All aboardSteam Trains are still the most fun way to travel
At King’s, Canterbury, we are, once again, delighted to edit and design this annual collection of articles by writers under the age of thirteen from prep schools around the Southeast. And once again we are astonished by their creative energy.
We are also reassured by rich evidence that young people are truly engaged with the world and knowledgeable about not only the science and technology that are making our present speed ever faster into the future, but also about the rich cultural experience of our past.
The following pieces are a fine tribute to the talent of their authors and a true celebration of the expertise and nurturing support of their wonderful teachers. Pupils and teachers alike should be proud of their happy and productive rapport.
Enjoy.
Anthony Lyons Editor
The King’s School Canterbury
Design by Cobweb Creative
KillerTax
Jack
Goodwin
of Marlborough House argues against The Proposed Farmers’ Tax.
Iam a farmer’s son, and I come from a family of farmers. My great-grandfather had a farm that was both an arable and a livestock farm in Sheppey, and I now live with my family on an arable farm in Sussex. I am proud of my family’s farming heritage so I am sure you can imagine my anger and distress at the possibility that my heritage and my family’s future may be jeopardised by the new farmers’ tax being put in place by the recently-elected Labour government.
I
am severely worried about my future when taking over my dad’s farm when I am older. Will there even by a farm for me?
Now, farmland owned by famers – often for generations – is exempt from inheritance tax under a policy called ‘Agricultural Property Relief’ (APR). In the recent budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that she will end that exemption by restricting APR. This cut to APR will mean that from April 2026 a tax of 20% will be applied to all agricultural assets over £1 million. (Because of the existing tax-free threshold for inheritance tax, two parents leaving a farm to their children could potentially limit the tax to assets over £3 million.)
With such a huge tax bill to pay, many farmers believe that they will have to sell land to meet the costs. In response to this announcement by the government, many farmers
my heritage and my family’s future may be jeopardised by the new farmers’ tax.
The streets of the capital were filled with myriad tractors and farmers as they protested outside the Houses of Parliament.
have been protesting in London because they want to get rid of the inheritance tax. Most recently, the streets of the capital were filled with myriad tractors and farmers as they protested outside the Houses of Parliament.
With such a huge tax bill to pay, many farmers believe that they will have to sell land to meet the costs.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has said the protests have been persistent and peaceful and that this type of campaigning by farmers on this new inheritance tax could ‘get change’.
The Reform UK leader predicted that Labour MPs in rural seats would be ‘getting scared’ and would put pressure on Number 10 if they see ‘local communities getting behind these families’ who have been affected by the changes.
the continuedgovernmentLabourhas to state that they don’t want to change the law and will not be making any U-turns despite the protest.
But the Labour government has continued to state that they don’t want to change the law and will not be making any U-turns despite the protest. But they will have to start taking action and they cannot ignore the strong feelings of the farming community. Only last week an e-petition was presented to government with 148,000 signatures calling for an end to the tax.
I am strongly against the inheritance tax. I am severely worried about my future when taking over my dad’s farm when I am older. Will there even by a farm for me? And if there is, will I be able to afford to run it? Farmers and the farming community are vital to the UK in the provision of food – meat, dairy, grains and vegetables. Without us, people in the UK would really suffer. I appeal to our Labour Government to reconsider their enforcement of the inheritance tax for all our sakes.
NIGEL FARAGE, THE REFORM UK LEADER, HAS SAID THIS TYPE OF CAMPAIGNING BY FARMERS ON THIS NEW INHERITANCE TAX COULD ‘GET CHANGE’.
Farmers and the farming community are vital to the UK in the provision of food - meat, dairy, grains vegetables.and
Milking IT
whether we
Why are we the only mammals that drink another mammal’s milk? For many years now we have been consuming dairy products and drinking animal milk. But when did it all start ?
Around the year 8,000 BCE, during the Neolithic Revolution, we took our first sip of dairy. Initially, only farmers in Western Europe drank milk, but then it quickly spread to surrounding areas. We know this because scientists found traces of animal milk in early baby bottles from around 10,000 years ago.
It is not fully known why people started to drink animal milk but archaeologists think it was due to a lack of food at the time.
Not long after we started drinking milk, we started to produce other dairy products, like cheese and butter. Traces of these products were found in jars in ancient Egyptian tombs. Mass production didn’t start until the 18th Century when dairy products became a very normal part of our lives.
Even though we have been consuming dairy for several thousand years now, does that make it right? Dairy farming is detrimental to the environment. On average each cow emits 250 to 500 litres of methane into the atmosphere every day. Methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in our
atmosphere. This makes cows a major catalyst for climate change.
On average each cow emits 250 to 500 litres of methane into the atmosphere every day.
Not only are cows bad for the environment, but lots of the farms in which they are kept are unethical. Cows are kept in inhumane conditions, confining them to small spaces and separating calves from their mothers at a very young age, in some cases as young as one day old. Male calves are often shot at birth or sold for veal. In addition to the inhumane treatment of calves, female cows are frequently inseminated artificially, giving birth every nine months just to produce milk for us.
Ava Lily Welch of Holmewood House School asks
should consume Dairy Products.
Dairy is a great source of calcium, which is essential for strongmaintaining bones and teeth.
Despite this, drinking milk can have massive health benefits. Dairy is a great source of calcium, which is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth and preventing some conditions like osteoporosis. It also provides protein, which supports muscle growth and repair. Additionally, products like yogurt provide your body with healthy bacteria that support the immune system.
Nevertheless, many dairy products are high in saturated fats, which if consumed to excess can cause heart disease, obesity and high cholesterol. Not only can dairy be detrimental to your health but humans weren’t originally designed to consume dairy. When we are born we produce a chemical called lactase that used to disappear a year after our birth but now most of us have evolved to keep producing lactase. This is why some people still can’t consume dairy.
female cows are frequently inseminated artificially, giving birth every nine months just to produce milk for us.
In conclusion, as to whether or not someone should consume dairy products, it is ultimately their choice, but if we choose to keep consuming dairy we must change the way we produce it and the amount of it we consume due to the impact it is having on global warming.
This can be done is several ways. For example, changing the type of food dairy cattles consume can lower the amount of methane they produce. The feed that is currently used causes mass deforestation in its production, which also isn’t good for the environment. We could also eat dairy products in moderation, thereby lowering the risk to our health. And if we do decide to buy dairy products then we should make sure the items are free-range. Nevertheless, I think that it is unethical and unhealthy to continue consuming dairy products with their cruelty and a potentially devastating effect on the environment.
Not only are cows bad for the environment, but lots of the farms in which they are kept are unethical.
Tough Love
Alannah
Johnston of Broomwood counts the cost of caring for a loved one.
When a family member falls ill, some people believe it is your duty to help them and ensure they are okay. However, what people often don’t consider is the detrimental impact of that duty. There are many reasons why people feel compelled to take on this responsibility, but a major factor is pressure. Pressure is the feeling that you must care for them and that you will appear selfish if you don’t. This can lead to built-up resentment towards your loved one, because you feel obliged to look after them. However, what many fail to realize is that you also need to take care of yourself.
Statistics show that 31% of people feel resentment towards their ill loved ones, as they feel forced to care for them instead of doing all the things they would have done if their family member were not ill. This resentment can cause you to blame your loved one, preventing you from fully cherishing the time you have left together.
over you like a shadow every day. Statistics show that 25% of people experience increased social stress when they have an ill family member, as they pour all their energy into that one relationship, neglecting others. As a result, their other relationships break down, adding even more stress; on top of the sadness they already feel at home, they also feel isolated.
if their battle is lost, you may feel as though you have failed them, that you didn’t do enough.
Being a caregiver can also lead to mental exhaustion. Taking care of someone can overwhelm your mind, making it difficult to process your own emotions. Your thoughts become consumed by everything you need to do, and one difficult situation can spiral into a mental breakdown. For younger individuals, it can also make focusing on schoolwork challenging, as their minds are preoccupied with how to help their loved ones rather than their studies.
The selfless act of prioritizing someone else over yourself can have a bigger impact than we realize. The stress of constantly having to take care of someone can feel like a burden, looming
But the worst part, the thing that slowly eats you up inside, is the feeling of failure. If the disease wins, if their battle is lost, you may feel as though you have failed them, that you didn’t do enough. You may carry the crushing weight of believing you were responsible for their death when in reality there was nothing you could have done. The distress of having your daily life torn apart and feeling responsible for something beyond your control is incomparable. It chips away at you slowly until you become a shell of your former self, until the person staring back at you in the mirror feels unrecognisable. If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. Studies show that 24% of people experience depression in the first two months after losing a loved one, and 7% of them go on to develop chronic depression: that’s more than one in six.
When you lose a loved one, they say you experience a range of emotions. Some people feel shock, denial, or disbelief, while others feel relief that their loved one is no longer suffering or anger that life could be so cruel. But remember: everyone processes grief in their own way, and no matter what you go through, there will always be people who love you. Even though it may feel as if you are alone, you are not alone.
Fast Learner
Jacob Rowley of Solefield has mixed feelings about the evolution of AI.
Have you ever heard of flying or self-driving cars, or even robots that do your housework or drones that clean windows? Well, they are all powered and work from AI (Artificial Intelligence). AI refers to systems that can perform tasks requiring human-like intelligence, such as problem-solving, learning and decision-making, with a speed that humans could not match. In the 1950s AI wasn’t being used, but it was an area undergoing research. Today, years later, people are thinking about whether their jobs may be taken over by AI, or even if AI will take over the world.
AI was created between 1950 and 1956, largely by John McCarthy and Alan Turing, who were responsible in different ways for its development. It was first used in the 1950s for symbolic reasonings and rule-based systems. In 1966 the first AI robot was made by SRI’s
Artificial Intelligence Centre. It could perform basic tasks such as navigating a room and manipulating objects.
Since it was first created, AI has changed significantly. It was originally rule-based logic and could mimic a human conversation but it lacked levels of understanding. Today, you can easily access advanced online AI Chat software (ChatGPT or Deep Seek) and request them to answer, consider or improve a range of questions or statements. This AI software is now being used regularly in the workplace and across the world.
Voice-Controlled
Virtual Assistants, such as Apple Siri and Amazon Alexa, use AI and were created to provide everyday help from weather to TV timings.
patient treatment and diagnosis. In the world of ICT, AI is helping to develop digital copies of IT environments and situations to simulate expected outcomes and results. Voice Controlled Virtual Assistants, such as Apple Siri and Amazon Alexa, use AI and were created to provide everyday help from weather to TV timings. AI also plays a significant role in platforms for social media. For instance, in Facebook and TikTok, social networking learning user preferences use AI and it assists in searches, showing topics which the user might be interested in.
Unsurprisingly, AI is now being introduced into all aspects of life. In healthcare, it is helping to develop new drugs and to simulate outcomes of
My current favourite example of AI, which even my Nan just got as a Christmas present, is an AI-based robot vacuum cleaner. Robot vacuum cleaners are trained to learn the home
Robot vacuum cleaners are trained to learn the home, size obstacles and cleaning schedules of the owner.
size, obstacles and cleaning schedules of the owner. They work their way around your house, vacuuming and mopping for you, 24 hours a day. The Robot vacuum can also detect objects in its way, navigate around them, empty the vacuum bag and return to home when the battery level becomes low or needs charging.
In the future, AI will be a huge part of our lives and will be everywhere. I can picture a time when we will need it as much as we need electricity. An example of the future is possibly an AI flying a commercial airliner may become safer because 70% to 80% of plane crashes are caused by human error (pilot mistakes).
Sadly, there is another side to this: not everyone believes AI will be safe to use. Since AI works using coding, if someone were to hack into the system and change the code to instruct the
AI FLYING A COMMERCIAL AIRLINER may become safer because 70% to 80% of plane crashes are caused by human error.
This AI software is now being used regularly in the workplace and across the world.
aircraft to crash, the AI would follow the code and so therefore it would crash. However, in reality, there would be a huge amount of cybersecurity behind any such system to minimise the risk of hacking.
So, AI certainly provokes mixed opinions, but I believe AI is appropriate and useful for some things, but not for everything. For example, I think AI is currently very useful in making decisions or proposals using large amounts of data, quickly. But AI shouldn't take over all jobs as eventually there we be no jobs left for humans and no way for them to make money, so they couldn’t afford to live a normal life. There is definitely a balance to be struck in the use of AI, but there is little doubt that it will play its part in our future.
All
aboard!
Alice Broadbridge of Marlborough House loves to let off steam.
Picture the scene: a sleek, shining steam train races through the English countryside. The Stockton and Darlington has arrived. Where did it all start? The first steam engine was invented 2,000 years ago in Ancient Greece. Leonardo da Vinci used this idea to create a steam cannon and an engine in the 1600s. In the United Kingdom, James Watt invented a steam engine in 1769 and then, in 1814, Stephenson built the first steam locomotive. These two people are the most wellknown inventors connected to steam locomotion but there were many stops along the way.
The first steam engine was invented 2,000 years ago in Ancient Greece.
The Stockton and Darlington Railway was the first public railway in the world, opening exactly 200 years ago. Between 1826 and 1836, 378 miles of track were laid. In 1870, 423 million passengers were using 16,000 miles of track. By the late 1800s, trains were steaming ahead at 100 mph.
We all know that steam trains burn coal and this powers the train, but what happens in between? The heat from the burning coal boils the water. When this steam is compressed, it expands and pushes a piston. This piston moves and turns the wheel. When the steam is released, the piston moves back, and the process starts all over
We all know that steam trains burn coal and this powers the train, but what happens in between?
If you are a Harry Potter fan, then travel to London King’s Cross or travel on the Royal Scotsman train over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
how about getting your hands dirty at one of the many steam train conservation sites around the UK?
Bodiam Castle rising out of the steam to greet you. As you step off the train, don’t forget that Bodiam Castle is more than a millennium younger than the steam engine!
The Bluebell Railway is a charity that supports the conservation of locomotives and their heritage.
again. The to-and-fro movement of the piston pushes the coupling rod which connects the wheels to each other. This all sounds very technical, but I would just recommend that you close your eyes and imagine the chug and hiss of the engine in motion. Bliss!
Between 1826 and 1836, 378 miles of track were laid. In 1870, 423 million passengers were using 16,000 miles of track.
Where can an enthusiast go to ride on a steam train? I would recommend the Kent and East Sussex Railway (KESR), which is a heritage railway based in Tenterden. It has been running for 120 years. The KESR was the very first ‘light railway’ to be built. Light railways have full-sized trains but run at low speeds. The trains run through the Wealden countryside in the Rother Valley, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The journey ends at Bodiam where, looking up, you can see
YOU CAN JOIN THE TEAM OF EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS TO PRESERVE AND GET BACK ONTO THE RAIL'S MANY LOCOMOTIVES WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT ON THE SCRAP HEAP.
If you want to do more than just sit back and watch the world go by, then how about getting your hands dirty at one of the many steam train conservation sites around the UK? The Bluebell Railway is a charity that supports the conservation of locomotives and their heritage. They have a volunteer programme so you can join the team of experienced volunteers to preserve and get back onto the rail's many locomotives which, without their help, would have been left on the scrap heap. Also, remember that every contribution you make is crucial to preserving the rich heritage of steam trains.
The trains run through the Wealden countryside in the Rother Valley, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
If you are a Harry Potter fan, then travel to London King’s Cross or travel on the Royal Scotsman train over the Glenfinnan Viaduct. This is the stunning journey that is often featured in the Harry Potter film series. If you’re feeling extra adventurous – and have a few more pounds to spend – the ultimate steam train journey would be aboard the Orient Express while it takes you on a trip across Europe through Strasbourg, Munich and Vienna.
There is nothing like sitting in style and being serenaded by the lullaby of the chug-chug-chug clacketyclack of a steam locomotive. So, if you fancy letting off a bit of steam, and reminiscing about the good old days of travel, then take a trip this weekend and discover the thrill and excitement of traveling by steam.
There is nothing like sitting in style and being serenaded by the lullaby of the chugchug-chug clacketyclack of a steam locomotive.
Panic Pandemic
Emilia Weston of Brambletye wonders how deadly Covid really was.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the cost of running frontline NHS services by about £5 billion a year. This is because COVID took the world by surprise. No one was ready for it.
Up to 36.5 million people died from the COVID-19 virus, and the likelihood of COVID-19 disappearing any time soon is very low. To put this into perspective, the world population is around 8.2 billion so 0.45% of humans died from COVID-19, whilst around 704,753,890 people contracted it. More than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occurred in people over the age of 65. The elderly and people with health disorders were
mainly affected because their immune systems are not as proficient, and the virus was hard to control because it spread through the air.
However, in contrast between 75-200 million people died from the Black Death and an estimated 50 million from the 1918 flu, yet the 1846-1860 Cholera outbreak only caused around one million deaths. So why is it that we remember all of these diseases as equally bad? Well, it’s all about context. The Cholera outbreak was predominantly caused by limited
the annual likelihood of a pandemic is 2-3%, which means a 47-57% probability of another deadly pandemic in the next 25 years.
access to safe water, basic sanitation facilities and poor and unclean hygiene practices. However, the Black Death and the 1918 flu spread differently – both via ships, but the Black Death through rats, and the flu through military transport.
At the time of the Cholera outbreak clean water was hard to come by so the fact that it spread this way would have been a real problem, but if such a disease were to appear now it is likely that it would not spread as far because basic sanitation is not an issue for a good amount of
between 75 - 200 million people died from the Black Death and an estimated 50 million from the 1918 flu.
people. The same applies for the Black Death and flu pandemics: because it has already happened the world has learned to prevent those things happening again by putting safety measures in place.
When learning about the Black Death in history people would joke and say, ‘Well, I’m glad that's never going to happen to us!’ It turns out they were wrong. COVID is one of the worst pandemics the world has seen in a while. In a few years people will learn about it in schools and you’ll be able to say that you lived
through it. People never think that THEY will be the ones to experience something so awful, yet the likelihood is always there. According to the Centre for Global Development, the annual likelihood of a pandemic is 2–3%, which means a 47–57% probability of another deadly pandemic in the next 25 years.
The Cholera outbreak was predominantly caused by limited access to safe water, basic sanitation facilities and poor and unclean hygiene practices.
In the United States, more people died from COVID in 2020 and 2021 than during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which was widely called the most deadly in recorded history.
Well, the word ‘deadly’ certainly applies to COVID-19.
Up to 36.5 million people died from the COVID-19 virus, and the likelihood of disappearingCOVID-19any time soon is very low.
Dark Horizon
Carter West of Brambletye looks into the abyss.
Black holes are one of the most interesting naturally occurring phenomena. They were once considered theoretical and are still one of the most mysterious objects that humanity has encountered. They were first theorised by a parson named John Mitchell in 1783 and were then proven by mathematician Roger Penrose in 1965.
The formation of a black hole begins when a star is born from a nebula. It compresses mass into a ball that creates an enormous amount of pressure and heat, which ignites hydrogen and helium to set a star burning. Over billions of years they gain mass and grow into the enormous stars that we see in the night sky, but behind this facade of heat and light there is a titanic struggle between immensely strong gravity and pressure created by the immense heat of the star. These balanced forces lead to no change in the size of the star because it is held together by gravity and pushed apart by pressure.
the black hole. This disk is accelerated to immense speeds by the gravity of the black hole pulling the light and matter in as well as the centrifugal force generated by the black hole’s rotation.
Then there is the event horizon, which is an invisible line where, once crossed, it is impossible to go the other way. This is what makes a black hole black. There are extreme differential tidal forces between inside and outside the event horizon, meaning an unusual phenomenon where an object is stretched because the lower part experiences far more gravity than the upper half, a process is known as spaghettification.
an object is stretched because the lower part experiences far more gravity than the upper half, a process is known as spaghettification.
Finally, there is the singularity, the core of a black hole, which is a single point of infinite density that is so massive that it does not curve the fabric of spacetime, but instead punches a dent so steep that it is impossible to climb out of. This is why the event horizon is inescapable, because the gravitational field of the black hole is completely sheer.
However, after billions of years the star runs out of fuel and is unable to resist the pull of gravity when the pressure generated by the heat is no longer present, so all the mass of the star rushes inwards. When all the mass of the star condenses at the core, the outer layer rebounds with a lot of heat and kinetic energy. This is called a supernova. However, if a star is massive enough, it will again collapse into a black hole.
A black hole is constructed from three main parts which are all integral to the structure of the black hole, the first of which is the accretion disk, which is a ring of matter and light orbiting
Overall, black holes are incredibly interesting and mysterious and one of their strangest features is their near-complete lack of any characteristics. When a star collapses into a black hole, it abandons all of its previous features and is now defined by three numbers: rotation velocity, electric charge and mass. Black holes have no chemical composition, no known colour, and emit no light, so they are practically invisible, and since they are so far out of reach and they are so new to science, who knows what we may learn from them?
of Life Spice
Rosie Worth of Holmewood House explains how spices have
changed the world.
