Each sunrise is a tiny miracle, but Daan Roosegaarde hopes one particular dawn could dispel the darkness of our Covid-dimmed lives. Rising for the first time this week is Urban Sun, an installation that harnesses far-ultraviolet light to inactivate airborne coronaviruses in open-air spaces.
The project debuted in a public square alongside the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam on March 2, and could potentially be seen at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Urban Sun builds on studies suggesting that the light wavelength of 222 nanometres can eliminate up to 99.9 per cent of the coronavirus.
‘Let’s be the architects of our new normal’
"It started with the realisation that something physically so small as the virus is having such a huge impact on our lives," the Dutch designer and contemporary artist, 41, tells The National.
"Suddenly our world is filled with plastic barriers and distance stickers. We're afraid to shake each other's hands and family is reduced to pixels on a computer screen.
“Let’s be the architects of our new normal and create better places to meet and interact.”
When Roosegaarde, who trained in art and architecture, read of specific UV light frequencies that inactivate airborne viral transmissions (without health risks to humans), he teamed up with a group of scientists and designers to see if they could help control the spread of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
“This is public knowledge that has been available for years. So why aren’t we investing in the research, in the possibilities of how light can help us?”
Harnessing UVC light at a safe frequency
Indeed, as far back as 2004, researchers from the US showed how UVC (C-type ultraviolet light) radiation at frequencies of 254nm could inactivate the original Sars-CoV virus. However, UVC light at this frequency can lead to skin cancer and cataracts, which is why its use in battling the coronavirus – including here in the UAE – has been restricted to disinfection robots and lamps that can only be used when no people are present.
But, as the past year has accelerated our uptake of technology, it took a pandemic for scientists to demonstrate, in separate studies in Japan and the US, that UVC light at lower frequencies can also work as a steriliser while remaining safe for humans.
A study published in Nature magazine in June reports: "The sensitivity of the coronaviruses to far-UVC light, together with extensive safety data … suggests that it may be feasible to have the lamps providing continuous low-dose far-UVC exposure in public places – potentially reducing the probability of person-to-person transmission of coronavirus as well as other seasonal viruses such as influenza."
These findings form the basis of Urban Sun, which Roosegaarde developed using technology from Italian photobiology company MEG.
Using Urban Sun to make public spaces virus-free
The project streams concentrated 222nm UVC light from an aerostat, a kind of stationary light aircraft. Virtual simulations have shown how the installation ma be able to cleanse an area ranging from 95 square metres within minutes, which is suitable for small exhibitions, Roosegaarde claims.
If we can't imagine a better future, we won't be able to create it
“At the same time, we have designed for a larger unit of about 3,500 square metres, which could be applied in Expo 2020 Dubai, for example,” he says.
The far-UVC light source used in the Urban Sun prototype is measured and calibrated by the Dutch National Metrology Institute, and the project meets the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection safety standards, according to the designer's Studio Roosegaarde lab.
Other projects by Studio Roosegaarde
Urban Sun is one of eight "dreamscapes" that Roosegaarde will present through to 2022. "A dreamscape is a dream that we turn into reality to improve life," he says. "All eight aim to address the way we live at the moment."
That philosophy is visible in an award-winning body of work that tackles urgent, practical issues affecting the way we live – from clean air and energy to cleaning up space junk.
Several of the artist's projects reveal a fascination with light. His Smog-Free Project attacked air pollution with a seven-metre-tall vacuum cleaner using positive ionisation technology. Companion designs included air-cleaning bicycles and billboards, and a smog-free engagement or wedding ring made of compressed air particles.
The solar-powered fluorescent Van Gogh Bicycle Path, made from thousands of twinkling stones, was part of a programme to build interactive, sustainable roads that respond to live traffic situations.
Agricultural applications
In January, Roosegaarde debuted Grow, which showed how the sorts of lights more commonly associated with nightclubs can make agriculture more sustainable while reaffirming the importance of farmers. Building on studies carried out at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, Roosegaarde turned a 20,000-square-metre leek field into a living social artwork, by using what he called "light recipes" – combinations of solar-powered red, blue and ultraviolet lights to enhance plant growth and resilience, and halve pesticide use.
LED lights have been replicating the sun's action in indoor vertical farms and greenhouses for years now – including in the UAE – but Grow shows how large-scale outdoor farms could improve crop yields while reducing their environmental impact.
“Grow is an artwork, but it’s also a platform to speed up the [application of] light science because now people know about it and want it. We created this demand that was not really there before – I mean, I have 220 emails of farmers in Peru,” Roosegaarde says with a laugh.
As a city boy, the artist confesses that Grow gave him new appreciation of what it takes to grow his food. That message has already reached some 665 million people through a film on his website, but will go further when the exhibition travels to 40 countries over the next few months, highlighting the native crops in each country.
An artistic activator
Although his work borders on activism, Roosegaarde shrugs off the label, describing himself as an activator. “Activists go out and protest, which is stating an opinion. I'm an activator because I don't care about opinions. I care about proposals. And results.
“That’s driven by wonder, by imagination. If we can’t imagine a better future, we won’t be able to create it. I’m not the inventor of far-UVC light. I’m not a scientist, nor a photobiology expert, but I can create an artistic vision and put it out there and then see how the world reacts to that.
"These projects are all driven by the desire to make things that make people curious instead of scared about the future.”
Building in the desert
What about the UAE, then? From raising agricultural yields to recreating the feeling of being underwater, much of Roosegaarde's work responds to the natural challenges facing the Netherlands – but does the Rub Al Khali, or the Empty Quarter, spark the idea for a prototype?
In Europe, they usually ask : 'Are you sure you've done it before?' But in Dubai, they ask: 'Are you sure this is the first time?'
Turns out, it does – by way of high-school physics. “We’ve done some prototypes, where we direct the heat of the sun into a lens to melt the sand and create a solid mass. In essence, we’d be using the sun to make a very large 3D printer,” he says.
“The first 3D-printed commercial building is already in Dubai, and I’d use the technology to connect with local tradition. It’s not my job to reinvent the sun or the sand, but to make new connections – in this case, between sand and science."
Roosegaarde says he loves the bold thinking that has become a signature of the GCC’s approach to projects. “When I present a project in Europe, they usually ask me: ‘Are you sure you’ve done it before?’ But in the Middle East, in Dubai, they usually ask: ‘Are you sure this is the first time?’
“That says something about how you perceive the world. And I want to go to and work with places that are curious. That’s my thumb rule.”
A movie of Urban Sun is available at StudioRoosegaarde.net
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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More on Quran memorisation:
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
The five pillars of Islam
All about the Sevens
Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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F1 line ups in 2018
Mercedes-GP Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen; Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; Force India Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez; Renault Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr; Williams Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa / Robert Kubica / Paul di Resta; McLaren Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne; Toro Rosso TBA; Haas F1 Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; Sauber TBA
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
