Dulwich Diploma Extended Essay
Titles and Abstracts 2012
Preface
We are delighted to publish the extended essay abstracts and titles for the Dulwich College
Sixth Form of 2012-13. As part of the Dulwich Diploma, each member of the year group
completed a 2,000 word research essay on a subject of his choice over the summer holiday,
having received guidance on questions of academic integrity and been introduced to a range
of research techniques in the post-AS period in June. We hope you will be impressed by the
range of our boys’ interests and enthusiasms.
We have assessed boys’ essays on the basis of the quality of argument and communication, on
their use of sources and presentation and in accordance with a generic mark scheme for
second-year undergraduate essays at the University of London. It is greatly to boys’ credit
that they have, in a very clear majority of cases, produced pieces of extended writing which
satisfy these criteria and are also intrinsically readable.
We like the fact that boys will be able to refer to their extended essays in the personal
statements they are writing as part of their university applications, as will their Form Tutors in
their UCAS references. University Admissions’ Tutors will be delighted to find that Alleynian
candidates for their colleges and courses have been encouraged to tackle academic questions
that go beyond their A level syllabuses and that they have undertaken research for its own
sake (in that it is not undertaken directly for a public exam).
Each of these essays makes for a rewarding read, and those to which we have awarded
distinctions are marked with an asterisk. It is a particular pleasure for us to publish all of the
titles to coincide with your final parents’ evening at the College; and with an eye to posterity,
we will also place a copy of this publication in the College Archives.
C S B Pyke
J A F Spence
Head of Upper School
Master
15 October 2012
Damilola Adebayo To what extent has modern chemistry revolutionised the sporting world?
Although not always glaringly obvious, chemistry is omnipresent, and the advancements that
have been made in recent years have played a significant part in the development of a
number of fields. As the lists of these advancements are virtually endless, I am going to be
focusing specifically on how such advancements in chemistry have helped the world of sport
to thrive and grow, not only in its popularity, but also in its accessibility around the world over
the past few decades. From improving sporting equipment, to reducing the effect that sports
have on the environment, to boosting the financial gain of sport-related businesses and
manufacturers, I believe it’s true to say that modern chemistry has catalysed the growth of the
sporting world. Much of the success that sportsmen and women enjoy is thanks to chemists
from around the world working tirelessly for the cause.
T J Agbo What is the importance of the earth's magnetic field?
The earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets, with one of the strongest magnetic fields. A
lot is unclear about the magnetic field. It is a thing of great mystery and contradiction. It has a
field like that of a permanent magnet but, on the other hand has the internal conditions that
prevent such a thing from occurring. The magnetic field is constantly interacting with the sun;
we see this on earth as the northern and southern lights a spectacular light show but is there
more to it than meets the eye. Is this field comparable to a guardian angel watching over us
all time, or a hazardous disaster waiting to happen?
Ramiz Ahmed-Man Can stem cells really cure dementia?
This essay explores the current health and social care issues of dementia in the UK, as well as
providing statistical figures, which shows the impact that dementia has on the general
population. It also considers current research into the use of stem cells to repair neurons and
help reduce the effects caused by degenerative diseases. It includes: evidence drawn from
relevant research studies published on the Internet; information drawn from relevant charities
such as the Alzheimer’s Society; and a telephone interview with a Director of Social Services.
Baba Ajisebutu What role do steroids play within organisms?
The first thing that comes to mind of most people when steroids are mentioned is the
controversy generated by the illegal use of performance enhancing anabolic steroids. Due to
this many people fail to see the importance of steroids that are naturally synthesised within
our natural world. These compounds help to regulate numerous chemical reactions that are
essential to the survival of not only humans but also countless other animals as well as plants.
I hope to enlighten those who don’t understand the role of these hormones and the way in
which they could be harnessed to provide brighter futures for many suffering from fatal
illnesses.
*Joseph Akinlotan What are the main challenges facing the Nigerian economy in the 21st
Century?
The Nigerian economy is one of the most developed economies in Africa. According to the
United Nations classification, Nigeria is a middle-income nation with developed financial,
communication and transport sectors. On the face of things the Nigerian economy may seem
nothing of concern. However upon greater examination the challenges facing the Nigerian
economy in the 21st Century are diverse and vast. A country with a population in excess of
154 million (the largest in Africa) has almost 100 million people living on less than $1 (£0.63) a
day. The unacceptable state of the economy is most perplexing given Nigeria’s enormous
natural and human resources; it is Africa’s biggest oil producer.
Richard Apthorp How can one treat chronic Graft versus Host disease (GVHD)?
I have followed the case of Mr BD, a 62 year old man who suffers from Chronic Graft Versus
Host disease following a donor stem cell transplant for acute myeloid leukemia in 2006. My
aim was to learn more about his condition, the options for treatment and in particular about
relatively novel treatments photophoresis and high dose Ulltraviolet1 (UVA1) phototherapy. I
attended a GVHD clinic, a phototherapy center and photophoresis center where I followed Mr
BD and other patients through a photophoresis treatment. I discuss what I have learnt about
this medical condition, its impact on people’s lives and what can be done to help it.
Jack Arnold What was Aldous Huxley trying to achieve in his book ‘The Doors of Perception?’
This essay attempts to uncover the motives of author Aldous Huxley in writing his book ‘The
Doors of Perception’. The book is an account of Huxley’s experiences with the psychedelic
compound mescaline, as well as an accumulation of the writer’s thoughts on the nature of
everyday human consciousness and perception and the similarities between psychedelic and
religious experience. Huxley proposes throughout the book that humans’ understanding and
perception of the universe is limited by our socially and evolutionarily ingrained desire to
survive as best we can in this world, and that each one of us, with the appropriate mental aid,
is capable of perceiving a previously unimaginable range of sensory information, and
considering the position and significance of humans - indeed everything - in the universe in a
whole new light. Huxley’s view seems to be that this compound is potentially one of enormous
significance and implication to the worlds of science and religion, and that its use can benefit
humanity both spiritually and intellectually, inspiring new frameworks of thought and allowing
one to perceive existence as it truly is, and not as our conditioned brains would have us
perceive it.
*Oliver Barnes To what extent was Modernism defined by its modernity?
Argument: The popular conception of Modernism is as the defining polemical force of the
Edwardian literary epoch. It is believed that the movement was born out of a desire to codify
the kaleidoscopic nature of contemporary, human existence in the sinews of imaginative
literature. Ezra Pound notably reduced its philosophy to a mere maxim: ‘make it new’, which
in many ways neglected the movement’s predilection for the cultural and ethical values of
Classical Antiquity. While the substance of Modernist literature was inherently juxtaposed
with that of its antecedent, Victorian Realism, its genesis appears to lie less in innovation than
in recreation.
Sam Bassi What have been the greatest advances in the history of surgery?
Surgery has always been approached with caution, and with good reason. Pain, suffering and
blood loss has always been associated with medieval medicine while life-changing and
painstaking precision is seen to be the new doors into modern medicine. Advances in this
field have been great, with the simplest things, for example, hand washing, which make all
the difference between life and death. Surgery has opened pathways into human strengths
and weakness that man has never encountered before and, this thirst for knowledge will in
turn, I feel, be that which leads man into the unknown and makes those discoveries which are
critical to advancements in modern medicine.
*Misha Bayliss
Soviet Union?
Was the rise of the Russian Oligarchs inevitable after the collapse of the
The Russian Oligarchs are a select few of well-connected men who gained incredible wealth
and even political power after the collapse of the Soviet Union. For the past twenty years they
have been regarded as some of the most undeserving and hated men in Russia. My essay
looks at the extent to which their emergence was inevitable, and whether the USSR's wealth
may have been spread differently in the 1990s. There were various factors that lead to their
rise including the method of privatisation in Russia with its infamous "loans for shares"
scheme, the country's unfortunate history of corruption and nepotism and new capitalist
opportunities in Russia.
*Lewis Blakeman How has Pablo Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ become a global icon of the horrors of
war?
Despite half a million casualties, and another four hundred thousand people being forced into
exile to escape death, the Spanish Civil War maintains a relatively low profile in relation to the
Second World War that broke out soon after the conclusion of the Civil War. In 1937, Pablo
Picasso, one of those exiled, made it his task to raise awareness of the Civil War, focusing on
the fascist bombing of civilians in the small town of Guernica which resulted in 1500 deaths.
His result, a large-scale painting portraying the civilian suffering during the bombing,
captivated millions and brought the Spanish Civil War to global attention. Since then, the
artwork has evolved away from the subject of solely the Spanish Civil War, and has become a
world-wide emblem of peace and an iconic condemnation of violence and war. In this essay I
will evaluate Picasso’s ‘Guernica’, with the aim of determining why the painting is able to
resonate with any audience, and evaluate the power of the art work as a symbol of peace.
Francis Bridge What meaning can be derived from the works of Zdzislaw Beksinski?
The Polish artist of the fantastic and the macabre, Zdzislaw Beksinski, depicted scenes of
apocalyptic devastation, desolation and decay. He indulged in deformity, mutilation and the
creeping calcification via malign growths of his withered, ghoulish subjects. His imagery is
positively nightmarish, redolent of fever dreams and intoxicated phantasms, injected with a
volatile core of political and religious iconography. However, he professed to have intended
no meaning in these images, to have been merely rendering dreams, and his cheerful
demeanour in everyday life would, curiously enough, seem to support this. Through
examination chiefly of the repeated motifs and compositions in his work I intend to examine
this claim and pose the question - Did Beksinski unconsciously or indeed consciously
indoctrinate his paintings with meaning and purpose?
James Brown What were the effects of the Australia's indigenous 'Stolen Generation'?
In this essay I attempt to explain the ripple effects of the forced removal of aboriginal children
from their families, known as the Stolen Generation, between 1909 and 1970 by the
Australian Government. My essay aims to explain why the Australian Government enforced
such a harsh policy upon its indigenous communities, discussing the beliefs prevalent at the
time, which stemmed from social Darwinism and ignorance towards different cultures. Not
only were these children forcibly removed from their families but also they were often
neglected and treated harshly in the institutions they were placed. The Stolen Generations
have suffered physically and psychologically from their treatment, which has had a significant
detrimental impact upon aboriginal communities as a whole.
Phil Brown How can music create an atmosphere, set a mood, and express emotion?
With this essay I aim to explain how music is able to do things beyond sound appealing, for
example express emotion. I also intend to examine how individual parts of a piece have their
own effects and what exactly about them is so powerful to incite a strong reaction. To
research I read books and articles on the internet, and also using myself as test subject, to
listen to and analyse how certain types music and musical techniques make me feel and think
hard as to why it may do so, and what exactly it is about them which is the key to their effect.
Is musical appreciation ingrained (to some degree) in all of us from the day we are born? Or
perhaps we learn to appreciate it as a result of exposure to human culture. I believe humans
have the capacity to enjoy music because we are "pattern-seeking mammals", and there must
be something inherently beautiful to our brains about constant tempo, with pitches being
produced and changing using relatively small intervals in time with the rhythm. However, I
think there are far more layers to our appreciation of music including cultural aspects.
Michael Shermer once said: “Humans are pattern-seeking, story-telling animals, and we are
quite adept at telling stories about patterns, whether they exist or not.” I think this quote goes
a long way to explaining my essay. I am "seeking patterns" and attempting to "tell stories
about patterns". Whether I am indeed, correct or not, no doubt I will learn much along the
way.
*Tom Burton Is the Spanish success on the football pitch by Spanish clubs and the national
side being replicated off it?
After Spain’s win at Euro 2012, their manager Vincente Del Boque said of his team “This is a
great generation of players. They have roots and know how to play because they come from a
country that knows how to”. Regarded as the best national side ever, Spain has been
experiencing a purple patch on the field in both domestic and international terms. However,
with the Spanish economy declining at an alarming rate, how has the performance of the
Spanish football industry been affected off the field? Naturally, people would think that it is
thriving due to the unprecedented success they are having on the pitch. However, once you
look more closely you discover an unbalanced distribution of the revenue causing large
problems for many of the top clubs. This current system could lead to an almost complete
collapse of the Spanish game as we know it.
*Charles Carey By what standard should death be defined?
In the past we expected that if a person had a pulse and was able to breathe independently,
he/she should be classified as living. Conversely, if an individual lacked these abilities, he/she
should be classified as dead. Today however, these abilities are considered as neither
necessary nor sufficient for human life. It is now generally believed that people should be
classified as dead if they have suffered from an irreversible and complete loss of electrical
activity in the brain or an irreversible and complete loss of consciousness. It is important for
doctors to be able to classify patients on life support as dead or alive. This is because keeping
these patients alive costs money which could be more usefully spent on helping patients
suffering from illnesses with more immediate treatments. A decision, however, which leads to
the death of a living patient is morally problematic and could lead to the doctor being
prosecuted.
Joshua Castola What is the importance of modern materials in sport?
In the last twenty years new materials have impacted on a range of sports and allowed
athletes to perform better than ever before. Carbon fibre, glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and
some ceramics have all been used, enabling innovative designs and techniques. They have
aided athletes in various ways, for example carbon frames in cycling are stronger, more rigid
yet lighter and ceramic brakes on Formula 1 cars that allow consistent braking throughout the
race. Modern materials have also been used to enhance safety. The carbon fibre cockpits used
in many motorsports have saved lives - like Allan McNish’s in the 2011 Le Mans race. Modern
materials are also very important to disabled people enriching their lives and helping them
integrate better into society. Oscar Pistorius is a good example. He was the first double
amputee to run in the Olympics - only possible because of his carbon fibre blade legs.
Charlie Cave To what extent does the 2012 London Olympic Games provide the opportunity
for urban regeneration?
Urban regeneration is a programme of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to highdensity urban land use. The process of urban regeneration has had a major impact on many
urban landscapes, and the urban regeneration, which will take place due to the Olympics, will
play a big role in the history of the city in years to come. It is vital for the effectiveness of
urban regeneration that all three elements of physical, social and community development
are combined together. It is also important that the local people who are moving in to the
region become immersed in the activities and the strategy for the area. From London 2012
we have seen how the regeneration has helped provide jobs and employment as well as
environmental clean-ups. London 2012 has contributed and has provided a strong basis for
urban regeneration for this previous derelict area of London.
Christopher Chai How do genes affect personalities?
It is generally hypothesised that the behaviour and personality of an individual is dependent
on the environment in which the individual interacts. This essay discusses the role of genes in
determining personalities, examining studies conducted by various scientists and researchers
who have pinpointed sections of chromosomes which influence traits such as neuroticism and
novelty seeking. It would be incorrect to say genes are the sole mediators that affect
personalities (certain environmental stimuli eg the Ice Age proved to directly affect
personality) but research suggests they play a crucial role.
Zakary Chelliah How does music affect brain function and behaviour?
What is music? The Oxford dictionary definition is, ‘The art or science of combining vocal or
instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of
emotion’. However with such a vast range of genres from heavy metal to scat, some people
would say that some of these are not music at all. Some say, there is no ‘beauty’ or ‘harmony’
in a man screaming to an electric guitar tuned down so low that you can see the strings
wobble as he strikes them. Yet it is still regarded as music because to some, me for one, the
low bass lines and constant hammering on the drums creates a harmony and a rhythm of its
own. So the answer to the questions, ‘why do people like music?’ and ‘why does certain music
captivate some people and not others?’ is that ultimately the brain’s functionality that
determines this.
Mingyuan Chen To what extent has urbanisation helped Chinese economic development?
