Featured – The Origin*

Re-Emergence of Trends

Written by: Chloe (22-I6), Eris (22-I6)

The 1990s was a decade of cultural revolution and experimentation, from music to fashion and beyond. Today, many of the trends that emerged in the ’90s are making a comeback, with modern twists and updates that reflect the times we live in.

Music
To start off, in the ‘90s, the world saw the rise of alternative music. ‘Alternative’ was used to describe artists on independent labels who were considered to be unfitting for mainstream genres. It swept the world with its raw, edgy sound and counterculture vibe in the early ‘90s, and gained traction from then. The introduction of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the catalyst for the rise of alternative music then. Following their success, other alternative bands such as Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers also exploded in the music scene. While we did see a slowdown in the alternative music scene in the last two decades, we see a resurgence of alternative music today, especially after Steve Lacy’s superhit “Bad Habit”. Artists like Billie Eilish, Glass Animals and Paramore have drawn inspiration from the grunge and punk movements of the ‘90s, infusing their music with a rebellious spirit that resonates with young people today.

Technology
In addition to music, the 20th century saw a rise in technology that transformed how we live. Retro gadgets such as Polaroid cameras, film cameras, cassette tapes and vinyl records have been making a comeback. Originally made and produced in the 20th century, the vintage look and feel of what these gadgets develop provide us with a sense of nostalgia and simplicity, especially in an increasingly complex world. This sense of nostalgia that we get from these vintage gems s provides us with comfort and security and perhaps is the reason for its re-emergence today.

While vinyl records saw a decline in popularity in the late ‘80s to ‘90s, they eventually made their comeback from the late 2010s onwards. This decline was due to the introduction of cassette tapes and CDs, which were more portable, allowing users to listen to music on the go. In 2022, vinyl record sales amounted to $1.2 billion while CDs only amounted to $483 million. That was the first time in 30 years that vinyl record sales exceeded that of CDs, and was the 16th consecutive year of the growth of vinyl record sales, proving its resurgence in popularity. The comeback of vinyl records has also been noticed in Singapore, with an increasing number of vinyl record stores in Kampung Glam, The Adelphi, as well as Peninsula Plaza.

The rise in popularity of vinyl records can also be attributed to artists putting out special reissues and exclusive discs, encouraging fans and collectors to purchase them. For example, when Taylor Swift announced her newest album, “Midnights”, she released them in 4 colours, and they can be put together to make a clock, spurring fans to collect all 4 colours. This kickstarted the vinyl record collections of many, culminating in today’s popularity of vinyl records.

Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” Vinyl Colours
Source: Walmart

Fashion
Another major trend of the ’90s was fashion, which saw a mix of streetwear, high fashion, and sportswear. Today, we see a resurgence of such particular fashion, with everything from baggy jeans and oversized sweatshirts to crop tops and platform shoes making a comeback. This trend is particularly popular among young people, who are drawn to the casual, comfortable style of ’90s fashion. More commonly known as ‘Y2K’ fashion, the re-emergence of this style could also be credited to increasing individualism of younger generations nowadays, who seek to find a note of comfort or relaxation in a world that seems to be moving too quickly. Furthermore, the colourful and unique style of 90s fashion allows for a gateway to free expression and presentation of self, hence proving itself popular amongst individuals who wish to turn away from any mundanity or rigidity of life.

As seen from the above examples, there are many aspects of the world that seem to be cyclical in nature – from music to technology to fashion, it seems almost inevitable that trends that were introduced, then forgotten about, will eventually be brought back into society with full force. This thus results in the surfacing of familiar faces of things once buried in the past and, in the process, once again reminds us that, even if we move forward relentlessly, there will always be things that connect us to the past and bring forth a much-needed and welcomed sense of relief and comfort.

