THe
BAROMETER JUNE - JULY 2021
HALF TERm 6
FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, I have been thrilled by the boys’ enthusiasm this half term. Indeed, I have an inkling that this issue might be one of our best so far and I hope that the next academic year will see an equally substantial variety of captivating articles. I would like to urge everyone to write at least one piece for The Barometer. It is a superb way to demonstrate your curiosity and interest in a particular subject, which is exactly what top universities demand. In other news, I am searching for a new senior editor. I’m not going anywhere just yet, but next year will be my final year at the school and somebody will need to take
CONTENTS: Meet the Prefect Team Sutton Hoo - Samuel M Minorities in Science Ranulph G Interview with Mogi Bayat Harris R 2021 Marcos Burnett Photography Competition Max D Preparing for SAT Exams Robert B Basketball Club - Lorenzo C WSS Diversity Committee Matteo H
over after the Easter holidays because I will be on study leave. From September, I shall be sharing my editing duties with a small group of boys. For each edition, they may be asked to proof-read two or three articles, chase up deadlines, chair one of our weekly Microsoft Teams meetings, or even announce The Barometer during assembly. This is likely to be followed by an interview stage depending on how many candidates are still interested. There won’t be anything too difficult to begin with, but this will allow them to get a feel for the job, and enable Miss Smith and I to reach a decision as to who is the most suitable person for the role. Turning to the very last page
WSS Fantasy Formula 1 League - Oliver B The Petronas Towers - Joseph S Eco-friendly Architecture Barnaby M-J ISA Film and Digital Art Competition - Oscar T Antarctica: an ecosystem under the ice - Maxime H Big Tech: how they’re spying on us - Kaveh K
of this edition, you will see our recruitment poster which lists a number of other positions – either on the publishing team or the media & marketing team. I would highly recommend that you consider applying; it will look fabulous on your CV so it’s definitely worthwhile. That’s all from me. I hope you have a splendid summer holiday. Henry B, Year 12 Senior Editor
Cover photograph Max D, Year 10 Winner of the Marcos Burnett Photography Competition
Run for Heroes - Marco C Space - Tristan V Interview with Eden Hazard Harris R Anti-bullying Training Arjun D A trip to Pyongyang Barnaby M-J Quarks Astray - Ivan G
WSS Year 9 and 10 Sports Day
HealthRight Health and Human Rights Awards Henry B
Enrichment in Biology Henry B
Summer Concert and Live Lounge - Zachary C
Do you own your genetic information? - Leonardo P-B
Sutton Hoo Samuel M, Year 8 writes… Motion picture: The Dig The Dig is a movie about the discovery of Sutton Hoo and its incredible treasures. Edith Pretty owned the land on which the biggest archaeological find in England was made. One day in 1939, she called the local museum near her home in Suffolk. Basil Brown was recommended to her, so he arrived on his bicycle. Sadly, the film was not shot at the Pretty estate, but at a similar one located near the coast of England and the River Deben. Basil Brown got to work on one of the eighteen mounds at the 526-acre estate. After a while, he noticed that they had stumbled upon something on a gargantuan scale. This was no ordinary mound; it was a burial ground. Soon after capturing the attention of the public and the British Museum, Basil Brown was replaced by another archaeologist. Edith Pretty was furious at this altercation, but she realised that she could change this since it was her land. She reinstated Basil Brown as the person in charge and said that she would keep the
artefacts in her house. The king of the Anglo-Saxons was buried here in a ship which had decayed over time to leave an imprint in the earth. The chamber was soon revealed and the treasure found. The characters are well represented by the actors and the person playing Basil Brown captures his frame of mind particularly well. Edith Pretty was also well portrayed. The movie was historically accurate.
still blows my mind after seeing and experiencing it.
Visiting the burial grounds When I saw Sutton Hoo for the first time, the sheer scale of Basil Brown’s work was spectacular. British Museum Exhibit I loved every part of it. The The British Museum holds many of the real artefacts because Edith artefacts are no longer stored there, but it is possible to visit the Pretty donated all of them before she died. 1939 saw the start of the Pretty estate because it remains in the possession of the British Second World War, so the ship was covered up again to prevent it Museum. During the tour, the guides describe the extravagant from being targeted. All artefacts lifestyles led by upper class Anglowere moved in crates through a Saxons at the time. The ship is still disused underground tunnel to buried, so it is not possible to see Aldwych station. After WWII it. However, you can see where the ended, all of them were relocated excavation happened as there is a to the museum. The unpacking process took seven years. Amongst dip in the earth that shows where they originally dug around the others, the treasures consisted of ship’s perimeter. In conclusion, a shield, shoulder clasps to hold a cape in place, a purse lid, a sword, this was one of the biggest archaeological finds in England, so and perhaps the most important it is definitely worth visiting. artefact: the helmet. The exhibit
Minorities in Science Ranulph G, Year 12 writes… During our supplementary A Level Plus lessons about minorities in science, we have been watching and analysing movies that depict the treatment of different minorities throughout the years. The first one that we watched was the incredible movie, Hidden Figures, which tells the spectacular story of three African-American women who crossed gender and race lines to help launch the first American man into orbit around the Earth.
They played a key role in boosting their nation’s morale in the space race. The film contains tense launch scenes which will have you on the edge of your seat, whilst also displaying the terrible discrimination towards black communities, particularly women, in 1960s America. Overall, I think that the movie is trying to convey the egregious extent to which these women were overlooked by their male colleagues at NASA, even though they end up playing a crucial role in the space race and are forever remembered as heroes.
