THe MAY - JULY 2023 HALF TERm 6
BAROMETER
CONTENTS:
Field Day: Year 8 in Roman London - Manu, Year 8
Art Show 2023 - Kaveh K, Year 11
The Marcos Burnett Photography Competition 2023
Terrific Trip to Tate ModernCasper S, Year 12
The Government Inspector: 19th Century Russian Satire Brought to Live in 21st Century London
A Level Geographers Visit Guernsey - Paul C, Year 12
Field Day: Year 10 English Trip to Hampstead - Elijah N, Year 10
Year 7 & 8 Sleep Out - Lukas O’D, Year 8
Year 7 & 8 Trip to Thorpe ParkFelipe E, Year 8
The Supreme Court - Jonathan R, Year 12
Arjun’s Science Update: Super protein taurine can extend life! - Arjun D, Year 12
Ocean Man Race - Charles P, Year 9
Saudi Arabia: The Future of the Middle East? - Saif M, Year 10
Why You Should Visit
Melbourne - Isaac M, Year 9
The Top Five Places to Visit in Italy - Tommy S, Year 9
Fax Machines - Daniel W, Year 9
Cover photograph by William R, Year 7
Write for the Barometer
Contributing to the Barometer is a great way to earn gold notes, improve your writing, and it looks great on your CV
To submit articles or cover photos, join the Barometer club at Friday lunchtimes (B11)
Or, you can email Mr s Bradley at nicola.bradley
@wetherbysenior.co.uk
Law Taster Day at Oxford University - Andrew H, Year 12
Trib Drama by the Winning Director - Erik U, Year 10
Am I Real? - Hassan Y-N, Year
Read the latest issue at https://issuu.com/wetherbysenior
7
FIELD DAY: YEAR 8 IN ROMAN LONDON
a design). These metopes were covered with Lapiths and centaurs. The Lapiths and centaurs were a metaphor for the Persians against the Greeks. What I like about it was that the metopes showed victories for both sides, which shows it was a tough battle. We also saw some Roman artifacts including an interesting tomb and we also got an insight in to what the Romans used as building materials.
Manu, Year 8 writes...
During my visit to the British Museum and the Roman Amphitheatre, I was given the chance to visit the world of Romans and see Britain’s classical history. Here are some highlights:
The path and the ‘prologue’: Once we arrived at school, we were provided with some information from Ms Nash’s PowerPoint. We were taught about Greek vases and the two types of figures that were used: red figure and black figure. These vases were used at different points in time, black figure being used first, but eventually red figure was used to achieve a higher level of precision on the vases made. Ms Nash also told us about a new Roman mausoleum discovered the day before out trip. During our journey to our destinations, we took the tube, as well as walking between the London Museum and the Roman Amphitheatre. I think most of my friends (and myself) enjoyed the journey and the experience at each of our locations.
The British Museum: Once we
arrived at the museum, Ms Nash presented us with three challenges per area for the museum. For the first, we were tasked with finding Theseus’ Kylix. For the second, we were asked to find our favourite artifact. For our third, we had to complete our booklets.
For my friends and I, our most memorable moment of the trip was when we were frantically searching for the Kylix, but we ended up finding the exhibit closed, resulting in a funny photo of us with a faint glass container.
In the Parthenon’s area, my friends and I viewed a selection of metopes (rectangular slabs with
The Roman Amphitheatre: Once we arrived at the Roman Amphitheatre, we took it in turns to visit the gallery beneath. The curator also gave as a tour of the area. Inside, you had to use your imagination but it was still wonderful as we got to see some parts of the amphitheatre and two areas which were kept airtight for thousands of years which I found very impressive to, say the least.
Overall, my visit to the British Museum and Amphitheatre was a fantastic experience. This was because it permitted me to take a glimpse into the lives of the Romans and Roman gladiators. My favourite part was when we got to visit the amphitheatre.
ART SHOW 2023
Kaveh K, Year 11 writes...
This year’s GCSE Art and Design exhibition presented a diverse variety of interesting and talented art from both art and graphic communication pupils.
Following a moderator inspection, pupils, their families and acquaintances travelled to the now radiant drama studio, on Thursday 22nd June, to see pieces from eleven different boys. Most pupils did GCSE Graphic Communication consisting of three projects: a book cover, chocolate box and an examined component with a set theme from the exam board (this year’s was “Lock”). Our remaining GCSE Art, Craft and Design pupils also did two coursework projects and a final lock themed exam.
Everyone interpreted the “Lock” theme in a variety of ways, from magazines on harsh, brutalist architecture to cybersecurity websites for GCSE Graphics, and tied sculptures and animals trying to “escape” their environment from those doing GCSE Art, Craft and Design. Each coursework project was unique and stood out,
and it was interesting to clearly visualise the developing artistry of each pupil as their work became more nuanced and unique, developing their own personal flair for their projects.
As teachers and parents appreciated the displays, pupils were glad to explain their thought processes and ideas for each item. Certainly for me, having studied GCSE Graphic Communication, it was very satisfying to finally see my portfolio as one complete and cohesive collection.
Entering the exhibition presented viewers with works by Teo C and myself. For his exam project, Teo made an exciting airshow themed project with hanging model planes and detailed guides for the fictional event. I had made a walking guide to “unlock” postwar architecture in Camden with an accompanying website to visit.
