Think — Issue 14

SEPTEMBER 2015 • ISSUE 14

I D E A S

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M A LTA

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R E S E A RC H

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P E O P L E

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U N I V E R S I TY

DIGITAL EDITION

FIND US ONLINE

To read all our articles featuring some extra content www.um.edu.mt/think

EDITORIAL

To follow our daily musings and a look behind the scenes www.facebook.com/ThinkUoM

THE SCIENCE ISSUE

S

To communicate with us and follow the latest in research news www.twitter.com/thinkuom

cience has been around for a while with the scientific method solidified by Galileo Galilei back in the 16 century (with previous th

input by Islamic scholars). In Malta, the Faculty of Science is

celebrating its centenary celebrations since founded. To join the party THINK has filled 21 pages with articles that explain how Facebook knows which friends to suggest to how microwaves do not harm your health (pg.

26). We even showcased some high end equipment (pg. 4).

To view some great videos www.youtube.com/user/ThinkUni

The issue also includes how Dr Marija Cauchi crash tested the largest experiment on Earth (pg. 44), why computer science researchers used mutation testing to quickly and cheaply test mobile apps (pg. 40). While writer Veronica Stivala recounts her experience trying to learn German (pg. 50).

Apart from research, THINK covers artworks. FLOAT was an interactive exhibition that explored light (pg. 8) and transformed the Faculty of Built Environment with aerial walkways and floating rooms. Another great design idea was developed at the EASA conference called Il-Boċċa, a playful

To read all our printed magazines online www.issuu.com/thinkuni

wooden sculpture that will be placed in Malta’s capital city (pg. 6).

Students researched ways to help music students play better (pg. 13), while others developed research that allows typing without hands (pg. 14). The vicepresident of the student organisation S-Cubed also gave her strong opinion (pg. 10). Apart from these we even have six pages dedicated to reviews, comics, and Malta-changing ideas (pgs. 58– 63)—all in this issue of THINK.

For our archive from the University of Malta Library www.um.edu.mt/library/oar

CONTRIBUTE

Edward Duca

EDITOR

edward.duca@um.edu.mt @DwardD

Are you a student, staff, or researcher at the University of Malta? Would you like to contribute to THINK magazine? If interested, please get in touch to discuss your article on think@um.edu.mt or call +356 2340 3451

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COVER STORY

CONTENTS ISSUE 14 � SEPTEMBER 2015 TOOLKIT

The Bruker Avance III HD NMR Spectrometer

4 WITHOUT BORDERS

6

Il-Boċċa

6

DESIGN

FLOAT

8 10

OPINION

100 Reasons to  Science The cover for this edition has been printed in two colours and embellished with spot varnish. The various icons represent many of the different facets of science. The empty spaces are representative of the discoveries yet to be made.

Science unchained

10

eLeadership—Are we getting it right?

10

13

15

STUDENTS

Gaming on your smartphone

12

Computer, help me play

13

Typing with no hands. Just brain signals.

14

CONTRIBUTORS OPINION ARTICLES Lucia Farrugia Matthew Gatt STUDENT ARTICLES Luke Camilleri Charlene Chetcuti Sean Galea SCIENCE FOCUS Dr Claude Bajada Jessica Edwards Natasha Padfield Prof. Charles V. Sammut Francesca Vassallo

FEATURE ARTICLES Dr Noel Aquilina Dr Daphne Attard Julian Bonello Dr Rosalin Bonetta David Cabrera Sánchez Dr Marija Cauchi James Ciarlo` Dr Christian Colombo Lourdes Farrugia William Hicklin Prof. Josef Lauri Dr Mark Micallef Dr Ing. Pierluigi Mollicone Dr Nicholas Sammut

Prof. Patrick J. Schembri Veronica Stivala Dr Alexandra Vella Dr Liana Vella-Zarb Wally Vella-Zarb Prof. Georgios N. Yannakakis FUN ARTICLES Ryan Abela Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone David Chircop Dr Edward Duca Alexander Hili Costantino Oliva Sarah Spiteri

Noel Tanti Prof. Kris Zarb Adami COMIC STRIP Dr Ġorġ Mallia PHOTOGRAPHY Dr Edward Duca Jean Claude Vancell ILLUSTRATIONS Jessica Edwards NO MAD Jean Claude Vancell

THINK is a quarterly research magazine published by the Communications & Alumni Relations Office at the University of Malta To subscribe to our blog log into www.um.edu.mt/think/subscribe and fill in your details. � For advertising opportunities, please call 2340 3475 or get in touch by email on think@um.edu.mt Advertising rates are available on www.um.edu.mt/think/advertise

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SCIENCE FOCUS

34

A faculty reborn

16

The first Maltese mathematics textbook

18

The underbelly of the graph

19

Crystallography

22

Don't throw away that microwave

26

A patchwork Mediterranean

29

Every breath you take

34

FEATURE

Mutate my software Biological inspiration for better apps

FEATURED ARTIST

40

44

NO MAD Malta-based graphic designer and illustrator inspired by absurdism and anthropomorphism (human traits fused with nonhuman forms). NOMAD specialises in hatching techniques and surreal comic-like work.

FEATURE

Crash Testing the Largest Experiment on Earth Perfecting a €10 billion+ project

RESEARCH

Climate change: challenging International Law

58

57 FUN

Reviews (Books, Film, Tech, Games) 100 word idea: Gateway for migrant rescue in the Mediterranean

61

Can a penny kill you?

61

THINK I D E A S

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M A LTA

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R E S E A RC H

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58-63

P E O P L E

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U N I V E R S I TY

SEPTEMBER 2015 - ISSUE 14

EDITORIAL

Edward Duca EDITOR Natasha Padfield STUDENT EDITOR Jessica Edwards FOCUS EDITOR DESIGN

Jean Claude Vancell DESIGNER David Falzon ASSISTANT DESIGNER

ISSN 2306-0735 Copyright © University of Malta, 2015 The right of the University of Malta to be identified as Publisher of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Act, 2001.

University of Malta, Msida, Malta Tel: (356) 2340 2340 Fax: (356) 2340 2342 www.um.edu.mt All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of research and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this magazine are correct and active at the time of going to press. However the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate.

Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent issues.

COPYEDITING

Daphne Pia Deguara, Veronica Stivala PRINTING

Gutenberg Press, Malta

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TOOLKIT Magnets, Spinning Nuclei, and Light A n NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance)

that are less toxic or make existing industrial processes

spectrometer is a vital machine for the organic

cleaner. They use NMR to figure out the structure of

chemist. Using its powerful magnet the type, number of

new products, first to know that they made the right

atoms, and how they are connected can be figured out.

green chemical, second to validate the new green

This is key for understanding the structure of organic

procedure used to make it.

chemicals such as drugs, pharmaceuticals, and those used in chemical computers.

Several research groups use this machine at the

Dr David Magri and his team use the NMR to study new chemicals that can act like parts of a computer.

Computers use electronic switches to carry out tasks

University of Malta. Prof. Robert M. Borg studies

like play a specific song when a user moves the cursor

organic photochemistry which is the investigation of

over the play symbol and clicks. Similarly molecules being

how organic molecules react under UV light. NMR

studied by Magri's team can shine if they detect acid and

helps him understand the structure of the products

iron levels. These compounds are being used to detect

from these reactions. By figuring out what products are

disease conditions and corrossion. The NMR machine is

being made he can suggest new ways the molecules are

an invaluable piece of equipment for understanding these

reacting, which can lead to better ways of making more

incredibly useful organic chemicals.

complex molecules.

Prof. Giovanna Bosica and her team use it for green

Funding for the instrument was obtained from grant

chemistry, the more environmentally conscious side of

ERDF309 CT 3097/2013 Strengthening of the Organic,

chemistry. Green chemists come up with new chemicals

Inorganic, Physical Chemistry Facilities.

The Bruker Avance III HD NMR Spectrometer

Toolkit

QUICK SPECS

4

• Superconducting Magnet: Ascend 500

• Probe type: Multinuclear 5mm, PABBO

• Magnet’s Power: 11.75 Tesla

• Data acquisition: Topspin Software, ver. 3.2.

• Cooling fluid: liquid helium

• Operating frequency: 500.13MHz for 1H and 125.76MHz for 13C

5

Toolkit

Photos by Jean Claude Vancell and Edward Duca, assisted by Abigail Galea. Special thanks to Mark Zerafa.

WITHOUT

BORDERS

Il-Boċċa C

ome relax in Il-Boċċa, a playful wooden sphere

spacers. Each board consists of a double layer

created with cutting-edge design tools. Its

of 11-plywood beech sheet. One layer of each

shape helps reduce the structure’s scale. Valletta

board was Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

has grand buildings with narrow streets that cannot

cut. CNC cutting uses computers to guide

handle large structures.

precision shaping. This layer was used as a

Il-Boċċa was constructed in a workshop for EASA

template to handcut a second board. Each set

(Europe Architecture Students Assembly) 2015

of two was then glued and nailed together with

Malta during which three Maltese tutors led a team

overlapping joints to provide strength.

of 21 architecture students from around the world.

The final product is a 3.5m loosely spherical

The workshop combined several techniques. First

structure providing shaded seating without

they drew sketches which were then developed

obstructing Valletta’s historic views. The project will

into a digital form. Modelling software allowed easy

be placed in the capital city as part of Valletta 2018

modification and experimentation with the initial

Capital of Culture.

Without Borders

idea. This was followed by a physical 3D model (1:10

6

scale) to test the idea.

Out of the workshop came 47 wooden boards connected together using bolts and wooden

The workshop was led by Kristine Pace, Danjel Attard and Sacha Cutajar (Faculty of the Built Environment, University of Malta).

Without Borders

A photomontage of the installation at Ordinance Street, Valletta. Far left: The computer generated model of Il-Boċċa and its creators: Kristine Pace, Danjel Attard and Sacha Cutajar. Photo by Maria Borg

7

Design

DESIGN

8

Art installation by Martina Cutajar and Rebecca Farrugia.

Photo by Siobhan Vassallo

Art installation by Michaela Borg and Martina Abela.

Photo by Natasha Padfield

Art installation by Andrew Borg and Timothy Portelli.

Photo by Mark Casha

FLOAT F

LOAT was an interactive exhibition that explored light. The exhibition was launched as a one-off

event of lit installations spread over the floors of the Faculty for the Built Environment (University of Malta) on the evening of 3 July 2015. The exhibition had aerial walkways, floating rooms, colour bursts, and cityscapes captured in panes of glass.

Exhibits investigated the tactile, spatial, and digital aspects of collage emerging in the 20th century to the present. Architecture students developed visual journals that captured the concepts and studio process to produce 19 joint artworks.

The exhibition visualised the thought process.

The exhibits did not illustrate ideas but were the product of active experimentation with concepts and media. Some exhibits made political

Art installation by Lisa Spiteri and Andrew Darmanin.

Photo by Mark Casha

statements while others seemed to warp the laws of physics. Mirrors, polished metals, and glass played with light—a visual feast.

FLOAT bridged the gap between art and architecture by infusing the Faculty of Built Environment with art. It paid homage to UNESCO’s International Year of Light, 2015.

The exhibition was created by 38 final year students reading for a B.Sc. in Built Environment Studies. The project complements the study unit Creative Interfaces in Collage and forms part of the ongoing initiative Art in Architecture developed by Dr Ruth Bianco (Visual Arts). She

Installation of research journals put together

by Dr Ruth Bianco. Photo by Mark Casha

Design

supervised and curated the exhibition.

9

Science unchained Lucia Farrugia

I am proud to be part of the Faculty

this benefit, communication between

of Science during its centenary year.

departments is lacking for these

Despite past struggles, the faculty has

degrees. Taking a joint course equates

managed to grow at a steady rate. Its

to taking two separate degrees. While

centenary is a cause for celebration

useful for those undecided students,

but also an opportunity to shine a

it is somewhat counterproductive.

critical light from an undergraduate’s

Undergraduate students who are

perspective.

strong in both streams should be

This faculty offers joint courses

given unique opportunities that need

between departments that allows

knowledge of both disciplines. Such

students to excel in two scientific

benefits are only possible with more

streams—double the employment

effective communication between

opportunities upon graduation. Despite

departments. An idea would be to

eLeadership—Are we getting it right?