The second movie, Agora, is set in the fourth century A.D. It follows the story of the famous astronomer and philosopher, Hypatia, as she teaches her scientific beliefs amidst the increasing influence of Christianity and the Roman Empire. In this film, we gained an appreciation of the impact that religion can have on science, with the Christians going to the extent of burning down The Great Library of Alexandria and destroying years’ worth of research. It was also quite shocking to see how violent followers of the different religions were towards each other. I found both films to be very insightful because they showcase the difficulties experienced and overcome by minorities in science. Our next movie is Radioactive. It is based on the life and work of Marie Curie.
The audience follows Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who worked at NASA and were the brains behind one of the most important missions.
Indeed, they prove to be instrumental to the success of the mission, which may not have turned out so well without their invaluable contributions.
Interview with Mogi Bayat Harris R, Year 10 writes… Mogi Bayat is Belgium’s top football agent and I had the opportunity to interview him at his home in London. You have an amazing job and must know many very interesting people and players. Do you love it? I love the job. It is a hobby. I could not consider it a job. What is your background and what was your path into becoming a football agent? I studied law and business in France. I have a master’s degree from a top university. I worked in the industry and then got into football by accident in 2003. How many languages do you speak? I speak five languages: French, English, Italian, Spanish, and Persian.
and the world five days per week. I am excited when it starts and, after twenty-two transfer windows, I am happy when it finishes! Which football team do you support? I have a favourite team in each country but my main clubs are in France, Belgium, and England. They are AS Cannes, Nantes (both France), Royal Charleroi Sporting Club (Belgium), and Watford FC (England). Who are the three most interesting people you have come across in your job? I have met a lot of interesting people but if I had to choose, they would be Elton John, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Thorgen Hazard. Thorgen is Eden’s brother. He plays for Borussia Dortmund and has to make his own way in Eden’s shadow.
It was so sad that Emiliano Sala Did you play football yourself? died in the tragic plane crash I didn’t and still don’t play football. just after signing for Cardiff from Nantes. Did you know him For how long have you been a personally? football agent? Yes, I did know him and it was Since 2010. terribly sad. Emiliano was shy, discrete, a hard worker, and Are any of your relatives involved family-orientated. in football? My younger brother, Mehdi Bayat, is the owner of the Belgium football team Royal Charleroi Sporting Club and he is the President of the Royal Belgian Football Federation. Can you give us some insight into a typical football transfer window? I will be working and negotiating twenty-four hours a day and on the phone for six hours per day. I will be travelling all over Europe
What percentage of your meetings are done over the phone versus in person? I have about twenty-five meetings per day on the phone and around two or three in person every day. You’re the top Belgian football agent. How do you stay at the top of your game? I work hard, keep connected, and make sure the players and clubs stay happy! What has been your favourite deal and why? My favourite deal would have been signing Victor Osimhen to Charleroi in 2018. Now, he is a Euro 80 million player who plays for Napoli. Who do you think will win the Euros? Belgium! Do you get to go to any football matches at the moment? I get to go to two matches every week. Which is the best game you’ve ever been to? I have two: the first would be France vs. Brazil in the 1998 World Cup; France won for the
first time in history. The second would be Liverpool vs. Barcelona. Liverpool had lost 3-0 at the Nou Camp but then beat Barcelona at home 4-0. The stadium was moving. It was a super game. Have you seen many academy players graduate to the first team? Yes, I see this happening a lot and it happens all over Europe. What is the most exciting part of your job? The most exciting part of my job
is that it is not a job. It is a hobby for billions of people but only very few get to have it as a “job.” What has been your proudest moment? I don’t have one specific moment; I am proud of everything. How do you think football will change in the next ten years? It will continue to change gradually every year and it will remain the number one sport in the world with the most economic
activity. It is the opium of sports. Do you have any advice for someone who would like to be a football agent in the future? This is a difficult one because for every thousand agents in the market, only fifty will earn a living from it. It is a very tough market to be in and a lot of it is down to luck. For example, Zlatan Ibrahimović became friends with a guy who worked in his local pizza restaurant and is now his agent – that agent is Mino Raiola.
2021 Marcos Burnett Photography competition The theme of this year’s Marcos Burnett Photography Competition was “Spring” and we received a very high calibre of photographs. Unfortunately, we were unable to exhibit the entries at the Saatchi Gallery as in previous years there is a wonderful virtual gallery where you can peruse all the entries at your leisure and it is well worth a visit. https://wetherbysenior.us3.listmanage.com/track/k?u=35000c44 f7f3e995295c00fb3&id=e88ca2c1d 6&e=560a68c82c
Max D, Year 10 writes... This is a picture I have wanted to take for a long time. I have always been captivated by these motion shots. When the opportunity presented itself through the Marcos Burnett Photography Competition, I had to take it. I took the photo on my Canon EOS 600D camera using a very low aperture with a macro lens. I spent almost an hour in my back garden in Switzerland, taking about twenty photos before I got the one I was hoping for.
