The Express Tribune hi five - November 30

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my life

Your Proofness: Sarah Munir Master Storyteller: Nudrat Kamal Creativity Analysts: Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Talha Ahmed Khan, Munira Abbas, Omer Asim and Umar Waqas

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Hi light

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Animated films and TV shows have become a regular part of our lives. This year alone, we were treated to the animated films How to train Your Dragon 2, The Lego Movie, and Big Hero 6, to name just a few. Because animation has become a routine part of our lives, we don’t really stop to think how it works. How do these cartoon characters move as if they were real? Is it all the magic of computers and sophisticated technology? Animation — or the art of creating a sequence of images that change over time to portray the illusion of moving — has been around ever since humans started making art. And animation is not just art — it combines art with science to bring us the magic of moving images. Read on to find out all about animation.

Back in the 1st century, when humans used to live in caves, they painted on their cave walls, or made art on their pottery. They also used these paintings to convey the illusion of motion. If they wanted to show an animal running, they would make a series of paintings of that animal showing it in different stages of running, so when you would look at those paintings one after the other, the animal would seem to be running. There is a 5,200-year-old pottery bowl that was discovered in a buried city called Shahr-e-Sukhteh (The Burnt City) in Iran which shows animation too. The bowl has five images painted around it that show phases of a goat leaping up to nip at a tree.

Then, as people became more sophisticated, different devices were invented that displayed animated images. For example, around 1650, the magic lantern was invented. It was made up of a mirror, an oil lamp and a transparent sheet on which images were drawn. With the help of the mirror, the images on the sheet were projected onto a wall in a darkened room. The magic lantern was mostly used to display frightening image sequences in a type of theatre called phantasmagoria.

The images were so frightening that people watching them were convinced that they were actually seeing supernatural beings. Another animation device was the thaumatrope, which was a simple toy popular in the 1800s. The thaumatrope was a small disc attached to two pieces of string with a picture drawn on either side of the disc. When the strings were twirled quickly between the fingers, the pictures appeared to combine into one single image. For example, if you drew a bird on one side and a cage on the other, by moving the strings, you would see the bird inside the cage.

What would you like to see in Hi Five? Send an email to hifive@tribune.com.pk and let us know!

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Hi light

Animation works because of a trick of the human eye called the persistence of vision. When light is used or controlled properly, the eye ‘remembers’ an image it has seen for a split second after it is removed. If the image is replaced quickly enough with one that is only slightly different, a twodimensional graphic can appear to be moving.

This creates an opportunity to convince the brain’s image processing centres that a series of fast, still images are actually moving pictures. A rate of 16 images per second creates an impression of a moving image that is almost exactly like people moving in real life. This means that an animation movie has 24 to 50 frames (also called shots) in one second — for one second of movement on screen, animators have to make around 50 still pictures!

Computer animation (or CGI animation) uses computer generated images for animation. Instead

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of drawing everything on paper and then taking photographs, you make 2D or 3D images directly on your computer. Computer animation doesn’t require you to make every single image yourself.

You can, for example, make an image of a ball in the air and then an image of a ball on the ground, and the computer will automatically generate im-

For stop motion animation, you take photographs of actual physical objects and use the photographs to give the impression of movement. Dolls or puppets are often used in this technique because

ages on the ball’s movement in between, creating

they can easily be moved into different positions.

the animation of a ball falling to the ground. Most

The use of clay figures is also common — the

of today’s animated films like Frozen and Brave are

animation that uses clay figures is called clay-

made using computer animation. The first animat-

mation. Films such as the original Star Wars series

ed film made entirely through CGI animation was

and Jurassic Park used stop motion animation in

Toy Story in 1995.

several scenes. Films like Coraline, Wallace and Gromit and The Nightmare Before Christmas are all stop motion animations. All the things seen in these films were physically made, including the houses, scenery and the characters themselves.

Traditional animation, also known as hand-drawn animation, was the process used for animated films of the 20th century.

These include the popular Disney hits, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (the first Disney film that was entirely handdrawn) and Cinderella. In traditional animation, each of the 50 frames in one second are painstakingly drawn by hand on paper.

To create the illusion of movement, each picture differs slightly from the one before it. Then each of these drawings are traced onto a transparent sheet of paper called a cel where they are coloured. When the cels are complete, photographs are taken of them. Needless to say, traditional animation is a lengthy and difficult process, which is why it is not used anymore. In fact, the last Disney film made entirely using traditional animation was The Little Mermaid in 1989. It required over one million drawings.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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t Fun facts about ancient Egyp

What do you call cheese that’s not yours?

Nacho cheese!

