The Barometer 2020-21 Half Term 1

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BAROMETER SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

HALF TERM 1

FROM THE EDITORS Dear Readers, First and foremost, welcome back.

The team has found returning to school to be a great relief, albeit one fraught with all the newly implemented and necessary precautions – we have continued to meet via Microsoft Teams in order to avoid breaking year group ‘bubbles’!

For those who are new to the school, The Barometer is our student-led magazine which is released at the end of every half term (six issues per academic year). It features comprehensive reports of what goes on at Wetherby Senior School, both in and out of the classroom, as well as general articles regarding what our journalists have been up to outside of school.

CONTENTS: From the Head Boy - Monty C On the Hot Seat with Monty C Maxim H and Nico S The Hong Kong Protests & Coronavirus - Max P How has Covid-19 Affected Students in the UK? - Leonid K Progress with the Covid-19 Vaccine - Isaac M Have any Positives come from Covid-19 - Theophile N A Year 7 Guide to Firefly Antonio P Microsoft Teams - Deni D Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopaedia - Kaveh K Walberswick - Joseph S Chinese White Dolphins - Jay J Wildlife in Hyde Park - Vangelis F

We hope that you will find something that interests you in the pages that follow.

Genes, Genomes and Health Henry B

Henry B, Year 12 Senior Editor

Air Transport Auxiliary - The Unsung Heroes of WWII Henry B

Alastair Salmon, Year 13 Academic Prefect

Hiking in Austria - Keyaan S

NASA’s Three Greatest Achievements - Oliver B A Life on our Planet - A Review Robert B Sabrina’s Peculiar Garden, a short story - Ramzi K

The Barometer Team: Robert B, Henry B, Vangelis F, Jay J, Ramzi K, Kaveh K, Samuel M, Andreas M, Isaac M, Antonio P, Alex P, Ben R, Tommaso S, Keyaan S. Cover photograph - Keyaan S, Year 8

Boeing 747 Retirement - The End of the Jumbo Jet Era - Henry B Uzbekistan - Barnaby M-J Book Review: The Body - Henry B Book Review: The Planets Oliver B The Silver Screen Library Tommaso S

FROM THE HEAD BOY Dear Readers, I am Monty and I am honoured to be Head Boy for Wetherby Senior School this year. I have been in the Wetherby family since I was seven, being the first Year 3 class at Wetherby Prep. I am studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Geography for A-Levels and intend to go to university in the United States.

I am delighted to be supported by a fantastic prefect team including the deputy head boys, Tobi and Miron, to try and make the transition into the school comfortable for new students, but also to provide support to

the great staff and pupils in these unprecedented times.

I am very excited for the upcoming year, even though I know it could be a tough one due to the current situation. I would have loved to come around to different year groups and introduce myself in person, but unfortunately the restrictions prevent me from doing so.

I hope to see everyone around in the future and that we have a good and productive first term.

Monty

ON THE HOT SEAT Welcome all to the New 2020 Hot Seat: The Student Edition!

In this segment Nico S and Max H (your hosts) will interview some of the Senior Leadership Team. Due to the year group ‘bubbles’ and COVID restrictions, it can be challenging to get to know the Student Leadership Team therefore this is a great opportunity for you to find out more about them. In our first interview, we’re going to go straight for the top dog, our current Head Boy: Monty C. Monty is a Wetherby boy through and through. He, like many of you, joined Wetherby Prep in Year 3 and has carried on his journey into the Senior School. Monty’s wide range of skills all the way from football to wiggling his ears (which, let’s be honest, is as close to magic as it gets). In addition, Monty has a very academic profile, studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Geography as his A Level subjects, with his eyes set on the USA. When asked about what university he’d like to study at, Monty confidently replied with “Georgetown University, like my brothers,” clearly intent on carrying on the family legacy.

Respect. A couple of Monty’s many hobbies include Drama and Football. Juggling both a place on the Football First XI Team (back when organised sports were still possible) and lead roles in many school productions, Monty has very little time to relax. Reflecting upon his many years at Wetherby, Monty has said his favourite memories are those spent on the football pitch with his friends.

Now, to the part you’ve all been waiting for… Monty on The Hot Seat!

So, Monty, what is your favourite sport?

Football (Wow! Who expected that?)

Favourite football team?

Arsenal and West Ham, in that order. (Max and Nico look at each other in disappointment. How is it possible to support two London Rivals? Really Monty?)

Dogs or cats?

Dogs without a doubt.

Do you have a dog?

I wish I did but my mum’s allergic.

Cardio or weights?

Cardio because I’m a strong runner. (Max, being an avid gym lad, proceeded to leave the room to cool down after Monty’s controversial answer.)

Xbox or PS4?

PS4.

What would you rather do: laundry or dishes?

Dishes. I believe doing the dishes is satisfying.

Burgers or sushi?

Sushi Favourite colour? Why? Green. I am a green man.

Ideal Day Out? In the morning I’d play a fivea-side football match with my mates. Then, ideally, I’d love to go to watch a Premier League football match at the stadium followed by a dinner with my mates. Can’t complain, can you?

Pancakes or waffles?

Very hard decision. Monty goes

with regular waffles but agrees with Max that blueberry pancakes are elite.

Winter or summer?

Obviously summer! Get that tan on.

Favourite TV show?

Match of the Day (if you haven’t quite figured it out yet, Monty likes football).

If you were stranded on a desert island, which one of your peers would you choose to have with you? Why? After five minutes of debate, Monty goes with Alex LeM: a very knowledgeable person and a great friend who would help keep him alive.

One piece of advice you would give to someone joining the 6th Form?

Do the subjects you love!

And there you have it folks - Interview No.1 completed!

Mission success...fist bumps all around (well... from a distance of course). We hope you now know more about Monty and you can feel free to ask him any questions or advice when you see him around the school. After all, I’m sure you’ve noticed all the common things we share...except for Monty’s weird ear party trick which none of us can do. Maybe you guys can give it a try and let Monty know how you do!

The hong kong protests & Coronavirus Max P, Year 12 writes...

How have the Hong Kong protests developed under coronavirus and is the future for the city bleak?

In February last year, the extradition bill, a law that would allow prisoners in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China, was introduced to the former British colony handed over to the Chinese in 1997. Before the quarantine, it seemed the protests were one of the largest international stories, resulting in a response from the United Kingdom with Prime Minister Boris Johnson determining that three million Hong Kong citizens would be able to apply for British citizenship, provoking some reaction from the Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming. President Trump also showed his support for the Hong Kong people. However, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread across Europe and eventually to the United States, along with our lack of preparation, reports on the Hong Kong protests in this country dwindled and public attention seems to have feigned out. I believe that, even as the number of coronavirus cases seems to be reaching its second peak, it is vital to understand how democracy and freedomsare under threat in the city.