References:
https://highlark.com/rise-of-90s-alternative-music/#:~:text=The%20rise%20of%20alternative%20music%20in%20the%201990s%20was%20a,industry%20and%20evoking%20numerous%20changes

https://www.bbc.com/news/64919126

https://domno-vintage.com/blogs/fashion/where-to-buy-y2k-clothes

The Sounds of Film

Written by: Brandon Ng (22-E4)

Have you ever stopped to think about the sounds in a film? While It’s easy to get caught up in the plot, characters, and visual effects, sound still plays a critical role in the overall cinematic experience. From the musical score to the sound effects, every sound in a film is carefully crafted to enhance the mood, atmosphere, and emotional impact of each scene. So, let’s explore the different ways sound is used by filmmakers to paint the picture that is their story…

When sound is used in a film, it typically can be categorised into two distinct types, that is diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic sound refers to sound that can be heard within the world of the film it is used in, for example, the majestic theme to Jurassic Park (1993) can’t be heard by the characters as they stare in awe at the benevolent Brachiosaurus, hence non-diegetic, while the mighty roars can be heard both to the characters and the audience, hence diegetic.

“This is… Jurassic Park”
(Credit: YouTube)

Diegetic sound can be utilised to immerse the audience into the realm of the story being told, as they are able to experience first-hand what the characters are going through, in terms of the auditory aspect. While some simple uses of this technique can come in the form of dialogue (duh) and foley, more impactful cases can be through the music a character is listening to on the radio.

One brilliant example of this is in the X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014), where Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters, uses his superhuman speed to save the crew from oncoming bullets, and he does this all while listening to Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce through his headphones.

Quicksilver in action
(Credit: YouTube)

The line, “If I could make days last forever” jibes well with Quicksilver moving normally whilst his surroundings stood still in time, seemingly making that moment last for eternity. The use of this song in this scene encapsulates Quicksilver’s identity as a speedster and serves as apt background music to him saving everyone in style. This example of diegetic sound is just one of the many ways filmmakers have made use of it to enhance their storytelling,

Then, what about non-diegetic sounds, you may ask? Much like the theme of Jurassic Park mentioned earlier, background music or OSTs in movies are the more common instances of non-diegetic sound. But to narrow the scope, let’s delve into how these sounds evoke emotions in the audience. Unless you’re a robot, you are to expect to go through a rollercoaster of emotions in the viewing experience, depending on what the movie has in store for you.

Pixar produces some of the most emotional, heart-wrenching animation films out there. I mean, let’s be honest, some people can’t sit through Pixar movies without crying their eyes out, and most would tear up even a little. Tears aside, it can certainly be said that Pixar has mastered the art of conveying rich emotions through the medium which is their movies, and this is largely thanks to the music Pixar uses in particular scenes that can really strike the hearts of viewers.

In Up (2009), the song, “Married Life”, is the iconic melody that comes to people’s minds whenever they get reminded of the movie. Besides being nice-sounding, why exactly does this theme seem to stand out from the rest of the movie? Well, the answer may come from how this theme is used.

At the start, it is first played in an upbeat tone with the use of trumpets (?) as the story shows how the 2 lovers first meet, them growing up together and eventually getting married.

The Good Ol’ Days in “Up”
(Credit: YouTube)

However, as the story unfolds to reveal the obstacles the couple faces as time passes, and eventually the death of Ellie (the wife), the music takes a gloomier tone, with the use of solo piano to enhance the sadness tied to it. By sticking to the same melody, this particular “sad” scene draws stark contrasts to the start when love and optimism were all that was on their mind.

Carl has definitely seen better days
(Credit: YouTube)

More specifically, the adventurousness and fearless spirit of Ellie became tied to this melody, and so when it is echoed in such a different tone in the funeral scene, viewers are reminded of Ellie and experience perhaps a tinge of melancholy and nostalgia. That was probably what Carl, the now widower, felt as he sat on the steps of the same church they got wedded in, reminiscing the times they spent together, which was now lost in the past.

Moving on from the emotional aspect of movies, sounds can also be used to deepen the meanings of storylines in movies. To better illustrate this, let’s take a look at one example from Interstellar (2016). Without going into too much detail, Interstellar can be summed up as a space exploration movie tied with themes of time, love and physics. In particular, there is a scene in the movie where the theme of time is nicely alluded to through the use of sound effects.