Max D, Year 10 - Winner
2021 Marcos Burnett
Alex G, Year 13 - Runner-up Alex N, Year 8 - Highly Commended
Abe F, Year 9 - Highly Commended
James U, Year 10 - Highly Commended
Alexander F, Year 7 - Highly Commended
Miguel AC, Year 7 - Highly Commended
Photography Competition
Max D, Year 10 - Winner
Oscar J, Year 8 - Highly Commended
Alex N, Year 8 - Highly Commended
Oscar J, Year 8 - 3rd Place
Aidan U, Year 12 - Highly Commended
Preparing for SAT Exams Robert B, Year 12 writes... Taking the SAT is a great way to improve your college application if you are planning on studying in the United States: a good score can differentiate you from other students and allow you to apply to better universities. In the following article I will explain how you can maximise your time in preparing for the SAT and some important strategies when taking the exam. The SAT consists of 5 sections: the reading test, the writing and language test, the non-calculator math test, the calculator math test and the essay. In this article I will not discuss the essay as the college board will no longer offer this section after June 2021. The reading section lasts 65 minutes; you will be asked to read different passages and answer questions based on these passages. You will usually have a fiction passage, a passage from a scientific journal and a passage that contains two different extracts and will have your comprehension skills tested. The most important way to prepare for these questions is to practise, your comprehension skills will improve as you practise with different papers. Once you have checked your answers, read through the text again and try to understand why your answer was incorrect. Practice tests may also have a booklet attached that explains why a certain answer is correct so look for those. In the actual exam I would strongly advise you to read the questions first before reading the passages as you will be more
efficient with your time. I would also advise you to watch out for questions that read along the lines of “Choose the passage which provides the best evidence for your previous answer” as you can answer both this question, and the question before by looking at the passages the question provides in the answer key. The writing and language are shorter than the reading section, lasting 35 minutes, and will test your grammar skills. Questions in this section ask you to decide between different sentence structures, punctuation, spelling and sentence order. For this part of the exam, I highly recommend a book called “SAT Grammar Workbook Tutor”, as it outlines all rules about grammar you will be tested on in the exam. Once you learn these rules this part of the exam seems quite formulaic and you will be able to score consistently high marks. The non-calculator math test is 25 minutes long and in my opinion is the most time pressured part of the SAT. In this section you will need to have a good understanding of algebraic skills and terms. I would also highly recommend checking your ninth answer because often you can notice small mistakes you have made and boost your mark. I would also recommend plugging answers into an algebraic equation as often it is more efficient than solving normally. Both the calculator and noncalculator sections ask questions with imaginary numbers, complex numbers, standard deviation and
radians. If you are just starting your preparations for applying to the US you likely haven’t encountered these topics before. For radians you just have to know that degrees is equal to radian and apply this ratio accordingly. If a number is imaginary, then it contains the unit which equals the root of -1. If a number is complex, then it contains both a multiple of and a regular number. When adding two complex numbers add the two regular numbers and the two multiples of together. When multiplying two complex numbers you can just treat the problem like a quadratic. All you need to know about standard deviation in this exam is that it is simply a measure of spread. If a table of data has more evenly spread data, then the standard deviation is greater.
Basketball CLub Lorenzo C, Year 12 writes… With basketball being one of the few major sports that Wetherby Senior School did not offer, the introduction of this club was long overdue. After representing Walbrook in the inter-Trib basketball competition, I always hoped that we would add the sport to our already extensive list of options. It was soon inaugurated by popular demand and about a quarter of Year 12 immediately registered their interest; spaces started to fill up fast. Not everyone is experienced, but this is not a problem. I joined the club having only ever played basketball once and I have already improved a lot after three sessions. This is largely due to the supportive environment provided by my peers.
can use half the court for a twoversus-two or five people can play a full match using the whole court. Both formats are extremely enjoyable and competitive. I think the club will continue to grow as more boys become interested. It is a great way to clear your mind after a long day at school.
Basketball is a very adaptable sport. For example, four people
WSS Diversity Committee Matteo H, Year 11 writes… The Wetherby Diversity Committee has met numerous times throughout the summer term, discussing and formulating a new code of conduct that will enable pupils to respond judiciously to racist, homophobic, transphobic, and sexist behaviour. Every two weeks, the Committee meet to generate new ideas and offer feedback as we begin to develop the code. Our focal point is to ensure that all incidents are dealt with in an effective manner, with the hope that all
boys feel empowered to confront any situations wherein they feel victimised by inappropriate behaviour, without fear of negative consequences. The code outlines what sort of actions are strictly unacceptable at Wetherby, meaning that if a pupil feels mistreated, they can check the code and be confident in telling a teacher immediately. Furthermore, the code encourages boys that would otherwise laugh or forget about an inappropriate remark to take action, making it clear that these are not cool or funny; it is essential to be
an upstander rather than a bystander because covering up racist/homophobic/transphobic/ sexist remarks by turning them into jokes is often construed as being humorous, but it is not at all acceptable. They can be just as damaging and disrespectful as regular comments. An open and welcoming culture is a crucial part of our ethos at Wetherby Senior School. With this in mind, the code of conduct aims to establish Wetherby as an inclusive, non-discriminatory, and safe place for all.
WSS Fantasy Formula 1 League Oliver B, Year 9 writes… After a six-month break, the 2021 Formula 1 season is underway. This is the final season of the turbo-hybrid era before major rule changes come about in 2022, and it has proven to be one of the tightest drivers’ championships in many years. Often, the whole field of twenty drivers is separated by little more than one second.
additional points for any overtakes or for finishing higher than their teammate. It is possible to change one’s team between races, but selecting a good team of drivers can be very challenging because the progress of each individual is sometimes unpredictable, such as Max Verstappen’s unprecedented performance in Azerbaijan. As we approach the French Grand
Since the debut of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, many have discovered a new passion for this extreme sport. With this in mind, Wetherby Senior School set up an F1 fantasy league for enthusiasts to test their knowledge and strategy. The competition, hosted by Mr. Nockels, allows participants to pick five drivers on the grid and a team with a £100 million budget. Each driver earns points during qualifying and races – the higher they come, the more points they get. Drivers can gain
The Petronas Towers Joseph S, Year 7 writes… The Petronas Towers are located in Kuala Lumpur and they were built in 1993. They use a tube-intube design, which is common in extremely tall buildings. Petronas Towers were developed by the architect, Fazlur Rahman Khan. Both towers have eightyeight floors made of reinforced concrete. The Rub el Hizb is incorporated as the cross-section of the towers. The planning for the Petronas Towers started on 01st January 1992. They were
one of the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004. The Petronas Towers had to undergo a lot of tests and simulations prior to their construction. This was to verify that their structural integrity would be sufficiently adequate once the project was complete. The Petronas Towers were designed by César Pelli. They had a cheap radical design; reinforced concrete was used in order to provide the building with additional strength. The cores are twenty-three metres wide, with columns in the outer ring.