In 2020, the protests in the city against the forces of the Chinese government continued, despite the virus. In April, police arrested fifteen activists for democracy, including the founder of the Democratic Party, Martin Lee, in the largest act the police had taken against the pro-democracy

movement since the protests began in June of last year. In May, Beijing announced it would subject Hong Kong to national security legislation, later passed in June, which criminalises the acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It is important to know that damaging public transport is considered terrorism with this law, and the government will be establishing a new security office in the city with its own personnel and would not be subject to local jurisdiction.

The law has also given China’s government the power to have some cases held in the mainland, the power to appoint its own judges, have the primary say in how the law should be interpreted, and the ability to survey people suspected of breaking the law through methods such as wiretapping. As if Beijing’s actions were not clear in assimilating Hong Kong into the mainland, a bill was passed criminalising the disrespect of the national anthem.

It is clear from this that Hong Kong’s autonomy is quickly collapsing, along with its democracy that has made it so appealing, in contrast to the mainland. Freedom of expression and speech, as well as the right to privacy, are under imminent threat. China has the power to control Hong Kong’s leadership and judicial system through these laws and, unfortunately, there seems to be little hope in stopping the takeover. Citizens of the city fear the “one party-two systems” principle no longer exists.

Throughout the later days of May, hope for the protestors

dwindled even further. When the new security legislation was announced, reactions included thousands of citizens protesting; who were met with tear gas and water cannons and later pepper pellets were fired upon them.

With the national security laws, it does, in fact, look like British ministers are fulfilling their promise to three million British Overseas Nationals (those who were born before the handover to China) to be able to immediately travel to the UK with, as Dominic Raab put it, a simple application process and no limit on numbers.

In terms of how coronavirus has affected the city, the economy of Hong Kong was already in a recession when the pandemic hit due to the six months of protesting, although the finance industry, its largest industry, is quickly recovering. However, business activity has taken a downturn due to its reliance on countries like the USA and India for trade and, mirroring the situation in the UK, cases have risen causing lockdowns and further decreased business activity.

While those in the financial sector can afford to work from home, those working in other sectors will suffer in the city alongside the Chinese aggression.

In conclusion, from the events during the past two years, it does look like Hong Kong is losing its political freedom from the mainland and the “high degree of autonomy” under the “one country-two systems” policy that was agreed upon during the transfer of the sovereignty of the city from the UK to China in 1997.

How has COVID-19 affected students in the UK? Leonid K, Year 13...

normal activities to full extent, from helping kids with their The Covid-19 pandemic is first vital education to supporting and foremost, a health crisis. In their wellbeing. Students response to which the government continued their education via had to urgently act; restricting home online learning. This was everyday life activities, stopping not only a massive shock to social mingling and closing down parents’ productivity, but also to educational institutions. The children’s social life and learning. calamity has affected everyone and Teaching online, on an untested everything. But how have students and unprecedented scale, for survived this arduous time? such a long time could have detrimental effects on students: On one hand, this crisis has grades significantly decreasing, stimulated innovations within the having a poorer mental wellbeing, education sector. Distant learning and many more. Moreover, with solutions were developed thanks parents also having a hard time, to quick responses by many many students were living in schools, and the brilliant work stressful environments; not being by many teachers, like those at able to leave their house for a long Wetherby, proved to be extremely time or the fact that they couldn’t beneficial. meet with their friends further impacted their mental wellbeing On the other hand, the global and added to their decline. This lockdown of schools caused a also increased inequality, with a major (unequal) interruption lot of students from less privileged in students’ learning. Schools backgrounds not having access in England were closed on to their personal technology 20th March; for months, they to connect to online learning. were unable to carry out their Thus they suffered and had very

limited access to education for months, falling behind in learning and in their education and skill growth. Furthermore, the closure of educational institutions hampered the provision of essential services to children and communities, including access to food. Leaving many in poor conditions. This has been a hard time for all, but only through helping each other can we all get through this.

How can you help?

Preventing a learning crisis from becoming a generational catastrophe requires urgent action from all. There are a number of ways which you can help, from donating to charities which focus on helping students who most need it e.g https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/lk-supportingeducation?newPage=True, to mentoring students in platforms such as STEMentoring.com or Mentorjr which quickly connect you to students who may have fallen behind.

Progress with the Covid-19 vaccine: Isaac M, Year 7 writes...

have attempted it themselves.

Covid-19 - has been making headlines for almost a year now, and all people have been waiting for is a vaccine. So, I will give updates on how it has been going.

Though around June-July there was news about Oxford and some other universities having found a possible vaccine for coronavirus, but the certain answer is unknown, and testing is currently in progress. Also, there was a small scandal with Trump claiming that hydroxychloroquine was a vaccine or cure for coronavirus, claiming that he has been using it to protect himself, though this was quickly proven wrong.

Ever since the very beginning, the world was relying on China to create a vaccine, and they said it would take roughly six months.

But due to delays and China not mentioning anything referring to progress or testing, other countries

Now, a lot more recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed to have found a vaccine for coronavirus and has also said he has tested it on his daughter, but the vast majority of people have denied this.

However, after almost a year of Covid-19, people have still not given up hope on a vaccine, and that’s a good thing because Covid-19 could be ending soon.

HAVE ANY POSITIVES COME FROM COVID-19?

Theophile N, Year 7 writes...

Although few, in my opinion, there are some problems with the current schooling system, and it is my belief that these problems should be forced into the public eye. In this dark, dark time we should strive to find the positives - the bright side, the rainbow behind the cloud.

It’s time for the fa-mous idiom: “every cloud has a silver lining” to come to life! Schools are where we shape the minds of the future.

In this article, I am going to focus on the education system and the way Covid-19 has shone a light on some of its flaws.

What are some of its flaws?

One of the fundamental flaws is that most schools are drastically behind the times in terms of technology. Right now, schools are walking into a battle against the machine gun called life, armed with nothing but a sword. I must say, so far, I greatly credit Wetherby for at least having a pistol.

Is it time to move everything online?

Let us be done with all that paper which is harming our forests and

destroying our environment. We need a technology invasion in the classrooms. Yes, financing is a hurdle, but I believe if we pull together as a society, we can find a solution to this on a global level.

The other glaring problem is the curriculum. Is it really preparing us children to function successfully in this fourth Industrial Revolution? Here, I must praise Wetherby for be-ing one step ahead with new classes such as Philosophy. Few schools have these. There may be few, but these problems with the curriculum must be addressed if we want to progress as a race and not be destroyed by AI.

Is it really possible?

