mocking Bird was published during the Civil Rights Movement and highlights the prejudices in 1930s America, even though Lee says herself that it is ‘a simple love story’, referring to the admiration shown for family and friends, neighbours and even enemies throughout the book. This story also helped prepare for reforms such as the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. I have always listened to this topic being talked about at home and have also heard the opinions of my family in America being voiced regularly.

Lee was also born in Alabama and uses her family’s names in this book. For example, her parents were called Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee. These names appear throughout the book. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, who is a lawyer, is tasked to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who is wrongly accused of rape and is then placed in the racially prejudiced Southern legal system, which did not help his situation or his case. He was convicted and killed horrifically by racists despite doing no wrong, showing clearly the deep-seated hatred and racism in the 1930s.

I have watched both the play and the film as I really enjoyed reading this novel and I wanted to see the story from different perspectives. The play really captivated the court scenes and showed the conflicting emotions warring in the room at the time. In this part of the story primary themes involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. As I believe strongly in equality of race, religion, gender, nationality, and social status, this book has moved me deeply and has changed my understanding of the issues of racial equality and justice in the world.

To Kill A Mocking Bird was published during the Civil Rights Movement and highlights the prejudices in 1930s America.

primary themes involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence.

Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill

A Mockingbird at the Gielgud Theatre 2023.

The car,first-ever the 1886 Benz PatentMotorwagen, was made Mercedes.by

Start your Engines

Buttle of Solefield School describes

Three cars that changed the world.

the VW Type 1 is one of the most iconic, sold and successful cars of all time.

Benji

The Model T Ford was the first example of mass production in the automobile industry. Mass production had a huge impact on modern life.

Ever since we first saw animals run, we’ve wanted to travel at high speeds ourselves. So cars have played an important part in history and in modern life, and I’m going to tell you about three of the most famous and important cars of all time.

The first-ever car, the 1886 Benz PatentMotorwagen, was made by a company called Mercedes – a German brand – and was a three-wheel vehicle with a singlecylinder petrol engine to allow the car, which was called the Motorwagen, to propel itself at 16km an hour (about 10 miles an hour). This car was made and designed by a creator called Karl Benz whose first car now costs $70,000 instead of the original price of $1,000 (equivalent to $26,000 now).

The second car I would like to mention is the Model T Ford, the first attempt to make a car to sell. The car was first made in 1909, and more than 15,000,000 were then made and sold. This car was the second-most-sold car after the Volkswagen Beetle. The car could go a

surprising 65 to 70km (40 to 45 miles) an hour launched by a 20-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. The body of this car is wood with a thin wrap of metal. This car was the first example of mass production in the automobile industry. Mass production had a huge impact on modern life. But as well as helping the world, mass production has had some negative impacts on the world, such as hard human labour and unclean workspaces, not to mention unemployment and low salaries. However, this form of production enabled other cars to be made affordable and other models soon appeared.

it is clear to see that the automobile industry has a rich history, and each car model has its own fascinating provenance.

army vehicle. The original Beetle was, surprisingly, produced from 1938 to 2003 until a new version was made. The last Beetle ever made is in a museum in Wolfsburg. This VW car is one of the most successful cars of all time. This car has had an impact on luxury and sports cars like Porsche and Volkswagen themselves. The car is probably the celebrity car of all cars and hopefully will always be remembered as this. My view on the Type 1 is that it is one of the most iconic and successful cars of all time.

The Volkswagen Beetle, also known as the Volkswagen Type 1, is such a car, and played a significant role in history. The Germans in the Second World War used a four-by-four (four-wheel drive) version of the Beetle called the Typ 87 Kommandeurswagen to be an

Whether you are interested in these three iconic models, or perhaps cars of your own choosing, it is clear to see that the automobile industry has a rich history, and each car model has its own fascinating provenance. If the car that interests you in not one of these three, you can look into its past to find out its story and place in history.

George Martin-Jenkins of Bede‘s remembers The Don of cricket.

Don Bradman in action at Lord’s in 1930.

Photograph: Culture Club/Getty Images.

Won average, Don Bradman scored around 100 runs every time he batted.

hen sports fans talk about the greatest sportsperson of all time, the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Jordan spring to mind, with good reason. All these players are exceptional and have done incredible things for their sport. But there is someone we are forgetting about.

player take more than 15 singles titles at Wimbledon and a golfer win more than 25 majors.’

Australian cricketer Don Bradman played from around the 1930s to the late 1940s. By the end of his career, which included 52 matches for his country, he averaged 99.94 in test match cricket. In other words, on average, Don Bradman scored around 100 runs every time he batted. To give some context, one of the best cricketers of the modern era, Steve Smith, averages 57.73 at the time of writing. Although it may seem small compared to Bradman’s, Smith’s average is viewed as incredibly impressive throughout the world of cricket.

To reach a comparable level, a footballer would have to score a goal a game in 100 internationals.

On the other hand, many people assume that sports players of the modern day, whatever the sport, face a tougher challenge. This is usually because people think that opponents in the 20th Century were not as technically advanced as players nowadays.

Many people have tried to compare Bradman to other greats of sport. One article I found especially interesting was written by cricket expert Frank Keating. In the article, he used a computer statistical system (invented by mathematician Charles Davis) to prove that Bradman was by far the best sportsperson of all time. In his words, ‘Mathematically speaking, Bradman's career should simply not have existed. To reach a comparable level, a footballer would have to score a goal a game in 100 internationals, a tennis

However, in cricket, I disagree. First, and, after extensive research on Don Bradman, I found that, if anything, it was harder to play cricket in the 1930s, for many reasons. Additionally, there was no evidence of any lack of skill from cricketers of this period. While this may not be the case in other sports, it proves that you cannot discount Bradman completely, just because of the era when he played.

I think I’ve proven that Don Bradman should not be overlooked when considering who is the greatest sportsperson of all time. His stats are outstanding, and he will, I’m sure, be considered a great cricketer for as long as the sport is played. Although comparing greats from different sports is a near-impossible task, Bradman deserves more recognition as a legend of sport than he receives. He’s great, all right. Maybe even the greatest!

Australia’s Don Bradman in action in 1938. Photograph: Allsport Hulton Deutsch/ALLSPORT.

Don Bradman c.1928.

Burning Up

Tommy Bywell of Bede‘s explains how rising heat is now a threat to reptiles.

Amazing reptiles, such as bearded dragons and sea turtles, are endangered because of TSD, or temperaturedependent sex determination. Climate change is affecting everything around us at this very moment.

Bearded dragons will be affected by climate change because their eggs will only hatch as females in temperatures above 32 degrees celsius and they will be males if they hatch under that temperature. This means that rising temperatures will make the eggs go above 32 degrees more often, causing all the reptiles to be female. Sadly, they aren’t the only reptiles in this predicament.

The big question is, ‘Can bearded dragons become endangered because of egg temperatures?’ And extending this same question to other animals: ‘Can green sea turtles, crocodiles and alligators meet the same fate?’ The sad reality is ‘yes’. Sea turtles are a big problem because 99 percent of fully matured green sea turtles are already female so reproduction will be much harder. With alligators and crocodiles the current ratio is one male for every ten females. This means that for both green sea turtles and alligators and crocodiles, an already problematic imbalance is going to be further exacerbated by climate change. In the case of bearded dragons, for every sixteen females there is one male. This means that, of the reptiles mentioned here, bearded dragons are most at risk because of their already low

numbers and the disproportion between male and female. So the general reptile population is going to be significantly influenced by climate change.

This will have a further impact on all the other animals that are reliant on reptiles for their survival or natural selection. For example, the extinction of crocodiles could have complex and far-reaching effects on the dynamics of the ecosystems in which they live, leading to imbalances and disruptions in the food chain. Over half of all turtles and crocodiles are on the brink of death and are likely to be wiped out in only a few decades because they must regulate their body temperature, which is much harder for cold-blooded animals, but there is one more consideration.

Bearded dragons will be affected by climate change because their eggs will only hatch as females in temperatures above 32 degrees celsius.

Reptiles have been living alongside the dinosaurs for around 100 million years, which means they must have been resilient to have survived for so many years because they will have seen plenty of changes to their habitat. Hopefully they’ll be able to adapt to this large change in the way in which they breed and reproduce.

So, reproduction is no mean feat for these reptiles, and their numbers are likely to decline significantly, owing to TSD. This will in turn cause habitat loss and degradation, and introduce invasive species, environmental pollution, disease, unsustainable use, and global climate change.

Climate change is everythingaffectingaround us at this very moment.

Draw it Out

Jemimah Papworth of Saint Ronan’s extols the many virtues of art.

Are you bored? Do you want time away from your screen? Well, art is an effective way to solve both problems. Art is a wonderful way to relax and take a break from the internet. It allows you to let go of worries and troubles and focus on something you love. Art is a beautiful thing and can be yours as everyone prefers different styles and works in different ways.

There are many different aspects of art, for example media, style, inspiration, meaning. You don't need expensive supplies to make good art. All you need is a pencil and paper. There are many different art styles to choose from: landscape, anime, illustrations, architecture, digital, and pattern design. But you don't have to pick a certain one because art can be seen however you want it to be. It just has to be yours.

Art also may have a deeper meaning behind it and shows or symbolises something you are passionate about, for example religion or gardening, even certain sports you enjoy. I have also found art inspiring and it has taught me that you should take your time with things that are precious, and we should learn that by being patient and hard-working none of our time will be wasted.