Both Egyptian men and women wore makeup — eyepaint was usually green (made from copper) or black (made from lead). The Egyptians believed that make-up had healing power. Originally make-up was used as protection from the sun — rather than for adornment.

Early folk medicine included the use of mouldy foods or soil for infections. In ancient Egypt, infections were treated with mouldy bread.

Why did the girl smear peanut butter on the road?

To go with the traffic jam.

Egyptian children wore no clothing at all until they were in their teens. The temperature in Egypt made it unnecessary. Adult men wore skirts while women wore dresses.

Rich Egyptians wore wigs while the other classes would wear their hair long or in pig tails. Until 12, Egyptian boys had their heads shaved except for one plaited lock — this was for protection against lice and fleas.

What did the mushroom say to the fungus?

You’re a fun guy [fungi].

How did the farmer fix his jeans?

With a cabbage patch.

Ancient Egyptians believed that the earth was flat and round (like a pancake) and that the Nile flowed through the centre of it.

When a body was mummified, its brain was removed through one of its nostrils and its intestines were also removed and placed in jars called canopic jars. Each organ was placed in its own jar. The only internal organ that was not removed was the heart, because Egyptians considered it to be the seat of the soul.

A Pharaoh never let his hair be seen — he would always wear a crown or a headdress called a nemes (the striped cloth headdress).

Where do rabbits learn to fly?

In the Hare Force.

Cats were considered sacred in ancient Egypt.

Egyptians were one of the first civilisations to invent writing. They also used ink to write and paper called papyrus.

Did you know?

What is the philosopher’s stone?

Harry Potter fans might remember the philosopher’s stone as the object in the first part of the series that the Dark Lord Voldemort was after so that he could have eternal life, but what you might not know is that J. K. Rowling didn’t come up with the idea of the stone. The philosopher’s stone is in fact a legendary substance that has intrigued humans since the 4th century BC. The stone is said to be capable of turning base metals (such as lead) into gold. It is also believed to produce an elixir of life, a gold-coloured, honey-flavoured magical potion that gives the drinker eternal youth and immortality. The philosopher’s stone is the most sought-after stone in human history — efforts to locate it were known as the Magnum Opus (the Great Work). So is the philosopher’s stone real? Throughout history, there have been several people who are said to have discovered this stone. The most famous of these is Nicholas Flamel, a 2nd century French scholar. It was said that he and his wife had achieved immortality by drinking the elixir of life. There is also the story of the Count of Saint Germain, a man who appeared in France in the mid-1700s and became a regular guest of the French King Louis XV. This man never ate or drank and he never seemed to age. He was also learned in all languages and had many talents. He was extremely rich and nobody was sure where he got his money from. When asked, he said he was 500 years old. Rumours were that this man had learnt the secret to making a philosopher’s stone. While some believe he is dead, others say he disappeared just as mysteriously, and some people still claim to have seen of the alleged ageless man to this day.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Get your weekly dose of unusual and funny news from across the globe!

Lakes of jelly Swimmers who dive into a number of Canadian lakes might not emerge clean and refreshed, but dripping with globs that resemble slimy fish eggs. A legacy of industrial pollution has caused great changes in the country’s water chemistry, creating a boom in tiny organisms that transform lakes into jelly.

This is the alarming news brought by scientists in a new research paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The scientists say that populations of this particular organism have doubled since the 1980s in many of Ontario’s lakes. The reason for this is that acid rain caused by pollution-spreading human activity decreased the calcium levels in many lakes. This in turn has destroyed a species of plankton called Daphnia, that needs calcium to build armoor.

As this species died away, a competing plankton, Holopedium, started growing in the lakes because this species requires far less calcium to bulk up and is coated with a gel that’s excellent at repelling predators.

The marching masses of jelly might damage populations of larger animals — including fish that people eat — as they diminish the amount of nutrients moving up the food chain. CITYLAB.COM

World wide weird

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Chocolate makes you smarter

Want to memorise a bunch of information for a class test? Eat chocolate, scientists say. According to Beatrice Golomb, a professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego, people who eat a lot of chocolate tend to perform better on memory tests. The idea is that chocolate has antioxidant effects which improve the functioning of cells that line blood vessels, leading to better blood flow and cell energy, which in turn improves cognition. And Golomb is not alone in believing that chocolate makes you smarter. The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study that found there is a link between the amount of chocolate eaten in a country and the number of people who have won Nobel prizes. “Specifically, a reduction in the risk of dementia, enhanced performance on some cognitive tests, and improved cognitive function in elderly patients with mild impairment have been associated with a regular intake of flavonoid [which are found in chocolate],” says the article. Another study, released last month, found that people who drank a mixture of chocolate did better on a memory test than people who drank a non-chocolate mix. THEATLANTIC.COM

Power from pencils A recently discovered form of carbon graphite — the material in pencil lead — has turned out to have a completely unexpected property which could revolutionise the development of green energy and electric cars. Researchers have discovered that graphene allows positively charged hydrogen atoms or protons to pass through it despite being completely impermeable to all other gases, including hydrogen itself. This discovery is important as it could dramatically increase the efficiency of fuel cells, which generate electricity directly from hydrogen, scientists said. Ever since its discovery 10 years ago, graphene has astonished scientists.