Another thing this 2020 pandemic has shown is the hidden flexibility of the education system. Many people would think that my proposal cannot be achieved, or that education isn’t something you can just change, but this pandemic has shown that if required, change can be accelerated. Covid-19 forced the education system to introduce some changes such as using Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. We can do more - much more.

Imagine what we could achieve if improving the education system was at the top of our agenda! I What group of people will profit? believe that humans have the power to do anything if they put Many groups of people will their mind to it. Before the Wright benefit from this, as technology could be developed to help people Brothers, people would have who learn in a lot of different deemed human flight impossible, ways. There are many computer yet today flying between countries programmes that we already use is something accessible to a large at Wetherby to support learning. proportion of the population! I hope that we will continue to see Moving things one hundred development in the way percent online allows apps such as technology can be used to support education on a wider and more Grammarly and auto-correct and spellcheck to spell for pupils. This accessible level very soon! could help pupils to improve their spelling and also focus on content, context and analysis.

A YEAR 7’S GUIDE TO FIREFLY Antonio P, Year 7 writes...

We’ve all had some technological issues, whether it was Zoom or PowerPoint. This is a handy guide for using Firefly.

4. Once you have signed into Firefly with Office 365, you have successfully got Firefly working. It should look something like this:

1. Go into RM Unify. It should look a bit like this:

2. Once you have signed in, it will take you to a launcher full of apps.

3. Click on Firefly.

Now we are going to tell you what to do once you log on to Firefly...

Do you want to know what you have to do for homework?

If you want to know what you have for homework I would suggest that once you log on to Firefly will show approximately four assignments.

Once you scroll down click on “view more tasks due” once finished it should look something like the image below. Now you can do your prep!

MICROSOFT TEAMS Deni D, Year 8...

Microsoft Teams is a persistent chat-based collaboration platform complete with document sharing, online meetings, and many more extremely useful features for business and school communications.

Microsoft Teams incorporates several necessities that can be found in their other services.

From sharing presentations to call and conference tips, welcome to the Teams in-depth guide.

Camera on I can’t tell you how many times a person I know has forgotten their camera is on. Mac users are in luck - a small green light next to the camera indicates your are being recorded or an app is using your camera. For iPad users like me, Apple have made a small green indicator with a camera illustration to indicate you are being recorded. When you are screen recording or presenting, please remember that your camera is still on and every one of your actions can be seen by the individual(s) in the call.

Now for the bar you see every time you do a call. I call it the “Home Bar.” The “Home Bar” controls your device call settings and has some very cool features in it. Still today, people have trouble adjusting speakers and their settings.

“Time Elapsed” shows the amount

of time that has passed since the call was started.

“Camera controls” what people can see from your camera; by default it should be on. Users, when joining a call, can edit this most of the time before you are in your meeting.

Mute/unmute controls your microphone, selecting it will (by default) turn your microphone on, to turn it back on select the icon once again.

“Share” is an incredibly awesome feature. You can share the contents of your screen or a specific window with the participants of your call. If you are joining a group call you may not be able to share screen, please ask the person who started and/or scheduled the call to make you a presenter.

them to share content, mute other participants or add and remove participants, from a call. To do click on participants and if you are a presenter or organiser … next to a person’s name to edit their role, mute, remove them or add others to the call.

Click on show device settings to adjust the speakers and microphones of your device.

You can also record a call with someone, it is recommended to remind them you are recording the meeting but in general they will have a test, alert and a recording icon to tell them the call is being recorded.

“Meeting Chat” makes a conversation immediately appear on your screen (conversation of the chat or if the call has/had been scheduled a newly created meeting Teams is a great service and it is, no doubt, for business and school chat.)

- a gold mine.

Participants and taking control When in a call Teams may create a So whether you are using iOS, so-called hierarchy of people. The iPad OS, Mac OS or Windows , top position of organiser typically Teams is, in my and many others opinions, the best of the best, and being the one who created the all of them work very well with call. The organiser can then make Microsoft Teams. people a presenters allowing

WIKIPEDIA, THE FREE ENCYCLOPAEDIA Kaveh K, Year 9 writes...

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia: loved by students, not so by teachers...

It’s a common saying “don’t use Wikipedia; anyone can edit it!”.

Whether it be your parents or teacher, it’s quite likely you’ve heard it, and, at first, they may be right. Many people say it, so it must be true, right? Not necessarily.

Chances are, you’ve edited Wikipedia; most people have.

Whether it be for the positive or negative, you’ve likely found it’s quite easy; press the large “edit” button at the top of the page. You don’t even need to log in! So, it wouldn’t be strange to assume someone could have vandalised a page or added false information.

However, Wikipedia is constantly monitored, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and it has been so since 2004. At any one time there are are many volunteers on standby, waiting for vandalism to happen. On average, there are 200 people at one time.

A recent IBM study showed chat vandalism stays on Wikipedia for an average of ten minutes.

Considering there are about 3000 edits in ten minutes, this is a very quick response time.

Most vandalism on Wikipedia is obvious: blanking pages, adding jokes, etc. But there is also another type of vandalism: information vandalism.

Information vandalism is when false or incorrect information is added to Wikipedia articles. This is usually much, much harder to spot. The sharp-eyed reader may

have noticed the little numbers after sentences (They look like this: [1]) These are known as citations, and they are what help verify the content in articles. If you click on a citation, you will be shown the source. E.g.: ^ a b BirdLife International (2019). "Pyrocephalus rubinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T103682912A139924525.

Retrieved May 19, 2020.

These help prove if information is true or false. All claims on Wikipedia need references, and if content is added that doesn’t have a reference (known as “original research”), it will be removed quickly.

From this you might have the idea that everything on Wikipedia is 100% accurate and can always be trusted, but always treat content with a degree of suspicion; you never know, it could be incorrect.

WALBERSWICK Joseph S, Year 7 writes...

One weekend my family and I went to Walberswick for a walk.

We started on a beach where it was very rocky. In the distance we saw a pier and it was very spiky. Afterwards we progressed on to a boat yard and there were interesting types of boats. We had a look around and through our binoculars in the distance we saw the big white mansion, and some sort of windmill. We crossed a bridge and walked past a field of cows where we saw a calf getting milk from its mum. It fed for a few minutes before it cleared off. Then we progressed into a forest where there were lots of acorns and crab apples on the ground.

We saw this very old and muddy bridge, we crossed, then we made our way to a corn maze. It was very thick and there was a strange hole through it which we thought was probably made by a tractor. Then we made our way to a vegetable field which had bright red apples, green cucumbers and bright orange carrots. In the distance we saw a beautiful view of a lake and in the other direction we saw Southwold light house which was very tall amongst all the other buildings.

We decided it was getting very late so we slowly made our way back.