Eventually over time your art will gradually get better, and you can set yourself targets, for example doing 1015 minutes of art a day for a month to see how well you have improved. You could give yourself a theme and

learn a different art style or use different media. For example, you could draw, paint or sketch flowers. Art is a journey that takes time and there will always be bumps along your trail because it will never be perfect.

Art is a journey that takes time and there will always be bumps along your trail because it will never be perfect.

So you should give art a try since the outcome doesn't matter. It’s more the process and enjoyment of creating and doing something you love. Besides, not everyone's perfect and you can always practise and improve your skills. Over time you will find your art style. I love energetic pen work and lively fun characters. You should always encourage yourself to go outside your comfort zone 

Art is a beautiful thing and can be yours as everyone prefers different styles and works in different ways.

Sands Shifting

MCara Hills

of JKS tells us how one man‘s

dream built modern

Dubai from a desert waste.

any of you may have seen on TV, heard of, or even been to the City of Dubai, with its glamorous fivestar hotels, luxurious, luscious beaches, and glorious Palm Jumeirah. But when, in our mind’s eye, it has always been such a global phenomenon, how many of you have thought about what it was before?

There was a desert, a stretch of land that seemed to go on forever, with salukis running to catch their prey and a line of camels trying to find water. This was a terrain for animals. But one man had a dream: to make himself the leader of one of the biggest cities in the world. His name was Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Al Maktoum wanted to make his town great, to make it known all around the world. But in his dream he would need myriad buildings higher than many could imagine at the time. To make that work, he had to make people work and step away from their hunting and work for him. With the help of Sheikh Zayed, he gathered people from all around the UAE (United Arab Emirates) to get

the job done. People came from Abu Dhabi, the capital, and from Ajman, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and all the way from Fujairah to be part of that dream.

Nobody knew how hard it was going to be, but they knew, if they made any negative comments about their leader, they could be under threat. So the towers went up, higher than some thought the sky could hold, but on they went. Buildings shot up, like concrete trees and glass canopies, but nothing was enough for the sheikh. After fifty years of trying, however, he’d finally built somewhere to make him proud. Although he stopped construction, there is now a new leader who wants to keep the dream alive, and his name is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He too is always endeavouring to make the city a bigger and better place.

So, if you go to Dubai, think about the oryxes and camels looking for a place to go. That place is gone. Think about it now, a place of lost magic.

physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy.

If you are part of a sports club you can feel a sense of community and it is also a chance to make new friends and expand your social life.

S PlayTime

Emilia Murray of Marlborough House tells us why we should all play sport.

port and exercise are great things that offer many benefits physically and mentally. Doing sport and exercise can help you in many aspects of your day-to-day life. It might mean getting a better night's rest or helping you deal with stress. These are just some of the many ways sport can benefit your life alongside helping you get stronger and fitter.

Sport and exercise are not always about gaining muscle and strength, since there are a lot of mental benefits too. NHS Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, clinical depression, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. All of these are important things.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

Every sport teaches you the skills of handling trickymakingsituations, decisionsquick and problem-solving.

If you are part of a sports club, for example a running club or a football club, you can feel a sense of community and it is also a chance to make new friends and expand your social life. This again can benefit your mental health.

But playing sport and doing exercise isn't all about your mental health. It is also about your physical health. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

People can learn lots of important skills through their sports. Every sport teaches you the skills of handling tricky situations, making quick decisions and problem-solving. By playing sports, you can learn the art of living and managing things and taking leads.

Therefore, if you play sports, you are not just getting fitter and helping to improve your mental health; you are also learning many significant life lessons.

Human Being

The history of humans is a complex and fascinating journey, across millions of years. The story of human evolution is led by the changes of behaviour, body and mind that have allowed us to thrive.

Humans are believed to have evolved from apelike ancestors, shown by physical and behavioural traits shared by all people who evolved from them. However, our first ancestors started appearing on our planet four to two million years ago. They are known as Australopithecus. These hominids walked on two legs but had ape-like features. Evidence of these suggests that they lived in both woodland and grassland environments in Africa. These include Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. This species survived for over 900,000 years.

After that was the Homo Habilis. They lived around 2.4 million to 1.4 million years ago. They are considered one of the first members of the genus Homo, with a larger brain than Australopithecus. They were the first ones to use tools, simple stone tools made from chipped pebbles and flakes of stones. On top of that they could eat a broad range of foods such as leaves, plants and some animal tissues. However, they did not often consume harder foods like nuts, seeds or dried meat.

Lawrence Zhang of Holmewood House explains how we got to where we are today.

humans. They were a large group which showed further advancements in toolmaking and adaptation to a variety of environments. The Archaic Homo Sapiens also developed better tool-making techniques, such as the Levallois technique. Furthermore, they were believed to control the use of fire which likely played a major part in their lifestyle. These advancements in toolmaking are evidence of increasing knowledge.

They have spread across the world, creating civilization and exploring the deep depths of knowledge.

Closing in on an end on human evolution are the Neanderthals are a subspecies of Homo Sapiens. They lived in Eurasia for around 350,000 years. They adapted to cold and harsh climates and had a more robust physique. They developed remarkable tool-making skills and social behaviour. They crafted tool from stone, bone and wood and hunted a larger variety of animals. Unlike the others, the Neanderthals buried their dead with care, suggesting the rise of culture. Despite their extinction, around 40,000 years ago, the Neanderthals undoubtedly progressed hugely in terms of evolution.

Then came the Homo Erectus. This species lived 1.8 million to 140,000 years ago. They had a more modern body with a larger brain and more similar facial features. Instead of the simple tools that the Homo Habilis invented, the Homo Erectus used more larger tools such as axes. As well as that, they are believed to be the first ones to hunt animals and use fire. They were the first hominids to migrate out of Africa and spread to Eurasia, using the newer stone tools to their advantage. In terms of survival and species, the Homo Erectus is a huge success to the evolution of humans.

Around 600,000 to 200,000 years ago, the Archaic Homo Sapiens was born. They eventually evolved into modern

Finally, Homo Sapiens (modern humans) arrived-. We emerged around 200,000 years ago and continue to live on today as the only living genus Homo. Evolving over thousands of years, Homo Sapiens has demonstrated an unchallenged adaptability, intelligence, language development, art and symbolic thinking that separate us from earlier hominids. They have spread across the world, creating civilization and exploring the deep depths of knowledge.

The story of human evolution is a subject that is ongoing, with new discoveries providing a clearer look on our past. Through a complex history, humans have eventually emerged as the dominant species, reshaping the planet in many good and bad ways. Our evolutionary history is marked by cooperation and curiosity that push us to keep on learning about the universe. The evolution of humans is an important and remarkable journey of life on Earth.

Alex Feasey of Solefield School says sharks may be scary but they are necessary.

What do you picture when you hear the word ‘shark’? Screams for help? Sharp jagged teeth and blood? More than any other creature of the deep, sharks are seen as killers – the sleek villains of our maritime nightmares. But do they deserve such infamy?

The 1975 film ‘JAWS’ put fear into people’s hearts. Even the music was terrifying and is now synonymous with danger. The story line is frightening and violent after the great white shark starts rampaging after teenagers and trying to slaughter unsuspecting bathers. This horrifying perception of shark behaviour has remained in the public’s mind for an exceptionally long time. The truth, however, is very different.

tossed overboard alive and left to drown. This practice alone has wiped out a large number of the supposedly deadly villains.

Oviparous sharks lay eggs in a sack connected to their mother. They hatch inside the sack and then break out into the water, which is extremely dangerous. Sadly, the pups can be swept away and become another shark’s dinner! But to prevent this they have tendrils made of strong seaweed to wrap against the mermaid’s purses (yolk sacks with the baby pup inside) and anchor the eggs to prevent the pups becoming seafood.

sharks are a vital component in the long-term health of the oceans.

Sharks are one of the oldest species on the planet. They pre-date dinosaurs, and even trees. They have as much right to survive and thrive on this earth as humans do. In fact, we kill many more sharks than sharks kill us. The Twentieth Century saw only 12 human casualties while, at the present time, most species of shark are in danger of extinction. According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), a quarter of the world's shark species are threatened with extinction due to overfishing. Every year over 100 million sharks are slaughtered. The notorious delicacy, Shark Fin Soup, has been a luxury dish for Asian people for many centuries. Outrageously, only the fin of the shark is used, and the rest of the body is

Viviparous sharks have their young grow inside them and visit shallow waters to give birth. So, as you can see, there are times when we need to protect sharks from humans and keep fishing areas far away from places where sharks roam.

If we stop to think and truly consider the issues regarding the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem, we cannot but conclude that sharks are a vital component in the long-term health of the oceans. So, who are the villains and who are the victims? We are to blame for the species’ decline. It is an unfair fight, with the shark struggling to survive. If you truly think that sharks are the devils of the ocean, you should go to an aquarium and observe their features. As you do so, remember this article, admire their beauty and know that they are not the killers. We are.

Sharks are one of the oldest species on the planet. They dinosaurs,pre-date and even trees.

Victims or Villains

Don't_

Are You Being ‘Greenwashed’? Asks Sophie F of Cumnor House.

How green are your feet? You probably don’t wonder about your shoes, who made them, where they come from, or where they go. Well, I can give you some information about what happens in Nike factories that is shocking.

Jim Keyd is a football coach who tried to persuade his boys not to wear Nike after he discovered the worrying truth about Nike factories, but he failed and got fired. He then decided to investigate further how Nike factory workers live and work in Indonesia. The results were disturbing. First, the workers’ living conditions are poor as they all live in 8m-8m cement boxes and sleep on thin blankets. It was also a very unhealthy and unsanitary environment as the sewers are open and run through the streets. Nike also burns their shoe soles

next to the children’s play area and expose the children to lung diseases and cancer from the fumes.

