VOLUME 10 ISSUE4
TUSKAN TIMES
ROSALIE GILLSATER - AN ISF BOARDING STUDENT
MUSKAN BONINGER
5
OLIVIA DICK
7 9
RAYA GUPTA
13
POLITICS
IT'S ALWAYS EITHER PINK OR BLUE
ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI
19
LOUISE GUTBROD
21
SCIENCE
APPRECIATING ISF AFT
JONAH'S ICE FISH
MARJORIE CARLSON
25
HOW COMPUTERS CHANGED CHESS FOREVER
SIMON KARACSONYI
26
CULTURE
ISF
IN THIS ISSUE
STROZZI STUDENT GUIDED EVENT
A DIFFERENT KIND OF NEW YEAR
SHARP FREEDOM
CHOOSING YOUR ROLE MODELS
DEVAKI MENON
ON THE COVERS THIS PIECE WAS INSPIRED BY THE HONEST AND INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE BY ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI. THE FIGURE IS HOLDING THE MASK OF HOW SOCIETY PERCEIVES THEM AND WHAT LIES BEHIND THE MASK IS HOW THIS PERSON SEES THEMSELVES. AN IDEAL WORLD IS ONE OF ACCEPTANCE AND SEEING PAST THE MASKS.
EVA GOULDER
THIS ART PIECE IS MADE TO SHOW AND HIGHLIGHT THE EXTREME TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN TODAY'S SOCIETY. IT SHOWS HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND THE SEEMINGLY ONE-SIDED BATTLE BETWEEN HUMANITY AND ROBOTS. AI IS SLOWLY BECOMING MORE AND MORE A PART OF OUR CULTURE, IN TURN REPLACING WHAT WAS ONCE JUST A FIGHT BETWEEN HUMANS - JUST LIKE WITH MODERN CHESS AND HOW THE CREATED ROBOTS HAVE GAINED A GREATER SKILL THAN MOST CURRENT GRANDMASTERS OUT IN THE WORLD IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AI HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE GAME OF CHESS AND WON'T EVER BE THE SAME.
GINEVRA FONTANA
31
MEET THE TEAM
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the first issue of the Tuskan Times for 2022! I’m honored to be the new Editor-in-Chief, and I want to welcome Devaki Menon as our Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Selina Marton as our Head of Layout. Our team is excited to work together and create something fun and interesting for you to read. This year, we are introducing a new section where each edition we will feature a work of creative writing. We are also hoping to expand our coverage to include more information and stories about the junior school. Please share your thoughts and comments with our hardworking staff so we can continue to deliver a great product. Finally, I would also like to thank Bernardo Petochi and Giuseppina Lopez for their leadership and guidance during the past year. We hope you enjoy the issue! Katherine Dick
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LAYOUT
WRITERS
KATHERINE DICK
LOUISE GUTBROD PIETER VERBANK SOL GUENDOGDU MARJORIE CARLSON SASHA WILCOX ALISA TILLMAN
LOUISE GUTBROD MARJORIE CARLSON SIMON KARÁCSONYI MUSKAN BONINGER OLIVIA DICK DEVAKI MENON ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI RAYA GUPTA
ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DEVAKI MENON
HEAD OF LAYOUT SELINA MARTON
SUPERVISOR KATHRYN VAN FORST
EDITORS DEVAKI MENON ALISIYA ERMOLENKO GUSTAVO REGO CAROLINA HOHAGEN KATHERINE DICK
G9 COORDINATOR LEELA MENON
ART
EVALIN GOULDER GINEVRA FONTANA REBECCA BUDRONI
ISF
In this section of the issue, our writers explore topics related to ISF and our community as a whole
High schoolers playing soccer at the lower field.
STROZZI PROJECT
ISF
THE STROZZI PROJECT - A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE By Muskan Boninger, '23
Throughout the year, seven ISF students attended regular meetings at Palazzo Strozzi with professional guides with the goal of presenting artworks by American artist Jeff Koons. Being part of the seven students, I have attended all the meetings and confirm it was a great learning experience. We learned how to think as an artist, read art, and how to effectively communicate it to a viewer. The process of learning how to think like an artist was particularly challenging for me, and for this reason, I listened to several interviews of Jeff Koons on how he reflected and explained his works.