Spices have had a lasting and vital impact on human civilization, contributing to developments in trade and culture. Spices were more than just a cooking ingredient; they were a crucial part in the history of European exploration. In its day, the great demand for spices led to the establishment of many international trade routes that laid the foundation for today’s global economy.
The earliest written records of spices come from ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures, including over 800 herbal and medicinal remedies. Countries soon realised the endless uses of spices and they became so important that they were treated as a currency. The demand shot up and soon European countries wanted to join the spice race. People realised their
importance in medicine, rituals (they have healing properties), and perfumes. When the uses for spices went up so did the demand – European countries now wanted to establish trade routes, with connections to Asia.
Trading spices made explorers discover new parts of the world, which led to the Age of Discovery. This is because the desire for spice was evergrowing, especially in Europe. Since spices were much cheaper in Asian countries, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama travelled in search of these exotically flavoured spices and on his way he discovered many new islands. The Americans were not part of this spice race because of the vast ocean
Spices are used in cooking numerous tasty dishes every day but, in reality, they shaped the world as we know it today.
that separated them from Europe. Therefore, spices were mainly traded in the Eastern world. Da Gama was the first European to reach the East Indies by sea, which linked Europe and Asia by maritime routes. Because European kings and queens wanted spices, they sent many sea navigators to explore the East and trade spices, leading to a new age of exploration and discovery, thereby opening up a whole new world.
Back when spices were in high demand from across the globe they were treated as a currency. Spices have many medicinal, herbal and culinary uses. It was also because the journey from
Trading spices made explorers discover new parts of the world, which led to the Age of Discovery.
Europe to Eastern Asia was long and expensive, especially when trying to transport spices. They were also viewed as a symbol of wealth, which the rich could use to flaunt their success. Since only a small percentage of spices could grow in Europe, it was essential that the trade routes to Asia were kept open.
Spices are used in cooking numerous tasty dishes every day but, in reality, they shaped the world as we know it today. Countries explored much of Eurasia and the new, previously unexplored, world in pursuit of spices. So, when next you sprinkle some cinnamon on your pancakes, stop and think about the story behind that rich, fragrant powder.
People realised their importance in medicine, rituals (they have healing properties), and perfumes.
TusksVanishing
the evolution of tuskless elephants. Lucy Sawtell of SJCS looks into
Are elephants losing their tusks?
Research has shown that some African elephants are naturally losing their tusks. In Mozambique, particularly, because of the civil war that was fought between 1977 and 1992, many elephants don’t have tusks, which helps them avoid poachers. During the civil war, 90% of the elephants were shot and killed for the ivory in their tusks, which was sold to fund the war.
This is undoubtedly one of the major reasons many elephants in Gorongosa National Park (the largest national park in Mozambique) don’t have tusks. Other places, such as Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Selous National Park in Tanzania, also have a higher-than-usual percentage of tuskless elephants.
On average, about 6% of the population of African elephants never grow tusks. However, in Gorongosa National Park, 50% of females over 25 years old (in human years) are born tuskless, and 33% of females between the ages of 15 and 25 years old are also born tuskless; this includes the generation born after the war ended in 1992.
Tusklessness, like the colour of their eyes or the size of their ears, is an inherited trait. It is biological, and that’s why many of the Gorongosa elephants don’t have tusks — the tuskless females from the war passed the genetic trait down to their offspring. They were not poached so this is in fact a living and rapid example of natural selection. Amazing.
Normally, elephants are at a disadvantage when they don’t have tusks, particularly males. Elephants’ tusks are essentially elongated teeth that grow throughout their
lifetime. Elephants use their tusks for various tasks, such as pulling down trees to access leaves and fruit. They also use them to dig holes in the ground to reach water.
Bull elephants (males) also use their tusks to fight with other bulls to win access to females. They raise their tusks and charge at one another. So, if a bull doesn’t have tusks, they are at a disadvantage, and they risk being seriously injured. For this reason, even in Gorongosa, tuskless males are rare. Tuskless females are less uncommon, since they don’t need tusks for fighting and so they aren’t as necessary.
Savannah elephants, especially, are vital to the African plains ecosystem. They rip down trees to get to the leaves and nutrients above, helping to keep the savannah from turning into a forest. This, of course, is very important because many other animals rely on the savannah environment to survive.
This new change, the tuskless elephant, may have positive effects. For example, historically bull elephants fight each other with their tusks for access to females, but now being tuskless changes the dynamic. This data shows that even though terrible things have happened and are happening to animals, they can still fight back. These new discoveries are showing new possibilities for the survival of elephants.
in Gorongosa National Park, 50% of females over 25 years old (in human years) are born tuskless.
Elephants’ tusks are teethelongatedessentially that grow throughoutlifetime.their
The Spotify Difference
Hannah You of Holmewood House shows how Spotify beat the music competition.
Spotify has a staggering 31.7% share in the music streaming market, with over 600 million active users, including me and maybe even yourself, and it has generated nearly $60 billion for the music industry since its founding. Have you ever wondered how, in a world teeming with endless options, Spotify is so popular with music fans? Is it their unique features? Or their irresistible design? Or perhaps excelling in customisation? Well, let’s find out.
First, Spotify came about in 2006 when Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon founded the service initially. This was a response to the music industry’s decline due to the overwhelming rise of pirated downloads, which meant hardly anyone was paying to stream music. Ek said that he realised they could never legislate away from piracy and the only solution was to create something that was better than piracy, and at the same time compensated artists. But how could they convince users that what they had was better than free? The answer was speed, something so luxurious that pirated sites like Napster lacked it greatly. Often, it would take
hours to download just one album on Napster, but Spotify could be streamed straight away. It had a seamless and smooth feel, with near instantaneous reactions at the click of a button. Now this deluxe experience is what drew people in and made them want to come back.
how could they convince users that what they had was better than free?
innovation.’ This sparked a major controversy, enabling the issues to die down for Spotify, but also exposing Apple and making users run to Spotify’s side.
The answer was speed, something so luxurious that pirated sites like Napster lacked it greatly.
Another big question is, how did Spotify defeat the biggest tech company in the world? Apple had an advantage with their app coming pre-installed on all Apple devices and belonging to a reputable name. However, Spotify had a head start, launching their platform in over 30 new markets, such as Vietnam and South Africa in 2015, before Apple Music had even debuted. With a firm hold in these countries, people were less likely to switch to Apple. Apple fought the competition by denying communications to Spotify in the app store and even rejected Spotify app updates twelve times, delaying crucial features and bug fixes. Spotify eventually filed an antitrust complaint in early 2024, accusing Apple of ‘stifling
Additionally, unlike Apple’s paid-only model, Spotify can be enjoyed across all devices and offers a free tier. Having a free tier available makes it more accessible so it’s more probable that people will want to try it, and because the unpaid version of Spotify is so frustrating and restrictive, people are then more likely to upgrade to Premium. Something else that sets Spotify apart is that they really know how to appeal to people’s need for self-expression. Their features make users’ experiences very much their own, from personally curated ‘Daylists’ to their AI DJ mode. More personalised qualities create a sense of exclusivity and intimacy, enabling listeners to feel more special. What’s more, Spotify has also expanded their platform to other media with the addition of audiobooks and podcasts, unlike Apple Music’s subscription, which includes neither.
Last, there is Spotify Wrapped, their most strategic marketing campaign.
I’m sure most of you have at least heard of Spotify’s annual music recap, where users get to see statistics and insights on their listening patterns of the year. This famed event began in 2016, completely taking the world by storm, and remains a viral phenomenon. The event encourages users to share and compare their Wrapped with others, which has turned into a competition between users. People try to see if they have more listening time or have ‘better music taste’ than their peers. This competitive element has made Wrapped so important to fans they will change their listening behaviours for a different Spotify Wrapped result. Not only that, but Spotify Wrapped drives a ‘fear of missing out’ between
Few companies have reshaped an industry the way Spotify has, and its success isn’t just about streaming music.
non-users. The uneasy feeling of being unable to partake in such a talked-about event quietly urges people to start using Spotify. Wrapped also subtly pushes listeners to spend more time streaming music, knowing that it will contribute to their statistics at the end of the year. Services like Apple Music and YouTube Music have all taken this idea of a year in summary and made it their own, showing just how colossal Spotify Wrapped’s cultural impact has been.
Few companies have reshaped an industry the way Spotify has, and its success isn't just about streaming music. Spotify has redefined the ways we can engage, enjoy and discover music, setting an example for all other streaming platforms. Its journey is not without setbacks and struggles, and to achieve this level of popularity is already unthinkable for companies like Apple and Tencent. Whether they can stay at the top with the rising competition is yet to be seen, but their imprint in the music landscape is, undeniably, like no other.
Apple fought the competition by denying communications to Spotify in the app store and even rejected Spotify app updates twelve times
TheBest
Why Melody Caruana of JKS loves Tina Turner.
Tina Turner didn’t just have an incredible voice; she also had a story. Not many people know what she went through: I really hope that can change. I, too, didn’t know about this heroic figure; all I knew was she sang a banging song about a river. I haven’t just Googled and researched her. I have travelled a whole journey to discover who she is. I was in Tina Turner the Musical in the West End last summer. Every night, the cast would dedicate the show to her. It was amazing. It’s time to know the real TINA.
Our hero was born in Nutbush, Tennessee. She was brought up there with her mother (Zelma Bullock), her father (Richard Bullock), and her sister (Alline Bullock). Her real name was Anna-Mae Bullock. Anna-Mae’s parents split up and left her with her grandmother, Gigi. When Gigi passed away, Anna-Mae went to live with her mother and sister in St. Louis and that’s where she met Ike Turner.
sounded better to him. Soon Ike proposed to Tina, yet she secretly was having an affair with Raymond Hill, who played the saxophone in the band. Tina said yes, but Ike soon found out and kicked Raymond out of the band. Tina soon had her first child, but Raymond was the father. Tina named him Raymond Craig Turner, but Ike changed it to Craig Raymond Turner.
Ike was awful to Tina. She would perform every night for him, exhausted, but Ike would force her to go on, even when she felt like fainting. Tina would always have the inclination to leave him, and she knew it was right. Ike would soon be on his knees because he was nothing without her, but she snapped out of it and left him, even though he was begging her to come back. They soon divorced.
She managed to push through the tough times and become the absolute icon of all time.
Tina met her dangerous partner at Club Manhattan. Ike asked Anna-Mae to tour with him and, of course, she wanted a career, so she agreed. Their voices sounded perfect together when beats turned to rhythms, rhythms turned to tunes and tunes turned to songs. Some of their early bops were ‘A Fool in Love’, ‘It’s Gonna Work Out Fine’ and ‘I Idolize You’. It seems as if everything was easy for Anna-Mae, but behind the scenes Ike acted as if he was a different man. He reportedly loved Anna-Mae, but he was violent and abusive. Eventually, Ike decided that Anna-Mae wasn’t the right name: Tina
Tina felt worthless. She had barely any money now and was just about getting by, but our warrior opened a fresh page of a new chapter. People still wanted to hear Tina’s voice and a young man called Roger Davies asked to be Tina’s manager, and he helped her entitle herself ‘The Queen of Rock n’ Roll’. Tina went to London to re-build her (solo) career. Ike would still try to stay in contact with her, but she didn’t dare speak to him again. Roger was incredible: he wanted the best for Tina, but Tina was going her own way and no one else’s. Tina met a German man called Erwin Bach, a record company executive. Tina and Erwin soon fell in love. She managed to push through the tough times and become the absolute icon of all time. She’s simply the best.
Song & Dance
The chemical produced in your brain called dopamine produces happiness; this is scientifically proven to increase when dance and music are undertaken. This creates a positive impact on your mental health, and it can improve your mood. Most importantly, for many people they are an effective way to manage stress and anxiety. As an added benefit, music and dance help you focus on the present moment, which shifts your attention away from the worries and stresses of the world, creating a sense of calm and happiness.
Dance, in particular, such as learning choreography, has been shown to stimulate many different areas of the brain. It improves memory and coordination and even concentration,
which strengthens neural connections within the brain and improves its functions. It has also been proven to help neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganise itself due to new neural connections forming. In daily life, it enhances problemsolving and positivity. These are productive triggers to engage the creative parts of your brain.
The real charm lies in their ability to allow a means of uninhibited expression and emotion.
crucial. They let you think creatively, and these activities will expose the brain to many different ways of thinking. They can lead to being more focused and having more perseverance. Second, as you get older, your bones become more fragile, and small injuries such as falling are more severe. Dance can reduce these risks, improving mobility and balance.
On a physical note, dance is beneficial for your cardiovascular health at all ages, but increasingly as you get older there are two things that dance and music can prevent. First, it is possible to lose touch with your imagination, which is why dance and music are so
Alongside the physical benefits of dance, research has shown that, after surgery or an injury, music can play an important part in recovery. Over the past few years, there have been many instances of music aiding a patient’s recovery because it has reduced anxiety and perceived pain. In some hospitals,
Madeleine Long of Holmewood House says song and dance will do you good.
It has been proven that music releases endorphins, the chemicals that help you manage pain.
doctors offer music to calm patients and reduce pain. It has been proven that music releases endorphins, the chemicals that help you manage pain. Dance also has played a similar role in recovery. Moving your body gently helps improve circulation, and it boosts the immune system, changing its function to be more resistant to illnesses. All of these contribute to faster healing and better outcomes.
dance and music have a profound role to play socially. Both bring people together.
Beyond the physical aspect, dance and music have a profound role to play socially. Both bring people together. Whether it’s a dance class or a concert, participating in these activities helps individuals connect with others and share emotions. But, most importantly, the experiences in music or dance create a sense of belonging and unity, by which people feel they are part of a community.
Dance, in particular, such as haschoreography,learning been shown to stimulate many different areas of the brain.
Music and dance also offer a sense of self-expression and individuality. You communicate with your emotions that you can’t find words for and this creative release can be incredibly calming, and it also helps to foster emotional growth and self-awareness. For many, these activities become a safe space for self-exploration. Whether through movement or sound, the act of expressing yourself can provide a sense of clarity and belonging.
In conclusion, both music and dance offer a wide range of benefits, in addition to being enjoyable. Not only do they enhance cognitive functions, but they also improve physical health. Dance and music can be enjoyed at any age, bringing benefits to both toddlers and the elderly alike. The real charm lies in their ability to allow a means of uninhibited expression and emotion. So, what are you waiting for?
explains why riding is fun. Poppy Ellvers of Marlborough House
my favourite show-jumpingis because it is exciting, and my horse really enjoys the challenge.
Do you want to be outside with animals having lots of fun? Have you tried horse riding? Well, I have, and I fell in love with the sport. In my opinion, there is nothing better than spending quality time with horses; it is simply the best thing to do on the weekend. Horse riding makes you feel free like nothing could stop you in life, except falling off! I have experience with that, but you shouldn’t let that worry you and stop you from fulfilling your dreams.
If you are not one of those lucky people who have a horse, you can go to a riding school and ride a horse at the weekend, and if you like the idea of horse riding you could ask some horsey friends for a little ride on one of their ponies to see if it is something you would like to pursue. If you go to a riding lesson, for the first week you will probably learn how to steer your pony or horse and get the horse to listen to your leg.
You will need a riding hat and some comfortable riding boots; you can have black or brown boots: it's your choice! If you are a bit of a nervous rider, then I would advise you to wear a body protector when you go to the riding school. Sometimes, they supply them anyway.
Riding competitions are the perfect way to test your skills. There are three disciplines: show-jumping, dressage and cross-country, but if you are feeling confident you can try all three by eventing! Personally, my favourite is show-jumping because it is exciting, and my horse really enjoys the challenge. Competitions are a really good way to boost your confidence and to bond with your pony. You can enter riding competitions as an individual or as part of a team, whether it be a pony club team or a school team. Representing my school team gives me a huge sense of pride and I love wearing the school hat silk with its bright orange pom-pom!
Although riding your pony can be thrilling, there is nothing better than the bond you can build with your pony. Ponies aren’t just pets; they are friends and family too. They always listen to you and make you feel confident. To build this special bond, our ponies love being groomed because it makes them feel relaxed, and their muscles calm down if they are tense and on high alert.
Of course, not everyone can have their own pony but that doesn't mean you can't achieve your ambition. If it sounds like a sport you would like to try, then get in touch with your local stables to find out how to get started.
Horse riding makes you feel free like nothing could stop you in life, except falling off!
THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH HORSES.
If you go to a riding lesson, for the first week you will probably learn how to steer your pony or horse and get the horse to listen to your leg.
Photo Unreal
The photo was taken using an array of telescopes located at eight different radio observatories around the world.
People see many photos of black holes, but most of them are either artistic representations or AI-processed reconstructions because it is very hard to take a photo of one. Messier 87's black hole is approximately 53.49 million light-years away, and it is a region of extreme gravity where light cannot escape due to the immense gravitational pull of a collapsed star.
You can tell that the black hole is there by looking at the dazzling rim of light surrounding it, caused by the extreme gravitational pull bending and capturing surrounding material.
In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) captured a photo of the supermassive black hole M87. You can tell that the black hole is there by looking at the dazzling rim of light surrounding it, caused by the extreme gravitational pull bending and capturing surrounding material. Scientists managing EHT admitted that it looked very similar to another one, Sagittarius A*, which is 4.3 million times bigger than the Sun. The only difference is that M87 is 1500 times bigger than that.
The photo was taken using an array of telescopes located at eight different radio observatories around the world. Two hundred scientists were stationed at these separate posts, and most were on standby all the time because they had to wait until the weather was clear at all eight stations. It was a painful process, and they had to work for over a decade to achieve their goal.
The person in charge of taking the photo was Dr. Katie Bouman, who ‘hardly knew what a black hole was’ before she played a key role in
developing the algorithm that helped process the image. A professor from Frankfurt University said, ‘We have transformed a mathematical concept, that of the event horizon, into a physical object – something we can test, and we can measure, and we can observe repeatedly.’ Scientists involved were very proud of their work and felt an ambivalent sense of celebration and relief once they were done.
However, there is a dark side to this photo. Some scientists do not believe that it is real because the image looks slightly distorted. Sceptical people ask where the light is coming from, or why you cannot see a visible photon ring on the outside of the black hole. Since M87 is a rotating black hole, you should see a small ring not far off from the centre to indicate the zone of photons.
It is, however, unlikely that this is a fake photo because that kind of deception could cost the scientists their jobs. The absence of a clearly visible photon ring is likely owing to the image resolution rather than evidence of deception. Learning and discovering space and its potential threats is important, and it helps us discover new scientific concepts.
Amelia Rhys Jones of Newton Prep takes a look at a dazzling photo of space.
Image: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). ESO/Jos Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco. org), EHT Collaboration.
The ultimate productivity hack is to say ‘No’. After all, not doing something is always quicker than doing it, and there is no meeting that goes faster than no meeting at all. This does not mean you should never attend a meeting ever again, but the harsh reality is that most people say yes to things they do not really want to do.
How often do you agree to a favour, only to find yourself unexpectedly overwhelmed a week later by an ever-growing to-do list? We tend to become frustrated by our obligations and yet we are the ones who said yes to them in the first place. It is worth considering whether these deeds are necessary. Most are not, and saying no is nearly always more productive than saying yes. However, if the benefits of saying no are so obvious, why do we keep saying yes?
Many of those in power take saying no for granted. It is true that turning someone down is easier when you have a safety net of money and power, but learning to do so wisely can also be a key to success. It’s an important skill to learn as it saves the most important asset in your life –time.
saying no is nearly always more productive than saying yes. However, if the benefits of saying no are so obvious, why do we keep saying yes?
You need to say no to whatever is not leading you toward your goals. The fewer distractions, the higher the productivity. Of course, a balance must be struck here. Saying no doesn’t mean you will never say yes again, but it simply means you will be able to stay on track toward your goals. Conversely, if a task or favour moves you toward your goals, it might be worth saying yes.
Most of the time, we do not want to come across as rude or lazy and, given that we will most likely meet again in the future, we want to maintain good relationships with others. We often prioritise maintaining good relationships over simply saying no, fearing that it may leave a lasting impression of arrogance. Because of this, we must be kind and direct when saying no, offering a warmhearted response.
Saying no is an art. It’s a word so powerful it can decide your future. It can prevent meaningless tasks and can keep you focused on your work with no distractions. This could be labeled a hack, but in reality it is quite a task to get the hang of. Do be judicious in your use of saying no. If you are on your way to an important meeting, and a police officer pulls you over for speeding, that is probably not the right time to say no. After all, saving minutes in the short term shouldn’t come at the cost of losing them by serving time.