The workers get paid around £1.20 to work for 8-9 hours a day, which is below the legal minimum wage. You are buying shoes for £100 while they are made for 20p. Because of these extremely long working hours, the children of the village do not get the education they need. Families barely have enough to afford five meals a week. After Jim Keyd had spent one month living in their conditions, he lost an astonishing 25 Ibs.

rules called the Code of Conduct, and some include not talking to anyone whilst working, nor leaving work early. If anyone breaks these rules, they are whipped and physically punished. The working conditions are dreadful, dirty and unhygienic.

The workers get paid around £1.20 to work for 8-9 hours a day, which is below the legal minimum wage. You are buying shoes for £100 while they are made for 20p.

In the factory, workers have a set of

The website, ‘Good on You’, describes Nike as taking one step forward and two steps back. This means that Nike, by taking a big step to become a top-selling worldwide brand and describing themselves as a sustainable brand, also took two massive steps back when they were found in May 2023 to be ‘greenwashing’ about sustainability claims and international labour rights.

the workers’ living conditions are poor as they all live in 8m-8m cement boxes and sleep on thin blankets.

On the website ‘Green Matters', Nike was also accused of ‘greenwashing’ in a class action lawsuit that highlighted other awful things, such as human trafficking, modern slavery, child labour and forced labour.

Many other famous shoe brands like Adidas and New Balance have been exposed as unethical but Asics has been identified as a completely ethical and sustainable brand. They even use recycled plastic.

Now that you’ve heard the behind-the-scenes truth about trainer production, hopefully you will understand what dreadful lives these people lead because we continue to buy so many products from companies like Nike, not knowing the truth. I hope that you will make different decisions in the future!

Nike was also accused of ‘greenwashing’ in a class action lawsuit that highlighted other awful things, such as human trafficking, modern slavery, child labour and forced labour.

Lana C of Cumnor House draws our attention to the horrors of horse abuse.

Would you want to see a horse beaten with sticks or whips over and over again? I wouldn’t! I love horses. I have been riding them for years. I care for them greatly and know that the connection between horse and rider is strong.

Horse abuse really angers me and many others, but any harm done purposefully to any animal is not ok. Horses are very intelligent – they can feel human emotions and hear our heartbeats, but sometimes these animals get hit, kicked, whipped, and slaughtered even from the young age of a tiny foal. Fortunately, there are charities working super-hard to rescue these animals and raise them into a better life.

In 2021 CCTV picked up a drastic attack on a foal named Faith. This story really provoked me to write this article. The footage shows Faith being hit in her stable multiple times by a cruel man named Sean McWhinnie, while Faith’s owner looks on completely untroubled. Faith received nasty wounds but they healed quickly. Thankfully, Mr McWhinnie was sentenced to five months in prison and a lifetime ban on keeping any animals. World Horse Welfare now looks after Faith and she is very content and well cared for. But she will always remember this experience. How dreadful is that?

A while before that, at Spindles Farm in Amersham, 111 horses, ponies and donkeys were removed from the site. Sadly, 32 were found dead when services arrived after they had been very badly mistreated and abused. The farmer and his family were banned from

keeping animals for ten years. His family was fined up to £750 and made to carry out community service for 12 months. Their actions were paid for, but sadly not all animals made it out alive.

Luckily, there are charities around the world dedicated to helping animals who have been badly treated, like the RSPCA and some organisations like World Horse Welfare, who are focused on rescuing specifically horses who have not been so fortunate. I wanted to write about horse abuse because I think more people need to know about it, but in particular to spread the word about how you can help. You can donate to charities like these and make sure to tell any of your friends and family – this will, no doubt, save at least one horse’s life, and hopefully many more.

There are other forms of horse abuse, though. Have you ever seen a horse and carriage giving rides around the roads? Well, not all of them are as fun as they look for the horses. Some carriage drivers torture their horses. One man in August 2022 was charged for carriagedriving a horse with a medical condition in the blazing heat non-stop. The horse eventually dropped to the ground when it couldn’t take any more. The man yelled at it to get up, but it then had a seizure right in front of the people of New York. The horse is no longer alive, but luckily this rarely happens nowadays.

Horses are very special animals, but when they are abused they will always remember the experience and be traumatized forever. This is why we need to keep them safe and highlight the problem of horse abuse worldwide. Many people, like me, feel very strongly about this topic. I hope that one day we will be able to educate more people and save many more of these beautiful animals.

Six-month old foal, Faith, was beaten in her stable. Photo: RSPCA

MusicMood

Torben Brown of Holmewood House explores the impact of music on our moods.

usic has an incredible power to shape our emotional experiences. From the lively beats that make us want to dance to the melodies that instil a sense of peace, its impact on mood is indisputable. Whether it's the upbeat tunes that bring joy or the soulful melodies that hum with melancholy, understanding the relationship between music and emotion lets you harness music to improve your wellbeing.

Why does music affect our emotions? Our brains are unbelievable when it comes to recognising patterns and rhythms, so when we hear music our brains link that with what we have heard before. For example, when you hear scary music in a horror movie, your brain associates that with something threatening and frightening. Similarly, when you hear happy music, you feel upbeat and joyful. This is because of the brain's implausible ability to understand and relate similarities.

hertz. When we are relaxed, these same brainwaves are present, so when we hear music like this, we feel relaxed, and many people from all around the world listen to music like this to ease stress and unwind. There are many popular songs which are at this speed, for example ‘Lonely Road’ by Paul McCartney or ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ by The Tokens. These songs are at the speed of 60 bpm, and when listened to create alpha brainwaves, and allow you to feel calm and relaxed. These are popular songs listened to everywhere.

When you are listening to music, whether it’s mellow blues or cheery jazz, the same process occurs. Your blood flow increases in the area of the brain which affects your emotions. This region of the brain is called the Limbic System, and it controls your memories, processes your emotions, and creates arousal. When this region of our brain hears any type of music, like powerful R&B, or strong rock music, it switches on and correlates this with all our emotions.

Why does music allow you to feel relaxed and release stress? Research shows that music with a rhythm around sixty beats per minute allows the brain to synchronise with the beat of the music, causing something called alpha brainwaves, which have a frequency of 8-14

Another question to consider: how has music affected cultures? Music can shape the way we see things and can represent different things around the world. When you hear certain types of music, they can speak for the place of their origin. An example of these are folk songs, which are songs that derive from a specific country or area. There are folk songs from all around the world, and there are even popular British folk songs, like ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ by Alexander L’Estrange, or ‘My Sweetheart’s Like Venus’ by Gustav Holst.

Music is a key part of life because it can empower our sensations, enabling us to experience the whole world in an entirely different way. Music can switch our mood like the flick of a light switch, and without it the world would be a completely different place.

When this region of our brain hears any type of music, like powerful R&B, or strong rock music, it switches on and correlates this with all our emotions.

Many people from all around the world listen to music to ease stress and unwind.

Music is a key part of life because it can empower our sensations, enabling us to experience the whole world in an entirelyway.different

NBall Playing

netball players earn significantly less than players.football

Carlotta Maddison Von dem of Saint Ronan’s says netball, as far as sports go, is not the new kid on the block.

etball was first played in Madame Ostenberg's College in Dartford in 1895. It started because Clara Baer misinterpreted the rules of Basketball and it quickly evolved into its own sport. The first Netball world cup was held in 1963 and only 11 teams featured. Now over 20 million people and 70 countries play netball. Netball became a ‘recognized’ sport in 1995.

Netball started because Clara Baer misinterpreted the rules of Basketball and it quickly evolved into its own sport.

The three main rules are that you can’t move with the ball, you can’t bounce the ball and, when you are marking the player with the ball, you have to be three feet away from them. Some less obvious rules are that the ball cannot be thrown over one netball third or it will be called up. Another rule is that at the centre pass, all players (except the two centres) have to start in their goal thirds. The game will then start when the centre steps into the circle and the whistle is blown. The centre pass must always be received in the centre third of the court.

At the moment, the captain of the England Vitality Roses is Natalie Metcalf, a 31-year-old who plays wing attack and goal attack. Another inspirational England netball player is Eleanor Cardwell, who is 30 years old. In 2022 she scored

A question that many people ask themselves is whether a professional netball player earns enough to live comfortably. Well, the answer is yes, a professional netball player earns about £37,000 per year with additional sponsorship. In comparison to this, an England footballer at this same level earns about £3 million pounds a year without additional sponsorship, so netball players earn significantly less than football players. The most famous netball player of all time is Irene van Dyk. She played for both New Zealand and South Africa but she doesn't play netball professionally any more since she is 51 years old.

an amazing 641 goals! Both Natalie Metcalf and Eleanor Cardwell play for Manchester Thunder as well.

Cheese! Say

Constant surveillance, censorship of news, lack of freedom of speech. These are all issues in the dystopian world of 1984, written by George Orwell. On reading this book, I was fascinated by the parallels it had to our modern society. So, let us examine some of these issues and answer the question pondered by many: did Orwell predict the future?

It is important to note that I will be focusing on parallels between this book and Western society. There are communist countries where many things that I discuss here are more significant issues. While in Belgrade, Lawrence Durrell, a British writer, said: 'Reading [1984] in a communist country is really an experience because one can see it all around one.'