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The process of learning how to think like an artist was particularly challenging for me
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5 TUSKAN TIMES
When I was in the museum I explained what the artist intended to communicate with his work. I saw many people lost in thought of what could possibly be the meaning of a floating basketball or of a cooker stuck to LED lights. As guides, we explained, made them reflect, and pointed out the details making everything much clearer. There were lots of people at the event, teachers, students, parents, but mostly outsiders. When the event finished, I went around asking people their opinion on how the event went and if we as student guides were helpful. Elisa Prosperetti, the first woman I interviewed, said she wasn't a great fan of Jeff Koons but that she enjoyed the museum. She thought that the space was very provocative and interesting and the best part was to see the mix of Florentine style with the excessive capitalist. She confirmed that she did indeed talk to some students and thought the research the students did was really interesting. One criticism she made was that she thought that we were worried about giving our own opinion on the works of art, and that she would have been interested to have us editorialialize a bit more. We remained too neutral when explaining the artworks.
ISF
STROZZI PROJECT
Another visitor I interviewed, Shannon Meehan, said that she loved the experience and really enjoyed the different use of materials and colors, the brightness of the colors, and how it made her think about the relationship between ourselves and our reflection drawn to things that are mundane. When I asked her about the student's guide she eagerly responded that we were super helpful. She said she was “so glad to have them around” and that she didn't even realize that we were students because we were very knowledgeable and extremely insightful. Overall, she thought it was all a very pleasant experience.
POLITICS
To get a different opinion I asked some ISF students about what they thought about this experience and one of them, Nasser Al-Sabah, 11th grader said that the event was very interesting and that he found his peers extremely helpful. Another student I interviewed was Giovanni Vaglio who stated that he really liked the event as it was very interesting and that the student guides were very useful.
Another ISF student, Dareyo Caramani Grade 9, said he liked the Strozzi event because the students made him think about Jeff Koons’ art. He found it interesting because it was very informative and added that the students were well prepared. Overall, he really liked seeing the artworks and learning their meaning and the message behind them, because without the explanations he wouldn't have been able to appreciate the art. His statement and all the others make me think we achieved our goal. We managed to communicate the author's intent and created a memorable time for all. Events like these are both entertaining and educational for both students and visitors. Museums should work more with schools because both benefit; museums get more cientel while the students get the opportunity to enhance their communication skills and get lost in the diverse world of art.
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We managed to communicate the author's intent and created a memorable time for all.
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6 TUSKAN TIMES
ISF
BOARDING STUDENT
ON HER OWN IN FLORENCE A BOARDING STUDENT AT ISF By Olivia Dick, '25 Fifteen-year-old Rosalie Gillsater lives here in Florence, not with her family, but with a 70year old Italian woman as her host. Rosalie is half-English, half-Swedish, born in Tunisia and has lived in New York, Paris, and Copenhagen. This year, she decided to move away from her family, friends, and home to spend a year abroad at ISF. She had been unhappy with her school at the time and knew that when her dad was her age, he had also lived abroad alone.
At first, her living situation was difficult and took some time to get used to. She even almost left before the first semester of the school year ended because of homesickness but ultimately decided to stick with it. While most of us have the luxury of going home in the evenings to be with our families, Rosalie doesn’t and hasn’t all year. After school, she does homework and calls her parents every night but is otherwise alone. She goes to the grocery store and takes out cash from an ATM by herself, living an extremely independent life. She says that she took some time to get used to her new living situation but is now relatively comfortable with it.
Rosalie considered Costa Rica, the south of France, Austria, Spain, and a Swedish school in Nigeria before ultimately settling on Florence. Her choice came down to a recommendation from her father, and the book Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. Currently, she lives with a 70 year old Italian woman and “sometimes a Mexican lady.” Rosalie has a friendly relationship with her host lady and explains that, “she makes dinner for me and we eat that together and she gets out breakfast for me in the morning and does my laundry. She's very nice and always makes sure I'm good and everything in my room is working.”
7 TUSKAN TIMES
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Consider everything you regularly do and imagine doing that alone.
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If you were a parent and your child was 15 years old, how might you react to them asking to move away and live alone? Is this something you might consider doing yourself?