Saying no is an art. It’s a word so powerful it can decide your future.
AtNot All No,
Caspar Amos of Newton Prep says that sometimes saying no is the only option.
Dressing Up
Sophia Sun of SJCS traces the ups and downs of the cheongsam.
The cheongsam (旗袍) is a type of women's clothing invented by the Manchu people during the Republic of China period, and was produced massively in the 1920s.
In 1929, the government of the Republic of China introduced the ‘Clothing System Regulations’, which defined the traditional coat and skirt of Han women and the Cheongsam as women's formal wear. After the founding of New China following the revolution of 1949, the Cheongsam was gradually neglected, especially during the Cultural Revolution: the dress was regarded as ‘feudal dregs’ and ‘bourgeois sentiment’, and was criticised.
During the 1980s, with the re-emphasis on traditional culture, as well as the influence of film and television, fashion shows, and beauty pageants, the Cheongsam not only revived in the mainland but also spread to various fashions around the world.
gently in the breeze, exuding a faint fragrance. They are arranged one by one on the lapel, as if a path of flowers blooms on the lapel.
The colours and patterns of the cheongsam are rich and colourful. A golden phoenix is often embroidered below the waist, as if it is reborn in the fire, full of vitality and vigour; the elegant blue is dotted with white orchids, like a fresh ink painting, which makes people feel relaxed and happy. Every colour and every pattern seems to have its own soul.
the Cheongsam was gradually neglected, especially during the Cultural Revolution: the dress was regarded as ‘feudal dregs’.
The style of the cheongsam has changed over time. In the past, the sleeves were very long, tightly wrapped around the arms, and the hem was also very long, dragging on the ground, like a noble princess when walking. Today's Cheongsam has become more fashionable while retaining its traditional charm. The sleeves may become shorter, and the hem may be slightly raised, making it easier to move.
The first time I saw Cheongsam was on TV. At that time, Shi Yi, played by Bai Lu, was wearing a Cheongsam. She had a graceful figure and walked slowly. At that moment, I seemed to have a spell cast over me, and I could no longer look away from her. Since then, I have been full of curiosity about Cheongsam.
The Cheongsam looks unique. The neckline is small and round, like a carefully carved jade, firmly fitting under the neck. The buttons are undoubtedly the finishing touch of the Cheongsam. They are exquisite and ingenious, and their shapes are varied, like miniature works of art. Some buttons are of small and exquisite flowers, and the delicate folds seem to be the gentle traces left by the breeze. The stamens are carefully outlined with silk threads, just like real flowers swaying
I especially hope that one day I can wear a beautiful cheongsam. Imagine walking in the quaint alleys, with the sun shining on you. How beautiful it would be! I believe that, even if time passes, the beauty of Cheongsam will never disappear. It will always exude a unique charm.
Wonder Horse
Eldar Eldarov was a brilliant racehorse loved by many people. He was known for his stamina and speed. He won many races but the best-known ones are the Queen’s Vase in 2022, the St Leger in 2022 and the Irish St Leger in 2023. The best races that a racehorse can win are the G1 classics and there are only five of these each year: they are the Derby (11/2 miles), the Oaks (11/2 miles), the 1000 Guinness (1 mile), 2000 Guinness (1 miles), and the St Leger (13/4 miles). Eldar Eldarov won two of these classics, which makes him one of the most successful racehorses ever.
Eldar Eldarov was entered for a race in Dubai on 30 March 2024. As soon as he flew out there, he trained on the training ground and was ready for his big race. At the start of the race the gate-men led Eldar Eldarov into the gate and he stood still. Eldar Eldarov usually wore a hood that covered his eyes so he was ready for the start. When all the other racehorses were loaded into the gates, the horse in the gate next to Eldar Eldarov kicked out at the gates and they made a loud bang. Eldar Eldarov thought that the gates had opened so he jumped (like at the start of a race) at the gates and broke the second vertebrae of his neck.
Momoka
of SJCS recalls the heroism of a truly special horse.
Varian
Eldar Eldarov thought that the gates had opened so he jumped (like at the start of a race) at the gates and broke the second vertebrae of his neck.
However, when the owner found out about this, he didn’t want to let Eldar Eldarov go so he pleaded for someone to try and do surgery to try and fix his neck. The only surgeon in the world who could do such a complicated surgery on the neck was in California. The flight from Los Angeles to Dubai is 15 hours and 55 minutes and it would take a lot of effort to carry out everything. Still the owner wanted to save Eldar Eldarov. Almost a week later, it was the day of the surgery. It took a long time to carry out the surgery. Like most people and animals, if they damage their neck then the spinal cord would most likely get damaged. Eldar Eldarov’s spinal cord did get damaged but luckily only a little bit. When Eldar Eldarov walked, one of his hind legs wasn’t straight but the rest of him was okay.
After the surgery, the vets were trying to get Eldar Eldarov up, but it was very hard because he was in an awkward position. They had to try several times and in the end they had to bandage his legs and, with the help of a sling, they eventually got him up.
He was quickly hurried out of the gates and was put in a horse ambulance. He looked very lame and dizzy. At the hospital, the vets found a fracture in his neck. It was so bad that they recommended putting him down because he was in so much pain. He was in his stable but he wasn’t allowed to lie down because he might not have been able to get up or the fracture could have got worse. This is why he was put in a sling. An equine sling is used to lift the weight of the horses’ body off their legs so there is no pressure on their legs. He was being watched and looked after 24/7 so he stayed safe. The vets had to hand-feed Eldar Eldarov because he couldn’t move his neck.
During Eldar Eldarov’s rehab, he was taught how to walk and trot and amazingly he was taught how to canter. When he was better, he was flown back to England and was sent to get even stronger at another rehabbing stud.
Now, Eldar Eldarov has turned into a stallion. People still don’t know if he will be able to do what he used to be able to do but he has been very strong through his eventful journey. Many people are amazed by Eldar Eldarov’s recovery and grateful that he was able to recover because he is such a wonderful horse.
ELDAR ELDAROV RIDDEN BY DAVID EGAN
WINS THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF MAIDEN STAKES (DIV 2) AT NOTTINGHAM RACECOURSE. 13 OCTOBER 2021.
Do
Video
I Bad Influence
Games Promote Violence?
Davincia Boansi of Holmewood House says the jury is out.
n recent years, the relationship between video games and violent behaviour has been the subject of intense debate. Critics argue that exposure to violent video games contributes to real-world aggression and violent acts, while others assert that there is no significant evidence to support such claims.
The first interactive electronic game with an electronic display appeared in 1947, the first true video games in the early 1950s, and the rise of early arcade video games in the 1970s. Since the early days of gaming, video games have evolved significantly in content and style. Classic games such as Mario Kart were non-violent games, but while technology advanced so did the full nature of games. The 1990s saw the rise of violent games such as Mortal Combat and Doom that allowed those players to join in graphic depictions of violence. These games, often praised for their technical transformations, also raised plenty of concerns about the negative impact they were having on young gamers.
Today, popular titles like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite continue to feature violence as a key element of gameplay. In these games, players engage in combat, often using firearms or other weapons to defeat opponents. Some of these violent games also include storylines portraying violent conflict. This is where the argument about video games promoting violence arises. But is there any scientific evidence to support this claim?
popular titles like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite continue to feature violence as a key element of gameplay.
Crime Rates and Video Game Sales: Despite the growing popularity of violent video games, violent crime rates have generally decreased in many countries over the past few decades. According to FBI data, the violent crime rate in the United States has declined since the early 1990s, even as video game sales surged during that period.
Research on Aggression and Violence:
A 2014 meta-analysis by Christopher J. Ferguson found no significant evidence linking violent video games to realworld aggression. A study by Craig A. Anderson and colleagues suggested that violent video games may increase aggressive thoughts and behaviours in some players, but the effects are often short-term.
Exposure to Violent Content: The American Psychological Association (APA) acknowledges that there is a small association between violent video games and increased aggression, but stresses that this aggression does not directly translate into violent behaviour.
Numerous studies have attempted to recognise the relationship between the violent video games we see online and real-life aggression. Some research suggests that exposure to violent video games can increase aggressive
plenty of studies have failed to show any betweenconnection playing violent video games and engaging in criminal acts.
behaviour and aggressive thoughts in the short term. Theories like the General Aggression Model propose that violent media can influence the way players think and act, making them more likely to use these violent acts in real-life situations. However, the evidence is inconclusive. A metaanalysis conducted in 2015, which examined hundreds of studies on the topic, found that while violent video games may have a small, short-term effect on aggression, the long-term link between violent games and violent behaviour is weak. As a matter of fact, plenty of studies have failed to show any connection between playing violent video games and engaging in criminal acts. One important factor to consider is that aggression does not always translate into violence. Players may act out aggressively in the context of the violent games, but it may just be the rage of the game.
Numerous studies have attempted to recognise the relationship between the violent video games we see online and real-life aggression.
The question whether video games promote violence is complex, with valid arguments on both sides. While there is some evidence that violent video games may influence aggressive behaviour in certain individuals, there is no conclusive proof that they cause real-world violence. It is likely that a variety of factors, including personal circumstances, mental health, and social environment play a much larger role in determining violent behaviour. Video games, like any form of media, can have both positive and negative effects, depending on how they are consumed and the context in which they are played. Ultimately, it is important to recognise that video games are not as harmful as they may seem. As with any form of entertainment, moderation and responsible use are key. Parents and educators should focus on providing guidance and promoting healthy media consumption, rather than placing blame solely on video games for societal issues.
Video games, like any form of media, can have both positive and negative effects, depending on how they are consumed.
QuickFlight
On 21 January 1976 Concorde took off for the first time, flying from London Heathrow to New York JFK in just three and a half hours.
Magnus Cleevely of SJCS laments the grounding of the late great Concorde.
Concorde was the fastest passenger plane ever to exist, so why was it discontinued? On 21 January 1976 Concorde took off for the first time, flying from London Heathrow to New York JFK in just three and a half hours. This revolutionised the transport market, because it was also an extremely luxurious experience, appealing to those who wanted to travel in comfort, for a higher price.
The aircraft also featured groundbreaking technologies for its time, such as advanced aerodynamics, afterburner-equipped engines, and a sleek delta wing design. These are what allowed it to fly at Mach 2.04 (1354 mph), making it more than twice as fast as other airliners at the time (B747, DC-10, Lockheed L-1011 etc). Its fastest time to cross the Atlantic was 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds (JFKLHR) on the 7 February, 1996.
Environmental concerns: Concorde emitted high levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Its sonic booms limited it to transoceanic routes, further restricting its operational scope.
Better alternatives: subsonic aircraft like the Boeing 747 and later the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 offered larger passenger capacity, improved fuel efficiency, lower operating costs, luxurious first-class and business-class cabins, which were more cost-effective than flying Concorde.
These are what allowed it to fly at Mach 2.04 (1354 mph), making it more than twice as fast as other airliners at the time.
And the final, tragic nail in the coffin for Concorde, the Air France flight 4590 crash (2000): a Concorde operated by Air France crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris, killing all 109 onboard and four on the ground. The accident was caused by a piece of debris on the runway that punctured a fuel tank, leading to a catastrophic fire.
The downfall of Concorde was due to a number of factors: High fuel consumption: with its four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 engines, Concorde consumed a massive amount of fuel, about 25,600 litres per hour, significantly more than modern airliners carrying more passengers over similar distances. With limited capacity, the Concorde could only carry about 100 passengers, compared to the 300–400 on subsonic aircraft like the Boeing 747.
Operational costs: Maintenance was expensive due to its unique materials, the wear and tear caused by supersonic speeds, and the need for specialised infrastructure.
From having the finest safety record of all jet airliners, with no fatalities (100%), because of the small number of transatlantic flights, with one accident Concorde suddenly became the most deadly way to fly and this was the end of the beautiful and brief life of an amazing feat of engineering.
a operatedConcorde by Air France shortlycrashed after take-off from Paris, killing all 109 onboard.
Peregrine Brice of SJCS charts the comings and goings of the human race.
All life evolves. We, humanity, are but a speck in the story of evolution; our tale stretches back to a mere 300,000 years ago, compared to, for example, the non-avian dinosaurs that spent 179 million years on earth before their sudden extinction. Hominids themselves evolved from the apes. They learnt to use tools, walk bipedally, and yet only one species has survived to this day –us, homo sapiens. Since the dawn of civilization, we have made clothes and weapons, and even moved on to using the atom in warfare, but how will our story continue? How will our story end?
What's Next?
However, we are not considering our current state: we have created and now live among computers and AI systems. We are becoming more and more reliant on these, which, in the future, could decrease our resilience and healthiness due to lack of movement and work. A good example of this is a concept created by Toll Free Forwarding named ‘mindy’, showcasing how the digital world affects our bodies. Technology is both a blessing and a curse when we talk about our future. It could, as I have explained, make us less physically adept, but if it was used efficiently, consciously, and not totally reliably, we could use it to keep us healthy, and perhaps even increase our strength bionically. This would make us so much more powerful and successful.
all stories come to an end, and we are due for a mass extinction event.
Let us begin with how we would naturally evolve, without unnatural disruption. Whales are mammals like ourselves, and they originally were terrestrial mammals, like we are currently. It is possible that in the future we could become partially amphibious, and then perhaps even aquatic, like the whales have done. However, the oldest land mammals currently alive are the monotremes, a small group of egg-laying mammals made up of the duck-billed platypus and echidna. We could, therefore, whether aquatic or not, evolve to be egg-laying mammals such as these. Additionally, in the past of human evolution we have greatly increased in posture and size, so it is probable that this will continue.
However, all stories come to an end, and we are due for a mass extinction event. In terms of guessing what this event will be, we cannot do so accurately. We can guess that it could be caused by increased global warming, a current problem, though this could be prevented with our future technology, or the event could be completely unrelated. The asteroid that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs was a complete coincidence, and it was simply chance that brought it to our planet.
In conclusion, we do not know exactly what we will become, or how we will end, and it is all a matter of theorisation and guesswork. We may prosper for millions of years or fall in the coming few. We simply do not know.
Nadal
Frederick Rhodes of JKS claims Nadal was the GOAT.
For two decades, Nadal was a leading figure in men’s tennis, alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, known as the Big Three.
Is Rafael Nadal, the ‘King of Clay’, the greatest of all time? He has certainly left an indelible mark on his sport and his amazing work ethic has led to incredible achievements.
Nadal’s dominance on clay courts has so far been unbeatable. He has won the French Open (Roland Garros) a record-breaking fourteen times, which is the most individual Grand Slam wins. And he has won all four Grand Slams, becoming one of only five players to have done so. He’s also taken 92 ATP singles career titles, 36 Masters and two Olympic gold medals, and he has been ranked world number one for 209 weeks, finishing first in the year on the professional circuit five times.
For two decades, Nadal was a leading figure in men’s tennis, alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, known as the Big Three. In 2005, as a 19-year-old, Rafael won the French Open on his first attempt and went on to win four more crowns from 2005 to 2008, defeating word No. 1 Roger Federer in three finals in a row from 2006 to 2008.
Nadal admitted fearing Toni and dreading solo practice sessions with him. He admitted: ‘I sometimes returned home from tennis lessons crying.’
Nadal turned professional at the beginning of 2001, aged fourteen, and reached the semi-finals of the junior singles event at Wimbledon, helping Spain defeat the US in the final of The Junior Davis Cup, and began playing the qualifying draws of professional tournaments. In May 2001 he defeated former Grand Slam tournament champion Pat Cash, World Number 4 in 1988, in a clay-court exhibition match. Nadal made his pro debut in the main draw at the Futures in Madrid on 11 September 2001, carelessly wasting thirteen match points against Guillermo Platel-Varas in the opening round. He received a wild card into the main draw of the Challenger in Seville, his first Challenger tournament, and beat world No. 751 Israel Matos Gil 6–4 6–4 to claim his first pro win and earn the first five ATP points of his career to become world No. 1002. Aged 15, Nadal ended 2001 as the world No. 811.
Born in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain, on 3 June 1986, Nadal started playing tennis at the age of three with guidance from his uncle Toni. He started to play at the Manacor Tennis Club, where Toni worked as a coach, hitting his first few shots with his uncle. At this stage, Nadal's passion was football, and he often played on the streets of Manacor with his friends. He began to play tennis more regularly when he was five and Toni quickly realized that his young nephew had the passion, talent and determination to be a serious player. Nadal often played tennis in a group, but Toni singled him out during training sessions, shouting at him instead of the other kids, making him pick up balls and sweep the courts. In his 2011 autobiography, Nadal admitted fearing Toni and dreading solo practice sessions with him. He admitted: ‘I sometimes returned home from tennis lessons crying.’
Although he is now retired from the sport, Nadal has no shortage of activity. He has filled his spare time with hobbies like sailing, golf, fishing, and football. However, his primary focus remains his Rafael Nadal Academy in Manacor, a world-class facility dedicated to nurturing future tennis stars.
of Power
Fluff The
Florence Lewin of Broomwood treasures the healing gift of our furry friends.
The unconditional love of a pet can do more than just keep you company.
Nothing compares to the joy of coming home to your loyal companion. The unconditional love of a pet can do more than just keep you company. Whether it is a dog gazing mischievously up at you with its vigilant eyes or a hamster with its ludicrous antics, all animals can benefit both your mental and physical health.
In March 2022, around 87% of dog owners, 82% of cat owners, and 78% of rabbit owners stated that their pets made them happier and more relaxed. A cute, cuddly pet can decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone), lower blood pressure, reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood. Your furry friends do so much more than just sit at home getting up to mischief! Additionally, scientists have been studying whether having a ‘furry friend’ can help reduce stress and calm people who suffer from autism or ADHD. This is why therapy dogs exist—an example of how pets can greatly benefit mental health and teach responsibility.
Regular exercise, such as walking your dog, further reduces the risk of heart disease.
pets also have a positive impact on children, teaching them valuable life skills.
Pet ownership can also improve heart health. Simply being around animals has been shown to lower blood pressure. Pet
owners typically have a lower resting blood pressure than those without pets. Regular exercise, such as walking your dog, further reduces the risk of heart disease. Despite all these benefits, millions of people still live their lives without the joy of a pet. It’s their choice — not mine! If you ever feel fatigued or distressed, the presence of a pet can help reset your overworked mind, allowing you to carry on bravely and tackle the rest of your day with your endearing companion in mind.
Studies are also investigating the role of pets in facilitating three dimensions of social relatedness: getting to know people, forming friendships, and building social support networks. This means that pet owners may be more likely to make new friends in their neighbourhood compared to those without pets. A simple walk or even a lost cat can unexpectedly bring people together. Beyond social benefits, pets also have a positive impact on children, teaching them valuable life skills such as independence, responsibility, trust, compassion, respect, and patience.
Around 60% of households globally own at least one pet—meaning 60% of the world experiences the joy and companionship that pets bring. Hopefully, after reading this, those who once believed they could get by without a precious, heart-warming and irresistible pet will reconsider. The benefits of having a pet should be enough to persuade any rational parent to change their mind!
History Raising
Flour, yeast, water and a pinch of salt all mixed together in one warm, fluffy concoction. While it heats, it hardens, making a loaf of bread. There are many factors that influence human history, such as location and society. But how are these linked to bread? The sacred loaf has played a vital role in shaping civilisation. You may say: ‘But that is impossible; how can that be true?’
30,000 years ago, humanity was the best thing since sliced (wait: bread wasn’t bread yet – it was just a collection of random, unassuming seeds), and we decided to smash grains and add some water for good measure, before plunging it into the fire until golden brown. Voila! Bread! Not the
fanciest thing: a weird, black little cracker, but humanity went crazy for it. As a result, we stopped going nomadic to wait for more of these seeds to grow, and thus civilisation.
Many nomads, carrying bags full of bread, visited a civilisation near a river that flooded once a year, ideal for growing wheat. They shared their knowledge of bread-making with the locals. However, these locals, now called Egyptians, wanted more, so they dug canals, inventing irrigation, to eat more bread. Soon after, they experimented with the ingredients and the process, mushing it into a paste and leaving it in the sun, inventing yeast
Bread! Not the fanciest thing: a weird, black little cracker, but humanity went crazy for it.
fermentation and leavened bread. The Egyptians used this to trade and feed their army, quickly becoming the strongest in the area. This became the pattern: more bread, more power.
Eventually, bread found itself across the Mediterranean (circa 800 BC). The Greeks fell head over heels for this new food, inventing a goddess for it: Demeter. Circa 600 BC, they invented closed ovens in order to make bread even faster.
Over in Persia, they had their own bread: flat and round. It was useful because it was easy to transport in bulk and easy to make. The Persians became
Malachy Frankum of Newton Prep reveals how breaking bread made the world.