One of the most significant problems in the world of 1984 is news censorship and the rewriting of history. While Western countries have freedom of press, and history is taught in a nonbiased way in schools, we can see some similarities. For example, in America, many books, like Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, are being rewritten because it is thought they could be considered offensive. While this is a very different phenomenon, I think it does speak of a society that is willing to rewrite the way the world was seen years ago to appease some people, and to me that sounds a lot like the world of 1984. Lack of freedom of speech has also become a problem in many American universities, like Harvard.

Big Brother is Watching You, says Isla McLeod of Vinehall.

In 1984, everybody is watched by a 'telescreen' that the government (led by Big Brother) uses to catch people who are against the party. While I do not think the government watching us is an issue, companies and advertisers absolutely is. Orwell predicted that we would be watched in the future, but he did not guess that it would be done by companies and advertisers.

give the public something entertaining to watch and food to eat so they wouldn’t focus on bigger problems.

In 1984, there is a constant, fictionalised war going on to distract the public from thinking about the horrors going on in front of them. Distracting the public from bigger issues is something that has occurred many times throughout history and in our current world. In Ancient Rome, the Latin saying 'Panem et circuses', translating to 'bread and circuses' was used to describe gladiator fights: give the public something entertaining to watch and food to eat so they wouldn’t focus on bigger problems and want to assassinate the emperor. In our society, this happens when politicians choose to create policies for smaller issues instead of putting resources into solving more pressing issues, for example the Democrats in America focusing on culture wars. While we are not distracted by a fictionalised war, it is a concept that Orwell took directly from his world, and it is still something that exists in our world.

A significant challenge facing our society is the increasing amount of technology used, and how we are constantly being listened to by our devices. Tiny changes in our online behaviour can give companies vast quantities of data. There have even been cases where devices have been able to tell that people have depression before they have been diagnosed.

I think that there are many parallels with 1984 in our western, modern society. However, I do not think that Orwell necessarily 'predicted the future'. It is more likely that he took some problems from his world and imagined a future where these issues were exaggerated. However, if we are not careful with things like the progression of AI, it is possible that Big Brother will be watching us all. 

Forward

Ayanfe Afolabi of Holmewood House reckons sprinting has come a long way but fairness is now a big issue.

From Ancient Greece's Olympic Games to the primal survival instincts of cavemen, sprinting has transcended time as a symbol of strength and skill. Fast-forward to modern times, where legendary sprinters like Usain Bolt continue to inspire with their incredible feats. The Olympics symbolise global unity through sport, with sprinters from diverse backgrounds displaying the boundless pursuit of excellence. On the track, records are not just broken, but shattered as athletes push the limits of human capability.

Jamaican sprinters have been making continuous marks in the sprinting world, although genetic advantages such as the ‘D allele’ variant of the ACE gene stands out prominently. The nation's athletes thrive in an environment blessed with ideal training conditions - abundant sunshine and warm weather year-round. Furthermore, Jamaica boasts a rich lineage of sprinting legends who actively mentor and inspire the next wave of talent. Their Olympic triumphs are a source of immense national pride, fuelling motivation among aspiring athletes. From early on in their schooling, Jamaican youths are encouraged to explore diverse career paths, yet those demonstrating athletic potential are swiftly identified and supported. This approach not only nurtures athletic talent but also fosters a sense of purpose and achievement within the younger generation.

undervaluation of women's sports in terms of attention, financial support, and ticket pricing. Efforts to challenge these stereotypes and promote equal treatment for male and female athletes are underway. Advocates for gender equality in sports are working to eliminate gender-based pricing and ensure both genders receive the recognition they deserve. It is crucial for everyone, including young sports enthusiasts, to be aware of these issues and support initiatives fostering equality. Both girls and boys should have equal opportunities in sports, irrespective of gender. The younger generation can drive positive change towards a more inclusive sports environment.

The nation’s athletes thrive in an environment blessed with ideal training conditions - abundant sunshine and warm weather year-round.

Caster Semenya, a South African runner, faced discrimination due to naturally high testosterone levels, undergoing humiliating gender testing and facing unfair regulations in 2018. This raises fairness concerns in sports. Her story inspires standing against discrimination and supporting others facing injustice. Despite winning championships, she had to take testosterone-reducing drugs, affecting her mental health. Her book ‘The Race to be Myself’ shares her challenges and opinions.

Born on 21 August 1986 in Jamaica, Usain Bolt emerged as the fastest man on Earth during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With three gold medals and world records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, Bolt became a global sports icon. His triple-gold triumph repeated in successive Olympics – 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, secured his status as one of history's greatest athletes. Bolt's dominance extended to World Championships, highlighting his exceptional speed and sportsmanship. His legacy serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes, showing that determination and dedication can lead to extraordinary accomplishments.

Gender bias in sprinting has historically affected both men and women in athletics, leading to

The participation of transgender individuals in sports like sprinting raises questions about fairness and inclusion due to biological and physiological differences between male and female athletes. Cases like Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, highlight concerns about potential advantages. Striking a balance between supporting transgender athletes' rights and maintaining fair competition is crucial.

Sprinting has evolved from its ancient roots to become a symbol of human capability and achievement, epitomized by legends like Usain Bolt. Yet, as the sport progresses, challenges such as gender bias and the inclusion of transgender athletes remind us of the ongoing need for fairness and equality in sports. By addressing these issues and championing inclusivity, we can ensure that sprinting continues to inspire and unite athletes worldwide.

I Hands Up

Alex Smiley of Holmewood House gives a balanced view of handedness.

f you’re reading this right now, you are most likely a right-handed person. How do I know this, you might be asking, and the answer is simple: right-handed people make up approximately 90% of the population. What is handedness, and why does it exist in the first place?

Handedness is an individual’s preference for using one hand for most tasks such as writing and sport. That hand is typically faster, or more dextrous, while the other hand, often referred to as the non-dominant hand, is usually less effective for general tasks, although in rare cases it just comes down to preference.

Most people are either right- or lefthanded. While ambidexterity (equal preference for both hands) does exist, it is rare (accounting for about 1% of the population) and so is ignored in many

studies involving handedness. Only about 10% of people are left-handed, while about 90% are right-handed, and it has been that way for possibly 500,000 years. This phenomenon has a variety of explanations, but the most widely accepted theory is one that combines two other main ideas: genetics and environmental factors.

Many studies have been done on handedness, most of these on twins. This is because it gives two pieces of insight – one, obviously, on handedness, and one on how ‘identical’ identical twins really are, as well as making it a fairer test. One of these studies, done on twins from 24,732 families, suggests that handedness is about 25% heritable, which means that about a quarter of the development of a dominant hand

comes entirely from your genetics, which is out of your control.

Only about 10% of people are left-handed, while about 90% are right-handed, and it has been that way for possibly 500,000 years.

Initially, scientists believed that the DNA aspect of all this came from a singular gene, but more recent studies suggest that this is not true, and that it could be spread across as many as 40 genes. While anyone could be lefthanded, if one or both of your parents are also lefthanded, you have a much higher chance of being a left-hander.

Most scientists believe that handedness is mostly caused by environmental factors. These possible factors are quite varied, but one theory is that pre-natal thumb-sucking changes which thumb you suck once being born. This then continues to when one starts writing and playing sports, and

While ambidexterity (equal preference for both hands) does exist, it is rare (accounting for about 1% of the population).

by then you already have a dominant hand. Another theory about why in some demographics and ages lefthandedness is more common, is that exposure to certain medications and hormones while in the womb can drastically increase your chances of being left-handed.

It used to be generally believed that when it comes to speech in left-handed people, their brain hemispheres swap roles. Most people use their brain’s left hemisphere for language, and because talking is a very complex task for your brain, hand movement, arguably just as complex, also happens in the same place. Because your right brain controls your left hand, and the left brain controls your right hand, most people are right-handed. However, the theory states that lefthanded people use their right brain

it can affect everything about you, from your intelligence to your musical ability, and how well you play sport.

talking is a very complex task for your brain and hand movement is arguably just as complex.

hemisphere for speech instead, and so are left-handed. However, recent research shows that only about 30% of lefthanders experience this phenomenon, which means there is probably some correlation, but not one as strong as once theorised.

It’s easy to believe this handed business only concerns which hand you write with, but it can affect everything about you, from your intelligence to your musical ability, and how well you play sport.

While anyone could be left-handed, if one or both of your parents are also left-handed, you have a much higher chance of being a lefthander.

Just Imagine

Sophia

Chandy of JKS examines the origins of a fantasy legend.

You watch the movies. You know the songs. Disney has most probably been a part of your life. It’s strange to think that all those films you have grown up with started with Mickey Mouse. However, not many people even know about how Disney started.

Walter Elias Disney was born on 5th December 1901. As a boy, he always loved to draw. In January 1920, he and his friend, Ub Iwerks, started their own business, Iwerks-Disney commercial artists. Temporarily leaving the company to gain more money, Disney discovered animation. With one animation book and a camera, he started experimenting. As a result, Disney opened a new business with Fred Harman, ‘Newman’s Laugh-oGrams’. Their main client was the local Newman theatre, for which they made short cartoons. The first six Laugho-Grams were modernised fairytales.

Because of World War II, ‘Fantasia’, ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Bambi’ did not achieve as much fame. Disney then decided to make a low budget film about an elephant, ‘Dumbo’, which received positive comments from critics and audiences. However, it was after the war when Cinderella danced onto the screens, earning nearly $8 million in its first year. Then hits such as Disney’s first live action film, ‘Treasure Island’, shot in Britan, and the animated ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Peter Pan’ exploded onto the big screen.