ISF
BOARDING STUDENT
If you were a parent and your child was 15 years old, how might you react to them asking to move away and live alone? Is this something you might consider doing yourself? Surprisingly, when she was younger, Rosalie “never left their [her parents] side…and refused to even think about university.” Even though they were sad, her parents were supportive of Rosalie’s wish and helped in the whole process of moving. When asked if she would ever do something like this again, Rosalie said her opinion varied. She explained that sometimes she considers going to a boarding school for next year, but other times, she says, “I miss my family so much that I want to go home now and hate being on my own.” It’s evident that deciding between the freedom of living alone and the grounded spirit and loveliness of being with family is hard to do.
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Though slightly uncertain, Rosalie says that after ISF, she’ll return to CIS (Copenhagen International School) and complete highschool there and live with her family. As Rosalie described, most people might think living alone at a young age is thrilling and allows one to be spontaneous and irresponsible with their life. But what we fail to see is that there is an underlying challenge presented during a situation such as this. For anyone considering living alone, Rosalie gave some advice as well, “Consider everything you regularly do and imagine doing that alone. Like birthdays alone, figuring out lunches on weekends, getting to school, sick days, vacations, etc.” She explains that there are soaring highs to the situation and plunging lows. She went on to say that “One day when you think back to the year you did it, you're not going to think about the bad bits, you're going to think about the cool, amazing, pretty life-changing experience you had.”
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Living an extremely independent life
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Next time you see Rosalie around school, be sure to say hello, offer a smile and ask more about her experience.
Deciding between the freedom of living alone and the grounded spirit and loveliness of being with family is hard to do.
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8 TUSKAN TIMES
APPRECIATING ISF ART LIVIA MANETTI '23
EZRA PAVONCELLI '25
FRIDA MASSIA '26
REBECCA KORST '24 9 TUSKAN TIMES
ALTEA DEGLI AZZONI '27 (BELOW)
ANNA PAPINI '22 (ABOVE)
MICHELLE LU '28 (RIGHT) 10 TUSKAN TIMES
CREATIVE WRITING
Check out some of our community's creative minds through their writing!
CREATIVE
SHARP FREEDOM
SHARP FREEDOM By Raya Gupta, '25 The crowd was a writhing mass. A type of line that wasn’t really a line at all. There was no order to the chaos my life had become. I remember how that ‘line’ looked as we approached it this morning, like a staked snake, curving and wiggling and trying to get away from an inevitable fate. Now I too was immersed in it, surrounded by sweat and fear. I could smell desperation in the air. I shut my eyes for a moment and imagined that this was the last spaceport on earth, that an asteroid was going to crash into our planet and we were getting into a ship to escape into space, away from it all. But the asteroid had already fallen and lit the world on fire. We were left in the aftermath to try and pick up the pieces. The Taliban were already here and there was nothing any of us could do to change it, we could only flee and hold tight to our memories of the distant joy of the past. Someone pushed past me, his face red and his breath wheezy, trying to shove his way to the front of the line. But despite the despair on his face, no one here was going to let him get very far. We were all fighting for our place on this long, dusty road snaking towards salvation. We were all desperate. “Get back, boy.” someone said with a deep voice, “But my father, I’ve lost my father.” he said, his voice frantic. But no one cared. “Get back.” the chorus remained. “Get back.” “I need to find him.” the boy yelled, shoving forth once more, and as someone finally decided to help him, the conflict came to a head. The ensuing scuffle reached me too, and suddenly what I had been watching safely as if from behind a window, hit me. I was jostled by elbows and pushed against someone’s damp back, then a second later, in a confusion of limbs, I saw the ground looming towards my face, my arms pinwheeling as I pointlessly tried to defy gravity. A strong hand grabbed the strap of my bag, pulling me back into safety. “Baba,” I breathed, sighing in relief. “Stay close,” he answered and I grabbed his hand tight. I didn’t want to end up like that boy, fighting all alone on the battlefield. We were already too much alike, both frantically searching the landscape for the world we used to know. When the sun dipped low behind the mountains, I could see the stark white clothes of Taliban fighters ahead. All day we had shuffled forward under the sun to get here, but none of that mattered now, the Taliban held our fates and I had heard enough stories to be terrified by that thought. My mother’s grip tightened on my hand, and I could see my father’s clenched fists. Even my little brother’s gaze wandered around with worry from his perch on my father’s shoulders. “Be quiet and let baba do the talking.” my mother whispered to me, arranging the long blue scarf draped over my head and shoulders. “I can’t see with this on my face.” I complained. “Enough,” she gently reprimanded, “you can take it off when we get on the plane.”