Prix, there is a 78-point difference between Oliver B in first place and Tommaso S in second place. With differing teams going into the weekend and the rest of the field close behind, the standings could easily change. Oliver B has opted for Esteban Ocon, who drives for Alpine, over Tommaso’s Pierre Gasly, an Alpha Tauri driver. Only time will tell who made the right decision.
Eco-friendly Architecture Barnaby M-J, Year 7 writes… Eco-friendly movements have been on the rise in the past few years, especially with the current climate change crisis and rising sea levels. The prospect of becoming more eco-friendly has been on a lot of people’s minds, and many are doing more to help the planet: some may take a reusable bag when going shopping and others might even turn vegan. Having said that, we still need to work harder. In this article, I will be outlining two of the most intriguing examples of ecofriendly architecture. BedZED, Croydon, UK BedZED truly embodies the saying, “waste not, want not.” In this community, nothing goes to waste. Although solar power is very popular, British weather means that not everything can be powered by energy from the sun. Instead, BedZED collect used wood chips from local, sustainable sources and burn them to heat water and generate electricity. Along with this, the houses have a very unique design with south-facing, triple-glazed windows that are very effective at absorbing and trapping heat. This saves the community thousands of pounds worth of heating bills and it dramatically reduces their environmental impact. Blumau Hotel, Austria The Blumau Hotel was designed by Austrian architect and artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. His intention was to make the build natural by destroying as little of the local natural environment as possible. The surrounding wildlife is masterfully integrated into the
building’s structure, with grass roofs, and trees twisting through doors and floors. What’s more, the complex relies entirely on hydro-power from a local river. This hotel is absolutely perfect for
anyone who loves nature or land preservation. It is located near the town of Bad Blumau and you can stay there for roughly £240 a night.
isa film and digital art competition
Oscar T, Year 10 writes… Over lockdown, Isaac and I were pondering what our next ISA Film Competition submission should be, since we were hot off a win in 2020 for our short film: ‘Sleep’, and were excited to come back even stronger with another film that would take the ISA by storm for the fourth year in a row! I came to Isaac with an idea of exploring the mind and life of the type of teenage boy that comes across as so confident to the point
of being obnoxious, but in reality he is just as awkward and as sensitive as the next guy, and isn’t at all what he seems. For the plot, I proposed two friends, both appearing to be incredibly hard, intimidating and uneducated, sitting on a bench discussing the happenings of their day, while hyping up the events that they describe into the most ridiculous stories that could have never possibly occurred. Isaac and I worked on the script
for a few months and it evolved into these two boys, called Charles and Egbert, discussing their runnings into their local gang, and how Charles is supposedly dating the gang leader’s girlfriend. To the gang’s fury, fights break out, and friendships are put to the ultimate test. Will they walk away with true love? We started filming in May, little did we know, that submissions were already open for the 2021 competition, and had been since February. Pre-pandemic years, the
competition submissions were due in October. When this was brought to our attention, we realised the film was going to be due in five days. It was a disaster. I immediately told Isaac that we would have to film like we’d never filmed before over the next 5 days to get this finished, given we only had about five percent of the film finished. We agreed to meet each of the five days, and got to work.
result, they extended the whole competition for another two weeks.
this, The ISA most likely will have picked the winner for this competition, so wish us luck!
This was a big help for us and gave us lots of extra time to raise the film’s quality to new levels. We added new actors, filmed with better cameras, and completed everything on time thanks to this extension.
If you want to check out the film for yourself, it is on our YouTube channel ‘Crustacea Studios’ https://youtu.be/04DX1JIUIr4
We decided to name the film: ‘Contemplations on the Jubilance We contacted ISA to express our of Being’. We chose this title shock at the change in deadline for because the pretentiousness of the 2021. It seems we weren’t the only title contradicts both of the main students to be caught unawares characters’ idiocy and is really of the close deadline and as a ironic. By the time you are reading
Antarctica: An Ecosystem under the Ice Maxime H, Year 12 writes… Antarctica: it’s that place located at the bottom of our Atlases, often just portrayed as a big block of ice at the edge of the world. In reality, that block of ice is fifty times as large as the UK and it changes in size every year. Beneath it lies an ecosystem like no other. When people think of Antarctica, they often picture penguins and polar bears. Though there are four different species of penguins who call the Antarctic tundra home and three who nest on neighbouring islands, polar bears are only found in the Arctic – quite literally the furthest point from Antarctica. Many iconic species like the Emperor penguin and the leopard seal live on the surface of Antarctica, but what lies underneath the ice is even more amazing. The conditions are inhospitable to most, yet approximately 20,000 species have evolved to survive in the frigid Antarctic Ocean, with more being discovered every year. However, these ecosystems don’t see much turnover with the seasons, especially in the ocean. Even
though birds migrate during some months, Antarctica is protected by a barrier of cold water around the continent called the Antarctic circumpolar current, which separates it from the rest of the world. Species found in Antarctica vary in size and shape, from the elephant seal to the tardigrade. Both of these animals have evolved in very different ways to survive the cold: elephant seals store immense amounts of fat that allow them to dive to incredible depths in search of prey as far as 2.5km below the surface. Tardigrades are far smaller, but are virtually invincible. They are able to survive the vacuum of space, so they make light work of Antarctica. Within this ecosystem lie some truly remarkable creatures that are unique to Antarctica. One marvellous example of this is the icefish. This fish has evolved to have no red blood cells, which is possible thanks to the oxygen-rich waters found in the cold oceans of Antarctica. The concentration of oxygen is so great that the
icefish has no need to carry oxygen in the bloodstream at a higher concentration than that of the water in order to satisfy its demand. However, it has antifreeze proteins to prevent crystallisation of the blood in cold conditions. The cold has also enabled the evolution of giant beasts; sea spiders, sponges, and worms are all present in Antarctica. It is theorised that the rich supply of oxygen has enabled them to grow far larger than they would in warmer oceans, a process is called polar gigantism. Whenever discussing Antarctica, we have to mention climate change. What does a warming ocean mean for these amazing organisms? The implications are widespread, but there are a few clear ones: as oceans warm, more species will wander into Antarctica, increasing competition and leading to a loss of biodiversity. In warmer surroundings, the evolutionary traits of species like the icefish and the elephant seal will suddenly become disadvantageous. Ice sheets will also become more
precarious, breaking off and crashing into the ocean. This poses a danger to sessile creatures, such as sea anemones, that cannot move and will be crushed by the massive blocks of ice. There are many other implications of climate change on ecosystems in general, but these are amplified in Antarctica because of food web frailty. Not many animals can occupy the role of primary consumer, for example. If krill
populations decreased, many larger species of fish and seal would be at risk of decline. Though these risks are everpresent, the Antarctic Treaty System has many initiatives aimed at the protection of species from scientific studies of tourism in Antarctica. Their objective is to preserve and learn more about the spectacular ecosystem of the frozen continent.
