WSC Quiz Prep - Harsh PDF

Special Area: Lost and Font - Ethan If you walked out of your home without knowing you’d accidentally time traveled into the past, how long would it take you to realize what had happened? What if they had sent you back ten years, or thirty, or a hundred? Discuss with your team: how far into the pas...

Special Area: Lost and Font - Ethan If you walked out of your home without knowing you’d accidentally time traveled into the past, how long would it take you to realize what had happened? What if they had sent you back ten years, or thirty, or a hundred? Discuss with your team: how far into the past would you need to be to realize instantly that you were in a different era? Note: The following thoughts take into account that; the weather, temperature, humidity, etc… are exactly the same as before you time travelled; no paradoxes occur which would hinder you from interacting with your environment; you’re unable to see yourself or anyone you have a close relationship with; and that you don’t retain any items you had on you barring clothes ______________________________________________________________________________________ Thoughts: As a GeoGuessr player, this is the absolute easiest thing ever !!! On a more serious note, it really, really, depends. I’d imagine this whole section wants me to use fonts as an idea, but I live in a rural place so it doesn’t work. Here are my ideas: - Cars: They’re pretty odd things, and models can really tell something. If we count the cars outside my house as being different, then I only need 3 years back! We have model Ys, coming out in 2021. Otherwise it’s a little different. - Houses: Actually all of the houses in my neighborhood are like hella old - Bus: I got a bus station outside. At the bare minimum, 1998 was when the company who used that bus station was installed. - Very detailed stuff: There’s this log outside my house which only got there in 2022. And so on. Cars also look slightly dinkier in the past. So Conclusion: Personally for my house, like 2 years. I think a much more interesting question revolves around how far in the past you could identify if you were put in a random place. That comes down to the most obvious general change: Cars! (And fonts if you are super WSC centric). Cars developed incredibly quickly, so noticing you are in the past would be pretty easy on that. However, give it a threshold of like 20 years. Unless you look for teslas or something. Or are a car fanatic. Maybe if you're somewhere super remote, it’ll be hard. Give it back 200 years to when electricity was invented. If you don’t see wires or anything, you’re in the past. Or somewhere so remote that the US doesn’t even know about it. One clue to your whenabouts might be the text around you: not just the headlines on newspapers and store signs, but the fonts they’re printed in. Consider some of the history of typography, then discuss with your team: how different would the world look today if Microsoft had chosen Comic Sans instead of Calibri as its default typeface in the early 2000s—or as its successor 20 years later. The London Underground also decided to update its font in 2016 for a more modern look—did it succeed? Be sure to learn the difference between serif and sans serif fonts, and then see which ones are used more widely. Does the same distinction apply in non-Western alphabets? The Development of Fonts + The Reasons Behind Them Back in the day, books were a luxury for the high-class until Johannes Gutenberg rocked the scene with his 15th-century invention—the printing press. This game-changer opened the door to mass-producing books and also hinted at potential profits. The innovation drew inspiration from Screw-type presses in East Asia, making letter prints durable and reusable, saving loads of time. Gutenberg didn't stop there. He crafted the first-ever font, inspired by Blackletter calligraphy used in manuscripts. However, there were downsides: limited text per page and a single font type constraint. In 1470, Nicolas Jenson entered the scene, creating a simpler font for more efficient books. His smaller and easier font allowed more words on a page, based on typographic principles rather than the traditional manuscript style. In 1501, Aldus Manutius and Francesco Griffo pioneered the italic typeform to save space in books. Although initially criticized for poor readability, it's now notably used for emphasis. Fast forward to 1734, William Caslon introduced the Old Style, enhancing letter distinguishability and readability. John Baskerville joined the font evolution, developing Transitional typefaces with distinct letters. Despite improvements in type, ink, and printing, his fonts were criticized for their darkness and unorthodox appearance. A commercial failure in the 18th century, Baskerville's fonts experienced a revival in the 1900s. In the 1780s, Firmin Didot and Giambattista Bodoni created serif fonts, looking strikingly similar with one another. These fonts were better suited for headlines and titles, less readable at smaller sizes. The first slab serif template, named "Antique," emerged in 1815, designed by Vincent Figgins, grabbing attention with its indents and emphasis details. These specific fonts notably pioneered the creation of serif fonts, being fonts with notable indents in their typing. For example, fonts like this one right here are serif fonts. See the little indents in the letters? That’s what serif fonts are. However, fonts like this are sans-serif, meaning that they don’t have those special properties. The sans-serif revolution followed with William Caslon IV's “Caslon Egyptian” in 1816, influenced by block lettering from the Classical antiquity. This departure from traditional serifs marked the beginning of a font design era inspired by Egyptian writing, supported by Egyptomania - the obsession that the Western world had over Egypt. Jumping to the 20th century, Fredric Goudy became the first full-time font developer in the 1920s, creating iconic fonts like Copperplate Gothic and Goudy Old Style. Helvetica, Futura, and Optima were born in 1957, with Helvetica becoming a household name, still perhaps to this day. The digital age saw the birth of Digi Grotesk in 1968, paving the way for vector (smooth) fonts in 1974, and the revolutionary TrueType fonts in the late 1980s, easily accessible to computers and printers. Cross compatibility, anybody? Fast forward to 1997, where CSS incorporated the first font styling rules, and Internet Explorer began supporting web fonts. The Web Open Font Format (WOFF) in 2009 led to