Weirdly, a field that had been empty earlier, now had a cow in it. There was a nice sunset on our way back. I highly recommend Walberswick if anyone loves adventures. It is only a 30 minute drive from Ipswich and there is a lot of land to explore.

Chinese white dolphins Jay J, Year 7 writes...

During the pandemic, rare dolphins have been spotted between Hong Kong and China.

They are the named the “IndoPacific humpback dolphins” also known as “Chinese white dolphins”. They have been spotted due to the lack of ferries travelling on the seas around the area. This also makes the pollution decrease making it safer for all animals in the sea and on land.

Scientists have also discovered that dolphins have been reunited with their families and are happier as there is less pollution and are free to swim. After the studies scientists have now calculated that dolphin sightings are now 30% more frequent than when the ferries were running before the pandemic.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that the dolphin population in the Pearl River estuary is around two thousand, whereas a survey by the University of Hong Kong put the number at 400 in 2017. Only 52 dolphins were spotted in 2019.

Ferry companies have planned to reopen soon, which puts the dolphins at risk and it also means that the dolphins will not be seen in the area anymore, which will put sea life at risk. There are many dolphins that will hibernate and may not be seen in the area for a long time.

WILDLIFE In HYDE PARK Vangelis F, Year 9 writes...

Did you know that Hyde Park is packed full of wildlife? There are many types of animals living in Hyde Park at the moment, these animals are: squirrels, foxes, rabbits, geese, pigeons, rats, parakeets, swans and even a black swan which I am close friends with, meaning I have seen it twice, and there are even more animals not officially registered as living in Hyde Park.

It’s great having so much wildlife in the centre of London however, we shouldn’t take it for granted as many of the animals have serious problems due to human activity.

For instance, angel wing is a condition affecting a large portion

of the population of aquatic birds in Hyde Park from people feeding them bread. Due to the fact that it is a carbohydrate, it is essentially the same as giving them junk food, meaning that they will often suffer from malnutrition therefore causing angel wing which is a wing deformity meaning they can no longer fly and will often die due to the lack of a means to escape predators. If you wish to feed ducks, geese or swans (if you want) I would recommend: https://www.littlepeckers.co.uk/p/ bocm-farmgate-duck-goose-mix20kgs For pigeons https://www.vetshop.co.uk/ Buckton-Breeding-Mix20kg-Bird-Food?gclid=Cj0

KCQjwqrb7BRDlARIsACw Gad4mUXyuj4Tc3HLh5BKTmT5amPnPjDjJcNCrPBwjLNXuNGjJs2W7MaAv-eEALw_ wcB Furthermore, there is much abuse directed towards the rodents of Hyde Park like the rats. You may dislike them, however they are often incredibly passive and quite cute at times (I think) so just keep in mind that they’re animals too so don’t attempt to attack or hurt them.

So just remember next time you visit, treat the animals with respect (and nice food) and enjoy your time there!

GENES, GENOMES AND HEALTH What do we know about genetics?

How can we use this knowledge to our advantage?

What ethical issues arise from these matters?

Henry B, Year 12 writes…

Recently, technology has allowed us to learn more about our genetic identity from our genomes. By examining and comparing them to those of other living beings, we can learn more about diseases and mutations, as well as their causes and prevention. What’s more, this can help to solve crimes or reveal patterns of human migration around the globe.

Genes and genomes are made of DNA. The former consists of a small section that codes for one protein, whilst the latter is the complete set of an organism’s genetic material.

The structure of DNA was deciphered in 1953 by Francis Crick and James Watson, based on the ideas and data of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, but it wasn’t until 1999 that the first human chromosome was sequenced.

It used to be believed that one gene always corresponded to a single protein, but new research demonstrates that genes are very versatile and can carry out multiple functions through alternative splicing.

Humans have less than half as many genes as the rice plant, despite the fact that our genomes are eight times larger.

Identifying genes can be

advantageous when testing for diseases even before birth.

Dominant conditions, such as Huntington’s disease, are always present in offspring if present in at least one parent. On the other hand, recessive conditions like cystic fibrosis are only expressed in the phenotype when inherited from both parents. In both cases, the extent the ailment’s influences on the body depend on many factors – some are genetic whilst some pertain to the environment.

Genomes can be affected by our surroundings, an example of which is asbestos causing mesothelioma cancer. The precise effect can be analysed by studying identical twins who have matching genomes, but live in different conditions.

Large studies in the UK have confirmed that the consumption of oily fish during pregnancy can improve a child’s eyesight. Also, bringing them up in excessively hygienic homes increases the risk of asthma.

All mitochondria in an organism originate from its mother only; those of the father are eliminated by the ubiquitin protein soon after fertilisation.

Genes are extensively re-arranged during fertilisation to create a new genome, but the Y chromosome of the father and the mitochondria of the mother are almost always cleanly passed down to the next generation. With this in mind, scrutiny of these two components, combined with the genetic sequencing of gut microbiota, can provide information about descent and migration of humans.

At least 50 different genes can affect height, although one’s environment is also a factor.

The gene MC1R is associated with the pigment, melanin, which results in red hair.

Genetic discrimination is a serious issue. Currently, in the UK, only people with the gene

for Huntington’s disease are required to disclose this data when taking specifically high insurance policies.

are afflicted by conditions that are untreatable, then insurers are arguably entitled to this knowledge.

In 2007, nineteen people who applied for insurance disclosed positive results for Huntington’s disease. Of those, only two received normal insurance, whilst the rest either declined or accepted with revised terms/ additional premiums.

Prenatal testing allows embryos to be assessed even before birth.

Amniocentesis involves the removal of amniotic fluid with a fine needle, although analysis of blood from the mother is an easier and more convenient solution, as it is less invasive and comes with a reduced risk of inadvertent termination of pregnancy.

However, this could change in the future and insurers may refuse to give patients a policy solely based on these results, thereby leaving economically unstable patients without an affordable plan. In addition, ample details of patients’ personal/family history and an official medical examination are taken into account, so one could argue that there is already enough material for insurers to consider.

On the other hand, if patients

During preimplantation testing, many eggs are fertilised in vitro and a zygote without a gene that corresponds to a potentially debilitating genetic condition can be selected accordingly. Given that this technique exists, one might as well take advantage of science in order to provide a better quality of life for a child. In the case of breast cancer, for instance, the offspring

may be able to live longer and without suffering. Having said that, this technique may be used negatively; parents may select other characteristics of their children, such as their hair colour or gender, which many regard as being unethical. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis should only be exercised in situations wherein a child is at risk of a medical condition.

Genealogy is still in its infancy, but in time humankind will develop the power to dramatically manipulate nature. However, this needs to be balanced and carefully monitored from an ethical point of view.

HIKING IN AUSTRiA Keyaan S, Year 8 writes...