Matthew Gatt, eSkills Malta Foundation To secure adequate growth and quality

2015 on eLeadership skills for SMEs

certifications, work experience, non-

jobs, Europe needs eLeaders; people

(http://leadership2015.eu) explains the

formal and/or informal education. Such

who are capable of driving innovation

required skills and competences. This

professionals need an agreed code of

to capitalise on ICT advances. To

study includes a scoreboard that allows

ethics while adhering to regulatory

identify these opportunities requires

comparisons across EU Member States.

practices to deliver value products and

good eLeadership skills. Such skills

Malta ranked ninth place because of a

services.

enable people to lead their team

strong policy and initiatives on digital

towards identifying business models

entrepreneurship skills.

and exploiting key opportunities. This

driven. Today's strong demand for

Foundational ICT Body of Knowledge

the objectives of organisations.

software engineers, information

(BOK). BOK defines the foundational

security specialists, enterprise

knowledge needed from ICT

and ICT savvy. Good eLeadership skills

architects, and other specialised

professionals.

include an ability to guide ICT-related

disciplines reflect the ICT sector‘s

innovation at all business levels, from

professionalism. A good professional

skills to the digital age. A good eLeader

start-ups to large corporations—private

needs comprehensive up-to-date

convinces others that technology is

and publicly owned.

knowledge through a continuous

beneficial and understands its benefits.

commitment to professional

Good eLeadership skills involve

development via qualifications,

empower others.

The study of eLeadership is a recent discipline. A study published in March Design

Commission has supported a European

makes the best use of ICT that delivers eLeaders must be both business

10

Future technologies will be ICT

As part of the European Union’s e-skills strategy, the European

ELeaders need to adapt leadership

hold meetings across departments for

projects across subjects are already

postgraduate degrees abroad. It would

overlapping areas of study. Students

possible yet rare since the student

benefit everyone to support students

should not be held back.

would need to push the idea and it is

visiting other universities to perform

simpler to work on a given title.

research earlier in their careers.

courses for students from both

In addition to internal, cross-faculty

And finally, we must not forget that

faculties, these are treated as

communication, communication is

the sciences transcend all barriers. The

though they belong to one faculty,

also lacking between the University

Faculty of Science should represent this

or the other. Also, students are not

of Malta and foreign universities.

by further uniting departments. After

encouraged to follow a final year

University needs more research

100 years, pursuing such unity would

project that encapsulates both

collaborations to overcome a lack

be a great achievement.

disciplines. Most final year projects

of resources. The true wealth of the

are completed with one faculty,

Faculty of Science is intellectual.

Lucia Farrugia is the vice-president of

which essentially does not maximise

The lecturing staff is excellent and

S-Cubed, the science student society

the students’ potential. Final year

students excel when they pursue

(University of Malta).

Design

Even though there exist joint

11

STUDENTS

Gaming on your smartphone Sean Galea

G

aming has changed. Tablets and phones do much

video is made up of a series of frames (pictures) rapidly shown

more than help you stay in touch with friends or read

one after the other, which makes consecutive frames similar.

books. These two are examples of low-end devices being

A video’s next frame can be constructed by slightly altering

targeted by the gaming industry. However, their limited

the previous image. Videos can be compressed by correctly

hardware makes them unable to cater for today’s gaming

predicting how the frame changes allowing mobiles and tablets

experience expectations.

to quickly process high-end videos or games.

In 2006, The Games@Large project aimed to reduce the

In Galea’s case, to test this framework he imitated a gaming

pressure on the user’s device. It introduced remote execution

environment using a simple graphical application. When

of gaming applications. This method offloads the workload

compared to the widely used H.264 video transmission

from low-end devices to a remote computer server. The

method, the new approach was faster, performing up to

server carries out the dirty work and simply transmits back

600% better. Because the video is rendered on the user’s

the display for the player. Graphical instructions are sent

device, the output could be scaled to any resolution without

directly to the device where the video rendering takes

any of the limitations associated with video streaming.

place. To keep a game responsive and prevent lagging,

These systems can allow advanced games to run on low-

communication between device and server must be fast and

end devices like older smartphones. Very soon, anyone could

efficient, the focus of Sean Galea’s research (supervised by Dr

be a gamer.

Ing. Saviour Zammit).

Students

Galea designed a framework to process a gaming application

12

This research was carried out as part of a B.Sc. (Hons.)

remotely on a server with graphical instructions transmitted

in Computer Engineering at the Faculty of ICT of the

to the mobile device. This device reconstructed the video. A

University of Malta.

Computer, Help Me Play Photo by Easylocum, Flickr

Luke Camilleri

H

omework can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help. While learning to play an instrument, students are

The tutor’s interface was designed to help students improve their ability to identify a mistake. It identified bar

given pieces of music by their teacher to practice at home.

sections (sections of music) that contained errors asking

Home practice leads to mistakes which are difficult to correct.

the student to repeat that section. This lets the student

New students struggle to recognise errors and this could

identify their errors. Additional hints are given if mistakes

discourage them from continuing their studies.

are repeated.

Luke Camilleri (supervised by Alexandra Bonnici)

The music tutor was assessed with a student in the early

investigated a computer tool which evaluates students’

stages of tuition. She was asked to play a piece of music she

performance of a music piece by comparing it with a

had never seen before. The prototype identified mistakes

pre-recording made by their teacher. The music tutor tool

that the student had initially failed to recognise. It helped

worked with a piano. Its objectives are two-fold: firstly, it

her learn how to play the piece correctly. The tool can be

detects mistakes done in both the pitch and rhythm, and

improved by allowing the student to practice music with both

secondly, it helps students self-assess their playing through

hands. Homework could soon be reinvented with computers

a computer interface.

providing help to those that need it the most.

The student’s playing is recorded as an audio signal to which signal processing techniques were applied. Signal

This research was carried out as part of a Bachelor in

processing extracts the main features of a signal. These

Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, University

included information about the pitch and rhythmic qualities

of Malta.

of the music being played. Understanding the makeup of the sound waves can help determine the notes played. Detecting the beginning of new notes can identify whether the student is playing in time. In this way, the student’s and teacher’s performances may be compared to identify any differences.

Since students have the tendency to repeat notes played badly, the two audio signals are not so easy to compare.

Various techniques (non-negative matrix factorisation and dynamic time warping) were used to obtain an optimal pitch and rhythm.

Students

alignment of the two signals for more accurate comparison of

13

Typing with no hands. Just brain signals.

Charlene Chetcuti

C

ontrolling technology using just your brain is no

looking by the frequency their brain fired, allowing remote

longer science fiction. It forms part of an ever-growing

keyboard control.

research area known as Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI).

These types of BCI systems face issues that prevent their

BCI interprets brain signals in order to determine a person’s

widespread use and the performance of the system relies on

intention. This allows them to control anything from a robotic

visual feedback given by the user. Chetcuti designed a novel

arm to a computer application without having to move a

protocol, which was tested by a number of volunteers. By

muscle. Electrodes are placed on a person’s scalp to detect

exploiting certain aspects of the SSVEP signal, visual fatigue was

brain activity. The electrical signals are filtered and processed

reduced and the overall system performance was improved.

to determine a person’s intent.

Charlene Chetcuti (supervised by Prof. Kenneth P.

BCI systems help people with mobility impairments communicate. This technology also opens up new possibilities

Camilleri) developed a system that allows a computer cursor

to remotely control televisions, air-conditioners, and

to be controlled merely by looking at a virtual keyboard. The

entertainment equipment. The Department of Systems and

application takes advantage of brain signals, called Steady

Control Engineering is carrying out more research to continue

State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP), which occur when

to improve the speed, robustness, and ease-of-use of brain-

a person looks at a flickering light and the brain fires signals

computer interfaces.

Students

at the same frequency. The electrodes on an individual’s

14

scalp can easily pick up these signals. Chetcuti designed

This research was carried out as part of a Bachelor of

each keyboard command to blink at different frequencies.

Engineering degree at the Faculty of Engineering, University

The system could then determine where a person was

of Malta.

SCIENCE A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

S

cience is everywhere. Understand science and you will see the world differently. The sun becomes a giant nuclear reactor full of beautiful equations keeping us alive, while Facebook can be transformed into

maths that describes you and your friends. Whilst the most amazing scientific phenomena are happening inside you right now.

To celebrate 100 years since the Faculty of Science (University of Malta) was founded THINK has prepared a focus stuffed with exciting research. Francesca Vassallo explains how crystals are not just pretty rocks but also medicines and life-giving molecules (pg. 22). Claude Bajada writes about the first arithmetic book in Maltese (pg. 18), how microwaves do not harm health, and graph theory, maths that describes networks like Google and Twitter (pg. 20). Focus editor Jessica Edwards finds out about species invading Maltese waters and threatening the environment (pg. 29). Whilst Natasha Padfield talks about climate models for the Mediterranean and how Malta’s air pollution is being sussed (pg. 34). There is a lot more research happening at Faculty that is trying to discover a brighter future, but first a bit

FE ATURE Science Focus

SP EC I AL

15

A Faculty Reborn D

uring the mid-1970s, the Faculties of Science and Arts

were closed down, and the Bachelor programmes phased out. Most of the foreign (mainly British) academics left Malta, as did some Maltese colleagues. Those few who stayed were assigned teaching duties at the newly

Prof. Charles V. Sammut

established Faculty of Education and Faculty of Engineering. Relatively little research took place, except when funds were unneccessary, and it is thanks to these few that scientific publications kept trickling out.

In 1987, the Faculties of Arts and Science were reconstituted. The Faculty of Science had four ‘divisions’

how we grew...

1887

Faculty of Arts and Science is founded, which includes a course in Latin, Mathematics and Natural Philosophy and English Literature and Natural History for medicine students. A Faculty of Literature and Science is founded. It includes a course in science amongst others.

1800

Canon F.S. Caruana is appointed to rectorship and the university reopens.

1838

The Faculty of Philosophy and Arts is founded which includes a four year course of Mathematics, Latin, Logic, Physics, Political Economy, and Statistics.

1879

Napoleon Tagliaferro publishes a paper of Transcendental Functions at Sorbonne. This was the first scientific paper to be published as part of this faculty.

which became the Departments

international repute—our guiding

This has resulted in new, state of the art

of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and

principle.

research facilities and an exponential

Mathematics. In the same year, I

During the 1990s, yearly budgets

increase in research output, bolstered by

returned from the UK to join the

had improved slightly along with

additional academic staff and research

Faculty.

experimental facilities. Computers

student numbers of close to 80.

Things gradually improved as more

and the occasional capital investment

Students are now organised and

staff and students joined. However,

helped immensely. Research output

active through S-Cubed, the Science

equipment was either obsolete or

increased, as did student numbers,

Students’ Society. This leading

beyond repair. The B.Sc. (Bachelor of

while postgraduate Masters and Ph.D.

organisation is one of the three faculty

Science) course was re-launched with

students started to appear.

pillars: the academic and support staff,

an evening course. Faculty members

Since 2005, some faculty members

and the student body. Together, we

worked flat out in very poor conditions.

have been working hard to secure

have made giant strides and the future

The Physics and Mathematics building

European Regional Development Funds

looks bright.

was still shared with Engineering.

(ERDF) by submitting proposals to

Despite these problems, we had a

reinforce our research infrastructure. A

Special thanks to Prof. Stanley Fiorini

Faculty and identity. Nevertheless,

total of six projects were approved with

who helped us compile our timeline,

we wanted our courses to be of

a combined budget of nearly €5 million.

aided by Prof. Josef Lauri.

1997

Fifth Department of Statistics and Operations Research founded.

1970s 1942

Luftwaffe and Italian air force bombs the Physics Lab.

1915

The Faculty of Science is established as an independent faculty.

1960s

Department of Biology acquires Fort St Lucian which becomes the Department’s marine station.

Four major departments are founded: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.

1978

1987

Science courses restored by Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami (Nationalist Party)

Science courses suspended by Prime Minister Dom Mintoff (Labour Party).

1991

Revival of Master of Science courses.

2015

Sixth Department of Geosciences founded.

2009-2015

Faculty of Science takes part in EU projects totalling over €160M with the Faculty receiving over €1.5M.

The first Maltese mathematics textbook In 1913, Tommaso Vella published an arithmetic textbook in both English and Maltese called Aritmetica Bil Malti u Bl'Inglis. Dr Claude Bajada explores this intriguing book.

A

ritmetica Bil Malti u

teach practical mathematics. In Vella’s

which is the language that describes

Bl'Inglis is fascinating

words, ‘our aim is to escape definitions

our world. We must not forget that.

linguistically. Its title

that confuse the mind, or ones that one

nods towards the book’s

can do without. In this way we can give

Dr Claude Bajada was speaking to

material being duplicated

students the ability to learn the science

Tommaso Vella's grandson Wally Vella-

and art of arithmetic.’

