The Stradivari: The World's most Expensive Violins

Filipinas: A Football’s Team’s Journey to the World Stage

Growing ASMR Trend; the Impact on Our Society

Why Britain Never Found Jack the Ripper

Everything You Need To Know About Twins

The Stradivari: The World's most Expensive Violins

By: Luis C.

March 8, 2024

'The Messiah', made in 1716, by Antonio Stradivari.

Twenty million US dollars. That’s how much 'The Messiah' costs. Twenty million dollars is enough to buy you a Bugatti, a Crystal Richard Mille, or a whole villa. But this object was nothing more than a violin. However, this was no ordinary violin. This violin, the Messiah, was made by Antonio Stradivari, the legendary Italian luthier, in the year 1716.

Today Stradivari is a well-known name amongst musicians, but why? Furthermore, this violin was made over 300 years ago. How can such an old, small instrument made of wood land at a value of millions of dollars in the 21st century? To understand, we have to travel back to Italy in 1644, where the story of the violin would drastically change the rest of musical history.

Today, the violin is an instrument synonymous with classical music and elitism. A violin works in a very simple way, similar to other string instruments like the guitar. There are four strings that are housed outside of the instrument, which, when played, vibrate. This vibration releases a sound wave, and, depending on where you press the string, a pitch is created. Violins (along with their cello and double bass counterparts) are unique mainly because they are played with a bow. The bow is made up of wood and horse hair, and when you drag the bow along the strings, they create the distinguishable sound of a violin. But if violins are not as complex as a designer watch, a car or a house, what makes them so expensive?

The violin began to emerge around the 13th century, with stringed instruments that were played with some type of bow began to emerge across Europe, mainly from Italy. Throughout most of the millenia, Italy was the home of music in Europe. Many genres of music emerged from the country, such as renaissance music, choral music, baroque and ultimately the classical era. And throughout all this time, violins have always been handmade. The entire process, from gathering and preparing wood to varnishing and final assembly are all done by hand, by someone called a luthier. Luthiers (a violin craftsman) gather up high quality wood, preferably dense wood that is able to project sound as loud and clearly as possible, then painstakingly craft the violin. It’s no wonder that the average professional violin can go up for at least $5000, and at most millions of dollars.

Throughout the history of violin making, there have been many prominent luthiers. Martin Hoffman, Nicola and Andrea Amati, Andrea and Giussepi Guarneri, but they all pale to the most prominent violin luthier of them all: Antonio Stradivari. Born sometime around 1644 A.D. under the wing of his parents, Alessandro Stradivari and Anna Moroni. Not much is known about Stradivari’s childhood, given the fact that Stradivari had little memoirs about his childhood, but what is for certain is that throughout his adolescent period, Stradivari invested a lot of time learning the arts of music and crafting a violin. During his teenage years, he was a pupil of the previously stated Nicola Amati, another prominent luthier during the time of Stradivari. By the age of just 22, in 1666, Stradivari had already fully made his first violin.

Throughout his life, from the late 17th century to the early 18th century, Stradivari produced around a whopping 1,100 instruments, mostly composed of violins. Stradivarius did produce other string instruments, such as cellos, guitars, mandolins and even harps. The Cristani Stauffer, made by Stradivari in 1700, is one of his most famous cello pieces.

Timeline of the evolution of the violin, from CSMonitor.com.

Antonio Stradivari, inspecting a violin in his workshop at Cremona.

Stradivari peaked in quality and production during the 1700 all the way through to 1725, which today is referred to as Stradivari’s 'Golden Age'. During this time, the instruments produced by the Italian luthier were of a higher quality than many of his earlier instruments. Today, a golden age Stradivari violin can go up for sale anywhere between the price of $5,000,000 all the way up to $15,000,000. The Lady Blunt, a golden age Stradivarius made sometime around 1716, sold for 15.9 million dollars in an auction at New York City in 2011, which set the record for the most expensive violin ever sold at auction.

Stradivari passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on the 18th of December, 1737. He had been crafting violins as a luthier for the better part of 75 years, and amassed a massive amount of wealth from marketing and selling his instruments, and he divided his spoils among his children. Paolo, Stradivari’s youngest child, got six finished violins, which shows how important Stradivari’s craft must have been to him. The final surviving instrument that Stradivari made during his lifetime was the 'Lord Norton', produced in 1737, most likely just mere months from Stradivari’s passing.