I am writing about my experience hiking up the Schesaplana, a 2964m mountain in the western part of the Austrian Alps and its tallest. Slowly we went up the cable car which took us to the Douglas Huette. We saw the beautiful lake called the Lunersee, which took my breath away as it’s so striking with its deep blue water and its size. It is part of an artificial dam which we had to walk along. Next, we walked around the lake and starting walking zig-zags up to the hut called Total Huette. There I had some food and drinks to give me energy as it was very steep so I could keep on walking. The funny part is that we found snow, so we started having a snow-ball fight and it was so fun. Eventually we were close to the top and there were iron ropes so you wouldn’t fall, it was only for experienced hikers but we still went up. We made it to the top, the view was magnificent, but it was freezing. I could see many people but no kids which made me happy because I conquered it. The moment I stood up there, I could see Switzerland, Austria and the amazing lake, and this journey took altogether six hours. These are some photos of my adventure.

AIR TRANSPORT AUXILiARY THE UNSUNG HEROES OF WWII Henry B, Year 12 writes…

The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was founded by British Airways Limited in May 1938 and was subsequently organised into an operational unit at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. It was a civilian organisation which made an enormous contribution to Allied victory by ferrying Royal Air Force and Royal Navy warplanes to and from factories, maintenance units and frontline squadrons when they were damaged or due for overhaul.

The ATA’s headquarters were set up at White Waltham airfield near Maidenhead early in 1940, although the organisation was originally established at Whitchurch Airfield, Bristol. In total, over 309,000 aircraft were ferried by ATA pilots during the war alone.

medical supplies etc. However, the first recruits, both men and women, found themselves moving trainer aircraft, fighters, and even bombers from factory and stores to RAF airfields within six months. From the initial 28 pilots recruited in Bristol in September 1939, the number rose to over 650 pilots five years later, representing 22 nationalities.

Initially, it was envisaged that the pilots would fly light aircraft to transport mail, dispatches, and

The ATA’s motto, “Aetheris Avidi” means “Eager for the Air.” Depending on their level of

experience and training, pilots could be called to ferry any one of 147 different aircraft types.

Often, they had never flown some of them; their only guidance was a thin volume of “Ferry Pilots’ Notes” - a pocket-sized flip pad of basic instructions for every type in service.

The task of keeping communications open proved to be difficult and dangerous for the civilian crews of unarmed aircraft, and several times on routes between West Africa, Lisbon and the UK, aircraft went missing without trace. The Lisbon-Whitchurch route proved particularly hazardous and Boeing 314A flying boats were eventually introduced, flying from Lagos via Lisbon to Foynes (Eire) and on across the Atlantic.

Despite the pilots initial inexperience, very few aircraft were lost or damaged, although 173 pilots and eight flight engineers lost their lives while operational in ATA service.

The business of ferrying aircraft was the ATA’s main task. Central

ferry control at Andover in Hampshire allocated tasks to the 22 ferry pools operating as far apart as Hamble, Belfast, and Lossiemouth. When pilots and flight engineers for four-engined bombers and heavy twin-engined aircraft reported for duty each morning, they received details of their day’s ferrying. This could have involved several flights and might have meant staying away overnight. Aircraft taxis, usually Avro Ansons or Fairchild Argus, transferred pilots to their first ferry job and, if possible, collected them at the end of the day. Flights were usually flown below 2000 feet under visual flight conditions only, so there was much sitting around and waiting for the weather to improve, especially in winter.

The ATA was much more than just its pilots; there were ground school instructors, ground engineers, crash rescue teams, meteorological officers, motor transport drivers, doctors & nurses, administration staff, and more. There were even air cadets employed as messengers and auxiliary crew members. Without them, the course of the war might have been very different.

After D-Day, ATA pilots ferried operational service aircraft

throughout western and southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

They provided support for the ill-fated Arnhem operation and took large quantities of medicines and vaccines into Europe after the fall of Germany. White Waltham provided a base for the air movements flight as well as the ATA’s own advanced flying training school operations.

At the end of the war, the ATA held a farewell Air Pageant at White Waltham in September 1945, during which Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production, said the ATA had written “a splendid chapter in British history.”

NASA’S THREE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS Oliver B, Year 9 writes...

The history of the USA National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is filled with remarkable breakthroughs in space exploration.

1. The Apollo Landings Known for: “First humans on the moon” All of the Apollo landings were integral to the development of space travel, though the biggest milestone was unequivocally the Apollo XI mission. NASA had only travelled to the Moon twice before, getting agonisingly close to the surface, but the Apollo XI mission was when the American dream came true and astronauts first set foot on the Moon. It was certainly the most perilous mission NASA had ever performed until that point.

On the 16th July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin launched from Earth in a Saturn V rocket with a top speed of 6,164 miles per hour.

Only 2 minutes and 41 seconds after the launch, they had already burnt 2,100,000 kg of propellant.

During their 240,000-mile trip, which took three days, the astronauts performed many scientific experiments, some of which could not be undertaken on Earth. As they approached the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz

Aldrin detached in the Lunar Module.

The team at NASA had only eight years to plan and complete this perilous mission, so their success renders it NASA’s most significant accomplishment.

2. International Space Station Known for: “Permanent life in space” The International Space Station (ISS) has been in low Earth orbit since 1998, when NASA lauched its first component. Five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA contributed to the manufacture and installation of the US $150 billion structure.

The ISS is the largest synthetic body in orbit around Earth and can often be seen with the naked eye with favourable weather

Initially inaugurated in 1981, the Shuttles collectively performed 135 missions, bringing 250 astronauts into space. NASA had to find a cheaper option of flying to outer space with a rocket that had an increased cargo capacity, which would enable them to launch larger satellites in space, like the ISS. Thanks to the space shuttle, NASA astronauts had sufficient funds to be able to venture into space five to six times a year – far more frequently than before. Compared to the fuel-hungry Saturn V rocket, the Space Shuttles made it cheaper to fly by a factor of ten.

conditions. The 500-tonne structure took over two years to build and required forty missions to assemble it from both American space shuttles and Russian Proton rockets. Though building it was a vast technological achievement, we are still making significant scientific strides as different disciplines of science are always being practised on the space station.

Since it was completed on the 02nd November 2000, the ISS has been continuously occupied by at least six astronauts, originating from fifteen different nations.

Despite it being the size of a football pitch, it is extremely delicate and is frequently being serviced.

The International Space Station will be funded until 2024 and might operate until 2028, making it the longest-lived artificial satellite ever. This phenomenal piece of engineering has set quite a benchmark.

3. The Space Shuttle Known for: “The first reusable spacecraft” Space travel is not a cheap business, but costs plunged with the space shuttle, allowing missions to become more frequent.