Zarb, and great-granddaughter

in English and Maltese. Strangely this

Science Focus

is not the case. In a similar style to

18

Tommaso Vella is unknown in Malta.

modern spoken Maltese, the book is

There is no trace of him on the internet.

full of code-switching. Vella starts a

Without the Vella family’s oral history

sentence in Maltese and then, as if it

he would be lost forever. Tommaso

is the most natural thing to do when

was a philanthropist who dedicated

writing a textbook, switches to English.

his life to teaching mathematics to

Some sections are written in Maltese

dry-docks workers. He worked side

and then translated to English, other

by side with Manwel Dimech and

sections are written only in Maltese.

later Lord Strickland. His legacy was

The book is a treasure for anyone

maths, science, and teaching. It was

interested in how Maltese was used a

passed down through his family who

hundred years ago.

continue to contribute to Maltese

The content of Aritmetica is straightforward. Its intention is lofty, to

science. His book serves as a reminder that mathematics is a practical subject,

Dr Liana Vella-Zarb.

The Underbelly of the Graph How does Facebook suggest new long lost friends? And, how does Google get your searches right so often. The answer is Graph Theory, an area of mathematics being investigated by Prof. Josef Lauri. Dr Claude Bajada finds out more.

Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, part of Russia)

Hunched over a stack of papers

was a city with two islands and seven bridges.

he plays with numbers as a child

Was it possible to walk through the city using each

would work at a jigsaw puzzle.

bridge only once? Euler created a mathematical

The scene dematerialises in front

description of the way objects (land) related to

of your eyes. A new reality builds up. People are

one another (bridges). We use the term ‘node’ to

connected to one another by virtual links. They

describe the land areas in Königsberg and the term

have access to every convenience at the click of a

‘edge’ to describe the bridges. By abstracting the

button. Computers know their likes and dislikes.

problem into a mathematical framework, Euler was

Algorithms find cures for diseases. Security

able to prove that there was no way of taking the

agencies know your every step. The world is safe.

suggested path. More importantly, this solution

The world is good. There is nowhere to hide.

allowed other problems to be solved.

As I interview mathematician Prof. Josef Lauri

Computers revolutionised Graph Theory.

(University of Malta), these thoughts race through

Until then, it was ‘a specialised subject with no

my mind. Lauri works on Graph Theory, which

applications. The applications of mathematics were

involves solving complex puzzles. He starts the

oriented towards the physical sciences,’ says Lauri.

interview by drawing an odd shape on a blank

But in 1996 a paradigm shift occurred. Larry Page

piece of paper; dots with lines connecting them.

and Sergey Brin used Graph Theory to organise

While drawing and explaining a particularly

the world wide web. They developed PageRank

difficult problem he is tackling, Lauri tells me that

and Google was born. In the old days, search

his fondness for Graph Theory is akin to his son’s

engines ranked pages by the amount of keywords

passion for the football players Lionel Messi and

present on that page. If someone looked up the

Cristiano Ronaldo. ‘Neither of them have solved

phrase ‘Think magazine’ on the Internet, search

any medical problem, but they have made a lot of

engines would crawl the web looking for websites

people happy.’ Abstract mathematical problems

that contained those keyword. The search engine

make pure mathematicians like Lauri happy. But

assumed that the page that used that phrase the

the difference between a goal by Messi and a

most was the most important result. A problem

puzzle of the pure mathematician is that the joys of

with this method was that a site that contains

the mathematician can change the world.

a keyword many times was not necessarily the

Leonhard Euler established Graph Theory in 1737. Like Lauri, Euler set out to solve a puzzle.

most important site. Spammers could pad their site with keywords of their choice and appear

Science Focus

A

mathematician sits alone at his desk.

19

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egg

20

TELL US Awards

Global Technologies

WHAT IS GRAPH THEORY?

high on the ranking. Brin and Page’s

by looking for abnormal network

new algorithm ranked websites (the

structure. The reach of Graph Theory

nodes of their graph) according to the

has been immense, scientists now use

Graph Theory is a branch of

number of other sites that linked to

Graph Theory to analyse medical data

Mathematics that describes how

them (the edges). Lauri tells me that

and find new ways of curing diseases.

networks work. Networks are

to understand the way this is done

Governments have jumped on the

basically the relationship of a

one needs to learn about fancy things

bandwagon. They use Graph Theory

group of separate objects to one

like eigenvectors, but PageRank, like

for public security. In 2001, the

another. For example, five objects

much in Graph Theory, is simple to

National Security Agency (NSA) started

labeled as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 can interact

understand: a page is important if other

collecting metadata from US telephone

as follows:

important pages link to it.

calls. This allowed them to build a

Like Google, other Internet

communications network that is like a

1

2

4

3

companies have seen value in using

Facebook friendship network. Imagine

Graph Theory. Facebook and LinkedIn

having access to everyone’s Facebook

create social networks, in other words,

network. NSA have access to this level

social graphs. Each person is a node

of information. The NSA analyses this

and a ‘friendship’ is an edge. Many

data using Graph Theory coupled with

people have experienced looking up

raw computing power. The agency can

Each of the objects are called

an old school friend on Facebook. The

then root out suspected criminals and

vertices or nodes. The lines that

site then starts recommending other

prevent terrorist activity. But, there

connect them are called edges

people from your class. An algorithm

is always collateral damage. Using

or links. This graph can then be

tailors its suggestions to your specific

the mathematics of Graph Theory,

used to describe many different

situation by using your social graph.

governments know a lot more about

types of networks. For example,

‘It looks simplistic but it is amazing

their citizens than ever before.

the nodes could represent people

how well it works, you can see it

As the interview ends, the dystopic

5

and the edges may be friendships.

yourself!’ exclaims Lauri. In this way

visions disassemble. Once again, I

Alternatively they could be

advertising is becoming personalised.

see the pure mathematician sitting in

websites and weblinks. The way

Digital assistants such as Siri, Cortana,

front of me. The interview has opened

the graph is drawn does not

and Google Now suggest new movies

a door to perceive both the amazing

matter as long as the connections

for you to watch using the same

and scary applications of Lauri’s work.

are the same.

principles that underlie Lauri’s puzzles.

When I leave the room I cannot help

Sociologists caught the bug before the

but think: all the giants of our modern

modern day Internet giants. They have

world, Facebook, Google, and NSA, are

been analysing sociograms since the

standing high on the shoulders of the

1930s. They analyse social problems

work of pure mathematicians.

1

2 5

4

3

The graph can either be

FURTHER READING

described as it is, or more often, it can be transformed into a matrix in order to do more complicated

•

Barabasi, A. (2015). Network Science. [online] Barabasi.com.

Available at: http://barabasi.com/networksciencebook/

mathematics on it. This can

•

Brin, S. and Page, L. (1998). The anatomy of a large-scale hypertextual Web search engine. Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, 30(1-7), pp.107-117.

important (a hub) or which group

Seven Bridges of Königsberg - Woodside High School. (2013). [video] Available at: http://bit.ly/1ho1Vf7

in Think magazine’s facebook

of nodes belong to the same group (or cluster). For example, network. The University of Malta page is a hub in the same cluster as Think’s page.

Science Focus

•

identify which node is more

21

INTO THE

Science Focus

CRYSTAL MAZE

22

To many, crystals are pretty and mysterious rocks with magical properties. But real crystals are nothing of the sort. They are groups of atoms or molecules arranged in a highly regular way. Their study is important in many fields including chemistry, biology and pharmaceuticals. Dr Liana Vella-Zarb, Dr Rosalin Bonetta and Dr Daphne Attard explain to Francesca Vassallo why crystals are better than diamonds.

by understanding the structure of a

introducing other molecules into

created. It has been designed

material, scientists get hints about the

the system, then uses diffraction

to target a dangerous form

material’s function.

techniques to solve the crystal

of cancer. Contrary to

Dr Liana Vella-Zarb (Faculty of

structure and obtain a 3D image of the

Science) is a crystallographer and Dr

new material. This structure is called a

developed through screening, testing,

Rosalin Bonetta (Centre for Molecular

cocrystal since it is made up of more

animal studies, and so on,this one

Medicine and Biobanking) is a structural

than one molecule. Vella-Zarb explains

has been designed on a computer. Its

biologist at the University of Malta.

that a crystal engineer’s ‘aim is to alter

many medicines which are

structure has been planned and the

Vella-Zarb specialises in modifying

the physical properties of materials by

scientist knows what to expect when it

the physical properties of materials

design, without changing their original

is created in the lab.

(pharmaceuticals, pigments,

intended purpose, but rather enhancing

agrochemicals, and others) and

their activity through optimisation

arrangement of molecules and atoms

Crystallographers study the regular

attempts to improve them without

of their physical performance’. In her

that form solids. Structure and function

needing to make or break any chemical

research group, these improvements

are closely related. So in the same way

bonds through a process called Crystal

are applied to pharmaceutical

that it is reasonable to predict that

Engineering. She engineers new crystal

compounds and others that help save

a bird can fly because it has wings,

structures of the same molecule by

Malta’s cultural heritage.

Science Focus

P

icture this: a new medicine is

23

With data generated and processed, crystallographers can solve its structure to create beautiful 3D visual representations of the crystals.

Bonetta examines the structure of proteins called Manganese Superoxide

radicals which can damage DNA and

Dismutases that help protect the body.

consequently cause diseases like cancer.

Science Focus

The proteins do this by removing

24

ugly flip side of forming oxygen

Bonetta investigates these structures

superoxide radicals in mitochondria,

using high-end equipment like the

the powerhouse of the cell that

Diamond Light Source (UK). This

makes the chemical energy we need

apparatus is called a synchrotron,

to live. The immune system can

which is a particle accelerator similar

also use superoxides to kill disease-

to the large hadron collider. Through

causing microorganisms like bacteria.

a complicated procedure, the machine

Superoxide Dismutase also helps

speeds up electrons in circles to

protect cells from these oxygen radicals

almost the speed of light, shooting

and can suppress some kinds of cancer

high resolution electromagnetic

cells in the lab.

radiation, like X-rays, onto the crystals.

There is a down side to making energy since the process has the

With data generated and processed, crystallographers can solve its

Dr Liana Vella-Zarb. Photo by Jean Claude Vancell

structure to create beautiful 3D visual

uses the mechanism as a template

possible and a compromise is needed.

representations of the crystals.

to design new auxetic materials. To

Designing crystals is complex!

assess this behaviour, Attard measures

Another difficulty is figuring out how

Science) studies the mechanical

its Poisson’s ratio. The value relates to

an idealised computer model works in

properties of crystals on computers.

how much the material expands when

reality. The presence of defects in a real

Her work includes testing a crystal’s

stretched. If the material becomes thinner

crystal can change its behaviour. This is

auxetic properties. An auxetic material

it has a positive ratio, if it thickens it has a

difficult to model and the actual crystal

grows wider when pulled instead of

negative ratio and is auxetic.

behaves unexpectedly.

thinner like normal materials (see

Designing crystals is not easy.

Crystals are much more than pretty

The crystal structure needs to have

rocks. They come in all shapes and sizes

very specific geometric shapes and

with crystallographers deciphering

using specialised software. By

behaviour. For example, to work in a

their structure and modifying them

understanding how crystals achieve

specific way some parts of the crystal

to make new medicines and hi-tech

auxetic behaviour, Attard establishes the

have to be rigid whilst other parts need

materials. These researchers study

mechanism that leads to this behaviour,

to be flexible. Often meeting both

crystals that do not last forever but are

then analyses and modifies it. She then

requirements simultaneously is not

much more useful than diamonds.

Connect the Dots in Issue 13).

These auxetic crystals are studied

Science Focus

Dr Daphne Attard (Faculty of

25

don’t throw away that

microwave How are physicists using the technology of microwave ovens to cure cancer?

Prof. Charles V. Sammut and his team in the electromagnetics research group speak to Dr Claude Bajada.

M

obile phones, wi-fi routers,

electromagnetism research group started off in

televisions, and microwave ovens

2001 when the Malta Communications Authority

emit electromagnetic radiation.

asked Sammut to investigate the radiation emitted

Every one of them has been

from mobile phone base stations. This research

subject to safety controversies.

had a simple result: there is no convincing evidence

Electromagnetic radiation has worried people

for any long term, harmful effects of microwaves

for years; a good friend of mine refuses to use a

and radio waves on human health. Conversely,

microwave oven. She would never accept someone

microwave technology might improve health and

implanting a tiny microwave oven into her body

lengthen our life. The team studies microwave

to ‘improve her health’. After all, we all know that

radiation that is used to diagnose and cure

radiation causes cancer. Don't we? There is another

diseases. Researcher Lourdes Farrugia explained

side to electromagnetism. One where radiation

that their lab answers the fundamental questions

does not cause, but cures, cancer.

regarding how microwaves can aid health. ‘I’ve

Science Focus

Prof. Charles Sammut leads a team of scientists

26

characterised different type of tissue: muscle,

at the University of Malta that studies the

liver, kidney and bone. [...] Our group is focusing

effects of radiation on the human body. The

on [...] how electromagnetic fields interact with

Equipment used to measure how living tissue is affected by an electromagnetic field (permittivity).

biological tissues, then we can feed this data to numerical simulations.’ These simulations help biologists, doctors, and engineers to develop and optimise machines that can find cancerous

WHAT IS ELECTROMAGNETISM?

tumours and kill them.