From ‘Cinderella’ to ‘Encanto’ Disney has a long legacy of providing fun and imagination, making many movies along the way.

Disney then moved to Hollywood in July 1923 when he was twenty-one because his brother, Roy, was there to recover from tuberculosis. They formed The Disney Brothers’ company, which eventually became The Walt Disney Company. In July 1927, Disney began to animate ‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’ for Universal Pictures.

The dawn of Mickey Mouse came when Disney stopped animating Oswald due to the poor pay. He and Iwerks decided to animate cartoons about a small mouse, originally named Mortimer Mouse, possibly inspired by a pet Disney once had. Disney’s wife said it was too pompous and suggested the name Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse’s first sound cartoon, ‘Steamboat Willie’, is the logo you see on the beginnings of most Disney animated films. This was the dawn of Mickey Mouse, and the start of Disney as we know it.

In 1934, Disney feature-length films began, including the four-year project, ‘Snow White and The Seven Dwarves’, which premiered in December 1937, and was a great success. The golden age of animation had begun.

As if this were not enough, Disney wanted there to be a real place which was not dirty or full of sickness. Inspired by the cleanliness and layout of The Tivoli Gardens, Denmark, Disney planned a theme park in Anaheim, California. Disneyland opened in July 1955, and was a great success. First sights of ‘Main Street USA’ led to The Sleeping Beauty Castle. Themed areas housed different attractions: Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland, where you would find yourself immersed in worlds from some of your favourite movies.

It was at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair that Disney made one of the most well-known rides. ‘It’s a Small World’ can be found in most Disney parks around the world, which now entertain millions in Tokyo, Shanghai and Paris.

From ‘Cinderella’ to ‘Encanto’ Disney has a long legacy of providing fun and imagination, making many movies along the way. So, when you next get the chance to watch a Disney movie, remember that it all started with Mickey Mouse. 

Work Home

Gabriella Stephenson of Skippers Hill charts the modern backlash against homework.

Studies have even shown that those who get more play and freedom get better grades in school.

Many school children think homework is ‘a waste of time’ or ‘utterly pointless’ but others may argue that homework is essential for retrieval of learning and for learning development.

Surveys prove that over 70% of school children don't think homework is necessary and believe children should have more of a life outside the classroom: why are we adding extra stress onto our generation’s already crowded minds?

Homework can have a negative influence on learning experiences; it can make a student feel disheartened if they're struggling to do the set task and don't get the support they need to fulfill their potential when completing homework.

homework helps students develop time-management skills, while they learn to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

even shown that those who get more play and freedom get better grades in school.

Surveys prove that over 70% of school children don‘t think homework is necessary.

Imagine you were stressing over the difficulty level of an assignment and, on top of all that, when you hand it in, you get told it is not up to standard or you didn't put in enough effort. This could possibly damage your mental health and certainly isn't doing anyone any favours. After hours upon hours of sitting in class, the last thing pupils want is more schoolwork over their precious weekends, which could be a lot better spent building social connections with peers instead of sitting at home stressed about whether they'll finish an assignment on time, which can most definitely impact a child’s social development. Studies have

But many in authority agree that homework is a necessary part of school. It can help students reinforce what they've learnt in class, practise new skills and develop a sense of responsibility and discipline. It is proven that homework helps students develop timemanagement skills, while they learn to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; these skills are much needed in later life. If set correctly, homework can also promote independent thinking and problem-solving abilities, when pupils tackle assignments on their own. Additionally, homework allows valuable feedback from teachers, helping identify areas where students can improve.

At the end of the day, everyone's opinion is based on their personal view of how homework can either have a positive or negative impact on students. I believe that homework can be beneficial but only if set in the right quantities and, if a student has a valid reason for not completing a task, they should not have any stress added on to them because that is not helping anyone and is just creating a negative learning environment. Students should feel supported and encouraged in their learning, and homework can help massively if set correctly, and if the topic is relevant to the subject. So homework can be a good way for students to retrieve knowledge required for their curriculum and can help them in future life.

Students should feel supported and encouraged in their learning.

Over

Ben O’Leary of Solefield School ponders the past, present and future of gaming.

If you were in a game of life and death, where you had to find your own food, collect your own resources and build your own shelter, would you survive? This is the premise behind most virtual survival games. Survival games took the gaming platform a long time ago, but the most popular survival game is Minecraft.

Minecraft emerged in 2011 and was designed by a mysterious man who calls himself Notch. At the time, he did not think it would be a success, but unexpectedly it became a worldwide phenomenon and made him and his associates millions. It has undergone many updates and now a whole massive business operation has been developed around Minecraft.

No doubt, the popularity of these games comes from the incredible excitement and tension generated when you play. It feels like a life-and-death situation. You are free to act in a way that would be impossible in real life. Parents have become concerned about their children playing survival games obsessively and about the type of activities their children are exposed to in these games (for example, hunting down and killing an opponent). There are stories of children smashing their consoles during play, such is the anger and rage produced. Parents might have good reason to worry if their child spends hours playing but it depends on the game.

there have been incidents where people have recreated these games and have ended up with serious injuries.

People are not just interested in playing the games on consoles but are also fascinated by TV shows like Squid Game and The Hunger Games, where you can watch how the contestants survive and can root for your own favourite player.

Unsurprisingly, some people have been influenced by the games and attempted real-life scenarios. A notorious YouTuber recreated a version of Squid Game in a vast warehouse, but luckily the violence was not real. However, there have been incidents where people have recreated these games and have ended up with serious injuries. It makes one wonder whether these TV shows might have a deadlier impact on viewers than one might initially imagine.

Gaming and our quest for constant entertainment will no doubt grow and will possibly grow out of control. The lines between gaming and reality will become increasingly blurred through advances in Artificial Intelligence making things seem real. Just as people have suspicions about AI, we need to carefully monitor the detrimental effect of survival games on participants and gamers.

Should we be concerned? Possibly.

Raising Flag the

Ger Jenkins of Newton Prep looks at how flags can symbolise a nation.

You have all seen a flag. It is a familiar and welcoming sight in all countries, a symbol of hope and national pride. It is a much-cherished symbol of nationhood, whether it be the Stars and Stripes in the US (which is legally considered to be a living being), or the Union Jack flown so widely. They are a staple of modern life but many have never heard of the study of them, Vexillology.

The Turkmenistan flag has a bar showing patterns reminiscent of the five tribes that inhabit the land.

Flags are all around us, and it has been this way for thousands of years. Imagine the Romans, charging into battle, but what was their figurehead, calling them to battle? It was the flag. If you enjoy history, you know that sailors have used flags to communicate. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. We are talking about the symbol of a nation. The first nation to use a flag was the State of Genoa, in Italy. It was a port town and famous for maritime trade. It needed this flag to show other countries which state their boats were from, so allies would not attack them. In the years since, the flag has become a symbol of a country, instead of a defensive strategy. Flags have evolved, from a background with a coat of arms, to complex symbolic works of art.

The flag is a familiar and welcoming sight in all countries, a symbol of hope and national pride.

hard to draw and infamous throughout the vexillology community. Many of the flags in Western Africa are simple to draw and have deep symbolic meaning but many do not have any distinguishing features.

Vexillology is not about throwing random shapes on a canvas. It is an art form.

Now enough looking at the rules. Let's examine a perfect flag, that of South Africa. It has a layout using the stunning yet underused pall element. It has multiple colours but has managed to juggle them expertly. The colours represent individual elements of South Africa. The blue: oceans and skies; white: purity and hope; green: fertility of the soil; and yellow for the gold and other natural resources the country is so rich in. The true power of the flag comes alive when you look in between the stripes. The combination of blue, red and white is no coincidence, since it nods to the colonial period, when the UK and the Netherlands made South Africa part of their empires, while the white is a sign of hope. This is symbolic of the country’s turbulent past, but shows it is a forward-looking nation.

Not every flag can be brilliant, though there is a set of rules observed by everyone in the vexillology community to make a flag beautiful. It must follow all of these criteria or it will fail as a flag. These criteria are: simplicity, ease of identification and symbolism. An example of a flag that goes too far with simplicity is the flag of Gaddafist Libya. It was a solid background of green, the colour of Islam. This was all there was, and many criticised it, due to it not so much being a flag but just a colour. On the other end of the spectrum is the flag of Turkmenistan. It has a bar showing patterns reminiscent of the five tribes that inhabit the land. It is ridiculously

Vexillology is not about throwing random shapes on a canvas. It is an art form. It is easy to understand the basics, the vocabulary and themes, but it is difficult to master. It may seem daunting, and it is really hard to make a proper flag but it can be done. The Alaskan flag, a masterpiece of vexillology, is easy to identify and full of symbols. You might have thought that it was designed by an old man who dedicated his life to vexillology, but it wasn't. It was designed by a 13-year-old, who never thought he would make a difference.

Thinking

Beau

of Bede‘s asks why we get deja vu.

Déjà vu has been a mystery since 1876. It was first discovered by a French philosopher, Emilie Boirac, who believed that the French term (déjà vu) meant ‘already dreamed’. Déjà vu has become a part of many people’s lives. This mystery is a normal occurrence that happens to everyone. So far, déjà vu does not have a set explanation. Déjà vu only has theories.

