St Edmund's

Each year, members of the Stretch and Challenge Club plan and deliver a series of thought-provoking presentations to their peers — and this year’s first event was no exception. Form 7 and 8 academic scholars were invited along to listen, learn, and put the presenters through their paces. It made for a very memorable afternoon!

Kicking things off, Oliver treated the audience to a timely exploration of wind farms and sustainable energy. From solar panels on new homes to heat pumps replacing gas boilers, and electric cars edging out their petrol counterparts, this presentation tackled the challenges of our green energy future with impressive confidence and clarity. A fine start.

Next, Isabella whisked us back to 1518 and the strange case of the Dancing Plague in Alsace, France — in which around 400 people danced, apparently involuntarily, for days on end, with some losing their lives to heat exhaustion and stroke. Physicians of the time concluded it was a natural disease, attempting to cure sufferers at shrines and through healing rituals to banish the so-called dancing demons. Bizarre, brilliant, and intriguing!

The third presentation could not have felt more relevant. Is AI good or bad? Thomas walked us through the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence — privacy concerns, misinformation, loss of human control, and the unsettling world of deepfakes. This presentation was interactive, drawing the audience in and prompting us all to question what we can and cannot trust. A confident performance.

From technology, we turned to philosophy, with a fascinating presentation on the science of free will. Are our choices truly our own, or are we simply atoms obeying the laws of physics? Zach introduced us to the concepts of determinism, libertarianism, and “nested freedom” — the idea that while we have impulses we cannot control, we retain the capacity to choose. The audience questions were superb: “Is physics the engine?” (“Well, yes — we can’t go against particles.”) and “What is the difference between free will and freedom?” produced answers that would not have been out of place at a university seminar.

Finally, we grappled with a question inspired by dystopian science fiction: which is worse — overpopulation or underpopulation? With finite planetary resources, overpopulation risks soaring prices, food shortages, and disease. Thomas explained that underpopulation brings its own dangers, including a technological halt that could leave humanity unable to tackle the very crises it creates. One audience member asked a brilliantly sharp question about whether improving health care so that people live longer could really help if resources are already scarce. We also learned that Hungary offers baby loans of €29,000 per child — with the third loan written off entirely. Who knew demography could be so gripping?

Many congratulations to the Lower 5th Stretch and Challenge Club for a magnificent first half. We are already looking forward to Part 2 next week!

Ms Bensberg – Deputy Head Academic

Dr Masterson – Stretch and Challenge Coordinator