Strangely, magnets and electricity are always linked. The two spread through the environment as a wave (like a wave of water but invisible to

healthcare. They told me about two

our eyes) which ‘is a transfer of energy’, said Julian Bonello, a researcher

ongoing projects. The first one is

in Sammut’s team. A wave can have any number of frequencies. At the

microwave imaging. This is a three-

low end of the electromagnetic spectrum, extremely low frequency waves

dimensional radar imaging technique

oscillate at a rate of 3 per second (or 3 Hertz). At the other extreme, gamma

that may, one day, produce images

rays have frequencies of about 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 Hertz or

similar to MRI. I can imagine my

10 Exahertz. Radio-waves, microwaves, light, and X-rays lie in the vast in-

friend cringing. Unless they are so

between.

high powered that they cook you,

Science Focus

The results of their research help develop cutting edge technology in

27

WHICH FREQUENCIES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION ARE HARMFUL?

microwaves are harmless, but visible

individual source] would not be

light can also do this. Think of military

sufficient to cause much damage to the

lasers. Microwave imaging works

[healthy] tissue but if [multiple rays]

The electromagnetic

because biological tissues exhibit

meet at the same point, [they will burn

spectrum can be divided

something called permittivity. Sammut

the tumour]’. Another method involves

into two sections.

tells me that this complex phenomenon

a surgeon inserting ‘a microwave

Ionising and non-ionising

gives researchers information about

applicator that actually penetrates into

radiation. Ionising radiation

how much a tissue ‘[reduces] the

the tumour’. The applicator works like

includes high frequency

electromagnetic field’. Imagine a liver

a little microwave oven that generates

electromagnetic radiation

cancer. The tumour has a certain

microwaves inside the tumour. In this

such as ultraviolet light,

permittivity, while the surrounding liver

way, the treatment can be precisely

X-rays and Gamma rays. ‘[All

has a different permittivity. The tumour

targeted to the cancer.

these] are proven to increase

will appear darker or lighter: a contrast

the risk of getting cancer [...]

which a machine can detect, just like in

ovens could find their way inside you.

the mechanism is understood,

photography.

Doctors may insert them into people’s

Science Focus

[...] ionising radiation knocks

28

The second project uses microwave

In the future, tiny microwave

tumours in order to cure them, but as

off some electrons that may

radiation to treat cancer. One of

yet a substantial portion of the public

cause irreparable damage

the current standard treatments for

is still terrified of the one sitting in their

to the DNA molecule. That

cancer is using ionising radiotherapy.

own kitchen. How will they accept

can lead to cancer,’ explained

This treatment uses harmful ionising

this new form of medical treatment?

Sammut. This is the reason

electromagnetic waves to kill cancer

Changing the name ‘microwave

that doctors advise you not

cells. Unfortunately, healthy tissue

imaging’ might help. Sammut disagrees,

to stay out in the sun for too

ends up being caught in the crossfire.

‘let us not be too afraid of making

long. The sun’s ultraviolet

Because of this, alternatives to

things clear to people… Ever since the

(UV) light can cause DNA

conventional radiotherapies are

advent of mobile phone technology

damage that leads to skin

needed. One alternative is to use non

people have been afraid … It’s time to

cancer.

ionising radiation like microwaves.

look at the advantageous aspect of electromagnetic fields.’

The fact that ionising

Microwave radiation does not cause

radiation causes cancer

long term damage to healthy tissue.

makes people assume that all

In order to kill cancer, researchers use

everywhere and cannot be avoided;

radiation is harmful. This is

microwaves as a sort of hi-tech ray

nor should it be. Light is a type of

not true. Sammut says that ‘in

gun. The microwave energy targets the

electromagnetic radiation after all.

the case of electromagnetic

tumour. The tumour heats up, it cooks,

Some of it can harm us, most of it does

fields at lower frequencies,

and dies. If a person has a liver tumour

not. ‘Where would we be without

let us say below 300 GHz,

the ‘ray gun’ must penetrate the

[these] fields?’ ends Sammut, ‘No

there isn’t enough energy

healthy tissue in its path. This causes

mobile phones, no radio, no television,

to [damage DNA], and no

a problem because no one wants their

we’d have nothing, life is unimaginable

long-term effects have been

healthy tissue burnt. There are many

without wireless technology.’ Do not

found but some people are

ways of overcoming this problem.

throw away your microwave oven.

still terrified of their mobile

The first way uses low energy sources

Do not be afraid of it. It will not harm

phone’s radiation’.

that attack the tumour from different

you. Electromagnetic radiation may

angles. Sammut explained that ‘[each

lengthen your life.

Electromagnetic radiation is

A PATCHWORK

Mediterranean I T

T O G E T H E R

The Mediterranean is surrounded by over 20 countries each of which claim ownership over its nearby sea. To try and prevent over fishing and other pressures, many countries have set up protected areas. Jessica Edwards talks to Prof. Patrick J. Schembri who leads the Marine Ecology Research Group (Department of Biology) to find out how all of these areas are being linked to protect the Mediterranean Sea from the threats it faces.

T

he Mediterranean Sea is small as seas

to other seas and oceans. This is where Prof.

go, but it has just over one in 20 of

Patrick J. Schembri and his research team come

all of the world’s species. Each year

into play; they are taking part in a project called

1.5–1.7 million tonnes of fish and

CoCoNet. The project aims to identify which marine

other commercially important species

protected areas can be linked and which new

are caught, making it vitally important for the

ones can be delinated to create a whole network

countries that surround it and for the organisms

spanning the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Illustrations by Jessica Edwards. Digital colouring by Jean Claude Vancell.

K N I T T I N G

and habitats that inhabit it. Throughout the years protected areas that restrict human activity to try and preserve the regions.

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE The different regions are like a jigsaw. Different

These areas were set up independently of

parts of the sea are naturally connected, but since

each other. This approach missed the fact that

each country owns its own patch, the sea has been

the Mediterranean’s waterways, commerce, and

split into areas with political rather than ecological

culture are all linked. The sea itself is connected

boundaries. Now the ecological jigsaw

Science Focus

countries have delimited areas of the sea as marine

29

is being put back together. This project

pass by Malta, which is at the centre

larvae, food, and also help keep water

connects each of these areas to form

of the Mediterranean’s shipping lanes

temperatures stable. These materials

a network leading to more effective

that ironically make it an ideal place to

are not only transferred to different

environmental management.

monitor the effect of the canal. This

sides of the Mediterranean, but deep

role will only increase with the widened

sea currents allow for transportation

to several other bodies of water. The

New Suez Canal which has just opened,

of nutrients, food, and so on from the

sea is linked to the Atlantic Ocean

adding a second shipping lane that will

surface to the sea bed (downwelling

through the Strait of Gibraltar and to

increase the introduction of species.

currents) and vice versa (upwelling

The Mediterranean Sea is connected

the Black Sea through the Dardanelles.

Science Focus

currents). This ties the Mediterranean

Apart from these, there is also the Suez

connections. Take a fish that is

Canal, a man-made canal opened in

threatened and lives in a marine

1869, linking the Mediterranean and

protected area; if its population

providing information on its marine

Red Sea.

is replenished from a population

protected areas: the threats they

someplace else, both areas must also

face, why they were declared, how

had commercial and biological

be protected to safeguard that fish.

researchers think they will be affected

consequences. The increased

Two areas may be linked by food

in the future and, Schembri adds,

commerce upped the accidental

supply; if this fish feeds off plankton

‘on the whole island and [its] marine

transportation of species into the

then areas that are important for the

habitats’. His team has been studying

Mediterranean. Species normally

production of this plankton also need

these areas for decades which has

faced with a geographical barrier

to be protected. Plankton are mostly

revealed a worrying trend.

were now being transported into the

microscopic organisms that travel on

Mediterranean. Nowadays transport

water currents. Currents flowing into

has increased to 15% of the global

and through the Mediterranean keep

shipping activities and 90% of the

the sea alive. Different types of water

The Mediterranean has been invaded.

total oil traffic. Most of these ships

currents transport nutrients, salt,

There are two types of ‘invaders’: alien

Opening the Suez Canal

30

The networks are based on

to the Atlantic and the Black Sea. Malta is contributing to CoCoNet by

A WARMER MEDITERRANEAN

Prof. Patrick J. Schembri. Photo by Edward Duca

the temperature barrier that previously

species is one brought to a place by

prevented these species from entering

human activity. ‘Now what we’re seeing

the Mediterranean is now gone. Warm

are species coming from the Red Sea,

water species travel up the west coast

passing through the Suez Canal. They

of Africa, through the Strait of Gibraltar

establish themselves in the Eastern

and into the western Mediterranean.

Mediterranean, but because the sea

These also travel all the way to the

is warming up they are now moving

warmer Eastern Mediterranean. The

towards the central Mediterranean and

spotted sea hare Aplysia dactylomela

Western basin,’ explains Schembri. The

is an example of a newcomer species

rayed Erythrean mussel Brachidontes

that entered through the Strait of

pharaonis is a good example of an alien

Gibraltar that naturally expanded from

species which entered through the

the Atlantic into the Mediterranean

Suez Canal. It occupied space on the

through the Strait of Gibraltar. This

shore, which native species, such as the

organism grazes on algae on the sea

Dwarf muscle Mytilaster minimus, also

floor but because of lack of studies its

need, reducing their numbers.

effect on the ecosystem is unknown.

Newcomer species are different.

Tropical Signals is a different

They are also new to an area, but

international project monitoring these

unlike with alien species, humans were

changes. Human-caused climate

not involved in their transportation.

change is resulting in profound

A warmer Mediterranean means that

changes; if the atmosphere warms up

warm water species that live in the

the sea warms up with it. The study

Atlantic’s warmer regions are starting

(run by the Mediterranean Science

to cross over. Due to warmer waters,

Commission, CIESM [Commission

Science Focus

A warmer Mediterranean means that warm water species that live in the Atlantic’s warmer regions are starting to cross over.

species and other ‘newcomers’. An alien

31

Internationale pour l’Exploration

for species becoming common apart

reducing biodiversity. Biodiversity is

Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée])

from environmental changes. Over-

the variety of life in all its forms found

needs to be continued for many

fishing, development, or pollution

in an area. Two species that need the

years in order for these slow but

can also lead to species explosions

same resources cannot occupy the

important changes to be identified. It

or reductions. An example is jellyfish.

same area; if they do, they will begin to

is projected to run for the next 20-25

Species like the Purple Stinger Pelagia

compete with each other for food and/

years. This project has two parts:

noctiluca, and the Mediterranean Box

or space, and as in any game, there is

firstly to coordinate monitoring of

jellyfish Carybdea marsupialis that

a winner and loser. The species that

marine habitat changes around the

rarely appeared in Malta now do so

‘loses’ will either die off, or be forced

Mediterranean and have researchers

frequently and in much larger numbers.

to find another area to inhabit. This is

use the same protocol throughout the

Unfortunately not all marine species

what causes the loss in biodiversity.

network. This part’s ‘importance comes

are becoming common with many now

out when we combine [all of the data]

being threatened.

together’, which leads to the project’s second part: analysing the collected

Science Focus

with non-native species. Researchers

INVADING PROBLEMS

suspect indirect decreases in

data into one big picture. At this point

A changing environment and human

is uncertain. The Red Sea Mussel

patterns can be observed, especially for

activity have brought a number of

Brachidontes pharaonis is a species that

information older than five to six years.

non-native species to the Maltese

was introduced following the opening

‘We are seeing patterns locally [in

data and integrating each country’s

32

Malta has not seen any direct loss in native species because of competition

population number, but this information

Islands. These new species tend to

of the Suez Canal. It now forms mussel

Malta].’ Species that were rare when

eat, be eaten, or compete for the same

beds on some shores. These beds

Schembri and his research team

resources as the native (indigenous)

change the types and abundance of

started the project are now becoming

species already there. Two excellent

species because of the space the beds

common. These species may also

examples are the Sally Lightfoot crab

occupy, changing the environment, but

become common in other parts of

Percnon gibbesi and the bed-forming

species loss is undocumented.

the Mediterranean, which is why

mussel Brachidontes pharaonis. New

data needs to be compared to that of

species settling in the Mediterranean

lose. Sometimes the different species

other countries, for these trends to be

are usually worrying to ecologists

manage to live together. The Sally

seen and so what is happening can be

since these species may reduce the

Lightfoot crab Percnon gibbesi does

understood. There are other reasons

populations of existing species, thus

not compete with the very aggressive

The native species does not always

native shore crab, Pachygrapsus

within the Mediterranean Sea will

zones near the shore which no other

continue, but the changes facing the

crab species lived in. Up until January

sea will not stop. The increase in water

2015, 61 alien species have been

temperature will continue to alter the

confirmed in Maltese waters, half

distribution of species, while a newly

of which have established breeding

expanded Suez Canal will increase

populations. Most are molluscs, fish,

marine traffic that will bring in new

crustaceans and large seaweeds.

species. Both projects that Schembri’s

Maltese marine research faces many

research group is participating in

challenges. The main problem is a lack

allow for a better understanding

of scientists; a small group of people

of the Mediterranean and will help

cannot study all the sea around the

in protecting present habitats and

Islands. As Schembri indicates, ‘we

species. Such knowledge helps the

have a very limited understanding of

identification of future invaders. These

the marine environment. Every day we

protection programmes are what

find something new and interesting

will sustain our sea’s biodiversity and

through the surveys that we are

prevent economic harm.

carrying out. We know quite a bit about the coast, sea grass, and things

CoCoNet is a €9 million collaborative

like that but as soon as you go a bit

project that brings together 39

further away [our knowledge suddenly

partner institutions from 22

decreases].’ These researchers need

different countries and is funded

more people to cover the whole area

by the OCEAN.2011-4 theme of

to better understand the effect new

the European Union’s Seventh

species have on the environment.