It is the thinnest known material, a million times thinner than human hair, yet more than 200 times stronger than steel, as well as being the world’s best conductor of electricity. Scientists say that this discovery opens up the possibility of using hydrogen (which is found in the air) to make electricity. “Essentially you pump fuel from the atmosphere and get electricity out of this fuel, in theory,” says Sir Andre, who led the team of scientists who made this discovery. INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

Girl power in science The season for competitive robotics is here. In a larger climate where girls are told that they can’t excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, a growing number of all-girls teams are proving society wrong.

These teams are entering the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition, one of the biggest of its kind. Each year, students from all around the world design and build their own robots to compete in the annual championships. The 2015 competition will start in January, and teams are already preparing for it. Contrary to what society would have you believe, many of these teams are all-girls. These teams are challenging the backwards idea that girls struggle in STEM. One such team is Girls of Steel. Team members write code, use advanced software and weld.

Last season, the team built a robot called Atlas that could pass balls and score on a low goal. The FIRST Robotics Competition and its bevy of girl competitors signal a brighter future for women in STEM. MIC.COM

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Reading corner

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Justice Denied We are all born equal. No matter what the colour of our skin is, what our gender is, what our religion is or whether we are rich or poor, all of us deserve to be treated with respect and consideration. Unfortunately, the world is not always fair and a lot of people are treated badly if they are of a certain religion, gender or race. One such instance of tragic injustice occurred recently in Ferguson, USA. Eighteen-year-old African American Michael Brown was stopped by police officer Darren Wilson and told to walk on the sidewalk instead of the main street. When Michael resisted, Officer Wilson shot him six times, even as Michael surrendered with his hands up. Police officers are people that are tasked with the responsibility of protecting a country’s citizens. They are not allowed to be careless with their weapon or shoot someone who is not armed and has surrendered. People all over America, and indeed around the world, were shocked and outraged at this incident, but luckily America has a strong legal system that gives everyone a trial in court, decides whether he or she is innocent or guilty, and then gives them appropriate punishment. Michael’s mother was grieving for her teenage son, but she could at least find comfort in the fact that her son’s killer would be brought to justice. But this week, the court decided that the officer who killed Michael wouldn’t even be indicted. Being indicted means that the person in question is charged with a crime, and then there’s a trial. But because Officer Wilson wasn’t indicted, he wouldn’t even have a trial. He will just walk away free, after killing a teenager. Lots of Americans are protesting this decision, and are arguing that Officer Wilson is allowed to get away with the murder of Michael because Michael was black and Officer Wilson is white, and black people have a long history of being treated badly by white people in America. So even though we are taught that everyone should be treated equally, the truth is that some people are denied justice because of the colour of their skin.

Michael Brown at his high school graduation.

Greatest Fictional Heroines in Literature The world of literature is filled with remarkable heroines. All these heroines have their own special qualities that set them apart and lead them towards different adventures. Smart, determined and self-confident, these heroines are also excellent role models. The best part about reading about these heroines’ journeys is watching them figure out their strength and realise their potential. It’s great to go on their journey with them, and to see whether their qualities are also reflected in our selves. Here are some of the greatest fictional heroines in literature: Hermoine Granger, the Harry Potter series When we first meet Hermoine, she is the annoying girl in class who is always raising her hand and blurting out the correct answer. We don’t see her intelligence and big heart immediately — just her bossiness and eagerness to be the teacher’s pet. But then, along with Harry, we discover how truly awesome Hermoine really is. She loves reading and gaining knowledge, and doesn’t care that people make fun of her for it. She is also quick on her feet and gets her two friends out of trouble repeatedly. In fact, as her friend Ron always says, the trio couldn’t last a day without her. Hermoine taught us all that it’s okay to do what you like and be what you want, even if people make fun of you for it. Read the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling to read about Hermoine’s brilliance.

Ella, Ella Enchanted When Ella is born, a fairy mistakenly curses her by bestowing on her the ‘gift’ of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, she must obey. Any other girl would be been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella. When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella’s life seems to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery. She tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fends off ogres, befriends elves, and lots more. Ella is smart and resourceful, and she learns how to work around her curse. She doesn’t sit around and wait for a prince to rescue her (infact, she rescues him). She takes her destiny into her own hands and teaches us the importance of learning to save ourselves. Read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine to find out how Ella uses her wits to undo her curse.

