Romy News - 19 April 2024

Hi there! Welcome to your Friday episode of “Romy News”! I’m super excited to have you here today to share some fascinating discoveries. We’ll start our episode with a discovery in Denmark related to Alexander the Great. Then, I’ll answer a great question: “What is a solar panel?” And finally, we’ll dive into history as we do every Friday. This week, we’ll explore the Berlin Wall! Let’s go!

Let’s begin with an incredible discovery in Denmark. Archaeologists found a very old portrait of Alexander the Great there.

Remember, we’ve talked about him before. He was a super powerful Greek emperor who lived over 2000 years ago! A famous figure from ancient history.

Finn and Lars, two passionate amateurs, were searching for treasures in a field near Ringsted, a city in Denmark. And there, they unearthed a small bronze medallion, no bigger than a coin! But on this medallion, the surprise is that we can clearly see the face of Alexander with ram horns.

So how did his portrait end up in Denmark at that time when Alexander never went there? The archaeologists have a funny explanation. They think that Roman soldiers or merchants must have brought this medallion from the Roman Empire to Scandinavia. The tribal leaders in the north probably used it as an object of power, a bit like a lucky charm!

Funny, right? This little bronze treasure tells us a lot about people’s lives in ancient times. It shows that they traveled a lot and exchanged their culture, stories, and beliefs with other peoples.

If you want to see Alexander’s medallion with your own eyes, it’s on display in a museum in Denmark. Who knows what other treasures archaeologists will uncover! They continue to search for the secrets of the past, like detectives.

After delving into the past with this discovery, let’s shift gears and look towards the future with a super interesting question from Zoé from Vouvant, who is in 5th grade. Zoé asks me, “What is a solar panel?” Solar panels are like modern magic! They capture sunlight to convert it into electricity. It’s a clean and renewable energy source, becoming more popular worldwide.

So, how does a solar panel work? At the heart of each panel, there’s what we call a photovoltaic cell. Imagine a small square capable of capturing sunlight to convert it into electricity. These cells contain silicon, a material that generates an electric current when exposed to light. A solar panel is made up of many of these cells assembled together, ready to capture as much sunlight as possible! Did you know that the first solar panels were created to provide energy to satellites in space? That dates back to the 1950s!

You can find these solar panels everywhere. On rooftops to generate electricity, on some cars, but also on objects like calculators or watches! In places without electricity, solar panels provide light, power water pumps, or refrigerators.

And the coolest part is that this solar energy doesn’t pollute the planet at all! No greenhouse gases or waste, unlike oil or coal that harm nature. Solar panels last a long time, up to 30 years, and can be recycled afterward.

Would you like to try something fun? Build a small wind turbine with a fan or a windmill. It works a bit like solar panels, but with wind! A great experiment to understand renewable energies.

We’ve just talked about solar panels, this amazing technology that brings clean energy for a better future. But in history, there have unfortunately been walls that closed the doors to a greener and freer future. I want to tell you about the famous Berlin Wall that you’ve probably heard of.

This big wall divided the city of Berlin in two for almost 30 years! It separated the inhabitants into two very different parts. On one side, West Berlin, which was rather wealthy and free. On the other, East Berlin, poor and controlled by a strict communist government.

After World War II, Germany was divided into two: the West, allied with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, and the East, controlled by the Soviet Union. On August 13, 1961, the East German government began building a wall to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West. This wall was reinforced with barbed wire, watchtowers, and even mines. It separated families overnight and turned East Berlin into a true fortress.

Can you imagine the lives of people in East Berlin at that time? They were constantly monitored by a secret police. They weren’t allowed to travel or speak their minds. Their stores were often empty due to shortages. Meanwhile, just a few meters on the other side of the wall, the inhabitants of West Berlin lived much better and freer lives.

Some East Berliners tried to escape in completely crazy ways! By digging tunnels under the wall, building giant ladders to cross it, or even hiding in cars! One of them even managed to jump over the wall using a trampoline, can you imagine?

Fortunately, in 1989, after large demonstrations by the residents, the East German government finally decided to open the wall. It was an incredible moment when people on both sides came together to gradually tear it down together!

Today, only small pieces of the wall remain in museums, to remember that difficult period. But thanks to its fall, Berlin has become a united and free city again.

And that’s all for today. I hope you enjoyed exploring these topics as much as I did. Remember, if you have any questions, ideas, or just want to share what you’ve learned, I’m super curious to know! You can send me a message on Instagram.

So, see you tomorrow for new adventures in the world of knowledge. Take care of yourself and always keep your curiosity alive. See you soon!