Javier P’s exam project was a book cover for Shawshank Redemption, while Greg G made radiant graffiti-based sculptures, lighting up his corner. In front, Edward M’s range of electronic devices marketed his fictional
cybersecurity firm, and Abe F had a series of interlocking photos of derelict and abandoned buildings in London.
Further on, Vangelis F.s exam project was a reimagined record cover for punk rock band Clash, complete with 90s style mood boards and photos. Oscar F made a stunningly simple yet captivating mock brutalist architecture magazine, including a full page example, website and range of possible covers. Jake J’s pocket of nature was a cover for Lord of the Flies, with textured leaves and even bookmarks to advertise his cover.
Finally, towards the back, Alexei M had a towering book cover for brutalist architecture, while Coby L had striking sculptures of octopuses trying to “escape” the confines of the ocean they were trapped in, next to a huge hanging 3D work.
Here is a small selection of the many stunning pieces at the exhibition.
THE MARCOS BURNETT PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2023
Our annual Marcos Burnett Competition has been a great success with impressive photographs of nature from boys across all the years in the school.
The winners were chosen by Simon and Anne Louise Burnett and displayed alongside the GCSE work at our School’s Art Show:
Winner: William R, Year 7
Second place: Bosco D, Year 10
Commended: Fitz D, Year 7 and Max I, Year 9
Photographs by (this page, clockwise): William R, Year 7 (Winner), Max I, Year 9 (Commended), Max I, Year 9.
Facing page, clockwise: Andrey K, Year 7, Fitz D, Year 7 (Commended), Bosco D, Year 10 (Second place).
Photographs by: BenG G, Year 7; Marley L, Year 9; Alex P, Year 9; Cyrus H, Year 7; Charles B S, Year 9; Sammy S, Year 9; Santiago Q, Year 8; Ben C, Year 9; Josef A, Year 9; Mikey W, Year 7; Mark S, Year 10; Riley C, Year 9; Charles P, Year 9.
TERRIFIC TRIP TO TATE MODERN!
or a sculpture. The symbolism from painters or sculptors past, when reflected in their pieces, encouraged the current pupils at Wetherby Senior to pick apart the forms and structures within the pieces and think why that would relate to the artist’s history and his or her influences throughout their times.
Overall, it waws a terrific trip to the Tate Modern, leaving us all with a lot to think about and create and I can’t wait to spend the summer adding to my A Level coursework using the inspiration I have gained!
Casper S, Year 12 writes...
On Thursday 29th April, Wetherby Senior’s GCSE cohort (and me!) embarked upon a wonderful opportunity to visit the Tate Modern in London. This trip both inspired mine and the other pupils’ artistic vision when approaching the new projects at hand. By carefullye examining the artist’s work and the accompanying plaques, we were able to see if these artists could harmoniously blend well within our projects. We all found that some of the artworks within the Tate Modern would play a role in our upcoming decisions about where to go with our coursework. We were encouraged to take a range of photographs and sketches that we could later use as reference when coming up with an array of different and interesting ideas for our projects.
The prospective art pupils and I toured the entire permanent collection with Miss Bradley, who
told us about the artworks and then gave us the chance, after our tour of the exhibit, to go back and draw the paintings or sculptures in a small sketchbook. This was my favourite part of the trip, as people seemed to be fascinated with what I was drawing (especially tourists). By selecting pieces from the museum, my fellow pupils and I tried to communicate what was in them into our sketchbooks and, by being given an hour to do so, some of us were able to effectively demonstrate the delicate forms and perhaps even the intricacies of the artworks on display.
As a conscientious art pupil at Wetherby Senior, I found this trip captivating for myself and my ideas, helping to form the next step for my art project on the topics of light and patterns. This trip allowed us all to broaden our understanding of different pieces and concepts, which highlighted the many different backgrounds and thematic influences which are embodied within a painting
Many thanks to Miss Maroudi and Miss Bradley.
THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR: 19th CENTURY
RUSSIAN SATIRE BROUGHT TO LIFE IN 21st CENTURY LONDON
Oscar F, Year 11 writes...
It was 7pm sharp as lights went up on Wetherby’s latest dramatic production. All evening, London had seen a sort of mundane drizzle – an adjective with only the starkest contrast to what The Government Inspector turned out to be. A lively, farcical, and yet stunningly timely commentary on deceit and corruption, The Government Inspector centred around the theme of identity as an indigent civil servant is mistaken for a high-ranking government official, through which all ranks of the quaint ‘70s town (brought to life through perfectly hideous décor) are exploited for money, food and even their hand in marriage.
The 1836 Russian play, written by Nikolai Gogol, was revived spectacularly by Wetherby’s very own Mr. Tibbles, who painstakingly translated each and every word, all whilst adapting it to the context of a 21st century Britain – a process described as both “gruelling” and “a hoot!”, as anything worth doing is.
Joined also by a powerful fivewoman-strong ensemble from Francis Holland Regent’s Park (after a Covid-necessitated hiatus to the dramatic partnership), the play’s biggest strength was perhaps its tremendous and talented cast; a brother-sister duo (Theo in Year 9 and Aliana), wonderfully chaotic identical twins (Lev and Iakov, Year 8) and palpable chemistry brought the comedy of the play to life.
Particularly comical scenes included a tense exchange between the “inspector” (Redford, Year 9) and his assistant Ozzy (Giorgio, Year 9), the unrelenting and raucous chaos of twins Bobby and Donny any time they had to enter or exit the stage, and a mother-daughter competition (Astrid and Scarlett from FHS) to earn the love of the apparently affluent government official and the unexpected outfit changes that came with that.