widespread use of web fonts by 2011, revolutionizing digital design. The journey continued with the introduction of variable fonts in 2016, part of the OpenType standard. These fonts proved more efficient in terms of size, with smaller file sizes and opening new possibilities for web typography. Challenges still persist in present day fonts, such as a lack of global language fonts and untapped potential in color fonts despite the OpenType SVG format allowing for such creativity. Yet we’ll just have to see what may happen later. Aptos: The New Default Font For Microsoft Office Apps In a major move, Microsoft bid farewell to “Calibri”, the default font for apps like Word and Outlook. The decision was made after testing five potential candidates in 2021, with the chosen one initially named Bierstadt but later renamed Aptos. This transition marked a significant shift, considering that Office apps contribute a quarter of Microsoft's revenue. The font switch accompanied the renewal of Microsoft 365 subscriptions, showcasing the company's commitment to refreshing its appearance, not only in design but also in font choices. Si Daniels, the principal program manager for Office design at Microsoft, announced this switch in 2023. The decision to change the default font was influenced by user surveys which would detail whether or not the general public would appreciate the change. Perhaps, however, the core reason for the switch was because of the shift from Steve Ballmer to Satya Nadella as CEO of Microsoft. Funnily, Satya was younger than the Calibri font itself. The journey to Aptos began in 2019 when Microsoft approached font designer Steve Matteson for a new font. Matteson, previously involved with Microsoft since the 1990s, contributed to the development of the iconic Segoe font used in Microsoft's logo and marketing. Unknown to him, Microsoft considered his font to replace Calibri, leading him to submit five proposal fonts (without identification). Matteson, still associated with Monotype at the time, had been actively engaged in the tech giant's endeavors, such as assisting with TrueType for Windows 3.1. His font, initially named "Grotesque No. 2," was eventually titled Bierstadt, paying tribute to a mountain in Colorado. Later, inspired by the coastal climate and feelings of California (but totally not by pressure from Microsoft), Matteson renamed it Aptos after a town in Santa Cruz. Apart from its aesthetic appeal, Matteson meticulously worked on the details of Aptos, ensuring compatibility and ease of transition from Calibri. This included adapting the font for various languages, crafting monetary symbols, and incorporating Greek and Cyrillic letters. In his final thoughts on the font and the change, Matteson highlighted Aptos' ability to distinguish between uppercase "I" and lowercase "l" easily. Despite this, he expressed his belief that Calibri did not have a significant problem. Just in general, the change to Aptos was made as a new, refreshing look to Microsoft. The London Underground Changed Their Font, Barely The original font of the London Underground, a masterpiece by calligrapher Edward Johnston in 1916, has recently undergone a barely noticeable transformation. The new adaptation, named Johnston100, was introduced in 2016 by Transport for London (TfL). Despite claims of subtle changes, some argue they're so small that they might go unnoticed by the casual observer. TfL states that these adjustments were made for a 21st-century adaptation, ensuring relevance in the modern era. The organization insists that the new style retains the soul of the original while adapting to the needs of the 2000s. Modern symbols such as # and @ have been introduced, suiting new communication needs. Jon Hunter, head of TfL design, emphasizes the font's importance in aligning with the times, particularly with the rise of social media. He notes that the inclusion of hashtags and at signs was essential in the new design, elements absent from Johnston's original work as they were unnecessary at the time. Donna Steel, curator of an exhibition about Edward Johnston, acknowledges the revolutionary nature of Johnston's original letters. The new font, Johnston100, is a delicate blend of readability, beauty, and simplicity, maintaining the essence of its predecessor. Monotype, the firm behind the adaptation, delved into the history of the font by studying old posters to preserve the soul and idiosyncrasies (Yes this is literally what the article used as the word - basically meaning distinctive behavior/feature) of the typeface. To understand the font's evolution, a brief historical journey of London Underground fonts is essential. In 1913, London transport director Frank Pick commissioned Edward Johnston, leading to the introduction of Johnston Sans in 1916, serving as the base for the text used today.  A minor update occurred in 1970 when Eicchi Kono adapted the font for new printing technology, making slight adjustments like turning periods from circles to diamonds. In 2016, Johnston100 emerged, designed to be digital-friendly and to adapt to the changing needs of communication. The London Underground font change, though barely noticeable, reflects a new change in balance and need for adaptation. With this, the TfL hopes that this change will last for the next 100 years, like Johnston Sans had. Recently, the United States Department of State changed its own default font from Times New Roman to Calibri—20 years after first switching from Courier to Times New Roman. Each move sparked at least 36 points of controversy. Discuss with your team: should governments even have standardized fonts? If so, how should they pick them, and when should they change them? U.S. Font Change For Accessibility Purposes: TNR to Calibri In a move to enhance accessibility, the US State Department made a significant font change, transitioning from the classic Times New Roman to Calibri. Secretary of State Antony Blinken communicated this change to the department via email, setting a deadline of February 6, 2023, for the adoption of Calibri. The decision aimed to better accommodate visually impaired employees and was recommended by the Secretary's office of diversity and inclusion. However, not everyone welcomed the change with open arms. Complaints arose from employees used to Times New Roman, and the announcement received criticism, particularly regarding Calibri's aesthetics. Some argue that Calibri looks "ugly", perhaps a notion on how people have different opinions on fonts. This wasn't the first time the State Department altered its