Today, as previously stated, only half of Stradivari’s creations made their way into the present day, but there is still a considerable amount in circulation. Of the 1,100 instruments he produced in his lifetime, around 280 violins still exist today, not surprising considering they were the primary instrument that the Italian luthier made. Apart from that, Stradivari also still has twelve existing violas (a violin at heart, but every string is four notes lower), and around 60 intact cellos. There were three rarer instruments that Stradivari made during his lifetime, them being the guitar, mandolin (an 8-stringed instrument, similar to a guitar) and harp. Only five guitars and two mandolins are still in working order, while only one Stradivari harp still exists, which is the ‘Arpetta’ (little harp).

Considering their price, you’d think that these things are owned by large corporations and companies who lock them up in museums and display cases. This might be true for some violins, but it isn’t the full story. Many Stradivari violins are still being actively used by great violin soloists in today's world, and even in the past. The violin virtuoso, Nicolo Paganini, who is widely credited with his violin concertos and 24 Caprices, used the Stradivari violin ‘Le Brun’, while one of the modern days most famous soloists, Ray Chen, who studies at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, uses the 1714 “Dolphin”. Other famous violinists to have played a Stradivari include Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Itzhak Perlman, and Akiko Suwanai.

Oftentimes, violinists do not directly buy Stradivari violins, as they are simply too expensive, even for the richest soloists and performers. Instead, most of the time, patron organizations loan these instruments to the performers, such as in the case of TwoSetViolin. TwoSetViolin is one of the biggest musical youtube channels in the world, whose content focuses mainly on little skits and talking about their experiences in orchestra and performing. In 2022, ahead of their performance for the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor, they were loaned two golden age Stradivarius: ‘The Empress Catarina’ and ‘Regent Superb’, which were loaned by Tarisio.

TwoSetViolin with their Stradivari violins.

Now that may be cool, but one question that many people have is “What makes a Stradivari violin special?” There are many reasons as to why, and they have become the subject of intense scientific, scholarly and musical research and debate. In terms of the field of science, scientists speculate that due to the Little Ice Age (1300 - 1850) and cooler climates during the time of Stradivari, it would have caused the wood of Alpine spruce trees to grow more slowly, leading to more dense wood, and resulting in a better sound.

However, multiple studies have been conducted regarding the actual sound of the Stradivari. Some studies have reported that the sound of the Stradivari is indeed better, such as The Guardian, which have stated the following:

“Hwan-Ching Tai, an author on the study at the National Taiwan University, said Stradivari violins are often described as having “brightness” and “brilliance”, both qualities that could be rooted in the higher-frequency tones that make the instruments sound closer to female voices.”

Another source, Ars Technica states that because of the better wood during Stradivarius time, as well as the good handling of said wood, the Stradivari is able to produce a sweeter and very musical tone. However, there is also evidence for the opposite. In an article published by National Geographic, they stated that violinists who listened to audio of different violins couldn’t tell apart the Stradivari from the more cheaper violins. Science AAAS also covered an article on the Stradivari, where listeners were exposed to the sounds of new and old violins. Surprisingly, participants preferred the sounds of newer violins rather than old violins.

“The team then performed a similar test in New York City without the orchestra and with a different set of Strands and new violins. Again, the 82 listeners in the test reported that the new violins projected better.”

However, the article also mentioned that this could be because of a lack of knowledge on what a good quality of sound is in classical music as compared to more modern genres, and the lack of knowledge regarding the sounds being played in the first place.

"If you know it's a Strad, you will hear it differently, and you can't turn off that effect,” said Claudia Fritz, a musical acoustician at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris.

Overall, regarding the topic of sound, the general consensus among musicians and listeners is that the Stradivari does sound better, saying that the Stradivari has a more brilliant depth to its sound, and a character that cannot be compared to any other violin.

To answer the question of, “Is a Stradivari really worth its price?” is always the topic of debate. Among seasoned musicians and those who have played it, it can be argued that the Stradivari has one of the most angelic and musically pleasing tones among the violin scene, but to others, especially the general public, the price is ridiculous for an instrument that should cost at most a couple thousand dollars. The question of whether or not a Stradivari is always a topic of debate, but in the words of George Eliot:

“'Tis God gives skill, but not without men's hand: He could not make Antonio Stradivarius's violins without Antonio.”

