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TimesLIVE
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say
His recorded voice speaking in Wolof travelled back home in 2024, as a sound installation I created for the Théodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar. Chapter two listens to Mohamed Nur from Somalia. In 1910 he went to Germany to work as a teacher to the children of performers in a so-called Völkerschau (an ethnic show; sometimes called a human zoo, where 'primitive' cultures were displayed). After refusing to perform on stage, he found himself stranded in Germany without a passport or money. He worked as a model for a German artist and later as a teacher of Somali at the University of Hamburg. Nur left a rich audiovisual trace in Germany, which speaks of the exploitation of men of colour in German academia as well as by artists. One of his songs comments on the poor treatment of travellers and gives a plea for more hospitality to strangers. Stephan Bischoff, who grew up in a German mission station in Togo and was working in a shoe shop in Berlin when the war began, appears in the third chapter. His recordings criticise the practices of the Christian colonial evangelising mission. He recalls the destruction of an indigenous shrine in Ghana by German military in 1913. Also in chapter three is Albert Kudjabo, who fought in the Belgian army before he was imprisoned in Germany. He mainly recorded drum language, a drummed code based on a tonal language from the Democratic Republic of the Congo that German linguists were keen to study. He speaks of the massive sociocultural changes that mining brought to his home region, which may have caused him to migrate. Together these songs, stories and accounts speak of a practice of extracting knowledge in prisoner of war camps. But they offer insights and commentary far beyond the 'example sentences' that the recordings were meant to be. Why do these sound archives matter? As sources of colonial history, the majority of the collections in European sound archives are still untapped, despite the growing scholarly and artistic interest in them in the past decade. This interest is led by decolonial approaches to archives and knowledge production. Sound collections diversify what's available as historical texts, they increase the variety of languages and genres that speak of the histories of colonisation. They present alternative accounts and interpretations of history to offer a more balanced view of the past. • Anette Hoffmann: senior researcher at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology, University of Cologne.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Dark matter may escape, but dark photons can't. Here's how MADMAX could catch them
Everything we visualize about space, including stars, planets, gases, and even galaxies, make up just a small fraction of the universe's total mass. The rest is invisible, silent, and frustratingly elusive, famously known as dark matter. Scientists have tried numerous ways to catch this mysterious form of matter, but it has managed to allude researchers almost every time. However, the latest results from MADMAX (MAgnetized Disc and Mirror Axion eXperiment) suggest we're closer than ever to detecting dark matter. MADMAX is a special setup that focuses on detecting axions and dark photons, two supposed particles that are believed to form the dark matter. "These two hypothetical particles are popular candidates for what dark matter might consist of. In our recent paper, we describe the results of a search for dark photons using a small-scale prototype," Jacob Mathias Egge, first author of the study, and a PhD candidate at the University of Hamburg, said. The challenge of detecting dark matter is not just that it is invisible—rather that it interacts so weakly with normal matter that we might never notice it unless we build incredibly sensitive instruments. Traditional detectors have mostly come up empty-handed, especially when looking for heavier, slow-moving dark matter particles. That's why scientists have been turning their attention to lighter, more ghost-like particles like axions and dark photons. MADMAX tackles this challenge with a clever setup. The main highlight of its design is a dielectric haloscope, a kind of detector that uses special materials and mirrors to amplify the tiny signals that dark matter particles might produce. The MADMAX prototype uses three round discs made of sapphire, a pure and insulating material known for its excellent properties at high frequencies. These discs are spaced carefully in front of a mirror. If dark photons exist, they might occasionally transform into ordinary photons (particles of light) when passing through materials with the right properties. The layered discs and the mirror are arranged so that this transformation is amplified at specific frequencies, similar to how tuning a radio to the right station turns a faint signal into a clear one. Any resulting microwave photons from this process are then directed into a horn antenna, where an ultra-sensitive receiver tries to detect them. 'In our case, we tried to detect these excess photons with a frequency around 20 GHz," Egge said. Although the researchers did not find a signal, they were able to rule out the presence of dark photons in this mass range at an unprecedented level of sensitivity, many many times better than previous efforts at similar frequencies. "This is the first physics result from a MADMAX prototype and exceeds previous constraints on χ in this mass range by up to almost three orders of magnitude," the study authors note. What makes this result especially exciting is that the MADMAX team has now proven that their approach works. This is the first time a prototype like this has been successfully used to probe dark photons, and it delivered impressive results. "Since the core detector concept has now been proven to work, we can now easily expand our reach in the next upgraded iterations, increasing our chances of a detection," Egge added. The biggest upgrade that is underway is to cool the entire detector down to just 4 Kelvin (-269°C). At such extremely low temperatures, thermal noise drops significantly, making the detector even more sensitive to tiny traces of dark matter. Moreover, the current experiment only focuses on dark photons, but in future experiments, scientists will operate MADMAX under strong magnetic fields so that it could also detect axions at the same time. The study has been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Father ‘who imposed Covid horror house lockdown' was philosopher