default font. Previously, Courier New 12 was used before shifting to Times New Roman, driven by a desire for a fresher, more modern appearance. Courier New 12 was literally the typewriter font. In the email explaining the meaning behind the change, Blinken pointed out the angular and decorative features of Times New Roman, which could pose accessibility challenges for individuals using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools, screen readers, and those with learning impairments. The decision solely revolved around addressing these accessibility issues for disabled individuals. The change triggered varied reactions within the State Department. While some employees saw it as a necessary step for accessibility, others expressed dislike. A Foreign Service officer noted that a colleague deemed the shift sacrilege. Interestingly, the same officer admitted not minding the change personally, as he disliked serifs, but he was not particularly fond of Calibri either. The font transition at the US State Department highlights the difficulties between settling for an option. No matter how juicy of a peach you are, some people will not like peaches. If all these fonts confuse you—or you just want to check whether a document (such as an alternative World Scholar’s Cup outline) is a forgery—you could always hire a forensic font expert. Read about the kind of work such experts do, then discuss with your team: should some fonts be reserved for exclusive use by AIs and others for humans? Font Detective Thomas Phinney Uses Typographic Clues to Determine Forgeries Thomas Phinney, a font detective, first set on this unique career when an attorney sought his expertise on a suspected forgery. At that time, Phinney was working as a product manager in Adobe's system font groups. Intrigued by the challenge, he delved into the task, employing a digital microscope and pixel counting to analyze fonts. His first case, named "The case of the Wicked Will," involved deducing that the printer used for the document didn't exist at the suggested date. This success propelled Phinney into becoming the world's foremost forensic font expert. His passion for typography and fonts, coupled with a keen understanding of dating fonts and technology, turned his work into a blend of art, economy, history, and technology. For Phinney, fonts matter everywhere, from the digital realm to books and printing presses. He emphasizes their significance in branding and marketing, where font choices can influence the perception of a brand. His website, Sciencegothic.com, showcases a typeface creator capable of representing over 500 moods and feelings. Despite his various jobs, Phinney remains fascinated by fonts and typography. An example case, "The Reprehensible Rabbi," involved uncovering a font mismatch (Perhaps don’t use a font which only existed a decade after your date states?) that revealed a forgery. Phinney's main job eventually shifted to font forensics in 2018, proving difficult yet intriguing alongside his font design tasks. Phinney categorizes these forensic cases into two types: Nefarious, involving ill-intent forgeries, and "Stupidly Tiny," determining if documents meet specific requirements. The latter includes quirky cases, such as evaluating whether tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny typography on a Justin Timberlake CD fulfilled public notice requirements for copyrights. His dream case involves major implications affecting many people, similar to the close call with allegations against George W. Bush. While the Bush case turned out to be fake news, Phinney's dedication and passion for his work still remains evident. In offering advice, Phinney encourages mid-career switches if aligned with personal belief and passion, stating that doubt shouldn’t hinder one's pursuit or their true passion. Thomas Phinney's journey is the clear-set example of what he suggests, a career into something he truly enjoys. Time travelers often struggle to pay for things; their currency has a cancelled Marvel actor’s face on it, or they don’t know what money is, or they can’t make the self-checkout machines work. (Then again, can anyone?) If you found yourself at a supermarket in 1963, you wouldn’t have been able to pay for anything at all until the clerk typed in the price of every item you wanted to buy, one at a time. Doing so quickly was a coveted skill: there was even a competition with prizes like free trips to Hawaii. The adoption of the barcode in the 1960s was a buzzkill for such price-inputting savants. Discuss with your team: what other technologies do we take for granted when we’re at stores or shopping online? And do you support efforts to reimagine in-person shopping without any form of checkout at all? Why Do People Hate Self-checkout? There is now a growing backlash against self-checkout machines, with several retailers reevaluating their strategies. For instance, Booths, a British supermarket, recently announced the removal of self-checkout in all but two of its stores. Other major players like Walmart, Costco, and Wegmans are also adjusting their approach to self-checkout. Nigel Murray, the managing director of Booths, expressed concerns about the efficiency and reliability of self-checkout machines. He highlighted issues such as slow processing and frequent misidentifications of fruits, vegetables, and alcohol, particularly with age restrictions. The concept of self-checkout itself was introduced in the 1980s with the primary goal of reducing labor costs. However, it gained significant traction in the early 2000s as a cost-cutting measure. The expansion and usage of self-checkout machines accelerated during the pandemic because of the increased focus on minimizing spread and contact. Despite its initial appeal, retailers are now considering the removal of self-checkout machines due to various problems. One major concern is the rise in shoplifting incidents, known as "shrink," which retailers blame on the self-checkout process. Studies have indicated that shoplifting is easier with self-checkout, leading to the reported millions lost by retailers. Notably, the statistics showcase a 4% shrink cost (double the industry standard at 2%) when attributed to self-checkouts. Problems with self-checkout machines include products with multiple barcodes, the need to weigh items like fruits and meat, and customers exploiting the system. Customers avoid paying fairly with various methods, from not scanning items at all to scanning cheaper items or using fake barcodes. In response to these challenges, some retailers