The economic growth under urbanisation in China is very obvious, the large population brings
cheap labour, which leads to cheap costs of production. Because the cost of production is
low, exports are competitive in the global market, and the Chinese GDP has become very large
due to the huge surplus of current accounts. However, the economic opportunities of the
lower class are limited by the “ hukou” system, as they do not have the access to good
education, medical care etc. The lower class work hard and do not get what they deserve, and
due to the high rate of inflation, they have to pay for expensive goods and services which they
can barely afford. However, the “hukou” also decreases the cost of living in rural areas by
lowering the living standard. In conclusion, I suggest that China has a great economic
development since Deng Xiaoping’s social reform, however the large population and limited
resources bring the problem of high living cost; therefore, if China wants to create a wellformed economy like America or other developed countries, it has to carry on its one-child
policy, in order to rduce the size of population.
Enoch Cheung How has the Hong Kong eeal estate market changed in recent years?
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with over seven million
people living in 1,104 square km of land mass. With such a density, land is very precious in
Hong Kong. It has the fourth highest housing price in the world (4,400 US$ per square foot)
and has just overtaken London and become the world’s most expensive office rental market.
In just five years, house prices have increased by 93.7%, which is the second-highest growth
amongst the world’s real estate markets. By looking at the past we can understand how the
real estate market is closely related to how the economy performs and how the land price in
Hong Kong became so high.
Tommy Cheung Can we live without zero?
Zero doesn’t seem essential to us nowadays. It is not the element keeping us alive. Perhaps
everything will be fine if zero suddenly disappears one day. However, does it mean something
in term of the development of mathematics? What were the problems we faced before the
acceptance of zero? In this essay I will discuss how zero has been changing the world and
touch upon the problems that relate to zero.
Ben Christy To what extent was the success of Alexander the Great due to the reforms of
Philip II of Macedon?
Alexander the Great led the most successful military career in history. Heading the army of a
small state long considered lesser and barbaric by the cultured Greek states, he became
Captain General of the Greek world and then the Great King of the Persian empire, and finally
continued his campaigning into India. However, before this was possible Macedonia had
undergone changes under the reign of Alexander's father, Philip II. By subduing her barbarian
neighbours, creating a large unified state, and reforming the army into the Macedonian war
machine we see under Alexander, Philip definitely played a large role in making the Persian
invasion possible. In this essay I am going to look at the changes Philip made during his reign
and debate how far they were responsible for the success of the Persian invasion whilst also
looking at how far Alexander can be credited.
William Colahan Can a dictatorship be beneficial?
Democracy has always been a treasured part of our society since its beginnings in ancient
Rome and Greece and through to the twenty-first Century, but despite our love for democracy
it has been shown that during times of extreme crisis we have been known to turn to more
extreme measures of ruling, authoritarian rule allowing one single person to rule a country
how they want and to crush any opposition. The most famous dictators would be Stalin in the
Soviet Union and Hitler in Nazi Germany, who are both widely known as two very evil men but
beneath the genocide and mass murder, they were arguably effective at running a country
successfully and many of the initiatives were used as building blocks in modern day Russia and
Germany.
Russell Cook The Rubik's Cube: what is God's number?
The Rubik’s Cube has mesmerised millions of people with its complexity. After a few hours of
playing with the Rubik’s Cube, what initially seemed to be a simple mechanical toy becomes
an almost impossible challenge. Today, finding the solution is no longer so difficult with the
use of the internet and with enough practice, the previously fiendishly difficult puzzle
becomes easy to solve in just a few minutes. However, the ability to solve the cube is only a
small part of discovering the magic behind the cube. This essay introduces some of the
mathematical concepts of the Rubik’s cube, such as permutations, parity and arrangements
and explains how a team of researchers found the answer to the question: What is the lowest
number of moves required to solve a cube in any position? This number is known as God’s
Number.
Alex Cowan To what extent was Russia’s defence of Stalingrad responsible for the Allied
victory in the Second World War?
My essay explores one of the most critical points of History that we know of: by 1941,
humanity was plagued with its Second World War, which would not only result in arguably
one of the worst homicides encountered by humankind, but form the world as we know it
today. The title asks whether the Battle of Stalingrad was the most significant event which
changed the outcome, and I discuss whether this was the turning point of the war in favour of
the Allies. I introduce other factors, explaining how they affected this renowned course of
History and how they influenced the end result? What was the extent of their impacts? With
no certain overall solution, this question requires a personal opinion to answer which I
develop by the conclusion of the essay.
Andrew Deery How do drugs in the maternal enviroment adversely affect foetal
development?
Human foetal development is a complicated process. We develop from a fertilised egg into
many billions of cells through a series of stages during which our cell mass and functionality
rapidly change. These stages are controlled by a complex series of timed genetic activations.
These processes are finely balanced allowing small adjustments to markedly change the
outcomes, which may then have devastating effects for the foetus. Examples of drugs which
affect the foetus adversely are thalidomide, warfarin and anti-tumoral drugs. All of these
drugs are prescription-based, however beyond this, their use in mothers is further strictly
controlled due to the unprecedented effects they have upon the foetus. This balance of
maternal health versus potential adverse effects on the foetus is an ethical conundrum. Many
potentially teratogenic drugs are used to treat life-threatening diseases. The question of
whether to risk developmental abnormality or death of the foetus or to ensure the medical
well being of the mother may arise. Developmental research in maternal medicine is
attempting to remove the necessity of these choices, but progress is slow, due to the need for
meticulous research into the mechanisms of drug actions, and the use of appropriate animal
models, in order that we do not repeat past mistakes.
Henry Edelstein Identify and explain the legacies of the French Revolution and discuss
whether you think they have endured through to twenty-first century France.
I chose to write an essay on this topic as I have a very keen interest in French history and
politics. I decided, therefore, to merge the two topics by discussing the French Revolution and
its relevance to politics in twenty-first century France, particularly after Francois Hollande's
success in the recent French elections. The bourgeois revolution of 1789 had serious
implications, influencing philosophers such as Marx and Engels. I approached this essay with
an open mind, taking the views of various different philosophers into account, such as
Edmund Burke. Modern-day France has certainly retained many of the legacies from the
revolution, and its politics remain as diverse as ever, the success of the National Front being
particularly intriguing. I concluded that despite the lasting influences from the revolution,
France had gone through several periods of counter-revolution, namely the Napoleonic era
and the French Colonial Empire.
Tomek Edwards Laminar and turbulent flow: what are they and which is more useful?
Laminar and turbulent flows are completely different. A laminar flow is linear and predicable
while a turbulent flow is volatile and chaotic. Most processes and devices which use fluid
dynamics require one type of flow to be maintained at all times in order for them to work at
their full capability. The two types as flow differ so violently that the processes or objects have
to be designed to work using only one of the types of flow and if the other type of flow occurs,
then the overall effectiveness of the process is hampered. In general, most processes require
the maintenance of a laminar flow. However, there are some processes and objects which are
designed to utilise the chaotic flow patterns of turbulence and indeed some are designed to
generate a turbulent flow themselves. Thus, both flows if harnessed well, can be useful.
Mohammed Eltayeb Should we follow the theory of brain plasticity?
Brain plasticity refers to the theory that the brain changes its neural pathways and synapses
due to changes in behavior, environment and neural processes, as well as changes resulting
from bodily injury. In simple terms this can mean that the brain can regain function of a
certain injured or non-functioning area of the brain using other channels or pathways and
other locations. However, before new research about plasticity was discovered, it was
acceptable to say, as most neuroscientists do, that we have a “visual cortex” in our occipital
lobe that processes vision, and an “auditory cortex” in our temporal lobe that processes
hearing. From Bach-y-Rita, one of the great discoverers of brain plasticity, we have learned
that the matter is more complicated and these areas of the brain are plastic processors,
connected to each other and capable of processing an unexpected variety of input.
Harry Fawcett How far did 9/11 impact on the USA economically?
When the planes crashed into the World Trade Centers in 2001, mass chaos was caused in
New York, affecting various different sectors of the economy, both internationally and globally
and short term and long term. There were some 400 businesses in the destroyed World Trade
Centre; many lost employees, and more than 1,000 businesses in the area that were forced to
close. Financial markets from all around the world were affected, as were the tourism industry
and airlines and aviation. The shear cost of the insurance claims from the incident was also
large enough to cause problems for the insurance industry. There were less obvious markets
which were also affected such as the securities market and small businesses. However, the
information newly put together raises the question of how much damage 9/11 really caused
to the US economy.
*Patrick
Fincham
Mega Dams: an energy crisis panacea or a 'dam' mess for the
environment?
On the 31st October 2011 a small girl named Danica May Camancho was born in a packed
government-run hospital in the Philippines. Danica was chosen by the United Nations to
symbolise the child that was to bring the world’s population up to 7 billion. The earth's
population has been rising at an alarming rate and this is set to increase for the forseeable
future. Alongside this huge level of growth in terms of the global population we are seeing a
steady and significant increase in our energy demand. For centuries we have relied
predominantly on fossil fuels to supply our energy needs, but as these supplies dwindle we are
having to look at increasingly new and abstract ways in which to provide our energy
sustainably. One method that has grown rapidly in use and popularity over the past 5 decades
is Hydro Electric Power (HEP). Although this method does show some promising signs in terms
of energy production, I am going to discuss how the wider use of HEP will have a negative
impact on our environment and how I believe that it is wrong to give it the label of a
renewable energy source.
Joe Fisher How have performance enhancing drugs and blood doping helped to shape the
English?
In this essay I will talk briefly about some of the history that performance-enhancing drugs
(PEDs) and blood doping has had on the Olympics. After that I will explore any benefits that
PEDs and blood doping may have had for us. Then I will discuss what was being done ahead of
the London 2012 games to try and catch any culprits. Lastly I move on to the large debate of
whether PEDs and blood doping should be legalised in the Olympics, ending briefly on what it
could mean for the future.
*Charlie Flood Should Induced Hydraulic Fracturing be developed in Europe?
Induced hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, or hydrofracking, is a
technique used to release natural gas for commercial production. The process of hydraulic
fracturing in Europe is not without controversy. This essay will examine a cost-benefit analysis
between the potentially massive economic benefit that fracking could have in Europe, through
looking at the benefits it has generated in the USA, and the arguably sizable social costs that
fracking could have on people’s health and the environment. Fracking and Exporting natural
gas would have huge benefits on European economies such as England’s, in the way that it
could greatly help reduce the current account deficit, increasing aggregate demand and aiding
growth, with the potential of even turning England into a net exporter. However the cost of
safety issues such as water pollution must also be assessed.
Dominic Fraser Why does the difference in performance at the Olympics vary for developed
and under-developed countries?
My essay shows that the success of a country does vary between developed and under
developed countries. Some of the super powers in the world like USA and Britain are very
successful at the Olympics because of the sports programmes and schemes set up in these
countries to develop talent. The environment also plays a big hand in the discipline they
chose. For instance, countries like Ethiopia and Kenya are perfect for training long distance
athletes due to the high altitude. China are constantly developing and doing much better in
the medals tables at the Olympics. This again supports the fact that if you are more developed
you will have greater success in the Olympics. One athlete re-inventing the face of athletics
can change the success and future success of a country. Usain Bolt has inspired young
Jamaican athletes and has helped boost Jamaica up the medals table in the past two Olympics.
Jerry Fryars Do designers in the modern age really contribute to the outcome of a race or
match and do they do this in a good or bad way?
Technology in sport has become a huge part of what gives teams and players the cutting edge,
that extra millisecond. It can be the difference between winning gold or silver, highlighted at
this summer’s London Olympics. The success of the British cycling team was largely due to
brilliant and famous designers, for example, Chris Boardman, who was head of research and
development for the Beijing games leading the team to a haul of 7 gold medals. However he is
due to step down after the London 2012 Olympics. For the London Olympics Boardman
revealed how he believed GB would have the upper hand once again in the velodrome. Firstly
he told UK reporters of how every single detail of the bike had been examined, from the
handle-bars to the saddle. All of which will be designed to increase the aerodynamics of the
riders as they glide through the air.
Oliver Garfit Parallels between the current recession and the Great Depression
As far as causes are concerned economists such as Burton W. Folsom Jr. believe that ‘The
main causes of both crises lie in actions of the US federal government’, as he believes in the
1920s the Federal Reserve kept down interest rates and in 1929 they raised them to stop the
boom period, this meant investment was cut off helping to worsen the economic crash.
President Hoover also created the Smoot-Hawley tariff which cut off America’s exports and
finally Hoover issued in a tax which halted entrepreneurship in 1932. The main causes of the
recession were to do with the housing market; the US government began to push the
advantages of home ownership. This caused people with poor credit histories to be able to get
mortgages. These loans became toxic when the housing market took a downturn, bringing
many banks in America close to collapse. The current recession will be considered in the light
of these factors.
Yan Wei Ge What is quantitative easing and is it effective to tackle the econonmic problems
we aer facing now?
During the current financial crisis, an unconventional monetary policy called quantitative
easing seems to become central bankers' panacea for the economic slowdown. Is it really an
effective solution? Why is it increasingly favourable? Is there any downside of this strategy? In
the essay, I am going to explore the history of this relatively new monetary policy, and the
different ways of conducting it. Moreover, I am going to examine the economic performance
in a country of a particular period when and where the quantitative easing was undertaken. I
researched various resources including database, empirical analysis, news report and financial
websites.
*Zooey Gleaves How had Damien Hirst redefined Britsh contemporary art and what is his
contribution to the British canon?
In this essay I am trying to find out why Damien Hirst's influence and control over
contemporary art is so damaging. By evaluating some of his work and his ethics as an artist, I
want to explore and attack his methods to undermine his process as a creative. I was helped
by an interview with Grayson Perrry, included as an appendix at the end of the essay. I came
to the conclusion that Damien Hirst is an artist with influence, but one that holds its own with
the backing of the over-eager and decieved.
Toby Godwin How does bicycle design influence the success of modern performance road
bikes?
The basic structure of the bicycle has remained the same for over one hundred years: a frame
made up of two triangles, which moves on two wheels and is propelled through a pedalpowered gearing system. However the bike has become noticeably quicker throughout its
existence with the use of modern materials and techniques, such as the use of carbon fibre as
opposed to steel as well as bicycle geometry designed for a more aerodynamic riding position.
From the traditional steel-tubed, relatively upright machine has evolved a structure designed
to evade the elements; making the marginal gains that could be the difference between a win
and a loss.
*Matthew Gorvett
Can any forms of geo-engineering be seen as safe alternatives to the
possible consequences of global warming?
Over the next forty years the world population is expected to rise from seven to nine billion
people, resulting in a global increase in energy demand of 50% by 2030. With the vast majority
of our energy currently generated from fossil fuels and almost everything else relying on them
in some way, carbon emissions are currently at nearly nine billion tons and growing every
year. Unsurprisingly, this is causing changes to the world in which we live and without
mitigation could have devastating impacts in the form of global warming. For decades, geoengineers have been devising and trialling ways of reducing the effects of our emissions with
varying levels of success. None have been put into action for various reasons, but could any be
considered safe compared to what may lie ahead and therefore allow them to be
implemented in the future?
Euan Gray How much load can a bridge take?
There are cracks in every inch of a bridge. Some may become large and cause destruction
whilst others are miniscule and cannot be detected with the human eye. What causes these
cracks? How do engineers and scientists prevent them? The potential energy of the load will
be transferred into fracture energy thus causing the layers of atoms to start sliding hence
forming a crack. Once a crack is formed snapping and buckling will follow if the fracture is
large enough. They are caused by compression and tension forces that act upon the bridge.
However, different types of bridges such as suspension and arch bridges have their own ways
of preventing such devastation. Material scientists and structural engineers have been looking
at different composites and materials that would suit best for resilience and flexibility.
*Sam Greatorex
To what extent was New Labour policy to blame for the 2008 recession?