The Interstellar crew on Miller’s Planet
(Credit: YouTube)

On their search for habitable planets, the crew stops at Millers’ Planet whereby time pretty much works slower compared to on Earth. How much slower exactly? Well, in the scene, there is a constant ticking sound in the background, where each tick signifies an hour passed on Earth and there is a tick every 1.25 seconds in the scene. The chilling part of this detail comes when the crew realises that they had spent 3 hours on the planet, meaning that time had elapsed 23 years on Earth in the 3 hours they spent. Without spoiling too much of the movie, the consequences of this really come into full effect when the crew returns to civilisation, with everyone else having aged 23 years during that measly 3 hours they experienced and this ties back to the overall theme of time, both in theoretical physics talk and in the value of time to humans in general, as time really is precious, isn’t it?

While there are still many other uses of sounds in film, what has been discussed above merely scratches the surface of the importance of sounds to film. Much like everything else in the production of the movie, every use of sound plays its own unique role in elevating the viewing experience. As famous fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks”, and with that, I’ll confidently say that the sounds in film are an unsung hero to the world of movies.

synaesthesia

Written by: Ashley Chean (22-O1)

i have synaesthesia — i was born with this condition and since young, i had always seen (and associated!!) music and people and words with colours — every “letter” is tinted a different colour for me. but you must ask, why is this so? what caused it, and what is it really like to live with it? allow me to share my experiences with synaesthesia, what i struggle with, and what it really is!

so what is synaesthesia? it is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. generally, it is characterised into two forms — projective synaesthesia: seeing colours, forms, or shapes when stimulated (the widely understood version of synaesthesia), or associative synaesthesia: feeling a powerful and involuntary connection between the stimulus and the sense that it triggers. for example, a person with projective synaesthesia might see colours when they hear music or taste flavours when they see shapes.
some famous people with this condition include marilyn monre, kanye west, frank ocean, billie ellish, and olivia rodrigo. this condition became more widely known when billie ellish, a 21-year-old singer shared that she had the condition and even the colour she felt with each of her songs (for example, bad guy is yellow). but what really causes it?

it is suggested that synaesthesia is caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, though little is truly known about what ultimately causes synaesthesia. synaesthesia develops as a child is first exposed to abstract colours and concepts. shapes, colours, letters, and numbers are usually the first abstract concepts that educational systems require children to learn, and these are hypothesized to explain how synaesthesia develops. synaesthetes are also seen to have several excess connections in the brain, especially in the inferior frontal lobe – with increased grey and white matter in the brain. in addition, it is widely believed to be genetic, and even hereditary, with 40% of synaesthetes reporting a first-degree relative with the condition. however, the specific form of synaesthesia an individual expresses can vary within families, suggesting that genetic undertones impose a predisposition to synaesthesia but not in its expression – for example, a parent with chromesthesia (sound-to-colour) can birth a child with grapheme-colour synesthesia (words/letters-to-colour).

there are many different variations of synaesthesia, but we will focus on the three main types!

the first is grapheme-colour synaesthesia: this is when numbers, letters, or symbols are perceived as having distinct colours. for example, the number 5 may always be seen as red. however, things may not be so simple. specific words may have their own colour, with the word “cat” appearing to me as blue-orange, not its specific colours, as represented here.

next, we have lexical-gustatory synaesthesia: this is when words or sounds trigger the perception of taste. for example, the word “chocolate” may taste sweet, or the sound of a trumpet may taste metallic.

finally, we have chromesthesia, which many of the musicians listed above have. this is when sound triggers the perception of a specific colour or even a shape. for example, a certain note or musical key may be associated with a specific colour.

it’s important to note that while two people may have the same branch of synaesthesia – e.g. chromesthesia or grapheme-colour synesthesia, the colours and tastes they experience can vary with each symbol. just like other conditions like autism or dyslexia, not every synaesthete’s experience is the same. however, most synaesthetes within branches have “common traits”, with most grapheme-colour synaesthetes seeing the number “5” as red, though the specific shades may vary with each synaesthete. but you might wonder, how does synesthesia affect the creative process?