In the background, delicately
toned intricate wallpaper, an agile sofa-bed, creative lighting design from Mr. Willis and hilariously authentic costume design brought an immersive realism and stunning layer of depth to this production of only years 7-9.
Truly a stand-out performance, The Government Inspector fits perfectly in Wetherby’s catalogue of superb productions – I absolutely can’t wait to see what the Lower School pulls out of the bag to top this next year!
A LEVEL GEOGRAPHERS VISIT GUERNSEY
Paul C, Year 12 writes...
Our Year 12 A-level geographers went on a three-day trip to the beautiful island of Guernsey. We had a blend of physical and human geography, exploring Hern island for coursework exercises, and conducted interview and questionnaires with the local community - we also developed valuable memories.
Our flight to Guernsey was early, meaning we met at Gatwick at 6am. George showed up without his passport, which led to using his Oyster card as his ID, which he nearly lost while on the trip. This wasn’t the only thing forgotten, as Deniz left his suitcase at security and Bertie nearly lost his phone. Going through security, everyone got stopped one-by-one, due to the ‘Clinometers’ that we were carrying in our bags. Upon arrival, in a flight which was almost empty, Matteo decided to leave his bag on the plane. It’s fair to say the start of our trip was chaotic!
Through interviews and questionnaires on the first day, we delved into the cultural, social, and economic dynamics of Guernsey. We used the data gathered to draw conclusions and create presentations regarding our questions. Groups were presented with the opportunity to have long format, thought-provoking conversations with both locals, exploring topics such as tourism, the financial sector, Guernsey’s culture, and population migration. These interviews gave us information which was far more personal and fascinating than anything we could have seen in a textbook.
Over the three days, we had to prepare presentations regarding our studies which created a sense of competition among groups. We speculated around topics like the impact of the financial sector on Guernsey’s culture and demographic, where two groups presented similar data but vaguely different conclusions. For the presentations, we were given tough questions from Ms Deedat and Ms Maroudi. However, these questions helped us understand the thought and methodology which should go into our NEA.
We spent our second day on Hern island, travelling from beach to beach in order to take relevant measurements for our coursework. We walked on picturesque beaches throughout the day in good spirits.
Alongside our academic pursuits, we also had unexpected adventures when the brave went swimming under the rain, in the ice-cold water, only to miss the bus and get lost. We also finished the day with a celebratory dinner for Dylan’s birthday.
Our A Level Geography trip to Guernsey was an absolute adventure that went beyond academic pursuits, as well as providing valuable knowledge and insight for our NEA and geographical studies. This trip effectively created cherished memories and unexpected experiences.
Thank you to Ms Maroudi and Ms Deedat for organising and putting on a successful trip.
FIELD DAY: Year 10 ENGLISH TRIP TO HAMPSTEAD
Elijah N, Year 10 writes...
Year 10’s English Field Day was a trip like no other.
After travelling to Hampstead via tube, we had a serene, engaging literary tour around this historic, suburban area. From Keats to Orwell and Blake, Hampstead has a predominant past of literature, which (despite me living there!) I only realised on the day. So - what made this trip so special?
I think one very interesting part of Hampstead was the scenery: we started off our tour by walking into a rather gothic cemetery, full of striking Victorian-like images. From thorned roses to graves overgrown by nature, it truly was straight out of a gothic novel.
Throughout the tour, we had opportunities to write vivid descriptions of what we saw, felt, heard, and touched… Hampstead, although rather small, is surely an aesthetic, natural place: walking around the Heath and Golders Hill on a clear summer’s day was a tranquil, delightful experience.
Another highlight of the trip was seeing the house of English poet, John Keats. Personally, Romantic poetry and prose is definitely my favourite genre, so seeing Keats’ secluded, yet peaceful and ambient, house felt like reading a Romantic poem from the 1800s.
Our day out ended sitting by Hampstead Heath, truly at peace with our surroundings (in contrast to busy London!) and writing a poem about how we felt in that
special moment in time. Sitting by the lake, I realised the beauty of our natural world and how we take such scenery for granted, especially when we live right next to it.
Being a GCSE pupil, I felt I took away some striking, powerful descriptions of nature for my English Language descriptive writing paper, and I hope this was likewise with others.
Looking back on this trip, I acknowledge the importance of literature and its omnipresence in an everyday environment, such as unassuming Hampstead. I feel that, if you stepped away from your screen, television, or even your home, you will find nature’s beauty is actually everywhere.
Lukas O’D, Year 8 writes...
4.10pm: After being allowed out of school on Thursday afternoon, myself and my fellow pupils were granted a couple of hours to get ready for the big event. We spent this time doing last minute packing, eating dinner and showering.
6.30pm: Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Ms Nash. She guided us over the basic instructions of the night and escorted us to drop our bags off. Then we handed in our phones for an authentic start to the night.
7pm: Once everyone had arrived, it was up to the music room where we had an inspiring talk about homelessness. A member from ‘Every Youth’ shared with us what it’s like to be a homeless person at such a young age and how, often, it isn’t even their fault.
Mr Hayes also read us some stories about people who had recieved help from the charity. These stories included those people being pressured into leaving their homes or by being abandoned by a life partner, with some left with a newborn baby.
7.40pm: It was a race. We were given 25 minutes to set up camp on the terrace, get changed and get back down to the music room to watch a movie.
