Author: Philip Luo

Since ancient times, cultures around the world have made and performed with puppets. These puppets express the ideas and beliefs of human societies through stories. Puppets are inanimate objects that, when controlled correctly, appear to come to life. The puppeteer’s role is to bring these forms to life. Join us as we explore the world of puppetry and visit an organisation in Atlanta, Georgia, which supports this unique art form. The tradition of bunraku puppetry in Japan dates back hundreds of years. Bunraku puppets are quite large. Unlike most puppets, it requires three puppeteers to operate. One puppeteer controls the…

Today, we are travelling south to Antarctica, one of the coldest, windiest and least populated places in the world. The word ‘Antarctica’ comes from a Greek root meaning ‘opposite to the north’. This vast continent, located at the South Pole, covers an area of approximately fourteen million square kilometres. Around ninety-eight per cent of this area is covered in ice. Join us as we explore the history of Antarctica, as well as its environmental and scientific importance. Every year, scientists from over twenty-seven countries conduct research in this unique environment. These scientists come from many different fields of study. These…

It was 1933. Just six years earlier, Charles Lindbergh had become world-famous as the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Now, a young pilot was attempting to fly across Russia. He had left Moscow several hours earlier. All he could hear was the sound of the engine powering his plane. Hour after hour, it was the same sound. The weather was bad now. He could not see much ahead; only fog. Flying in fog is very dangerous. Yet the sound of the engine made everything seem warm and safe. Then, suddenly, he saw a mountain through the…

Today, we will be talking about one of the most famous national parks in the United States. It is located high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the western state of California. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country. It is called Yosemite. Yosemite National Park is a place of extremes. It has high mountains. It has valleys formed by ancient ice that cut deep into the earth millions of years ago. Water from high in the mountains falls to the green valley far below in many places. There are thirteen beautiful waterfalls in Yosemite Valley.…

Today, we are going to tell you about an American farmer and the unusual device he developed. People around the world have been buying his invention for nearly twenty years. Blake Whisenant and his family are farmers. They live in Florida, USA. For almost a century, the Whisenant family has grown fruit and vegetables and sold them to businesses around the world. The warm weather in Central Florida is ideal for growing crops, especially tomatoes. This is the crop he grows most of on his eight hundred hectares of land. In 1992, Mr Whisenant had some bad luck. It began…

The Japanese call them ‘harbor waves’. ‘Tsunami’ is a two-character Japanese word. ‘Tsu’ means ‘harbour’ and ‘nami’ means ‘wave’. Tsunamis occur after an earthquake strikes near or under the ocean. The earthquake displaces a large amount of water in the ocean. The waves then rush inland quickly and powerfully, causing death and destruction. According to scientists, strong earthquakes under the sea are responsible for eighty to ninety percent of all tsunamis. Volcanic explosions can also cause tsunamis. So could a large piece of land sliding into the water, or a meteorite striking the ocean. There have been three major tsunamis…

Poliomyelitis is not going away. Sometimes, it seems as though the disease is close to disappearing. Then new cases appear. However, American businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates remains convinced that wild polio can be eradicated. For more than twenty years, money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has helped finance efforts against polio. The foundation recently announced the winners of its Grand Challenges Explorations programme. Some of the winners were recognised for their work on polio, including studies aimed at developing new vaccines. Each winner will receive a grant of one hundred thousand dollars. Those competing for the grants…

Sports have long been a part of popular culture. In the United States, some athletes enjoy the same level of fame as movie stars or rock musicians. Their lives are not only covered by the news media, but also featured in films and literature. Sports have even found their way into everyday expressions. One example is: ‘It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.’ This saying has been used for years to embody the spirit of fair play. However, today, many people are questioning the honour of some athletes. Bob Doughty: Barry Bonds holds the…

Epilepsy is not well understood by many people. Medical experts are working to improve their understanding of the disorder and enhance the quality of life for those who suffer from it. Early last year, the sixteen-year-old son of actor John Travolta died suddenly during a family holiday in the Bahamas. Jett Travolta reportedly had a seizure before he died. A seizure is a sudden attack that affects a person’s mind or body temporarily. People who experience repeated seizures are said to have epilepsy. It is unclear whether Jett Travolta had epilepsy. But what exactly is epilepsy, and how is it…

Tornadoes have been observed in many parts of the world. However, they are most frequently found in the United States. Tornado season has now begun in the United States. More than sixty tornadoes were reported in the south-east of the country during the last weekend in April. One tornado measuring over a kilometre wide hit the state of Mississippi. It destroyed homes, blocked roads, and cut off electricity supplies. The storms were blamed for ten deaths in Mississippi and two in neighbouring Alabama. Weather experts believe that this was the most intense tornado event since 2008. A tornado is a…