The True Monsters of the Savanna

By: Esme L.

February 28, 2024

When you think of the scariest animals on the savanna, the first thing that comes to mind is lions. Their long canines, mangled manes - not to mention their heart-stopping roar that seemingly shakes the plains. However, recent research has revealed a new villain, one we hadn’t accounted for.

In October 2023, researchers released the results of their experiment at Kruger National Park, South Africa. They had carefully set up speakers and ‘hidden’ cameras to observe the animals' responses to a lion's snarl…or a human’s voice. Thousands of savanna creatures appeared, lapping at the watering hole or winding through the bushes. Finally, the researchers packed up, eagerly awaiting the findings.

It’s safe to say the results were not expected; they were gut-wrenching, stunning, and absolutely appalling. This new information leaves our society with the uncertainty of how much our behavior has agitated Mother Nature.

This is the set-up with a hidden camera and a speaker. The sounds played when the animals came within 30 feet. [The Guardian News]

A Terrifying Truth

While many animals took part in the experiment, the giraffe’s fear of humans over lions was most prominent. When the lion’s roar played, the giraffes paused for a moment, ran back a little, but then stopped and waited. While the video below does not reveal what happened after the sounds stopped playing, we can assume that the giraffe went back to its business. In stark contrast, as soon as a human sound spoke through the speakers, all the giraffes immediately bolted far away. The video even reveals a few behind the trees sprint away as well, even if they are much further.

Similar reactions occurred with kudu, impalas, hyenas, gazelles, zebras, and even rhinos; in fact, 95% of the animals in this study sprinted away at the sounds of humans. A leopard even left its newly caught prey to leave, which is highly unusual in these top-of-the-food-chain creatures.

This is especially concerning when you consider lions are some of the most ferocious animals on the Savannah, considered the apex predator. According to Micheal Kaelo, Chief Community Officer of the Mara Lion and Mara Cheetah Project, “When a lion roars, they are

This video footage from the experiment shows a leopard's reaction to a human’s voice. It froze, then bolted, leaving its food on the ground. [The Guardian]

saying ‘This is my land, this is my land.’” An article by Julien stated that lions will often kill any animal that enters their domain. This should make the animals on the savannah terrified for their lives, right? Wrong. This raises a new question; why are humans so much scarier than lions?

Reasonable Reactions

The animals' reactions make sense when you observe the heart-breaking statistics as of October 23, 2023. Did you know that the rate of rhino poaching is 1 per 24 hours? That means every day we go through our usual cycle - wake up, eat, go to school/work, sleep - one rhino takes its final breath. Every year, around 35,000 elephants are murdered in Botswana. On A-Z animals, Monica Martyn writes “Do the math: 130,000 elephants [left] - 35,000 [killed] per year = not enough time to save them.”

I couldn’t understand the true importance of this data until I was twelve and we visited Ko Samui Elephant Sanctuary. It was an incredible experience; meeting, feeding, and even playing with majestic beasts of all ages. Some elephants were old and had wrinkled skin, while others were smaller, younger, and much more energetic and lively. My personal favorite was a baby named Haven, feisty and happy in the sanctuary. His mother wasn’t as lucky to be born into protection, but at least she made it eventually. Many of the elephants had been rescued from treacherous fates of being poaching victims and riding animals (going against their bone structure and depriving them of their natural sunscreen, mud).

The fact that beautiful creatures like Haven could be murdered as well is terrifying. One of the most infamous attacks occurred sometime in January 2017. One of the last 25 ‘big tuskers’, Satao II, was poisoned with an arrow at Tsavo National Park, Kenya. His death was not three days after another ranger met their fate in the crossfire between elephants and poachers. Incredibly gruesome images reveal a faceless, bloody mass where the face and tusks should be. Fortunately, an aerial surveillance drone caught the cruel poachers before they could collect their prize, but not before the deed was done.

Above is an image of Haven lying down, half-awake. He was lucky to have been born into the sanctuary. [Koh Samui Elephant Haven Website]. Below, there is a picture of Satao before he was heartlessly murdered. As he walked, his tusks would brush the ground. [The Guardian]

It was a heartless way to end a life, and for what? A bit of extra ivory to carve into chopsticks or trinkets? As WWF puts it, “Behind every piece of ivory - whether it be a full tusk or a carved trinket - is a dead elephant.”