are opting to purge self-checkout machines. Costco, for example, is adding more staffed checkout areas, due to the self-checkout problem of accepting non-costco members. The move away from self-checkout has reportedly led to a decrease in shrink for some retailers. While specific examples abound, it’s clear that the issues surrounding self-checkout machines are leading to a new change. The Iconic Barcodes’ Origin The origin story of barcodes is a long and interesting journey that began in Troy, Miami County, Ohio. The birthplace of this revolutionary invention holds a ceremonial occasion, with the small town taking pride in their creation. The first shopper to experience the barcode was Clyde Dawson, and the cashier was Sharon Buchanan, who checked out a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. The creator of the barcode, Joe Woodland, found inspiration while on Miami Beach. Drawing with his fingers in the sand, he conceptualized a code that could be printed and scanned quickly. This inspiration and brainstorming comes from Bernard Silver, overhearing the need for a barcode system and pitching the idea to Joe. So confident in his idea, Joe left graduate school to live in an apartment in Miami. The breakthrough came from Morse code, with wide and narrow lines influencing the barcode design. In 1949, they filed a patent in Philadelphia, and it was granted in 1952. However, their crude prototype, which used a 500-watt bulb and a giant code, was lacking technology only fully developed 2 decades after their breakthrough. In 1960, the laser was unveiled in California, causing concerns about its potential applications. Theodore Maiman created the first laser, with initial thoughts about its uses for welding, cutting, or medical surgery. However, the idea of using lasers in barcodes for check-out was not foreseen to him, or anybody associated. Kroger produced a booklet in 1966 envisioning the invention of the barcode, dreaming of an optical scanner that could quickly read prices and totals. A small research team at the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) eventually landed on the barcode idea with this booklet as an inspiration, buying the patents Joe Woodland had made years before. Specifically, the patent denoted a circular bullseye barcode, rather than the conventional rectangular one today. The first automated checkstands were installed at Kroger Kenwood Plaza in Cincinnati in July 1972. Trials showed superior sales figures and efficiency with the bullseye barcode. To revolutionize the checkout experience, the barcode needed to be universal. The Ad Hoc Committee of the Universal Product Identification Code was created to find a way to introduce a universal product code system. Despite many difficulties and resistance from manufacturers, seven US companies submitted systems to the Ad Hoc Committee. IBM joined the race at the last minute, employing Joe Woodland, the patent owner. George Laurer, however, created the version of the barcode IBM used, and IBM built a prototype scanner for testing. After a spectacular demonstration, the Symbol Selection Committee voted in favor of the rectangular UPC in 1973. The rectangular barcode faced skepticism from manufacturers initially but took off when mass merchandisers like Kmart adopted the system in 1980. The barcode became a crucial tool for manufacturing transformation and easy statistical analysis. Joe Woodland received recognition for his invention in 1992 by George HW Bush, and a few months later, he received the National Medal of Technology. Woodland's coincidence was living to see his vision on Miami beach come true, with the imagined barcode becoming integral with today’s life. Amazon Go! Amazon Go convenience stores operate on a revolutionary "just walk out" concept, eliminating the need for traditional checkouts or cash registers. Customers can simply grab their desired products and leave the store without going through the typical checkout process. The technology behind Amazon Go stores draws inspiration from self-driving cars and combines various advanced features, collectively named "Just Walk Out." This technology includes computer vision, sensor fusion, deep learning, and other cutting-edge elements. These components work together to create a frictionless shopping experience. The "Just Walk Out" technology keeps track of the inventory of items customers pick up, ensuring they are charged accurately upon leaving the store. While the system is highly sophisticated, it is not completely accurate, with occasional errors occuring. To use Amazon Go stores, customers need an Amazon Go account, which involves setting up a QR code as an entry ticket. Once inside the store, customers can begin shopping immediately, and as they pick up items, they are automatically added to a virtual cart within the Amazon Go app. Upon completion of the shopping experience, customers can simply leave the store, and the technology calculates the total price based on the items in their virtual cart. Digital receipts are provided through the app, an efficient checkout process. Amazon Go stores have gained popularity, and the company has plans to expand this innovative shopping concept to more locations. While still waiting for success, with a few spread locations in the US and UK, it shows a possible new idea we could see further implemented in the future. Just as barcodes transformed checkout, QR codes have changed many other everyday experiences, from debate tree distribution (sometimes) to accessing restaurant menus. But a change that seemed inevitable during the pandemic has run into resistance since. Discuss with your team: is this pushback a classic example of society resisting technological progress, only to eventually succumb? Are there any technologies that were supposed to change the world which were rejected and stayed rejected? Why QR Code Menus Are Far From Pleasing Anne Thériault's complaint about QR code menus is based on the idea that traditional menus possess a unique literary quality, offering a soulful experience. The weight of the menu, the texture of the paper, and the descriptions of food contribute to a luxurious dining experience. In contrast, QR code menus, popularized during the pandemic for safety reasons, are criticized for providing a less engaging and sensory experience. Thériault and others express a preference for the physicality of traditional menus, emphasizing their role in enhancing the overall dining ambiance. Despite their cost-effectiveness, they are frowned upon by many consumers. The rise of QR codes