Catamarans go solar

Despite their many drawbacks, fossil fuels maintain a toxic hold as the world’s primary energy source. To release ourselves, we need innovative approaches to sourcing and managing energy. At the University of Malta, researchers have designed a solar-powered catamaran that uses smart-charging and battery management to efficiently utilise renewable energy. The project aims to serve as inspiration to usher in a future of environmentally friendly vehicles. Words by Diane Cassar.

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Art initiates life

Lisa Gwen Baldacchino

While Lisa Gwen Baldacchino never specifically aspired to any of her roles at Malta’s Creative Europe Desk and beyond, she has always known her heart belongs in the creative sector. She speaks to Veronica Stivala about how it all started with panto, Seurat, and Cats: The Musical.

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Mistakes versus creativity: Malta’s linguistic paradox

In Malta, diversity in language is both sought after and shunned. Some embrace change as creative and interesting, others admonish it as ‘incorrect’. Dr Sarah Grech dives into this paradox and wonders if a shift in perception can help see our languages flourish.

They say variety is the spice of life. Cliche? Maybe. But also very true—especially when it comes to language.

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Cycling for research

As the ALIVE Charity Foundation gets ready for the next edition of the RE/MAX ALIVE Cycling Challenge for Cancer, Chairperson Nicky Camilleri tells us why, year after year, they continue donating funds towards cancer research.
Words by Iggy Fenech for RIDT.

Every year for the past four years, dozens of cyclists have committed themselves to training for 16 weeks, cycling over 1,000km in just one, and raising a minimum of €2,400 which is donated to cancer research. These cyclists are leaving behind a legacy.\

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You don’t know what soup is: digital game as philosophical artefact

In the early days, storytelling played a big part in philosophy. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato exhibited the difference between the perception of reality and its true form with the use of fire and shadows. Experiments followed. Wittgenstein’s thought experimentabout a beetle in a box which no one can see but youis meant to demonstrate that our use of language and its functionality is not affected by the fact that, ultimately, we do not know what is in one another’s box. Now, however, there is a new game in town.

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