The Space Shuttle was meant to be retired in 2009 – two years earlier than it was – but because it was so superior to other countries’ spacecraft, it remained in service until 2011. A suitable replacement has yet to be devised.

Sources: Website – https://www.nasa.gov/ TV Documentary – NASA’s Ten Greatest Achievements

CLIMATE CHANGE Alastair S, Year 13 writes...

1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels, this would cause widespread The disparities between how the destruction and harm to natural world’s richest 1% emit carbon, ecosystems. This accumulation compared to the most deprived of carbon gives the world a finite regions globally. budget to what we can emit in the future, however these emissions In an increasingly polluted and goals (or restrictions) are expected wasteful world, the pressing nature to be exhausted within a decade, if of climate change is becoming we continued to emit at the same an ever - important factor in rates. harming the natural environment and biodiversity, upon which we If left unmonitored, in the next greatly rely for resources. decade the carbon emissions of the world’s richest 10% would be Between the time period from enough to raise levels above the 1990 to 2015, it was estimated that 1.5°C level, set out by scientists the wealthiest 1% of the global to prevent further amplified population, were responsible damage to the world’s most fragile 2 for double the amount of CO ecosystems. Even if the rest of the emissions that the poorest 50% world were to cut their emissions produced. Carbon dioxide to zero immediately, the richest emissions rose by 60% over the 10% would still emit enough to 25-year period, but the increase cause irreversible damage, unless in emissions from the richest action is taken with immediate 1% was three times greater effect. However, certain schemes than the increase in emissions such as ‘carbon credits’, attempt from the poorest half. Whilst to mitigate the effects of excess these disparities are worrying, carbon emissions. These ‘credits’ this data also highlights the can be sold or exchange between inequalities present between countries and effectively act as a many of the richer populations, permit that facilitates companies disproportionately located in that hold one, to emit a certain HICs (high income countries) amount of carbon dioxide or across the globe, who consume excess quantities of goods and are becoming increasingly wasteful.

Many NEEs (newly emerging economies) and developing nations are also going through industrial booms and have significantly contributed to global pollution levels and the vast increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes a warming or heating effect. If temperatures rise by more than

other greenhouse gases. One credit permits the emissions of a mass equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide and if levels exceed the permitted amount, severe fines can be given out to emitters. Schemes such as this are considered one of the most viable ways in trying to combat global carbon emissions and gives accountability for countries across the globe to monitor their emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Whilst the Covid-19 pandemic caused a temporary decline in emissions, the overall impact on the carbon budget is likely to be negligible, as emissions have spiked again as lockdowns have relaxed across the world.

Although, there are many preventative steps one can take to contribute more in preventing climate change, such as reducing plastic consumption, taking public transport (as opposed private methods), eating less meat (to reduce methane levels) and being generally less wasteful.

A LIFE ON OUR PLANET - REVIEW

Robert B, Year 12 writes...

On Monday 28th September I was fortunate enough to watch the premiere of David Attenborough’s new film “A Life on Our Planet”, David Attenborough’s “witness statement,” watching the world develop over the course of his life and the unfortunate loss of biodiversity around the world. The film was directed by Keith Scholey, Jonathan Hughes and Alastair Fothergill. Cinematography was done by Roger Horocks and Gavin Thurston.

The film is structured differently to his previous productions and is broken up according to each chapter in Attenborough’s life.

After each one has concluded, the viewer is shown is the human

population, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and the percentage of the natural world left giving context to the events taking place in the documentary and painting a striking picture of our impact on the natural world.

To the surprise of absolutely no one the camera work is excellent, we get to see a first-person perspective of many different ecosystems. Throughout the film we get images of sweeping landscapes but also forest fires and oceanic wastelands brought on by climate change. We also see photos of a once frozen arctic melting over time. My personal favourite shot in the film was the final one where David Attenborough finishes speaking about a

sustainable future and the camera pans over a forested city.

I truly believe this film is an important one and a film that should be watched by everyone, it relays a nuanced message about a turning point in our history and instead of just telling the viewer ofthe problems with our current way of life, it provides solutions. This film challenged my perspective of the future that awaits us if we don’t change our attitude towards our environment.

This film is not only entertaining, but also deeply moving and it was a shame I had to pay for my seat when I was on the edge of it throughout the 80-minute run time.

SABRINA’S PECULIAR GARDEN A short story by Ramzi K, Year 10...

“I must thank you for your goodwill and bravery; that was rather heroic,” said Pesta, merely satisfied.

“And…” prompted Sabrina, in an attempt to encourage Pesta into repaying her somehow.

“There is a difference between knowing your worth and greediness, I pray Sabrina, be cautious might you lose my respect for you,” warned Pesta as she turned away and prepared to depart.

“I saved your life from a giant and all I get is ‘thanks’? I should have known to never trust a witch, let alone a hedge witch like you.

Go talk to your shrubs and trees, see if they’ll save your life,” said Sabrina in a condescending tone.

Pesta slowly turned back to face her, and glared at Sabrina with a smouldering intensity. “Just this once, and only once, shall I cast a spell on your garden. I sense danger in your life. Evil. I fear the ones you know and trust perhaps may betray you. The supernatural.

Vampires specifically. Whenever a vampire is in the general vicinity of your garden, a flower in your garden will die, emit a grey gas and be replaced by a herb called vervain. Put the vervain in a drink or make the vampire consume it in some way and they shall shrivel with disease. Consider this a parting gift and don’t expect my guidance ever again, ” said the hedge witch, as the two made their separate ways back home.

Like a ghost in the morning mist, Sabrina glided back to her

serene and isolated cottage, as she impatiently waited for her husband, Damon, to return from the market. Curious, she went to examine her garden that she cared so much for, to check for any peculiar alterations. Refreshed, she poked her head out of the back door and took a big whiff; a barrage of ambrosial and delicate a aromas hit her, like being punched in the face by a pillow.

Fresh and plump fruits were almost arched over the flowers: figs, apples, cherries, tomatoes, bananas, oranges everywhere.

Sabrina’s bare foot gently nestled in the soil, as its rich nutritious goodness hugged her. Every single position and placement was planned perfectly to create a cohesive and harmonious painting of life and beauty. It was as if there was a dulcet song; the scurries and subtle movements of the flora were their voice; the birds singing mellifluously created a tranquil ambience; the trees whistled with age and stories with a poised and elegant structure; the abundance of insects gambolled and jabbered in joy. It was a garden song for those who listen with more than their ears.