With immediate histories already written which ultimately attempt to attribute blame for
those events that dominated the premiership of New Labour, blame from those outside New
Labour been heaped on failed policies and economic mismanagement. Yet just how accurate
is this assumption; after all, many countries have come out of the global economic slump
much worse than Britain itself. Surely not all these governments coming from a wide-ranging
political spectrum made these mistakes so is it really fair to put the blame heavily upon the
Labour governments or should we be looking deeper into systematic problems within the
global economy as a whole.
Alex Guinibert Should the prescription of Ritalin be more heavily regulated? And is further
research required?
The topic of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and its treatment has always been surrounded
by controversy. The medical condition ADD was categorised in 1987, which spawned a huge
(and lucrative) market for treatment methods. Ritalin is one of the most prescribed treatment
methods for ADD. It is an amphetamine, which helps ADD sufferers maximise their social and
academic potential. Evidence now suggests that Ritalin is being heavily over prescribed which
has stimulated much debate over the safety of the drug. In this essay I will examine what has
led to the over prescription of Ritalin, its use and misuse and alternative perspectives and
theories regarding the causes and treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder.
Jack Guo Why do we study formal systems?
Inspired by the truly exhilarating book Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by
Douglas Hofstadter, I ventured into the world of formal systems—a branch of mathematics
that studies the mathematical reasoning process. The purpose of this essay is, through
answering the question “why we study formal systems”, to render a unique perspective about
the issue, and to try to bring this personal understanding to the general audience.
Theo Gwyther To what extent were the Sri Lankan politicians to blame for the outbreak of
war in 1983?
In my essay I sought to answer the question: ‘to what extent were Sri Lankan politicians to
blame for the outbreak of war in 1983’. I concluded that the scars of Portuguese, Dutch and
British rule in Sri Lanka would inadvertently cause a calamitous conflict that would lead to the
loss of 80,000-100,000 Sri Lankan lives. The injustices of colonial rule can often have profound
effects upon the afflicted natives for centuries. The self-seeking, irresponsible conquests of
the Europeans would spark off an intense Sinhalese nationalism that would tear the country in
two. The violence in Sri Lanka was unprecedented on what was originally a relatively peaceful
island governed by cordial Buddhist leaders. However, the Sri Lankan politicians must also
bear partial blame for the outbreak of civil war. Too often their desire to remain in power
would neglect the minorities; this disregard of the minorities, especially the Tamils, would lead
to the creation of the infamous Tamil Tigers, a terrorist group of extreme efficiency.
*Tommy Hackley Is it better to be feared or loved as a leader in business?
Five hundred years ago the great italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli posed himself the
question, is it better to be feared or loved as a leader? He came to the conlcusion that if it is
not possible to be both feared and loved, then it is better to be feared. The answer to this
question has, of course, evolved over the past five hundred years, and in my essay I will
evaluate the different ways in which being loved or feared may be applied into the
management of a business; assessing the advantages and disadvantages of both leadership
styles in a business sense.
*Ahmed Hafezi To what extent was Antoni Gaudi as much an engineer as an architect?
My essay concerns the architecture of Antoni Gaudi, the Catalan structural designer whose
inspirations ranged from biology to mathematics. I centred my research on Gaudi's eccentric
scientific methods and the artistic manner in which he applied them. The essay essentially
celebrates the engineering persona of Gaudi. Yet as I started to write, I realised that this
'persona' was not necessarily detached from the rest of him. Gaudi modelled his structures on
nature, where beauty and functionality coexist. My principal conclusion was that his
architecture represents a philosophy of design which utilises nature and blurs the lines
between science, art and intellectual study.
Arifin Haji Awang Yussof The future of energy: where are we heading?
Energy is something that people take for granted, that is, until they run out of it. Currently,
most of the electricity that we use is generated from fossil fuels. There are indeed
advancements in wind power technology, hydropower plants and solar cells, but, will these
sources of energy be enough to sustain our ever increasing hunger for energy? Or will the
world end in chaos when we run out of oil? Perhaps the answer is obvious for some and
oblivious for others. There is not one but many different answers which people can give you to
the question regarding the future of energy. Be it wind, hydro, solar, or maybe nuclear in
nature, they are still energy resources that needs to be studied carefully. The question is,
which one to study?
Fraser Hay Do hedge funds destabilize companies and damage financial security?”
Hedge funds are asset management companies that use a variety of strategies to generate
profit. Short selling is one such method employed. Arguments are presented contrasting the
advantages and disadvantages of this practice and how these trading methods affect both the
companies, which are “shorted”, and how this ultimately affects the stock market and
whether there is a need for tighter regulation and greater investigation. The balance of
evidence suggests that the practice of shorting is not to blame for a company’s financial ruin.
Carl Heimann What factors affect the flight path of a BB pellet?
Airsoft is a popular military simulation game, using replica weapons firing plastic pellets. This
investigation into the factors affecting the flight path of a BB pellet was inspired by an interest
in airsoft and aerodynamic physics. Theories from fluid mechanics are used to explain the
phenomena exhibited by spinning objects in flight, with some surprising findings. Mass and
spin are shown to play important roles in determining the trajectory of the BB pellet, with
wind and the velocity of the pellet also making contributions. Additionally, the change in
design of the airsoft replicas is shown to have a major impact on the range and accuracy that
can be achieved in the game.
Rhytik Hemade How have economic bubbles shaped the modern economy?
According to conventional economics, bubbles cannot exist. Prices are determined by
efficient markets where within minutes of new information being released, the market
automatically adjusts the price of an asset. And this is indeed true, the minute a firm releases
its quarterly earnings, its share price has already fluctuated and settled at a suitable price.
Since the market is made up of rational investors and the existence of a bubble implies
deformed valuations, I can only assume that either bubbles do not exist, or that the market is
not efficient and investors are not rational. I find it impossible to deny the existence of
bubbles. Therefore in this essay I will examine the nature of bubbles and the effect they have
on the economy.
Tom Hill Why did the League of Nations fail as an altruistic organisation?
My essay investigates the reasons for the failure of the League of Nations to act altruistically. I
have deduced from biology and social sciences several reasons that seem to be necessary for
altruism to become the collective mindset of a group. One such condition is an immediate
threat to survival. I exam in in the essay how these conditions have manifested themselves in
history and politics, and how the League of Nations failed to fulfil the conditions. Areas of
study such as game theory have been useful in helping to answer the question, and
interpretation and analysis of certain concepts by the reader will be required if the line of
argument is to be followed. My aim in this essay was to create a novel historical perspective
on the League of Nations and show how, given the political climate of the era it was in, its
success was never possible.
Tom Holland What is the tort of negligence? And how successful has it been in finding justice
for its claimants over the last eighty years?
This essay seeks to understand how successful the tort of negligence has been over the last
eighty years in finding justice for claimants. It starts by explaining that tort law concerns civil
wrong doing. Meanwhile the tort of negligence is a subset of tort law and refers specifically to
cases where the defendant is charged with failing a duty of care. In order to explore more
about the tort of negligence this essay then appeals to the famous case of Donoghue v
Stevenson. This was a landmark case and resulted in the tort of negligence having a clearly
defined identity in courts of law. The breach of duty is explored to see whether its definition
affects the success of the law for claimants. The essay concludes that the tort of negligence
has been largely successful over the last eighty years although there have been some
problems in relation to its implementation in medical cases.
Chun Hei Hong How will the growth of China affect the global economy?
In 2010 China is now the second largest in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP),
and contributed to 5.2% of world economic growth. A combination of cheap labour and a can
do attitude has transformed China from a mainly agricultural society to one that has become
the world’s factory. Everywhere from vehicles to toys, together with high dedicated electronic
devices such as Iphones and laptops are manufactured and combined in China. Although China
might not have the most advanced technology to invest in new products, the catch up effect
has helped China to become quite productive as technology has been introduced for a while
and it is easy for them to apply it on their production line. As technology can be brought from
other countries, China can specialist on manufacturing which makes the whole process more
efficient. This essay considers how these factors will affect the global economy.
*Elliott Horton-Stephens
knowledge?
What can we learn from Tarkovsky's Stalker about the pursuit of
One of Andrei Tarkovsky's seven films Stalker depicts the journey of three people through a
mysterious and dangerous place called "the Zone" in order to reach "the Room" a place which
can grant people their deepest wishes. Stalker is shrouded in mystery and is filmed incredibly
beautifully, leading many critics to agree on Stalker being the best film of all time. Indeed,
Stalker prompted prestigous film maker Ingmar Bergman to call Andrei Tarkovsky "the
greatest". In this "journey of the soul" each character represents seperate parts of how
Tarkovsky thought we could answer the most important question of all; what is our purpose
on this planet? By looking at Art, Science and Faith, Stalker hopes to provide audiences with
well-rounded answer.
Frank Huang What has the impact of the financial crisis on the world economy?
In my essay I hope to explain the antecedents and consequences of the financial crises by
listing some data and diagrams to show how exactly the world economy is affected. In this
essay, I mainly focus on the financial crisis in the United States in 2008 and the debt crisis in
Euro-zone in 2009. Since 2007, the crisis has since spread across the world. Both developed
and underdeveloped countries have been affected. In conclusion, I list some ways which I
think it is possible to minimize the effect.
Michael Huang To what extent does economic development stimulate the rise of Chinese
contemporary art?
‘Economics’ would be the keyword in my answer. Zeng Fanzhi demonstrated how, under
globalisation, his acquired knowledge of Expressionism helped him to establish his own style
and launched his career with the remarkable ‘Mask’ series. Zhang Xiaogang set the example of
achieving fame through foreign investment, which then encouraged westerners to explore the
artistic meanings of his bizarre ‘Bloodline’ series that only sinologists could have interpreted.
Zhang Huan carried out his eccentric performances to represent the voice of the bottom of
society, who receive unfair treatment in this uneven economic development. Yue Minjun led
the movement of ‘Cynical Realism’with his signature laughter, which challenges the
oppressive political regime used to achieve economic success in China. Therefore, all four
aspects, either positive or negative, of China’s rising economy certainly stimulated the growth
of Chinese contemporary art both commercially and artistically.
Oliver Hug A History of cancer: what is the most significant discovery in cancer research ?
Cancer is one of the most widely spoken of and feared diseases, causing 13% of all human
deaths in 2007, an astonishing figure. I will look back on a range of discoveries, ranging from
chemotherapeutic drugs such as antinomycin D to various surgical procedures such as radical
surgery and examine how these discoveries stimulated a new understanding of cancer. Finally
I will decide which discovery has been the most significant. It is important however that I
explain what I mean by the term “significant”, and that is either a discovery which has
dramatically reduced the number of cancer-related deaths or one which may lead to further
discoveries. The war on cancer is far from over and I believe the answer to finding the cure lies
in using past discoveries.
Murad Huseynov
economies?
How has OPEC influenced the oil industry and OPEC member states
OPEC, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an intergovernmental
organization which pumps about 40% of the world’s oil. It is the largest and most influential
cartel in the world. The idea behind it is simple - the countries control the amount of crude oil
they export and avoid overflooding the international marketplace to control the price of oil but the cartel has been accused of prompting many fuel protests across Europe. In this
extended essay I explore how much control OPEC has on the oil industry, and whether this
control has been beneficial and worthwile for the economies of its member states against the
costs.
Hussain Hussain Noor How are aerodynamics applied to a Formula One car?
For my extended essay I took the opportunity to write about Formula One, a subject that I find
particularly interesting because of the intense competition in designing and racing the cars.
The main feature of Formula One cars is the aerodynamics. In this essay, I have chosen to talk
about how the science of aerodynamics is used by a Formula One car and that required
looking at certain principles and equations associated with it. I will firstly discuss the use of
Bernoulli’s principle which is essential to creating a Formula One car’s downforce. However,
with downforce comes drag and the compromise between the two forces is also a focal point
in the sport that I will discuss. My next main point of discussion will be the use of the Venturi
effect and how it is applied with Bernoulli’s principle in the aerodynamic set up of the car.
Afterwards, I will look at the use of the Coandă effect and Euler’s equation, which contributes
to the manipulation of the air around the car using curved surfaces.
*Tom Hymas The importance of cultural evolution in the spread of homo sapiens
In the last 100,000 years, the human population has exploded, and this is in main part due to
cultural evolution. Our genes have ceded control of our bodies to our brains, which have
undertaken evolution at great speed, allowing us to adapt our environment to live in almost
all the habitats of the world. Culture has evolved in the sense it replicates and is changed
through the generations by mutations, or in culture the acceptance of novel ideas. Culture
evolves much more rapily than our genes and this speed is crucial to our adaptations to
different environments. My essay aims to explain the mechanisms of cultural evolution that
have facilitated our expanse and the unique characteristics of homo sapien societies which
have allowed for such a complex culture.
Kelvin Ip Is a pension a good thing?
With the advancement of medical technology and a better quality of living, people are
expected to live longer. Under this condition, a suitable and reliable retirement plan becomes
important because people are living for much longer. If you are not well off, without a pension
life will be very hard. Conversely, you can have a much better life if you are receiving a
pension every month from a well-worked retirement plan. It is much better to be in a
pension scheme as ultimately there will be less of a burden on the state to look after you as
you get older.
Abdullah Jawad To what extent do changes in the Top Rate Marginal Tax rate affect the job
market?
In a socio-economic environment following the recent protests of Occupy Wall Street, a more
meritocratic and egalitarian society is being pleaded for – the popular opinion being to tax the
rich more and reduce taxes for the middle and lower classes. In my essay I am going to explore
the empirical evidence behind the effectiveness of the changes to the Top Rate Marginal Tax
rate – the income tax rate imposed on the wealthiest. To what extent does it actually affect an
economy and more importantly, will taxing the rich more create more jobs for the rest? I am
going to explore the long short term consequences of tax changes on the job market, as I feel
that this issue has become very important in the last few years at a time when the policy
makers have been under a lot of pressure to re-distribute wealth.
Henry Jiao
What are the adaptations faced by architects as they strive to achieve
sustainability?
The problem of climate change and sustainable development is becoming progressively
addressed in the modern world, being more generally accepted in recent years as something
we need to act upon. In buildings, products ranging from advanced photovoltaic cells to
simple insulating materials have become more readily available as additions to houses to
provide clean energy and save money in a world increasingly running out of resources. The
problem I aim to address in this essay is how, with the right range of materials, technology and
foresight, we can plan to create an eco-friendly infrastructure, preserving the finite resources
we have and the delicate nature of Earth.
Yecheng Jin The introduction of scarcity
As we all can find scarcity exists everywhere in the society, especially in business fields, and
influences our daily life to a certain extent, it is worth having a further understanding of it.
This essay will give a short introduction of scarcity, talking about several major causes of
scarcity as well as the merits and drawbacks brought by it. By the end of it, hopefully we will
be able to discover the “magic” which varies the prices of the same land, and how to make
good use of the power of scarcity. Additionally, it is also essential to raise awareness of
preventing the negative effects of scarcity from happening.
George John Discuss the themes in Jez Butterworth's ‘Jerusalem’
This essay explores the themes of a brilliant play by Jez Butterworth. On the surface we
believe this play is a patriotic exploration of Englishness as a key theme to consider, but in
interviews Butterworth has stated that the play is more of an exploration of his own views on
change. This theme of change undercuts everything that the play is about and dichotemises
the old and the new, exploring the concept of leaving the old ways behind. Futher themes
explored include escapism, religious sterility in England and the link between identity and
location.
*Angus Johnston To what extent is success likely to be achieved by British Forces operating
in Afghanistan?