What does this mean for our community?

Looking at the heartbreaking evidence, it is clear we have abused our rights in nature. Even when we are speaking calmly, we will make animals' heartbeats quicken and fear peak. We may be trying to solve pollution and poaching, but we are also the ones who caused it in the first place. Sanctuaries and parks will not be enough to stop the impending extinction of many beloved species, like elephants.

We steal what is not ours and trade it for bits of paper or metal. We hack down forests and poison the air every living thing depends on. The ozone layer is getting thinner and thinner, and our climate is getting warmer and warmer.

The savanna is now scorching and quite literally burning. Trees and animals alike are hacked down. Natural disasters are more extreme than ever, howling as they tear through the landscape.

Trying to put mankind on a pedestal won’t change one fact. We are the true monsters of the savanna.

Filipinas: A Football’s Team’s Journey to the World Stage

By: Daniel F.

February 26, 2024

“It has been a long journey,” said Mariano Araneta, the president of the Philippine Football Federation. “It is a great achievement. It’s a testament of the sacrifice, discipline and hard work of our players, our coaching staff, the management team and those that are involved in women’s football.”

There, in the Philippines, in the Southeast of Asia, in a country dominated by basketball and boxing, an unlikely team emerges, shattering expectations and setting anew aspirations and dreams for the next generation.

“The Philippines has shown that nothing is impossible,” says Mariano Araneta.

In 2012, the Philippines women’s national team was ranked 86th in the world. At the time, Filbert Alquiros, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team coach, set a goal, which to many, was not only improbable but impossible.

“This all started in 2012 when we made an identification camp (ID camp) in California, USA,” Alquiros said. “After the camp, we declared we would enter the World Cup in eight to 12 years. Football fanatics and enthusiasts said we were crazy. We never gave up, and continued our ID camps.”

The road to the World Cup was far but the Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT) strived to work to that goal. Yet, the road to it was far from smooth. In 2016, the Philippine Football Federation, with support from FIFA, realized a better women’s league is needed. Together, they decided to relaunch the PFF Women’s league with 10 teams in 2016, competing from July to November.

As the PFF Women’s league was reestablished, a clear benefit was seen. There was now more opportunity for up and coming Filipinas to show their skill to be selected into the Philippine National Women’s Football Team.

In 2018, the Philippine’s Women’s journey advanced further with a historic first qualification into the AFC Asian Women’s Cup. At the start of the tournament’s creation, there was no qualification period and the Philippines was able to play in those editions of the tournament. However, 2006 saw the introduction of a qualifying tournament and from 2006 to 2014, the Philippines failed to make it.

In the following four years, the Philippine qualified for the 2022 AFC Asian Cup with Marlon Maro being replaced by Alan Stajic, former Australian national team coach. As the new year dawns, the stage was set for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 in India which begins on the twentieth of January 2022. The Philippines is ranked 68th in the world and is grouped with 38th ranked Thailand, 11th ranked Australia and 94th ranked Indonesia. It is far from an easy group. Philippines is under the captainship of Tahnai Annis with support from defenders Hali Long, Sofia Harrison and Tara Shelton as well as an attacking presence with forward Chandler McDaniel returning from injury. To supplement this, the team has midfielders Jessica Miclat, Sara Castañeda, Camille Rodriguez with keepers Inna Palacios and Olivia McDaniel to serve as the final line of defense.

Their goal? Get into the 5 qualification spots offered in the tournament for the World Cup.

The tournament began for them as they upset Thailand one to nil: their first ever victory in 12 matches against Thailand. Chandler McDaniel proved to be the hero, netting a goal at the 81st minute. But, they fall to Australia in the following match before sweeping Indonesia 6-0 to qualify as second-ranked in their group for the quarterfinals.

They face Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals. With a win, they qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. With a loss, they are out and must save a nation’s hopes of qualification for 2027.

The battle ensues. At first, it is still before Quinley Quezada scores at the 49th minute to put the Philippines in front. The Philippines tries to hold onto the lead but succumb to the pressure from Chinese Taipei as they equalize in the 83rd minute. The whistle blows and regular time ends a draw. Extra time is added to decide a winner yet none emerge. Now, it is time for the World Cup ambitions of 2 nations to be decided by penalties.