8.05pm: With everybody in the music room, ready and raring to go, the movie - A Street Cat Named Bob - began. This film was about a ma trying to recover from drugs and live a proper life. However, he was not alone on
this journey for he met a cat, a cat named Bob!
10.40pm: With the movie over, it was time to get ready for bed.
11pm: With everyone ready for bed, it was time to go to sleep. Or so we thought....
11pm-2am: *I will be describing this next part from my perspective*.
Phew, it was hot! Sticky in our sleeping bags, constantly being woken up and high levels of pollen really didn’t make this night easy.
I think it’s safe to say that the next morning, everyone was shattered.
2am-5am: Sleep! Finally!
5am: It was the packing up of our sleeping bags, in which Iggy B was the hero for many. Then, everyone sat down and watched a movie.
Overall l think it’s safe to say that this wasn’t an easy experience. However, one thing I’ve learned from this is how hard it is being homeless. We only experienced a very small part of it and that almost completely depleted us.
YEAR 7 & 8 SLEEP OuT
Felipe E, Year 8 writes...
On Friday 19th June, Years 7 and 8 were given the opportunity to go to Thorpe Park, as a reward after a week of exams.
Everyone who arrived in the Drama Studio on time and there wasn’t much traffic until we reached the M25 (typical!). We
YEAR 7 & 8 Trip to Thorpe Park
slowly made our way around an accident and then went full speed ahead to Thorpe Park.
We all gathered outside and were told we needed to be in groups. Mr Tucker made sure of this and then we were then free to set off. My group of three first hit all the water rides and then had lunch. After meeting at our designated
meeting point, we got back on many of the same rides after lunch but also went on a mini rollercoaster, which was a small victory for me.
A huge thank you must go to Mr Underwood for planning the trip, with thanks also to Ms Nash, Mr Cross, Ms Vanags, Mr Tibbles, Ms Hills, Ms Mendes and Mr Malone.
THE SUPREME COURT
benches are curved, so people can see one another during hearings and to create the atmosphere of an academic seminar. The bench design was conceived by Londonbased Japanese designer Tomoko Azumi and they are made from American walnut.
What did we see?
Jonathan R, Year 12 writes...
On 14th June, A Level Economics and Politics sixth formers visited the Supreme Court.
History of the Supreme Court
The building which houses the Supreme Court predates the Court itself by nearly 100 years. It was designed by Scottish architect James S Gibson, and the construction took from 1906 to 1913 to complete. Situated opposite the Houses of Parliament, and flanked by the Treasury and Westminster Abbey, the UK Supreme Court was established in October 2009 under the Constitutional Reform Act of 2005.
Purpose of the Supreme Court
The 12 member Supreme Court is the final court of appeal for civil matters throughout the UK, and for criminal matters in England, Wales and in Northern Ireland. As the highest court of appeal, this court ensures British law is correctly interpreted and applied.
The court rooms
The Supreme Court’s court rooms differ from normal courts. For example, everyone is on the same
level, from the judges to the lawyers, so they are all on equal ground.
There are twelve Supreme Court Justices but they don’t all sit on cases at the same time, as cases are usually heard by a panel of five Justices. However, depending on the importance or complexity of the case, this can be increased to seven or nine. On two rare occasions, eleven Justices have sat on cases that were deemed to be of strong constitutional importance, for example, the case of PM Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue Parliament. The
We arrived at the Supreme Court at 9.45am and went in. To enter you have an airport style security check so, once through this, we went up a large sweeping staircase and entered Court Room 1. We all chose a place to sit, some sat in the chairs for the Justices, some chose counsels benches. Once seated, we began to debate a past case, and two boys were selected to be lawyers, arguing for the defence and the prosecution. The hearing centred around the case of an innocent woman fatally shot by a stray bullet from a gang member, who intended to murder a rival. The debate focused on whether this crime was murder or manslaughter. Then it was time for the Justices to send down their verdict: murder. It was a really interesting day.
LAW TASTER DAY AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY
Andrew
H, Year 12 writes...
On 14th March, Jonathan R and I took the 7.30am train from Paddington to Oxford, to attend a Law Taster Day. The event began with a short introductory talk and then an extremely interesting and insightful one-hour lecture on criminal and intellectual property law by Matthew Dyson, a professor of civil and criminal law.
Within the lecture, Jonathan and I received a gourmet tasting menu on criminal law learning about different sections within criminal law such as physical elements - omissions; homicide- manslaughter and the difference between murder and manslaughter; mental elements - intention; inchoate offencesconspiracy and why conspiracy is a crime; secondary participation - joint enterprise and what should we do with groups committing crimes; general defencesmistaking self-defence; property offences - stealing and becoming owner at the same time; mental capacity defences - intoxication; and sexual offences - sexual assault and the definition of touching. We also learnt about different cases within these sections of criminal law such as (R V Miller 1983) and (R v Kingston 1995).
After the law lecture, we were split into groups and had our first seminar of the day. This was an introduction to climate litigation. At the start, we were given a case and a list detailing some of our human rights. The case briefly talked about the Paris Agreement and that governments should achieve becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2050. The claimants
within the case argued that the said government violated their fundamental rights by not doing enough to protect them from potential future impacts of climate change. Jonathan and I had to either declare or not declare that the government had violated their rights. We had to validate or invalidate the Climate Protection Law and, finally, order the said government to do more to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the country, if we believed so through reading the case.