Success would be achieved when the Afghan government is able to police its own borders and
prevent the actions of terrorost organisations like Al-Qaeda within its country. Although there
are still issues that urgently need adressing, evidence suggests that the Afghan Government
and security forces have grown significantly in strength and skill, and that support for the
Taliban has dropped significantly. The key is to build and maintain a healthy relationship with
all Afghans; in the words of Lt. Mark Evison, 'We must work on relationships with the Afghans
if we are to build a future for them.' Encouragingly, Pakistan appears to have begun targeting
the Taliban more effectively. I believe that by 2014 Helmand Province will be in a state
suitable for the Afghan government and security forces to continue degrading the Taliban,
ensuring that the area and the country are no longer a haven for Al-Qaeda.
Tejas Joshi What can the government do to eradicate economic growth fluctuations?
“Government, consumers and producers are especially concerned with turning points, those
times when the economic cycle reaches a peak or a trough in the cycle of economic activity.” –
Keshab Bhattarai . If four aims are successfully fulfilled, then the government will be able to
manage the issue of fluctuating economic growth better. These aims are: firstly, to implement
effective economic management so that all conflicts and limitations are controlled. The
second aim would be to apply counter-cyclical initiatives to aid the work already done to
constrain fluctuations. Thirdly; the government should endeavour to increase the UK’s
productive capacity through the use of supply-side economics. Lastly, after supply-side
policies have been pursued, the government should execute a more efficient taxation plan to
increase tax revenue whilst stabilising income flow. Ultimately the government would use all
of these aims in tandem to reduce and eventually eradicate economic growth fluctuations.
*Alexander Joynson To what extent does Alexander the Great earn the epithet "The Great"?
Alexander the Great is considered to be one of the greatest military leaders of all time. This
essay looks at how he has earned the right to the epithet “the Great”. The incredible speed in
which he conquered 5.2 million km2 of what is today Europe, Asia and Africa in just thirteen
years, as well as never losing any major battle to an adversary, both play an important part in
his claim to this title. At the same time I also examine his political career, which should by no
means be sidelined. The legacy that he left and the other great leaders that he has influenced
which include Napoleon, Montgomery and Schwarzkopf among others, also play a huge role in
his claim to this epithet.
*Jinwook Jung How free should a free market be?
Adam Smith famously said how self-interest will lead the market to function correctly and
Milton Friedman elucidated how a free market and free trade can benefit everyone and how a
government intervention can distort the market forces, resulting in a catastrophe. However,
Ha-joon Chang criticizes free market capitalism and points out the problems and ironies within
the structure and its history. The boundaries and limitations of a market are ambiguous and
often the restrictions in the system are invisible. It is difficult to postulate an objective
standard for freedom to measure the degree for freedom in the market. Are free market and
free trade really beneficial for everyone? Do government interventions and restrictions on
the market really distort the market mechanism and stop it from functioning correctly? Is free
market capitalism the most efficient and beneficial system that will bring economic
prosperity? How free should a free market be?
*Patrick Kenny Was the change in the Ottoman Sultanate succession after 1603 a significant
cause in the decline of the Ottoman Empire?
The question of Ottoman imperial decline is both vast and hotly debated. It has shaped the
history of peoples across Europe and the Middle East as far as twentieth century conflicts like
those in Bosnia and Kosovo. In this essay I examine an event often cited as contributory to this
decline and discuss how relevant such a citation might be. In 1603 traditions of Sultanate
succession changed from civil conflict every generation, between princes who acted as
provincial governors struggling to seize power, to a formalised order through heirs kept in the
palace setting. On balance I conclude that the new system probably did deprive the empire of
strong leadership but question whether, in the big picture of gradual Ottoman decay, it is in
fact a major factor to consider.
Christian Kerrigan How does the poem "If" relate to the life and demands of a tennis player?
In this essay I will be looking at how the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling relates to the life of a
professional tennis player. I am interested in this because tennis is my main hobby, interest,
sport and, at the moment, career. The poem can be seen in many different ways depending
on your viewpoint, but is largely a life-lesson and a motivation for all people no matter what
their career or lifestyle. The poem talks about how people should behave and act, as well as
how they must accept problems and hard times and always stay focused on reaching for the
top and making the most out of every opportunity life presents. The poem was written in 1895
and has been inspiring and motivating people for generations and will do for generations to
come.
Ronak Khujneri How can one survive in a recession?
Some investors take advantage of a falling market by “short selling stocks”. This type of
investor sells short profits when a stock declines in value in order to maintain profit margins
within his or her company. But only some of the most experienced investors are able to
achieve this successfully. Known as ‘Value Investing’, this second technique looks at fallen
stocks from a different angle. They look more towards the future as a recession, assuming that
better times are on the horizon and instead of fallen stocks being a failure in their eyes, it
becomes more of a bargai, enbaling them to use ‘bear markets’ as buying sprees, targeting
high quality companies that are willing to now sell for a lower price.
Ben Kidson Can psychological gaps in our intuition affect a human life?
I would like to give an example of an experiment conducted in 2001, at Harvard University.
Students would enter a room and be accosted by a certain doctor who would convince them
to take part in an experiment. Once they had agreed, he would take them to a room with a
chest-high desk, and bend down to file some sort of imaginary document. Another man,
wearing the same clothes, of the same race and gender would stand up. 100% of the students
in this experiment did not notice that the person had changed. It seems that if something so
obvious can be missed by every single student tested, then the gaps in intuition could have
serious consequences on our lives. The following essay develops these ideas, and searches for
a solution in this newest of fields.
*Joe Kidson How do the theories of Albert Einstein and John McTaggart develop our
understanding of tense and time?
We automatically trust clocks, rely on time and accept the tenses of past, present and future
but in this essay I will focus on the problems posed to these concepts by Scottish philosopher
John McTaggart’s article, ‘The Unreality of Time’, published in the philosophy journal Mind in
1908 and Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity, first proposed in 1905. The ensuing
implications for time have been, and still are, the subject of much debate amongst physicists
and philosophers alike, with the two theories often treated separately. However, here I shall
argue that when looked at in conjunction we can discern a possible view as to why our
personal experience of tense need not be in complete opposition to the timeless ‘block
universe’ that fits so well with much of physics and that this leads us to change our
understanding of how we come to know about tense and time.
Patrick Kinch How did François Hollande win the French election?
Earlier this year, François Hollande beat Nicolas Sarkozy to become the first socialist president
in thirty-one years since Francois Mitterrand in 1981. There were factors to his victory: his
likeability, popularity but also he had an element of good fortune. Sarkozy had the lowest
popularity ratings of any French President, and in addition the nationalist party, headed by
Marie Le Pen had an important role to play too in deflecting votes away from Sarkozy. Nicolas
Sarkozy was elected into the Élysée Palace in May 2007 after defeating Segolene Royal – who
happened to be Hollande’s ex wife. He was elected in a climate of hope and expectation
promising to transform French society, to invigorate the labour market and make French
people richer. On top of this, his central theme of boosting the economy was very attractive to
voters.
James Kirton To what extent has decentralisation caused Spain's financial crisis?
Between 1996 and 2007 Spain went through a prolonged period of economic growth. This
encouraged the seventeen regions within Spain to borrow and spend large sums of money on
public projects. This created large amounts of public debt and has helped to create the
financial difficulties that Spain now finds itself in. However lending by banks at reckless levels
created huge private debts, leaving many people near to bankruptcy and causing many banks
to seek bailouts and their ratings to plummet. The property bubble also caused large-scale
private debt with property prices soaring by 200% across the 1996 to 2007 period and the
overbuilding of property. I conclude that overall decentralisation in Spain helped to cause the
crisis but it was not the main contributor to the crisis.
*Jimmy Knight To what extent has the election of a French Socialist president changed the
dynamic of the Franco-German axis within the European Union?
For years the European Union and the Euro have played an integral part in France’s political
affairs and agenda. This essay explores the ways in which the Franco-German dynamic has
changed with a now politically polarised relationship following the election of François
Hollande, a Socialist, and how important the bilateral relationship is for the success of the
European Union and European integration. Since the Second World War, French presidents
and German chancellors have provided a united front, subordinating political ideology in
favour of consensus politics to ensure political stability and efficiency in Europe. The dynamic
of the Franco-German axis will undoubtedly be strained, but it would appear that compromise
will win through, enhancing the strength of the axis if the current economic crisis is overcome.
*Chun Yue Kwan Thalidomide, friend or foe?
Back in the 1950s when the Second World War had ended, people lived with optimism and
joy, but still they could not forget their nights of terror which were filled with bombing and
rocket attacks. These nocturnal air raids had left thousands of men, women, and children
shell-shocked and psychologically traumatised. In Germany, allied bombers flew overhead and
German citizens could never feel sure if they would wake up in the morning when they went
to sleep at night. Sleeping pills played a role in the 1950s but they brought a rise in deaths
from accidental and deliberate overdosing. There was a need to produce a wonder drug
which was sedative and hypnotic, and which at the same time had minimal side effects. That
explained the existence of thalidomide.
Dennis Lam How far is the Great Depression similar to the current crisis?
The current Global Recession and the Great Depression are largely the same economic
phenomenon and are only different in a few respects. Each event is marked by a massive run
up in loans followed by a tremendous downturn in demand that has sent both debt and equity
markets into turmoil. I think it is pretty clear that we are in a very precarious economic
situation that resembles the Great Depression. Getting out of this economic situation is going
to be very hard. It seems to me that Britain and America depend to a significant degree on the
service sector which does not face the same pressure to hire back large numbers of workers
very quickly; therefore, rebounds in aggregate growth and employment
*Jeremy Lam How easily can you win in a casino?
Walking into the casino with piles of cash stack, everyone wants to walk out as a big winner,
yet extremely few of them are lucky enough. How easily do you actually win a dollar? In this
essay, the famous Monty Hall paradox will be solved using the Bayes' Theorem. Can you beat
the host in the game and win the money? The chances of winning in a game of poker will also
be discussed by working out the odds of getting certain hands of cards. How lucky do you have
to be to get a Royal Flush? Earlier gamblers believed that a dice is controlled by the gods; we
do not know. Yet, we can be sure that there is always something mathematical and scientific
behind the game. The more you understand the chance rules, the more chances you have to
be the big winner.
*Robert Lamb Does the way in which the UK deals with child custody cases need adapting?
The main issues with the UK’s child custody system centers around the notion of parental
access and significant disagreements between the two parental parties. Proposals were first
made as to possible changes to legislation by the House of Commons in May 2010 – has
anything changed? Does anything need to change? Through looking at particular cases
reported in the press of Japan, Malaysia, Australia as well as this country, this essay compares
the different legislation and system of the aforementioned countries. The UK system is far
from perfect; the existence of organisations like “Fathers4Justice” is a clear indication of this,
not to mention the amount of taxpayer money that is wasted through excessively long court
proceedings and the level of heartache that causes. But compared to that of the other
countries looked at, we find that any changes to the legislation would be hard to achieve,
though a change to procedure is probably sensible.
*Toby
Lawlor
To what extent is Southern Africa in a position for strong economic
development within the next decade?
In this essay I will discuss the economic prospects for the region of southern Africa largely
focusing on the economies of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. While
I do not have the word limit to discuss the intricacies of each economy I hope to explore the
general opportunities and challenges that the region is likely to face and demonstrate what I
think likely growth prospects are for the region within the next decade. I will discuss themes
such as the role of foreign direct investment, the impact of political stability, the influence of
the global economy and examples of the strongest and weakest economies in the region.
*Nam Le What was the point in solving Fermat's Last Theorem?
Molina’s Urns will be an ideal starting point for a practical interpretation of Fermat’s Last
Theorem. The problem is as follows: ‘Two urns contain the same total numbers of balls, some
blacks and some whites in each. From each urn are drawn n (where n is three or more) balls
with replacement. Find the number of drawings and the composition of the two urns so that
the probability that all the white balls are drawn from the first urn is equal to the probability
that the drawing from the second is either all whites or all blacks.’
*Ho Yin Lee
Could the imbalance of trade between the US and China be solved by
revaluation of RMB?
The pattern of trade between the United States and China has dramatically changed during
the past fifteen years. Because China has kept its currency (yuan or renminbi) pegged to the
US dollar since 1994, its current large trade surplus with the United States has led some critics
to claim that the yuan is undervalued. The aim of this essay is to examine the effect of the USChina bilateral exchange rate on the pattern of trade between the two countries after
controlling for alternative factors influencing US-Chinese bilateral trade flows. The results
suggested that the US-China bilateral exchange rate does not have an important role in
explaining bilateral trade between the two countries, while the relative exchange rate
between the United States and the South-East Asian countries is more important in explaining
the trade imbalance between the United States and China.
*Jonathan Lee
Why should English libel laws be reformed?
This essay aims to inform the reader about the civil wrong of libel, and argue for the reform of
English libel laws. The defences to a libel allegation – justification, absolute privilege, qualified
privilege and fair comment – show that libel laws not only restrict publishers to the mere
publication of facts, but governs in what way and under what circumstances they are allowed
to publish certain contents and what sorts of comments they are allowed to make. Under the
current system, the suing party does not have to prove any harm to their reputation before
bringing litigation, thus the law may be abused to threaten and silence unfavourable critics as
libel legal costs are notoriously high. Therefore unfair libel laws are directly hindering
necessary criticisms and debates which can lead to the betterment of public interest, and
reforms are rightly called for.
Ian Li Is it worth developing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the future?
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are becoming more common in civil and military uses. UAVs
are now mostly used for military purposes but these machines have the potential to perform
civil and research purposes. UAVs can have a variety of functions. For instance, UAVs have low
risk and can travel to dangerous places like volcanoes for research. Different types of UAVs
perform different functions. The most common UAVs are fixed-wing aircrafts like airplanes.
They are well suited for military missions. However a forward movement must be maintained
in order to keep flying the plane. Helicopters with revolving rotors can also be UAVs. They can
take off vertically and hover over a certain spot. In fact toy remote control helicopters are also
UAVs. UAVs can be tiny and inexpensive. Undeniably they eliminate the risk of death and
injury to a pilot. It will be a worthwhile investment.
Eddie Lin How is a personal computer composed?
In this essay, I have introduced the inner structure of a computer host and elaborated three
main parts that are CPU, memory and input/output devices of a personal computer. I have
given these general descriptions of each of these, and, in terms of CPU, I have talked about
how it connects with other components in the motherboard and the principle of its working.
For memory, I have written different types of memory in a computer and different
functionalities. Also, how does a computer call memory of different requests. Then, I have
talked about some basic input/output devices that people daily use. Finally, I conclude with a
discussion about how these components communicate and cooperate with other parts.
*James Lloyd Genetic diversity and the fear of Doomsday
Genetic diversity is an important factor in ensuring the continuation of a healthy population. It
allows a species to slowly adapt in a changing environment to establish survival and is
achieved through three main factors: transposition of transposable elements, environmental
change and rate of mitotic and meiotic division. I have been interested in how genes and
changes in genetic information affect traits and adaptations to changing environments and
throughout this essay have used examples of various organisms to demonstrate my interest in
these areas. I have explained how the extremes of genetic diversity cannot sustain life for a
prolonged period of time and if we do not act in a way to look after this delicate balance,
ecosystems as we know them will fall apart and there is threat of a Doomsday.
*Tom Lyons To what extent was America more united after the revolution?
After studying the American War of Independence last year, I became increasingly curious to
understand what cultural changes the revolution had created. I thought the query about
whether or not the war had united America was therefore worthwhile and intriguing. Through
research I discovered that whilst the revolution did go some way to unite the American
people, it was not as harmonious as is often imagined. This was most noticeable in
dissimilarities between the northern and southern states. After the revolution, America
seemed to divide into two very different factions culturally and socially. As a result of this,
there was a curious state of affairs in which more of the USA was united than ever before but
at the same time, the difference between the North and South was far starker.