“It was just incredible,” keeper McDaniel remisses, “Having the support form everyone — the media, the fans, our families — it's like having the 12th and 13th man on the field.”

Chinese Taipei starts out strong, scoring thrice to the two goals of the Philippines. Now, it’s time for the Philippines to kick again.

“We're just eternally grateful for the support we have and it is so much appreciated. And we feel all of it,” says Hali Long, as she looks back.

Long steps up to take the penalty but misses. If Chinese Taipei now score, the Philippines are out. Chinese Taipei misses. Olivia McDaniel, who has made two phenomenal saves for the Philippines in the shootout, scores to put it at 3-3. Chinese Taipei has a chance again but they fail. Now, it falls to Sabrina Bolden. She scores and wins it, 4-3 for the Philippines on penalties. The euphoric cries are evident: the Philippines have qualified for their first ever FIFA World Cup. They are heading to the first World Cup.

Philippine team celebrates after beating Chinese Taipei for a World Cup spot | Photo by PFF-PWNFT in spin.ph. Accessed 14 Feb. 2024.

Filipinas thank fans after being eliminated by Norway in the World Cup | Photo from post by FIFA Women’s World Cup on X. Accessed 14 Feb. 2024.

“It was just so important that we had so many people rallying behind us. It made it all worth it that we can come back and enjoy it with all the country and all of our family. In the Philippines — everyone's family essentially. I think it was just incredible to be able to feel that,” McDaniel finishes.

A now roaring Philippine nation stands behind them. Hidliyn Diaz, first ever gold medalist for the Philippines in the Olympics ever, offers her congratulations.

“Galing, nakaka-proud at nakakaiyak talaga makita ito kasi nakita ko ang saya ng mga athletes nung nag-goal," Diaz posted. "Ramdam ko ang love nila sa sports at 'yun ginagawa nila ang best nila.”

(It’s so good, it makes me proud and cry to see this because I saw how happy the athletes were when they scored. I could feel their love for sports and that they did their best.”)

From one Filipino woman athlete to one Philippine women's team, they have both proved consistently that the time of women’s sports being overshadowed in the Philippines should never have existed in the first place.

Inna Palacios, goalkeeper for the PWNFT, says Hidilyn Diaz inspired the whole team, “Women fight very hard to be seen, and sports is such a male-dominated industry. And for women to excel and do good, like Hidilyn Diaz winning the first gold medal in the Olympics, that’s just inspiring. And I can tell you, she inspired the whole team. That also gave us a push.”

“I’m so excited about the Women's World Cup," said the Philippine keeper. "It is something I just didn't imagine would happen in my lifetime. It is a dream come true."

The Philippines, heading to their first World Cup, are backed by many new-found, proud and passionate Filipino fans. But, many still criticize the team.

“We're all Filipino, there's no such thing as we're not Filipino enough,” Kiarra Fontinilla says.

Stajic adds, “It upsets me, when you see the players at training, with how much passion they play with. How can you doubt? How can you doubt how much Filipino they are?”

The Filipinas are supposed to be heading to an experience of a lifetime. Yet, due to the high number of half-Filipino and foreign country born Filipinos in the PWFNT, they face criticism.

But, they push forward regardless and head into the World Cup 2023. For the first time ever, the Philippine anthem sounds in the World Cup. The Philippines have arrived. They are grouped with 26th ranked hosts New Zealand, 20th ranked Switzerland and 12th ranked Norway. The Philippines are the lowest-ranked in their group and are in danger of losing all three games.

A whistle blows: it is the Philippines’ first game in the World Cup on July 21, 2023. They face Switzerland with captain Hali Long. The game is silent first. Then, Guillou scores in the 15th minute to put the Philippines in front. But, it’s ruled out for offside. The score stays nil-nil. The Philippines hold on for 20 minutes but concede a penalty. Switzerland convert it and score another after. The Philippines lose their first game.

They look to bounce back as they play New Zealand four days later. The game starts in front of a crowd of thirty-two thousand. The Philippines need a goal. In the 24th minute, Bolden emerges for a header and scores. The Philippines roars. New Zealand presses the Philippines but are unsuccessful. Full time comes. The Philippines have won their first game. Back in the Philippines, crowds are elated: three points over the hosts. Now, it comes to the final game: Norway. The game starts but it is clear Norway has the upperhand. Philippines tries to hold but Norway sweeps them 6-0. The Philippines is out.