It is believed that Vincent van Gogh’s chromesthesia, or sound-to-colour synaesthesia, may have influenced the use of colour in his paintings. Van Gogh experienced vivid and intense associations between sounds and colours, often using bold and vibrant colours in his artwork. in his letters to his brother Theo, van Gogh described how he saw colours in response to different sounds and music. he wrote that he saw “violet-black” in the sound of a church bell, “emerald green” in the sound of a trumpet, and “red-violet” in the sound of a tuba. in his paintings, van Gogh used these intense colours to express emotions and moods. he used bright yellows and oranges to convey energy and vitality, while blues and greens were used to create a sense of calm or melancholy. his use of bold and expressive colours helped to divulge the intense emotional experiences that he saw and felt. Van Gogh’s synaesthesia likely played a significant role in his artistic vision and the unique and expressive style of his paintings. it’s worth noting, however, that while his synaesthesia may have influenced his use of colour, it was just one aspect of his creative process, and his art was also influenced by many other factors, including his personal experiences and artistic influences.

it’s important to note that synaesthesia is not a disorder or pathology; rather, it is a natural variation in perception that affects a small percentage of the population. many people with synaesthesia find it to be a positive and enjoyable experience, and it can even enhance their creativity and memory skills. personally, synaesthesia has helped me in my creative process, and although disorienting at times, is a useful tool in understanding the world.

Escapism

Written by: Jovielle Bruto (22-A2), Yam Lok Sum (22-A1)

What is escapism?

Have you ever found yourself scrolling mindlessly through social media? Perhaps you pick up a book, aiming to bury yourself in a magical world, where fae and wizards are more common than your average salaryman. Or maybe, you decide to watch a show and immerse yourself in the perspective of daring policemen navigating dire situations.

Such actions can be seen as a form of escapism – where one wishes to “escape” their real-world struggles or worries, trading them in for a more favourable and invented world instead.

During global disasters, the most current of which is the Covid-19 pandemic, people seek an alternative to their strife-ridden lives. Hence, escapism as a phenomenon has become more prevalent.

Many find comfort in invented worlds, using them to alleviate their stresses and discontentment. However, as reported by Andrew Evans in his book, “This Virtual Life”, there is a line between productive and harmful escapism.

Why do we engage in escapism?

Escapism is a way of mental separation from unpleasant or boring aspects of life which are deemed as undesirable by human nature. It serves to occupy oneself and is a distraction from persistent feelings of depression or general sadness. Common forms of escapism include daydreaming, reading a book, and listening to music. Sounds familiar? These are subconscious actions that we engage in daily.

The History of Escapism

This phenomenon goes way back to the 1930s, when escapism was a common concept that arose from the Great Depression. High unemployment rates and hence lack of income caused distress for countless households who struggled to get by during this challenging period. With that being said, many subconsciously turned to escapism to literally “escape” from all their problems and undesirable feelings.

Despite the positive effects of escapism, people can become mentally ill from the addictiveness. The constant desire to divert from reality will worsen the situation as no solutions to solve the issue will surface.

Effects of escapism

As previously stated, escapism can be a double-edged sword. Naturally, we must learn to wield this tool to our benefit.

Productive escapism is a healthy way to protect one’s emotional and mental stability as it offers various benefits.

1. Reduces stress

When immersing yourself in a new world, you can rid your mind of any stressors. Hence, it provides you with an opportunity to recalibrate and refresh yourself, ensuring that you are more capable of facing any upcoming challenges in life.

2. Outlet for creativity

By virtue of escapism being a naturally creative process, engaging in escapism develops one’s imagination. Furthermore, activities like reading and art can inspire others, leading to greater happiness and fulfillment.

However, escapism is ultimately rooted in avoidance. Naturally, if one loses sight of themselves in the process of escaping, it can be disastrous to one’s holistic well-being.

1. Denial

If one relies too heavily on escapism, it could cause you to withdraw from the real world. One may end up shirking their duties as a friend or colleague, prioritising their preferred method of escapism instead of spending time with the real people who matter. This may lead to the neglect of various aspects of real life, such as work and relationships.