Some people believe that déjà vu can predict the future. Scientist Arika O'Connor explains that it could also be that the frontal parts of the brain have a dysfunctional connection in memory recollection and familiarity. This can cause the brain to attempt to replay an inaccurate event. Brown (2004) states

the experience of déjà vu can have multiple explanations, such as ‘dual processing’. If two thoughts try to get into the brain at once, the brain must process one thought first. This causes a delay to the second thought process, so when it eventually gets processed by the brain it gives you a sense that you have experienced the event before. When you walk into a room or when you are looking out the window when you are in a car, somewhere in your brain there is a long-term memory that makes you think you have been there before, but it is a short-term memory that the brain is confusing with a long-term memory,

meaning déjà vu is just the brain trying to replay an event that has never happened before that moment. Brown has looked further into this topic when looking at neurological explanations for déjà vu.

If two thoughts try to get into the brain at once, the brain must process one thought first.

Counter to what scientists and doctors believe, there are theories that déjà vu has a more spiritual meaning. There is no research or evidence to suggest this is true, but there are religions such as Sufism that believe déjà vu has a more complicated meaning. ‘From a spiritual perspective, déjà vu happens when we unconsciously find a person or place familiar due to a past life experience,’

Jackson

Scientific reasons such as recollectionmemory and dualhaveprocessing many more explanationsevidential to back their theories.

explains hypnotist Eli Bliliuos of NYC Hypnosis Center. If Eli Bliliuos’s theory is correct, this must mean that whatever life we are in our brain will travel with us from the past into the future. I like this theory but it doesn’t seem to hold water. Sufism is a mythical Islamic practice that believes that you are shown, before you are born, what will happen in your life. Therefore, when you get to that moment that you have been shown about, this causes a flashback also known as déjà vu. The people who practise Sufism are known as Sufis and they believe that they have a spiritual guide who could possibly be the prophet Muhammad himself.

studies have been carried out to prove that DeJa vu is linked to the brain, but no studies have been completed to prove a link between god or a past life.

memory recollection and dual processing have many more evidential explanations to back their theories, so it is most likely to be true and more likely that people will accept the theory. Sufism has no scientific evidence to back up its theory and therefore may be harder to believe if you are not part of the Islamic religion. Two theories link déjà vu to the brain and one theory links it to the spirit.

These three perspectives show that there are many possible explanations of déjà vu. Scientific reasons such as

My research suggests that déjà vu is more likely to be linked to the brain (neurological) rather than having a spiritual meaning. Scientific studies have been carried out to prove that déjà vu is linked to the brain, but no studies have been completed to prove a link between god or a past life. You could argue that something spiritual is just a belief whereas something scientific can be proven.

Some

people believe that deja vu can predict the future.

Ideas

Rhiain Emery of Vinehall says the best place to put solar panels is in space.

STheir big idea is to harness the sun’s infinite solar energy from space.

olar power is the perfect source of energy for our planet in so many ways. It is free of emissions, such as carbon dioxide, is affordable compared to other renewable technology, and is increasing in popularity all the time. There is however one problem – it only works when the sun shines.

Can you imagine a world where the sun never stops shining? Well, experts at the European Space Agency (ESA) have done so and begun one of the most exciting ideas to solve the world’s energy crisis. The ESA is Europe’s gateway to space. Their mission is to develop technology and support investment in space to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

the Sun is also ten times stronger outside of the Earth’s atmosphere than on land in Europe.

the sun’s energy, they will convert it to microwaves and transmit that wirelessly back down to Earth. From here dedicated receivers called rectennas will convert the energy back into electricity to feed into the local grid. Because energy is transferred wirelessly, it could even be sent to the moon or other planets.

The world must change course to avoid catastrophic climate change, which is being caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels to meet all our energy needs. The race is on to find solutions.

Since 2006, the ESA has been looking at a space-age solution. Their big idea is to harness the sun’s infinite solar energy from space. It may sound ridiculous at first but think about it. There is no weather in space so there are no clouds to block the sun. There is no day or night either, so the supply of energy is constant. Not only this, but the Sun is also ten times stronger outside of the Earth’s atmosphere than on land in Europe. Solar panels take up a lot of room and the best thing about space is, well, a lot of space.

We would need a vast number of solar panels in space, with the panels directly facing the sun. Once the solar panels have harvested

So far so good. But there are problems. For example, some countries could afford to do this but others could not. Some people still don’t believe that there is such a thing as climate change. All the countries would need to work together and currently there are lots of conflicts going on such as the war in Ukraine and you would need to launch a lot of rockets to get all the equipment into space. Rockets are very expensive and so is rocket fuel. In time, rockets might become cheaper to launch and build.

I think solar panels in space is a good idea even though there are several barriers. I don’t think that given the current cost of living this project will become easily affordable. In future, there could be other technologies that could be a better option. But this is a great and sustainable plan to keep our planet green.

Forward

Rohan Bissett of Holmewood House charts the rise

technology in human history, from

farming to phones.

of

Technology is the lifeblood of modern human society and its presence is always around us but have you ever wondered where it all began? And, more importantly, how it has changed human society?

Farming is the earliest technology to reshape human society and stands as a pivotal force in human evolution, tracing its roots back to 11,000 BCE in Syria and Iran. By 6000 BCE, farmers had begun cultivating wheat and barley in Asia and along the Nile, a transformative shift from hunting to systematic food production that marked a crucial chapter in history and led to larger settlements and communities.

Next came the wheel. Mesopotamians introduced the first transport wheel around 3500 BCE, enhancing human mobility and allowing heavy loads to be carried over distances with less effort. Beyond transportation, wheels played a crucial role in mechanizing sectors like carts and battle chariots, and contributed significantly to agriculture, animal traction, crop irrigation, and craft industries.

Farming is the earliest technology to reshape human society and stands as a pivotal force in human evolution.

system of signs that expressed a word, sound, or ideas. This was later used by all of Asia. It is the fuel that drives communication, and communication serves as a framework for society.

Writing is one of the most crucial technologies ever developed. In Egypt around 3300 BCE hieroglyphs were a

Medicine’s impact on society, by increasing human lifespan, has been pivotal. When Edward Jenner pioneered the first vaccination by exposing a boy to cowpox, the era of modern medicine had really begun in 1876. The antibiotic era began on 28th September 1928, with the accidental discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming.

Medicine’s impact on society, by increasing human lifespan, has been pivotal.

The 18th Century is when the world as we know it began to take shape. First, the discovery of electricity in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin led quickly to further discoveries, most notably by Thomas Edison and Michael Faraday, which allowed human societies to harness and generate new forms of power. It has revolutionised human society, and the efficiency and simplicity of electrical power is still changing society to this day as we move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

In 1764, the Industrial Revolution commenced with James Hargreaves' invention of the spinning jenny, revolutionizing cloth production by boosting speed and requiring only one operator. This innovation made way for engine development, initially used for mine water drainage and later powering iron, cotton, and paper mills, significantly improving efficiency. This era shifted economies from agrarian and handicraft models to large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system, introducing new machines and organizational methods for heightened productivity.

the internal combustion engine paved the way for mass mobility and the steadily rising exchange of humans and goods worldwide.

In 1872 the internal combustion engine appeared. This could power automobiles, locomotives, ships, and airplanes, and paved the way for mass mobility and the steadily rising exchange of humans and goods worldwide. This power has allowed us to build machines that could do work that would have been impossible before.

The idea for a mechanical computer originated with Charles Babbage in 1822 but it was not until the mid-20th Century that the age of computing really began. During World War II the breakthroughs made by Alan Turing paved the way for the development of modern computers and the discovery of the transistor in 1959 fired the starting gun for ever smaller and more portable computers. The impact on society has been profound and, when coupled with the creation of the internet, the computer underpins our modern society.

The internet is the most transformative technology of recent times. The internet age began in the 1970s but it was not until the creation of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners Lee in 1989 that the transformative power of the internet took hold. Nowadays, we can quickly find information, manage our finances, shop from home, listen to music, play games, or watch videos. However, its real power has been to connect everyone in human society to everyone else, breaking down barriers and making the whole of human society feel connected.

Lara Morgan of Holmewood House

gender stereotypes.

Just a Not Girl

Gtakes a look at

rowing up, I never noticed much sexism. Sure, there were the occasional comments, like, ‘You can’t do that: you’re a girl,’ but they didn’t bother me much. However, as I got older, it started to affect me in ways it hadn’t before. One moment that stands out is when my parents told me I couldn’t go for walks alone, whilst my brother went alone almost daily. I was told that being a girl I was vulnerable and at risk, but my brother, being a boy, was safe.

I started to question whether my sex influenced who I am today because of societal norms. If gender stereotypes didn’t exist, I might be a completely different person. For example, if I had played football instead of netball, I might never have had the chance to play. Similarly, if Barbie’s hadn’t been pushed towards girls, and Hot Wheels towards boys, then I might have been more interested in cars than in clothes.

Stereotypes essentially run society, even though they may not be obvious.

Stereotypes essentially run society, even though they may not be obvious. Take school pick-up, for example. I can almost guarantee that most of the parents there will be female. Or, in a clothes store, most women’s clothes will be pale in colour, tightfitting, and soft, whilst men’s will be darker, more oversized and made of more sturdy materials. While many people are starting to change these norms and cross-dress, the fact remains that the expected style for men and women is completely different. 

We know that men’s wages are comparatively higher than women's but the numbers are worse than you’d expect.

As for the gender pay gap, we know that men’s wages are comparatively higher than women's but the numbers are worse than you’d expect. In fact, 8 out of 10 UK companies still pay their male employees more money. In general, the workplace is a much better place for men. The BMA conducted a study and found that, in the medical field, 74% of people felt that gender acted as a barrier in career progression. Additionally, compared to 10% of men, 50% of women felt they were treated less favourably because they were female.

compared to 10% of men, 50% of women felt they were treated less favourably because they were female.