A German father who allegedly imposed an almost four-year Covid lockdown on his three children in a squalid 'house of horrors' was a HR manager with a doctorate in philosophy, it has emerged. Christian Steffen, 53, and his wife Melissa Ann, 48, are accused of imprisoning their eight-year-old twin boys and 10-year-old son in their rented villa in Oviedo, northern Spain, since October 2021. Officers raided the property on Monday and found a cesspit of a home in which the children were allegedly forced to wear nappies and three medical masks on top of one another. The guest bedroom had been turned into a dumping ground for the children's soiled nappies, and the bathroom by the twins' bedroom was occupied by a one-eyed cat with a huge tumour, the El Español newspaper reported. The married couple were allegedly terrified of catching Covid, and investigators said they found five oxygen-purifying ozone generators that were plugged in for 24 hours a day. It is claimed that Mr Steffen was the only person allowed to open the house's front door, where he picked up food orders delivered by the local supermarket. He was reportedly assisted in enforcing the restrictions by his wife, who Spanish press said weighed almost 22 stones and had 22 jars of Vaseline on her bedside table. All the blinds in the house were closed apart from those in the children's bedrooms, which had to be shut at 5.10pm every day. Children 'astonished at release' When officers led the children out of the home, they were astonished that they were finally allowed outside. One of them is said to have knelt on the grass, touching it with amazement. 'They had three masks each on top of each other. They were oblivious to any contact with reality,' one investigator said. 'They were very scared around the mother, who told us all the time that the little ones had serious pathologies and that we should not approach them.' Medical examinations conducted by a paediatrician found that all three children were suffering from 'severe constipation' as they would avoid defecating in their nappies for hours. A large number of used sanitary pads and tampons were said to have been found underneath the couple's double bed. Photos published in Spanish media show how the twins were allegedly kept in cribs meant for infants, on which they had drawn pictures of monsters. Images also reveal the parents had converted a guest room on the first floor into a classroom with a table, three chairs, human anatomy books and a world map. An online CV for Mr Steffen says he graduated in 2003 from the University of Hamburg with a doctorate in philosophy and a degree in 'pedagogics' that supposedly allowed him to teach at secondary schools. He was the author of a book released in 2005 called 'Heidegger as a Transcendental Philosopher: His Fundamental Ontology in Comparison with Kant's Critique of Pure Reason'. A Linkedin profile says he freelanced as a HR manager from April 2015 and had previously worked as a recruiter for a number of companies in Germany . The beginning of the end for the family's self-imposed lockdown began on April 14, when police launched an investigation into the children's welfare following a complaint from a neighbour. Police became increasingly suspicious when they realised the food deliveries dropped at the family home were too large for a single person. Neighbours thought house was empty After his force rescued the children, Chief Supt Francisco Javier Lozano described the property as a 'house of horror'. 'What could have led to this situation?' he told a press conference. 'Could the masks worn by parents and children be merely an incident? What motivated the arrival in Oviedo and this lifestyle?' Before the shocking discovery, neighbours believed the house was totally abandoned. Its landlord told the Spanish press: 'This news is a scandal. In the four years I've rented the house to this German couple with three children, I never saw anyone, not a man, a woman, the children, a dog, or a cat. 'As far as I could see, there was no one there, and therefore no activity Just a few metres from the house is the convent of the Discalced Carmelites, home to a community of cloistered nuns whose sole contact with the outside world is through selling doughnuts, cakes, and biscuits. One of the nuns, Sister Teresa, said: 'We thought it was empty because the garden wasn't maintained, and there was no sign of life inside. 'A married couple with children had previously lived in that chalet, and later a couple with greyhounds, but since the latter left, we thought no one was living there any more.' Marta del Arca, the regional welfare minister, said the General Directorate of Children and Families has assumed custody of the three children. The couple are being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment, and have been remanded into custody following their arrest.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Father ‘who imposed Covid horror house lockdown' was philosopher