Alex Lyster The evolution of the Local Group
This essay tries to answer a number of questions about the future of the two largest members
of the Local Group of galaxies, The Milky Way and Andromeda; the former of which our Sun
and Planet reside within. Specifically whether they are indeed on a collision course, and if so
over what time scale will the collision and merger take place. Also addressed is the future of
our Solar System, and how it is liable to be affected over the course of the merger. The essay
is accompanied by a number of graphs and diagrams created by the computer simulations
that was used in these predictions.
Peter MacCormack Why has Afghanistan become such a problematic country?
My extended essay is an investigation into the reasons why Afghanistan has become a centre
of turmoil in the modern world. My research asks what the key reason is for this; is it the
social and ethnic divisions that run rampant? Or is it the political instability which is the result
of numerous invasions of the country throughout its history? Furthermore, I will seek to
understand more about the the origins of the Taliban and how the group has developed since
its inception. My essay also looks to analyse the paradoxical nature of Afghanistan's economy;
it is a country with an abundance of valuable natural resources, yet it remains the ninth least
developed country in the world.
*Charlie MacVicar
To what extent does Philip Ridley present a dystopian society in his play
'Mercury Fur' and how is it relevant in today's society?
Ridley takes inspiration from shocking real world occurences and weaves them into the fabric
of his play in order to liken his hypohetical community to the most horrific and violent scenes
of the modern world. In my essay I discuss the problematic nature of issues such as gender,
sexuality, violence and anarchy. However, I argue that for all the appalling pitfalls of Ridley's
imaginary world, the one redeeming feature is the love that exists in the fibres of humanity.
With reference to non ficticious and fictional motifs in the news of today and in dystopian
literature, in comparison, I argue that Ridley's characters are saved from dystopia.
Archie Maher How has Pablo Picasso influenced the art work of Francis Bacon?
Picasso's influence on Bacon was incredibly life changing and it allowed him to become very
well educated about different artistic periods and the way in which different styles, tone or
structure can change one's opinions about a piece of artwork. Bacon often had a spark of
Picasso's intelligence in his work after he closely studied Picasso's masterpieces. Additionally,
this relationship can alter the way in which we as humans percieve images and differences
and similarities between artist's work. Francis Bacon was heavily influenced by Picasso and
was adored by many artists or followers of different art movements, because they all knew
the sheer talent Picasso possessed and the great extent of his achievements.
Ludo Martin To what extent did the French Resistance play a vital part in aiding the allies to
successfully liberate France and defeat the Nazis?
General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote after the war: “Throughout France, the Resistance had
been of inestimable value in the campaign. Without their great assistance the liberation of
France would have consumed a much longer time and meant greater losses to ourselves”.
Here it is clear what Eisenhower thought about the Resistance; he states that they did play a
significant role in the liberation of France and the defeat of Germany. The resistance did so by
sabotaging buildings and factories, spreading fear amongst the occupiers and destroying
numerous communication webs. Even so, there were other factors that played a considerable
role in the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi Germany, for instance, American
intervention was a vital factor given their military and economic power, the British
involvement and tactics throughout the war were extremely valuable as well as the sheer
brute force of the Soviet army.
*Alex Maxwell
To what extent did John Allen’s “Suggestions on the Cortes” (1809), have an
influence on the convocation and composition of the Cortes of Cadiz, 1810?
The year 1808 not only marked Napoleon’s turning on his ally Spain, but also the inauguration
of a Spanish liberal movement which would define the country’s history from there on in and
indeed, of other countries abroad. During this period, a Supreme Central Junta was set up and
one of its leading members, Jovellanos, became integral in the formation of Spain’s first Cortes
(parliament). In the Dulwich archives there is a document written by John Allen, an ex-Master
of the College, which is titled “Suggestions on the Cortes” (1809) and was given to Jovellanos
in batches of notes before he received the fully written document. Allen was also a member
of the Holland household and it is through letters of correspondence between Lord Holland
and Jovellanos in which, in this essay, we can analyse the extent to which Allen’s suggestions
had an influence on the composition of Spain’s first Cortes.
Angus McGown How can politicians influence the sustainability of urban growth?
Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without comprising the needs of the future.
Politicians in various countries such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom and
France; have noticed an excessive amount of population growth in their cities and they have
managed growth through sustainable management. The major cities that I will be
concentrating on in this essay are Los Angeles and London; I will be comparing how politicians
influence the problem of urban growth to make it sustainable. The formulation of the London
Plan means that the Greater London authority overseas the planning of buildings, whilst Los
Angeles does not have a single planning authority that oversees the whole of the city because
each segment of the city has its own autonomy so urban sprawl cannot be controlled in this
way.
Dexter McKenzie Does street art still work within the confines of a gallery?
‘Street’ or graffiti art first emerged in galleries in the early 80’s with the likes of John Fekner
and Fab Five Freddy being displayed in an exhibition entitled Street Works in Washington in
1981. Soon after this artists such as Keith Haring began to take their style of graffiti artwork
from the streets into galleries, with Haring in particular finding great success in doing so. Since
then the market for so called ‘street’ art to be displayed in galleries, and thus bought by
collectors has expanded vastly and what was once an underground, mostly illegal form of
artwork is now displayed in hundreds of galleries across the world and is attracting new
groups of art-lovers into galleries. However, when moved from the street to the gallery is this
art still ‘street’ art and do other graffiti artists whose work remains solely on the streets think
it should be classed in the same category as theirs?
Ahmed Mohammed Does the way the United States treats its terrorist suspects break the
law especially in facilities such as Guantanamo Bay?
The main issue with the system of not only Guantanamo Bay but several other suspected
terrorist holding cells is that they are accused of violating human rights and denying prisoners
basic freedoms. The law is meant to be a fair and just system which does not encourage the
acts that have been reported from victims of this injustice. Basic international law prohibits
the use of torture and furthermore the UN's convention against torture article 2 clearly says
that "No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war,
internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of
torture." However in many cases these rules were broken and thus has the United States
broken the law in which no man, group or nation are above?
Billy Mostyn What is the best way in which to combat ‘modern terrorism’?
Terrorism is defined loosely, by many, as the use of violence and violent threats to produce an
atmosphere of terror and fear in order to coerce and intimidate for political purposes.
September 11 2001 is seen by much of the world as the start of a new breed of modern,
international terrorism and specifically the realisation that as a western society our greatest
international enemies are religious fundamentalist terrorists and not the old Soviet enemy
that we feared for so many years. This seemingly new era of global terrorism is one which, as
liberal-democratic societies, we are finding increasingly hard to fight and quell. In this essay I
will look at the three main strategies that have been employed in the past and their
effectiveness on ‘modern terrorism’ and the prospects for each strategy in the future.
George Muffett Can an increasingly permissive society that depends on a financially stressed
NHS afford not to consider legalising euthanasia?
It’s no secret that the NHS is quite simply running out of money, and the coalition government
has taken the right approach by promising to increase total health spending over and above
inflation each year and has also promised to save £20 billion by 2014 by demanding, in the
words of Chancellor George Osborne “better value for money”. But just how does he intend
to save this £20 billion? I believe that this offers a unique opportunity to tackle an
economically beneficial and moral issue which has been constantly dodged by politicians in
the interest of protecting their careers for a number of years. What I am talking about is the
possibility of legalising active voluntary euthanasia.
*Alexander Murphy How helpful is empirical evidence in our understanding of the nature of
reality?
This essay explores modern philosophy’s understanding of the nature of reality through the
views of five of the greatest modern philosophers - Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant and Russell
as well as highlighting the level of uncertainty modern physics brings to the question and its
consequences. In particular, I focus on the importance of sensory perception and empirical
evidence to our understanding of reality because it recurs in all philosophers’ views of reality
and is directly relevant today to our increasingly science-driven understanding of the world.
What can we know of reality if we cannot trust our senses? Can we have any knowledge if we
cannot know from our senses? I conclude that empirical observation is the best of our limited
ways to understand reality but still, in itself, is not a completely effective or reliable tool.
*Jamie
Murray To what extent is today’s rivalry between Barcelona CF And Real Madrid FC a
product of Franco’s rule?
For both its sustained tension and historical significance, few football rivalries can compare to
Spain’s El Clasico. The stories of Alfredo di Stéfano, General Franco, Santiago Bernabeu and
Luis Figo are legendary; embodying the rivalry of two regions that separate an entire nation
and captivate the world. This speaks to the heart of Spanish culture, politics, and society and
each has influenced the true meaning of El Clasico. The bloody Spanish Civil War that raged
across Spain from 1936 until 1939 played a powerful part in fuelling the intense rivalry
between the two major football clubs in Spain. Real Madrid was seen to represent the
imposition of Spanish culture and Francisco Franco’s Nationalist agenda on the fiercely proud
and independently-minded Catalans of Barcelona, who supported the Republican side in the
conflict.
*Adam Nelki What is wrong with the way we are educated?
Not such an 'Extended Essay' but more of a filmed documentary, as in: it’s a filmed
documentary. Once you get your head past that aspect, the rest is pretty simple. In the video I
try to give a new perspective on the problems with education; when people think about what
is wrong with the education system, they will usually think about the problems with private
schools relative to state-funded education. However my argument on education does not go
along these clichéd lines, and instead I talk about the problems in the classroom, using my
‘Three Main Problems’ of the education system which structure the video.
Wilfred Ng Discuss the evolution and design of the wine glass in China
Before globalisation, there were only two or three types of wine in China, and people were
not terribly appreciative of the wine they drank. In the past people used a humble china bowl
to drink from or, if you came from a noble family, people may have used metal artistic wine
vessels or jade cups to show off their standing in the community. After the exploration of the
western regions in the Han Dynasty (220 BC- AD 220) different types of wine and culture had
entered China and changed the view of all Chinese people on how to appreicate and enjoy
wine. After years of development on materials, science and technology, people think that the
shape, material and way of holding the wine glass would also affect the quality of the wine
due to the change of temperature and circulation of air. Therefore, designs are investigating
different ways that may affect the quality and design of many different types of wine.
Harry Nightingale Aristophanes' Flying Circus: a study of absurdist humour in Ancient and
Modern comedy. Is there a genesis to absurdity?
Aristophanes’ Flying Circus is an essay examining absurdity and surrealism in Aristophanes’
comedies, focusing primarily on his impact on the western view of satire and farce and its
journey to the likes of ‘Monty Python’s famous dead avian. I have argued that through
Aristophanes’ progressively bizarre writings in his comedies of the fifth-century one can see
that audiences have most always respected absurd humour; but also that the genius of
Aristophanes lay with his ability to associate ‘…inconsequential flights of absurdist fantasy’
(Paul Cartledge) with his political satire, ahead of his time.
Beno Obano, What was the most important factor in sport becoming the global powerhouse
it is today?
On the day I was born on a cold autumn evening in South East London rugby union wasn’t a
professional sport, TV rights for the next Olympics were an impressive £288 million while
football’s world transfer fee was a laughable £13 million for Gianluigi Letini. Who knew
seventeen years later that Rugby would have become the fastest growing-sport in the world
whilst TV rights for the 2012 Olympics would come to overwhelming £2.5 billion. As today’s
transfer fee stands at a colossal £90 million for the global superstar that is Cristiano Ronaldo
and according to his Facebook page with 48 million ‘likes’ he’s not only the most popular
sportsman, he is arguably more popular than god. This has only been seventeen years and
sport has changed greatly. How has sport become such a huge force? There have been plenty
of different factors; colonialism, journalism, sponsors, business or did everyone simply fall in
love with sport? There is no doubt they are all as important in changing sport from recreation
into a religion for most, but which one is primarily responsible?
Michele Olivieri Why are more traditional businesses now trasitioning online ?
My extended essay describes the advantages and disadvantages and the main key points as to
why many different industries have realised the power of having an online side to their
business and why nowadays it’s so crucial for the survival of many traditional companies to
have both an online website and an offline store to their business. I also give some examples
of companies that have grasped this concept and how they have managed to succeed
compared to competitor companies that haven’t implemented any online feature or sides to
their business. I conclude with why you must have both online and offline to be a successful
firm.
Ayodele Olufowose Blood diseases; will they ever be successfully managed?
Is there a possibility of mankind ever being totally immune to all diseases? Are the so-called
incurable diseases really just that? If so, what could be done to slow them down, or stop their
spread? In my extended essay, blood diseases; will they ever be successfully managed? I
examine the cause of some of the most common blood diseases known to man, ranging from
sickle cell anaemia which affects red blood cells, causing them to be deformed, to HIV/AIDS
which reduces the immunity of a the body by damaging white blood cells. I also look into
common practices used to manage and cure these diseases, and attempt to find out how
sustainable they are.
Toby Orpen-Palmer How far did the policies of glasnost and perestroika implemented by
Mikhail Gorbachev affect the collapse of the communist system and the dissolution of the
Soviet Union?
On 31st December 1991 the Soviet Union and the Communist system within it collapsed.
‘glasnost’ (openness) and ‘perestroika’ (restructuring) were terms coined by Mikhail
Gorbachev and are widely seen to be the cause of the collapse. Not all historians agree.
Walter Laqueur suggests that glasnost was particularly important. However, Edward Acton
contends that Khrushchev’s Speech in 1956 with its admonition of Stalin, the August 1991
coup, the rise of Boris Yeltsin and his exploitation of the August 1991 putsch were possibly
more pertinent causes of the collapse. In contrast, Hansen and Curtis believe emphasis should
be put on the rise of Solidarity Trade Union as the dominant cause. All these factors played
their part, although too great a prominence may have been given to glasnost and perestroika
as a cause; they themselves probably did not end the communist system in the Soviet Union
but without them it is unlikely that the regime would have collapsed when it did.
Ming Pan Is the best government the one that governs the least?
"That government is best which governs least", wrote Thoreau, in his essay entitled
‘Resistance to Civil Government’ (‘Civil Disobedience’). He expanded this further and
articulated his belief, “that government is best which governs not at all”. Whilst Thoreau saw
the government as an obstacle to liberty and development of civilisation, government power
leads to arguments in the field of economics. This essay explores the potential effects of “less
government” over the economy. It unveils the incompatibility between the theoretical
predictions about “less government” and the empirical facts by referring to the recent
subprime crisis and explains the contradiction with irrationality, appealing for the awareness
of the great importance of government regulation.
*Sung Jin Park How do social factors influence health?
In many societies around the world there is a significant correlation between physical and
mental health and the social class to which individuals belong. This is a complex web of
correlations that is determined by many interacting factors such as education, poverty, stress,
unemployment and depression to name but a few. Their sum affects the overall health of
individuals. In this essay, I attempt to provide evidence of these correlations and of the way in
which they relate to social class. Furthermore, I will try to discuss the mechanics through
which some of these factors influence health. I will pay particular attention to how these
influences affect the lower socio-economic classes.
Patrick Parke
M.A.D or Madness? The Dangers of the Nuclear Age
With advanced technology all around us, our lives are a whole lot easier, but how do you
know it all benefits us? How do we know that tomorrow the world will be as it was yesterday?
My essay will explore the weapons that are kept so secret by our governments, with the
potential to destroy this planet, and I will seek out the truth about how safe we really are,
from others and also from ourselves. I will look at the technology behind it all and the physics
that makes it possible, and determine whether it is M.A.D, or just madness?
*Edward Parsons Why are Jamaicans so good at sprinting?