Big Tech: how they’re spying on us Kaveh K, Year 9 writes... Everyone uses products from companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, or any of the hundreds of other big tech companies in the world. Whether you’re watching YouTube, seeing an ad or buying stationery, everything is filtered through these companies. Most people simply think of the free services as “free”; a service a large company is providing to us, the consumer, as a goodwill gesture. In reality, you’re being provided with these services because of one thing: data. When you use these “free” services, data on you is being collected. From what you clicked on and how long you hovered over something, to where the device you’re logging on is, and how often you use it. They then sell this data to advertisers, which use the data to produce more relevant ads, increasing their click rate. While some companies do genuinely want to improve user experience and make these services free with good intentions, most don’t. Most people simply click “accept” when they see that familiar banner
at the bottom of the screen: “Do you accept cookies?”. Cookies are small amount of data stored by your browser when you visit a website. They’re the reason you don’t need to log in to a website every time you visit it and help a website identify you. However, they can also be used for online tracking. When you visit a website, it can keep track of you using cookies. These cookies are then shared with major advertising networks such as Google, Facebook and Amazon in exchange for money. The reasons above are why you often get an advertisement for a website you recently visited, a place you want to go or a product you want to buy. Whilst your individual data may only be worth a few pence, when millions of people visit a site, hundreds of thousands of pounds can be made. It’s gotten to the point where whole companies exist, called “data brokers”, dedicated to collecting and selling data; and companies you can pay to remove such data. In 2017, a study by The Economist showed that the world’s most valuable resource
is no longer oil, but data. The study claimed that data regulation was out of control, and that international governments needed to make an effort to stop it. Data sales accounted for 81% of Google’s revenue in 2020, so how can you halt big companies like them? The easiest solution is to use an adblocker, such as uBlock Origin, which can prevent ads from being shown altogether. If you want to take an extra step, you can install a tracking cookie blocker. Privacy Badger is a good extension. There are various online guides about how to turn off tracking. Most sites simply have an option in preferences called “ad personalisation” or something similar. Privacy activists have tried to introduce a universal setting known as “do not track,” but this is not required and has yet to be widely accepted.
WSS Year 9 and 10 sports day
ENrichment in Biology Henry B, Year 12 writes…
Field Trip to Kew Gardens
To extend and challenge us beyond the standard A Level curriculum, the biology department frequently supplements our study programme with various activities that provide us with an exceptional insight into the multifaceted science of life. These widen our horizons, teach us about the importance of biology outside the classroom, and can also be discussed in our university applications.
Last week, year 12 went to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, home to some of the most beautiful examples of natural beauty in London. We honed our ability to carry out sampling using different techniques (systematic, stratified, random, etc.). We then employed those techniques and used specialised equipment, such as quadrats, to test our hypotheses about the impacts of abiotic factors on species richness. By analysing humidity, soil compactness/acidity, and several other parameters, we were able to draw conclusions about how the physical and chemical characteristics of an ecosystem affect plant growth. We improved our practical skills and our contextual understanding of ecology whilst having fun and working in teams. In the spirit of environmentalism, Mr. Pimlott and I rounded off the trip by cycling back to school together (eco-friendly transport)!
RSB Intermediate Biology Olympiad Taking part in national and international academic competitions is a brilliant way to become more acquainted with biology in a more realistic context. What’s more, outstanding attainment is highly regarded by universities and the scientific community in general. The Royal Society of Biology’s Intermediate Biology Olympiad examined our ability to interpret new information and use existing scientific knowledge to solve problems. Of the fourteen year 12 boys who represented Wetherby Senior School, eight received a gold, silver, or bronze certificate and a further two were highly commended.