dates back to 1994, primarily used in Asian countries. However, their widespread adoption surged during the pandemic due to safety regulations. Even though the pandemic has dwindled, QR code menus have persisted due to their cost efficiency. Critics of QR code menus, including Conor Friedersdorf for The Atlantic, argue that physical menus serve as more than just tools for ordering food. They also act as historical documents, offering insight into cultural, culinary, and societal trends. For example, the New York Public Library's "What’s on the Menu?" project preserves and organizes over 45,000 menus from the 1840s. L. Sasha Gora, leading a research group at the University of Augsburg focused on culinary and natural history, asserts that menus serve as archival traces of diets and demand. They reflect changes in ingredients, including instances of extinction, such as the passenger pigeon. Despite their extinction, restaurant menus continued to offer passenger pigeon pie, illustrating a perception of abundance that contradicted reality. Menus also play a role in gender studies. Historical menus sometimes featured a separate "ladies" menu without prices, a practice which disappeared after a Californian woman threatened a restaurant on discrimination. Additionally, the wording of food items on menus can be gender-oriented, revealing societal norms and expectations. (An example could be the “Dirty Brunch” and the “Clean Brunch” in a restaurant Sasha used to work at) Furthermore, menus offer glimpses into the nature of many restaurants. They document the appearance and disappearance of them, providing a tangible link to their past which otherwise wouldn’t exist with QR codes. In preserving physical menus, one can “actualize the food and immortalize the essence of a restaurant”, leading to the preservation of a piece of our history. Which is always good, apparently according to WSC. History + Social Studies: Noah’s Archeology - Sonic, Ethan and someone else that idk For a long time, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was also the Tomb of the Misplaced King: after Richard III fell in battle in 1485, it took centuries to locate his corpse. In 2012, a team of archaeologists finally unearthed it under a parking lot. Forensic analysis revealed details that had been lost to history, including a severely twisted spine—a condition we now call scoliosis—that he couldn’t have possibly hidden from those around him. In 2022, researchers unearthed an ancient Buddhist temple in Pakistan, and, a few years before that, possibly the fastest human in history. Discuss with your team: do these smaller details about the past affect how we see the world today? If we had discovered from Richard III's DNA that he was a woman in disguise, would that change our view of him or of his role in history? Richard III’s carpark grave After he died in the War of the Roses, it was believed he was buried at Greyfriars Church, without a ceremony, because, let’s be frank, why would you want to remember your enemy? Then Henry VIII was like, nah let’s destroy that church, because he couldn’t get a divorce But in 2012, a group of British archeologists compared old and new maps, and they somehow determined that King Richard III was buried under a parking lot, as Philippa Langley of the Richard III Society confirms. With DNA tests, it was confirmed that the body was Richard III Modern analysis proved that Richard had a common form of scoliosis, when the spine curves on the side After that, his remains were reburied at Leicester Cathedral in March 2015. Heritage Minister John Glenn says that burying him there can make sure that future generations can see his remains too Buddhist Temple in Pakistan It’s in the historical region of Gandhara, which is described as “a trade crossroads and cultural meeting place between India, Central Asia and the Middle East Hindu, Buddhist and Indo-Greek rulers seized control of Gandhara at different points throughout the first millennium B.C.E. The team unearthed coins, jewellery, statues, seals, pottery fragments and other ancient artefacts. Per this statement, the temple was likely abandoned in the third century C.E. following an earthquake In the temple you could see the rooms and their usage, like a stupa for monks, a stupa for relics etc Fastest Human in History? A footprint found in New South Wales (Australia) could belong to the fastest runner to ever exist. In 2002, a young aboriginal girl named Mary Pappen Jr, spotted a set of footprints between sand dunes in Mungo National Park. Analysis proved that they were 20,000 years ago. The people who created these walked in a swampy wetland which fortunately for us dried up, preserving their footprints. Researchers found 700 footprints, 400 of them grouped in a set of 23 tracks, belonging to several groups who crossed the wetlands (families, hunters, etc,,,,). Their quality was surprisingly good, as one could see their exact movements. In one scenario, researchers could even see that a child walked away from the main group before pausing and turning around, likely due to having been called by a family member. In a group of 5 aboriginal hunters, Steve Webb, with Bond University, found that one of them was running at 37 km/h on mud, barefoot and, without intense training. This mark is close to Usain Bolt’s 37.6km/h average speed during his record-breaking 9.58 second run and Donovan Bailey’s top speed of 43.6 km/h. Maybe, if he were still alive today, he would have been the definitive fastest human ever. The above questions are more than academic; they force us to reevaluate choices made in the present. In 2024, the Globe Theatre in London staged a new production of Shakespeare’s Richard III, casting a woman with an untwisted spine in the title role. Some people protested that the production needed an actor who shared Richard III’s now-known physical ailment. Discuss with your team: to what extent does an actor need to share lived experiences with the character they are portraying? This article is not from syllabus, they don’t have one Anyhow, this controversy is about a Richard III play by Globe Theatre in London Now, Richard III is a male. However, he is now portrayed by a woman, Globe Theatre’s boss Michelle Terry And another thing is that, Terry has stressed that she won’t play a scoliosis Richard, but a narcissist one As this play will start from April 2024, we currently do not know much about it yet, along with its reviews. But, maybe after the first wave of regionals and right before globals we can update this information It doesn’t always