2. Addiction

Escapism is an alluring alternative to harsh realities. Thus, people can become addicted to escapism, finding difficulty reconnecting with the real world and finding meaning in it. For instance, internet addiction as a form of escapism can be seen as more dangerous than its predecessors due to the targeted nature of algorithms. These algorithms enable the curation of an ideal world only seen through our phones, enhancing the effects of internet addiction.

Conclusion

Overall, escapism can be seen as a safe haven from the stresses of the real world, even acting as a positive driving force in our lives. Nonetheless, we must be conscious of our usage of such methods to ensure a balance between escapism and managing our real life relationships and duties.

The Rise of Studytube

Written by: Liew Yi Xuan (21-E1), Liew Shu Mei Jacynthe (21-O3), Leanne Soh (21-E6)

Introduction

“4 hours – Study with me”, “10 hour productive study day” — Uploaded by creators across the world, coupled with aesthetically pleasing thumbnails, these are popular video titles that come up often on our YouTube feeds.

The term “studytube” has only been around for a couple of years, but it has already gained much popularity, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown period. If you are not sure what Studytube is, a quick search on Youtube will present you with an array of beautifully-edited videos catered to – you guessed it – studying.

Essentially, it is a form of content creation on YouTube where people film themselves studying, giving advice on revision methods, et cetera. More than just entertainment, many creators – being students themselves – use these videos as a source of motivation too.

In this article, we interviewed 2 such content creators to get different perspectives – from in front of the camera!

Here’s an inside scoop from the creators of 2 such channels!

Why Studytube?

Rui, better known under the pseudonym of spudstudy, started her channel to motivate others in their studies. Her videos are filled with timelapses of her studying, as well as snippets of her daily life, and they have proven to be helpful to viewers through the myriad of positive comments left behind.

Apart from the traction she gained on YouTube, Rui herself has gained much more from her channel. “Studytube allowed me to make friends and just meet people who make the same content as me! It also motivates me to study so that I have content to post,” commented the 17-year-old YouTuber. As with any other community, Studytube was able to bring people with similar interests together, creating many connections and friendships amongst these like-minded individuals.

Since joining in 2018, spudstudy has grown tremendously, with a subscriber count of 121,000 now! Through the 4 years, Rui has not only learnt soft skills such as time management to juggle her Youtube channel and other commitments, but also technical skills such as liaising with different companies for various collaborations.

The Other Side of The Coin

However, all good things come at a price. Studytube may have created a space for students all over the world to share their productivity tips and induce motivation. Yet, on the other hand, it may place additional pressure on Studytubers to keep up appearances and cause them to spiral into toxic productivity.

Toxic productivity is a mindset that manifests as the need to constantly work. It’s the overbearing pressure that says you can’t rest or take any downtime. Even when forced to rest, it’s difficult to turn your mind off and enjoy it—because you’d be too busy focusing on what else you “should” do.

A rising Singaporean Studytuber, hydrchloric, acknowledges that although Studytube has a multitude of benefits, it can also cause undesirable side effects if not managed well. She conceded that even though “having a study channel forces [creators] to study [in order] to continue setting good examples for their viewers [as an added incentive], this form of “stress” can be [harmful] if not in moderation”.

While this is unfortunately the sad reality for many Studytubers, it does not mean Studytube should be discouraged!

Conclusion

Ultimately, Studytube does introduce many benefits to students seeking motivation. With a vast spread of study tips, methods and even aesthetics to pick from, most students can now easily find a style that resonates most with them, pushing them to work harder!

However, it is critical to keep in mind that what works for others may not work for you, and there is no need to beat yourself up for not achieving the same results. Everyone works differently and at different paces too; remember to strike a balance between seeking motivation and comparing yourself too much to others. What is most important is that you use the information that has been made so much more readily available to you, to find the most effective way for you to study!

Stay healthy, and all the best for your studies!

The writers of this article are also in this Studytube community, so do check us out via the links below!