13 TUSKAN TIMES
CREATIVE
SHARP FREEDOM
My father gestured over at us to be quiet, we were so close to the Talib fighter that I could see the stains on his white uniform. When we were directly in front of him he swept his gaze over us, stopping on my father. He just stared into Baba’s eyes for what seemed like forever, judging him with a cold stare. Finally my father blinked and ducked his gaze, a deep breath shuddering through his body before he spoke, “I need to get through. I wish to leave with my family.” he said, waving his hand at us to certify our affiliation. “And why should I let you pass?” the fighter smiled, taking delight in watching our future dangle by a thread. He wasn’t very old at all, still in his gangly, awkward teen years, but despite his acne, he demanded respect. He carried himself like he knew what was best, not only for himself, but for everyone too. There was no hint of hesitation or uncertainty in his stare or stance. In this upside down order, my father was supposed to bow to this child who couldn’t have been more than 10 years older than my brother perched on his shoulders. Maybe this was what power did to someone; make them so full of themselves that all their goodness was pushed away to create room. What would happen to a country run by people like that? Men who refused to see me except to shoot me. “My wife is an American citizen,” my father said, beckoning for my mother to step forward, “we will go back to her home.” “Identification?” he asked, “Here,” my father replied, showing him my mother’s blue passport.” He gave it a quick, careless glance, “Okay, she and the children can go, but you are an Afghan man, you are one of us.” the fighter said, “since when do our men follow a woman instead of defending their homeland. Afghanistan needs you and you are just going to flee?” “But they are my family.” my father stammered, a note of panic high in his voice. “They can go, or you can all stay,” he answered smoothly, yawning and stretching his arms into the sky. I recognized that pose, it was one I had watched every morning for a whole year. This was a more cruel utilization of it, but the movements were identical. Maybe it was because I had never really looked at his face, only his arm stretched up to answer questions, that I hadn’t seen the resemblance sooner. He had been three classes higher than me and was great at memorizing poetry. He once gave a presentation on Rumi. I remembered how nervous he looked, standing in front of the whole class saying his verses, and now he was an uncertified but incredibly powerful judge carelessly juggling lives with a rifle slung across his back. “But, my family,” my father pleaded, stepping closer to him, “I must st-” “I’m not letting you across that fence.” he said harshly, pushing my father back hard enough that he stumbled into me and my mother. I don’t know what possessed me, but as my father tripped back, I stepped forward. My heart beat horribly fast as the Talib fighter examined me, his brown eyes hard and cold. My world was on fire and my cheeks were reddening more every second. All sound disappeared except for the booming, rhythmic pound of my heart. I was angry. Angry that a poetry loving student was now waving people around with a rifle. Angry that there were people willing to be waved around in order to leave. Angry that if everything worked out, I would have to leave my home; that my choices were between never seeing the crystal clear Noshaq waterfall again and seeing it, along with my hopes, destroyed. “Kassef,” I said, “why are you doing this?” It was a question with so many answers that there were none.