It caps the end of an illustrious journey where the PWNFT has soared to new heights. They have inspired newer generations as internet searches for football in the Philippines have reached a peak of popularity which has not been seen since the 2010s. Large franchise malls in the Philippines such as SM have hosted many highly-attended watch parties. The Philippine Football Federation calls this ‘just the beginning’. Stajic, who has led the team from 68th ranked in the world to 46th, calls for an increase in funds in order to build on this success. But now, it is time for a nation to set its sights on the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Growing ASMR Trend; the Impact on Our Society

By: Yena K.

February 28, 2024

An ASMRtist creating an ASMR content

“A…S…M…R…”

Just that simple introduction, and you feel that ticklish sensation. Commonly called “tingles,” the pleasant sensation delicately performed by ASMRtists- what makes it so special that makes viewers become attached to it?

Whether you are an ASMR viewer or not, you probably would have seen videos that tag along the words: ASMR, tingles, relaxation, or sleep. Smartasset estimated that there are 4,350,000 videos tagged with “ASMR” on Youtube; 11 new videos are posted every hour on average. According to Similarweb Blog, “ASMR” is the most popular search in Youtube, with 79.5 million searches in 2023, followed by mr.beast, sidemen, lofi, and music. It is clear that searchers for ASMR have been constantly increasing, seeing a consistent growth today.

What is ASMR, and why has it gained so much popularity that it became one of the biggest media trends around the world?

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a term used to describe an incompletely explained tingling reaction in response to triggering audio or visual stimuli. Many ASMR viewers say that they experience tingles- the prickling or stinging sensation, often promoting pleasure and relaxation.

Many ASMR viewers who respond to the triggers say it makes them cozy and relieves stress, promotes deep concentration, and is good for background as white noise or alternative to music.

Viewers may behave to certain content or sounds. These are the most common drivers observed for them to experience tingles:

Talking softly or whispering
Tapping or typing
Personal attention, like eye contact
Crunchy, squishy, scratching sounds
Chewing
Massage or hair brushing

Recent studies discovered that ASMR can be beneficial to a particular group of individuals, including those with anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain; as well as autistic people and those with ADHD who react to or answer ASMR triggers. Some positive effects of ASMR include:

Instant pleasure
Elevated mood
Better sleep
Reduced stress
Increased concentration and calmness

With his colleagues, Dr. Craig Richard, a professor of biopharmaceutical sciences at Shenandoah University in Virginia and an ASMR expert conducted an FMRI- based brain scan study that shows different parts of the brain’s functioning to figure out what was happening inside the brain when the participants responded to ASMR.

“It showed that specific areas of the brain are active when someone is experiencing ASMR. Some of these regions highlight the likely involvement of dopamine and oxytocin,” he said.

“Gentle Whispering ASMR”’s “*_* Oh such a good 3D-sound ASMR video *_*” is the most viewed ASMR video in the world with approximately 24 million views in 2024.

The study showed that when participants acknowledge ASMR, the brain becomes more active in the areas that control emotion, empathy, and social engagement. It may cause the brain to release several neurohormones, such as dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, which are associated with ideas of comfort, relaxation, and sleepiness.

However, not everyone finds ASMR pleasurable or enjoyable. In one study conducted by Emma L.Barratt, Charles Spence, and Nick H. Davis, several participants commented:

“The host had memorized a piece of tekst [sic] it was so blatantly obvious.”

“… too obvious asmr-triggering (not seamlessly interwoven in activity)”

“The host makes too many pop culture references, which I guess caters to her subscribers, but it ruins the mood for me, since it reminds me constantly that the situation is artificial and scripted.”

“Perhaps it seemed too much like a performance *for* me rather than say a role play exam *of* me.”

It is believed that some people are exposed to even more sadness or stress due to ASMR, which can be caused by misophonia- a disorder in which can promote feelings of disgust or anger due to certain sounds. Others say they confront cases of ASMR immunity, which may occur to those who watch too much ASMR content, possibly leading to an addiction.

Still, its popularity is not debatable. IZEA reports that relaxation videos like ASMR have increased by 70%, while the “#ASMR” hashtag has grown to 401 billion views and 13.1 million posts on Instagram. This ASMR trend is now taking place in brands and influencers in various content, bringing positive effects by promoting calmness and comfort associated with the product.