Jacynthe – https://youtube.com/channel/UCl4qXQ3WvzpT9MbBGymtDsw

Leanne – https://youtube.com/channel/UCliP0F582iKdx3rSDXBNJ9Q

Yi Xuan – https://youtube.com/channel/UCqSOOAJdpSkNM_EofAtD17g

spudstudy – https://youtube.com/c/spudstudy

hydrchloric – https://youtube.com/c/hydrchloric

References

‘StudyTube’ has its faults as well as its benefits

On Progress and Stagnation

Written by: Zuo Yuning (21-A1)

It’s the year 2350.

Three people stand in a line. In front of them is a floating object. It has the shape of a water drop, and with a surface that fully reflects the surroundings without any distortion, it seems as though its sole purpose for existence is to praise the beauty of the immense universe.

“It’s almost a piece of art,” exclaims the young female officer.

These three represent the Space Armed Forces of the Solar System. Besides the young female, there is another man in military uniform, and in between the two is an old man. His hair and beard form a stark contrast against the overwhelming blackness of outer space.

Three weeks ago, humans detected an object moving at 20% of lightspeed towards the Solar System. Humans quickly responded by getting its military forces into combat readiness. But the alien object did not launch any attack, so humans have sent the three people group to investigate further.

“It isn’t good when an enemy’s weapon looks like art,” the scientist says while shaking his head, “if we cannot tell their weapons by the look, we probably can’t tell how they work, either.”

“It may not be a weapon,” the male officer replies, “maybe, it isn’t meant to be a weapon. Perhaps we are imagining aliens to be evil just because of our brutal history.”

Both of them know exactly what he’s referring to. Since the series of climate calamities in the 2050s, massive immigration has driven many societies to the brink of structural collapse. Pro-immigrant sentiment became heretical, as better-off countries deployed bloody measures to push back against the tens of billions of people fleeing from the global South. After that, the oil and gas depletion in 2100 was met by the continued inability of alternative sources to provide sufficient energy, and war broke out as governments used forceful means to either divert domestic dissent to foreign enemies or to grab whatever coal, thermal and hydroelectric power left on the planet. Ceasefire was signed after a series of nuclear attacks and annihilations between India and Pakistan shocked the world back to rationality, but that was already 50 years after the start. Thereafter, humans finally enjoyed a few decades of relative stability and astonishing scientific and technological progress, where humans developed everything from nuclear fusion that finally made energy virtually free and allowed the development of spaceships that possess the maximum speed of 15% lightspeed, to quantum computing that made traditional computers look like the campfires of primitives. But those good old days seem like illusions now, as ecological terrorism, skepticism of science and murder of scientists have begun their ascent.

The professor knows more. Recently, unnatural events have been occurring during scientific experiments. Physicists use particle accelerators and collide them to carry out theoretical research, but in the past few years the results of particular collisions have exhibited complete haphazardness and illogicality. To draw an analogy, while kicking a ball with a fixed amount of force in a fixed direction should yield the same results in theory, assuming every other factor is constant, now physicists are horrified to find that the ball can sometimes fly up in the sky, sometimes roll to the left, sometimes crashing into the kicker’s face, and sometimes sinking tens of metres deep into the ground! This has led to a complete pause on theoretical physics research, as nowhere in the world could a sensible result be produced.

“In any case, look at this thing! It is so shiny!”

She said in wonder as she reached out her gloved hand to touch, but her arm jerked back.

“Eek! So cold!”

The two men immediately focused. They cautiously touched the surface.

“This feels like absolute zero.” (Absolute zero is the lowest possible temperature, as it describes a state where no particles are vibrating or moving, and temperature correlates directly with the amount of vibration and movement of particles.)

“But how can anything be absolute zero?” the officer asks in shock.

The scientist takes a long pause, and fear starts to magnify as the two wait. Silence persists for half a minute, but to them it feels like a lifetime.

“Do you have a magnifying glass? The high degree kind?”

“Yes, I’ve brought the electronic magnifying device with me.”

“Can you use it on this surface?”

“Sure.”

The female took out an object that looks like a temperature gun, as there is a display screen at the back. She presses the opposite end on the surface, and the screen returns a smooth surface.

“How many times has the image been magnified?”

“50 times.”

“Make it 100?”

She proceeds with that. The image doesn’t seem to change.

“1000?”

Nothing.

“Ten thousand?”