14 TUSKAN TIMES
CREATIVE
SHARP FREEDOM
He recoiled from my voice as if I had slapped him, the ice in his eyes cracking for a second. “What else can I do?” he said grimly, stepping forward again with a tight expression, “this is my home, my life, and I can’t leave it like you. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be either.” “It is nice for you.” I said, “I can tell you enjoy it.” “So what if I do?” he shrugged, “I’m doing it for God and for my government, what is a greater calling?” This was logic that would be the ruin of my country, but I was powerless to stop it. Nothing I could say to Kassef would be strong enough to break through his shield of false convictions. “Go,” he said, “all of you.” “What?” I gasped in disbelief, a moment earlier my stomach had started to sink, already anticipating the weight of my parents’ despair as I realized I had probably botched our chances of escape. “Go,” he said with irritation, “get out of here before I change my mind.” The last thing I saw as we passed through the fence and the line of western soldiers was another family approaching Kassef the Talib fighter, the cycle starting over again for the hundredth time today. The airport was almost worse than the line in terms of organization, but somehow we had gotten onto the plane without losing each other or our minds. Now staring off into space I had time to think and I didn’t want to. Guilt was burning a hole in my chest. Why couldn’t I be thankful? I was one of the lucky ones, I knew it. I got to have a future besides being a housewife and having kids. I got to escape the burning world, but what would I find in the new one? My only home was in the past. My only comfort in memory. I had escaped, but for what? ‘We’ll make a new home’ was the constant refrain on this plane. But how? My pink apartment building in Kabul with lush green trees filling the courtyard. My school. My friends. That was my home. It was gone, and I was heading off into an unknown land without any hope of getting home again. I remember a few hours ago, just as we were clearing the fence into the airport, I had whisked my hand along the barbed wire just to make sure it was real. A red line welling with blood appeared on my palm and a sharp sting followed. What had I expected, running my hand along a fence designed to cut? I knew there was always a price to pay. Freedom was sharp.
15 TUSKAN TIMES
CREATIVE
SHARP FREEDOM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR RAYA GUPTA
My parents are American diplomats, and during this past summer I heard a lot about what the Taliban were doing in Afghanistan. My dad was working here in Italy to help get Italian citizens and other people Italy wanted out of the country, but my parents had a bigger connection than that, having worked for years in Pakistan, India and Jordan, all countries in the area, to try and solve the problems. Besides that, it's hard to imagine not feeling something for the people having to step into a whole new life and for those left behind. The emotion makes it an excellent story and one that needs to be told.
16 TUSKAN TIMES
POLITICS
In this section, our readers explore topics relating to politics around the world.
POLITICS
PINK OR BLUE
IT’S ALWAYS EITHER PINK OR BLUE By Elena Sofia Uzielli '25 As discovered in 1905, each human being has one pair of sex chromosomes. I know that, as you probably do, but why? Because that’s what we’ve always been taught, that there are two genders; X and Y for male, and X and X for female. Whether you’re in 6th grade science class or studying karyograms in university, you know that the 23rd pair of chromosomes tells you one thing: there are two sexes and two sexes only. There is no gray, no other option, no change of perspective. That’s it. But what about that gap in between the two sides, the other 99.8% that makes up the rest of the gender spectrum? We’ve never been introduced to this other side of gender, and most people grow up entirely unaware of what lies behind the selfimposed confinement of “male” and “female.” Since childhood we’ve been sorted, groomed and convinced that it’s either the Iron Man lunchbox or the Hello Kitty water bottle. It’s either soccer and lego and blue pajamas or ballet and barbies and embroidered pink overalls. Later, perhaps in elementary school, we’ll start befriending the children we think resemble us, the children that have our same interests not because they spontaneously chose to but because they were taught so. In middle school we won’t think twice of what we truly feel and instead we’ll focus on who we were raised to be.
19 TUSKAN TIMES
In high school we won’t dwindle on the uncomfortable feeling that comes after someone uses the pronouns we were born to fit, instead we’ll move on and blame the stupid hormones.
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Since childhood we’ve been sorted, groomed and convinced that it’s either the Iron Man lunchbox or the Hello Kitty water bottle.
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In university we’ll ignore the gender dysphoria gnawing at our insides, instead we’ll trick ourselves into thinking that we were born like this for a reason, and that shouldn’t change. Nonbinary genders have been aknowledged for millenials, so why is it that in today’s society it’s still a struggle to see past the narrow parameters of our mind? Young and old people struggle daily to live a life in which they are recognized as who they are and not as what everyone expects them to be.
POLITICS
PINK OR BLUE
POLITICS
However, in recent years there has been a larger portion of time and effort dedicated to understanding the complexity of sex, or gender, as it’s now more commonly referred to. Slowly, we are beginning to embrace and understand all the shades of gray that can be found between the two “traditional” genders. There are identities such as intersex or androgynous that are characterized by physical traits and “inconsistencies” between chromosomes and genitalia, for instance. While other genders (or lack thereof) such as nonbinary, genderfluid, agender, intergender, transgender, pangender and an infinite number of other identities are what a person feels and how they choose to express their inner selves. The umbrella term is nonbinary, indicating that someone doesn’t fall under the categories of the two sexes usually assigned at birth. A person is cisgender if they identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. Cisnormativity, or the assumption that cisgender is the norm, just like heteronormativity, is a very real and very current issue.
