What makes us human We explore different interpretations of the age old question I Love Love Island What is the reality TV show taking the UK by a storm Tiffin Teachers Told us What Reminds Them of Summer Down music memory lane Why I’m having second thoughts about going to University The seemingly only option isn’t always best The Blue Bicycle Hello everyone! EDITORS We are absolutely delighted to present the first issue of the revamped Tiffin EDITOR: Girls’ School magazine: The Blue YASMIN PATEL Bicycle. Our magazine is by the school, for the MANAGING school. It’s a collection of opinions, DIRECTOR: thoughts, poems and creations: with the intention of showcasing the variety SAFIYYA ABDUL- of talent within our school. This issue certainly shows this, and we can’t wait MUJIB to share it with you. DESIGN EDITOR: This school makes the Blue Bicycle’s RAGHVI ARYA wheels go round – it’s cringey, but true. Contents What Makes Us Human? How to Escape a Bacterium: Then and Now Political Campaigns National Days, ‘What Makes Us Human’-themed playlist Why I’m Having Second Thoughts About Going to University 3 Facts to Make Yourself a Tiny Bit Cleverer Word Down the Corridor Love Island Alternatives to Netflix this weekend Drug Development Climate Change Much to do with Feminism Joining the Feminist Movement Fashion in London this Summer Undeniably unjust, and undemocratic: that’s Hollywood How to Get Into Podcasts What’s Gone Wrong? Britain’s political system demands reform Let’s Face the Reality of Climate Change Avocontrol Three Amazing Recipes Current Trends//SS17 Views on Feminism Why I Want A Tiny House Down Music Memory Lane What Makes Us Human Is it just our physical anatomy that defines our species? Our ability to create a language, use nature as tools and inter- act with others? Or is it rath- er the human ability to empa- thise and form emotions? We asked our writers to define what truly makes us human. by Georgia Botros The Cultural Perspective What Makes us Human ‘What makes us human?’ At first In 2002 Chadha’s film Bend it Through her film, Chadha glance, a seemingly difficult ques- like Beckham was released. She was able to confront prej- tion to answer; but upon further believed that the film’s support udice and unite people, in inspection, there are more possi- would come largely from the a way that trans-cends the bilities than first expected. How- British Asian community; so she boundaries of class, upbring- ever, I decided to search for pos- was surprised to find that at a ing, creed, gender, or race, si-ble answers, and stumbled upon screening of the film in Man- bringing people of vastly dif- a very interesting programme on chester, the play sold-out to a fer-ent backgrounds togeth- BBC Radio Two, hosted by Jer- largely white audience. Chadha er. This is the power of story- emy Vine, which asks this exact recalled a woman approach- telling. Perhaps it is a story’s question. ing her after the film’s screen- ability to invest in characters During this programme, Vine asks ing, noting that the movie was that are unlike ourselves, guests ranging from politicians in fact not a come-dy, but the thereby teaching the audi- to rappers, chefs to footballers, kind of film “we need around ence to be more accepting their answers tend to vary from here” referring to recent riots and re-spectful. Because ulti- solidarity to money. For example, between British Muslims and mately humans are emotion- film-maker Gurinder Chadha stat- white youths in Oldham. The al creatures, who want to ed it as; “our ability to share sto- woman went on; “your film feel “emotionally ful-filled” so ries which explore our universal shows us that we all want the to speak, and stories being human emotions”. She contin-ued, best for our kids no matter who authentic experiences, allow saying that a very human desire, we are.” just that to happen. Mov- which we all share, is to be trans- ies show us that we are not Gurinder Chadha, who rose to fame ported by stories, whether that is alone, that we’re all under- a film, a song, or a bedtime story. going fundamental human after directing popular film Bend It experiences. Like Beckham in 2002 So, in answer to the question ‘What makes us human?’ I’d like to argue that Chadha is right. Our ability to tell stories, that take someone on a journey through another person’s, and our shared love of hearing them, not only appeals to our humanity, but makes us all wonderfully human. LANGUAGE TOOLS Humans, typically, associate language The concept of abstraction (the awareness of poten- The Scientific Perspective with words, yet this is an overly simplis- tial uses of various items in nature) is frequently visit- What Makes us Human tic interpretation that ignores the nu- ed dur-ing discussions about human evolution. Many ances of other forms of communication. of us may be under the misconception that the ability However, human language is unique in to make and use tools is unique to humans. However, It is a basic human assumption, to view ourselves as su- the biological world, in that it allows “its there is contradictory evidence to suggest that tool perior to all species. Such beliefs are derived from tradi- users to express virtually any thought construction could be observed before the develop- they can conceptualize” (according W. ment of early humans. An article published in ‘Nature’ tional religious perspectives, which clearly depict humans Tecumseh Fitch). By contrast, animal magazine suggests that the stone flakes long associat- communication is far more limited, ed with the genus Homo can in fact be seen amongst as the primary creation. Yet in reality, we are have far solely allowing expressions related to wild-bearded capuchin monkeys in Brazil. This study survival. thus highlights the dexterity amongst primates and more in common with the primates that we look down There have been many attempts to their capacity for high level abstraction, as these could upon. We even share 96% of our DNA with chimps! teach primates to communicate with have been used as tools to butcher, which was car- signs. Initially, scientists were surprised ried out by hominins. This article will investigate the extent of the relationship to discover that primates, despite their There is also some evidence suggesting that chimps great intelligence, were not able to adopt can self-medicate, demonstrating a very high lev- between primates and humans, as we consider ‘What language as humans do. For example, in el of cogni-tive sophistication. For example, a study 1930s, scientists Winthorp and Luella has shown that Mahale chimps are able to vary their makes us human?’ Kellogg, raised their son, Donald, along diet according to the number and types of infection with a chimpanzee, Gua. Both were causing parasites within them. The chimps carefully treated similarly, yet Gia’s recognition of remove the outer bark and leaves of their food (V. INTERSPECIES BEHAVIOUR INTRASPECIES BEHAVIOUR words seemed to peak at 70, with her Amygdalina) which seem to reduce the reproduction Obviously, humans form close rela- Humans and chimps both ‘play’ in very similar ways, both ability to communicate unable to rival of nemotodes in the digestive system, as the chimps tionships with animals, like pets. But tend to engage in more solitary play in infancy and then de- that of Donald. In general, chimpanzees had fewer eggs in their faeces. Although the data is what we often overlook, or rather velop habits associated with complex social play with other and gorillas, when taught human-like unable to show that if the chimps’ method of medi- are unaware of, are the relationship animals as they grow older. While there are parallels with communications, [chimpanzees and go- cation is intentional, behavioural studies such as these occur between animals. Gordon developments in social interaction from childhood to ma- rillas] cannot progress far beyond the reveal considerable cognitive complexity of organ- Burghardt, ecologist at the Univer- turity in both species, there are still fundamental differences level of a four year old child. isms. sity of Tennessee, states “mother-in- in adult behaviour. For example, grooming is a key part of fant bonding, no one has a problem social cohesion in populations of apes, but some scientists extending that from a human to a believe that by the time of Homo habilis, the number of ‘We even share 96% chimpanzee… I think if you’re careful, individuals had grown so large that the value of this so- it’s pretty reasonable to extend be- cial activity had diminished. Although the origin and reason of our DNA with havioural similarities across species.” for grooming still re-mains unknown, there are claims that Although it is certainly true that nat- we have replaced this social activity with ‘vocal grooming’, chimps!’ ural predator-prey relationships ex- also known as ‘gossiping’. Therefore, the social activity which ist between species, Burghardt states used to bring individuals of species together has advanced “the animal’s motivation to engage and has been replaced with the development of language, socially and playfully maybe… higher allowing us to better communicate with other members of in its need hierarchy than eating.” Homo sapiens. THE BRAIN AND THE SKULL There are some similarities between the skulls of humans and other primates. Both have flattened faces, with forward facing eyes: the skull of a predator. They also have stereoscopic National Days (3D) vision, allowing depth perception.