Coca Cola’s advertising, with the text: “TRY NOT TO HEAR THIS” from The Grocerhttps://dmrqkbkq8el9i.cloudfront.net/Pictures/810xany/5/1/7/165517_coke_457591_crop.jpg

ASMR advertisement of food and drink brands is a widely seen example, which emphasizes sounds of the product, such as the drink fizzing or food crunching.

Besides food, IKEA, a globalized furniture brand, had launched a campaign, in which created six ASMR videos that highlighted its products with its crinkling, smoothing, and tapping sounds, along with the whispering narrator on Youtube. Soon earning over 2.5 million views, IKEA said it showed an increase in sales in both store and online, 4.5% and 5.1%.

Watch ““Oddly IKEA”: IKEA ASMR” by IKEA Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/uLFaj3Z_tWw?si=TUSjU1-7Rdb4grMz

The ASMR trend is growing bigger and bigger. What would it be like to live a life as an ASMRtist today? Maria, the owner of a popular ASMR channel Gentle Whispering, posted a comment in Howtomakeonline.org, a website that offers ideas to make money online.

“If you have a family to feed [making ASMR videos] is a good way to earn something while you are helping others[…] The ONLY reason I had to turn on the ads on my videos was because I got a huge debt after my divorce and I literally would be living on the street today if not for the earnings from here,” she stated.

She has earned $392,000 through YouTube, which implies that she earns around $130,000 per year on average. If she adds the donations of her 210,030 subscribers, it is calculated to add up $20,000 to her annual earnings, if one percent of her subscribers each donate $10 a year.

How would ASMR further develop in the future? Would there be more ASMRtists like Maria, producing even more ASMR content for the sake of entertainment, advertisements, and even emotional health of our society?

“The response from the scientific and ASMR community has been fantastic and we’re working with researchers from all around the world,” states Giulia Poerio of the University of Sheffield’s Department of Psychology.

We now question the future of ASMR. ASMR clearly has stirred and is currently changing our society; how is it going to impact our future?

Why Britain Never Found Jack the Ripper

By: Alishba S.

February 28, 2024

Illustrated police news after the murder of Catherine Eddowes, one of Jack the Ripper’s murders.

We’ve all heard of him: Britain's most notorious serial killer in the late 1800’s.

Jack the Ripper.

He was a brutal and gory murderer, filled with a psychotic and bizarre hate towards the female race. London’s police were only able to properly link five murders to him, all women, four believed to be prostitutes. However, in recent exploration, a lot of people are starting to doubt whether it was only five Ripper murdered, but 11. However, these are just theories and speculation with no evidence proving it…right?

Unless the proof was simply lost to time.

Thousands of people have pondered this question. Who was he? Who was underneath that bloody name? The people and police of Victorian-Britain puzzled over the same thing, but Ripper’s identity slipped through their fingers as easily as water.

They spent hours poring over evidence, trying to recover anything -find anything to lead them to their killer. No such luck. Not only did the police lack experience with investigating serial killers on the loose, but the use of forensic science and DNA evidence was completely devoid in the investigation because it didn’t even exist then.

How did the lack of forensic science in the late 1800’s affect the Ripper investigation?

But what is forensic science? In simple terms, it is the study of analyzing evidence using biology, chemistry and physics. Scientists study physical evidence such as clothing and fingerprints when it comes to investigating crimes, and use this evidence to directly link it to a person.

Forensic science is an incredible resource that has helped with thousands of cases over the years, which is why it was so hard for London’s police to figure out who Ripper was. If the detectives of London were able to use forensic science to analyze the autopsies of the victims, they would find not only Ripper’s fingerprints sprawled all over the bodies, but blood and hair everywhere. The Ripper mystery would’ve been much easier to solve if they had the incredible equipment we have today.

The officers in charge of the Ripper case did not have the knowledge nor resources we have now of forensic science. Due to this, any traces of DNA Ripper left on the corpses were overlooked and later destroyed when the police examined the bodies. This gave Ripper a lot of liberties and ease when it came to killing his victims. There were mounds of DNA evidence sprawled across over the bodies, yet the great mystery of who Jack the Ripper was is still thick in the air.