Nonbinary genders are legally recognized in less than 20 countries, and are still not tolerated in many others. At this point it’s no longer a question of what the cultural values and beliefs are, it’s a question of basic human rights. We, as humans, have decided that for a person to be seen as such, they must conform to either the male or female gender. It’s scary isn’t it? The human eye isn’t trained to see past the tangible, it isn’t trained to see that what lies behind the mask is nothing more or less than a person. Each human being deserves support, respect and love, and until all recognize this, we are unable to collectively move forward as a society.
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Slowly, we are beginning to embrace and understand all the shades of gray that can be found between the two “traditional” genders.
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In some cases this “cold shoulder” is the fruit of ignorance, whether spontaneous or genuine I cannot say, but in other cases it’s an indication of a fixed mindset and general disrespect.
20 TUSKAN TIMES
POLITICS
ROLE MODELS
CHOOSING OUR ROLE MODELS By Louise Gutbrod, '23
A role model is someone from whom others take a good example. Just as a model is something that is an inspiring ideal, a role model is someone who inspires others to imitate his or her good behaviour. Everyone has his or her own role model. This can be a member of your family, a person close to you or a person you know only through their achievements. Humanity has always needed role models and public figures to guide and inspire. We often put people on podiums and praise them without paying attention to their weaknesses and flaws. This podium gives them power over us: the power to change our decisions, beliefs, and opinions. It is easy to forget that this kind of power comes with great responsibility. Winners of awards such as the Nobel Prize, widely considered the most prestigious award in their respective fields, are a good example of a role model. The people selected for this award are supposed to represent the ideals of humanity. The Nobel Peace Prize is a symbol of the “Peace and Brotherhood of Man" and is awarded to people who have made the greatest efforts to help humanity.
21 TUSKAN TIMES
In 2019, Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed Ali was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea", according to the Nobel Committee.
Recently, however, footage of the laureate has been revealed showing him on the front lines of the war, leading the army against the people of Eritrea who are fighting for their independence. In doing so, he contradicts the ethical values for which he was so praised. Something similar happened 10 years earlier, when the 2009 laureate, Barack Obama, accepted his prize just 10 days after announcing that 30,000 new troops would be deployed in Afghanistan. According to the committee, he was awarded the prize for his "extraordinary effort to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation among peoples".
POLITICS
ROLE MODELS
It is not without a certain irony that we praise people as representatives of peace while they are deployed in war. Such misconceptions are not uncommon in history. However, there is no denying that these people have done incredible things for humanity. It is not about mistakes, but rather about accepting that everyone makes them and not forgetting that your idols also have flaws.
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...we praise people as representatives of peace while they are deployed in war.
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The revolution of media has changed the process of influencing people, and, through social media platforms, the reach of socalled 'influencers' and the general public has increased dramatically. People now have access to all kinds of information. They can share their opinions or listen to the opinions of others at any time. Through the media, the ease of achieving such influence has expanded to an extent where it is incredibly difficult to decide on what to listen to.
But who should be responsible for selecting and controlling the power of role models? The answer to this question is not black and white. There is no one who alone can really control such things as the media, nor is there anyone who alone can safely judge a person's future behaviour or influence. The Nobel Committee gives awards to people after careful research and months of discussion and yet they can still be wrong. Most of us don’t even bother with such a process. We go on social media and follow people we find interesting or attractive. With just one click, we can be subconsciously influenced by someone every day. Of course, this does not apply to everyone and everything, but it is still important to be aware of such influences and be careful before blindly following them. You can follow the example of a Nobel peace laureate, but remember that there is a bit of war even in people who are praised for their diplomacy.
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But who should be responsible for selecting and controlling the power of role models?
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22 TUSKAN TIMES
SCIENCE
Our writers provide fascinating insight on new scientific breakthroughs.
SCIENCE
JONAH'S ICE FISH
JONAH'S ICE FISH
By Marjorie Carlson, '23
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A breeding ground of Jonah's ice fish the size of Paris was found in the Weddell Sea.