take a volcano: the Roman ruins at Ostia Antica offer a look back into history similar to what most people seek out in Pompeii, even if they were preserved less perfectly. Where would you go in your country for the most authentic peek at how the world used to be? Discuss with your team: if an OpenAI project destroyed all life on Earth but left our cities intact, what would a future anthropologist conclude about human civilization? How much would their conclusions vary depending on what city they visited? Ostia Antica Ostia Antica was once an ancient Roman city, about 16 miles away from southwest Rome Ostia means ‘mouth’ in latin, and Antica means ‘ancient’. So, ‘ancient mouth’! Ostia may have been one of Rome’s first settlements. When the Roman Empire declined, Ostia declined too. Sand dunes and tidal mud helped to preserve this city quite well, and today it’s known as an archaeological site with great preservation of its ancient buildings Kristin Jackson points out that one good thing about Ostia Antica is there are no pushy vendors, no street noise, and no crowds on some days, so it’s very easy to imagine the past by yourself When you walk along the mile-long road Decumanus Maximus, you can see its paving stones with the grooves worn by ancient carts Visitors can wander through the ruins of brick buildings. These include apartments, homes of rich merchants, public spaces, and even a theatre which can hold more than 3500 people (Ostia Antica Global Round??) Basically, in short, whatever you expect an ancient Roman city to have, Ostia Antica has it Pompeii Pompeii was an ancient city located in Italy. It was where the Romans once lived, until it was buried by volcanic ash during the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD With today’s X-raying people’s decomposed bodies we found what the city looked like, and with CGI technology, we can see how the streets once looked (probably) Professor Eric Poehler from University of Massachusetts used 3D mapping technology to put together a grid of the transportation network showing how people moved around that time. He also studied the wear on the stone curbs to determine that the city was made up of 100-ish one-way streets With the organic trash in the city we found out the people ate seafood and pork- even fed pigs different stuff to make their bodies taste different. Hopefully in a few years or decades we could see the livin city from our devices digitally, as it is not made to preserve for any longer Oh, also there is this fish sauce kid known as Umbricuis Scaurus, who became very influential when he expanded his fish sauce business, some cool things on what technology can do These days, Indiana Jones would be piloting a drone. New technologies have allowed archaeologists to reimagine the archaeological method with a lighter footprint. Consider the Girsu Project’s discovery of an ancient palace, then discuss with your team: what aspects of your own country’s history would benefit from being re-explored using drones, AI, and other recent advances? Note: The attached link regarding the archaeological method is down. For this reason, we don’t have a summary regarding it. The Girsu Project The article talks about​​The Girsu Project, which is, according to the website, “Combines research, on-site training and heritage management of one of the world’s oldest cities, Girsu” Girsu was a megacity and was once the capital of the Lagash Kingdom The team used technology and drone photography to identify the subsurface remains in Tablet Hill, which is in modern Tello, Iraq. Some describe this place a the “cradle of civilisation” and “one of the most important heritage sites in the world that very few people know about” About 50k cuneiform has been recovered from this site. The fall of 2022 saw​​the team finding 200 more cuneiform and identifying mudbrick walls. The cuneiform, which detailed the administrative records of Girsu, were taken to the Iraq Museum in Baghdad Archeologists also managed to find the Eninnu Temple, which was the main sanctuary of the Sumerian god Ningirsu, the namesake of the ancient city Then, theory also found the Temple of the White thunderbird, which is probably one of the most important of Mesopotamia. The temple was only known by ancient inscriptions found at the fieldwork site 140 years ago Jurassic Park, Godzilla, and The Land Before Time have all depicted dinosaurs as giant scaly lizards—but more recent research has suggested they didn’t look like that at all; it appears they were less Komodo dragons and more Qatari falcon. If so, the T. rex in Jurassic Park should have been a thing with animatronic feathers. The field of paleoart aims to visualize past creatures as accurately as possible despite the limited evidence. If a future paleoartist tried to reconstruct the world of 2024 using incomplete information, what would they get wrong? Would they be stumped by fossil evidence of dogs wearing sweaters? Investigate the following major archaeological and paleontological discoveries. What circumstances and strategies allowed us to discover them, and what impact have they had on our understanding of history and the present day? Discuss with your team: can you imagine a discovery that would dramatically change the modern world? Rosetta Stone | Taposiris Magna Stele | Borobudur | Petra | Sutton Hoo Aztec Calendar Stone | Ocomtún | Montevideo Maru | HMS Endurance Lucy and Ardi (fossils) | Java Man | Taung Child Oldowan tool kit | Paranthropus robustus | Tujia Aspis vividus Rosetta Stone This is an ancient Egyptian stone with scripts that helped the 19th century world understand the lost hieroglyphic writing of ancient Egypt It was found by a Frenchman, but after France surrendered because of Napoleon’s departure, it was passed to the British in 1801 The writings themselves were made by the priests of Memphis, the capital city of ancient Egypt. explaining about Ptolemy V Epiphanes’ reign, with three versions in the 3 languages mentioned respectively Thanks to the Rosetta Stone, we managed to decipher the Egyptian scripts Try to elaborate more on how it helped us to decipher Hieroglyphics It was written in a large kind of broken basalt stones, and the minerals helped the text remain The top is written in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and the demotic script, whilst the bottom is written in Greek Taposiris Magna Stele This is dubbed as the other Rosetta Stone It talks about the 7th year of Ptolemy V’s reign, instead explaining it A stele is typically a wooden or stone slab erected, usually for funerals It’s