Following this extremely fun and thought provoking task, the lecturer then talked about reallife cases which were and still are affected by climate change. One case we learnt about was Luciano Lliuya v RWE AG 2015.
Luciano Lliuya is a Peruvian farmer who lives in Huaraz, Peru. Every year, his farm has been affected by climate change, due to the melting of the mountain glaciers near his town. As a result, Luciano filed claims for declaratory judgment and damages in the District Court Essen, Germany against RWE,
Germany’s largest electricity producer, alleging that the company knowingly contributed to climate change by emitting substantial volumes of greenhouse gases. Luciano asked the court to order RWE to reimburse him for a portion of the costs that he and the Huaraz authorities are expected to incur from setting up flood protections. The share calculated amounted to 0.47% of the total cost and it was the same percentage as RWE’s estimated contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions since the beginning of industrialisation. The district court dismissed Luciano Lliuya’s request for declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as his request for damages.
After the seminar, Jonathan and I had a 45-minute tour of Lincoln College by a first year student at Oxford and had lunch in the College. To end the day, we had a final lecture by four Clifford Chance lawyers who previously studied at Oxford. They talked about what it’s like to study at Oxford University and to work at Clifford Chance (a magic circle law firm).
TRIB DRAMA BY THE WINNING DIRECTOR
Erik U, Year 10 writes...
Trib Drama, as a director, was a wonderful experience despite the struggle of encouraging your cast to learn their lines while still enjoying the fantastic atmosphere of Trib Drama.
Trib Drama is a big Wetherby Senior event and our biggest Trib competition of the year. All our Tribs must choose a cast of six and one or two directors. Then all the Tribs receive an equally exciting scene and, from that, you must create the best scene possible.
As a director, I had a lot of support from my co-directors who helped me with notes and advice for my actors. To get a good performance, it is necessary to be on top of your actors to learn their lines as soon as possible. Once your actors have learnt their lines, the fun begins! From then, you can work with your actors and the scene starts coming to life. In my scene, we had loads of possibilities and because I had a lot of experienced actors, and a very similar cast to the year before, we had the perfect chance for success.
On the week of the performance, everyone’s behaviour instantly changed. Everyone was more serious, devoted and ready to win. A main man who really helped change everyone’s mentality was Matteo H, who played our team leader and was always on top of his lines, which really influenced the others. Another person I would like to mention is Ms Maroudi, who helped set up a lot of the scene with loads of wonderful ideas.
The day of the first performance was very stressful, as we had to adapt to the lighting and stage, when we only got to rehearse on a few times. However, as we had the whole day to practice, we were able to adjust, but it wasn’t perfect. Yet!
Our first performance was a bit wobbly but, at that point, we were the strongest Trib and, as director, I was happy. However, I knew there was a lot of work to do, especially the lines. The main target for all the actors from the first performance was lines. So, from Monday, we had a rehearsal at lunchtimes and after-school. For Thursday, we not only learnt the lines perfectly but had added some hilarious additions to the scene. We were set. We were confident and ready to finally claim what was rightfully oursthe Trib Drama Certificate.
One hour before the play, we were practising our lines like there was no tomorrow. Myself as director, along with our codirectors and Ms Maroudi, were giving our actors all the advice and confidence they would need. Then it was time for us to sit down and watch the Trib Drama final performance commence.
It was amazing - everything went perfectly for everyone and it was an incredible play. So, after our actors had put so much effort in, it was time for the judging. The judge was a teacher from Francis Holland who provided a nonbiased top three.
In third place came Effra, who had loads of wonderful moments and the judge made that very clear. In second place came Fleet who were amazing, they had the audience amused at all times with great tension as well as humour. Last but not least was first place,which went to my Trib - Ravensbourne.
Once we found this out, we were all screaming with joy whilst I had to shake the judge’s hand and take the certificate. After all that hard work we had gotten what we deserved.
I would like to say a huge well done to:
• Matteo H
• Jack K
• Zain H
• Vangelis F
• Matteo M
• Marty V
• Ivan G
• Arki P
• Ms Maroudi
Hassan Y-N, Year 7 writes...
Wires. Metal. Oil. Everyone calls me “not human”. They say I am merely a product of parts.
However, I am a human, I believe. I can think, see, hear, taste, touch and I can feel… I feel confused. I was unaware at the time. I thought I was one of them; human. I woke up in my bed and I slithered out like a hunting rattlesnake, gliding towards its quarry. I dressed myself in a black shirt and grey jeans. When I look at my body, in the place of rippling flesh there are oxidising copper plates. In the place of a pulsating, pumping heart pumping blood around my body, I have a cooler circulating water around me, and instead of a brain I have a quantum CPU. But this does not matter because I
behave and think and learn like a human.
I walked downstairs and I felt a stomach ache. I felt pain like a human. I walked into my kitchen and made a hot beverage. I made it with ground coffee beans from the green grass of the relatively uninhabited planet: Earth, used mainly for agriculture. I could taste the bitter coffee and I could feel the warm liquid sliding down my throat. Surely that made me human. I stepped outside and the red sunlight repelled my face. I would sometimes stare at the sun until my eyesight faded just to prove I am human. I sprawled out on all fours and let crystal droplets of rain envelop me for hours.
Eventually, I heaved my rusty body up and sprinted like a flash
of lightning through the meadow next to my house. I ran through the chrome covered city, encased in a glass dome, keeping oxygen inside. I flew until I found an empty diner. I walked in and was about to be seated when I heard an explosion behind me. It roasted the waiter in front of me and made me fly backwards. I heard my bones crunch. I felt my sides ache.