Women not only face lower earnings but also higher expenses due to the ‘pink tax’. They are charged around 34% more for basic items like clothes and toiletries. Over the course of a lifetime, this would have a significant effect on a woman’s financial stability. Although this is an issue that could easily be solved, it is left unaddressed. It’s not that the government doesn’t have awareness of these issues; they have published articles on the pay gap and pink tax if you look for them. It’s just not important enough to bother changing.

In my opinion, the problem is the media. People like Andrew Tate, whose videos undoubtedly reach most people who are on social media, will affect the way young people view gender. Tate even

8 out of 10 UK companies still pay their employeesmalemore money.

All genders can and will experience some sort of sexism. For men, it’s much more about the stereotypes.

proudly proclaimed himself a misogynist, as have many others. Young, impressionable children will believe that this is ok. Therefore, these ideas are introduced at a very young age and become the norm.

However, that’s not to say sexism is onesided. All genders can and will experience some sort of sexism. For men, it’s much more about the stereotypes. Men must work hard, make money, provide for their families. Men must like sports and cars. These principles are drilled into us from the moment we can understand them. Even baby clothes are pink for girls and blue for boys. It’s not done deliberately, not by our parents, teachers, or friends; it’s just how the world works. Gender equality isn’t something we have right now. It’s almost as if, although so much has changed, nothing’s new. Yes, women can work, but still cannot earn as much. Yes, men can wear makeup, but they will still be judged. And, yes, a woman isn’t expected to have children, but may risk being called selfish if she does not. Many don’t even realise how much gender inequality still affects their lives, even in the 21st Century.

a woman isn’t expected to have children, but may risk being called selfish if she does not.

Even baby clothes are pink for girls and blue for boys.

The Apple Cart

Dev

Patel of SJCS surveys the tricks of the trade that put Apple at the top of the tree.

Apple is the world's most valuable company with an estimated net worth of 3.01 trillion US dollars. Apple has sold more than 2.4 billion iPhones with a revenue of 65.77 billion US dollars. Apple shares have risen by 817% since the company first went public. So how does Apple sell so many products? What is their secret? Sure, Apple watches, iPhones and iMacs all have a common theme: they are reliable, they have sleek designs and the manufacturer quality is superb. But it is not only the product itself that promotes sales as Apple uses far fewer visible ways to psychologically manipulate us into buying their products. I am not saying that it is a bad or negative thing at all –merely that it is interesting to see how we are subconsciously steered into making Apple the biggest company on the planet.

Apple stores are a key factor in selling their products and there are numerous marketing techniques that push up sales. When you walk into an Apple Store, all computers are kept at a 76-degree angle so that you are encouraged to touch them, to adjust the screen. When

you touch the computer, it gives you a sense of ownership and this is called the ‘endowment effect’. It is the physiological phenomenon where you are more likely to keep something if you already feel like you own it. This makes you feel like you’ll be losing something if you didn’t walk out of the shop with a shiny new Macbook Pro tucked under your arm. In the same way, Apple employees are told not to touch the products in front of the customers.

Apple uses far fewer visible ways to psychologically manipulate us into buying their products.

ever been to an Apple store, you’ll notice that every product has a lot of space, and by doing this they make you think the product is more special. Apple also goes all-out with the architecture of some of their flagship venues, to the point where people just go and visit them to admire the buildings as architectural tourist attractions.

This is not the only way that Apple makes their stores better at selling. Another key factor is the store layout. Where are the cash registers? This is all part of their seduction: by doing away with traditional tills, Apple prevents customers from thinking about how much products cost. Apple then intensifies this idea by not including any price tags. This is Apple saying: ‘It’s expensive but that's not the important thing.’ Apple wants you to connect with their products, and they give you the space to do that and take away the threat of the price tag. If you have

Apple employees are another reason why the company sells so many products. All employees must follow the Five Golden Steps of Service: 1. Approach customers with a warm welcome; 2. Probe politely to understand the customer; 3. Present a solution for the customer; 4. Listen or resolve issues for the customer; 5. End with a fond farewell.

Another key thing used by Apple employees is the Apple Employee Store Handbook, which has been leaked onto the Internet by Gizmodo. This handbook details all the tips and tricks that employees should use to push up sales. There is even a list of words which

When you walk into an Apple Store, all computers are kept at a 76-degree angle so that you are encouraged to touch them.

Apple employees are forbidden from using. The crux of it is that Apple wants to change bad situations into a way that Apple isn’t to blame. For example, if you go into the Apple store and say to an employee, ‘I have a problem that my iPhone is getting very hot when it is charging,’ the employee will reply, ‘Just to confirm your concern: your iPhone is getting warm when you charge it.’ Notice how the employee rephrases what you said. He says ‘concern’ instead of ‘problem’, and ‘warm’ instead of ‘hot’. This is because Apple employees are forbidden from saying the following words: Bomb, Crash, Hang, Freeze, Problem, Bug, Hot.

are drawn to explore and engage with the products. This tactile experience triggers the endowment effect, wherein individuals feel a sense of ownership over items they touch, increasing the likelihood of a purchase.

Apple's strategic approach to selling its products extends beyond just the design and features of its devices; it delves deep into the realm of psychology. By understanding human behaviour and cognitive biases, Apple has mastered the art of creating an environment that encourages customers to make purchases, often without realising how they are being subtly manipulated.

One of the most effective tactics employed by Apple is the use of its retail stores as ‘showrooms’. By maintaining a comfortable temperature and layout conducive to interaction, customers individuals feel a sense of ownership over items they touch, increasing the likelihood of a purchase.

The role of Apple's employees is also crucial in the sales process. Trained to follow a structured approach to customer service, they employ techniques aimed at understanding and addressing customer needs while subtly reframing negative situations to maintain a positive brand image. By adhering to a set of approved language guidelines, Apple ensures consistency in communication across its retail outlets, reinforcing its carefully curated brand identity.

In addition to in-store experiences, Apple leverages its digital ecosystem to drive sales through personalised marketing and user engagement. By offering free workshops and events, the company fosters a sense of community among its customers, encouraging repeat visits and brand loyalty. Ultimately, Apple's success in selling products is not solely attributable to technological innovation but also to its mastery of psychological manipulation and customer experience management.

Through the use of these strategies, Apple continues to dominate the market and maintain its position as a leader in the tech industry.

Beat

It!

competitive sport may be ruining children‘s mental health, says Evan Morris of Bede‘s.

Recently competitive sport has been a main headline in newspaper articles around Britain. These articles argue that competitive sport is ruining children's mental health, but is this true?

There is no doubt that competitive sports like football, cricket and hockey bring people together and have a lot to offer. Exercise and improved self-esteem are the reasons why people decide to take up sport but this may be backfiring on children.

In 2012, 80% of children played competitive sport, and over the past 10 years it has dropped to 65%. This is one of many bits of evidence that sport is dying for the younger generation.

sport is backfiring massively for children, and the main problem is that coaches aren’t aware. Coaches have a huge role in how we play, and view sport, so if they’re not picking up on it, who will?

Thousands of children across the country are being affected by this problem so, yes, in a way competitive sport is ruining children’s mental health, although there is an alternative: non-competitive sport. Noncompetitive sport is usually more self-based, where the stakes aren’t as high; this can allow children to relish sport for what it is. So perhaps this is the answer.

Almost two thirds (64%) of eight to 16-year-olds said they would be ‘relieved, not bothered or happier’ if winning or losing were not a factor.

A large part of the curriculum at most schools is sport. And it’s usually highly encouraged at a young age, because it’s good to teach teamwork, discipline and dedication. But not all children can thrive in a pressured environment, as we all know sport is. If forced upon children unwillingly, it can lead to problems. You see, you have probably experienced, in your time playing sports, unkind comments or being mocked by your teammates for making mistakes. Some people can brush it off, but others can take a huge hit to their selfesteem. If you take into account we are in an age more sedentary than ever, sport shouldn’t be something that’s feared.

The BBC conducted a survey on competitive sport, and here are the results. Almost two thirds (64%) of eight to 16-year-olds said they would be ‘relieved, not bothered or happier’ if winning or losing were not a factor. This just proves that competitive

Additionally, non-competitive sports can also teach children to be more conscientious because you would look at your own skill level, not the whole team’s. But schools aren’t promoting non-competitive sport enough for it to be something a child takes up.

It’s difficult to judge which side of the question is right, because it varies depending on who you ask, but in my opinion I don’t believe competitive sport is ‘ruining’ children's mental health, as there are some serious positives. But that’s not denying it is a problem that must be fixed.

up Growing

Dylan Cox of Holmewood House explains how the human race could make some serious progress.

Humans aren’t an advanced species. We are only a 0.72 on the Kardashev scale. What is the Kardashev scale, you may ask. The Kardashev scale is a scale to find how advanced a civilisation is. A Type 1 civilisation is able to harness all the planet’s energy. This type has control over the entire planet, even volcanoes and weather. A Type 2 civilisation harnesses all the energy of its host star using a Dyson sphere. This type can occupy other planets and moons in the solar system. A Type 3 is in control of their entire galaxy. Type 3 can move from star to star, colonizing multiple star systems across their galaxy.

To become a Type 1 civilisation, we need to become reliant on renewable energy and stop using fossil fuels. We need to have world peace and all countries would have to cooperate with each other.

Although it has taken humans about two million years to get to a 0.72, it is predicted that we will become a Type 1 civilisation in 100-200 years. So, what would we need to get there? To become a Type 1 civilisation, we need to become reliant on renewable energy and stop using fossil fuels. We need to have world peace and all countries would have to cooperate with each other.

