Estonian curling pair Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill have won silver at the World Curling Championship that took place yesterday in Östersund, Sweden. They were defeated by Swedish siblings Rasmus and Isabella Wrana. This is the first time Estonia has won a World Mixed Doubles medal title in the adult competition. Another great result for Estonia!
The 25th of April is International DNA Day. Genealogy is very popular in Estonia and many Estonians have taken DNA tests to explore their ancestral roots and to connect with relatives. I took my autosomal DNA test in 2016 and have since made some fascinating discoveries. I have also tested my father's DNA for his maternal (mtDNA) and paternal (Y-DNA) lines. I've spend hours researching, trying to find the connection between the DNA matches. It's a very time consuming yet rewarding passtime. I thoroughly recommend it. Happy DNA Day!
With the arrival of spring I tend to think of flowers and increased periods of sunshine. Unfortunately spring is off to a bad start this year with snowfall not only taking place across Estonia but in other parts of Europe too. This photograph was taken last Friday in Simuna, Lääne-Viru County in northeastern Estonia.
Few people would remember it now but the narrow Härjapea River used to flow through the city of Tallinn. During the Middle Ages it was one of the most exploited rivers in Estonia. Eight watermills were built along the river and as industries grew, the river became increasingly polluted.
By the 19th century the Härjapea River was partially covered with planks to deal with the pollution issue. Then in 1930 the river was sealed completely. Today, only underground sewer pipes remain.
The drone sector is rapidly developing in the European Union. Ten years from now the drone industry is estimated to make up 10% of the entire aviation market and by 2050 it will create over 150,000 new jobs. In Estonia there are currently 21 drone manufacturers including Milrem Robotics, Hepta, Clevon, Threod Systems, and Skycorp. It has been predicted that Estonia will become a market leader in the drone sector with the country on track to becoming one of the most prominent development and operating hubs in Europe.
Estonian-made drones have been dubbed by some as 'the new Estonian Nokia'. The Estonian drone sector has every possibility to grow exponentially and greatly increase exports. Estonian-made drones have already made significant contributions to troops in Ukraine on various missions, including demining, route clearance, and re-supply.
In February 2024 the Estonian Defense Force announced that a new drone training centre will be set up close to Nurmsi Airfield in Järva County. It is expected to be operational by the end of the year. The facility will be the only drone training centre of its kind in Estonia. The drone training centre will be available to the Estonian Defence Forces, the Estonian Defense League (Kaitseliit) and NATO allies and will include accommodation and lecture rooms as well as other facilities needed to support drone training.
The drone market will grow to 50 billion euros by 2026 and presents a fantastic opportunity for Estonia as a whole.
If you enjoy a bit of comedy then you might be interested in the work of Julia Masli. Born in Tallinn in 1995 Masli is an award winning clown now based in London. Last year Masli won several awards at the Edinburgh Finge Festival and Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Julia Masli is currently in Australia performing her 'Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha' show.