Image of Mitre Square, the scene of Catherine Eddowes’s murder

One of his more brutal murders was the case of Catherine Eddowes. She was discovered by the police in Mitre Square on September 30, 1888. Her neck was slit and her face was disfigured with sharp, precise cuts. Done with a surgeon’s hand. She was also disemboweled with her intestines sprawled around her body. Even this wasn’t enough.

How did the minimal expertise of the police affect the investigation?

To put it mildly, the police of Victorian London were nothing like their on screen portrayals of Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. There were hardly any murders, so there was no need to know how to solve them. It was like expecting a new born baby to be able to read - they were completely clueless when it came to investigating homicide in general.

If this wasn’t enough, the district where the murders were committed was even more restricting. Named Whitechapel, it was crammed and filthy. Great news for Ripper, but not too great for the police - or for his poor victims. it certainly didn't help that London was as overpopulated as it was, with 50 people per acre, all you'd really need to do to get away with manslaughter was to flash a charming smile to the crowd.

The mysterious and seductive case of Jack the Ripper may never be put to rest, and is filled with dark shadows and tight twists that might never get unraveled. Any leads that might’ve led to him are stolen by time, lost forever.

Everything You Need To Know About Twins

By: Anais W.

February 28, 2024

What is it Like to Have a Twin?

Life with a twin is an experience like no other; it’s something rare and precious and extremely hard to explain because it’s part of who you are, it's all you’ve ever known.

Josephine, the author's twin sister said that having a twin is like having “a lifelong friend.” Whether identical or fraternal, you do everything together like friends but you don’t get the choice of friendship, it just starts the moment you're born.

Everything becomes a competition because you're always compared, from how alike you are to the minutes between you. Your twin knows you like no other and when it comes to caring and loving one another; there's nothing stronger. According to Jodie and Jolie when faced with the question “what's it like to be a twin?” they would always answer “What’s it like NOT to be a twin?” Being a twin myself I can say for certain that if I were to lose my twin sister I would not know what to do with myself; I have other siblings and yet the connection I have with them can not compare to the connection I have with my twin.

Having a twin is having someone always there for you, making you feel seen. Although, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. For example, having someone always there twenty-four-seven can get irritating. Twins can’t get away from each other, especially if you live together and are in the same grade at school. Twins can’t get away from each other even when they're alone, one glance at a reflective surface and all you know, think, and see are them. Having someone always competing against you for more attention from your parents is exhausting. It drains you from the inside out and causes a space to grow between you and your twin. It makes you resentful. Fights can break out like a wildfire, even over something small such as a hair brush.

Although there are things about having a twin that are extraordinary, like having someone to confide in and play with. When I was little my twin and I would move around a lot so every time we arrived somewhere new we didn’t really have any friends. We had each other; we didn't need anyone else. I remember building a castle made of cards with her, laughing, yelling, whispering, it was marvelous.

Going on a hike through the rice terraces with my twin.

Do People Treat You The Same?

Twins are treated as foreign and weird creatures. It’s a phenomenon that not everyone experiences, which makes them curious. When I tell people that I am a twin or that I have a twin sister I am immediately bombarded with questions. For example “who's older?” or “can you read her mind?” Even if I understand where the curiosity comes from, it still feels unpleasant to be asked such personal questions from people I sometimes don’t even know.

When it comes to the confusion of names, it usually ends up being funny or silly. But when you’ve known someone for more than a year it gets hurtful. But it feels as if they don’t really know you. It's as if all they can see when they look at you is your twin.

Identical twins not only have to deal with names but looks. Luis C, an 8th grade student at ISM said, “I find twins irregular because of their close similarities and looks.” This quote showcases that when you look exactly the same or look completely different it can cause confusion or ominousness. Stereotypes tend to surround twins, such as acting the exact same as your twin, or having to look the same to be a twin. Twins confuse everyone, friends, family, and teachers, it’s linked to every twin's life, something they can’t ignore.

A Twins Future:

Imagine having someone by your side since birth, someone that you could always rely on, then imagine having to choose between them and yourself. Twins go through life together but sometimes they have different callings. Education is important to me since my dream is to become a veterinarian, yet my twin has a different dream, one that may not include going to the same school.

This is a challenge in every twin's future that they have to face, an impossible choice; one you both have to make peace with. Your future is something precious and unpredictable. But it is yours. Not someone else's.

Not even your twins.

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