Do you own your genetic information? Leonardo P-B, Year 12 writes… We must consider three factors when discussing ownership of genetic information: what it is, how it is obtained, and its significance. Genetic information, hereafter referred to as GI, can indicate a person’s health and general well-being. It can be retrieved from their DNA nucleotide sequences or their physical appearance. A common misconception is that GI and DNA are equivalent. However, GI consists of the assumptions made based on the raw genetic material. Furthermore, one might inherit genes that won’t necessarily be expressed, depending on external factors. Therefore, when analysing someone’s GI, one should take the person’s epigenetics into account. There are multiple ways to obtain GI: genetic tests (e.g. PCR or FISH), medical tests (e.g. blood tests), and even fingerprints. Often, these are used by doctors to gain a better understanding of a patient’s health, to identify a disease that runs in their family, or
to relay information to a pregnant patient about their embryo. These examples clearly demonstrate how easily GI is documented and shared. GI is very significant, but it is still quite ambiguous and loosely defined. This is a consequence of ‘significance creep,’ which is when some cases of GI are portrayed as being more significant than others, which could mean that some GI might be shared, used, or obtained against a patient’s will. To an extent, GI isn’t owned by each individual person, depending on the circumstances. An example of ‘significance creep’ is when offspring of sperm donors are allowed access to the genetic information of their biological father. Similarly, family members who are unaware of any risks should be told if they might develop a serious condition. This leads onto the last topic of discussion: the definition of ownership in relation to GI. Legally, ownership is defined as someone having possession of an object. This means that the owner has the right to use it in
any way, to the extent that they can share their possession with someone else (co-ownership). However, when talking about GI, it becomes far more difficult to decide who owns it since the definition of ownership applies to tangible objects, such as land or resources. The philosopher John Locke suggested that the “labour of his body, and the work of his hands, we may say, are properly his.” If we employ this definition and apply it to GI, it suggests that if the GI derives from your body, then it should belong to you. However, the problem with Locke’s theory is that it was used to describe physical property, such as land. Does this mean that pathologists or geneticists could own someone’s GI if they analyse it as part of their profession? In conclusion, I do not believe that people own their GI because it is an intangible object and it therefore cannot adhere to any objective definition of ownership, nor can it be patented or trademarked.
run for Heroes
Marco C, Year 12 writes... As a result of the first lockdown in March 2020, I wasn’t able to practise my main sport (fencing) anymore and in order to pass time and stay fit I introduced myself to running. It started off as running 5km in the park once a week with my father and as the year continued through to summer, I was running almost every day, covering distances ranging from 3km to 21km, timing myself and beating personal records. From
this experience, I was able to take away many of the benefits that running offers including: Improving my cardiovascular fitness Building strong bones Maintaining a healthy weight Nonphysical benefits such as being able to clear my head after a long day of staring at a screen during online school At the same time, alongside Mr Underwood I was encouraging other boys in the school to run
through the various inter-Trib running competitions where my Trib, Effra performed especially well. Another achievement I am very proud to be able to talk about is running to support charities such as the West London Mission who like many other charities started running challenges to raise money for their cause as well as raising awareness about the crucial benefits of running.
SPace Tristan V, Year 7 writes… The Moon base Russia and China are partnering to design a Moon base that will be constructed in a few years. Lunar studies show that the energy needed to send objects into space from the Moon is much lower than that required to launch them from Earth. Therefore, less energy would be needed to visit other planets, such as Mars.
As many already know, a Perseverance rover landed on Mars on 18th February 2021. This rover is on a mission to find something interesting on the planet, particularly living organisms. Rockets dispatched from the Moon would require less locally produced propellant than those deployed from Earth.
The race to the Moon NASA took many by surprise by picking just one company to develop a lunar lander and fly a single demo mission to the Moon. Even more surprising was NASA’s pick: SpaceX, whose Starship vehicle appeared to be massively oversized for the job. However, the end of the HLS (Human Landing System) competition may not mean the end of the overall competition to send astronauts to the Moon.
First Mars, then Venus? For the first time in more than three decades, NASA has announced that it will send a robotic mission to Venus, selecting two proposals in the latest round of its Discovery programme. These two sister missions both aim to understand how Venus became an inferno with a surface temperature so high that is is capable of melting lead.
Interview with Eden Hazard Harris R, Year 10 writes… Eden Hazard is Real Madrid’s most expensive player and one of the most technically gifted of his generation, signing for £103 million on 01st July 2019. Before joining “Los Blancos,” he had previously played for Chelsea FC in the UK, LOSC Lille in France, and AFC Tubize in his home country, Belgium. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to ask him a few questions. Which is your favourite goal you have scored and why? All the goals create happiness. Of course, goals in World Cup or Champions League or goals which make you win a title are always special. You have played at some of the biggest clubs with some talented players and eminent managers.
Who has had the greatest impact on you? All the clubs I have been in, all the managers that I have had, and all the players I have played with have had an impact on me and on my development. You always have to take the advantages of all the experiences. How does playing at Real Madrid compare to playing at Chelsea? The Spanish League and the Premier League are different. Real Madrid and Chelsea are both top clubs. I was very happy in London and now I am very happy in Madrid.
try to take the maximum pleasure possible on the pitch. © Copyright 2021 Harris R. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of the copyright holder Harris R.
You must be very resilient in order to maintain a top-level playing standard. Do you have any advice about personal resilience? You have to behave as a professional and prepare yourself for all the games, and you have to
Anti-Bullying Training Arjun D, Year 10 writes… I am an anti-bullying ambassador and this article will provide you with some essential training. What is bullying? We define bullying as the use of strength or influence to harm or intimidate someone. This could be physical, mental, or digital. It is a serious issue because victims frequently suffer from ill health as a result. Bullying can occur anywhere, even at school or in the workplace. Upstanders are individuals who intervene on behalf of a victim and bystanders are those who witness an instance
of bullying but choose to do nothing about it. If you are a victim, remember that you are never alone because we should all aim to be upstanders at Wetherby. How can we resolve bullying? 1. Tell people you trust (e.g. parents, siblings, relatives, or teachers). 2. Speak out – tell the bully that their behaviour is not acceptable. 3. When reporting, record what happened and note down who was involved. 4. If you feel like you can’t speak to anyone at school or at home, you can call Childline on 0800 1111.
Why does bullying still occur? Often, victims do not come forward because they do not wish to relive a negative experience or they are afraid that the bully may be more abusive if they report them. Some victims might have reported an issue in the past without receiving adequate support, so they see it as a waste of time. What’s more, bullying can sometimes be misconstrued as a simple joke between friends. Everyone has different ways of dealing with the situation, so you should base your choice on what feels most comfortable. Do not ignore bullying or it will only get worse.
