Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai on Saturday said it was the hype of the event that had attracted them.
The National spoke to visitors from countries including Germany and India.
“It’s the biggest hype in town and we wanted to see what it was all about,” said student Himanshi Mehtani, 18, from India, who was visiting the world’s fair with a group of friends.
“We really want to get to every single pavilion so we can get all the stamps in our special passports.
“This is our first day but we’ll definitely be back.”
The Dubai resident, who is studying international business, said everyone was excited about the event.
Atefeh Wieckhorst, 48, a German doctor in Dubai on holiday with her family, said there was no way she could miss the world's fair when she realised it would coincide with her holiday.
“We are only here for a short while but I am determined to visit as many county pavilions as I can,” she said.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn about new countries and I hope to be back before we leave.”
An Emirati, who works as a museum tour guide, said the event would provide the opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures, without having to leave the UAE.
“This is a once-in-a lifetime experience and I am excited to explore the different countries and cultures,” said Asma Al Romaithi, 28.
“The country I am excited the most about is Egypt because of its rich history and culture.”
The project was delayed by a year due to restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. One Dubai resident said that helped to build the expectation.
“We’ve all been hearing about it so long and everyone’s curious to see what all the excitement is about,” said public relations manager Georgia Adderley, 27, from England.
“So far I think the most impressive aspect has been the range of interactive options at each pavilion.”
Emma McCulley, a Dubai resident from Scotland, said: “There’s a great vibe and everyone’s so friendly.”
Ms McCulley, 27, who works a deputy head at a school in the emirate, added: “I like that you are seeing so many people from so many different cultures together.”
Filipina Evajoy Inigo, 24, visited on Sunday afternoon.
“People are so excited about it that I wanted to see for myself,” said the Dubai office worker.
“I am curious to explore all the various countries and pavilions and want to see South Korea in particular because I’m interested in the culture there.”
Jingya Wang and Huaefi Wu have both moved from their native China to live in Dubai for the duration of Expo.
They were taking time out from their jobs as engineers for Terminus, which is providing 150 robots to interact with visitors at the site.
“We are very proud to be working here as the pavilions are so impressive,” said Ms Wang.
“It’s amazing at night when it all lights up and everything is so vivid.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
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Specs
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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THREE
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
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The specs
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Sunday's fixtures
- Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
- Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
Infiniti QX80 specs
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GAC GS8 Specs
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Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