The Greeks fell head over heels for this new food, inventing a goddess for it: Demeter.
powerful in the area, powerful enough to rival Greece. It all came down to who had more bread and, in the end, the Greeks emerged victorious.
The Romans, in their everlasting habit of copying the Greeks, took bread, made the ovens bigger and invented the first bakery-sized ovens. They invented a new system, ‘cura annonae’ (bread doles), to keep the people happy. To more easily transport their bread doles, they made roads, stretching the length and breadth of the Empire. Eventually, the Romans became lazy and did not work, relying on the Emperor’s free bread (and circuses) and thus bread production slowed.
To the East, the Byzantines needed something to feed the millions now living in Constantinople. Bread was so important to them they created the Baker’s Guild, the most protected group in the Empire. After many plagues, bread production slowed, and the Byzantine Empire fell to the Turks, who controlled wheat plantations to the East.
The Egyptians used this to trade and feed their army, quickly becoming the strongest in the area.
The sacred loaf has played a vital role in civilisation.shaping
Did bread lose its power over time? No. In 1775, people rioted from Philadelphia to Salem over high bread prices, and those responsible were arrested, showing how the enemy of bread is the enemy of the people. Later, in France, high prices of bread contributed to the French Revolution of 1848, originally called the ‘Flour Wars.’ The storming of the Bastille was driven by both the need for weapons and the widespread hunger, and grain shortages fuelled the revolution. After the Revolution, America became the most powerful nation, benefiting from the perfect conditions for bread production in the wheat belt.
To this day, bread remains what it always has been, a basketful of power.
To this day, bread remains what it always has been, a basketful of power.
CoCo
Coco Chanel HELPED THE Women’s MOVEMENT. Cicely McDonnell of SJCS shows how
The ‘Little Black Dress’ and the ‘Chanel Suit’ are iconic items of contemporary fashion. But what do we know of Coco Chanel, the woman behind them?
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and pioneer of Twentieth Century fashion. She was born in poor conditions on the 19th August 1883, in Saumur, France. After the death of their mother and the departure of their father, Coco, with her six brothers and sisters, was raised in an orphanage. Growing up without the influence of her parents gave her independence and determination, which helped her to become such a force in the fashion world and ensured her place in history.
Coco didn't have any formal training in fashion but she had a natural talent for design and a clear view of what women wanted. She started her career as a milliner, designing hats. In 1910 she opened Chanel Modes, specialising in hats that were worn by well-known French actresses of the time. Her hats were simple, elegant and popular among the fashionable women in Paris.
Coco’s success as a milliner led her to open her first clothing boutique in 1910. Her clothes were just as popular – more so, in fact, than her hats. She soon became one of the most famous fashion designers in the world and she would change women’s fashion forever. Coco Chanel boasts many famous and classic designs:
The Little Black Dress: Chanel designed a dress that was simple, elegant and could be worn anywhere. It was called ‘the little black dress’. Until then, black was mostly worn for mourning but Coco made it chic and a ‘must have’ in every woman’s wardrobe. It’s the
fashion equivalent of a good pair of jeans now, versatile and always in style.
The Chanel Suit: This two-piece skirt and jacket suit, usually made of a tweed, was comfortable and easy to move in, but still professional and chic. Women were used to uncomfortable and tight clothing, so this was a breath of fresh air. The suit is still iconic Chanel.
Jersey Fabric: Coco used stretchy jersey, a fabric mostly used in men's sportswear, in her clothing. Women could wear something as comfortable as sportswear but still look super-stylish.
Costume Jewellery: Chanel loved to mix real jewels with fake. She made costume jewellery fashionable, so women could accessorise without spending a fortune. She believed fashion was about having fun and not about how much money you had.
The 2.55 Handbag: This iconic quilted handbag with a chain strap was revolutionary. It allowed women to carry their belongings hands-free, which was very practical. The chain strap was inspired by the straps on soldiers’ bags.
Chanel's designs were all about freedom and simplicity. She wanted women to be able to move and live their lives without being restricted by their clothes. She died on 10th January 1971 having changed forever the way women would dress.
THE ICONIC QUILTED HANDBAG WITH A CHAIN STRAP WAS REVOLUTIONARY. IT ALLOWED WOMEN TO CARRY THEIR BELONGINGS HANDS-FREE.
She soon became one of the most famous fashion designers in the world and she would change women’s fashion forever.
She wanted women to be able to move and live their lives without being restricted by their clothes.
super suiTs
In the period of the super suits, world record times were broken by a amount.massive
The world of swimming was been totally changed by the introduction of super suits. These were body suits that covered the swimmer’s full body and gave them an edge over the regular swimsuits. Many manufacturers caught onto the trend and started to create their own designs, with Speedo being the frontrunner. Swimmers like Michel Phelps and many others wore these revolutionary suits. They are effective at reducing drag and air pockets by making them really tight.
it is most likely the single most influential factor why swimming world records are nearly impossible to break in this day and age.
In the period of the super suits, world record times were broken by a massive amount and enabled the swimmers to set times that we probably would not have seen until much further into the future. It progressed the world of swimming by a historic amount and it is most likely the single most influential factor why swimming world records are nearly impossible to break in this day and age. This is strange because we should be improving year on year with the new technologies we are finding out. It has been a huge grind for the athletes to even attain one world record.
Between 2008 and 2009, 117 world records were broken in swimming, which completely changed the landscape, and non-suited swimmers would be left behind. It helped Michael Phelps win his historic eight gold medals. These suits undoubtedly helped the swimmers a lot, leading to their eventual ban in 2009.
The only problem is that the records from that time still count, even though swimmers had an obvious advantage over the people now. But is it really fair to take away someone's world record when it was totally legal to use them, and strip it from them? You may argue someone like Adam Peaty could still win all his medals and get his world records without the super suits but the suits were mainly effective for middle-distance swimming. Adam Peaty is a sprinter and he mainly swims breaststroke, which was not particularly affected by the suits because they gave little advantage.
Personally, I think that the world records should not be disallowed as it is unfair to the swimmers who would probably have set world records without the suits. For swimmers there is a short period of time where you are at your best in all areas of the sport whether physically or technique wise. It’s not fair to take away someone's world record when it was perfectly legal to wear the suits at that time and they would have worn normal swimming suits if they had known that they could see their world record taken away. Even though the super suits were really overpowered, swimmers are rapidly improving their times, because of new training techniques, physios and nutritionists that the people 15 years ago didn't have.
IS IT REALLY FAIR TO TAKE AWAY SOMEONE'S WORLD RECORD WHEN IT WAS TOTALLY LEGAL TO USE THEM?
Alex Holmes of SJCS recalls A SHORT SPELL OF LYCRA SPEED.
Rugby is controversial. Many people support it, while others think it is dangerous and bonebreaking. Rugby Union and Rugby League are both hugely popular around the world.
The Six Nations is an annual Rugby Union competition involving England, Ireland, France, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Like football, there is a Rugby World Cup (RWC) which takes place every four years. In England, there are ten Premiership rugby teams as well as many non-league and friendly matches that take place across the ages throughout the year.
Rugby is an enormous part of sporting culture and history.
Rob Burrow was a professional rugby player who sadly died of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) on 2 June 2024. This occurs when your nervous system breaks down, causing paralysis, muscle weakness and difficulty breathing, amongst other things. Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND due to knocks to the head from playing rugby. Many sportsmen have unfortunately developed MND due to head injury, and Rob Burrow is one example of recent concerns relating to this contact sport.
There are important ways around this. Training properly is vital for rugby safety. Engaging the shoulder when tackling is very important, although it sounds dangerous. When you fall, players should use the ‘parachute fall’ method for maximum safety. All of this is muscle memory and, if not developed properly, will increase the risk of harm.
Safety aside, rugby teaches you many important things, like resilience, composure and teamwork.
Yes, people do get injured, but it teaches you to play safely and fairly and follow the rules. If you do play fairly, it is safer and there is less chance of you getting hurt or hurting other people. Due to the head being the area of most concern, the rules have changed over the years and are now adamant that the tackle height must be below the sternum (chest). Anything above the sternum is penalised and could result in a sending off or a ban. This law is firmly enforced and is closely watched by referees and match officials.
Rugby is a contact sport, which means injuries are going to happen. Statistics show that the most common rugby injuries are head, ankle and shoulder injuries. Players can get muscle strains. These muscle strains usually happen when people do not stretch properly before the game or have had that injury before.
Some people think rugby is just too dangerous, especially when played in prep schools, where children's bones are still growing and not all of them play to the same standard. Some children don’t want to play rugby at all, and others are worried about injuring themselves. This leaves a few children who must take on more tackles than others, increasing the risk of injury.
Safety aside, rugby teaches you many important things, like resilience, composure and teamwork. Rugby is often played in muddy, wet conditions in freezing temperatures and driving rain. It takes a resilient person to persevere and enjoy such an experience. It is not for the faint-hearted. Players lean on their teammates, focus on the game and, if the result goes the team's way, enjoy an unbeatable feeling.
Prep school coaches are highly trained in making training fun while also coaching the developing players to play rugby safely and follow the rules. I think that rugby is perfectly safe for children to play in prep schools because the rules are strict, even at a young age with people still learning how to play fairly and safely. The benefits to be gained from rugby – fitness, teamwork, enjoyment, resilience and composure – in my opinion far outweigh the negatives of the small risk of injury.
Knocks Hard
Charlie Cooke of Vinehall finds banning rugby a step too far.
FAST CAR
Are sports cars consuming more fuel than they did in the past, and how do they compare to super cars? At first this seems obvious: old cars drink more petrol and leak oil whilst newer cars are engineered to consume less fuel, but newer cars are harder to make, so to make hyper cars or super cars must require huge amounts of energy. This raises the question: which is better for the environment?
First, we have the pros for newer cars with our first pro being some are electric, such as the Rimac Nivera, a fully electric car with a maximum speed of 256 mph, whilst reducing emitting CO2 when driving (0 g/km), compared to a 6.5 litre V12 engine (Aston Martin Valkyrie) with 400 g/ km of Co2. They also benefit from using cuttingedge technology like active aerodynamics and lightweight components. These improvements mean that, even with huge engines, newer cars like the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport are slightly less harmful to the environment compared to older supercars.
Zain Sheikh of SJCS muses on the future of the supercar.
and using a lot of energy. This means their environmental impact starts before they even hit the road.
When comparing older cars, like the Ferrari F40, to modern vehicles, such as the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, or the Rimac Nevera, it’s clear that newer cars are more fuel-efficient when on the road. The introduction of hybrid and electric powertrains is helping to bridge the gap between high performance and environmental responsibility.
Building the highperformance batteries these cars need involves mining rare-earth materials and using a lot of energy.
However, older cars, like the F40, had simpler manufacturing processes that used fewer resources. They also didn’t require the energy-intensive production of modern materials or batteries. While their emissions were high when they were moving, they didn’t have the same environmental costs tied to their manufacture.
Hybrid cars like the Ferrari SF90 take it a step further by combining gasoline and electric power. This not only reduces fuel consumption but also allows for smoother driving in cities where traffic is often heavy and this wastes huge amounts of fuel. Electric motors provide instant torque, improving both efficiency and performance, especially during acceleration.
Electric supercars, such as the Rimac Nevera, push the limits even further. They emit no CO2 while driving, which is a massive improvement over traditional fuel-guzzling engines. However, the downside is the manufacturing process. Building the high-performance batteries these cars need involves mining rare-earth materials
The future of supercars will probably see more innovations in hybrid and electric technology. Brands like Ferrari, Bugatti and Rimac are already experimenting with ways to make their vehicles faster and more sustainable. While there’s still a long way to go, the shift toward greener technologies is rising.
Ultimately new sports cars and supercars are becoming more efficient, but the challenge remains in reducing their environmental impact during production. Balancing speed, power and sustainability is the next big test for the car industry and one that will shape the future of performance cars.
BRANDS LIKE FERRARI, BUGATTI AND RIMAC ARE ALREADY EXPERIMENTING WITH WAYS TO MAKE THEIR VEHICLES FASTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ at Goodwood Festival of Speed. 23 June 2022.
Enduring Sprint
Aryan Nair of Solefield finds THAT SPRINTING IS THINKING.
Have you ever been told running is about pure speed and strength? I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not. Pro athletes follow precise tactics for the 400m sprint, breaking the race into four key stages. Each stage requires different stride lengths, acceleration, and speed, all carefully controlled through strategy and willpower.
Being a seasoned runner myself, I have raced in many competitive and casual running events from the 75m hurdles to 10km long runs and everything in between. But one event is harder than them all – the 400m sprint, or one lap of a full-sized athletic track. This race is the longest official sprint and pushes your
endurance to the limits: too short to pace yourself and too long to flat-out sprint.
The first stage of this event is the start. I can tell you, from personal experience, that for the first 50 to 100m you need to sprint as hard as you can. Many people like to save their energy for the end, but you have a reserve of energy for sudden exercise, called anaerobic energy, that will burn at the same speed no matter how fast you run. Because of this, you should go flat out for the first bend without holding back, gaining the benefit of a mental advantage.
The next stage is the transition. This is when you should start changing your speed and cadence (stride length) to prepare for the next 200m of the race. This means you need to settle into a fast yet steady pace that you can hold for the middle section of the race.
you have a reserve of energy for sudden exercise, called anaerobic energy, that will burn at the same speed.
Float - this is the 200m section in the middle of the race. Your body will start co-operating more after the sudden start and you need to get the perfect pace. At this point, you should be taking long, confident strides and focus on the perfect running form. This section can make or break the race as you can’t go
This race is the longest official sprint and pushes your endurance to the limits.
too fast and have nothing for the end; however, if you go too slow you are not reaching your maximum potential.
The final straight. The finish is just up ahead, directly in your line of sight. Many people think this is simple – a fast dash to the finish. Yes, but no. Obviously you should go full-out on this part of the race, but it is not that easy. By this point, your muscles will be filled with lactic acid. This is a substance that fills your muscles due to extreme exercise. It will burn for you, and your competitors. Everything you have done the whole race comes down to this. You need to fight your inner devil and will yourself to keep going. If you went too fast at the start you will
Each stage requires different stride lengths, acceleration, and speed, all carefully controlled through strategy and willpower.
start to feel it and if you went too slow your competition will already be too far ahead. You should always be on the fast side, pushing yourself to the limits until you reach your final goal.
The 400m is not just a physical test. It is a raging battle between your mind and body. You must push your body to its limits, willing it to keep going. You must harness your endurance, embrace your goal and push away any doubts or worries. There will always be a devil whispering in your ear to stop: go play some videogames; I bet your friends are sitting on their couch right now. Your job is to fight it away. Whether you are striving for an Olympic gold or targeting a PB, it doesn’t matter. It’s all in your head.
The 400m is not just a physical test. It is a raging battle between your mind and body.
Crazy Cat
Toby Swinfen of Solefield says why cats are here to stay.
Have you ever looked at your cat curled up on the sofa and wondered how it became a household pet? Did you know that one-third of American households have felines as members of the family, and more than 600 million cats live among humans worldwide? This makes the house cat the most popular pet in the world – more popular than dogs, rabbits, and hamsters! But when and where did these domestic dormousehunters first come into our lives?
Although cats are familiar to us, we still do not fully understand their origins and how they became the affectionate, furry companions we know today. Unlike other domesticated animals, such as husky dogs bred for sled-pulling in Siberia, or horses domesticated for transportation and labour, cats were not bred for their meat, milk, wool or
work. So why did humans domesticate them at all?
For many years, scholars believed that ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats. Egyptians revered cats as magical creatures capable of bringing good luck to their owners. Around 3,600 years ago, Egyptian families welcomed cats into their homes. However, in the past five years, archaeological discoveries have challenged this belief, offering new insights into the ancestry of the domestic cat and its relationship with humans.
more than 600 million cats live among humans worldwide... This makes the house cat the most popular pet in the world.
wildcat. However, since wildcats have existed all over the world, this caused confusion about where domestication first occurred. Some researchers suggested that cats were domesticated in multiple locations, not just in Egypt.
To investigate, scientists analysed DNA from modern domestic cats and compared it to known wildcat populations worldwide. Their results revealed five major clusters of wildcats that matched domestic cat DNA, appearing in China, Central Asia, Southern Africa and Europe. Yet this still did not explain where or when the first domesticated cats appeared.
Originally, scientists believed that all domestic cats descended from a single species: Felis silvestris, the
In 2004, archaeologists made a groundbreaking discovery: the earliest
Egyptians revered cats as magical creatures capable of bringing good luck to their owners.
known evidence of humans keeping cats as pets. This discovery came from a human grave in Cyprus, dating back 9,500 years. Just 40 cm away, a smaller grave was found containing the remains of an eight-month-old cat, carefully buried and facing the same direction as the human remains. Since Cyprus is an island, this means that cats must have been transported there by boat, suggesting a special relationship between humans and cats.
scholars believed that ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats.
‘cute’ features, including large eyes, small noses and round foreheads, traits that naturally appeal to human emotions.
Cats have a reputation for being independent and sometimes aloof.
Cats have a reputation for being independent and sometimes aloof, but they are also intelligent and opportunistic. Early cats likely realized they could find an easy meal by hunting mice and rats that were attracted to human settlements. By keeping these pests under control, cats became valuable to humans. Another reason for their domestication could be their
In the end, humans may have been attracted to cats for the same reasons we love them today. This suggests that the bond between humans and cats has remained unchanged for thousands of years. Whether as skilled hunters, loyal companions or simply adorable pets, cats have secured their place as an essential part of human history.
whether as skilled hunters, loyal companions or simply adorable pets, cats have secured their place as an essential part of human history.
Job WellDone
Wallace & Gromit make a duo in various British stop-motion animations produced by Aardman Animations. The engrossing narratives are based around the enthusiastic inventor called Wallace and his trusty companion, Gromit. The films have proven to be favourites throughout the years. The first Wallace and Gromit film was released in 1989, over 30 years ago.
The engrossing narratives are based around the enthusiastic inventor called Wallace and his trusty companion, Gromit.
The latest Wallace & Gromit film was Vengeance Most Fowl. The film features Wallace’s latest invention, Norbot, a gnome who proves very helpful for Wallace’s neighbourhood; however, later in the film, a wicked penguin (Feathers McGraw), an iconic villain, returns. Originally from The Wrong Trousers, he always gets Wallace into a bit of a pinch.
Vengeance Most Fowl is a new addition to the greatly loved Wallace and Gromit series, which has had a massive impact on the world of entertainment. For example, critic Stuart Heritage called it ‘a triumphant return’ and on Rotten Tomatoes 100% of 132 critical reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10. Vengeance Most Fowl also received two BAFTA awards for Best Animated Film and Best Children’s and Family Film. The BBC moreover announced it as the most watched animation on British TV, with an exciting 21.6 million views in only 28 days.
The Wallace & Gromit films are shot using the stop-motion animation technique. After detailed storyboarding, then set and plasticine model construction, the films are shot one frame at a time, moving the models of the characters slightly to give the impression of movement in the final film. This creates a satisfyingly smooth motion and is exceedingly entertaining with exaggerated mouth movements, cartoon jokes, effects and traditions.
Born in Preston’s Brookfield Park in 1958, Nick Park grew up on Greenlands Estate and later moved to Walmer Bridge. With a huge interest in drawing cartoons, Park ventured into something completely new, which is arguably his greatest achievement. It has been a long time since Wallace’s birth. A Grand Day Out (the first Wallace & Gromit film) took a whopping six long years to make: all of Nick Park’s films use handheld plasticine puppets, but for the first he was largely doing it single-handedly. Aardman Animations stepped in to help Parks complete the film.
While Wallace & Gromit have stepped up over the years, they have stayed close to my heart. It is rare these days, but these films are classic family favourites that can be enjoyed by all ages: why not sit down and enjoy them with a plate of cheese and crackers? Families all over Britain, and indeed the world, have loved these amazingly witty comedies. Will there ever be a more popular British animation? Well, we will have to wait and see.
Where is Love?
Peyton Jacobs of Bede’s explores how neglect affects a child.
Every person has a different experience when they grow up. Some have a secure and loving home life, but others are subjected to less-than-ideal environments. How does this affect us mentally and physically? Will those people turn out different?
What is neglect? Well, neglect is a parent’s ongoing failure to meet a child's basic needs, and it is the most common form of child abuse. This can put the neglected child in danger, and some examples of this are inadequate health care, education, supervision, or even a lack of food or clothes.
Now, the cycle of neglect that results from this initial neglect is normally pictured as a circle, which shows that everything comes back again. So, the cycle of neglect is like this: a neglected
person neglects younger people in their care, and so on. This abuse may force stress, depression and anger onto a child, because their brains aren’t fully developed, so they don’t know how to express how they feel in words and instead lash out.