Matilda Wormwood, Matilda Matilda was different since she was a baby. She learnt to read when she was two, and by the time she was seven she had read all the books in her town’s library. She could do complicated maths problems in her head at lightning speed. Oh, and she also had superpowers — Matilda had telekinesis, the ability to move things with her mind. Her intelligence irritates her parents, who are exceptionally mean to her, and her headmistress, who is a tyrant to the whole school. But Matilda doesn’t let the negativity get to her — she uses her abilities with self-assurance, without ever becoming arrogant about them. Read Roald Dahl’s Matilda and join Matilda in her adventures.

Lyra Belacqua, His Dark Materials Nicknamed Silvertongue, Lyra is a brave and stubborn girl who isn’t afraid to stand up to people who try to bully her, even if those people happen to be large and scary. Lyra is also loyal and loving, and would go to any lengths for her friends.

When her best friend goes missing, along with a whole bunch of other kids, she goes on an epic adventure to unravel the mystery. In the process she also uncovers a conspiracy that will affect the fate of the entire cosmos. Lyra doesn’t let anything stand in her way — she is determined and refuses to back down when things get hard. Her adventure leads her into many dangerous situations, but she perseveres, even when she thinks she can’t do it. Read the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman and find out all about Lyra’s bravery.

Do you have a favourite book or movie you would like us to review? Write to us at hifive@tribune.com.pk and tell us all about it.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

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Artwork

Notable Entries for the Liberty Books Cards Competition

Tasila Urooj Winner

Amna Khan

Aleena Usman

Saif Ali Shah

Kashaf Ahmad

Saamia Haq

Rehma Khurram

Laraib

Riva Khan Winner

M Mughni Winner

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

by Soha A Basit Class IV E, Foundation Public School, Junior Branch On 20th November my school, Foundation Public School, Junior Campus, Karachi, celebrated the International Children’s Day with a lot of excitement by putting up a grand show. It was a musical play of The Wizard of Oz. Students of grade IV, V and VI participated in the show and all of us were given a role so that none of us felt left out. There were 600 children participating in the show. We had been preparing for the show since the last week of September. All the actors were given their dialogues to learn and our teachers taught us how to say them nicely, just like the real actors do.

I was part of the choir and because it was a musical, the teachers told us that our job was very important. We went for rehearsals everyday and practiced till we were perfect at

Soha A Basit, who participated in her school’s play The Wizard of Oz. PHOTO: RAHAT KAMAL

You will need: Sugar Cocoa Table salt Milk

3-1/2 cups 2-1/4 cups 1 tablespoon

Dorothy, Tin Man and others in a scene from The Wizard of Oz.

• In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt, and whisk thoroughly. Store the mixture in an airtight container.

• For individual servings, pour 1 cup whole milk into a microwave-safe mug, and microwave on high just until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix, and stir to dissolve.

For a larger batch of cocoa, warm the milk in a saucepan set over medium-low heat. Be careful and don’t let the milk boil. As it warms up, stir in 2 tablespoons of mix for each cup of milk.

our roles. Our music teacher had given us the lyrics of the song and he taught us how to sing the songs together as a group, while he played the music for us.

The teachers and volunteers worked very hard on making colourful costumes for Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Timid Lion, Wizard, Glinda, Witch, Munchkins, flying monkeys, soldiers, dancers, all sorts of animals, haunted trees and even a cornfield. Before the event we had a dress rehearsal. On that day we went to school in our costumes and performed the entire show like it was the real thing. On the day of the show we all were very excited to show everyone our hard work. I loved Glinda the fairy’s, acting the most.

Dressed in a shiny red gown and singing all the songs in front of the audience, I felt like a real star. I was very happy when the principal, teachers and parents declared that we did a good job, and my parents were proud of me too. The Founder Principal of our school, Mrs Yasmeen Minhas, also came to our show and it made us very proud when she said that it was a wonderful show. She also said that activities like these make us better students. Our principal Mrs Iram Khan, told us that we had performed very well, and that she was very proud of us because we had not made even the tiniest of mistakes. She told us that shows like these improve our imagination and makes us more creative. Even though the show just ended a few days ago, I can hardly wait for next year’s show.

Note: This mix can be used all winter if stored in an airtight container.

MARTHASTEWART.COM

Remember kids, always get permission from your parents before you start.

It’s always a good idea to have a helper nearby.

PHOTOS: FOUNDATION PUBLIC SCHOOL

If you want to write about an event in your school in Hi Five, email us at hifive@tribune.com.pk