Framework Programme.

Science Focus

Our quest to discover what lies within the Mediterranean Sea will continue, but the changes facing the sea will not stop.

Our quest to discover what lies

marmoratus, it ended up inhabiting

33

Every Breath you Take Science Focus

The air we breathe is vital to our health. Researchers at the Department of Geosciences (University of Malta) are measuring how clean Malta’s air is. They are also optimising a model of the Mediterranean atmosphere to see how climate change will affect the Maltese Islands and their surrounding region. Words by Natasha Padfield. Photography by Jean Claude Vancell.

34

F

reak storms, tornadoes, and heat

(air quality scientist) from the Department of

waves; climate science is a tricky

Geosciences (University of Malta) under the

business. Planet Earth is a complex

supervision of researcher Dr Noel Aquilina

place, with land and sea, deep space

(exposure scientist) are working on filling

and air, all interacting together to

some gaps in our knowledge about climate

shape the breeze on our skin and the salt in

and air quality.

our hair. Our society and culture have been climate changes, does humanity need to adapt?

Trying to figure out what is in our air, and

A MODEL MEDITERRANEAN Computer models are essential tools for

how the climate will change in the future,

climate researchers. These programs take

are complex problems. But that is exactly

monitoring data from around the world, then

what two scientists are trying to do: James

perform mathematical calculations to generate

Ciarlo` (climate scientist) and William Hicklin

a model of our planet’s atmosphere.

Science Focus

moulded by the climate we live in, so as the

35

The models let scientists estimate how

in the Mediterranean. The region is

on computational power’. When this

the climate will be years into the future.

complex with rivers, land isthmuses,

chemical data was plugged into a global

Unfortunately, the Earth’s climate is

mountains, deserts, and a vast sea in

climate model, forecasting did not lag

shaped by hundreds of different factors,

between. If you create a model of the

and produced more reliable results.

from air pressure to humidity, many of

effects of teleconnections, climate

Ciarlo` is now trying to replicate this

which cannot be considered because of

forecasts should improve.

success in the regional RegCM4 model

limitations in the computational power

Ciarlo` is trying to introduce new

and the computer would not be able to

chemical data into the regional

cope. Making assumptions to reduce the

model. These chemicals are known

weather, the group is working

number of factors reduces the reliability

as Secondary Organic Aerosols. They

on the online numerical weather

of models and reliability is a big issue

are produced by chemical reactions

prediction model HARMONIE. They

in climate science. With the constant

that happen in the atmosphere and

are collaborating with air quality and

need for scientists to advise politicians

are difficult to model. Although often

climate modelling communities across

and policy-makers, producing a reliable

overlooked, these compounds change

Europe. Similar to the climate model,

forecast has been a crucial objective.

understand the Mediterranean climate.

To understand the Mediterranean’s

how heat is radiated in the atmosphere

RegCM4, this weather prediction

Climate simulations are performed

(and our own health). For Ciarlo` ‘the

model takes pollution into account.

using what is known as global climate

hope is that adding this missing piece

The model becomes more robust as

models. These models divide the world

[to the model] will produce a substantial

more pollutants are considered, but

into boxes called ‘grid cells’, which are

improvement [in forecasts] while at

atmospheric chemistry is incredibly

usually about 100 km by 100 km. Such

the same time reducing the demands

complicated with hundreds of possible

a large area gives a low resolution

reactions all changing the makeup of

and is a stumbling block for scientists

the atmosphere. The group wants to

climate models cut up ‘grid cells’ into much smaller areas which give a much higher resolution than global climate models and which makes them better suited for modelling regions like the Mediterranean Sea. Ciarlo` has used the well known regional model, RegCM4, to study phenomena called teleconnections. A teleconnection is a large-scale weather pattern that affects the atmosphere of regions thousands of miles away. Take

Science Focus

to improve it, helping the group to

available. Input every bit of information

interested in smaller regions. Regional

36

To improve Mediterranean forecasts,

To improve Mediterranean forecasts, Ciarlo` is trying to introduce new chemical data into the regional model.

use their specialised knowledge in atmospheric chemistry to improve this weather prediction model.

THE AIR WE BREATHE Air pollution does not only affect weather and climate patterns but also human health. Hicklin is studying where pollutants come from and how they spread. The pollutants he is measuring include ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen

the teleconnection known as the North

oxides, radon, particulate matter, and

Atlantic Oscillation; it is caused by

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

the interaction between two pressure

Hicklin uses two sets of state-of-the-art

systems, the Icelandic Low (between

monitoring equipment, ‘one set installed

Iceland and Greenland) and Azores

permanently inside an ‘eco-friendly’

High (west of Morocco). If the Azores

Mobile Air Quality Laboratory van, and

atmospheric pressure at sea level

other set which is mounted on mobile

rises it will drop over Iceland and that

racks. The racks were designed to allow

changes the prevailing winds’ direction.

the equipment to be moved to different

In 2014 this teleconnection dropped

indoor environments, in order to study

Malta’s temperatures to near zero over

how pollution flows in and out of these

New Year’s Eve. Ciarlo` and Aquilina

environments.

investigated how teleconnections influence wind, rain, and temperature

Indoor VOC sources are important.

Aquilina explains that these sources

increase but in another place there is a small decrease. Scientists have moved on from using the term global warming to climate change because the problem is not just temperature changes, but loads of other factors which come into play, such as extreme weather, desertification, and many more. These changes are subtle and difficult for humans to experience within our short life-spans. Scientific data is the only reliable information but unfortunately, facts and figures generally do not resonate with human decision making.

Decisions need to start being taken to limit these dangerous chemical emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. Polluting our atmosphere pollutes our own bodies. are as prominent as outdoor sources,

very difficult to answer and is shrouded

The work at the Department of

and are widely used in manufacturing.

in misconceptions.

Geosciences is just one piece in a huge

Furniture, laminations, cleaning products,

Misinformation and atmospheric

puzzle. We need to start seeing the

paints, tobacco smoking, and others all

science seem as intertwined as a

bigger picture to understand our world

release these compounds. VOCs are

knotted rope. This confusion, Ciarlo`

and secure our future.

linked to respiratory conditions and

believes, is clouding the public’s

illnesses such as lung cancer. Malta has

perception, thus delaying politicians’

Ciarlo`’s Ph.D. work was partially

a high occurrence of lung cancer when

decisions on pressing issues. The term

funded by the Malta Government

compared to the number of smokers

'global warming' is one example of

Scholarship Scheme grant. Mobile Air

on the islands. Childhood respiratory

misinformation about atmospheric

Quality Laboratory van was funded

problems are also on the rise, so

science. People assume it means that

by the European Union—European

measuring the level of these indoor

temperatures will increase everywhere.

Social Fund (ESF) under Operational

pollutants is very important. Hicklin’s

That is not the case! What global

Programme I, while Hicklin’s M.Sc. work

research could be used to evaluate

warming refers to is the increase in the

was part-financed by Operational

indoor emission models. These models

planet’s average temperature, which is

Programme II—Cohesion Policy 2007–

would help predict how dangerous an

already happening. It might be that in

2013, “Empowering People for More

indoor environment could be.

one place there is a large temperature

Jobs and a Better Quality of Life”.

A person’s exposure to VOCs is hard to determine. Nonetheless, tests can measure the quantity of these substances in our body. Studying body fluid samples gives one an idea of air

FURTHER READING

quality and helps scientists see which •

we need to identify which are the real

in the Mediterranean region using RegCM4. International Journal of

risk factors and why we are having this high prevalence of respiratory illnesses’,

Ciarlo`, J. M. and Aquilina, N. J. (2015), An analysis of teleconnections Climatology. doi: 10.1002/joc.4383

•

Measurement and Modeling of Exposure to Selected Air Toxics for

Aquilina asserts. Air pollution affects our

Health Effects Studies and Verification by Biomarkers, (2009) Health

health, but which air pollutants are really

Effects Institute, Research Report No 143

responsible for the problems doctors encounter every day? This question is

Science Focus

pollutants affect human health. ‘First,

37

Science Focus

38

The staff of the Faculty of Science

39

Science Focus

Feature

Mutate 40

my software

Computer systems run the world and are found in fridges to hospitals. Every application needs testing, which is expensive and time-consuming. Dr Mark Micallef and Dr Christian Colombo from the PEST research group (Faculty of ICT, University of Malta) tells THINK about a new technique which could make testing easier and more consistent. Illustrations by NO MAD.

Internet banking applications or

focus for us is known as mutation testing.

In order to understand the technique, it helps

play games on a tablet? Then you

to imagine passengers going through an airport

are a software system user. Several

security scan. Airports are equipped with security

companies are trying to compete

scanners, a doorway-like device that scans for

for your attention to buy or use their software.

forbidden items such as weapons or dangerous

To convince us, they need to supply a high

chemicals. Now imagine that you are Head of

quality product or we will simply download their

Security at an airport and have just bought a

competitor’s application.

scanner. You naturally want to make sure it works

Testing is essential to ensure quality. This

properly. How would you do this? Probably by

process is very challenging, time consuming,

walking through the scanner carrying various

expensive, and provides inconsistent results

hidden items. If the machine does not raise the

depending on circumstances such as who tests

alarm, you would be on a hotline to the supplier.

the product or how much time is allocated to it.

Software is tested in a similar way. Software

Our research team (the Processing Engineering,

systems are usually developed stepwise.

Security and Testing [PEST] research group) is

Developers release a version of an app or program

trying to solve these problems by making it easier

to customers, who start using it, whilst the

and quicker to judge whether or not testing is being

developers continue to develop the next system

done correctly within an organisation. One area of

version. These arrive on your device as updates.

Feature

D

o you browse the Internet, use

41

42

Feature

The problem with updates is that

precise differences between

they can break a system. To prevent

the system on day one and

this issue, software engineers develop

two. Our system then sees

automated test suites, which are

the key parts of the

computer programs that scan software

system that need

and find hidden problems—like an

mutation

airport scanner would. Instead of

testing

scanning passengers for forbidden

and only

items, a test suite scans a software

analyses

system for faults. When a developer

those.

makes a change to a system, she tests

When we

it using the automated test suite and is deemed good enough to release to customers. Theoretically, this process works. In practice, test suites are not perfect and tend to miss errors.

To make better test suites our PEST research group has turned towards mutation testing. This technique tests

The idea behind our solution is deceivingly simple.

the test suite. Going back to the airport

it reduced testing time by 88% and 91%.

Achieving this goal took us three years and the technique’s development was challenging. We needed to mathematically prove that checking the test suite at every stage of development was at least

scanner scenario, much like we asked a

system version every two weeks.

as good as testing it at the very end.

passenger to walk through the scanner

Because it is so time consuming it has

We also needed a quick and accurate

multiple times, each time concealing a

never been adopted by industry; we

system to analyse which parts of a

different forbidden item, with mutation

are trying to help them bring it

system are most vulnerable to change.

testing we purposely inject a fault

on board.