This is why the cycle of neglect is so important to break, with speech therapy or other ways of undoing traumatic experience. After all, assault is illegal, and if these people can’t get the help they need, they will most likely end up with a criminal record. The Independent newspaper stated that in 2002 49% of UK people who were in care as children would end up in the prison system and therefore make up 23% of the prison population.
If you have low levels of oxytocin, you will feel sad, heavy, and hopeless.
Our next question is what’s the science behind love? Well, it’s all down to something called oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone released through our spine that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like you have ‘butterflies in your stomach’, and this is the hormone that develops children. If you have high levels of oxytocin, you will have a lower stress level, and you will feel happier and lighter. If you have low levels of oxytocin, you will feel sad, heavy, and hopeless, like you don’t want to do anything. If this happens for a long period of time, you can develop depression or anxiety.
Taking into consideration all these factors, we come back to the key question: how do love and neglect
49% of UK people who were in care as children would end up in the prison system.
Neglect disrupts the ways children's brains develop and process information.
affect our brains? In short, neglect disrupts the ways children's brains develop and process information, increasing the risk of attentional, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural disorders, and love releases high levels of dopamine that boosts us and puts us on a high. However, it may come as a shock that too much love can also have a negative impact, and dopamine could also be bad for our mental and physical health. ‘Having too much or too little dopamine in some parts of the brain are linked to some mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia and psychosis,’ says Harvard Medical School. ‘Everything is great in moderation, but neglect is one of the most harmful types of abuse.’
their brains aren’t fully developed, so they don’t know how to express how they feel in words and instead lash out.
So, both neglect and dopamine affect our brains in bad ways and may be linked to other mental illnesses. Love can be a remedy to neglect, but if you smother someone in love they can grow up without the skill set necessary to be a functioning adult. Finally, we pan out to how this changes us in the future. In the long term, neglected children could end up in the prison system but if they get the support they need – for example, therapy – they can get better and be healthy, happy humans.
Love affects our brains by making us feel whole and happy. But neglect can leave us with an empty feeling inside, as if we aren’t fully there. Whatever the case, it is good to know how much our childhood shapes our later lives.
both neglect and dopamine affect our brains in bad ways and may be linked to other mental illnesses.
Legged EightFriends
Josie Thomas of Broomwood INSPECTS OUR our spineless spat with spiders.
EEEEKKK! Spider! OK, so spiders seem scary, but why? Why are spiders among the top five fears in the world? Why spiders, when only 0.5% of spider species are dangerous to humans? Why spiders when they are so cute? Maybe that’s a stretch but there is so much to love about them.
Spiders are romantic at heart. Males often put on a small show by dancing for their chosen partner. Some even offer gifts wrapped in silk to ask females on a form of spider date, although some males go down the cheap route of offering gifts discarded by other females. Researchers discovered that spider silk is five times stronger than a piece of steel of the same thickness. This makes it a remarkable material because it has elasticity and strength. It has even been theorised that a piece of spider silk the width of a pencil could stop the flight of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Just think of all the ways we can harness a material like that. Spiders are even catching on to our reduce, reuse, recycle movement by recycling their old webs and using them as food.
Many people are afraid of the way they move and can squeeze through small spaces.
Hopefully, you are now on team spider so let's dig deep into the science of arachnophobia. The fear of spiders is believed to be simply in our DNA. Being afraid of them was, for our ancestors, a primate survival instinct. For our ancestors who, on the most part originated in Africa, if you were afraid of spiders then you were more likely to survive since you would avoid spiders, meaning you would not get bitten or harmed by them. This meant you were more
scientists believe that some spider venom can be used in medicine.
all this information we can confirm that, overall, a fear of spiders is mostly an irrational instinct developed from ancient times.
If you were afraid of spiders then you were more likely to survive since you would avoid spiders, meaning you would not get bitten.
likely to survive and then pass on that fear through your genes. This is also the case with other dangerous animals, such as scorpions and snakes. This all means that through natural selection we are hardwired to be afraid. This is proven by a study that shows children as young as six months, which means they haven’t had time to develop the fear themselves, are still frightened by images of spiders. Another reason is that, although spiders themselves aren’t bad, they are associated with dark creepy places, so the fear of those places then spreads into a fear of spiders. After conducting my own research, I discovered that many people are afraid of the way they move and can squeeze through small spaces. Using
An individual spider eats around 2,000 insects a year. Without them we would have even more insects bugging us in our daily lives.
So, if all that hasn’t helped convince you to befriend the little critters, perhaps seeing the importance of the species will. First, on average, an individual spider eats around 2,000 insects a year. Without them we would have even more insects bugging us in our daily lives. Furthermore, all those added insects would eat more crops than ever before, driving humankind into starvation. Second, so many species, including birds and lizards, often eat spiders as part of their diet so it would cause them to have less food, meaning
spider silk is five times stronger than a piece of steel of the same thickness.
all sorts of great species could die out. Moreover, scientists believe that some spider venom can be used in medicine, so we would lose an entire world of new cure possibilities. Overall, it just goes to show that a life without spiders would be a living nightmare. A hungry, bug-filled nightmare.
So, although spiders may seem scary, there is much to love and thank them for. As nature’s pest control, they are great at their job and hopefully by fully understanding the fear of these creatures you may be able to find a place in your heart for them: even if it is a tiny box kept under lock and key among all the other things you forgot you love.
Males often put on a small show by dancing for their chosen partner. Some even offer gifts wrapped in silk.
The fear of spiders is believed to be simply in our DNA.
What Steal! A
Kasra Mohaddes of SJCS finds out how hackers heisted a billion.
In a large bank, on 8 April 2014 an employee who is known for not updating his software gets sent an email from an unknown account with an attached Microsoft Word. Because he does not update his computer, the attached Word exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft Word that the hacker group (called the Carbanak Hackers) can use.
Months later, because of the hack, he notices that his computer begins to start running more slowly. Because this annoys him, he calls for tech support. The IT guy enters the admin code to try to find out why this is occurring. This is all part of the hackers’ plan. The tech support finds software that allows the hackers to watch and control the employee’s computer. They realise the hacker group has just seen the
administrator's password and has access to all the servers. After months of searching through the servers, the hacker group eventually finds their domain controller (the heart of the bank's server network). Therefore, the hacker group is able to access everything, including the server that controls bank transfers for ATMs.
On 10 July 2016, security cameras of an ATM show two men walking into a bank in Taipei, both wearing fisherman hats and face masks. One of them is guarding the entrance while the other stands in front of an ATM, not withdrawing money. Surprisingly, the ATM starts spitting out hundreds of notes. However, on this occasion, a person walks into the
CCTV shows masked men carrying bags bulging with notes in twenty other locations. In response, banks freeze thousands of ATMs.
bank and the two men flee, leaving the pile of money behind. This happens all across the globe, in Europe, the US and East Asia. CCTV shows masked men carrying bags bulging with notes in twenty other locations. In response, banks freeze thousands of ATMs. In Japan, 7-Eleven ATMs are robbed of $19.25 million. Interpol (The International Criminal Police Organisation), Europol (The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation) and other cyber security organisations quickly start investigating. However, to their disappointment, no malware is found on the software of the ATMs and the hardware all seems to function properly.
no malware is found on the software of the ATMs and the hardware all seems to function properly.
Not only do the hackers make ATMs spit money out, but they also put a small amount of money, say $1, in their bank accounts. Because they have access to the servers, they exchange that for millions of dollars. Due to this, some people who are in debt suddenly become millionaires.
At another site, more than 500 police officers are checking CCTV footage for money being withdrawn illegally. Using the CCTV footage, the police are able to track down two of the Carbanak Hackers and arrest them. In the following two days, police find the identities of 22 members of the group.
the hacker group eventually finds their controllerdomain(the heart of the bank’snetwork).server
After months of investigation, in 2018 Interpol and the FBI eventually track down the leader of the hacking group who is living peacefully in an extravagant mansion in Spain. He is known to never come out of his house. In order to remain untraceable, he has Bitcoin, roughly 15,000, which is now worth more than $1 billion in 2025. Nevertheless, most companies don’t accept Bitcoin as payment. So, eventually, he would have had to exchange Bitcoin for dollars, and this is how they track him down.
A military squad knocks on his door and he opens the door to find guns pointed at his face. He is caught. The game is up. But to this day none of the money has been recovered.
The IT guy enters the admin code to try to find out why this is occurring. This is all part of the hackers’ plan.
BigCheese The
Charles Eden-Harris of Vinehall toasts all things cheese.
The reason the taste of some cheeses varies is due to the action of enzymes during the production process.
Iwas only three when I tried my first piece of cheese. As soon as those flavours hit my taste buds, I knew it was my favourite food. Straight away, I started eating many varieties of cheese until I found my favourite - saganaki.
Did you know that there are over 1800 different types of cheese? Or that cheese was discovered completely by accident? Did you also know that cheese existed before written language, and that it takes ten litres of milk to produce 1kg of cheese?
Did you know that the Brie variety is at least 1200 years old?
The cheese starts off as skimmed cow’s milk with bacteria added (thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, to be exact). Then the mixture is heated up and rennet is added to the curdled milk. Afterwards, the curd is broken up and left to cool for an hour. Then – BOOM! – you have parmesan; not in the form you normally see in the shops, but in a massive wheel.
cheese existed before written language, and it takes ten litres of milk to produce 1kg.
As you know, there are many different cheeses, but the most popular are the only ones that we really know. Here are a few: Parmigiano Reggiano, Feta, Mozzarella and Cheddar. But there are a lot more cheeses in the world, so let us get on with it.
How about we return to my favourite cheese, saganaki? Saganaki cheese is a panseared Greek appetizer, like halloumi, but there is a slight difference – halloumi is fried while saganaki is seared.
The reason the taste of some cheeses varies is due to the action of enzymes during the production process, or it could be due to changing the number of products added to the cheese mixture. Parmigiano Reggiano, also known as parmesan, is another of my personal favorites (along with Brie). Fun fact: a Parmesan wheel can cost up to £2000! Here is how Parmesan Reggiano is made.
Now it’s time for me to name some cheeses you may not know. These include cheeses such as Pile, Caciocavallo, Donkey, Camel and Mimolette. I could go on but that would be boring, so let's find out about the world’s oldest cheese.
The world's oldest cheese was found on the neck of a mummy buried in western China. On the mummy’s neck was a white substance. After scientists took samples, an analysis of proteins in the tiny samples revealed the presence of lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, a microbe that is used to produce a cheese called kefir. This cheese was 3500 years old!
Now, let's return to Brie, which is easily my second favourite. Did you know that the Brie variety is at least 1200 years old? It is believed that Brie originated in northern France. Brie was mainly enjoyed by the French Royalty at this time. Apparently, the first person ever to try Brie was Emperor Charlemagne in 774. After he tried it, he became a lifetime fan, just like me.
Now that I have told you a lot about cheese, all I ask is that you take that away and remember some of the fun facts I told you. Thank you.
Expensive Taste
Coco Hoskin of Broomwood proclaims the Queen of Cons.
How do you con your way into millions? A Russian con-artist experienced this first hand. Anna Sorokin, otherwise known as Anna Delvey, swindled her way into luxury by exploiting and cheating her way through the upper classes. Anna existed through one alias: Anna Delvey. She made multiple connections by impersonating a wealthy German heiress. Her knowledge of art drew people towards her as well as her polished and unique appearance.
Anna did not have a filter-perfect childhood of luxury and expenses. Anna Sorokin (now aged 33) was born in Domodedovo, a working-class town south of Moscow on 23 January 1991. She lived with her mother and her father, Vadim. Vadim worked as a truck driver whilst her mother owned a small shop. Anna soon relocated to North Rhine Westphalia in Germany where she then moved to the Episcopal School of Our Lady of Eschweiler.
During Anna’s time at the school many of the pupils and teachers said that she was a sheepish girl, introverted and reserved, and struggling to cope with the German language. Her deep obsession with fashion and art continued throughout her youth while she followed multiple fashion blogs and magazines. Over the course of 2013, Anna moved to New York, where her cunning offences began.
It all spiralled once Anna had attended Paris Fashion Week where she tackled the task of making connections with people of deep pockets. She then began her quest of beginning her foundation, the ‘Anna Delvey Foundation’. The foundation was imagined to be a private arts foundation where Anna could use her expertise in arts.
Amongst Sorokin’s many lies, she claimed to possess a multimillion trust fund created by her father. One of the people that Anna had befriended and charmed included celebrity personal trainer, Kacy Duke and Vanity Fair photo editor, Rachel DeLoache Williams. Anna proceeded to invite the two on a luxurious holiday to Morocco.
The group stayed in a five-star hotel, known by celebrities, called La Mamounia, where Sorokin’s card was continuously declined. After Anna failed to provide a payment, Rachel was deceived and manipulated by Anna and paid for the expenses. A bill of $62,000 was paid for using Williams’ work and personal finance. This then led to Williams getting fired from her job, which raised suspicions. Anna’s lies were then uncloaked.
Later, her trial began. Anna Sorokin was sentenced to twelve years in prison, only serving two, and she was then on house arrest. The question is: should Sorokin be freed? she claimed to possess a multimillion trust fund created by her father.
La whereMamounia,Sorokin’s card was continuously declined.
Throughout the late Middle Ages, right up until the 17th Century, many people in Europe (particularly the upper class) suffered from a mental condition known as ‘glass delusion’. This condition affected many famous people, such as Louis XI of France (who was very ill) and the Bavarian Princess, Alexandra, who suffered from many disorders and even believed that she had swallowed a glass piano. Glass delusion meant some people genuinely believed they would shatter into pieces upon being touched. This fear stemmed from glass being a relatively new and mysterious material at the time. It was reported that these people also had previous cases of schizophrenia.
This may seem crazy to those of us living in the 21st Century, since we have a more scientific view of the world than they had hundreds of years ago but mental health is still an issue today, specifically manifesting in a more subtle form: stress.
So, what can people do about stress? A scientifically proven method (the Pomodoro technique) explains that we should do 25 minutes of high-intensity work followed by a five-minute break, which should be taken outside. This is an effective way to take plenty of breaks and stay happy, whilst still maintaining a good work-to-break ratio.
Another way stress can be reduced is to plan and prioritise tasks. This skill should be taught to children from a young age to help foster a sense of clarity when tackling a problem, whether it be in school, work or life in general.
Glass delusion meant some people genuinely believed they would shatter into pieces upon being touched.
Stress takes many forms, with short-term stress being the most common, especially in the workplace. However, prolonged exposure to short-term stress can escalate into more serious conditions. This, over time, causes fractious behaviour, sadness and a lack of drive to succeed.
In recent years, stress, driven by emotional and mental pressures, has become a growing concern, with 60% of young adults reporting feeling ‘stressed out’. This is largely due to faster-paced lives with the added pressure of economic uncertainty that is arguably more prominent than ever in 2025. Older generations look down on people for being stressed nowadays and this creates a never-ending cycle, by which more stress and friction is created.
While glass delusion may seem bizarre to us today, it serves as a reminder that mental health issues are deeply shaped by the times we live. Just as medieval nobles feared that they would shatter like glass, many of us today fear breaking under the pressures of stress, burnout and societal expectations. Although our understanding of mental illness has advanced, our struggles remain: instead of fragile glass bodies, we fear fragile minds.
Perhaps centuries from now, people will look back at our era and find our anxieties just as puzzling as we find the glass delusion today.
Glass Heart of
Akshay Lallu of Newton Prep dissects a lifeshattering delusion.
Sophie Bezian of Saint Ronan’s says amen to Armenia.
Sadly, there is a lot of wars happening in the world right now. You will have noticed the two main ones in Ukraine and Gaza. But there have been other wars happening at the same time which have received little to no coverage from the global press. One of these wars was in Karabakh, a historical Armenian province in the Caucasus region.
Before we go there, let’s have a brief look at the history of the region, which has been shaped by wars even to the present day. It is little known that Armenia became the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity in about 300AD and is home to some of the world's oldest churches: for example, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which is still standing and in use today, dates back to the fourth century.
Armenia was once a large and important regional kingdom. The last Monarch (King Levon V of Lugistan) is the only foreign King buried alongside the Kings of France at the Cathedral Saint Denis, outside Paris, owing to his close relationship with King Charles VI of France, who respected him greatly.
Modern-day Armenia is land-locked between Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia. It is famously known for its proximity to Mount Ararat, said to be where Noah’s Arc came to rest. The modern capital city of Armenia is Yerevan, home to the famous Matenadaran Museum, which is an imposing stone building, like a fortress. The building is known for protecting the world's most precious manuscripts, some dating back 1,500 years.
Throughout thousands of years, the Armenians living in this region have had to deal with invasions from the Romans, Persians and Muslims. The Armenians also played a crucial role in the First Crusade, providing help in the Crusaders' military operation in the Levant. Sadly, Armenians have suffered massacres throughout history because of their strong Christian faith. The worst one was the genocide of 24 April 1915, when 1.5 million Armenians died from persecution under the Ottoman Empire, many perishing on death marches to the Syrian Desert. A few Armenians escaped and made it out alive. Even now many countries refuse to
Forgotten Nation
ARMENIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS PROXIMITY TO MOUNT ARARAT, SAID TO BE WHERE NOAH’S ARC CAME TO REST.
of Armenian communities. I have extended family still living in Los Angeles, where some of my ancestors settled.
When
the dreaded massacre in 1915 took place, most of my family's documents were lost.
recognise this genocide actually took place. These sad events are the main reason why there is a large diaspora of Armenians in the world.
The reason I chose to write about this country is because my surname, Bezian, is Armenian. The Bezians were known to be living in Cilicia, which is now located in Eastern Turkey by the Mediterranean Sea. Our original family name was Pacha Bezian due to one of my ancestors being a Pacha, which was a title given to each Provincial Governor under the Ottoman empire. When the dreaded massacre in 1915 took place, most of my family's documents were lost, which is why I don’t know as much about my family's history as I’d like, although obviously I do know my ancestors were one of the lucky families to escape the massacre. Many Armenians fled to America at this time, which is why, if you go to California in particular, you will find a large number
The modern capital city of Armenia is Yerevan, home to the famousMuseum.Matenadaran
There is a lot of Armenian celebrities in the world, and you might have heard of some. Famous Armenians are not only the Kardashians and the singer, Cher, but also world-renowned painter, Arshile Gorky, and composer Aram Khachaturian, who wrote the iconic Sabre Dance.
All of the 120,000 Armenians living in this province were forced to flee their historical homeland.
Coming back to the most recent war in Karabakh. In 2023, the ongoing conflict between Armenia and its neighbour, Azerbaijan, escalated when Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offence on the land which used to belong to Armenia, called Karabakh. All of the 120,000 Armenians living in this province were forced to flee their historical homeland, leave everything behind, and they were not allowed to return to their homes. It is painful to say that the media coverage and support given to the Armenian people in Karabakh at this time, and since, has been almost non-existent.
THE RICH RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL HISTORY IS GREATER THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
My hope for the future is that the world will notice smaller countries like Armenia, when they and their people are being oppressed, give them a voice, support them, help them achieve justice and ensure they are not a forgotten nation. Armenia may not have lots of natural resources, such as oil and gas or rareearth materials, but the rich religious and spiritual history is greater than any other country in the world. No matter how upsetting the situation is, I have learned that it will never break the Armenian spirit.
As the famous American writer, William Saroyan, once said, ‘For whenever two Armenians meet, see if they will not create a new Armenia.’
My hope for the future is that the world will notice smaller countries like Armenia, when they and their people are being oppressed.
There were roughly 3320 people on the Titanic and only 20 lifeboats.
Will the Titanic Happen Again? Flora Burns of Broomwood thinks the unthinkable.
The 1912 tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic has been infamous for ruining millions of lives. Ironically, the Titanic was first commonly known as the ‘unsinkable’ ship. Over one hundred years later, I believe it is time to reflect on this great travesty. Is there anything that we could have done differently that would have prevented so many lives being lost? How do we know that there won’t be another Titanic that will go down in history again? How can we stop history repeating itself?
What was the RMS Titanic made of that made it ‘unsinkable’? The RMS Titanic was made of thousands of one-inchthick steel plates and two million steel and wrought iron rivets. The Titanic was considered unsinkable because it included watertight compartments in the lower section of the boat that could easily have been sealed off in the event of a punctured hull. However, the structure sadly did not save it but led to it sinking. Moreover, there was also a problem with the lifeboats. There were roughly 3320 people on the Titanic and only 20 lifeboats. You might be shocked to learn that these 20 lifeboats only carried a total of 1178 people. What about the other 2142 people? Were they just expected to swim themselves to safety?
near where the wrecked ocean liner lies. By January 1914 an international conference produced the first of several conventions for the Safety of Life at Sea. Included in the convention was the requirement that ships should carry enough lifeboats to accommodate all passengers and crew on board.
