Watching the fungi grow
Anyone taking a walk in the woods at this time of the year, will come across a large variety of fungi – from stinkhorns to penny buns. Many people stop to take a photograph, but Tim Wijgerde, researcher at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), takes it one step further. For three years, he spent hundreds of hours making a YouTube video in which he tells (in English) everything about the fungi in the Horsterwold in the Flevopolder, where many different types grow.
To illustrate, he created various timelapses in which you can see the fungus shooting up from the ground. He got the idea a few years ago when he saw a timelapse of coral on YouTube – Wijgerde is originally a marine biologist, “everything that flies, crawls or swarms” is a hobby. “Hey, I thought, that is fun. If I make serial photographs, I can make videos of processes,” he says to sister newspaper Resource.
After a lot of reading and googling, he is now creating professional quality videos, but Wijgerde – who also creates shorter vlogs (video diaries) – insists that it continues to be something he does on the side. “Having fun is the main aim. As a scientist, you are stuck indoors a lot. Filming gives me the incentive to go out into nature and record what I see. Later on at home, I turn this into videos. That combination of creativity and being outdoors is what I really like.”
‘Securing’ student loan saves money
For years, interest on student loans was zero per cent, but from the next calendar year it will go up. For many students this was a reason to take a closer look at the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO) regulations. A number of them discovered a trick that could save them a considerable amount of money, which students are now sharing widely on social media.
When you graduate, interest on your student loan is actually fixed for five years at the percentage that applies on 1 January of the following year. On 1 January 2023, that is 0.46 per cent. Experts, however, expect this percentage to rise considerably in the coming years, as a result of which students who graduate in 2023 or later will pay a lot more interest.
The trick is to discontinue your student financing for one month this year. In this case, DUO splits your debt into two parts. The interest on your student loan until the split will be ‘secured’ for five years at a relatively low percentage of 0.46 per cent. This is especially appealing to students who currently have a considerable debt: sister newspaper Delta and NOS op 3 calculated that they may save thousands on interest by doing this.
DUO confirmed with NOS that this trick is indeed “possible and permitted”, although the service also points out the risks. “A person does have to discontinue everything. In addition to one month’s student financing, you also miss out on a months’ worth of student travel, which you yourself have to discontinue at the ticket machine. That in itself could cost more than the advantage that this provides.”
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Name from 1614 to receive update
Theology – to many people that sounds old-fashioned. University of Groningen thought so too, where the ‘faculteit Godgeleerdheid en Godsdienstwetenschappen’ has changed its name. It has now become the Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society. Indeed, an English name, to the dissatisfaction of some, as appeared from the reactions to the article in sister magazine UKrant. "What is wrong with ‘Religie, Cultuur en Maatschappij’?” it said.
The reason for the name change? “Our image no longer corresponded with what we actually do and offer, says dean Mladen Popović. “The name ‘godgeleerdheid’ originates from 1614, the year in which the university was founded. It was one of the first four faculties (in Groningen, ed.) and students at the time were trained to become clergymen.” This was at a time when the university followed the protestant faith. This came to an end in 1876, when it became public State University Groningen.
In addition, the ‘faculteit Godgeleerdheid en Godsdienstwetenschappen’ has not produced any clergymen for a long time. These days, its students deal with questions such as: how do religions emerge, what effect do they have on people and societies, and what role does religion play in different cultures and conflicts. Still, the old image seems to stick with them. “I hear from colleagues that they often get surprised reactions when they say what they do,” says Popović. With this new name, he hopes that will be a thing of the past.