A German father who allegedly imposed an almost four-year Covid lockdown on his three children in a squalid 'house of horrors' was a HR manager with a doctorate in philosophy, it has emerged. Christian Steffen, 53, and his wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48, are accused of imprisoning their eight-year-old twin boys and 10-year-old son in their rented villa in Oviedo, northern Spain, since October 2021. Officers raided the property on Monday and found a cesspit of a home in which the children were allegedly forced to wear nappies and three medical masks on top of one another. The guest bedroom had been turned into a dumping ground for the children's soiled nappies and the bathroom by the twins' bedroom was occupied by a one-eyed cat with a huge tumour, the El Español newspaper reported. The married couple were allegedly terrified of catching Covid, and investigators said they found five oxygen-purifying ozone generators that were plugged in for 24 hours a day. It is claimed that Mr Steffen was the only person allowed to open the house's front door, where he picked up food orders delivered by the local supermarket. He was reportedly assisted in enforcing the restrictions by his wife, who Spanish press said weighed almost 22 stones and had 22 jars of Vaseline on her bedside table. All the blinds in the house were closed apart from those in the children's bedrooms, which had to be shut at 5.10pm every day. When officers led the children out of the home, they were astonished they were finally allowed outside. One of them is said to have knelt on the grass, touching it with amazement. 'They had three masks each on top of each other. They were oblivious to any contact with reality,' one investigator said. 'They were very scared around the mother, who told us all the time that the little ones had serious pathologies and that we should not approach them.' Medical examinations conducted by a paediatrician found that all three children were suffering from 'severe constipation' as they would avoid defecating in their nappies for hours. A large number of used sanitary pads and tampons were said to have been found underneath the couple's double bed. Photos published in Spanish media show how the twins were allegedly kept in cribs meant for infants, on which they had drawn pictures of monsters. Images also reveal the parents had converted a guest room on the first floor into a classroom with a table, three chairs, human anatomy books and a world map. An online CV for Mr Steffen says he graduated in 2003 from the University of Hamburg with a doctorate in philosophy and a degree in 'pedagogics' that supposedly allowed him to teach at secondary schools. He was the author of a book released in 2005 called 'Heidegger as a Transcendental Philosopher: His Fundamental Ontology in Comparison with Kant's Critique of Pure Reason'. A Linkedin profile says he freelanced as a HR manager from April 2015 and had previously worked as a recruiter for a number of companies in Germany . The beginning of the end for the family's self-imposed lockdown began on April 14, when police launched an investigation into the children's welfare following a complaint from a neighbour. Police became increasingly suspicious when they realised the food deliveries dropped at the family home were too large for a single person. After his force rescued the children, Chief Supt Francisco Javier Lozano described the property as a 'house of horror'. 'What could have led to this situation?' he told a press conference. 'Could the masks worn by parents and children be merely an incident? What motivated the arrival in Oviedo and this lifestyle?' Before the shocking discovery, neighbours believed the house was totally abandoned. Its landlord told the Spanish press: 'This news is a scandal. In the four years I've rented the house to this German couple with three children, I never saw anyone, not a man, a woman, the children, a dog, or a cat. 'As far as I could see, there was no one there, and therefore no activity Just a few metres from the house is the convent of the Discalced Carmelites, home to a community of cloistered nuns whose sole contact with the outside world is through selling doughnuts, cakes, and biscuits. One of the nuns, Sister Teresa, said: 'We thought it was empty because the garden wasn't maintained, and there was no sign of life inside. 'A married couple with children had previously lived in that chalet, and later a couple with greyhounds, but since the latter left, we thought no one was living there any more.' Marta del Arca, the regional welfare minister, said the General Directorate of Children and Families has assumed custody of the three children. The couple are being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment, and have been remanded into custody following their arrest. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Terrorism researcher: lone perpetrators with vague motives
Personal motives have played a role alongside ideology in several Islamist terrorist attacks in Germany in the past five years, according to a terrorism expert. Martin Kahl, from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg, took part in a press conference organized by the Integration Media Service on Thursday. He told journalists that although the perpetrators were integrated into "ideological narratives" that were circulating worldwide, one could get the impression "that in some cases the perpetrators hope to find a way out of their own life crises through their actions". Often, he said, the perpetrators' own circumstances, which they themselves judge to be unsatisfactory and which play an important role in planning the act, are supplemented by an Islamist motive with the aim of "giving the act more significance". The perpetrators often seek to boost their own self-confidence and become famous. In some cases, it is also difficult for the courts to determine whether ideology is really the main motive. "It can be so interwoven that it is almost impossible to separate it," said Kahl. The suspects involved in the last four attacks that were allegedly motivated by religion - in Mannheim, Solingen, Munich and Berlin - were not found to have any severe mental disorders. While in the past, Western military interventions such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan were the main trigger for Islamist terrorists, experts believe that later on, Mohammed caricatures and the burning of the Koran played a greater role. Between 2014 and 2017, attacks were carried out in connection with the terrorist group Islamic State (IS). According to Kahl, IS ideology remains a point of reference. However, the most recent attacks in Germany, which he says were all carried out by "lone operators" with rather vague motives, had little or no connection to terrorist groups. Since 2015, Kahl and his team have documented a total of 15 Islamist terrorist attacks in Germany, as well as four failed attacks, 33 suspected cases and 33 attacks that were prevented by the security authorities in the planning or preparation phase