Nowadays boats like the RMS Titanic are much stronger and have plenty of lifeboats at the ready, if needed.
A catastrophe like the sinking of the Titanic is very unlikely to happen in modern times because of global warming. As we all know, the Titanic tragically sank because it hit an iceberg. Recent research shows that the Arctic sea is melting due to the rising temperature of the sea and since the iceberg was the catalyst of the sinking, the chances of it happening again are slim. The Titanic was powered by coal-fuelled boilers and needed men to stoke the furnaces. You could argue that this was more reliable than depending on the internet, which is what happens now. Modern ships are powered by large diesel engines which generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors connected to propellers. Some would think that this is more reliable, but I disagree. If the electricity or internet don’t work, then the ship could be stranded.
Nowadays boats like the RMS Titanic are much stronger and have plenty of lifeboats at the ready, if needed. Modern boats are made from steel, aluminium, wood and fibreglass. Steel materials are stronger than fibreglass and wood, and are commonly used to produce larger ships. It is even less likely for another Titanic to happen again because after the tragedy the international community took swift action to prevent similar catastrophes. Just after the Titanic hit the iceberg the U.S. Navy dispatched the cruiser USS Birmingham to begin preliminary ice patrols of the North Atlantic,
So, I think that the sinking of the Titanic will not happen again because we have stronger boats and muchimproved health and safety measures, like plenty of lifeboats. Nothing is guaranteed, mechanics can fail and there is always risk of human error, but I think it is much less likely.
Sinking of the Titanic. Illustration by German artist Willy Stower (1864-1931), 1912 watercolour.
F TEAM EFFORT
Jack Napier of Bede’s wonders what makes a winning F1 team.
ormula One has been described as the most exciting sport on the planet – the pinnacle of speed, skill and glamour! I was curious to find out more about what makes a winning F1 team. What goes on behind the scenes? What makes the cars so fast? How do the drivers get so good? And who are all the people? I found that there are four main things that make up a winning F1 team: the team, the strategy, the car and the driver.
a complete team, a successful strategy, an amazing car and skilled drivers are the formula for success!
When you think of an F1 team you might just think of the pit crew or people in the garage for the Grand Prix but there are many more people working hard behind the scenes. For example, 1,200 people work for the Mercedes F1 team but only 75 people actually go to the Grand Prix. So what do the other 1,125 people do? Most work at the factory where they build and test
the cars and new parts. Some of the jobs at the factory include the factory manager, the development team, the design team and the simulator team. The factory team always plays a key role in making an F1 team successful. This is why seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, once said, ‘It’s the people back at the factory who are the real heroes.’ There is also a (much smaller) team behind each driver, consisting of a manager, press officer, trainer, agent and mind coach. Most of the remaining team members work in sponsorship, law, finance, HR, IT and Media.
F1 strategy is much more than deciding when to pit and what tyres to use. The strategy team starts preparing for the race when it’s several races away. They look at all the data and try to work out possible strategies, scenarios and
an optimal car setup. After each race weekend the strategy team updates their systems and re-analyses the data because they now have a more up-todate view on where the team is and its stronger and weaker areas. Then, over the race weekend, the strategy team works out where and when to use resources and tyres. Before and during qualifying, they are working on the team’s approach to qualifying. During the race they are looking at the weather, the data collected at the track from last year, as well as tyre performance, car performance (their own and other teams’) and track evolution and lots more. The key outcome of this data is how fast they think the team will be, how fast the other teams will be and how the tyres will perform. The strategy team has to keep looking at this data throughout the race since there might be a red or yellow flag causing drivers to slow down or stop for their own safety, and this could change the strategy again.
Brawn shocked the F1 world in 2009 after they took over the Honda F1 team for that season (following Honda’s ‘financial crash’ in 2008). Brawn created a title-winning car that was mainly down to a piece of engineering called the double diffuser. The 2009 season brought in some new regulations to try and encourage closer racing by reducing ‘dirty air’. However, Brawn found a loophole in this regulation and they changed the position of the diffuser to make the car faster. This helped give them the competitive edge needed to win both championships (constructors and drivers). The impact of technical innovation can also be seen in the periods of dominance experienced by Mercedes (2014-2021) and Red Bull (2022-present). Mercedes' main innovation was their engine, which was ‘two years ahead of the competition’ and Red Bull’s was their complete car. In 2025 all eyes will be on Aston Martin for technical innovations, because Adrian Newey, known as one of the greatest F1 engineers of all time, has joined the team. His approach can be summed up by this statement: ‘I’m basically saying, how can I use these regulations to try something that hasn’t been done before?’ His influence will be judged by where Aston Martin finishes in the Constructors Championship.
Who comes to mind when you think of the best F1 drivers? Lewis Hamilton? Max Verstappen? Michael Shumacher? Ayrton Senna? Or someone else? Every F1 driver is talented. It’s very tough to rise to the top. For a start there are only 20 seats available. Nowadays aspiring F1 drivers can be found hurtling around karting circuits from a very young age: both Charles Leclerc and Michael Schumacher started age 4. This gives them invaluable racing experience, both winning and losing, and hones their competitive spirit, perfectly summed up by three-time World Champion, Ayrton Senna: ‘If you no longer go for a gap you are no longer a racing driver.’ As well as this you have to climb up through the many stages of racing and demonstrate your ability, consistency and physical and mental strength (including lightning reaction times). You have to do all of this before even being considered by F1 teams. Drivers are a key part of the sport: they are the ones in control of the cars and can control the outcome of the race and the season. It's clear why teams invest so much time and energy trying to attract the best drivers.
Having answered my own questions, it is clear to me now that a complete team, a successful strategy, an amazing car and skilled drivers are the formula for success! ‘We win and lose together,’ Lewis Hamilton
THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION, AYRTON SENNA: ‘IF YOU NO LONGER GO FOR A GAP YOU ARE NO LONGER A RACING DRIVER.’
seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, once said, ‘It’s the people back at the factory who are the real heroes.’
Adrian Newey, known as one of the greatest F1 engineers of all time, has joined the team.
Apart Worlds
Eniya Zhang of SJCS imagines our deeds echoing in eternity.
Are there multiple versions of you living in a parallel world? What if every movement, thought and feeling you have could affect someone else in a different world?
Many philosophers and scientists argue about the concept of parallel universes. Like many fiction movies and books, this theory proposes that there are many copies of the exact same human being living with different choices. For example, if your family moved to America due to work and schooling, there is going to be a copy of the same family continuing to live in the UK. And so on. There will be countless parallel universes and countless copies of you. Hugh Everet II in 1964 came up with the idea. His team divided quantum physics into two worlds: indeterministic microscopic world, and the ‘classic’ world that we live in today.
where lights cannot reach us. Let's say our universe has a certain equation that lets human life form on earth: we wouldn’t know if another different equation inside the black holes lets humans exist. This is the unknown equation for quantum mechanics.
It provides complete freedom and demonstrates what people might do if they believed there were no consequences for their actions.
The indeterministic microscopic world is the debatable ‘parallel universe’ that we often think about. But it is just the interpretation of scientists who believe that this quantum world could be discovered. These are worlds where any possible outcome of any circumstances could be replayed and lived in another universe. To understand more about Hugh’s theory we need to investigate the definition of indeterminism: indeterminism exists when events were not caused by anything, so in quantum physics you cannot expect something to happen with just one cause.
The first concept of the multiverse is the most straightforward. We could only see a certain amount of the universe around us, because the lights from further away cannot reach us, so the galaxies that are out of our view zone are what we call a multiverse. Scientists cannot detect what is going on outside the view zone so maybe there are exactly the same milky ways inside black holes or
In the second concept of the multiverse scientists believe we are just living in a small part of the universe where there are three dimensions. Perhaps outside the box that we know there are nine dimensions, which means like a mirror we’re just part of the whole world that reflects on each other. In three dimensions we can measure length, width and height. However, in the ninedimension theory there are time, width, height, depth, length, probability (different universes), all possible universes branch off from the same start, all possible spectrums of universes from different start conditions, all possible combinations of nine dimensions. This is similar to mirrors reflecting upon each other, all starting at the same point but ending with different results.
Furthermore, these scientists also believe that every choice you make would lead to a different world. For example, if you choose not to go to school today then there would be a world where you did go to school, and the events in school would lead to the start of more parallel universes. This theory works like branches on a tree because more and more are made due to the endless possibilities of consequences.
However, none of these universes are found or proved. There are still many years to come before we have the technology that could investigate dark substances and equations inside black holes, nine-dimensional universes, and the unknowns of space.
Pups Super
Maurice De Baets of Solefield School shows how dogs are much much more
than pets.
Imagine the fire alarm goes off. I know what you would do, but what if you were deaf? Or if your country were at war and you didn’t know where the bombs were. Who would alert you? Or imagine you have type one diabetes and could fall unconscious at any second. This could be life-threatening. What could you do?
Well, perhaps having a dog would be the solution. A dog is a man’s best friend, but so much more. You may know what a dog is, but do you know what an assistance dog is? An assistance dog is specially trained to provide emotional support or help with serious medical and physical conditions. But what exactly can they do?
Did you know that dog breeds like Retrievers, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Labradors can be trained not only
to assist the blind but also as hearing dogs for the hard of hearing? In recent years, there have been groundbreaking advances in the fields of well-being and medicine, including training sniffer dogs to detect diseases in humans.
For many years, dogs have also been used in war to detect landmines. Their sniffer training takes 8 to 12 months and is conducted by expert military personnel. These dogs are trained to detect specific odours and respond with a learned behaviour, such as sitting or lying quietly. On a good day, dogs in war zones can detect explosives up to 12 miles (19 kilometres) away. A dog’s sense of smell is estimated to be a million times more sensitive than a human’s. But this is not
the only incredible ability sniffer dogs have.
An assistance dog is specially trained to provide emotional support or help with serious medical and physical conditions.
Assistance dogs can also help detect life-threatening issues for people with serious medical conditions, such as type one diabetes. These dogs undergo up to eight months of training and can alert their owners when their blood sugar levels become dangerously low. They do this by performing a familiar movement or barking as an alarm.
Dogs can also help detect whether trees are diseased. They show this by the way they circle the trees, similar to how they respond to human illnesses. Their extraordinary sense of smell
dogs are increasingly being used for emotional support and to assist people with mentalconditions.health
allows them to identify changes in the tree's chemical composition, even before visible symptoms appear. Dogs are also invaluable in airports, where they can detect illegal substances, plants, or seeds that cannot be brought into the country. Their highly sensitive noses make them the perfect security partners in customs and border control.
If you ever see an assistance dog alone, wearing a vest marked with a medical cross, and no owner in sight, you should follow the dog. This usually means that the person in need of assistance is in trouble and requires urgent help.
there have been advancesgroundbreaking in the fields of well-being and medicine, including training sniffer dogs to detect diseases in humans.
So, assistance dogs not only help the blind and the deaf but also detect illness in humans and trees, and even hidden explosives in airports and war zones. And dogs are increasingly being used for emotional support and to assist people with mental health conditions.
Dogs have traditionally been called man’s best friend, but they are so much more. Assistance dogs save lives in emergencies like fires, wars and medical crises. They work quietly, and for that we should be grateful.
Dogs have traditionally been called man’s best friend, but they are so much more.
diveDeep
he claimed that his submarine had been attacked by a ’sea creature’ and could not dive.
What is in the Depths? Seth Wrafter of Solefield dips into the secrets of the seas.
Have you ever thought about how people know so much about the ocean and what lies within it? Do creatures live in the deepest parts? Or maybe you’ve wondered what’s at the very bottom of the vast expanse we call the ocean? Today, I am taking a deep dive into the wonders of the surface and all the way down to the Mariana Trench.
Imagine how difficult it was for humans to explore land in ancient times. Now consider how much harder it is to explore the ocean, where unknown life forms could attack, or the immense pressure could destroy a submarine and kill everyone inside. Sometimes, submarines disappear without a trace, only to be found years later.
On 22 May 1968, a submarine called the USS Scorpion was lost with all 99 crew members on board. The cause of its sinking remains unknown. It was eventually discovered on the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean, 740 km (460 miles) away from the Azores, by the Navy’s oceanographic research ship, Mizar. The wreck lay more than 9,800 feet (3,000 metres) underwater. A sailor who heard the tragic news wrote: ‘It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on US soil. Though we lost fine soldiers, they were under the water protecting the country's future like the rest of us. According to records, around nine submarines go missing every year, vanishing without a trace.
The ocean is home to countless species, from clownfish, jellyfish, sea urchins and turtles to the incredible creatures of the deep sea. But have you ever heard of the colossal squid, giant spider crab, chambered nautilus, cookie-cutter shark, frilled shark or oarfish? These mysterious creatures inhabit the darkest depths of the ocean, where light barely penetrates.
Some deep-sea creatures are so powerful they could damage a submarine. On 30 April 1918, Captain Günther Krech and his German U-boat crew were captured by the British. When questioned, he claimed that his submarine had been attacked by a 'sea creature’ and could not dive. Many believe that the attacker was a colossal squid, which has powerful tentacles and a sharp beak capable of inflicting serious damage. In fact, a colossal squid’s beak can reach up to 4.25 cm in size, making it one of the most formidable predators of the deep.
Many believe that the attacker was a colossal squid, which has powerful tentacles and a sharp beak capable of inflicting serious damage.
Did you know that humans have explored only 5% of the ocean? That means all the information we have today is only a glimpse of what lies beneath. Even creatures like the anglerfish, which we consider deep-sea dwellers, are found thousands of metres above the true, unexplored depths. Could there be something lurking in the depths that could knock humans off the top of the food chain? With so much of the ocean still uncharted, the possibilities remain endless.
Next time you're swimming, sailing, paddleboarding or deep-sea diving, just remember: there’s always something below you… watching…waiting.
BreathTaking
Theo Davies of Solefield charts the woodwind world.
it is considered the oldest musical instrument known to humankind.
Since the dawn of music in ancient times, woodwinds have enchanted the ears and minds of those who listen. But what are the origins of these cylindrical tools of harmonious sound?
The oldest woodwind instrument ever discovered was a prehistoric flute made from the bone or tusk of an animal. In fact, it is considered the oldest musical instrument known to humankind. The first recorded woodwind instruments appeared much later, with flutes being documented on tablets by the Sumerians around 2600 BC.*
A long time after primitive bone flutes, we reach ancient Egypt, a civilization known for exploring the arts, not only through their hieroglyphics but also through music. The woodwinds of ancient Egyptian music included trumpets and the Arghul, an instrument with two pipes, one short and one long. The melody pipe has holes that can be covered to produce different notes, much like modern woodwinds, while the drone pipe creates a continuous droning sound. Despite being invented long ago in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Arghul has become iconic to the Arab World as a whole. So, thank the Egyptians for this unique and historical sound of Arabia!
The flute we know today is both complex and beautiful. It produces sound when air is blown across the hole in the lip plate, causing the column of air inside the flute to vibrate. The tone holes (the other holes along the body of the flute) can be opened or closed by the player to change the pitch.
But what about the saxophone? Surprisingly, this is also part of the woodwind family.
But what about the saxophone? Surprisingly, this is also part of the woodwind family. Although it shares similarities with the flute in how it vibrates air inside the instrument, the saxophone produces sound differently. Instead of blowing across a hole, the player blows into a reed attached to the mouthpiece, which vibrates to create its distinctive tone.
Now you know some of the rich history of woodwind instruments and how they work. However, this is only scratching the surface of the flute’s history and the world of woodwinds. I hope this article inspires you to pick up a woodwind instrument yourself, to experience firsthand the instruments of harmonious sound and discover their finest details.
MoodyBlues
Matilda Bobin of Vinehall believes that music can manage your mood.
If you were listening to music right now, would you feel any happier than before, or would you start to feel upset? This may sound a bit weird: could music really change your mood? Surprisingly, it has been proven that music can. I find this interesting because I hadn’t realised that what I was listening to could change how I feel.
A minor key often sounds tense and foreboding, while a major key sounds quite carefree.
You can feel a lot of different emotions, including more common ones like happiness, sadness, anger and joy. But other emotions, such as anxiety, amusement and even defiance can also be caused by music. This happens when the limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory, lights up when you hear music. Dopamine (a neurotransmitter) triggers different emotions when you hear different types of music.
Songs can remind you of people and events, which means the song can be interpreted differently by anyone.
your brain to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which make you feel joy, while calming music relaxes your mind and body.
Why do people choose to listen to music in the first place? Music has been proven to help you focus when you work, as long as it is the right type of music (classical, naturebased etc.). It can also provide motivation, especially cinematic music, because of its crescendos.
the limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory, lights up when you hear music.
Genres that can make you feel happier include pop, jazz, and songs that have an uplifting, often fast beat. These songs are usually written in a major key, since this sounds happier than a minor key. A minor key often sounds tense and foreboding, while a major key sounds quite carefree and joyful. The most listened to genres are pop and rap. This could be because the fast beat in rap can feel like an escape from reality and the uplifting melody in pop often makes you feel content and cheerful.
But why does music affect your mood? You could be feeling annoyed at someone, but then you hear your favorite song on the radio and suddenly your mood improves. This is because happy, upbeat music causes
MUSIC HAS BEEN PROVEN TO HELP YOU FOCUS WHEN YOU WORK.
Many athletes listen to music before a big competition to stay calm and focused. In a study, Costas Karageorghis, a reader in sport psychology, found that music can improve performance by up to 20%. This is partly because the type of music they listen to keeps athletes focused and can even change their perception of effort.
However, it is not just the beat and tone of a song that can make it emotional; the lyrics can also trigger emotions. Some lyrics are motivational, whereas others can be bleak or upsetting. Songs can remind you of people and events, which means the song can be interpreted differently by anyone. For instance, two people can be listening to the same song; it could remind one person of a happy memory and the other person could be reminded of a loved one they have lost.
In conclusion, music is very powerful. It can evoke many different emotions, help us focus and even motivate us. It is an important part of many people’s lives, lifting their moods when they are upset, or providing escapism from a stressful situation. Without music, the world would be a very different place.
HoldFire!
Sami Kazik of Bede’s does not believe UK police should carry guns.
This question has been debated for quite a while in the UK. After all, it is only the UK, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand and a small number of other countries where police officers do not carry firearms. With 90% of our police officers remaining unarmed, has the time come for the UK police to start packing?
In the early part of the 19th Century, the first police force in the UK was established in London. It was called the Metropolitan Police Force (The Met). The new officers were armed with truncheons for protection whilst the high-ranking officers like inspectors and sergeants were armed with pistols and revolvers. Some officers were allowed to carry sabres when working in dangerous areas.
example, during the late 19th Century there were several shootings of police officers by armed criminal gangs. This resulted in the Home Office ordering 1000 Webley & Sons revolvers to be issued to different parts of Met Police but most officers refused to use them and they were not very popular.
Over the years, more police officers were issued firearms to respond to national and world events.
The two World Wars meant there was widespread arming of police to help in case of enemy invasion. These guns were mainly old Ross rifles, pistols and revolvers that were withdrawn from police forces when the war finished.
respond to incidents with a firearm in a situation the normal police can't handle.
Over the years, more police officers were issued firearms to respond to national and world events. For
The 20th and 21st Centuries brought new challenges, such as terrorists and criminal gangs using more dangerous weapons. As a result, each police force now has a specialist group of trained armed police officers (Authorised Firearms Officers or AFOs) who only
There is no question that firearms offer police officers better and quicker defence in life-threatening situations and it can be argued that fewer police officers in the UK would die if they all carried guns routinely in their role. A sad example is when officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone were shot in Manchester after they responded to what seemed a simple domestic incident and were shot by the perpetrator. If they were armed at the time then maybe their deaths could have been prevented. There is also evidence that the public would feel safer if all police officers carried firearms. In 2007 a survey of 2,156 adults asked if they wanted to see more officers armed and most adults said yes.
Knife crime is now on the increase, causing a real threat police and public and armed officers are routinely used
as the most appropriate response. This has increased the demand for more armed officers, especially in the larger cities.
Despite some very good reasons for police carrying guns, there are equally important reasons why they should not. Regardless of the training offered, carrying a lethal weapon carries more risk to the officers themselves and also increases the chance of making tragic mistakes. One example of this is the fatal shooting of a Brazilian man by the name of Jean Charles De Menezes when, in the aftermath of the 7th July attacks on London, an armed officer mistook him for one of the terrorists. Incidents like this demonstrate what difficult decisions firearm officers must make and the devastating consequences they have on the victim, the officer and on public confidence in policing. In some cases, like the shooting of Chris Kaba, the officer was charged with murder.