With my blurred vision I could make out a gun fight in front of me. I looked down to see I had been eviscerated. My synthetic jugular vein had been torn out on the floor and there was a large gaping hole in my chest. Then the life faded from my metal eyes until I found myself restored, being kept on a flash drive while my new body was being made.
AM I REAL?
ARJUN’s SCIENCE UPDATE
Effects of taurine on animal health revealed by an 11 year study
Arjun D, Year 12 writes...
Super protein taurine can extend life!
Found in energy drinks and cell tissues the protein taurine can delay ageing in mice and monkeys. However can it slow our ageing and make us live longer?
What is taurine?
Taurine is an amino acid (a building-block that makes up a protein) found in many of our cells and tissues. It is produced in the body (mainly in the liver) and can be ingested by eating most animal foods (e.g. chicken and turkey) and its even found in energy drinks. For some organisms taurine is necessary as a nutrient, but in humans its a non-essential β-amino acid that protects our stomach mucus from being injured or damaged (nothing to do with affecting hydrochloric acid in stomach). However human cells without taurine are much more vulnerable and sensitive to disease. Research shows lack of taurine is a driver of ageing in some organisms and taurine levels in the bloodstream directly correlates with immune function, obesity, the nervous system and even building bone.
Mice of both genders (sexes) fed with taurine supplements survived longer than mice not given taurine supplements. The amount of time the mice treated with taurine lived (their lifespan) increased by 10 to 12%, and their life expectancy of 28 months increased by about 18 to 25% because of the taurine supplements.
The scientists measured different aspects of mice health discovering at age 2 (60 in human years), mice supplemented with taurine for one year were healthier in almost every way than their untreated mice. For example mice on taurine supplements lost less energy as heat (increased energy expenditure), had a higher bone mass, had muscles with higher endurance and strength, had reduced behaviour defects (e.g. anxious or depression-like
behaviour), and even had a lower resistance to insulin production (insulin resistance) as well as showing other benefits.
Due to the positive impact of taurine supplements on mice (which had low taurine levels) rhesus monkeys, unicellular yeast and even worms were tested for similar effects.
Results
The study firstly showed taurine deficiency is a driver of ageing in animals tested not just a product that forms as a result of ageing. Also animals supplemented with taurine both lived longer and had healthier lives (longer lifespan and healthspan) so scientists speculate that if taurine is regulating all these processes (e.g. bone density, immune system, blood-glucose levels) that decline with age in lots of different manycelled (multicellular) species
e.g.(worms, monkeys and mice). Then hopefully eating more taurine-rich food or taking taurine supplements will similarly extend our lifespan (number of years we are alive) and healthspan (number of years our health is good).
What happens as we age?
• The amount of the semiessential amino acid taurine in our bloodstream decreases
• A repetitive sequence of DNA at the tips of chromosomes (telomeres) ensure the chromosome (part of cell which carries genes) maintains its shape and does not get tangled. As we age telomeres shorten (like a shinpad every time it gets hit by the ball it gets worn similarly every time cell divides telomeres become shorter, eventually it becomes too short for cells to replicate)
• number of cells which can not divide or grow in number (senescent cells) increases
What does taurine do to decrease ageing and keep us healthy for longer?
Taurine has been discovered to cause among other benefits
1. Reduction in number of cells that lose the ability to grow in number or divide (cellular senescence)
2. Limitation of deficiency of the enzyme telomerase (telomerase is like a plumber fixing the tips of chromosomes)
3. Suppressed mitochondrial dysfunction - Mitochondria (part of cell that releases energy) mutates 10-20 times faster than DNA, taurine limits number of mutations that reduce efficiency of
energy production
4. Reduction in number of old cells that should of died but release harmful substances and remain active instead “zombie cells”
5. increase in number of stem cells (undifferentiated cells that can differentiate to become any type of cell e.g. a red blood cell) in some tissues - this helps injuries to heal faster increasing health
Overall, lower taurine, hypotaurine, or N-acetyltaurine concentrations in bloodstream have been linked to worsened health e.g. obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), inflammation, and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, exercise increased the concentrations of taurine substances involved in metabolism (taurine metabolites) in blood this could explain why exercise keeps us healthier for longer.
Columbia University’s metabolomic (analysis of substances needed or formed by chemical reactions that occur in organisms to keep them alive) analysis to identify chemical reactions between metabolites (substances involved in metabolism or chemical reactions) showed taurine is the most
significant substance in reducing severity of age-related diseases.
Arjun’s conclusion
Although taurine has been found to increase lifespan and healthspan in many different multicellular species before we can assume that taurine can be used as an anti-ageing therapy in humans we need to test it in clinical trials on thousands of humans. Also before administering taurine supplements as age boosting we need to explore the effects of ingesting a high concentration of taurine as used in the experiments (even though taurine is not toxic we do not know of side effects in high concentration)
So I believe the next step is clinical trials and for now I’m hopeful for a longer and healthier life so good luck to taurine in the trials! Mysteries awaiting discovery How do structure and functions of molecules cause changes associated with ageing?
Although taurine is not considered toxic what are the side effects of taurine in high concentrations in humans? Although there are many plausible explanations for causes of ageing what is the main factor that causes it?
OCEANMAN RACE
Charles P, Year 9 writes...
Recently, I completed the 2023 Oceanman race at a beautiful lake in northern Italy called Lake Orta. The distance was 5.5km and took me 2 hours and 33 minutes.