At last, Damon’s arrival was marked by the shrill creaking of the archaic door hinges. He had untamed and free-spirited locks of wavy jet black hair that blended together and embraced his neck like a lion’s mane. Fierce, he had a slightly pointed nose that acted as a smooth viaduct from his forehead to his menacing and wild lips that were caged only by the tip of his flesh. His eyes were narrow, rigid yet protruding capable of cutting anyone down in a blink, like a soldier to Macbeth’s blade.

Somehow, his skin was young, burnished and lustrous like he had just emerged from the womb.

As standard, Sabrina greeted him with a kiss and a hug as he carried on to pick some fig from the garden. A sudden realisation hit her: Damon could be a vampire.

Discreetly, Sabrina crawled to the window and watched Damon from afar. Waiting…

Still waiting… She couldn’t breathe, the suspense overwhelmed her. ‘Maybe he is not a vampire and Pesta is just playing a cruel trick on you, vampires are very rare to come across anywa-’ her thought was interrupted. “No, it can’t be true!”

Sabrina thought, as her favourite chrysanthemum withered away and fell to the ground with a silver puff to make way for the vervain to grow. A whirlpool of emotions sank to her stomach and flooded her veins, as she bawled her eyes out with streams of melancholia and grief. Although this was a very overwhelming truth to discover, it also explained so many things: his ageless skin, his fangs and his suspiciously quick trips to the market. As quietly as she possibly could, Sabrina darted to the vervain, grabbed it and darted back. She was overcome with a myriad of possible decisions and thoughts like should she kill him in order to diminish the already few evil vampiric forces or keep it a secret? Should she confront him or just forget he was vampire?

Can she even trust Pesta about this spell? After minutes that felt like years of consulting and reconsidering, she decided to carry on the legacy of the long lineage of vampire hunters in her family due to the havoc vampires have unleashed onto the world.

Sabrina put the vervain in a glass of water and waited Damon’s return once more.

“I got the figs from the garden and they are the ripest they’ve ever been this year! I mean look at the-“ “You’ve certainly worked hard today, have a glass of water,” Sabrina’s interruption was then followed by an awkward pause.

“Alright…” Damon submitted, perplexed yet curious as, he sluggishly picked up the glass.

Sabrina trembled with fear and just thought to herself ‘It’s for the greater good. It’s for the greater good.’ The vervain-intoxicated water got closer to his mouth and her teeth started to shiver and they hammered against each other like a furious jackhammer. The cold hunter that is fear aimed its

dark crossbow at her defenceless heart…

And shot. “Wait! That cup has vervain in it, I know you’re a vampire now. I just can’t bring myself to kill you, but tell me, is it true?” Sabrina came clean at last; liars are hedgehogs rolled up the wrong way, tormenting themselves with their own spikes.

It is a pang as sharp as every wrenched confession from the lips of a prisoner in the cells of the injustice. Damon sighed “You must kill me.”

“Wha-?”

“Vampires are an abomination of nature, we are evil creations.

The only reason I’m still alive is because of my own selfishness. I’ve had a good run, in reality I’m two hundred and nineteen years old.

I’m ready...” confessed Damon, as a lonely tear gradually descended and rolled down his skin. “I will willingly, drink the vervain,” he said with a deep sorrow. At last, he drank the vervain… His eyes started to glow blazing yellow and he emitted a golden beam of light, like the sun. “What? This was supposed to kill me! Wait… My fangs, they’re gone! I’m no longer a vampire! What vervain is this?”

Damon yelled with an ecstatic joy that would put a lottery winner to shame`. “Thank you Pesta!

She created this vervain and told me it would kill vampires but obviously she enchanted this one.

She broke the curse!” Sabrina exclaimed, absolutely delighted. In the end, not only was this a test of selflessness, but a test of true love.

Why couldn’t the witch just break the curse on her own? Witches are strange like that.

Boeing 747 Retirement The End of the Jumbo Jet Era Henry B, Year 12 writes…

Boeing has been manufacturing the 747, affectionately known as the ‘Jumbo Jet’, for over 50 years.

When it first flew in 1969, it was the world’s largest commercial airliner ever built and it was easily recognisable by its distinctive ‘hump.’

Last July, British Airways announced that its fleet of Boeing 747-400 aircraft – once the largest in the world – would be retired earlier than planned as a result of the unprecedented drop in demand for air travel.

BA is investing in newer aircraft with increased passenger benefits, and it had already announced that the 747 fleet would be phased out before 2025 as part of the airline’s commitment to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. However, the reduction in global air travel has meant that they are having to retire all of their Boeing 747s in an effort to reduce costs; aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 are up to 25% more efficient than their predecessors.

One of the recently scrapped aircraft, G-CIVB flew for 118,445 hours with BA, completing 13,398 flights and travelling over 55 million miles. What’s more the 747 is of great sentimental value to countless passengers, pilots, crew and other staff members, so its early demise came as a shock to many. My very first flight was aboard a BA 747 and I fondly remember gazing at it in awe when driving past the apron at Heathrow airport, or admiring

its many intricacies prior to boarding a flight, fascinated by its remarkable size.

Travelling aboard the 747 was a very unique experience. One of my favourite places to sit was the top deck. As well as granting a raised view of the other aircraft below, it offered additional privacy and a welcome glimpse into the cockpit before and after the flight.

Equally enticing are seats 1A and 1K, situated in the nose of the aircraft. Passengers here are actually in front of the pilots. As the fuselage curves inwards, the angle of the windows allow the passengers to see straight ahead – a feature that is individual to the 747.

Whereas BA’s 747 retirement marks the premature cessation

of commercial 747 services, it’s not quite the end of the line for this magnificent jet. Some aircraft are salvaged and used by engine companies as test platforms; some may become museum exhibits or be used for training purposes, and others may be simply scrapped.

I, for one, believe that “The Queen of the Skies” is one of the most iconic jets ever made. The sheer scale of it was unforgettable; you literally looked down on other aircraft and it changed aviation forever when it took to the skies.

Despite rightly moving towards more sustainable ways of flying, we will still miss the 747 dearly.

The last 747s at London Heathrow took off for the final time on the 8th October 2020.

UZBEKISTAN Barnaby M-J, Year 7 writes...

Uzbekistan, formerly the Republic of Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia.

You may have heard about Uzbekistan, but it is one of the most unknown countries in the world.

It borders Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan and is one of two doubly landlocked countries in the world along with Liechtenstein as they are landlocked and surrounded by landlocked countries.

Facts • The capital of Uzbekistan is Tashkent. Other big cities in Uzbekistan include Samarkand and Khiva • Population: 33,570,609 • Languages: Uzbek, Karakalpak, Russian • Majority religion: Muslim 88.7% • Area: 448,978 km2 • Current President: Shavkat Mirziyoyev • Currency: Uzbekistani Soums • Football team: Pakhator Tashkent FK • National dish: Plov (rice pilaf) Silk Road Uzbekistan used to be and still is a very major stop for trading goods on the Silk Road; marketers would set up shop in Registan Square in Samarkand, where they would sell their goods and produce. It is an important part of the Silk Road and to this day Registan Square is still a public square spanning an impressive 6000m2. The entrance fee is about 12,000 Soums or 91p.