A Trip to Pyongyang Barnaby M-J, Year 7 writes… This article is a continuation of “A Trip to Pyongyang,” which can be found on page 28 of The Barometer Half Term 5: https:// issuu.com/wetherbysenior/ docs/the_barometer_half_ term_5_2020-21 You are escorted through a seemingly endless maze of tunnels and corridors, with various shops decorated like those in a modern European airport aside from one subtle difference: these stores had statue-like employees dressed in spotless uniforms and waiting for hours on end for a non-existent customer to whom they could sell a novelty souvenir. After this rather interesting initial experience of the Hermit Kingdom, you are finally led to an exit where you escape the main airport terminal and you are pulled into a small external waiting room. You open the door. The room has old, peeling, light green wallpaper, tattered with communist propaganda posters. One of them, titled depicts an American flag burning as North Korean soldiers hold torches beneath it. The air smells of cigarette smoke and dust. Sitting in an antique wooden chair, you are greeted by two North Korean officials next to a tall and slim man in a tour guide’s uniform with a tour company logo
on it, accompanied with the usual array of communist party badges displayed proudly on his collar. He shakes your hand firmly and exclaims happily, “Hello. So good to meet you. Welcome to North Korea!” One of the North Korean soldiers mutters something in Korean to your tour guide and taps his watch, setting your tour guide into motion as he whisks you out the small room and onto the streets, before pulling you into the back of a primitive Volkswagen van from the ‘70s.
desk with a landscape painting of Mount Paektu-san, one of the highest and most sacred mountains on the entire Korean peninsula, accompanied by an upbeat chorus from North Korea’s top pop group, Moranbong Band. Your tour guide speaks to one of the receptionists before obtaining a key from her and grabbing you by the hand, yanking you into an elevator. You are eventually brought to the fourteenth floor, where your room awaits. You open the door to see a bed,
The coarse, bumpy, rural North Korean roads have been replaced with polished asphalt streets, each with five or six lanes yet very few cars; it is as though you are in the vicinity of a ghost town. Still, you are transfixed by the shining skyline of Pyongyang. The glistening Ryugyong Hotel is complemented by the Juche Tower and other brightly coloured apartment complexes – a façade of a painted Soviet reincarnation. The van pulls up in front of the Yanggakdo International Hotel and your eccentric tour guide proceeds to hurriedly usher you through the main doors, where you are met by a large reception
small bathroom, and a Russian television from 1983. You lie on the hard mattress and think to yourself once more, “I am in the Hermit Kingdom!” before falling into a deep sleep, partially induced by the sheer amount of adrenaline that you have experienced in such a short period of time. At 05:00 the next morning, you are awakened from your deathlike slumber by the eerie sound of a North Korean communist anthem being blasted through loudspeakers situated on buildings throughout the capital, almost like a wake-up call. You later learn from your tour guide that it was the morning call for all of
the residents of Pyongyang, like a collective alarm clock for all of the people who live within the grand city. After a bizarre breakfast of mixed vegetables and some mysterious cuisine that you are yet to be sure of, you are once again whisked down the street into the same van as earlier but with a different driver, still accompanied by your eccentric tour guide, who utilises this journey to speak a little bit more and introduce himself as Cho. He explains that today we are going to visit the Juche Monumental Tower, but we will first make a stop at the Arch of Triumph, located in the centre of Pyongyang – a grand sight to see – similar to Marble Arch in London or L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but with far fewer tourists. It was rather interesting to see such a grand monument so deserted despite its significance. The Arch of Triumph marks the efforts of the North Korean people between the 1920s and 1940s in their resistance towards Japanese imperialist colonisation. On the sides, the arch displays the late Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung, who is seen as the Eternal President of the country, thereby giving the current leader the title of Supreme Leader. You are handed a bundle of flowers and are instructed very sternly to lay them by the arch. With a level of anxiety that you had not felt since you first met Cho at the airport, you follow his
instructions precisely and, after paying your respects, you bowed down to the monument before calmly retreating back towards the van. You drive for a further fifteen minutes and notice a stadium while crossing the river. You enquire as to what it might be and Cho responds chirpily, “This is Rungrado, the largest stadium in whole world!” You stare at the stadium for a while until the van comes to a sudden stop. says the driver. snaps back Cho, before taking you out through the door and encouraging you to look up. You see a tower that looks to be a resemblance of a burning torch. He says that it is the Juche Tower, one of the most important
towers in the founding of North Korean ideology. “Juche” denotes togetherness; it can be described as a branch of communism wherein more dedication is required (consider the workers’ call earlier that morning). The flame at the top of the monument represents the burning energy of North Korean people.
The ideology was founded by Kim Il-Sung at Mount Paektu-san. You find that this is a somewhat beautiful ideology, albeit one of the harshest and most controlling regimes on the planet. You still see that underneath all of the façades, it is a component of their religion. Cho guides you towards the entrance and you rush in, up the extensive staircase like a kid in a candy store, before reaching the top of the tower. At that moment, you realise you have found yourself.
Quarks Astray Ivan G, Year 9 writes… You’re at school. It’s a Tuesday. You are in a chemistry lesson. Imagine the scenario: the teacher’s words, “solids, liquids, and gases... the three states of matter” echo through your head. You think, “Only three? Is that all?” No – it is not. I read somewhere that science is often stranger than science-fiction. I would agree. Matter exists in many different forms; particles are arranged by the fundamental forces in ways not even considered by Gene Roddenberry. Basic school education teaches us that as temperature is increased, solids are arranged into liquids, then gases. Plasma is often excluded for the sake of simplicity. Plasma, whose name comes from an analogy to blood plasma, forms when gases are heated to the extent of ionisation – when the atoms are stripped of their electrons or, more rarely, gain electrons, to become ions. Despite its categorical absence from the school curriculum, plasma is the most abundant state of matter in the observable universe, constituting over 99% of all matter (although dark matter is currently unaccounted for). Plasma, however, is only the tip of the ironically hot iceberg. In the 1970s, a novel state of matter was theorised, only differing in notation by two words and a hyphen from the comparatively pedestrian ionised gas. In this state, hadronic matter, consisting of quarks held together by the strong nuclear force, exists at temperatures above its boiling
point. Some thirty years later, the elusive quark-gluon plasma (QGP) was experimentally observed at CERN.