I ended up on the podium for third place, in the age group 1619.
Overall I felt determined to finish the race despite, at times, wanting to quit! I also had the support of my friends and family to guide me along to the finish.
This is an amazing race if anyone is into open water swimming, but it also takes a lot of mental and physical strength. It is definitely something I will do next year!
SaUDI ARABIA: THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST?
As our world, to this day, continues to revive itself from the economic lows of Covid, many countries have benefitted through the grey period, coming out of the pandemic with developing ideas to heighten their country’s wealth and global popularity. One of these few countries is at the geographical centre of the Arab world - Saudi Arabia.
It is apparent that Saudi Arabia has changed in the previous 20 years, transforming into a more modernised state compared to the strict Islamic rules that were previously followed. To develop and diversify the economy, and reduce reliance on oil, Saudi Arabia launched Vision 2030 under the visionary of Mohammed Bin Salman (the current crown prince), which is based on several financial
reforms aimed at transforming the Saudi economy structure into a diversified and sustainable system.
One of the most publicised and ambitious visions, to date, is the Neom project. In the Saudi Arabian province of Tabuk, Neom is a planned city that is being constructed entirely from scratch. The metropolis will be situated along the Red Sea coast and will have a land area of more than 10,000 square miles. It is planned to be a hub for innovation, sustainability, and economic growth, and will have a variety of landscapes, including beaches, mountains, and desert. The city will use cutting-edge infrastructure and technology to support a variety of diverse sectors, and will be totally powered by renewable energy sources. This innovative project is only one of many more ideas the state has begun to develop.
Altogether, Saudi Arabia is viewed as a significant factor in the Middle East’s future for several reasons. Its advantageous location as a crossroads for trade and commerce between Europe, Asia, and Africa is one important determinant. Additionally, Saudi Arabia also ranks among the world’s top oil producers, giving it considerable economic clout and influence. The nation is also making significant investments in fields like biotechnology and renewable energy, which is assisting in the diversification of its economy and opening up new prospects for development.
Finally, Saudi Arabia is a significant participant in regional politics and has been attempting to forge closer ties with other nations internationally. These elements all work together as Saudi’s contribution in shaping the Middle East for future generations to come
M, Year 10
Saif
writes...
WHY SHOULD YOU VISIT MELBOURNE?
On Australia’s southeast coast, Melbourne entices visitors with its alluring charm and wealth of activities. There are many reasons to consider a holiday in this multicultural metropolis, with thriving cultural scene, delectable cuisine and breathtaking natural surroundings.
Melbourne’s vibrant arts and culture sector is evidence of how passionately it embraces its artistic soul. The National Gallery of Victoria, which has a significant collection of local and foreign artwork, is one of the city’s top galleries. Wander the city’s famous lanes lined with eye-catching street art and step into unaffiliated galleries displaying up-andcoming artists.
Melbourne offers a variety of theatre, dance, and music for fans of the performing arts. Catch a mesmerizing stage show, take in a riveting ballet performance, or dance to the beat of live music in hip bars and clubs, which range from large theatres to small settings.
Enjoy Melbourne’s culinary paradise, which is renowned for
its inventive and diverse food scene. The city offers a unique culinary experience, from upscale restaurants to secret laneway eateries. Taste the combination of flavours found in cuisines from throughout the world, explore mouthwatering street food at hopping markets, and indulge in seasonal local fare at renowned farm-to-table eateries.
Melbourne is known for its legendary love of coffee. Enjoy expertly prepared coffee at welcoming cafés or chic espresso bars to immerse yourself in the city’s burgeoning coffee culture. Bring out your inner foodie and go on a culinary adventure that will have you hankering for more.
Isaac M, Year 9 writes...
Tommy S, Year 9 writes...
Having lived for eight years in Milan, I would like to recommend my top five places to visit in Italy.
Florence
5) Firenze is a beautiful city in central Italy, known as the capital of Tuscany. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance past and monuments. It also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as Uffizi, and still exerts a strong influence in the fields of art, culture and politics.
Due to Florence’s artistic and architectural heritage, it is consistently ranked as one of the world’s beautiful cities.
Naples
4) In fourth place we have Napoli. It is in the south and is also Italy’s third largest city. Naples has beautiful ancient and iconic tourist attractions and is known for the archaeological area of Pompeii and the amazing volcano, Mount Vesuvius. Other top tourist attractions are the Royal Palace of Naples and the San Carlo Theatre. Right now, it is also a good time to go as there are celebrations around the city since the Napoli football team won their third ever scudetto, after 33 years! Finally, you can enjoy the lovely food, such as the famous Pizza Napoletan.
Venice
3) With its architectural heritage, spectacular Grand Canal, and unmatched romantic vibes, there’s no question why people from all over the world flock here. Venice is one of Italy’s most famous cities and few places can compare to Venice. There’s this incredible Renaissance feeling to the city, sparked by the centuries-old, unchanged buildings. You feel like you’re entering a work of art, a masterpiece, when you come to Venice.
Any tourist could spend forever exploring Venice’s labyrinth of islands, canals, pedestrian alleys and bridges. Yet you can also enjoy a lovely ride on a famous gondola and find most restaurants having amazing, fresh seafood.
Rome
2) In at number two, we have Rome, the capital of Italy. This city is very well known for famous landmarks, such as the Colosseum. This ancient amphitheatre is a must-visit attraction in Rome. It is one of the most iconic symbols of the city and was once used for gladiator games and other events.