History The first known settlers in Uzbekistan were Eastern Iranian nomads, also known as Scythians.

The area was conquered by the Iranians and was added to the Iranian Achaemenid Empire.

After a period of Greek rule it was added to the Sassanian Empire until the Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th Century, during this time Uzbekistan began to grow rich from the Silk Road and witnessed the emergence of several figures from the Islamic golden age including Muhammad al-Bukhari. Uzbekistan was a part of Persia until the 13th Century until it was conquered by the

Mongol Empire. Following the Mongol conquest the area became more populated with Turkic peoples. The city of Shahrisabz was the birthplace of Turco-Mongol conquerer Timur.

Uzbekistan was once again conquered by the Uzbek Shaybanids in the 16th Century.

They moved the capital from Samarkand to Bukhara soon after gaining Uzbekistan and remained rulers of Uzbekistan until Uzbekistan was added into the Soviet Union (USSR). After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 Uzbekistan became an independent country and remains so to this day.

Book review: the body Henry B, Year 12 writes…

The Body – A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson.

One is frequently told not to judge a book by its cover, but I believe that if Bryson’s name is on the front then the book is one you can trust.

The Body is rich in knowledge and Bryson’s inimitable style and typical light humour makes it even more enticing. What’s more, his skill as a writer renders the wondrous complexity of the human body tangible for anyone; he goes into a reasonable amount of detail, so the reader is bound to learn something new in every paragraph without being confused by too many intricacies.

As a matter of fact, Bill Bryson is not a medical professional.

However, he is clearly wellinformed, quoting experts and medical literature – a significant chunk at the end of the book is devoted to the swathes of references and citations.

Who knew that it is impossible to fake a smile? Bryson reveals that a genuine smile consists not only of the contraction of the zygomaticus major muscle, which raises the corners of the mouth, but also of the involuntary constriction of the orbicularis oculi muscle, which raises the cheeks and forms crow’s feet around the eyes. In his words, “you can make your mouth smile, but you can’t make your eyes sparkle with feigned joy.”

Every page is dense with facts such as the one above, yet The Body is fun to read and it is written as vividly as a thriller.

Book review: the PLANETS Oliver B, Year 9 writes…

The Planets by Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox take the reader on a cosmic tour from the fiery heart of our Solar System to its mysterious outer reaches. They touch on the latest discoveries that have expanded our knowledge of the planets and their moons, all alongside stunning photographs taken by some of NASA’s space probes and rovers. Even a layperson without a profound understanding of astronomy could comfortably read it; this history of our immediate universe is written like an epic novel, analysing the rise and fall of interstellar bodies and the grand narrative of the cosmos.

Both authors, with their years of experience, go into marvellous detail, giving us an insight into planets with surface temperatures that exceed 450°C, gas giants that could swallow Earth inside them over 1,300 times, and planets over seven billion kilometres away with

winds that surpass 2,500 miles per hour. They delve deep inside the strikingly complex solar system in its present state, as well as revealing its form over five billion years ago.

Cox’s lyrical and romantic approach to astrophysics is engaging and creative. What’s more, every page is full of facts and light is shed on many uncertainties in the world of astronomy.

“Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun's expanding power.

Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds.

Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.”

THE SILVER SCREEN LIBRARY Tommaso S, Year 12 writes...

Green Book (2019) My personal score:

Available on: Prime Video Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes Genres: Comedy/drama Main Actors: Mahershala Ali, Viggo Mortensen and Linda Cardellini Summary: Green Book is based on the true story of the African American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”) embarking on a tour of the Deep South in 1962.

Needing a driver and protection, the accomplished pianist hires a tough-talking bouncer from an Italio-American neighbourhood in the Bronx, called Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen, “The Lord of the Rings”). The two men eventually become the best of friends as they travel through the

most racially segregated states of USA. My overview and extra information: best film I have ever watched. Ever. A shout out is in order for Mahershala Ali for playing the distinguished Don Shirley who lives on top of Carnegie Hall and for Viggo Mortensen for acting like an uneducated and brusque Italian American but with a good heart.

As is briefly mentioned in a dialogue between Lip and his wife, the film is named after The Negro Motorist Green Book, a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American travellers written by Victor Hugo Green. I would really love to get my hands on the original script of the film because I loved the relationship those two have for the duration of their friendship, whether they were arguing or laughing together. One particular line which is said by Oleg (one of Don Shirley’s band members) when talking to Tony near the end of the film really resonated with me: “You asked me once: Why Dr Shirley do this [playing for

white people in the Deep South?]

Because genius is not enough, it takes courage to change people’s hearts.” Beautiful. Don Shirley before his untimely death in 2013 composed several musical pieces, both jazz and classical music. If you want to listen to some of his work, I would suggest listening to “The Lonesome Road” or even “Orpheus in the Underworld”.

There’s a hilarious conversation about this record when they are in a diner and Tony mistakingly calls it “Orphans in the Underworld”...

42 (2013) My personal score:

Available on: Prime Video Running time: 2 hours 8 minutes Genres: Sport/drama Main actors: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie Summary: In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), legendary manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, defies major league baseball’s notorious colour barrier by signing Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team.

This heroic act puts both Rickey and Robinson in the firing line of the public, the press, and other players. Facing open racism from all sides, Robinson demonstrates true courage and admirable restraint by not reacting in kind and lets his undeniable talent silence the critics for him. This movie is truly inspirational and

has done its best to teach us about equality and that it doesn’t matter where you come from, but where you eventually go!

My overview and extra information: In the past weeks, humanity has suffered a great loss: Chadwick Boseman passed away on 28th August at the age of 43 after a treacherous battle against colon cancer. Few had the courage, dedication and love that Chadwick constantly displayed with everyone. He won’t just be remembered because of his role as Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall”, King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther”, James Brown in “Get on Up,” and thousands more, but because of all the acts of kindness he has done throughout his acting career. Memorable moments of his are when he gave a very powerful acceptance speech at the SAG awards when the “Black Panther” cast flooded the stage and when he gave his golden popcorn award at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards to James Shaw Jr. who had recently risked his life whilst disarming a gunman

in Tennessee. This film is simple, blunt and truly sentimental When you are watching this great movie you can truly see the dedication in Chadwick’s eyes when he’s portraying the hot-headed but talented African-American baseball player. Let this man’s passing remind you to love your family and friends like there’s no tomorrow and to also cherish every moment you spend on Earth. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest, sweet prince!