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Researchers Autun Purser and Lilian Bohringer were monitoring the sea floor on a whale watching research assignment when they discovered 60 million active nests of Jonah's Ice Fish, a species of fish found in deep waters. Jonah's fish have an interesting adaptation to survive the extreme temperatures in the Weddell Sea. They are considered “white blooded” fish because of their clear blood which lacks hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein that transports oxygen in the blood. Instead, for Jonah's fish, oxygen is dissolved in the plasma and transported throughout the body. Additionally, to survive in the quite literally freezing temperatures these fish have antifreeze proteins. This unique fish only services well in certain environments, such as the Weddell Sea. When the large breeding ground was discovered, researchers were surprised by how vast and structured the breeding site was.
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Every 10 inches there was another nest for 93 square miles providing almost a new seafloor ecosystem type.
25 TUSKAN TIMES
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Other Jonah's ice fish have been found in much smaller breeding grounds. This massive population could be sustaining the vast Weddell seals. However, Jonah's icefish are disproportionately relying on massive breeding colonies, making the species extremely vulnerable.
This massive breeding colony is one of the few ideal locations for Jonah's ice fish. This is because the water is 3.5 degrees warmer than the surrounding water caused by the thermohaline circulation in the Weddell Sea. Not only does this circulation allow for Jonah's ice fish to flourish, but it promotes ocean water to flow around the planet. This contributes to the global climate as the Weddell Sea provides cold, northward moving water. The vulnerability of Jonah's ice fish, as well as the global importance to the climate of the Weddell Sea, is causing a push to make this area Marine Protected Area under the International Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living resources. The discovery of this large breeding area has only led to more discussion of protecting the Weddell Sea.
SCIENCE
CHESS AND COMPUTERS
HOW COMPUTERS CHANGED CHESS FOREVER By Simon Karásconyi, '23
With the recent conclusion of the World Chess Championship, the chess world came together to celebrate the fifth world championship title of Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. To accomplish this great victory Carlsen had to defeat Ian Nepomniachtchi (Nepo in future references) from Russia competing under the FIDE flag as a result of Russian athletes banned from top sport. Nepo suffered a great and embarrassing defeat in Game 6, after which he could not stand up. Many chess commentators from across the world, such as Levy Rozman, Alexandra and Andrea Botez, Eric Rosen, Eric Hansen, and Anna Rudolf have pointed out that the level of games played at the World Championship was fabulous. The recent improvement in the level of chess played is the direct result of higher level computation which plays a large role in how chess players prepare for games.
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The recent improvement in the level of chess played is the direct result of higher level computation
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Is it possible to create a machine that can imitate human logic?
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In the 1950’s, after remarkable breakthroughs in computational technology, scientists began to wonder if it was possible to create a machine that could imitate human logic. After decades of research, trial and error, in 1997 scientists finally believed that a computer can beat the best human player. And that is just what happened. Deep Blue beat the legendary Grandmaster Garry Kasparov in an intense game. Ever since, the strongest engine has always been better than the strongest human.
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The strongest engine will always be better than the strongest human
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26 TUSKAN TIMES
SCIENCE
CHESS AND COMPUTERS
Obvious as it is, these engines uncovered previously unknown fields of chess as well as techniques which revolutionized chess as it is. One of these ways is openings. The opening in chess is when the players move the pieces out on the board and start building their strategy for the game. Computers have analyzed millions of such possibilities. Seeing the results, players changed their opening repertoire and for the last 20 years or so, it is very unusual to see an opening that is not e5 or d5. There are flaws to computers; they suggest moves which humans simply are not capable of calculating. This makes it difficult for beginners to learn from computers, as they do not see a point in playing a certain move suggested by the engine. Furthermore, engines in rare situations are unable to calculate the right move. This was the case in the game below at the 2004 World Championship, when Péter Lékó played one of the best moves in chess history. Can you find the winning idea?
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Despite these flaws, computers benefit chess players enormously. They improved the way we play and understand the game.