QGP is characterised by its freemoving quarks and gluons that interact with each other through the strong force. Quarks and gluons are the fundamental particles of nucleons, whose energy makes up 99% of the nucleon mass. Quark-gluon plasma was initially observed under the extreme conditions of a particle collision. It is created by slamming heavy ions together at relativistic speeds, resulting in enormous temperatures up to 250,000 times the interior temperature of the Sun, which free their bounded quarks and gluons. What surprised physicists was that the QGP’s properties were unlike those of plasma or a gas, but more akin to those of liquids due to the influence of the colour force on its constituent particles. Colour is a property of quarks and gluons, somewhat parallel to charge. “If you’re interested in the properties of the microsecond-old universe, the best way to study it is not by building a telescope – it’s by building an accelerator,” says Krishna Rajagopal, an MIT theoretical physicist who
studies quark-gluon plasma. To understand the interest in QGP, we should revisit the big bang. The big bang theory is regarded by the scientific community as being the most accurate cosmological model of our universe’s birth. Georges Lemaître’s theory traces the expanding universe back to a primeval atom that underwent a tremendous expansion in order to reach its current state. A cornerstone to the big bang theory is the supposed inflation of the early universe. First proposed by Alan Guth in 1980, the theory of inflation posits a particularly rapid period of expansion approximately 10 -37 seconds after the namesake bang, which is thought to have been caused by the separation of the strong nuclear force from the other fundamental forces in the preceding grand unification epoch. This period is believed to have increased the universe’s volume by a factor of 1078; expansion by this factor is equivalent to expanding an object half the width of a DNA molecule to approximately 10.6 lightyears. It is suggested that the mechanism behind inflation is a so-called inflation field. This is an energy field similar to the electromagnetic field that permeates space and it would have powered the rapid expansion of the universe, releasing potential energy as a dense swarm of energetic fundamental particles – quarks, antiquarks, and gluons, the constituents of atomic nuclei – concluding the inflationary epoch.
The inflationary epoch was followed by the electroweak epoch lasting until about 10 -12 seconds after the bang, which ended with the weak nuclear force separating from the electromagnetic force, and a subsequent quark epoch, which lasted until around 10 -6 seconds after the bang, in which the fundamental forces kept their independent forms, and temperatures were too high for quarks to form hadrons, so matter existed in a quark-gluon plasma state.
towering temperatures. Indeed, the temperature at which hadronic matter enters a QGP phase is approximately 175MeV, 2x10 12 K. That might satisfy your
hypothetical chemistry-classconsideration needs, but physicists are not planning to stop looking for unusual arrangements of the particles that make up the universe as we know it.
The interest in QGP is quite clear: the opportunity to recreate the conditions of the early universe at a smaller scale is one with plenty of insights into the universe’s formation and the ways in which particles behave at
HealthRight Health and Human Rights Awards Henry B, Year 12 writes… The HealthRight Health & Human Rights Awards recognised people and organisations who stood with the most vulnerable populations in these difficult times. Donations from those who attended the event were able to directly impact HRI’s ability to build cost-effective health solutions for marginalised communities that were most affected by the pandemic. HealthRight’s work includes building the systems that provide family planning and reproductive health services to women in rural Kenya; mental health services for refugees in Uganda; care and treatment for people living with HIV in the Ukraine; appropriate care for survivors of child
trafficking in Vietnam; and health and social services for asylum seekers in the United States. The audience heard from HealthRight’s field staff around the world. As a member of the Host Committee, I helped to raise a grand total of $238,000.
The entire event can be re-watched here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=f2v6WAvTROA More information about HRI projects and how to donate can be found here: https://healthright. org/
Summer Concert and live lounge
Zachary C, Year 9 writes… On Wednesday 26th May and Wednesday 23rd June respectively, the Summer Concert and Live Lounge events took place. Although they did not adopt our usual concert format, a harmonious atmosphere was still created by more than forty pupils who submitted video recordings of their performances, which were ultimately put together to create a YouTube livestream. We
were treated to a diverse range of musical instruments. There were multiple pianists, guitarists, violinists, cellists, singers, and drummers. We were able to listen to jazz, classical, blues, rock, and pop music: from the catchy and memorable tune of Progression 1, Schmitz played by Daniel Ho on the piano to the outstanding and powerful cello ensemble with Telemann’s Concerto in G Major.
During the Live Lounge, we were entertained by a succession of superb performances. The showstopper was the Year 7 rock band (Max, Antonio, Redford, Arun, and Edik), who performed Song 2 by Blur. Everyone put in a lot of effort and the outcome was fantastic. The variety of performances truly demonstrated the abundance of musical talent here at Wetherby.
E R A E W ING R I H Leadership positions available for 2021-22: Production Team Editors (Proofreading team) Department Managers (checking all articles and images have been submitted in your assigned department)
Art and Marketing Team Photographers (Taking photos of school events) Advertisers (Creating and hanging posters) Permissions Managers (Checking all boys have publishing permissions) Cover Manager (Running of cover competition)
Are you enthusiastic and hard working? Are you interested in a job in journalism, editorial, marketing, advertising, graphic design, management or leading a team?
The Barometer wants you to join our team! Send Miss Smith an email with the job title and explain (in a few sentences) why you would be the best candidate for the role. Please include any relevant experience and aspirations. Email: sam.smith@wetherbysenior.co.uk by Thursday 9th September.