SHARJAH // New parks and recreational areas for tourists and residents have been at the forefront of developments in the emirate.
The new-look Rolla Park, revamped at a cost of Dh22 million, reopened in December last year after being closed since 2011. The 3.7 hectare park was inaugurated by Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah, on the 43rd National Day.
Listed among the emirate’s many heritage sites, the park was named after the banyan tree, known locally as Rolla, that was planted by Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, who ruled the emirate from 1803 to 1866, according to the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.
Al Montazah Park reopened to the public last year and was developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority. Formerly Al Jazeera Park, it was opened in 1979 on an island in Khalid Lagoon, now renamed Flag Island.
The attraction includes a 26,000 square-metre water park, a green area for picnics and events, a kart-racing track and two small football pitches.
Three million people are expected to visit the park each year.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
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Indika
Developer: 11 Bit Studios
Publisher: Odd Meter
Console: PlayStation 5, PC and Xbox series X/S
Rating: 4/5
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.
UAE'S YOUNG GUNS
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Sour Grapes
Author: Zakaria Tamer
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Pages: 176
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if you go
The flights
Flydubai flies to Podgorica or nearby Tivat via Sarajevo from Dh2,155 return including taxes. Turkish Airlines flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Podgorica via Istanbul; alternatively, fly with Flydubai from Dubai to Belgrade and take a short flight with Montenegro Air to Podgorica. Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Podgorica via Belgrade. Flights cost from about Dh3,000 return including taxes. There are buses from Podgorica to Plav.
The tour
While you can apply for a permit for the route yourself, it’s best to travel with an agency that will arrange it for you. These include Zbulo in Albania (www.zbulo.org) or Zalaz in Montenegro (www.zalaz.me).