Nothing.

“Your thing must be broken!” the male officer says.

“It can’t be! I used it just a few minutes ago, and it worked!”

As if to prove that, she points the device at the man’s clothes, and immediately the image of a ragged surface returned. This is expected, as the seemingly smooth surface of his military uniform is an illusion that can be easily shattered when the microscopic unevenness of the material is revealed.

When she points the device back, nothing can be seen. The surface is calmer than the surface of a waveless sea.

“Magnify a hundred thousand times!”

Nothing.

“Magnify a million times!”

Nothing.

“Magnify ten million times!”

She shakes her head. “A million was the limit, professor,” she said.

The scientist paused again, but this time he wasn’t silent. Rather, he was pacing back and forth while constantly mumbling a few words.

“Absolute zero… Utter orderliness of arrangement…”

At last, he said something out loud.

“There is only one explanation,” he said, not looking at the clueless duo, “there is only one explanation.”

“What is it, professor?”

“Think about it, young folks. This object is made of particles that cannot move or vibrate, and to achieve that they must all be packed so tightly that there is not even a nanometer of distance between each one of them.”

“But… what does it mean?”

The professor sighs, apparently at the stupidity of the ‘young folks’. “Any object our science has come to know of consists of particles that are always in motion, since there is always space between particles for them to move around. Gas has the most space, while solids have the least space, so if something has no space between particles, it may be even tougher than solids.”

The two officers look at each other, not sure where the professor is going.

“Anything, anything you have ever seen is not as tough as this alien object! It can hit our tiny aircraft, destroy our buildings, penetrate the core of Earth, and still emerge unhurt. It is not something belonging to this world, and we are just targets waiting to be hit by it. Even the warships we have come to be so proud of, are just a piece of paper.”

Officers realised at last. The entire Space Armed Forces are at risk of utter destruction.

But before they could issue their warning, the alien object began accelerating, and the heat of its engine vaporised the three.

In less than 20 minutes, the entire more than three thousand warships strong armed forces were completely destroyed. Only a few were able to escape the Solar System.

In one hour’s time, a televised broadcast appeared on every digital screen of the human world.

It consists only of English words:

Surrender!

You do not stand a chance against our civilisation!

We have stopped your scientific progress by manipulating the behaviour of the particles in your accelerators, and our spearhead surveillance device has destroyed that pathetic fleet of yours!

While you have engulfed yourself in endless conflicts for the past two centuries, you have failed to progress as a civilisation.

While you emphasised so much on morality over the past centuries, you have failed to realise that material and technology determine survival.

Our army will arrive in four centuries, so do the wise thing and stop resisting, so as to minimise the meaningless suffering on your part!

European Super League

Written by: Jachin Khoo (21-U5), Joshua Tan (21-I1), Nigel Ng (21-A3)

Essentially a controversial proposal to include 15 founding members and 5 more based on their performance in their respective domestic leagues.

U would have thought it works like other established football leagues right? Oh hell no, the idea of permanence was favoured over relegation.

Recently, it has caused a huge stir among football fans, with some even storming into the stadiums of the clubs they support!

Opinions were heavily divided, from a financial standpoint, it does seem logical, but fans were disagreeable.

‘Potentially ruining the beautiful game’, was a claim made by football fans all over the world

Essence of the sport was heavily diluted, as club owners were motivated by greed

‘A compromise must never be reached’

‘Never support the super league’, echoed the fans unanimously. The fans were firm in their resolution.

Saw the end, most clubs did

Under the pressure from fans and players who spoke with one voice, most clubs withdrew from the league, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus still remaining

Problems still existing, with money running dry due to the pandemic

Especially urgent is the cash, as cold as ice

Real dilemmas arise

Like never in a million years would such a ridiculous money making “cartel” be plausible

Eager to start playing again, this time with more gusto

A sigh of relief, as the pandemic raged less violently. Matches could be played, this time with the fans

Good progress has been made, particularly how the pandemic is handled

Unfortunate to have such irresponsible owners at the helms of such major clubs

Elitism is never forgiven, as clubs reached a common consensus to receive the necessary punishment.

The End