Our solution was to determine the

into a system and then check whether

The idea behind our solution is

importance of a system part by how it

the test suite detects the fault. The

deceivingly simple. As already stated,

communicates with another part and

faulty version of the system is called

software is developed incrementally

uses data—a good compromise. Our

a mutant, hence the technique’s

over time. On a project’s first day,

system is now ready for the industry

name. We do this thousands of times,

there is no system and no test suite.

and we have named it Incremental

injecting all sorts of faults which

At the end of the day, there might be

Mutation Testing because it analyses a

programmers are likely to make and

a few dozen lines of code to build the

test suite as it is being built.

each time we see whether the test

program. A mutation test run at this

We now want to prove that it

suite is good enough to catch that

point would only take a few minutes.

can work in an industrial setting. We

fault. If not, we update the test suite to

Possible mutants are few because there

want to collaborate with industrial

make it better.

is so little to work on. The test suite

partners to run our system. We hope

Mutation testing takes time. A

would finish in two to five seconds. At

this will prove that our system can

typical test suite takes ten minutes,

the end of the second day, because of

make companies more efficient and

a modest mutation test run of 5,000

more code the mutation test should

cost-effective to develop higher quality

mutants would take 50,000 minutes,

take longer. Our technique is cleverer

software. We want them to build

or over a month of continuous analysis.

because it does not need to analyse all

better systems for everyone’s laptops,

A development team usually releases a

the code every time but only sees the

tablets, and phones.

Feature

if no failures occur, then the system

ran our system

43

44

Feature

CRASH TESTING

THE LARGEST EXPERIMENT ON EARTH Under Europe lies a 27 km tunnel that is both the coldest and hottest place on Earth. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has already found out what gives mass to all the matter in the Universe. It is now trying to go even deeper into what makes up everything we see around us. Dr Marija Cauchi writes about her research that helped protect this atom smasher from itself. Photography by Jean Claude Vancell.

the middle of a long queue of scientists and

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

engineers, all eagerly waiting to get into the

Everything around us is made up of a few basic

auditorium at The European Organisation

building blocks called fundamental particles. How

for Nuclear Research (CERN), near Geneva,

these particles work and stick together is through

Switzerland. Scientists worldwide had been waiting

so-called fundamental forces. The Standard Model

for this day for decades. The vibe outside the

describes how these particles and forces behave

auditorium was incredible; we were bustling with

together, which basically defines how the world

excitement. A flurry of rumours, leaks, and hype

around us works. This model is currently the best

over the past days nodded towards humanity

description of the subatomic world, but it is still

having found the Higgs Boson—the world’s most-

like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle.

wanted and long-awaited particle.

Being at CERN for my Ph.D. studies (as part of

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is running experiments to help find the missing

an ongoing collaboration between CERN and the

pieces. One of the missing pieces was identifying

University of Malta), I certainly could not miss this

which particle is responsible for mass in all matter.

once-in-a-lifetime event. The queue of people

Think about what determines a person’s weight.

built up quickly, and after 7 a.m. people were being

That is a combination of the mass in a person

turned away due to limited space in the auditorium.

together with the force of gravity. The next

Time seemed to crawl by, but with the first rays of

question is what determines a person’s mass. And

sunlight we knew the doors would open soon. We

that was the answer given by the Higgs Boson

were finally seated by 8.30 a.m.

particle, hence the huge fuss upon its discovery.

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I

t was 5 a.m. on the 4th of July 2012. I was in

45

THE FAMOUS HIGGS BOSON The Higgs Boson is an elementary

The beams are collided at four

A PROPER JOB The LHC has an essential collimation

different points. These represent the

system. A collimator is meant to trim

called the Higgs field. Imagine a political

main physics experiments or detectors.

beams to remove particles that have

mass meeting taking place at the

For just a moment, the collisions

gone slightly off-track. The collimator

Granaries in Floriana. A common person

generate temperatures around 100,000

plays an important role in preventing

would wander through the crowd with

times hotter than the Sun, replicating

these particles from getting lost.

ease. This situation would definitely

the conditions that prevailed just

If they do get lost, they can cause

change on the arrival of the party leader.

after the Big Bang that created the

damage to the beam pipe and the

Fans would start clustering around,

Universe 13.82 billion years ago. The

superconducting magnets that need

trying to shake hands and in the process

detectors give us a 3D image of the

to be kept at temperatures colder

making his/her passage more difficult

subatomic particles hurled out from the

than space itself. There are over

as s/he tries to make it to the podium.

particles’ destruction. These traces are

100 collimators installed around the

These people would represent the Higgs

then closely analysed for movements,

ring. Each collimator consists of two

field. They would slow down the party

properties, or novel particles that could

parallel jaws, with the beam passing

leader. This impediment is like a particle

advance our understanding of matter.

through the centre of the jaw gap.

having a large mass which has to work

The LHC has multiple detectors to

Being so close to the beam makes the

harder to get through the Higgs field.

observe the same phenomena multiple

collimators rather radioactive.

times—an essential part of scientific

When I was at CERN, I used to

imagine a situation in which a rumour

rigour. ATLAS is one of the main LHC

help set up the collimation system.

spreads that the party leader is going to

experiments and it generates data at

This took place at the CERN Control

announce an update on a hot political

the same rate as if everyone on Earth

Centre—the heart of the experiment.

topic. This rumour would move from

were to simultaneously make ten

My responsibility was to support

one end of the political meeting to the

phone calls each.

the team in the collimator alignment

other. The rumour works in a similar way to how the Higgs Boson excites the Higgs field and moves through it.

THE MATTER-MICROSCOPE The LHC is an underground 27 km ring located under the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. It was finished in 2008, cost around €5.8 billion and operates by sending two beams of subatomic particles spinning in opposite directions around the ring. Once these beams come close to the speed of light, the machine smashes them together. At the designed full energy of 7 TeV per beam, each of the two beams has a total Feature

energy to melt 500 kg of copper.

particle. This particle works with what is

Coming back to the political meeting,

46

train travelling at 150 km/h, enough

energy equivalent of a French TGV

before the beams could circulate in

Collimators are expensive. Each one

the LHC. I spent many nights at the

costs around €127,000. Experiments

CERN Control Centre but the friendly

cannot test every scenario where

and exciting atmosphere always made

things can go wrong in the real world.

it more than worthwhile. The only

Computer models are needed to

thing I dreaded was hearing ‘Dump

crash test the collimators. Advanced

Beam 1, Dump Beam 2’. Nobody liked

simulations are part and parcel of state-

hearing this command as it meant

of-the-art engineering work, enabling

something had gone wrong and other

highly specialised technical people

magnets would have extracted the

to design systems at a level that was

beams out of the LHC to prevent

unimaginable some decades ago.

damage. This also meant that we would have to wait for a couple of

A MODEL COLLIMATOR

hours until the LHC operators and engineers would re-inject the beams

After familiarising myself with the

and need us to realign the collimators.

collimation system, I needed to come

The collimators are a key example

up with a working model of the tertiary

of vital equipment that needs to be resistant enough to protect

collimator—one of the most important.

Dr Marija Cauchi

the LHC from the destructive beam in case of an accident. Dedicated mechanical engineers at CERN need to ensure that the collimators’ design is robust enough to withstand beam accidents without compromising what they do to keep the beams circling smoothly. My Ph.D. focused on the performance of collimators in such situations.

SURELY NOTHING CAN GO WRONG? If the beam alignment is inaccurate, the beam can smack on the face of a collimator jaw. Known as a beam accident scenario, it can cause the same damage as 80 kg of TNT explosive. Such an impact can quickly raise the jaw’s temperature by thousands of degrees and melt the jaw, leaving it permanently damaged.

The complexity of the collimator jaw made this a very challenging task. I managed to develop the model over

Collimators are expensive. Each one costs around €127,000.

Experiments cannot test every scenario where things can go wrong in the real world.

Computer models are needed to crash test the collimators.

several weeks involving numerous iterations and lots of parameter tweaking to get it right. Finally, it worked. The next step was to identify new ways the beam could fail. These scenarios were based on accelerator physics studies by the collimation team at CERN.

CRASH TEST BUGGY The collimator jaws are usually set up to be in perfect alignment with the beam. So what happens if the jaws are not perfectly aligned and beam impact occurs? The collimator jaws' inclination can be manipulated, and I started varying their tilt to try and find an answer.

The jaw angle did affect the heat distribution. At an angle of 0.06o, I saw a remarkable change in temperature

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precision engineering. They need

47

Dr Ing. Nicholas Sammut

I vividly remember taking a look inside the collimator tank.

I was stunned when I saw the destructive potential of the LHC beams.

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were installed to get the most from this

all simulation parameters constant

almost €200,000 experiment.

and only changed the particle

The tests were performed over

type (proton or lead) to maintain

a number of days because of beam

a good comparison. Although the

preparation time. We checked

particles behave differently, no major

everything over and over again to

discrepancies were observed and the

avoid any mistakes. The data obtained

collimator responded similarly to both

was priceless.

beam types.

The model did not always match reality. When I plotted the jaw

GOING LIVE

temperature, I saw an increase of only

Any computer model needs to be

was bitterly disappointed. I knew that

tested in the real world to make

a much higher temperature increase

sure it actually works. The collimator

was expected. What could have

model was validated through a first-

happened? While troubleshooting,

of-its-kind experiment at CERN.

I realised that the contact pressure

distribution along the collimator’s

An extensive campaign that needed

between the sensor and the back of

length. Such a jaw inclination lowered

months of preparation to extract the

the jaw might have been weak. The

the overall peak temperature caused

most complete information from the

computer simulations confirmed this.

by the beam impact, hence mitigating

test was set up. It was the only test I

Everyone was surprised. This meant

the induced damage.

would perform during my stay at CERN

that the jaw temperature sensors

to reproduce LHC accident scenarios

on the LHC collimators were fitted

either protons or heavy lead ions.

by purposely shooting the beam on

improperly, leading to unreliable

These behave differently upon

a real collimator. Sensors for jaw

temperature recordings. Because of

interaction with the collimator jaws

temperature, water temperature, water

this observation, new temperature

but they had never been compared

pressure, and vacuum pressure, as well

sensor fixation methods needed to be

upon impact on the collimator. While

as microphones to “listen” to the beam,

designed and were implemented on

The LHC’s beam is made up of

48

investigating this problem, I kept

a few degrees upon beam impact. I

Dr Ing. Pierluigi Mollicone

the new collimators installed earlier

Peter W. Higgs, who had predicted

Dr Ing. Pierluigi Mollicone (University

the particle, shed tears of joy inside the

of Malta), and Dr Ing. Nicholas Sammut

CERN auditorium. I had goose bumps

(University of Malta). It was carried out

tested collimator tank. This needed

all over me. Despite the exhaustion and

within the Department of Mechanical

four months to cool off to safe

lack of sleep, I headed towards my office,

Engineering (University of Malta) and

radiation levels. I vividly remember

more determined than ever to make a

the Beams Department (CERN). It was

taking a look inside the collimator

difference with my discoveries.

supported by CERN, the University

this year.

Another highlight was opening the

of Malta, and the EC FP7 Research

tank. I was stunned when I saw the destructive potential of the LHC

This Ph.D. research was supervised by

Infrastructures projects EuCARD and

beams. The beam had cut deep grooves

Dr Ralph W. Assmann (CERN, DESY),

EuCARD-2.

on the jaw surfaces and blew material all around the tank. Happily, these observations matched my simulations and proved that the computer model worked correctly.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

FURTHER READING •

M. Cauchi et al., High energy beam impact tests on a LHC tertiary collimator at the CERN high-radiation to materials facility, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams, 17:021004, February 2014.

•

M. Cauchi et al., Thermomechanical assessment of the effects of a jawbeam angle during beam impact on Large Hadron Collider collimators, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams, 18:021001, February 2015.

•

M. Cauchi et al., Thermomechanical response of Large Hadron Collider collimators to proton and ion beam impacts, Phys. Rev. ST Accel.

Beams, 18:041002, April 2015.

‘I think we have it,’ said Rolf Heuer, CERN director general at the time.

We had found the Higgs Boson.

Applause, whistles, cheers, and camera flashes filled the auditorium, as this announcement circled the globe. Many years of work and volumes of collected data made us very confident of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013.

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discovery. This announcement led to a

49

50

Feature

Is there really an

app for that?

Feature

Gone are the days when learning a new language meant sitting in a classroom, reading books and practising with classmates. There are language learning apps, programs and games now. But can we really learn a new language just by using this technology? Veronica Stivala finds out.

Illustrations by NO MAD.

51

I

recently needed to learn

long and

German. Barely familiar

flawless

with basics such as ‘Please’

utterances.’

and ‘Thank you’ I had to start

But, essentially,

from scratch. I made use of

regardless of our

diverse tools and techniques to

knowledge of our

learn a language that Mark Twain

native language, it

famously said causes ‘great distress to

is that language which

a new student’.

ultimately remains

To overcome this suffering, I signed

as our first, and best,

up to a Goethe Institute course in

language. This is also

Malta, followed by private lessons,

called our ‘dominant’ language.

another course in Germany, and numerous books. I also used modern

that there are people who speak a

tools and the online language learning

language, but who do not know how

project Rosetta Stone and downloaded

to write or read it. This automatically

several apps to learn a new language

implies that knowing a language does

quickly. Then I tried speaking to

not necessarily mean having all the

my German boyfriend in his native

language skills. Not every app and

language and failed miserably.