If we became a Type 1 civilisation, we would expand to the rest of our solar system but if we wanted to colonise our solar system then it would take a large amount of energy. The only place to get that much energy is the sun. Luckily, there is a theoretical structure that can harvest energy from the sun called a Dyson sphere. How would it look? It would not be a rigid object because this leads to impacts and could drift into the sun. A better design would be a huge swarm of panels orbiting the sun, collecting energy, and sending it elsewhere. This would give us nearly unlimited energy but would be difficult to make.

To achieve the number of resources needed to build such a sphere we would need to entirely deconstruct a planet. Mercury would be ideal because, despite its size, it has a high number of metals and is close to the sun, has no atmosphere and only a third of the gravity of Earth, making it easy to transport stuff. Next, we

must consider what the swarm would be made of. Ordinary solar panels are too delicate and would need constant repairs, which would not be very efficient. It would also be more expensive. So, what would they be made from? They’d be massive mirrors about 1km² which refocus sunlight to power stations on earth and other planets. To transport these mirrors, we wouldn’t use rockets since they cost a lot and aren’t re-useable. Instead, we would probably use a large railgun structure to launch them into space. With the power generated we would be able to double the number we have until we have enough to cover the sun.

The energy generated would pave the way for many large-scale advancements, like interstellar travel, forming space colonies, and building stellar engines to move our star and the entire solar system. These advancements, enabled by using a Dyson sphere, would allow us to become a Type 3 civilisation at an incredibly quick rate. Becoming a Type 3 civilisation would take a long time but it wouldn’t be that difficult because with the energy made from the first Dyson sphere it would be much easier to make others, even though it would take a while.

In conclusion, humans becoming classified as an advanced species will not happen in our lifetime. It will be a long arduous process and take many hundreds of years. The sooner we stop fighting and try to work together the sooner we will achieve such status.

G Film First

Charlie Cutler of Bede‘s reveals how George Melies went from magician to movie pioneer.

eorges Méliès (1861-1938) was a French magician who was ‘thunderstruck with amazement’ when he saw the first-ever moving pictures in 1895. The very next year, Méliès made his first film. In the next 17 years, he stunned audiences with over 500 incredible films using methods that had never been seen before.

Méliès was not the first to create movies. Thomas Edison and the Lumière brothers both made films a year or two before. But the Lumière movies were only single scenes of everyday life, such as people playing cards. Méliès’ movies were drastically different in terms of plot complexity and genre, the number

of scenes and the use of special effects. Méliès drew inspiration from authors like Jules Verne and H G Wells to make the first ever sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. Méliès’ most famous creation is A Trip to the Moon (1902), which lasted 13 minutes, a huge length for that time. In this film, a group of astronomers visit the moon and must escape the local alien race, the Selenites: the first-ever encounter with aliens in film history!

The Kingdom of the Faeries contained an underwater scene that he filmed through an aquarium.

whole collection of movies with devils, vampires and floating heads. Méliès’ films were so advanced that you can see the influence of his narrative structures on films today. For example, the plot line of Avatar (2009) has many similarities with A Trip to the Moon.

Another Méliès film is The Kingdom of the Faeries (1903) in which a prince goes on a quest to defeat an evil witch and rescue a princess. He also made a

George Méliès was also a pioneer in the use of special effects, and he once remarked that this was what he was most proud of. He used his experience as a magician to change cinema forever. His two main effects were the ‘stop-trick’ and superimposition.

Melies authorsinspirationdrewfrom like Jules Verne and H G Wells to make the first ever sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. ‘ ‘

Méliès first used the stop-trick in The Vanishing Lady (1896), in which he made a lady vanish and then reappear as a skeleton. He discovered the trick by accident when his camera jammed briefly whilst he was filming a road. When he watched the film back, he saw a carriage turn instantly into a hearse. Méliès used this ‘stop trick’ in many of his later films to show disappearances and transformations. To create this effect, Méliès would stop the camera, rearrange the actors, then start filming again. The technique of superimposition was created by layering multiple images over each other to create collage effects.

Even though they were invented by Méliès in 1896, these basic effects were still used as late as the 1970s in films such as Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (1977). These effects were not majorly improved upon until the development of computer graphics. As George Lucas

He used his experience as a magician to change cinema forever.

remarked, ‘Georges Méliès is truly the father of all that we do in visual effects today.’

Not only did Méliès use camera tricks, but he had other special effects too. The Kingdom of the Faeries contained an underwater scene that he filmed through an aquarium. In The Conquest of the Pole (1913) he created the impression that a plane was flying by using small models against moving backdrops. Incredibly, he was also the first to make colour films. He achieved this by painting the film tape by hand.

Méliès’ innovative introduction of special effects and sci-fi and fantasy storylines changed the world of cinema. It was another 70 years before cinema evolved past his principles of special effects. The influence of his narrative structures can still be seen today. As film director Martin Scorsese wrote, ‘We all descend from Méliès!’ 

LastResort

Emma Ellvers of Marlborough House loves skiiing but is scared that because of climate change the sport is going downhill fast.

Ithe real tragedy would be the loss of alpine communities and the loss of jobs.

really enjoy skiing. I go about once a year. But over the past years I have noticed that the snow (at the bottom of the slopes) has been melting at a rapid rate. On 3rd February 2024, I was skiing in the Alps and it reached 7 degrees in Alpe D’huez, a French resort in the Alps.

Climate change is having a drastic impact on the ski season and ski resorts. Ski seasons are becoming shorter, and the slopes are becoming greener. Heavy rainfall is appearing, all of which is contributing to the snow melting and, in the future, we will have no snow. Did you know that Mount Terminillo, in Italy, recently had no snow on its mountain and they had to use fake snow?

Mount Terminillo, in Italy, recently had no snow on its mountain and they had to use fake snow.

However, skiing itself has contributed to global warming and resorts could try harder to be more environmentally friendly. Fossil fuels are used to power lifts and hotels, and as a result skiing contributes to 2% of the Earth’s CO2 emissions. Did you know that a skier is thought to contribute 48.9kg of carbon dioxide when they ski for a day? With 55 million people going skiing each year, this is a huge amount. Resorts are trying to use more renewable energy sources, and they will need to keep doing so if they want to keep the sport alive. For example, they could use solar panels to power the ski lifts because it often very sunny in the Alps.

We need to help our environment because climate change is threatening to close down ski resorts and all we will have to ski on is dry slopes which is not as much fun as skiing on real snow. However, the real tragedy would be the loss of alpine communities and the loss of jobs. If we do not help our environment, people's jobs will be lost and hotel owners will lose all their money. Hotel owners are going to have to rethink their business models or go out of business altogether. The ski slopes are being left with barely any snow, which means hotels are closing down.

I love skiing and I believe it is possible to save this sport. Skiing may stay around for some time but if we do not change our carbon footprint then we will no longer be able to ski in the Alps. I hope that you will think differently about skiing, and you will be able to change your carbon footprint.

Felix Grantham of Holmewood House does not know how the world will end but does know it will be with more of a bang than a whimper.

There are four main theories of how the universe could end: the Big Rip, the Big Freeze, Vacuum Decay and the Big Crunch-Big Bounce. The Big Crunch-Big Bounce theory is the most interesting and it is the most uplifting.

Before I start, you need to know a bit about Dark Energy. The universe is expanding, and the rate of its expansion is increasing, due to dark energy. Dark Energy is a strange thing which scientists believe fills the universe. Up until 1998 we thought the universe had to expand and then contract but the expansion of the universe is speeding up. We don’t know much about dark energy, but what we do know leads us to three of the four main theories of how the universe could end.

Over trillions of years the universe would slow down in expansion and stop, then the universe will start to contract and collapse. This will cause the universe to heat up because the universe gets denser as stars get closer and closer together.

One hundred thousand years before the Big Crunch, the background radiation would be hotter than the surfaces of most stars, causing them to cook from the outside.

the Big Crunch and Big Bounce theory says that, in anywhere from 2.8 billion years to 100 billion years, the universe will start to collapse in on itself.

The Big Crunch and Big Bounce theory is made up of two parts, the ‘crunch’ and the ‘bounce’. The theory states that the universe will expand until a finite point where gravity forces it to collapse in on itself. This is the ‘crunch’. After this, the universe would be so close and dense, it would cause another Big Bang. This is the ‘bounce’. This cycle repeats itself over and over again and, according to research, the theory states that this has happened many times before.

This would only happen if there was less dark energy than we think, which we think is about 68% of the universe, or it decreases over time because then gravity would be the controlling force in the universe, not dark energy, which means gravity will pull the universe closer together.

A few minutes before the Big Crunch, atom cores are ripped apart before all the supermassive black holes eat everything. Then they will merge, forming one giant supermassive blackhole which would eat the entire universe, including itself. Then the universe will have another Big Bang and so the cycle would repeat itself. Scientists who believe this theory think that it could start in anywhere from 2.8 billion years in the future to 22 billion years in the future, and some even think it might happen 100 billion years in the future.

In 1922, Russian physicist Alexander Friedman made a group of equations showing that the Universe's end depends on its density, and it could expand or contract accordingly. With enough matter, gravity could stop the Universe's expansion and cause it to contract. Alexander was the first person to propose this theory.

So, the Big Crunch and Big Bounce theory says that, in anywhere from 2.8 billion years to 100 billion years, the universe will start to collapse in on itself, and it will become so dense that it will cause a new Big Bang, and the cycle will be repeated indefinitely.