Historically UK police have never been keen on carrying firearms so having all police officers being forced to routinely carry firearms may cause a shortage of people applying to be officers and current officers leaving their jobs. This would be a key concern for our country’s safety.
The world that we live in today has many more challenges and is a lot more dangerous than ever before. With the threat of terrorism, huge increase in knife crime and organised crime gangs, it would bring a lot of comfort to see our officers walking around armed and ready to protect us and themselves from whatever threat we and they face. We would all feel a lot safer.
But there is no denying that carrying guns is not popular with the officers. It brings with it many risks to the officers and the public and would change the way we police. When Sir Robert Peel introduced the Met Police in 1829, it was set up to look and behave differently from the army and it did not carry firearms for that reason. He wanted the police to be trusted by the public they served and not feared. If all officers were made to carry guns, would this then not go against what the founder of modern policing intended?
we are in a unique position of being an island and our Border Forces make it difficult to bring guns into this country.
Even though over the last decade, there has been some increase in gun crime in the UK, this is still quite small compared to many of our neighbours. In the UK we are in a unique position of being an island and our Border Forces make it difficult to bring guns into this country, unlike mainland Europe where there are fewer borders.
He wanted the police to be trusted by the public they served and not feared. IT WOULD BRING A LOT OF COMFORT TO SEE OUR OFFICERS WALKING AROUND ARMED AND READY TO PROTECT US AND THEMSELVES
So, I don’t believe police should carry firearms. Our tough gun laws, unique geographical position and border control make the bringing of guns into this country very difficult. Our highly trained specialist AFOs, who have made a choice to have a career in armed policing, can deal effectively with any number of incidents that our country currently faces.
GO!Let's
The main group of riders is called the peloton, which comes from the French word for platoon, or group of soldiers.
Alex Webb of Vinehall takes a tour of the twowheel world.
Cycling is an increasingly popular sport. 42% of households globally have at least one bike. 118.3 million bikes were sold in 2017 and this shot up to 146.3 million in 2021. This is likely to be a result of the global pandemic, which encouraged people to get back on their bikes and rediscover this wonderful way of getting about.
Cycling has many different professional races. Take the Tour de France, for example; it is the biggest cycling race in the world and is 121 years old. This is a 23-day race around the whole of France. The route changes every year, and it is an honour for French towns to be involved.
My connection to the Tour is through the Morzine VTT (mountain bike) club. Our town was the finish line for the 14th stage of the 2024 Tour de France. The club and I cycled the last 1km of the course on race day, while the professionals were competing in the rest of the race. All along the way there were cheering crowds behind the sponsors’ barriers. It was exciting to get a rider’s point of view. The club and I then stood on the winners’ podium for a photo. After doing it myself, I was in the crowd watching how it was done by the professionals. They flew down the road like the wind.
The Tour de France is split into 21 stages, each around 140 km long. Some of the stages can be much longer, however: Les Sables-d'Olonne to Bayonne was the longest stage of the tour ever, at 482km long. The stages are a mixture of short time-trials and long, hard mountain routes. Riders compete both to win stages and get the fastest time overall. The winner usually wins multiple stages.
The rider with the most stage wins is Mark Cavendish, who has won 35 stages. Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) and Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) are the current best riders and often sprint it out to the line. Pogačar is, for now, the highest paid cyclist in the world. He gets paid a base salary of €8 million, plus bonuses for all his major wins.
Most people think that cycling is an individual sport, but you really must work together. The riders are all in teams, which is vital to the race strategy. Each team has a leader the other team members must help to the line in order to win.
The teams help their leader compete for the famous yellow jersey, which is awarded to the rider with the fastest overall time. There are three other prizes as well: the green jersey for the leading sprinter; the white jersey for the best rider under 25 years old; and the polka dot jersey for the leading mountain climber.
The main group of riders is called the peloton, which comes from the French word for platoon, or group of soldiers. This tells you that they are fighting to win. In this group the teams cycle together in a line to get their leader in a slipstream. This means that the team leaders can save energy for the end of the race. To get a higher chance of winning a stage, and in turn the Tour, riders should get themselves in a breakaway. The breakaway is a group of riders that break away from the peloton to fight it out on their own. This is tougher because they must face the wind alone.
The 2025 Tour starts on Saturday the 5th of July in Lille. I cannot wait!
Trend On
Florence Wicks of SJCS reckons fashion is in our DNA.
Do you like keeping up with the latest fashion trends? Do you buy the trendiest outfits? You might be surprised to know that our ancestors were just as fashionconscious as we are today.
During the Roman occupation of Britain, people wore tunics and togas. Tunics were long, loose dress-like shirts. Women wore longer tunics with a drape fastened at the shoulder, while men wore tunics with a toga draped around the body.
At the beginning of the medieval period, fashion was basic. People wore wool or linen tunics, often embroidered among the wealthy. The rich wore
bright colours to show status, and their clothes were sometimes made of silk. Peasants' clothes were usually undyed due to the expense of dye. Cloaks, fastened with brooches, kept people warm, and women wore veils or head coverings.
Later in the medieval period, fashion became more elaborate. Rich people favoured silk and velvet, while poorer people wore wool. Tassels, fur trimmings, pearls and precious stones adorned garments. Men's clothing became tighter and more fitted, while women's clothes became more exquisite, with full-length layered
skirts, corsets, and fitted bodices. Veils and head coverings remained popular, and expensive colours like scarlet, green, blue, and yellow were fashionable among the gentry.
Women wore large, layered dresses with hoop skirts and tiny waists held up by corsets.
In Tudor times, fashion became heavily decorated. Women wore linen shifts under their gowns, and rich women's dresses became bigger but more uncomfortable, with hoop skirts and headdresses like French Hoods. Peasants' tunics changed little. Rich men wore shirts, waistcoats, breeches, and jerkins, often embroidered,
In the Twenties, waists dropped, and dressesloose.became
with ruffs to show status. The richer the individual, the bigger and more decorated the ruff.
Stuart fashion was similar to Tudor fashion but with some changes. Men's coats became longer, and they wore longer, frillier breeches. Women's fashion became simpler, with fewer layers and the decline of French Hoods, replaced by lace collars.
In Georgian times, fashion became more elaborate with bright, colourful prints. Both men and women wore powdered wigs — the bigger, the better. Women wore large, layered dresses with hoop skirts and tiny waists held up by corsets. Bold patterns and bright colours were popular.
In Victorian times, fashion returned to big skirts and tiny waists, similar to early Georgian fashion but without wigs. Men wore top hats and waistcoats, while women wore crinolines and hoop skirts. Popular colours included crimson, claret, and scarlet, with ruffles and stripes adding flair to dresses.
Later in the period, Regency fashion emerged. Men's breeches turned into trousers, and jerkins became tailcoats. Top hats and canes became fashionable, and powdered wigs fell out of favour. For women, waists moved up to empire waists, with the rest of the dress as a skirt. Pastel colours were favoured, and slips were worn underneath to create the illusion of a small waist.
From the Victorian era to now, fashion trends have changed rapidly. In the Twenties, waists dropped, and dresses became loose. The Fifties saw big, puffy knee-length skirts, while the Sixties embraced bright colours and patterns on mini-dresses and mini-skirts. Flares dominated the Seventies, and in the 2000s low-rise jeans and fitted tops became fashionable.
As you can see, fashion has been with us since time began. I wonder what the future has in store for our descendants.
The richer the individual, the bigger and decoratedmore the ruff.
OTrainSlow
Amory Marass of JKS FOLLOWS THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF HS2.
ne of the advantages of the High Speed 2 is that it would reduce travel times, making it much easier, quicker and more efficient for people to travel to work between our two major cities, London and Birmingham. On our average trains, travelling at normal speed, the journey would take one hour and 32 minutes; by car, it would take 2 hours and 35 minutes; but the with the speedy time of 49 mins, the HS2 wins! It would reduce the time by a whopping 40%.
The Wildlife Trust claimed in a recent report that ‘the deep cut HS2 will make across the landscape could stop nature in its tracks.’
Another advantage of this new transport link is that the HS2 would be one of the most sustainable high-speed rail networks on Earth. This will be useful, because, unlike planes, lorries, and most cars, train travel on the HS2 will be electric. This means it would also reduce to zero the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming, balancing the amount released into the atmosphere with the amount removed. And the number of new jobs that HS2 has created is effective because they are helping to up-skill Britain, providing new long-term careers for different people from all over the United Kingdom. At the moment there are more than 30,000 jobs supported by the programme and more than 3,500 British businesses have delivered work on the HS2 so far.
However, HS2 obviously has its disadvantages. First, the cost of the entire project. This is a serious cause for concern because the cost was originally estimated to be around £56 billion, but last summer the government admitted the project will cost around £30 billion over budget! However, a more recent review said it may cost over £100 billion. Many campaigners say this money would be better spent improving existing transportation or helping the environment. Furthermore, we should also take into consideration
the amount of time that is to be spent building the High Speed 2. The whole project is due to be completed by 2040 but it is already behind schedule. Preparation of the route started all the way back in 2015, 10 years ago. Only now, plans are being given the green light, so building the actual train line can begin. The first part of this project will be between London and Birmingham, which is aimed to be finished in 2031. The next phase, between Manchester and Leeds, is aimed to be completed by 2040. So, we hope, in 20 years it will be done. But many, like me, think 20 years is too long.
The destruction of the countryside is also one of the biggest arguments against HS2: how will it affect the country’s green spaces? The Wildlife Trust claimed in a recent report that ‘the deep cut HS2 will make across the landscape could stop nature in its tracks.’ It says, in principle, it supports ‘sustainable transport solutions’, but the current plans come at an unacceptable cost to our natural world, putting the homes of animals, including barn owls and otters who live in these areas, at risk. Wildlife presenter Chris Packham has criticised the HS2 on social media. He says: ‘Approval of HS2 continues the war on nature.’
Not doubt people will be arguing for the next two decades about what matters most.
Amazing
Delilah Cole of saint ronan’s says Mexico is marvellous.
I have just been to the Rainforest,Amazon where I climbed the trees.highest
For my tenth birthday I made my party Mexicanthemed with a piñata.
Have you ever been on holiday to such a wonderful destination that you have considered living there? Well, Mexico is my wonderful destination.
When I was growing up, I used to go to Mexico from Christmas to New Year, every year for three or four years. My family and I sometimes went with friends, but we were happy just being there. I love going there because when you lie down the beach you can just relax and all your troubled thoughts wash over your head.
I grew up around Mexican food. Every Friday night, when I used to live in London, we would go to a Mexican restaurant called Breddos, right opposite our house. My favourite Mexican meal is either nachos or tacos. For my tenth birthday I made my party Mexican- themed with a piñata and a dinner out to my favourite restaurant, Breddos!
One of the most famous Mexican festivals is called The Day of the Dead, celebrated from 28 October 28 to 2 November. This lively Mexican celebration helps families honour their ancestors. It is also known as Día de los Muertos.
First, people set up a candlelit altar, also known as an ofrendas, so the spirits can find their way back to their relatives. The altar also offers some of the favourite foods of deceased, just in case they get hungry. Items that were important to the ancestors when they were alive, such as a favourite book or a musical instrument, are placed on the altar as well. Then it’s off to the graveyard for a big party. This involves families bringing huge feasts while they clean tombstones, sing songs and talk to their ancestors. Parents may also introduce a baby to a grandparent who died before the baby was born.
THIS LIVELY MEXICAN CELEBRATION HELPS FAMILIES HONOUR THEIR ANCESTORS. IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS.
HOLBOX IS GOOD FOR THOSE WANTING A PLACE FREE OF TECHNOLOGY AND FULL OF RELAXATION TIME.
The whole island has manybeachessandyand places to go scuba-diving and snorkelling.
They have a Ferris wheel, in addition to an amusement park with attractions and local Mexican food.
In Mexico, there are many main attractions. One of them is the Aztlán Urban Park. They have a Ferris wheel, in addition to an amusement park with attractions and local Mexican food. There are also many beautiful places to escape from reality, which includes Isla Holbox, good for those wanting a place free of technology and full of relaxation time. The whole island has sandy beaches and many places to go scubadiving and snorkelling. You can also visit Baja California, located in Mexico despite is name. It is surrounded by amazing beaches and crashing waves. Marine life there is abundant, with sea turtles laying eggs on the beaches and humpback whales breaching.
Paradise Lost
Nicholas Garcia of SJCS unpacks the magic myth of Babylon.
Many regard the ‘myth’ of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon with contempt. Maybe they’re right. But surely it’s not for nothing that this supposedly magnificent ‘second Eden’ has become one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, alongside such marvels as the Great Pyramid of Giza built as a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu, and the Pharos’ lighthouse at Alexandria, which has served as an everlasting guide to maritime travellers for centuries.
So why ‘Hanging’? Were there never-ending rows of hanging baskets with plants tumbling over the edges, and whole flowerbeds suspended in the air by poles? No. Actually, the name of the gardens comes from the Greek for ‘overhanging’, probably derived from the terraced fashion in which the gardens were built, allowing trees and vines to droop over the edges of the many shelves or ‘steps’. There would have been trees of various sorts in the Hanging Gardens – those native to the surrounding area, such as olive trees, date palms, figs, and luscious grape vines here and there, as well as other trees imported from various different countries, like cedar, cypress, and ebony, including those that we know well here in the UK –oak, ash, and willow.
What’s the great mystery, then? The Hanging Gardens seem real enough at first, but when you discover that they are the only wonder of the ancient world that has no proof of existence and that, if they did exist, they were the shortest lived, things seem to get little more tricky. There are several theories as to the construction of the gardens.
According to one legend, the gardens were built by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II (who ruled in the 6th century BC) for his wife, Queen Amytis, because she missed the lush, green hills and valleys of her homeland, Media. However, three more probable explanations are: first, that the gardens never actually existed and that the accounts of them found in Greek and Roman literature were just another poetic El Dorado, or an idealised version of the perfect Eastern Garden; second, that they really did exist somewhere in or near Babylon; and, last, that the legend actually originates from a well-known garden built by the Assyrian King Sennacherib in Nineveh, near the modern day city of Mosul.
STRABO, A GREEK, SAYS THAT THE WATER WAS DRAWN UP FROM THE RIVER EUPHRATES USING AN ARCHIMEDES SCREW.
in the ancient world for drawing up water to higher ground from a river or well). More distinct than the other accounts is that of Philo of Byzantium, who wrote A Handbook to the Seven Wonders of the World in the 5th Century, which praises the engineering of the gardens, and also, like Strabo, mentions the Archimedes screw.
There would have been trees of various sorts – those native to the surrounding area, such as olive trees, date palms, figs, and luscious grape vines.
There are five principal writers who mention the Hanging Gardens, although none have seen them first-hand. The earliest is the Roman historian, Josephus (1st Century), the only one who specifically mentions the King Nebuchadnezzar and his queen. Another Roman, Diodorus Sicilius, ascribes the construction of the gardens to a ‘Syrian king’. Siciliius gives the most detailed account of the gardens, stating that it was in a square shape, with each side 120m long. According to him the highest tier was twenty-two metres high, and that the nearby river Euphrates irrigated the gardens, although he does not specify how that would have taken place. The last Roman, Quintus Curtius Rufus (1st Century AD) says that the gardens were on top of a citadel. He attributes the building of the gardens to a Syrian king and mentions that it was for his queen. Strabo, a Greek, says that the water was drawn up from the River Euphrates using an Archimedes screw (a device used
So, was the garden actually in Assyria? Or was it in Babylon? (For the sake of this article, we are assuming it really existed: otherwise I would have nothing to write about).
although no archaeological proof has been found, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
Evidence that it was in Babylon comes from a few sources, the most obvious being that the gardens are not called the Hanging Gardens of Assyria, but of Babylon. And, although no archaeological proof has been found, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The remains could well still lie under the river Euphrates, an impossible site to excavate in these times.
As for it being in Assyria, the only writer to mention that the gardens were built by a Babylonian king was Josephus, but both Sicilius and Rufus attribute them to a ‘Syrian king’. Many records of Nebuchadnezzar’s works exist and none of them mention the
they are the only wonder of the ancient world that has no proof of existence.
THE
REMAINS COULD WELL STILL LIE UNDER THE RIVER EUPHRATES, AN IMPOSSIBLE SITE TO EXCAVATE IN THESE TIMES.
hanging gardens, which is highly unusual. The writer Herodotus describes Babylon in his Histories but does not mention any gardens, though it could have been that the gardens were not well known to Europe at that time.
So, the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon would seem, at best, dubious. The very fact that they have gathered an almost mythological momentum is fascinating, however, and is perhaps just another example of the human sentimentalisation of two time-worn cliches: when I was young, all this were fields, and in my day, years ago, everything was so much more beautiful and well… hanging.
the name of the gardens comes from the Greek for probably‘overhanging’, derived from the terraced fashion in which the gardens were built, allowing trees and vines to droop over the edges
EyeSpy
The word ‘graffiti’ means much more than drawings on walls. First, the word ‘graffiti’ comes from the Italian ‘graffito’, which means ‘something scratched’. It was first used by archaeologists to describe inscriptions found in ancient ruins.
Some artists operate under the firm belief that they must bring art to the streets.
Most of the time, when graffiti is created, it is done illegally. It is illegal when you vandalise something, and vandalising something is when you do not have permission to destroy or draw on anything. For example, you could not go up to my house and start spraying graffiti. That is illegal, but if I gave you permission, you could spray freely. Some people even pay graffiti artists to create street art somewhere. In Hastings, under a bridge, a street artist was paid to graffiti an underwater scene. In my opinion, it looks awesome.
Obviously, there is a tipping point between art and vandalism. Some artists operate under the firm belief that they must bring art to the streets. But sometimes they go too far. Public art is not always appreciated. Some pieces are public collaborations: for example, the gum wall in Seattle. As the name suggests, this is a wall covered in gum. This was not created by one person; it was created by lots of people. In fact, this idea was started by one person putting their gum on the wall after they had finished with it, but now it has developed into a local landmark.
In a 'heaven spot' (or 'heaven' for short), the piece of graffiti receives this name because of where the artist has painted the picture. For it to be called a heaven spot, you have to paint it in an exceedingly high place. That is the reason why it is called ‘heaven’, since these are very risky locations, and you do not see much of this art. But it looks really cool in person and makes you wonder how the artist managed to access that spot.
Harvey Percy of Vinehall maps out the best street art.
For it to be called a heaven spot, you have to paint it in an exceedingly high place.
The word ‘graffiti’ comes from the Italian ‘graffito’, which means ‘something scratched’.
The next sign is a good sign. If you see this one, it was probably allowed to happen because this a peace symbol. The proper name for this symbol is ‘peace brother’ and it makes me feel heartwarmed with all the conflict that happens in this world. Look out for this one. The final sign is a sign of friendship.
Using a common technique of squares and triangles, graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra created the mural of Etnias for the Olympics in Rio 2006. This brilliant and fabulous piece of graffiti art covers over 30,000 square feet and took around two months to create. It broke the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest graffiti art. The artist painted the portraits of five faces from five different continents to spread the message of all different people being one. It included the faces of citizens from New Guinea, Ethiopia, Thailand, Europe and the Americas.
I am interested in graffiti because of the meaning behind its name. Also, I am into art and rather like this style of art and how it brings art to the streets. I particularly love the origin and the meaning of the paintings, especially the peace and friendship ones. Art really can bring people together.
Using a common technique of squares and triangles, graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra created the mural of Etnias.
barSetting the
Poppy Oliver of Vinehall salutes the selfawareness of the great Simone Biles.
Simone Biles is an American gymnast with a reputation for being the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) in gymnastics. From an African American and Puerto Rican heritage, with 11 Olympic medals under her belt and 13 records broken at the Paris Olympics alone, she is one of the most decorated Olympians today.
Biles (born 14 March 1997 in Columbus, Ohio) grew up in Texas. By the age of six, she had found an interest in gymnastics during a field trip to Bannon’s Gymnastics, where she was coached for 11 years by Aimee Boorman. By 2013, she dominated the sport, and that year Biles won the first of her six world all-around titles.
bones. The risks increased, leading to her pulling out of the team competition. Finally, it was announced to the public that the ‘GOAT’ of gymnastics had pulled out of the Olympics, and it was unclear whether she would compete in the individual competition. Biles was on record saying it is best when you are an athlete to put your physical and mental health first.
Such unpredictable shifts in her performance were dangerous and could have led to fatal injuries.
Biles is famous for her power, ability and consistency that allow her to perform skills that other female gymnasts struggle to learn. Her ambition to have so many skills named after her has, however, led to her having mental health problems. Let me explain. Biles had qualified to compete for the USA in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She had entered as a winner who would raise Olympic standards yet again. Planning to perform two new skills that had not been seen before, she felt pressure to succeed because it would not only make history but also bring pride to the US women’s team.