Thankfully he speaks English.

All of these methods did help me

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IT’S COMPLICATED

game covers all of these skills. Dr Alexandra Vella (Institute of Linguistics,

The first hurdle was to answer the

University of Malta) points out that

advance. However, can an adult learn

question ‘What does speaking a

‘different learners have different needs;

a new language entirely through the

language well mean?’ As adults, we

so whether one needs all the language

use of technology, be it websites,

each have our own way of speaking

skills is something individual’. However,

games, or apps? The reason behind this

our native language, which depends on

she continues, ‘even assuming one only

question is simple. An all-app approach

our level of education and individual

needs to be able to use a language

is convenient. You can learn anywhere

characters. Who qualifies as a good

through speaking, isn’t it always the

and at any time. The technology lets

speaker of a language? The Queen for

case that if you can read’ a language

you advance quicker than in group

English, Goethe for German, Proust

then you can get hold of more

lessons and at your own pace, and is

for French? Psycholinguist W. J. M.

information than you would if you

also cheaper whether you pay for the

Levelt takes this further and says, ‘adult

could not read?

apps or not.

native speakers differ with respect to

So I set out to discover whether an

52

For this we need to point out

Language is made richer, and its

communicative success when they

status as a vehicle through which

adult can really learn a new language

speak. Some speak slowly, others fast;

culture is transmitted grows because

from scratch, entirely through

some articulate poorly, others well;

of its literature. As Edward Sapir

technology. The task was more

the speech of some is characterised by

says, ‘language is the medium of

complicated than I thought. I had been

a high incidence of short utterances,

literature as marble or bronze or clay

making many assumptions about what

false starts, and self corrections, the

are the materials of the sculptor. Since

knowing a language actually means.

speech of others is characterised by

every language has its distinctive

Language is made richer, and its status as a vehicle through which culture is transmitted grows because of its literature.

peculiarities, the innate formal

this language also known as First

limitations—and possibilities—of one

Language Acquisition (FLA). Learning

literature are never quite the same as

a language as a child and as an adult

those of another.’ So one could say that

(New Language Acquisition, NLA) are

a corollary to this is that if one wants

so different that they are sometimes

to learn a language in depth, then one

treated as two distinct phenomena. As

needs to be able to read, and to write,

children we learn and become fluent in

and to learn its literature. The latter is

a language without being aware of the

most definitely something one needs to

process. On the other hand, when we

do alone, and outside an app or game.

try to learn a language as adults we are

A word needs to be said about one’s native language, and indeed,

conscious of the learning process and do not always become fluent in it.

about the process in which we acquire

MAKING A LANGUAGE So what is a language? Dr Vella talks about definitions. Does a secret language (such as Pig Latin in which words in English are altered) count? For the sake of this article I took language to be ‘a system of communication used by a particular country or community’, as defined in the Oxford Dictionary.

Another important factor is whether different languages are harder to learn. Dr Vella says this is not an easy question to answer because language learning takes place in a context, such as a classroom, and feeds into learners’ backgrounds, learning styles, and so on.

Different teachers and schools adopt different teaching approaches. ‘Clearly, different methods work better for some learners as compared to others.

The communicative method works best for some people by emphasising interaction as both the means and the ultimate study goal. It can produce

Dr Alexandra Vella

learning stages. After only

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relatively ‘instant’ results at the first

53

SOME LANGUAGE LEARNING APPS AND PROGRAMS DUOLINGO Reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills are split into bite size skills such as numbers, nature, and adjectives that feel like games. You lose a life when you get something wrong and you earn points when you complete a lesson.

MEMRISE A fun app with game elements and which adapts to your personal learning style and performance.

You are taught vocabulary and phrases through auditory and visual cues, often funny ones.

The competitive element—you gain points and can compete with friends —further encourages learning.

ROSETTA STONE A reputable online language learning project. While I did learn vocabulary and elements of grammar such as the gender of nouns, I found myself wishing I knew the rules behind the new things I was learning.

WAITCHATTER This is an extension to Google Chat where new words pop up beneath the chat window while you are waiting for your buddy to reply to your message.

The program is essentially a vocabulary teacher, currently only available for French and Spanish.

During casual instant messaging users learnt 57 words in two weeks, an average of four words a day.

54

David Cabrera Sánchez

a few lessons speakers can introduce

learning when coupled with visual

themselves and say basic phrases.

and auditory stimulation. But because

Beyond the beginner stage other

the medium is still so new, there is

methods may be needed, but methods

not enough research to back up this

are not always adapted by teachers as

statement.

they should be.

Does age contribute to how we learn

TV seems to help. Some research shows that pupils who watched Italian

a language? ‘Yes, research suggests

television were just as good or even

that it does’, says Dr Vella. ‘All else

better than pupils learning Italian only

being equal, younger learners are

in school. TV accesses both visual and

more likely to be capable of learning a

auditory senses (primary listening skills)

foreign language to near-native level

which is different to games and apps

than older learners. However, there are

since they also access reading and

various other factors involved such as

writing (secondary skills). Games and

motivation, needs, etc.’ So while a child

apps should be better.

may pick up a language faster than an adult, a motivated adult who knows they will advance in their career with

A CASE STUDY

the new language may learn faster than

I spoke to David Cabrera Sánchez, a

someone learning for the fun of it, or

native bilingual of Spanish and Catalan

because they are made to.

who recently learnt Maltese. Being

The ability to learn a language

bilingual possibly helped since his

through games and apps is a tricky

brain was already attuned to handling

statement to answer. Though one

more than one language at a time.

can learn some language elements—

Also, Spanish and Catalan share many

vocabulary, phrases, pronunciation—

characteristics with other languages

through apps. The technology boosts

he has learned. He knows Arabic and

He was also highly motivated as Maltese is required for his work as an interpreter. And indeed this is the main caveat since he needed a deep understanding of the language, including its culture, because of his job: his ultimate aim.

Since he was living in Paris, the Internet was his main learning tool. He downloaded articles and podcasts. ‘If I hadn’t had an internet connection, a computer or a mobile phone, I wouldn’t have been able to learn Maltese outside of the Maltese Islands,’ he says. He also only

It is only by living in the country that you can get to know its culture, people, and traditions.

Something which is of vital importance for interpreters.

managed to find a tutor in Malta and

people. It is aimed at young children, however adults can also enjoy it.

I ask Prof. Georgios N. Yannakakis, the brains behind the game, whether he thinks using games is a faster, alternative and/or supplementary way to learning a language. His answer is a most definite 'yes'. ‘The association is rather clear, in my opinion, as games can provide great means for enhanced learning. The important element here is “enhanced learning”. In other words, I would conclude that using apps and games is a means to “support” (or, the more modern term, to “scaffold”) language learning.’

While learning a language always

had lessons over Skype. But Cabrera

its culture, people, and traditions.

requires some degree of repetition, this

Sánchez only managed to really learn

Something which is of vital importance

is heightened with dyslexic learners.

Maltese when he finally came to the

for interpreters’.

In this game, within the different

island to do a course.

Technology and will power are simply

teaching strategies for literacy aimed

A GAME

at students with dyslexia, ‘overlearning’

out that ‘people have been learning

The Institute of Digital Games

technique means the student

languages for ages without any sort of

(University of Malta) recently

regularly repeats the same activities

technology [and] it is only by living in

developed a game called Words Matter

or exercises in order to acquire and

the country that you can get to know

for language-learning for dyslexic

maintain skills recently acquired,

not enough. Cabrera Sánchez pointed

is always given a top priority. This

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Italian that helped him learn Maltese.

55

as this is viewed as contributing towards gains in speed and accuracy with regards to literacy skills. ‘In light of how players are typically expected to learn core mechanics and apply them repeatedly, digital games offer considerable potential as part of dyslexia interventions. In addition, a well-designed and rich game can keep a student engaged while working on educational activities, and even motivate them to work on them

A learner needs to conceptually understand the language and have a solid knowledge of grammar (syntax, phonetics, and vocabulary).

considerably in just a week. That said, I still remember certain phrases and basic vocabulary I learnt through Rosetta Stone and Memrise, mostly because of the visual cues and humour they use. So technology did help, but as a supplementary medium rather than as the one and only way for language learning. Games, programs, and apps most definitely help and speed up language learning but till now there isn’t an app for that.

outside school hours.’

SO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN A LANGUAGE? Vella says the ideal way of learning

FURTHER READING

a language is to start with a solid ‘language base’. A learner needs to

•

Al Ghazali, F. (2006). First Language Acquisition VS Second Language Learning: What is the difference?. Birmingham: University of Birmingham, The Centre for English Language Studies.

•

Caruana, S. (2009). ‘‘The Italian Job’: the impact of input from television on language learning’ in Exploring the Maltese Media Landscape, eds. J. Borg, M. Lauri & A. Hillman. Valletta: Allied Newspapers, pp. 173-185.

•

Cuschieri, T., Khaled, R., Farrugia, V. E., Martinez, H. P., & Yannakakis, G. N. (2014, September). 'The iLearnRW Game: Support for Students with Dyslexia in Class and at Home'. In Games and Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications (VS-GAMES), 2014 6th International Conference, pp. 1-2. IEEE.

•

Levelt, W. J. M. (1989). Speaking: From intention to articulation.

Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

•

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What every teacher should know. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

•

Sapir, E. (1921). Language: An introduction to the study of speech.

New York: Harcourt, Brace and company.

conceptually (syntax, phonetics, and vocabulary) understand the language and have a solid knowledge of grammar. Coupled to this, learners need to be immersed into situations that require them to use their language skills in the real world. Young learners do this naturally: they first acquire the language base ‘passively’ and then, little by little, start to experiment with ‘actively’ using this language base.

From my end, my German still leaves much to be desired. I saw the biggest improvement when I attended an immersive course in Germany, where I had to speak German because

Feature

English was not widely used. These

56

pressures helped improve my German

Climate Change challenging International Law

L

ast year when the US

groups: residents of coastal lowlands

Dr Antoine Grima, assistant lecturer

President Barack Obama

and islands such as those in Bangladesh,

at the Environmental and Resources

used his State of the Union’s

China and Egypt, as well as entire small

Law Department within the Faculty

address to argue that the

nations, where inundation due to sea-

of Laws of the University of Malta. Dr

present generation should be

level rise and storm surges could lead to

Grima believes that in many respects

significant movements of people.

the consequences brought about by

concerned with the patrimony future generations will inherit, observers

In the light of this change, it is

changes in the sea level will bring

knew that he was instilling urgency

opportune to examine whether certain

on new challenges to international

into the climate change debate.

fundamental principles in international

law in general and to United Nations

law are flexible enough to take on the

Convention on the Law of the Sea

natural phenomenon, are exacerbated

significant challenges brought about by

(UNCLOS) in particular.

through anthropogenic activities

climate change.

Changes to climate, while being a

and are bringing about serious environmental consequences affecting

This is the purpose of a Ph.D. research currently being carried out by

‘I believe’ explains Dr Grima, ‘that it is appropriate to examine UNCLOS in the light of this development

human life. Indeed this concern

and assess the extent of its ability

was recognised way back in 1988

in addressing new concerns. The

by Prof. David Attard, Judge of the

research will answer many questions.

International Tribunal for the Law who,

Will the continued application of the

through a letter to the editor published

principles established by UNCLOS

in the London Times in August of that

clarify and maintain stability or

year, proposed ‘a comprehensive global

will they plausibly bring about

strategy to protect the weather and

unwarranted chaos and confusion?

climate as part of an effort to ensure

Will peace and stability brought

that our planet remains fit to sustain

about by UNCLOS III withstand

human life’.

the challenges brought about by

In this regard the first 1990

climate changes?

Change Assessment Report anticipated

This Ph.D. scholarship is being funded

that, inter alia, the most vulnerable

by a generous anonymous donor

populations are those within developing

through the RIDT, the Research Trust

countries, particularly the lower-income

of the University of Malta.

Dr Antoine Grima

Research

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

57

BOOK REVIEW

by The Editor

Tesla: Inventor of the electric age W. BERNARD CARLSON Quill Rating:

N

ikola Tesla is everywhere. We have Tesla

built a powerful enough transmitter he would

AC power generation and supply, remotely

create a standing wave throughout the earth

operated vehicles, and he inspired radio and

to freely deliver electricity to houses and street

wireless power. In this book historian W. Bernard

lamps. He even conceptualised the mobile phone.