There is the Vatican Museums home to the Sistine Chapel and some of the world’s most famous art collections, including works by artists like Raphael and Caravaggio. There is also Vatican City, a city-state surrounded by Rome, which is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Pope.
Milan
1) In number one - with some bias as it’s the city I was born in
and lived for most of my life - is Milan. The capital of Lombardy is considered a leading global city with its main strengths being art, finance and fashion. It is widely recognised as important in the fashion world as it is one of the globe’s four fashion capitals.
Milan is also known for its famous landmarks such as the Duomo, Castello Sforzesco and Teatro alla Scala, to name a few. It’s such a beautiful city with so many places to visit and activities to do.
Milan is also home to two of the most famous football teams in the world - Inter and Milan. These two Italian giants share the same stadium and a very big rivalry. The city itself has quite old buildings but they are developing better infrastructure over these years.
Lastly Milan is also very well known for food, going from traditional Italian dishes to restaurant chains from all over the world with some very particular tastes.
My recommended things to see in Milan are the amazing Duomo (which is the symbol of Milan) and the wonderful parks (like Parco Sempione), and il Castello Sforzesco.
TOP
TO VISIT IN ITALY
THE
FIVE PLACES
FAX MACHINES
Daniel W, Year 9 writes...
While the ability to message people over long distances was widespread with signalling systems, transmission of both images would only become accessible with developments of the fax machine throughout the 20th century. Fax machines operate by scanning a document into them, processing the scan into audio which can be sent through telephone systems and converted back by another machine so it can print a copy.
Prevalence
Fax machines were expensive, bulky and difficult to operate throughout the 1930s and 1950s; they failed to appeal to consumers
and compete with media like home-delivered newspapers and radio. The Xerox corporation then introduced their Magnafax telecopier in 1966, weighing 21kg and being more consumer friendly, it allowed companies (especially Japanese ones) to purchase fax machines affordably and integrate them into the
corporate environment.
Decline of the fax machine’s popularity has risen in the 21st century in response to the internet and email. However, many organizations still maintain a small degree of compatibility with fax machines due to a perceived security with its immunity to traditional methods of hacking such as the NHS which was one of the largest purchasers of fax machines, having at least 11,620 in June 2018 and only ceased operation of them in 2019.
Influence
With its ability to easily share information and accessibility, fax machines circulated material containing urban legends, jokes or cartoons that would lose visual fidelity each time it would be resent to the next recipient. The term “faxlore” has been coined to highlight the similarities between the circulation of fax and folklore.
The fax machine’s ubiquity in office spaces produced jokes that mildly subverted corporate culture by mockingly creating mandatory training programs with ridiculous
details or humorous meeting agendas. A common joke circulated was a variation of the “Blinkenlights” poster, this was text of mock German in a blackletter-gothic typeface that pertained to the diagnostic lights on early mainframe computers but later plastered on office machines like photocopiers, practically warning people not to mess with them.
Fax material also preserved the culture surrounding it at the time such as the presence of ethnic humour which has declined in relevancy now but may have seen popularity with a common joke reading:
“Heaven is where the police are British, the lovers French, the mechanics German, the chefs Italian, and it is all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the police are German, the lovers Swiss, the mechanics French, the chefs British, and it is all organized by the Italians.”
Outside strictly corporate environments, the notorious “Blue Star Acid” hoax was an urban legend circulated by fax machine. The fax was distributed by parents and school officials concerned over a lick-and-stick tattoo that was soaked in LSD and in the shape of either a blue star or popular cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse. Although it stated that the tattoo was distributed to children to get them “addicted to LSD”, there was no documentation
of any cases where this occurred.
Another hoax spread by fax include rumours stating that the company Procter and Gamble’s logo was a satanic symbol, referencing the 13 stars, the moon resembling the 6 in 666, and a fake claim that there was a Phil Donahue talk show episode where the president of P&G admitted it was a satanic symbol.
Telemarketers had also adopted the fax machine as a vehicle for advertising in the late 1980s due to its rising popularity providing a cheap platform with a large consumer audience. These junk faxes raised complaints from how it wasted toner, ink and paper from the consumer without costing the advertiser anything which prompted countries like the UK, US and Canada to enforce laws forbidding the unsolicited advertising in a fax.
The “Blue Star Acid” and Procter and gamble Hoaxes demonstrate the fax machine’s capacity for spreading misinformation and is evident of the issues inherent to any means of information sharing, drawing parallels with the internet climate of today.
Parallels with the internet
With the dawn of the early internet, “faxlore” had evolved into email, instant messaging and social networking sites. It had arguably laid the foundation for elements of internet culture such as memes which share similarities with how people constantly circulated faxes with easily consumable jokes and cartoons that elicits a brief chuckle.
The propagation of fake news on
the internet can also be compared to the fax hoaxes warning parents of drugs and demonstrates how the exploitation of information sharing is enabled by its own accessibility.
The presence of advertisements on the internet can also be observed with the abundance of junk fax. Marketing on these platforms have always been perceived as pervasive, but while social media networks rely on advertisements to generate revenue in order to continue operating, fax machines don’t benefit from junk fax and the burden of printing them costs the consumers.
Conclusion
While we often think of the fax machine as an obsolete technology that only served as standard office equipment, it ushered in the internet age and allowed us to grow closer to people throughout the world.
WRITE FOR US
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