Since Jamaica joined the Olympic Games in 1948, this small island has won 67 medals. Out of
these 67 medals 63 have been won in sprinting events . Jamaica has a population of only
2,709,300 and to have this medal tally is an outstanding feat. This equates to 1.46 gold
medals per 1 million people, compared this to China with 1 gold for every 43 million people.
So in the following essay I am planning to discuss the possible reasons why Jamaica is
producing this high calibre of sprinting athletes. Could it be simply in the Jamaican culture that
everyone wants to be a sprinter like their idols or are their sprinting abilities grown from the
inhumanity of slavery?
*Akshay Patel Should euthanasia be legalised within the UK?
“The painless killing of a patient, suffering from an incurable or painful disease or in an
irreversible coma.” In the Netherlands and Switzerland euthanasia is legal although in a
majority of countries, including the UK, euthanasia is considered to be illegal, and in the UK it
can lead to a sentence of up to fourteen years. However, its legalisation within the UK is being
disputed and the debate amongst society is whether it is a possible regulated end to
unnecessary suffering or an uncontrollable act against what is ‘morally right’. Is it not our
moral right to put an end to someone’s helpless suffering? Or is it a pathway to legalising the
murders of many vulnerable patients? I shall discuss the consequences of euthanasia on
society and its impact on the NHS, and what I believe should be done in response to this issue.
*Aidan Patrick How secret are your secrets?
Every day thousands of messages are sent over the Internet. From bank details and credit
card numbers, right down to recipes and friendly messages. How is this information secure?
How do you and I protect our privacy? These are the questions this essay looks at. It
approaches the problem in two ways. For a system to be secure, it must be mathematically
hard to break. But this is not all that is required. Security is about the whole system; if any
one part is weak, the whole thing can come crashing down. The solution, the RSA algorithm,
will be looked at in depth. Through a combination of mathematical and logical steps, the idea
of a “public key” will be examined. The system that protects your information will be
scrutinized, and a rather shocking truth revealed: that possibly the most important security
algorithm mechanic written sits on a mathematically unproven conjecture.
Omeed Peiris To what extent should a Financial Transactions Tax be implemented on
financial markets?
Whilst the introduction of a wide-ranging Financial Transactions Tax has been debated
vigorously between opponents and proponents recently, there have been smaller yet similar
taxes in the past such as the current Stamp Duty which operates in the UK’s financial market.
The Tax has both benefits and negatives to its introduction in the market and whilst many
believe the negatives outweigh the benefits its introduction is still a major goal for some
politicians, thus making it a serious debate topic and one which I find fascinating. Until the
economic crisis is finally over and strong growth has been established, ways in which to try
and curtail the banking sector will continue to be at the forefront of the public eye.
*Oli Picken How independent is the judiciary?
The 'Separation of Powers' is a phrase coined by the French philosopher Montesquieu. It is
based on the constitutional system of the United Kingdom and it concerns the separation of
powers between the judiciary, the executive and the legislature. Montesquieu stated that 'the
independence of the judiciary has to be real'. If this is right, then it is not sufficient that the
judiciary simply appears independent; there must be actual as well as apparent independence.
In my essay, I will consider how independent the judges are and how independent they
appear to be, particularly in the light of recent developments and trends, such as the
Constitutional Reform Act and judicial review.
Alex Piers Would a command economy be more economically efficient than any other
current Economy?
The basic economic problem is that of finite resources and infinite wants. Therefore, the
central problem is how best to use those scarce resources. The definition of efficiency is
maximum output per input, in other words the least amount of waste. There is definitely room
for improvement in the efficiency of all countries. This is because whereas a planned economy
is more efficient, freedom of choice lowers efficiency. For example; when a school pupil
receives his or her GCSE results and achieves the highest marks in Physics, but not liking the
subject drops it and therefore opts out of possibly being the next Steven Hawking. This means
that as a resource they are not being used as efficiently as they could be. Under this new
system they would not be given the choice of taking the subjects they like most, but the ones
they are best at. Unfortunately the ability to implement such a system is near impossible in
the society we live in as rebellion and corruption would ensue.
Giles Poole How important was the role of Italian nationalism in the unification of Italy?
In the period before 1861, a combination of factors led to the unification of Italy. Two men in
particular played important roles; Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian revolutionary and hero of
theRisorgimento; and Count Cavour, Prime Minister of Piedmont. However, while the actions
of Garibaldi were certainly motivated by Italian nationalism, it is certainly arguable that
Cavour never truly believed in or desired the unification of Italy, only the expansion of
Piedmont. This would therefore suggest that Piedmontese expansionism was an important
factor in the unification of Italy. Furthermore, we cannot ignore the role played by Mazzini,
who was the first real figurehead of Italian Nationalism; as well the role of the secret societies
such as Young Italy and the Carbonari, who were passionate believers in the cause of Italian
nationalism.
Julian Potsios Just how austere is austerity?
The on-going European sovereign debt crisis is the worst of its kind in history, and is affecting
all the EU countries with many unveiling ‘austerity packages’ in an attempt to reverse their
excessive spending. The focus of this essay is to evaluate how effective austerity is in reducing
government debt compared with other policies such as those being employed in the United
States. The biggest pitfall of austerity is evident today in the UK where we have gone back into
recession. When countries implement these measures during times of recession they severely
hamper the recovery on top of further worsening the level of public debt. A viable alternative
is fiscal stimulus, which seems to be more effective in reducing debt through kick-starting the
economy and generating more revenue. However, many countries in the Eurozone cannot
afford to service any more debt due to sharp rises in their cost of borrowing and consequently
austerity may be their only option.
Thomas Purwar Is Nanotechnology the future of modern medicine?
Until recently, the search for cures for terminal illnesses and degenerative conditions such as
cancer, Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis had frustrated scientists and physicians alike.
However, a new, rapidly developing field of technology has opened the door to medical
breakthroughs and advancements unheard of in the modern era. This field is Nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology has been defined as the science and engineering involved in the design,
synthesis, and application of materials whose smallest functional organization is on the
nanometre scale. Particles and objects of the nanometre scale interact with the laws of
physics differently, and the potential is immense. Medical nanorobots, drug delivery systems,
molecular tumour markers and even artificial phagocytes have been mentioned and
researched as possible breakthroughs. Like Banting and Best's discovery of Insulin in the 1920s
and Fleming's discovery of Penicillin, the next great medical discovery could be on the horizon.
Haydn Read How have the architectural developments of the skyscraper aided twenty-first
Century life?
A desire to build big is nothing new, these days the challenge to build the tallest, strongest and
biggest buildings is everywhere, and everybody is fighting to build the biggest building in the
city, country, and of course, the largest building in the world. In the modern metropolis, where
we are overcome by towering glass and steel structures it is very easy to forget that the
building that has made our lives possible is the skyscraper, a very modern advancement in
construction technology which has completely transformed twenty-first Century life.
Felix Rees To what extent do the monarchies of Spain and the United Kingdom vindicate the
notion that constitutional monarchy is beneficial for a nation?
Although constitutional monarchy may not be considered the most important or pressing of
issues currently, it has been and still is a disputed topic with strong views on each side. This
essay discusses the reasons both in support and against constitutional monarchy as a form of
government, using the examples of the two largest European monarchies, the Spanish and the
British. The political, social and economic strengths and weaknesses of these two monarchies
and the notion of constitutional monarchy in general are examined by looking at the reigns of
Juan Carlos and Elizabeth II, the attitudes of the nations towards their monarch and the role
monarchs and monarchies can play in modern Spanish and British society.
*Olly Rees Why do we forget things?
This essay is a brief investigation into the vast and complicated subject of human memory. In
order to address the title question, a basic understanding of what the human memory system
is must first be established. The essay then goes on to tackle the title question from a number
of standpoints. To begin with, it looks at what may be considered as normal memory loss in
both short-term and long-term settings. The question of whether there is some evolutionary
beneficial reason as to why we may forget things is also contemplated through the use of a
particularly unusual and interesting disorder. Finally, abnormal memory loss of both long-term
factual and much overlooked implicit procedural memory are investigated. These types of
memory loss are explored by considering the general damage caused by particular diseases.
Freddie Riviere How necessary is sleep?
There are many uncertainties about this subject, and many things that we do not yet know,
but the reasons behind sleep are the focus of major scientific research and our knowledge
around the issue is increasing rapidly. What happens when we sleep, and how is it brought
about? Why do we actually need it, and what are the repercussions of deprivation? In this
essay, I’ll go over those questions and explain the ideas behind multiple theories and
exceptions thereof; no one is certain of the answer yet, but the world is full of opinions, and
hopefully through this essay I’ll demonstrate how sleep is not just a waste of time.
*Owain Roberts Was the fall of the Byzantine Empire caused by the rise of Venice as an
independent trading state?
The Byzantine empire was one of the greatest empires to emerge during the middle ages;
forged out of the embers of the Roman Empire it dominated early European and middle
eastern life. Yet by 1453 it had dramatically crumbled under a number of different pressures.
In this essay I seek to discuss the causes of the decline of the Byzantine Empire and to debate
the theory that ultimatly the rise of Venice as an independent trading state led to the collapse
of the empire. I come to the conclusion that the empire, unable to align itself either with the
european Catholic world of the west or the Muslim world of the east, was unable to cope with
these pressures and ultimately after the collapse of its own internal strength was destined to
fall.
*Siôn Roberts
How will the London 2012 Olympics uphold sustainable design?
When the London committee first bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games in 2004, they put
forward a radical plan to the International Organising Committee. To go one further than to
host the biggest sporting event in the world, they proposed to hold the first ever truly
sustainable Olympic and Paralympic games, aiming to ‘inspire a generation’. Sustainable
design has emerged as a guiding concept in the creation of a new kind of built environment:
one that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.” I will examine how the Games hope to deliver lasting
environmental and community benefits through careful planning in four main areas:
materials, venues, transport and the environment.
Lawrence Robinson How has religion affected health care throughout history?
This essay explores the various influences that religious beliefs have had on medical practice
since the origins of public health care as we know it today. From temples and churches being
used to tend to the sick, to the earliest modern hospitals being founded by wealthy clerics and
run by parishioners, religion has always made an impact on health care. However, this impact
may not have always been positive, and today, with a more secular view of medicine, there
can often be conflict between these two common areas of controversy. The essay concludes
that the two were once almost one and the same, and because of this it is very hard to
determine what healthcare would be like today without the influence of religion. Overall,
however, the essay finds that religion has had a positive effect on healthcare, but may not
continue to do so in the future.
Tom Rosier Has the power of money corrupted the purity of sport?
Watching Roger Federer fall to his knees to claim his seventh Wimbledon title was a moment
that will remain in my memory forever. However having grown up in today’s environment it
would also have been in the subconscious of the seventeen million viewers that Federer had
the distinctive Nike ‘Swoosh’ on all eight pieces of clothing. This increasing mass advertising is
influencing all sports; therefore I will be investigating whether the sporting and broadcasting
oligopolies such as BSkyB, Nike and Adidas have influenced sport for the better or the worse.
The main case study I will be looking at is the Adidas ball used in the 2010 world cup known as
the ‘Jabulani’: how it affected the ‘beautiful game’ and whether Adidas had too much
economic power for FIFA to decline this state of the art modern ball. Then I look at other
sports to see if ascending wages and money being pumped into sports has hindered the purity
of amateur sport.
Jonathan Rumble Who created the television and how has the introduction of television and
the internet changed the way in which the media industry operates?
My essay is based upon the history of the television and the way in which it, along with the
internet, has affected the media industry. I decided to write about this topic because I find the
media industry fascinating due to the fact that newspaper firms still manage to make money,
even when their readers can easily read the news online free of charge. I then wanted to find
out more about the industry and so I looked into the history of the television and sought the
difficulties faced along the process of making it. I finally explain why there is more than one
inventor and consider the question of how the television and the internet have affected
modern society.
Nasser Sabbagh What are the main inefficiencies found in modern automotive engines and
how can they be improved?
The implications of inefficient engine design in motor vehicles could have a massive effect on
the global environment, from climate change and global warming to the availability of
resources for future use. These issues have led me to raise the issue of how we can improve
the efficiency of engines and therefore potentially improve the future of the world
environment. Through my research into this topic, I have discovered that there are a few ways
to improve current engines, such as lubrication methods and catalysts, which may be the best
option in the short term. However, in the long term, it is probably better to implement a
different engine structure which would allow for a much-improved efficiency compared to
current engines once the technology is available.
Saman Sabeti Evaluate the profitability of financial markets during and after a period of
economic struggle?
My essay explores some of the finest investment theories created by investor Benjamin
Graham in the 1920s, later developed by the third richest man, Warren Buffet. The theory
suggests that one looks for companies that have ‘durable competitive advantage’: steadily
rising ten year EPS (earnings per share) and preferably non-technology based firms. Buffet
maintains that the best time to invest in equities is when no one else wants them, the
intention being to purchase some of the best companies at bargain prices. Warren has been
known to cash out his investments pre-recession, venturing into the abyss when the market
plummets. In 1973 he acquired 1,727,765 shares in the Washington Post Company for $6.36 a
share at a total cost of $11 million. Today that investment is worth approximately $616 million
which is a 5,500% increase in value equating to an 11.17% compounding annual rate of return
for thirty-nine years.
*Jacob Sacks-Jones
journalism?
The digital revolution: how is new technology shaping history and
Since the Stone Age, humanity has developed technology to its advantage. Now, in the
twenty-first Century, we find ourselves in a new era: the Digital Age - with Facebook statuses,
Tweets, the Like button, and viral videos. This digital revolution, like its Industrial predecessor,
has helped to create a further globalised world - and one in which history and journalism are
changed forever. In the Digital Age events unfold in new and unprecedented ways, with
‘citizen journalism’ taking a leading role in some of the most significant events of the century
so far, from the Arab Spring to the UK Riots of 2011. New technology is irreversibly shaping
the way in which history and journalism are made. There is just one video of John F Kennedy’s
assassination. Imagine if he had been shot today: there would be hundreds of photographs
from different angles and #RIPKennedy would be trending on Twitter.
Jaimin Sadiwala Based on a theoretical strategy, how is conducting a pre-emptive strike on
terrorists beneficial to the US and the EU?
This essay focuses largely on game theoreytic analysis of how countries can act or react to
terrorist threats. Governments have been extending their research into counter-terrorist
measures and this essay will give an insight on whether it is better to be reactive or proactive
against terrorism. Models have been conducted, based on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, to show
how different actions have different outcomes. It tries to show why each player would choose
a specific course of action based on varying incentives. The models deduce the logic and
reasoning applied to situations (games) for the player to gain the optimum result – displaying
why players behave in particular ways and to foresee future behaviour.
Luca Samara How does Jose Saramago show a breakdown in human nature and criticise
society in his novel ‘Blindness’ and what does this blindness symbolize?
My extended essay is based on the English translation of Saramago’s book ‘Ensaio sombre a
Cegueira’ meaning ‘Blindness’. The essay describes the way in which Saramago shows a
breakdown in human nature in the book, for example comparing humans to animals through
imagery which is particularly striking. The essay then shows the ways in which Saramago
openly criticises society such as touching on the idea of people simply following others blindly
without any of their individuality or own thought going into actions. There are many criticisms
throughout the book as Saramago lives up to his reputation as a particularly outspoken
author. The essay ends with an attempt to understand what this blindness in the novel
symbolises and what view Saramago is trying to evoke, which is that this blindness represents
people’s naivety and lack of judgement in today’s society and therefore is another way that
the author criticises sections of society.
*Alec Saunders Why do people accept the risks of anabolic androgen steroids?
Despite the well-documented health risks associated with anabolic steroids their usage is on
the rise. Due to more stringent drug testing and harsh punishments for drug cheats anabolic
steroid use among elite athletes is rare but usage among young adults continues to grow.