inscribed with 20 lines of Hieroglyphic and Demotic inscriptions, unlike the Rosetta Stone’s 3 languages Borobudur It’s the biggest Buddhist monument in the world. It’s used to house holy relics, and symbolised the mandala, a symbol of the universe, combining the square as Earth and the circle as heaven. It was constructed under the Shailendra dynasty It got buried under volcanic ash (like Pompeii), until it was discovered. You can find Buddhist symbols and writings of Buddha’s life and previous lives. The world’s largest Buddhist monument and a priceless ancient centre for pilgrimage and education in Mahayana Buddhism Petra The area has been inhabited as early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans (ancient Arab) might’ve settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom as early as the 4th century BC. This place switched hands between a lot of people: Israelis - Edomites - Romans - Greek, thus its name, Petra, is “rock” in Greek The people who used to live there were quite skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. After the roman went there, no more independence! However, its importance declined as sea trade routes emerged, and after an earthquake in 363 AD destroyed many structures. It went downhill, all the way to the early Islamic era it was abandoned. It was then rediscovered by the amazing Swiss traveller, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It’s well preserved: carving channels that could divert water running off from the top of the facade tombs Sutton Hoo The site of an early mediaeval burial ground that includes the grave of an Anglo-Saxon King whose identity isn’t known yet. There was a great treasure in the grave, they buried him inside his own ship with his helmet on. Therefore, archeologists assume he was one of the first Anglo-Saxon kings to go from Germany to England with the boat he is buried with In 1939, Edith Pretty, a landowner at Sutton Hoo, asked archeologist Basil Brown (a self-taught archeologist) to investigate the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds on her property. However, when the importance was clear, the national archeologists took over Consider the use of AI to win the Vesuvius Challenge by translating ancient scrolls—and the idea of applying the same approach to papyri damaged at Herculaneum. Is it worth spending this many resources to read ancient documents with little modern-day significance? What exactly are we looking for? In 2024, there was a groundbreaking achievement in the decoding of ancient scrolls known as the Vesuvius Challenge, made possible with the support of Elon Musk's financial backing. The challenge, initiated by Brent Seales and supported by backers from Silicon Valley, aimed to decipher ancient code, particularly focusing on scrolls recovered from the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. A team comprising Youssef Nader, Luke Farritor, and Julian Schilliger utilized AI technology to tackle the challenge and successfully read the text, winning the substantial prize of $700,000 in February 2024. The scrolls, dating back to the 18th century, were virtually scanned and unwrapped using AI algorithms trained to detect ink patterns.  Musk's foundation provided vital funding for the project, emphasizing a commitment to supporting the advancement of AI technology with a flexible approach, allocating resources as needed to ensure success. This significant breakthrough opens doors to further exploration and understanding of ancient civilizations, showcasing the potential of AI in deciphering historical mysteries. Voice-dubbing and subtitles are the two main ways that audiences can enjoy works in other languages. But neither is ideal: voice dubbing can be low in quality and out-of-sync, taking people out of the performance, and subtitles can be untrue to the original text while also taking away from the experience of hearing and reacting to words one at a time. Now, AI can dub footage with simulations of the original speaker’s actual voice in a different language, and as closely in sync to the movements of their lips as possible. Check out this demonstration, then discuss with your team: will such AI-enabled translation lead to more works being produced in more languages? Would you want to use it in your personal life? Hey y'all, Ethan here. You’ve reached a sort of checkpoint from all the kind of monotonous sounding article summaries. I have a very methodological way of making the summaries which make them seem boring. So now, time for some not boring discussion! So what’s given is a Youtube short. Gotta love when WSC gives content which really isn’t content at all, or is much easier to summarize. That’s why I have this completely different kind of summary for these articles. There are probably mostly for these kinds of video, to be honest. What the video describes of is a Voice cloning application, namely HeyGen. What’s interesting about the generator is that not only does it automatically dub a user’s voice in another language, it also uses AI to alter facial expressions and mouth movements to fit the spoken text, making it look all the more legitimate. The dubbed voice also trains off of the user input, making the whole thing in general scarily accurate. The video also goes on to talk about a youtube feature similar to it, named Aloud. This feature is a lot less technologically advanced, as it just gives a port for creators to dub their content on a video. However, it is still incredibly useful. This whole thing plays into a giant new theme of the world, that being accessibility. The freaks of social media can indeed influence our world, and this is just one way of doing it. The video also talks about this accessibility idea, where more audiences can listen to a video because of this technology. And I’m all for it! English doesn’t even capture 20% of the people in the world, yet we treat it like it does. Of course, there are some technical limitations, as there are with everything. For one, the translation isn’t completely accurate, and nor is the speaking. The translations, as the comments pointed out, sometimes mix male and female words as well as different meanings for words. It’s pretty hilarious if you know the language. Also on emphasis: The AI sometimes doesn’t know what accents to use. I’d imagine their Chinese is super white-person Chinese. But like in whole, this opens a whole new layer of content and accessibility. Of course, this is in its earlier stages, so the next few years of development could make it scarier. What’s already impressive is