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27 TUSKAN TIMES
Kramnik-Leko 2004
Elliott, Timo, "How not to explain AI to your boss!" Digital Business and Business Analytics
CULTURE
New Years Eve celebrations
CULTURE
NEW YEAR
A DIFFERENT KIND OF NEW YEAR By Devaki Menon, '24
The arrival of a new year normally brings with it a feeling of lightness, a weight off one’s shoulders, a breath of fresh air, a new beginning. However, optimism in the new year also goes hand in hand with uncertainty as we look ahead. All these emotions are highlighted in 2022, a year that continues to be shadowed by a global pandemic that has disrupted the experiences we always took for granted. With the emergence of new strains and masking mandates, what will 2022 look like? Can our human spirit live and prosper amongst these uncertainties?
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Optimism in the new year also goes hand in hand with uncertainty as we look ahead
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31 TUSKAN TIMES
The beginning of a new year is as much a moment for reflection as it is a time for reimagining the future. As 2022 begins, we continue to dwell on both the positive and negative experiences of the last year. 2021, in some ways, can be considered a transition, a year of learning. Having weathered the storm that was 2020, 2021 brought us hope and allowed us to take a step back and make peace with our new normal. As restrictions around the world ebbed and flowed unpredictably, we learned how to live without the certainty of what the next day would bring. Disruptions became a way of life, as much of the constructs with which we had lived and much of what we saw as “normal” changed. Working from home, for example, continued to be the norm, and school closures meant that every meal was now a family event, as internet failures and scrambled Zoom calls threatened to derail already frayed nerves! Masking for restaurants, waiting in queues for vaccinations, not being able to travel at will: this was a reality different to the one we had always known. There remains much that has been lost due to the pandemic. The impact on public health has been immense, with grief and loss having characterized this time.
CULTURE
NEW YEAR
Covid-19 has caused unprecedented worries and fears, ranging from the loss of livelihood to mental health concerns. A study conducted by scholars at Stanford University identified major impacts over the last two years on social interaction, economic status and individual psychology. The differential impacts of Covid on learning and educational outcomes on people around the world without access to technology is well documented. School closures due to Covid-19 have left more than a billion students out of school. WHO assessments note concerns with regard to rising levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use, and selfharm. Development data suggests that more households are falling into monetary poverty as families lose income due to Covid-19. UNICEF studies indicate that the pandemic could push 142 million more children into poverty. In Florence, as in numerous Italian cities, the impact of Covid restrictions on the key economic driver, the tourism sector, has destroyed livelihoods.
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The pandemic could push 142 million more children into poverty
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But have these disruptions given us a chance to reset? Is there still reason to be optimistic? A landmark intergenerational study ‘The Changing Childhood Project’ done by Gallup and UNICEF during the pandemic showed that young people are 50 per cent more likely than older generations to believe the world is becoming a better place.
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Can we then think of moving forward in 2022, despite our worries?
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Practically speaking, a lot of these disruptions will not go away this year, but we have learnt a lot about making happiness with what we have. 2022 provides the possibility of working alongside both pre-pandemic and postpandemic norms: we have the extraordinary opportunity to choose from these two worlds and decide what truly makes us happy.
32 TUSKAN TIMES
CULTURE
NEW YEAR
For a long time, society has been constrained by a model of living that prioritizes strict working hours and limited leisure options, but that world has turned upside down. The possibility of remote working and shorter hours allows us to start re-examining office structures. Now that vast populations around the world have been vaccinated, perhaps we can start travelling again, but travel with new eyes that recognize that the world is fragile and we must step carefully, through masking, distancing and sanitizing.
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travel with new eyes that recognize that the world is fragile
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We have relearned the art of connecting in small groups, spending time with family and recognizing the importance of community. We know the power and the challenges that interconnectedness brings. As we welcome visitors back and rediscover ourselves in Florence, and as we turn the lights back on in restaurants, bars and museums, we look ahead with gratitude and optimism. Despite all the worries and fears, despite Delta and Omicron, the human spirit encapsulated in Michelangelo’s David still stands. His slingshot is a metaphor for human power, a demonstration of our spirit. This new year is all about that spirit, and each one of us has shown both to ourselves and to our communities just how resilient we are. Just as the city of Renaissance has reinvented itself over the centuries, we as individuals can reinvent our worlds and find our own happiness.
33 TUSKAN TIMES
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2022 provides the possibility of working alongside both prepandemic and postpandemic norms: we have the extraordinary opportunity to choose from these two worlds and decide what truly makes us happy.
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