Many users do not participate in competitive sport of any nature but see it as a short cut to a
more muscular physique and more confident character, not recognising the physical and
psychological effects. This essay explains these damaging effects on health and considers why
people are willing to accept such serious risks for such small gains.
*Johnny Savile Can onshore wind power become a reliable resource?
Fossil fuels are a finite resource and, if we cannot soon find alternative renewable sources of
energy, then the lights will start going out. In the UK our main answer to this problem is
onshore wind power but can this be a reliable resource? The first and most prevalent problem
with onshore wind power is that it is reliant upon a force of nature that can be mercilessly
intermittent. Secondly, wind power must be able to be cost competitive with fossil fuels
otherwise it will not attract investment and will never provide any significant amount of
power. Thirdly, attaining planning permission for the construction of wind turbines,
considered unsightly and a nuisance by some, is difficult and time consuming. All these
problems can be overcome and, if they are, onshore wind power looks set to play a significant
role in our future energy mix.
Mark Schunemann What do prayers do to prayers?
In this essay, I aimed not only to investigate what goes on within the minds and brains of
those who pray regularly, but also to question whether this has any bearing on a healthy way
of living life. My first assertion was that meditation is an innate part of prayer - it must involve
a provocation and response. Following this, I went on to show the fascinating neurological
research on the brain in the field of meditation and prayer. Prayer essentially has a positive
effect on the mind which is unique to this particular form of mental exercise.
Alexander Scott-Malden How did British attitudes to empire change in the nineteenth
Century? What effect did this have on the development of the British Empire?
Economic histories such as Niall Ferguson’s ‘Empire’ have become the de facto way of
studying the Empire. In many ways this is a useful approach as the Empire from its conception
had always been an economic enterprise; however, in the nineteenth Century new social and
cultural trends also had a profound impact on its development. Factors such as the abolition
of the slave trade, missionary movement, emigration and Victorian colonisers such as James
Brooke left an Empire at the turn of the twentieth Century conflicted by its aims for economic
growth and a sense of moral duty to those it colonised.
Seth Selbaraju How can ideas from behavioural economics help solve our future economic
problems?
This essay gives an introduction to some popular ideas in the fast-growing field of behavioural
economics, and how they can improve our decisions to have a much greater impact on a wider
scale. I wrote this because I believe that behavioural economics holds the answer in
preventing future economic meltdowns, specifically for the UK. The UK macroeconomy is
currently fuelled by consumption and investment, and so two key areas to explore would be
saving and financial markets. We first look at how our irrationality can make us spend too
much, then how our brain can be tricked and finally the big areas of loss aversion and
morality. Behavioural economics may currently only be a field, but give it time and I believe it
will become a subject in its own right.
Mikhail Semenyuk The mechanics of thoughts – an introduction to logic
One’s mind is certainly very unique. There is no doubt that having read this paragraph to the
end, you will already have built up thoughts about the rest of this essay, with one detail that
would only have occurred to you. However, this is not to say that all of your thoughts are
unique. In fact, you would probably have shared the same thoughts (making up the most of
your thoughts) with other readers. This is, of course, to be expected, since we are all humans,
and live in rather similar environments. Although the thoughts that might have occurred are
interesting in their own right, it is on the process through which these thoughts have occurred
that I would like to focus. To further that, how can we come to think that something like God
may exist?
Justin Seymour Will the US dollar lose its status as the world’s reserve currency, and if so,
what would be the consequences to the US macroeconomy?
In the four years since the financial crisis of 2008, the US economy has weakened greatly and
the once reliable ‘safe-haven’ status of the US is threatened. After fifty years at the centre of
the financial world, should the dollar be replaced as the reserve currency? To answer this
important question, I investigate the development of the US dollar’s dominance; was it
intentional or a consequence of US policy? Then, I explore what has changed: has the world
turned its back on America as other viable alternatives emerge? I believe the euro, yuan, and
special drawing right (SDR) are well placed to emerge, either as a mix of reserves, or as a
precursor to a new system. However, changing reserve currency is a lengthy process, and
although I expect the dollar to lose reserve status eventually, it will take so long that any
consequences to the US economy will be minimal.
Yang Shi How many square numbers are also triangular numbers, where are they, and what
other problems lead to Pell's equation?
Square numbers and triangular numbers were declared when ancient Greek people put stones
into various patterns in order to record numbers. Pell's equation is an equation that can help
us find numbers that are both square and triangular. Also, this unique equation had
connections to several other important subjects in Mathematics, such as algebraic number
theory and Chebyshev polynomials. In this essay, the process of finding the Pell's equation is
illustrated. Meanwhile, some other subjects which are connected to this specific equation are
investigated.
Angus Simpson To what extent was Sima Yi responsible for the reunification of China in 280
CE?
The essay that I have written is referring to one of the most important parts of Chinese
History. Lo-Kuan Chuang's ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ is the most famous historical
novel in China and it describes and analyses the period of the three kingdoms and how China
fell into chaos. However, one question that I felt was left unanswered was who or what was
actually responsible for reunifying the three states? Throughout history, countries rise and fall,
"Empires wax and wane", but I felt that in this piece of history, it was largely unclear as to who
contributed the most towards bringing together a fragmented and war-torn China.
*Vhinoth Sivakumaran How do drugs affect the brain to cause addiction?
Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the largest challenges facing society today, and current
treatments are failing to cure the large majority of addicts. The full biological mechanisms of
addiction are still unknown, and research is still ongoing. Recent breakthroughs, though, have
shown that drug abuse can produce permanent changes to the circuitry in the brain related to
the brain's 'pleasure centre', and more knowledge about this could lead to more effective
treatments for addiction. A greater understanding of the neural underpinnings of addiction
could also help to us to understand how our behaviour is related to brain function in general,
and perhaps even provide an insight into the nature of human thought, mental processes or
even consciousness itself.
Rishan Skantharajah Is dependance on fossil fuels bad economics?
Our dependance on fossil fuels has contributed to some of the biggest disasters such as the BP
oil spill and has also caused political tensions between nations. As well as this, one can say
that it has continued to contribute to greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere during
production and the consumption of fuels such as petroleum; however, fossil fuels are the
main trade product of many nations and are the reason for their continued economic growth
even in times of recession. So is our dependance on fossil fuels bad economics or is it just
unfortunate that they have negative externalities?
Jack Spicer To what extent is racism in Spanish football symptomatic of wider issues?
Throughout the world, racism in sport has been a massive issue, often completely ignored and
left untreated by the authorities purely because of their ignorance to this ever-growing
problem. However, racism has been particularly rife in Spanish football and, unlike countries
such as the United Kingdom, it looks likely to continue if the authorities who hold power in
Spanish football continue to turn a blind eye to this issue. Racism is an issue with society and
not solely confined to Spanish football. I argue that racism happens throughout Spain, in
business, day to day life and every sport, not just football. If this racism is going to stop or at
least decrease and become less extreme, then the authorities need to start to try and educate
people through schools and programmes and put pressure on clubs and businesses to punish
offenders a lot more seriously and with no hesitation.
Dominic Stancombe
humanity?
How and when did we become human and could we lose that
There is no clear defining factor, which sets us apart from animals. We define ourselves using
a range of factors such as the ability of forethought and the creation of religion. Finding at
what point in our evolution we could be said to be human requires, therefore, the use of a
range of clues from the archaeological record. Looking at artefacts such as the first cave
paintings presents a view into our past and permits us to speculate at what point we acquired
the characteristics by which we define ourselves. We can see from anthropological study that
under extreme circumstances acts of altruism and social ties can become a weakness. Studies
such as that of Collin Turnbull in his book ‘The Mountain People’ provide a warning that if the
environment were right we could evolve to lose our humanity.
Sam Stewart How does the engineering of ancient civilisations affect us today?
This essay looks at the massive contribution to the development of ancient civilisations such
as Greece, Rome and Egypt that engineers and engineering inventions made and the impact
that they have had on us today. The provision of clean drinking water, fast transport, largescale irrigation and large-scale construction are taken for granted in a modern society – but
they all have their origins in ancient civilisation. From the aqueducts that allowed the Romans
to establish and expand their towns and cities, the Roman roads and bridges that allowed
them to conquer vast areas, the Egyptian pyramids and irrigation systems used to water the
crops, to the Greek screw pumps and cranes, many of the same basic engineering principles
are still in use today. We may not know their names but we still owe a huge debt to these
unsung engineers from ancient civilisations.
*Matthew Stone
How has the ‘American Dream’ had a negative effect on socio-economic
mobility in the US?
Much has been said of the death of the American Dream but I wish to focus on the way in
which the concept of the dream itself has actually aided in its own downfall; how the focus on
the success of the individual created by it is actually at fault for creating the insurmountable
divide between rich and poor and has created America’s very own upper and lower classes.
Patrick Stuff Will China be able to sustain high economic growth?
The Chinese economy is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with growth rates
averaging 10% over the past 30 years. However, this extreme growth inevitably invites the
question: will China be able to maintain this growth? Chinese growth rates had remained
strong throughout the global financial crisis; although recent growth rate figures suggest the
economy may be slowing. Is this a sign for the future? If growth really is slowing then what
options does the Chinese government have? Should they pump more money into the
economy and stimulate growth through construction, infrastructure and real estate. Or are
the traditional drivers of Chinese economic growth beginning to slow down, in which case the
government may have to diversify its economic strategy to more creative and innovative
industries.
Roger Suen How did fish evolve into tetrapods?
About 390 million years ago, fish were the only vertebrates on our planet. It was 30 million
years later that we first find tetrapods— quadrupedal vertebrates that walked on land. The
existence of various species of plants and arthropods, which have evolved from sea to land
420 million years ago, provided sufficient energy for the survival of early tetrapods. The
evolution of fish into tetrapods has been known as the most important transition of animals,
as it enabled vertebrates to explore the land and therefore forming a new niche. Species that
left the sea for land would also have had fewer predators and competitors for food. However,
in order for fish to become completely adapted to the land environment, they had to
overcome quite a few hindrances, both external and internal.
Kane Suppel Why did Caesar invade Gaul and to what extent was his leadership the main
reason for the success of the invasion?
This essay discusses Caesar’s motivation behind invading the vast, barbarian land of Gaul and
to what extent was his leadership the major reason for the success of the invasion. The essay
looks at what events in Gaul caused Caesar to invade, such as the conflict between different
tribes, and how the famous First Triumvirate played its part in giving Caesar the base from
which to invade Gaul. The essay then looks at the reasons behind the success of the invasion;
was it the military mastery of Caesar and his famous victory at Alesia or the lack of unity
among the tribes of Gauls, who caused their own undoing. The essay also delves into the inner
workings of the Roman legion and the technological advantages they had over the Gauls.
*Jonty Sutherland To what extent can we view Malcolm X as a positive role model?
Malcolm X was a highly controversial figure in modern American history. He has often been
seen in a negative light because of his lawless youth and his outspoken criticism of white
America. Others have found things to admire in him, from his ability to inspire unity in African
Americans to his campaigning against racism on the international stage. In this essay I look at
the media’s portrayal of Malcolm X and the reality of his life as a whole in order to judge
whether we can view Malcolm X as a positive role model. The essay demonstrates that there
is a sound case for him to be considered a positive role model.
Shivam Talukdar
crisis?
To what extent were governments responsible for the 2008 economic
The effects of the global financial crisis became apparent in late 2007, when stock market
prices fell rapidly and governments were forced to bail out major financial organisations. The
cause of this crisis is complex; as a result there are many differing views on who should be
blamed. The two main entities involved in bringing about the crisis were the private sector, for
a sense of greed that led to unnecessary risk taking, and governments themselves. In this
essay, I intend to explore the various ways that governments were involved in causing the
crisis and, in the light of this, how much of the blame they deserve.
Michal Tarnowski At what stage is the development of quantum computing?
In this essay I explain the difference between electronic and quantum computing, outline the
advantages of the latter and discuss ways in which this technology is developing and diffusing
into the market. The dangers of quantum algorithms for cryptography and possible quantum
resolution of this problem are also briefly described.
Samuel Tefera
property?
To what extent can people secure their pensions by investing in overseas
As Europe feels the effect of the recession, pensioners are suffering. As governments cut back
with harsh welfare reforms, state pensions are becoming smaller and smaller and those with
large savings for retirement are experiencing more taxation, favouring those with equity
based in property or land. If the investment is made abroad in countries with growing
economies, beyond securing their financial future into retirement, they can even reap profits
as the properties they have invested in experience increased demand. I intend to explore how
people in Europe can take advantage of the growth of such economies overseas by investing
their money in overseas property, by researching the ways people are being encouraged by
companies to do so and the successes of such organisations.
Joseph Thomas Hacker Ethics and Open Source Software: how a unique mentality can affect
the development, adoption and commercial success of software
This essay brings to light how the nature of hobbyist software development came to affect the
ways in which globally used software is maintained, billion dollar business models are derived
and civil servants check their e-mails. With open source technologies powering everything
from mobile phones to supercomputers, the capabilities of collaborative development are
certain, but overshadowed by profit-driven and often incidentally damaging views on
property. It is said that big things have small beginnings, but how often is it that world leading
technologies, and pioneering views on intellectual property have their roots in the nonchalant,
yet passionate nature of the casual programmer?
Charles Thompson Should it be a doctor’s prerogative to treat so as to reduce suffering at
the expense of prolonging life?
Almost every week we hear of a medical case where someone is living in pain and wants to
end their life. So what are their reasons and why are they so controversial? This essay seeks to
discuss the ethical and moral issues that arise when treating patients apparently against their
will, it addresses subjects such as who is responsible for your life and what problems arise
from refusing treatment. Other issues tackled in this essay are whether prohibiting assisted
suicide is morally wrong and to what extent can we be in control of exercising our will in the
future.
Ben Tseng How will architecture in the future be different from the present?
Styles change constantly in this ever-changing world. Architecture has been considered as the
art of designing buildings for a long time. Will the architecture styles under the current
situation change over time as well? What will they change into? With the influence of the
advancement of modern technology, it is much harder to tell which one is more important,
fancy appearance or function of the buildings? Sustainable architecture seems to be the key in
this area. This essay provides research information about some possible pathways that future
architecture may fall into and the prediction of what future cities will look like.
*Filip Twarowski How do rockets behave in fluids?
The essay is a mathematical description of obtaining a model of fluid flow past a rocket body. I
hereby present the way I came up with the model, beginning with derivation of mass
continuity differential equation, through finding stream functions of point sources up to
structuring them to obtain an image of a rocket. In the last paragraph I decided to compare
the computed streamlines of the flow with the ones obtained in a simple experiment, where I
put a rocket model into water and attempted to take a photograph of streamlines. The project
proved that even though my assumptions in modeling were rather significant, the model is
accurate to a large degree.
*Joe Tyndall Is the new French fiscal policy a model for the rest of the EU to follow?
In 2008, France with Nicolas Sarkozy at the helm, and most of Europe's economies, were
plunged into a serious recession. Earlier this year the French electorate voted for change and
installed a new Socialist government under Francois Hollande, which have taken bold steps in
an attempt to rid France of its excessive trade deficit by 2017. With the introduction of
dramatically high levels of taxation, many of Hollande's moves have made him unpopular not
only with upper classes but also with many middle class voters .This essay examines not only
what he pledges to do in his five year cycle, but how he has fared so far, failing to reduce
consumer spending and re-launch French Industry. Many praised his ideas initially and some
suggested it could pave a new path for some of Europe's economies to follow but with recent
failings, that popular opinion has taken a dramatic U-turn.