that if someone used this AI, I would barely be able to tell if they didn’t mention it. And for the questions the paragraph asks: Yes, I would use this in my daily life. Job opportunities quintuple with this sort of technology, and for the content creation/media side of things, it also plays a large role in daily life. It may play in yours too. And will this technology be used to dub professional films? Maybe. Perhaps not on an official version yet, as the whole translation and pronunciation problems are still relevant. Within 5-10 years time, it may however be refined enough to be used as an industry standard. We’ll just have to wait for now! When the Library of Alexandria burned down, it meant the loss of countless documents that had never been converted into PDFs. The collection at the House of Wisdom was destroyed when the Mongols swept by. Explore some of the largest libraries in the world today, then discuss with your team: would we notice if they disappeared? After the fall of the Soviet Union, statues of Josef Stalin and other heroes of the regime were quickly pulled down—but now many are on display at Moscow’s Muzeon Park of Arts. Discuss with your team: when monuments of past regimes are deemed unacceptable, should they be melted down, displayed in a new location, or put in storage? Are there some historical artifacts unfit to be shown at all in the modern world, even as examples of what could possibly go wrong?  The Muzeon Park of Arts, situated outside Krymsky Val in Moscow, stands as the largest open-air sculpture garden in Russia, boasting over 1000 works. Formerly known as the Park of the Fallen Heroes or Fallen Monument Park, it was once dubbed simply "Sculpture Park" in Russian. The park's origins trace back to the site of the All-Russia Agricultural Exhibition, established in 1923 during the USSR era. Initially utilized for military purposes during the Great Patriotic War, the area transitioned into a park by the 1940s, featuring sculptures by Western Modernists and Soviet artists. Following the dissolution of the USSR, various statues, including those of Lenin, Stalin, and other Communist leaders, were dismantled and relocated to the park. It became a symbol of the shifting political landscape, with other former USSR states either destroying their statues or sending them to Muzeon Park as part of de-Stalinization efforts. The park's history intertwines with Russia's complex relationship with statues and monuments. Since Vladimir Lenin's decree in 1918 to remove monuments of tsars and previous rulers, the USSR witnessed a surge in the proliferation of Communist statues, serving as propaganda tools. However, Mikhail Gorbachev's decree aimed to protect these monuments from defacement, bringing about changes in the preservation and treatment of historical artefacts. In recent years, Muzeon Park has undergone significant transformations, spurred by government initiatives to boost tourism. The park has evolved into a multifaceted space, offering educational programs, art exhibitions, and improved infrastructure for visitors. With its rich history and cultural significance, Muzeon Park stands as a testament to Russia's dynamic past and its ongoing efforts to preserve its heritage. For more statue stuff: The issue of offensive statues, particularly Confederate symbols in the US, has sparked debate and action on how to address them. While some argue for preservation to retain historical context, others advocate for removal, citing the glorification of past slavery. Donald Trump has voiced concerns about a slippery slope leading to the destruction of all monuments. However, other nations have taken more decisive actions. Post-WWII Germany, for instance, banned and restricted Nazi symbols, codifying the ban into criminal code. Berlin's "Topography of Terror" serves as an exhibition center, showcasing the horrors of the war and the crimes of the Nazi regime. Similarly, in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse, public dismantling of Soviet icons occurred, with monuments like the founder of the KGB being destroyed. In Russia, the Muzeon Park of Arts has emerged as a haven for historical monuments, preserving them from destruction. Other former Soviet states, such as Hungary, have similar parks dedicated to Communist-era art. Architectural missions highlight the importance of preserving history, emphasizing that democracy allows for an honest reckoning with the past, unlike dictatorships that often manipulate history for their benefit.  Spain, grappling with its Civil War legacy under Francisco Franco, enacted a law of historic memory in 2007 to provide reparations. The law instructed the removal of propaganda while preserving artistically significant pieces. The removal of the last statue of Franco in 2008 marked a step towards acknowledging the past. However, contentious sites like the Arco de la Victoria, serving as Franco's tomb and a gravesite for over 30,000 bodies, remain protected under Spanish law, drawing both far-right sympathizers and tourists alike. And even more confederate statue destatuing stuff again… The tearing and existence of Confederate statues in Richmond, Virginia, have stirred controversy and sparked action. Removed in the aftermath of protests following George Floyd's murder, these statues now reside in a storage wasteland, representing a painful chapter of the racial past. Richmond has transferred ownership of the memorials to the Black history museum, presenting various choices for their fate: returning to streets, contextualized display, or demolition. Mary C Lauderdale, overseeing the decision-making process, emphasizes public appeal and rules out locating them in the Headquarters. Potential destruction could take 5-10 years if decided. Erected as part of the "Lost Cause" narrative, glorifying the Confederacy, these statues were preserved after the 2020 attacks, amidst concerns of extremist groups. Devon Henry, tasked with disassembly and storage, faced threats and took extensive security measures. Only contractor to accept the job, he dismantled 24 statues, advocating against their public display to children. Currently, "The Valentine" monument is the sole display, housed in a local history museum, alongside controversial Confederate exhibitions. Bill Martin, the museum manager, chose not to clean the toppled statue, using it as a statement. Additional panels and surveys at the museum prompt discussions on the statues' fate, revealing divided opinions among visitors, with 40% of Black individuals indifferent and another 40% favoring removal.