There were only four women on the team that year because of Covid, so there was already more pressure on each team member, but not as much as the pressure on Biles. Right from the beginning of the competition, there was inconsistency in her performance. Biles had shared on social media that ‘she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.’ And so it began. In each practice, she would stumble or falter. Such unpredictable shifts in her performance were dangerous and could have led to fatal injuries. For example, if she landed from a vault in the wrong place then she could have broken
She then disappeared from the gymnastics world for a few years to get her mind right but when she returned at the Paris Olympics she had to start from scratch to get back on her feet. Personally, I think her coaches (Cecile and Laurent Landi) need a special mention because of how supportive they had to be for Biles to get to Paris. Quite obviously, based on her performance in Paris, after working hard on her own mind Biles is now back to how she was before Tokyo.
Biles’s story shows that sometimes you need to take breaks and not push yourself too far. Personally, it makes me think that getting back on your feet can be harder than expected but easier than pushing through and causing yourself more injuries or trouble. What causes this extraordinary woman to be known as the GOAT of gymnastics is not only the sheer number of medals and awards she has won, but also her resilience in getting back up to show the world how powerful she can be. And that is the mark of a true champion.
W Sound Mind
Charlotte Breen of Holmewood House extols the mending magic of music.
e have all experienced musicevoked autobiographical memory, often without realising, but there are many scientific theories why music can trigger memories and how it can help those with impaired memory.
music memories made between the ages of 10 and 25 are the most powerful memories and the most likely to be remembered.
I am sure you are all wondering what is musicevoked autobiographical memory (MEAM)? Well, it is remembering personal experiences or past events when you hear music. An example of this occurring could be, you are just simply walking down the street and you hear music coming from a shop or a street performer and recognise this as one of songs from your childhood, and suddenly the memories come flooding back, uncontrollably.
From a scientific perspective, music’s ability to evoke memory is linked to how our brains process music and its associated memories. Music activates
many different areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus and amygdala regions, which are responsible for giving emotional responses to music through memory, and the limbic system, which processes and regulates emotion and memory. The fact that music stimulates so many different areas of the brain is key to understanding how music can continue to provide memories when parts of the brain are damaged. Some scientific researchers have also suggested that there is specific area in the middle of the brain, away from the hippocampus, in which memories related to music are stored.
Music is easily associated with specific emotions or original experiences, for example songs played at momentous events such as christenings and weddings. Repetition of songs can also make bonds with memory: many
people have a song of the summer or song of the year, because it was repeated many times during this period of time, linking it to more memories and strengthening the relationship. This explains the natural phenomenon that is MEAM.
So how does MEAM help those with impaired memories following an accident, stroke, or dementia? Research has indicated that music can help those with impaired memories reconnect with their past by stimulating regions in the brain associated with the processing of memories and by establishing new pathways for autobiographical memory retrieval. Some scientists also suggest that music-evoked memories can activate the hippocampus, which in turn can slow down the rate at which brain cells and their connections are lost, known as atrophy.
People all over the world struggle with dementia, which not only affects the individual but family and close
Time spent making memories through music may just help us all keep our memories when we are older.
friends. Music being a trigger for vital memories, such as their own wedding, or how they met their partner, is extremely important and comforting. MEAM occurs at the same rate in those able-minded as it does in people struggling with dementia, and music therapy is a commonly used practice that works especially well in those with loss of autobiographical (episodic) memories. Continued research in this area will only help our understanding of MEAM and how we can use this to improve the lives of those suffering with impaired memory.
It is thought that music memories made between the ages of 10 and 25 are the most powerful memories and the most likely to be remembered. This links to how some people have connections with certain bands and singers because they were popular when they were growing up. Perhaps it can also explain the recent rush for tickets to concerts by Oasis and Coldplay for the many
people who experienced and loved these bands in their younger years. Time spent making memories through music in our youth, whether that’s playlists for holiday, going to concerts or listening to music whilst we study, may just help us all keep our memories when we are older.
To conclude, there is so much we do not yet know about how our brains connect memories and music – for this reason, more research is vital. Over the coming years I hope to see many more advances in technology and more discoveries about the topic of our brain and MEAM so that we can broaden our knowledge about this relatively unknown topic.
MEAM occurs at the same rate in those able-minded as it does in people struggling with dementia.
Cartoon Magic
Philip Jevons of Newton Prep takes his cartoons seriously.
Cartoons have been around since the early 1900s, with Fantasmagorie being the first animated film. They are captivating, intriguing, and exciting, turning simple, everyday tasks into amusing stories that people of all ages can enjoy. However, not every story has a happy ending. Walt Disney, for example, faced many challenges, including being rejected by 300 banks while trying to secure funding for his company. In 1971, when Disney World opened, a reporter remarked to Walt’s brother, Roy Disney, 'This must be a bittersweet day for you. It’s really sad that Walt never got to see Disney World.' With that, Roy responded, 'If Walt hadn’t seen it, we wouldn’t be standing in it.' What is it that makes cartoons so exciting? Is it the characters? The plot? The animation style?
even the most ‘perfect’ characters face challenges, reminding us that we are not facing these alone.
Cartoon characters often have exaggerated features. Take Bugs Bunny, for example: his big ears, huge eyes and oversized feet make him instantly recognisable. He virtually has superpowers, defying the laws of physics, gravity and even logic itself. Yet, this exaggerated style creates a unique and engaging world where only the most important details are emphasised and stretched to their limits.
People love cartoons because they are colourful, appealing and most of the characters have a comedic personality. Their actions are also incredibly welltimed, transforming what could be a tragic moment into a lively, upbeat scene. Cartoons have the ability to take reality to another plane of existence; they let creativity flow in a visual style that cannot be replicated in real life.
Our preference for imaginary characters often stems from the comfort they provide. They evoke a range of emotions – joy, sadness, fear or excitement, allowing us to experience these feelings alongside them. Alternatively, have you ever watched a depressing, sad and traumatic cartoon?
Many people do not know this, but Disney princesses often have mental health challenges. This is why people might find cartoon characters understandable. For example, Snow White has OCD, Alice from Wonderland has schizophrenia, Pocahontas has depression, and Mulan has Atelophobia (an extreme fear of imperfection). These challenges show that even the most ‘perfect’ characters face challenges, reminding us that we are not facing these alone.
Watching an old cartoon can bring up feelings of happiness and comfort,
cartoons celebrate teamwork and friendship, and show how good will always overcomes evil.
reminding us of our ability to move past worries. Nostalgia washes over you, making you feel a sense of solace, just as looking at an old photo from your childhood might bring back memories that you had completely forgotten.
During times of anxiety or depression, watching a light-hearted kids' cartoon is a positive way to help you cope. These cartoons celebrate teamwork and friendship, and show how good will always overcomes evil. For example, SpongeBob is almost always in a happy and loving mood, even when he is being ignored by Squidward and bullied by Plankton. He shows his viewers that treating people with kindness is not just an option but is mandatory. Believe it or not, cartoons can actually rub off on people, making them a bit happier and wanting to spread their newfound optimism.
People love cartoons because they are colourful, appealing and most of the characters have a comedic personality.
Watching an old cartoon can bring up feelings of happiness and comfort, reminding us of our ability to move past worries.
Big deal
When it comes to the evolution of playing cards Arthur Griffiths of SJCS has the cards.
How many decks of playing cards do you have at home? I bet there are several. Playing cards have been around for over a thousand years and have been a massive form of entertainment. Over the centuries, their popularity has grown and playing cards are not only used to play card games with but to make towers, throw at walls, and even make art.
The first deck of playing cards was created by the ancient Chinese Tang dynasty and, although precise dates are debatable, it is thought that it was roughly 1,000 AD. The ancient Chinese played with 32 cards in a deck, a number that corresponds with the maximum combinations of a pair of dice, showing early ‘card’ games might have been played with dice. They called these decks pái. The cards resemble dominoes, being tall and thin with coloured dots. One particular famous card game was called Madiao, which isn’t dissimilar to Rummy. Since the objective of the game is to collect sets and runs of cards, Madiao can still be played today with a normal card deck.
lures, reflecting hunting themes that were so popular at the time. We still have one of these decks today called the Flemish Hunting Deck and the 600-year-old full deck is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They were likely to have been created in the Netherlands. This deck is almost exactly as we see cards today, the only differences being the shape and the suits.
the Flemish Hunting Deck and the 600-yearold full deck is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Hundreds of years later the design of a deck of cards had not changed much, but their use had grown massively. In 1865 advances in printing made it easier to manufacture playing cards and that was when the joker was first introduced. The idea was that if you lost a playing card then you could write that card's suit and value on the joker and it could replace it. However, jokers have since been integrated into some games such as Crazy Eights and some versions of Rummy where they are used as wild cards.
During the 13th Century, playing cards evolved slightly in China and the ‘suit’ system began. Instead of clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, they used coins, myriads and other symbols. Soon the cards began to spread to the Islamic world via the Silk Road and were used by the Mamluk Dynasty. They changed the design slightly and made them look more artistic. The four suits became cups, coins, polo sticks and swords. This is how the modern deck of cards began: four suits and 52 cards.
Decks of cards started to arrive in Europe in the Mediaeval period when the four suits changed to hunting horns, dog collars, hound tethers and falcon
When playing cards became more widely used, Whist became the most popular game. At a similar period of time, playing cards were taking off in the US where poker was invented and is now, arguably, the most popular card game in the world. Many variations of poker have been invented and adapted since then.
Over one thousand years playing cards have changed and their uses have grown. Who can tell how they will evolve in the future?
Emma Aspbury of Broomwood thinks alien friends would be nice to have.
Imagine a timeline of the whole universe. Pretty long, right? Well, guess what. Human existence is only a snap of a finger's worth of that time. And did you know that Earth has existed for most of the universe’s history: that’s 4.25 billion years without a whisper of technological life or human civilisation, which is a very late development? To me, this is terrifying. It also makes me wonder: surely if we only exist for a few seconds in terms of the universe, there must be some other form of civilisation. Just imagine how many galaxies there are out there, and in those galaxies solar systems, and in those solar systems planets. In fact, there was an estimate that there are 100 to 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe, and I am convinced that there is some sort of other intelligent life out there.
NASA says that ‘while the chances of finding life elsewhere remains
unknown, the odds can be said to be improving’. The chances of NASA finding extra-terrestrial life in this decade, or century, are very slim. In fact, it took 35 years for a satellite to reach interstellar space. Even though it is called interstellar, it hasn’t even left our solar system yet. Scientists say it will take 300 years just to get to the edge of the outside layer of the solar system. This spacecraft is called Voyager 1. It launched from Florida in 1977, entered interstellar space in 2012, and is still to this day floating around outside our solar system. Of course, Voyager 1 didn’t go straight to interstellar space; it travelled by Jupiter and Saturn first. This is an astonishing amount of time and one heck of a journey: imagine being stuck in a spacecraft for 11 billion miles! Just imagine how long it would take to develop the technology to send
Scientists say it will take 300 years just to get to the edge of the outside layer of the solar system.
out a manned spacecraft interstellar! Voyager 1 wasn’t by itself though. 16 days before Voyager 1 blasted off, Voyager 2 was sent out, this time touring around Venus and Neptune. Its journey took 41 years. Obviously, NASA still has not developed the technology to send out a manned spacecraft, and even if they did I doubt any astronaut would want to spend more than 35 years trapped in a tube in an endless void, floating into the unknown abyss. When I describe it like that, of course no one would want to do that. Imagine what kind of step it would be for mankind – a bigger step than going to the moon. Sorry, Neil.
In case you’re now completely lacking hope of ever discovering extraterrestrial life, don’t fear, because we have had an encounter. In 2017, an intriguing object zipped through
In case you’re now completely lacking hope of ever discovering extraterrestrial life, don’t fear.
our solar system. It was on a steep trajectory, telling scientists it wasn’t from around here. They confirmed it was from interstellar space – the first object from another solar system to enter ours. Scientists named the object ‘Oumuamua’, a Hawaiian word meaning ‘visitor from afar arriving first’. So, what was it? Oumuamua was the first of its kind and was not seen in detail very closely, so researchers found it difficult to draw any conclusions. Whatever it was, it was big, it was moving fast, and it was tumbling through space. Oumuamua was estimated to be about half a mile (800 meters) long. Astronomers had never seen a natural object of such an enormous scale in the solar system before. It was last detected traveling away from the Sun at about 196,000 mph on its way back to interstellar space. After January 2018, Oumuamua was no longer visible to telescopes, even in space.
it was from interstellar space - the first object from another solar system to enter ours.
Back to the voyagers. A lingering question is: where are they going next? Voyager 1’s path will take it out of our solar system and aiming towards the constellation Ophiuchus. Don’t get your hopes up, though, because only in the year 40, 272 will Voyager 1 become 1.7 light years of an obscure star now in the constellation Ursula Minor. It doesn’t stop there, though, because in about 40,000 years, Voyager 2 will come within about 1.7 light-years of a star called Ross 248, a small star now in the constellation of Andromeda.
The chances of humans finding other life are minute, and it won’t be for another 40,000 years probably until we find whatever is out there. So that means that not even your great, great, great, great (times fifty) grandchildren will be around when extra-terrestrial life is discovered, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up hope. Sadly, though, not any time soon, will I be able to live out my Guardians of the Galaxy dream, fast jumping in a spaceship from galaxy to galaxy.
The chances of NASA finding extra-terrestrial life in this decade, or century, are very slim.
Alice
Labruyere
of SJCS uncovers customs that come but once a year.
New Year’s Eve is a time to say goodbye to what was, and welcome what will be. As the clock strikes midnight, cheers and fireworks typically fill the sky – but what about New Year’s Eve and even New Year’s Day traditions around the world? Well, there are plenty!
In Spain, it is customary to celebrate the New year by eating twelve grapes, one for each clock chime marking midnight. Additionally, each grape is supposed to bring luck for one month of the year. The tradition dates back to 1895, becoming more common from 1909 onwards. The grapes are usually thin-skinned, pale green grapes that are harvested in late November or December.
in Colombia carry an empty suitcase around their neighbourhood as fast as they can to welcome in the New Year.
A Danish New Year’s Eve tradition involves standing on chairs and jumping off when the clock strikes midnight. Forgetting to jump can be problematic, for it is said to bring bad luck for the entire year. Another New Year’s tradition in Denmark sees people smash unused plates outside of their loved ones’ homes. If you’ve got lots of broken plates on your doorstep in the morning, it means you’re very popular and you will have good luck all year.
To bring good luck and encourage more travel in the New Year, people in Colombia carry an empty suitcase around their neighbourhood as fast as they can to welcome in the New Year. In Filipino culture, it is believed that roundness symbolises prosperity because it is a similar shape to coins or money. Perhaps the most commonly-known Filipino tradition for New Year’s Eve is the wearing or eating of round items. Round fruits are consumed, and clothing with round patterns (such as circles or polka dots) are worn. So, households pick 12 round fruits for each month of the year to eat on New Year’s Eve to ensure a year of abundance. People also wear polka dots for good luck.
If you’ve got lots of broken plates on your doorstep in the morning, it means you’re very popular.
New Years
They’re
rung from Buddhist temples across the country with the 108 chimes numbered to therepresent ‘Earthly
Temptations’.
Greek tradition says that the greeks hang onions on their doors and this is a very old tradition.
At midnight on 31 December each year, you’ll hear 108 bells ring out all over Japan. It is a practice called Joya-no-Kane. They’re rung from Buddhist temples across the country with the 108 chimes numbered to represent what is known in the faith as the ‘Earthly Temptations’. This is still done in Japan today, and if you’re there you may even be able to hear the bells toll on TV or on the radio.
Wearing white, people traditionally jump over seven waves to thank the ocean goddess.
Greek tradition says that the Greeks hang onions on their doors and this is a very old tradition. But it’s said to symbolise rebirth, because the onion peels away to reveal many layers. Tradition also says Greek parents should bop their children on the head to wake them up on New Year’s Day! It is said to bring them luck throughout the year.
In Brazil, it is common to go to the beach to bring in the New Year. Wearing white, people traditionally jump over seven waves to thank the ocean goddess, Lemanja, for something good that happened in the past year with each wave. Once done, it is tradition that they do not turn their backs to the sea until they are completely out of the water, since this risks having bad luck. They wear white clothing because it is said to signify peace and happiness.
IN SPAIN, IT IS CUSTOMARY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR BY EATING TWELVE GRAPES, ONE FOR EACH CLOCK CHIME.
Hogmanay or ‘first footing’ is a New Year’s Eve tradition in Scotland when the first person who crosses the threshold of a home in the New Year carries a gift for luck. There is even lore in which the person should be a man who is tall and dark – to protect against Vikings. The tall, dark man may even bring coal, salt, shortbread or whisky, representing the basic needs of heat, food and drink.
Tradition in Finland has a fortune-telling aspect. Finnish people will melt a small tin horseshoe in a pan before pouring the contents into a bucket of cold water. Whatever shape it solidifies into is said to represent what’s to come in the New Year. Ideally, you would want a coin shape, four-leaf-clover or love heart.
The tall, dark man may even bring coal, salt, shortbread or whisky, representing the basic needs of heat, food and drink.
Here is a pretty simple German tradition: eating a Berliner doughnut – called Krapfen in Southern Germany – on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. These frosted doughnuts were once reserved as a festive sweet treat, with whatever filling you prefer: fruity jam (or jelly), melted chocolate, vanilla cream and others. You might be able to buy jelly-filled Berliners all year round, but treat yourself to an extra one on 31 December.
This lovely tradition from the Czech Republic doesn’t involve much, just an apple and a knife. Simply cut an apple in half to see what's in store for you next year, based on the pattern of the seeds inside. If it’s a star shape, you will have good health and luck. If there’s a cross with four points, it’s bad news, for example ill-health or an upcoming death in the family. Traditionally, the cutting of the apple is done at Christmas
dinner, usually held on Christmas Eve. Everyone around the table will show each other their apple-predicted fates.
The Irish have several New year traditions, such as banging the outside walls of their houses with bread to keep away bad luck and evil spirits, and starting the year with a spotless, freshly cleaned home. But one of the most well-known is setting an extra plate at the dinner table for any loved ones lost in the past year.
Finally, on New Year’s Eve, Colombians celebrate with a tradition called ‘agüero’. This tradition consists of placing three potatoes under each family member’s bed, one of them peeled, another not and the last only partially. At midnight, each person chooses one with their eyes closed and, depending on which one they choose, they can expect good fortune, financial struggle or a mixture of both in the new year.
the cutting of the apple is done at Christmas dinner, usually held on Christmas Eve.
RoadRocky
Mason Tahiri of Bede’s wonders why was Emperor Hadrian was so successful.
Emperor Hadrian was born into a prominent family on 4th January 76 AD. His early life was marked by a strong education and military training, and he developed a fondness for hunting that he kept for the rest of his life. He was adopted by his father’s cousin, Trajan.
Hadrian was sent to a school in Rome where he was under the care of Trajan. When Nerva died, Trajan became Emperor. Trajan was an ambitious and aggressive ruler and Hadrian gained lots of military experience as General during conquests over Dacia, now known as Romania, and Parthia (Iran). So, early in life Hadrian played a key role in the Roman Empire.
When Trajan died in Cilicia, now known as Turkey, in 117 AD, he had not named an heir to the throne. Hadrian’s military experience and friendship with Trajan meant that he was an obvious candidate and he was duly crowned Emperor. Hadrian gets a lot of credit from historians because of his remarkable building record while Emperor. He put up, for example, the famous Temple of Venus and Roma. Hadrian’s reign didn’t come without any difficulties; he faced rebellions, such as the Bar Kokhba Revolt.
In Britain, which Hadrian visited in AD 122, the focus on shoring up the empire resulted in the construction of the famous wall. Hadrian’s Wall was built especially to protect Roman Britain from the Northern Picts and Barbarians but for many other reasons too. The wall stretched for 73 miles (about 117 kilometres) across the North of England, marking the Northwest boundary of the Roman Empire. Hadrian's wall took about six years to complete, using 15,000 workers. Ever since the day it was built, it has remained nearly intact. What an incredible achievement! It is a physical legacy that has lasted for 1,900 years. Now it is a very popular tourist attraction.
Hadrian died in Baiae (Naples) on 10th July 138 AD after a long reign that played a key role in developing the culture and importance of the Roman Empire.
To answer my question, I believe Hadrian was a successful ruler because he gained lots of military experience as General and he learnt a lot from Trajan. In my opinion, his greatest legacy was that he was an architectural genius. He was responsible for building many treasured monuments and he was loved by the people of Rome, and only a few rulers have ever achieved such a feat. All these reasons are why he is one of the greatest Roman Emperors.
Hadrian’s Wall was built especially to protect Roman Britain from the Northern Picts and Barbarians.