Carlson meticulously goes through the thought

He was right about transmitting energy through

processes of how Tesla came up with these

resonance, now used to charge mobiles. But his

inventions, but also examines his great failures and

ideal of transmitting energy through the earth was

repeated dips into depression.

wrong. Not wanting to admit his mistake made him

Tesla’s great rival was Edison, who helped turn the light bulb into a commercial success. If the

and also anti-establishment, an elitist, and

running on inefficient DC power, but Tesla was

remarkably eccentric—living like a millionaire in

an Orthodox Christian in search of an ideal. His

hotels and frequenting high class bars. Friends

ideal was to find the underlying perfect form and

included Mark Twain and a host of other great

phenomena in the world around him. For electricity

poets, writers, and socialites, though while

generation and transmission this was AC power, an

scientists greatly respected his early findings

ideal that revolutionised the world.

he rarely made close friendships with them.

This inability to discuss rationally with scientists

Early on he learnt that he couldn’t speak science

prevented him from seeing his scientific dead end.

to convince his audience and investors. He had to

He was also very imaginative (probably related to

speak magic. He cultivated a public persona: The

some mental condition because he had visions since

Magician, famous for brilliant electrical displays

childhood which he channelled into innovation)

including 20-feet sparks of electricity and lighting

but wasn’t very practical or good at turning them

bulbs in his hands. Thousands came to see Tesla

into products. He needed a good business partner.

when he performed. But this reputation backfired as

His greatest invention, AC power, was pushed by

the scientific establishment grew tired of his tabloid

buisness man.

interviews and fantastical claims: ‘free wireless

The book author’s scientific explanations can be

power, talking to Mars, a race of robots, abolishing

hard to understand and I needed to brush up on my

war, and death rays’, and attacks on rival scientists.

electromagnetism theory. Carlson also doesn’t go

Tesla was not a team player. He wanted to be

Fun

Tesla was tall, slim, dark haired, and handsome

world was left up to Edison we might still be

Tesla went to America from Europe, aged 28.

58

bankrupt and triggered a long depression.

deep into Tesla’s human side and how he related to

the inventor of the electrical age and hated rivals.

others; when he does, it’s far too late in the book.

He went into a rage for not having beaten Marconi

He only discusses Tesla’s probable homosexuality

in transmitting messages across the Atlantic or

towards the end. Regardless of this, this book is a

making radio work. Tesla focused on transmitting

comprehensive eye opener on one of the greatest

power through the earth. He thought that the

inventors and most colourful magicians the world

earth was already electrically charged and if he

has ever seen.

BOARD GAME REVIEW

by David Chircop

Dixit p until now I have mostly written

out loud. The rules are purposely

you. Play on an inside joke, or shared

reviews of cute unknown games.

left open-ended. Any sound, word or

memory, and then only you and the

But some cute games manage to

sentence will do, whatever noise the

other person who guesses receives

make the biggest of splashes, and find

picture stirs. Other players will look

maximum points. But there’s always

themselves on every Internet list, blog,

at their own cards, and then throw

that moment when you think you know

and board game website. These games

in a picture face down which they

someone well and then you realise you

have the resonance to penetrate the

think best fits the storyteller’s hint.

don’t; they vote for the wrong card.

minds of the most serious faced men,

These cards are shuffled with a card

Just for a second, the game makes

they stand out.

the storyteller chose, and revealed.

you doubt the very fabric of your

Players vote on which card they think

friendship—then you remember that it’s

is the storyteller’s.

all just a game.

Dixit is one of those games. It has 84 cards, each of which contains a hand-painted piece of art. These mean

The storyteller needs to ensure s/he

That’s why Dixit has spawned so

everything and nothing, like some

gives a decent enough hint. If no one

many expansions and variations.

form of eastern philosophy. And that’s

figures it out, the storyteller gets no

As it is played, meaning develops

where the game shines; each piece will

points while the others do. If everyone

around the pictures and by the

generate a different image in your mind

gets the hint then the storyteller is

end of the game that meaning has

every time you look at it.

being uncreative and too obvious and

drifted away. But that doesn’t matter,

again gets no points.

because soon enough you will want

Each card is meant to kickstart a story. Players take turns to tell a tale.

The game cleverly places the player

to play Dixit again, and the same

They choose one of the six pictures

within the social construct. You end up

pictures suddenly mean something

in their hand, then say something

playing for the people sitting around

completely different.

Fun

U

Designed by Jean-Louis Roubira Published by Libellund

59

TECH NEWS

by Ryan Abela

Google’s

DEEPEST DREAMS and

nightmares I

n Artificial Intelligence, neural

Google released an app that can find

experiment one step further by using

networks have always fascinated

your photos of specific objects by using

the detected pattern on a different

me. Based on biological concepts

words, like ‘dog’ or ‘house’. To do this,

image. The picture was passed through

similar to human brains, artificial

Google came up with an artificial neural

the neural network a number of times

neural networks consist of very simple

network that was trained with images

to see which pattern would emerge.

mathematical functions connected to

of dogs, animals, and so on. But here

each other through a set of variable

comes the fun part. Later that month

amazed the whole world. Photos

parameters. These networks can solve

some Google software engineers wrote

passed through Google’s artificial

problems that range from mathematical

an article about how to analyse and

neural network produced

equations to more abstract concepts

visualise what’s going on inside the

hallucinogenic, surrealist imagery with

such as detecting objects in a photo or

neural network.

many dogfaces, eyes, and buildings

recognising someone’s voice.

Artificial neural networks normally

Fun

Neural networks have been used

The results of these experiments

emerging from the photo. Google

for decades and are backed by strong

named it Deep Dream and now anyone

need some training. Say we need

mathematical proofs. Yet what is

can Deep Dream their photo and turn

a neural network that can detect

going on within the neural network

it into a dreamscape. Dalì: eat your

whether there is an apple in a photo.

is very hard to visualise because a

heart out.

We could feed in thousands of

classification model is essentially

different pictures of apples, and fine-

represented by thousands of variables

Deep Dream your own photo on:

tune the parameters of the artificial

(connections) which appear to be quite

http://deepdreamgenerator.com or

neural network until it starts classifying

random. In their experiment, Google’s

apps like http://dreamify.io Think

these photos correctly.

software engineers inverted the

magazine interns got carried away and

artificial neural network by feeding it

Deep Dreamed all our cover artwork.

of these techniques for their photo

an image of random noise to see what

Find them on Twitter #ThinkDream or

applications. A couple of months ago,

patterns it would detect. They took the

Facebook http://bit.ly/ThinkDream

Google and Facebook use some

60

A photograph of the Valletta skyline passed through the Deep Dream generator.

Inset: the original photo.

Illustration by NO MAD

Prof. Kris Zarb Adami

MY 100 WORD IDEA TO CHANGE MALTA Gateway for Migrant Rescue in the Mediterranean Malta should set up a coastal over-the-horizon radar (developed at ISSA—Institute of Space Science and Astronomy) with the capability of detecting

CAN A PENNY KILL YOU? Alexander Hili

small fast-moving vessels within a 1000 km radius.

Coupling the radar system with a fleet of drones

A long-standing urban legend suggests that a penny dropped

to measure and track the status of vessels and

from a great height, let’s say the Empire State Building, kills. The

occupants will give unprecedented response time to

penny should speed up and pass through a person’s skull easily.

any maritime emergencies. These drones could then

In reality, the penny would probably just annoy a

be used to deliver payloads to treat any medical

pedestrian. Even a penny is limited. All objects reach a

emergencies, while search and rescue ships slowly make their way to the vessels. Collaboration and coordination with other Mediterranean countries could result in a drastic reduction of maritime mortalities.

terminal velocity when they are in free fall for long enough.

They do not keep speeding up.

The problem with a penny is that it is flat, small, and light.

A gust of wind or updraft would break its fall. So for anyone who accidentally lets a penny drop from his or her fingers, relax, don’t worry the streets are safe.

by Ġorġ Mallia

Fun

Don't THINK

61

FILM REVIEW

by Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone and Noel Tanti

IT FOLLOWS NOEL: Early in the film, Jay (Maika

Follows certainly endorses: sex

generation can turn to for advice and

Monroe) asks Hugh/Jeff (Jake Weary)

as a rite of passage from childhood

they are left to cope on their own. It

to pick a random stranger with whom

into adulthood.

Follows is an anti-coming of age tale

he wouldn’t mind switching lives.

young and old, and without conflict

boy because he envies his ‘total

becomes an obvious reference to her

there is no growth.

freedom’, going ‘to the bathroom any

trying to reclaiming the security of her

time [he wants]’ and ‘get[ting] away

mother’s womb. It’s her comfort zone

KRISTA: It Follows quasi-climactic

with that’.

and she goes there to be on her own,

pool scene is reminiscent of the finale

to feel safe. We never see her share the

in Cronenberg’s Shivers (1975). Both

pool with anyone else.

films feature a kind of infectious sexual

Out of all possibilities, Hugh/Jeff yearns for a regressive state in which

It is revealing though that when Jay

awakening. However, where Shivers is

his ego is not yet fully formed, one

(supposedly) has sex with three men in

celebratory, orgiastically joyful,

in which he is fully dependent on an

a boat, she goes back to the pool only

the sex in It Follows feels oddly

outside agency. It’s a strange thing

to find it broken and empty of water.

uneventful. Though the scene takes

coming from a young man on the cusp

This suggests that her indiscriminate

place in a communal pool, it follows

of adulthood. The film’s theme is a sort

choice of sexual partners has robbed

the pattern established in the previous

of coming of age tale in reverse.

her of a substantial amount of that

house pool scenes—Jay is isolated

yearned for ‘childhood innocence’. She

within the larger pool.

The protagonists in It Follows seem to be battling against the relentless passage of time. They are doing things

Fun

because there is no conflict between

With our Freudian hats on, the pool

goes for toilet duties. Apparently he

62

Jay repeatedly uses the house pool.

Curiously enough he chooses a little

has crossed the point of no return.

The adult world is conspicuously

The film’s use of space reinforces this impression of isolation. Though in

that grown-ups do, including sex; yet

absent. We rarely come across

the vein of coming-of-age movies, the

they still want to be like that little boy

grown-ups and when we do they

film foregrounds friendship, there is a

and shed responsibility. By doing so

seem to inhabit a different world.

sense of extended silence—a space of

they subvert one of the main tropes of

The nuclear family has jumped ship.

waiting, never fully breached. As the

the slasher film, a sub genre which It

There is nobody to whom the young

teacher reads TS Eliot’s The Love Song

GAME REVIEW

by Costantino Oliva

Year of release: 2014 Director: David Robert Mitchell Gore Rating: SSSSS

RIDICULOUS FISHING Platforms: iOS (version tested), Android Developer: Vlambeer

of J. Alfred Prufrock, Jay sits at the far end of a long table on her own. This is reinforced in scenes showing expanses of sea and sand and grey, with a slow walking ‘it’ that

I

ronically, the most popular story about Ridiculous Fishing concerns the clone that copied its core idea. Game cloning, albeit with different

graphics, is unfortunately common practice in the mobile games market.

follows Jay. The slowness of this

Vlambeer were hit hard when a replica of their game was released before

sinister presence that permeates the

the genuine article. Their struggle with Ridiculous Fishing reflected the

film is reminiscent of Hancock’s Let’s

whole industry’s difficulties: creativity and originality are not always

Scare Jessica to Death (1971) and

respected. The questions it raised propelled the game’s credibility, but

Blatty’s Exorcist III: Legion (1990).

best of all: Ridiculous Fishing is a brilliant piece of design.

There is anticipation, but as Noel

Its premises are, indeed, ridiculous: fishing and shooting are combined

notes, there is no corresponding

in one frantic move. You’re an apparently tranquil fisherman that has to

growth. The film lacks a climax – dread

make their bait go as deep into the sea as possible while avoiding every

settles, quietly. On the way to the

obstacle. When you pull it up and fetch your catch, it will subsequently

pool, Yara (Olivia Luccardi), one of

be propelled in the air. At that point, of course, you finish the job by

Jay’s friends reminisces: ‘when I was

dispatching your catch with miniguns.

a little girl, my parents wouldn’t allow

This is Vlambeer’s unconventional design style: a deconstruction of

me to go south of 8 Mile. And I didn’t

old school game genres, namely the classic shoot’em up, where classic

even know what that meant, until I

tropes are neglected in favor of bizarre game situations. Dribbling

got a little older, and I started realising

through obstacles is reminiscent of 80’s arcade games, while shooting

that that’s where the city started, and

flying targets refers to Nintendo’s classic Duck Hunt. These elements are

the suburbs ended.’ The film positions

brilliantly adapted to touchscreen devices, creating a game that is both

itself in a moment of suspension,

immediate and deep: the qualities every mobile game wishes to have.

never leaving the suburbs, calling: ‘there will be time, there will be time…’

Read the full version online: www.um.edu.mt/think/category/reviews/

But time for what?

game-review

MEME

Meme

CULTURE GENES

64