Alex Ubah The troubles of a single stage to orbit
On the 21st of July 1969, Neil Armstrong opened a door into the world of space exploration by
being the first person to walk on another world. Forty three years later, space flight is
becoming increasingly privatised. Companies are hamstrung by the enormous costs of
launching payload into orbit. It costs in the price range of $15,000 to $20,000 to lift a mere 1
kilogram into orbit. A single stage to orbit vehicle may prove to be the cheaper solution. The
challenges involved with designing a single-staged rocket are numerous. Altitude
compensating engines, lightweight materials and choices of propellant are only part of the
problem. While the technologies needed are still in their infancy and single-stage propulsion
remains an elusive goal, it is hoped we are on the cusp of achieving what many consider to be,
the holy grail of space transportation.
Archie Vaughan Williams To what extent was the Mazzini movement responsible for the
Unification of Italy in 1870?
In my extended essay, I will examine the causes of 'Il Risorgimento'; the ‘resurgence’, which
unified the city and papal states of the Italian Peninsula in the nineteenth century. I study the
importance of Guiseppe Mazzini in the unification of Italy, alonside the other roles of the
'Fathers of the Fatherland', Garibaldi and Cavour. However, this unification of Italy was not
simply a military movement ordered and completed by the leaders of the day. Historians have
put heavy impetus on the role of Italian literature and common culture in its influence upon
the Italian states during this time. One famous article told of how a stranger entered a café in
Milan and surprised its occupants by declaring himself ‘Italian’ rather than Milanese or
foreign, demonstrating an impetus upon rising cultural ideals.
Edward Vineall Western dominance: why and for how much longer?
In my essay I will try to answer two distinct but linked questions; why did the West rise to its
position as the first civilisation to become the pre-eminent set of nations the world over? I will
try to prove that it is through the competition that the western states developed both within
and between their nations, sheer luck at where they were placed on the world map and
democracy and the rule of law which allowed markets to function to their full extent and for
the best government for the country (most of the time) came to power through democracy. I
will then argue that understanding how the West came to power will allow us to make a
qualified opinion on whether the West still rules; does it still have these edges over the rest?
Yu Wan What is the possibility of underwater residential structures?
Since ancient times, humans have been constructing our shelters on the land rather than in
the water. I believe that everyone would be excited to imagine waking up to find Nemo
looking in your bedroom window after having a sweet dream under the sea. However, we are
used to building housings on the land. We need to make brand new considerations of factors
such as water pressure, corrosion, base on seabed etc rather than just gravity, wind and rain.
As science and technology develops, I believe humans are becoming more capable of dealing
with underwater structures in all ways. In the essay, I will discuss the possibility of structures
underwater for people to live in terms of general structures, construction and maintenance
and the consideration of materials.
*Andrew
Ward
How has an understanding of respiratory physiology and gas chemistry
allowed man to explore the oceans and beyond our atmosphere in space?
Over the last century, we have begun to explore the ocean depths and more recently outer
space. This essay charts one aspect of how this has been achieved, that of breathing and gas
exchange. The basic elements of scuba diving, both open designs and closed circuits which
incorporate carbon dioxide scrubbers, are discussed. Also, the cause and effects of
decompression sickness, the bends and how gas mixtures are tailored to avoid it. An account
is given of possibly the first submarine voyage in 1620 and how the atmosphere was
maintained. The life support system in a space station is shown to be very similar to that in a
modern submarine.
Christopher Watson How has the progressive use of the internet, and in particular social
media, changed our lives?
Since the first Internet page was created on the world wide web in 1991 the Internet has
evolved massively and is now one of the most important influences in our society. The
difference from how we live our lives today and how we did before it was created in 1991 is
highly visible and a large part of it is because of the internet and social media. In the modern
day the interent plays a very important role in how we do buisiness, how we have
relationships and simply how we talk and intereact with each other. The Internet has helped
some people but hindered others but it has in some way changed most of our lives.
Daniel Waugh What impact did the revolution in Saint Domingue have on European attitudes
towards slavery?
In 1791 slavery was at its peak in the colonies of the Caribbean and nowhere more so than in
the French-controlled colony of Saint-Domingue, which was the world’s most profitable slave
colony. It was a place of huge contrasts; it produced 60% of all France’s Caribbean trade in the
late 1700s. The revolution in Saint-Domingue 1791-1804 was crucial to changing european
views on slavery. The British campaign to take Saint-Domingue was a disaster, the new slave
leaders of the colony defeated them and had Britain captured the world’s richest slave colony
they may have not abolished the slave trade so easily. The British defeat by the slaves
challenged the perceptions of a racist country who viewed blacks as incapable, instead their
defeat of the white army forced a rethink of attitudes.
*Nick Weavers What was the challenge for WADA at the London 2012 Olympic Games?
This essay gives a brief insight in to how WADA, the World Anti-Doping Association, has had to
face a worldwide challenge which was to try and ensure that this year’s London 2012 Olympic
Games were as clean and free from the misuse of drugs as was possible. Several procedures
were needed to be put in place to give the best chance of making it a fair Olympic Games. The
essay looks at some of the measures that were put in place, including the taking over of the
state of the art laboratories owned by Glaxo Smith Kline alongside how the stringent testing
affected the athletes both before and during the 2012 Games.
*Toby Wells
What are the differences between standard French and the dialect spoken in
Canada?
Most foreigners who learn French are taught ‘standard’ or ‘metropolitan’ French, which is
based on the Parisian dialect; however a study of native speakers reveals that there exists a
large amount of linguistic diversity among different regions and dialects of France and other
francophone countries around the world. An example of this is in Canada where the dialect
spoken exhibits differences in phonology, syntax, and lexicon. For example, when comparing
standard French and Canadian French, we can see that as well as the use of Anglicisims, the
Canadians use the second person singular, personal pronoun ‘tu’ much more frequently.
Canadian French also demonstrates a different approach towards the gender of nouns where
the usage may be considered sexist. Historically speaking, the closest relative of Canadian
French is the seventeeth Century koiné of Paris, but fundamentally formal Canadian French
uses the same orthography and grammar as standard French, with some anomalies.
*Matt Wilcock Why did British patriotism experience unprecedented growth during George
III’s reign?
Between 1688 and 1815 the Georgian monarchs and their subjects found themselves
frequently at war with France: a Catholic, despotic trading rival and positively un-British
nation. This called into question the nature of British identity and patriotism. Patriotism was
and remains a malleable, flexible and imprecise ideological construction but it did offer a
partial or temporary solution to many tensions and divisions in Britain. During George III’s
regency (1760-1820) patriotism consisted of loyalty shown towards recognisably ‘British’
ideals such as Protestantism, commerce, the Empire, sound laws and personal liberty. These
loyalties became more intense and were taken by a much larger proportion of the population
- thus patriotism grew. This expansion is easily divisible in two different strands ; it was taken
up nationwide by those who saw an advantage in using or abusing the ideals listed above, and
secondly patriotism was used to justify a groups’ actions often in a conservative manner.
*Jonathan Wilson To what extent is environmental change responsible for forcing humanity
to adapt to new ways of living? And how resilient er socieities in the long-term??
In my opinion the response of humanity to environmental change can be broadly separated
into four main categories, three of which we share with animals; migration, adaptation and
extinction. The final category is almost exclusive to humanity, the ability to manipulate our
environment. In this essay I shall demonstrate how environmental change has forced different
populations to migrate which, as a result, has exposed those populations to different threats. I
shall also show the ingenuity of humanity that allows us to adapt our lifestyles to our changing
environment especially in how we extract an income from our environment. This ingenuity
also means that sometimes we do not have to adapt our behaviour but instead can adapt our
environment to suit our needs. Finally, I shall consider the relative importance of
environmental change in causing societal change.
Nick Wilson How do psychoactive drugs work and how are they used in medicine?
Psychoactive drugs play a huge part in all of our lives, though many of us may not realise it.
The range and variety of them is huge, from the legal to the illegal, from the harmful to the
medicinal staple. Many of us consume one or more of them every day. They can affect our
mood, behaviour, perception of the world and the way we think. This essay deals with how
these drugs actually affect the brain and how their extraordinary properties are used in
medicine to treat various conditions, both physical and psychiatric.
Freddy Wong Double jeopardy - has the UK done the right thing?
Double Jeopardy is legal jargon meaning being tried for the same charge more than once. It
has been banned from most legal systems due to the principle that "A man shall not be placed
in danger of his life for more than once" However, with the recent rapid development of
scientific forensics, it seemed that the need for allowing double jeopardy has become
increasingly clear. In view of this, the UK and many other western countries have reversed the
rule against double jeopardy in recent years. In this essay, I am going to address this view for
the change in the rule against double jeopardy and the critic's view and discuss if the rule
allowing double jeopardy now in the UK is too relaxed or too stringent.
*Simon Wong
A closer look at emerging vertical cities
Building tall, is of course, not unique to the present age. For all of recorded history, mankind’s
fascination with structures that rise toward the sky has been constant. The Egyptians devised
an ingenious system of moving rock to unprecedented heights as they completed the Great
Pyramids of Giza. Equally impressive were the great Gothic Cathedrals of France and the
medieval towers of Italy – symbols of religious or personal power meant to instil awe and
respect. For modern skyscrapers, the idea of power still exists but is more representative of
economic power as the modern skyscraper is usually a company’s headquarters. This essay
tries to explore the economics of skyscrapers, tries to understand them and learn the mistakes
developers have made when skyscrapers are left unfinished because they have simply run out
of finance; this is a very hot topic as population increases exponentially, horizontal land use is
under pressure and the only way is up, skyscrapers are now becoming vertical cities
compressing different land use into one, single, integrated structure, what we are discussing
here may well be the future of all our living space.
Bohan Wu Why is an abundance in natural resources not a measure of a country's economic
power anymore?
Long since human civilization existed, countries started to evaluate their power by comparing
the natural resources they possessed with others, for which resources determined the
production capacity. To gain more resources, a country could use military force and violence
to plunder from another. However, hundreds of years have passed, and right now the world
is more like an commodity, where all resources can be easily transported between countries
and states. With the tertiary sector developing at an astonishing rate, traditional industries
which include the use of natural resources are no longer considered as important as they
were. So, why is that the case? Why are the service sector and the financial market taking over
today's economic world? Why natural resources can no longer determine a countries'
economic power, or even become troubles against economic growth? In this essay, I am going
to explain the questions in more detail and reveal the facts under the seemingly ostentatious
surface of 'broad in territory and abundance in natural resources'.
Yilun Wu How do we apply areodynamincs into F1 cars?
As we know, downforce is very important for a F1 racing car and it is the dominant factor
during the season. It is the same principle that allows an aeroplane to rise off the ground by
creating lift from its wings and when it is used in reverse to apply force that presses the racing
car against the surface of the track. It can effectively increase the cornering speed and reduce
the chance of being overtaken by other opponents when it passes the corner. The
aerodynamicist's two main priorities are to create the maximum possible level of downforce,
and to minimisie drag. In this essay, I will provide the basic idea about how these two
priorities are achieved by various components of the car and how they interact with each
other to gain the optimised gound effect.
Yuchen Yang
Designer molecules - a modern developing technology?
As the technology of synthesis is developing rapidly, scientists do not only try to make natural
products, but also some artificial substances. Designer molecule, considered as a great
breakthrough on the field of synthesis, is observed under the background. The technology is
being applied more and more widely and deeply, in order to make a big difference with the
natural products. This essay means to make a brief introduction about this novel technology,
starting with simple chemical principles and knowledge. Then the discussion will go deep into
the nature, the basic process and possible applications. Finally, the bright prospects of
designer molecule will be described. This essay, hopefully, can build up a basic concept of
designer molecule.
Man To Yeung Can we cure Cancer?
Cancer is one of the most lethal diseases in our world. Can Cancer be cured? The treatments
known by most people are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy but they have their own
disadvantages. Since they are all limited by the location of the tumours, they have limited
effects when cancer spreads around our body. A new treatment for cancer is targeted
therapy. It can trace the cancer with the traits of that cancer so the targeted therapy has a
higher effect than others. However, it also has its own limit. There is a chance for the tumour
to mutate and change itself so targeted therapy is always used in combination with other
treatments.
*Ambrose Yim
Why is the sky blue?
The blue sky is seen as an inseparable part of our world and the reasons behind the sky’s blue
tint are not often questioned. Light interacts with air molecules since light is an
electromagnetic wave and atoms consist of charged electrons and nuclei. Under the classical
atomic model, light gives some of its energy to force atoms to oscillate. In oscillations atoms
reradiate the energy in all directions at the same rate as it is absorbed as light of the same
frequency. This interaction is called scattering and it disperses sunlight going through the
atmosphere. Light at the blue end of the visible spectrum is closer to the resonant frequencies
of air molecules as well as having a higher frequency so more blue light is scattered by air
molecules. The light reaching our eyes from the atmosphere is not direct sunlight but
scattered sunlight and therefore the sky appears blue.
Michael Yim Can Shanghai be the fourth international financial centre after London, New
York and Hong Kong?
Shanghai will be an new international financial centre in the coming future. It is just a matter
of time. Although the supports by the Chinese government and the Yangtze delta can speed
up the development of Shanghai, there are still some structural problems that Shanghai has to
face. In order to be an international financial centre, it should have three elements. Firstly, it
should have a rule of law to protect the companies. Secondly, it should be able to hold most of
the financial activities. In other words, diversification must be required in that city and thirdly,
all currency should be freely exchangeable in that city. From the three points above, we can
see that Shanghai can hardly be an international financial centre in the upcoming five years.
But after ten years, after RMB can be freely exchanged and all the “hardware” and “software”
in Shanghai are ready, Shanghai will probably become the largest international finance centre
in the Far East again.
David Young Why did the chicken cross the road?
“Should I always think before I act?” Clearly, in certain circumstances it would be
advantageous to do so; for example crossing the road or learning to dive. However, at other
times it appears to be advantageous not to think (in terms of conscious thought) before you
act – to rely on gut instinct, your subconscious mind. I found plenty of research to back up this
idea from various university studies. Letting your subconscious take over at the right time
could save your life, or at least cause you to make a better decision. This has been the focus
of my essay – the question whether it is better to use your subconscious or conscious mind in
everyday situations.
Max Zamblera Will artificial intelligence ever match the performance of the human brain?
In recent years technology has become more and more important in daily life. Many scientists
are currently working towards developing artificial intelligence that could transform human
lives. Rapid advances in technology have already resulted in some artificial intelligence which
can be used in robots to help them perform a large number of tasks. Furthermore
neuroscientists are currently working on technology that creates artificial versions of neurons
from the brain to process information. Could advances in these areas eventually lead to the
creation of artificial intelligence that is as advanced as the human brain? This essay explores
these issues in more detail.
Andrew Zhao Is (physical) pain a necessary inconvenience?
Extensive research with trial and error has shown us which activities are beneficial to our
health despite any pain they may cause whilst a vastly improved and thorough education
system has taught us the danger and hazards to avoid even before we have even experienced
them. Humans have, as always, managed to distort the natural process by learning to ignore
pain or simply avoid it completely and thus it is crucial that we fully understand any possible
consequences of our actions. This essay will discuss the evolution and classifications of pain,
the ways in which we alleviate it and the actual necessity of pain or the possible alternatives
to it.
Yan Zhuang What can we learn from structural failures of modern constructions?
This essay mainly focuses on some famous structural failures in history such as Broughton
Suspension Bridge in Scotland, Hagia Sophia and Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and discusses the
measures that can be taken to prevent these catastrophes. Combined with some basic physics
knowledge learned at AS, some successful constructions are also introduced, including their
designs and ways in which to protect these structures from failure. This essay shows my great
interest in civil engineering and also gives me a chance to research further into this area.