8 August: 220

Today is the 220^th day of the year. 10 facts about the number 220:

1. 220 Kid is an English record producer, DJ and remix artist whose real name is William Edward Graydon. On the UK Singles Chart, his collaboration "Don't Need Love" with Gracey reached number 9 in 2020, while his remix of Nathan Evans' "Wellerman" with Billen Ted was number one in 2021.

2. Also in music, 220 is a 1996 instrumental album by Phil Keaggy; a 2018 extended play by Snoop Doog and a 2008 song by t.A.T.u.

3. 220 is a telephone area code for Ohio, United States.

4. 220 Stephania is an asteroid discovered on 19 May 1881, by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory. It was named after Princess Stéphanie of Belgium.

5. The UK's best selling triathlon magazine is called 220 Triathlon, and has been dedicated to providing the latest news and features on the swim, bike and run since 1989.

6. 220 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) was founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1963 after four separate periods of service. The squadron saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, as a maritime patrol unit, and finally as part of Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent.

7. The A220 is a road in England which runs between Erith and Bexleyheath.

8. The Year 220 was a leap year starting on Saturday, known at the time as the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Eutychianus. In this year there was a great frost in Roman Britain, said to have lasted for five months.

9. In London, the 220 Bus runs between Mapleton Road and Willesden Junction Station.

10. In numerology, 220 energy resonates with conscientiousness, diplomacy, and inclusiveness. It is a highly focused energy, with a goal of building for a secure future.

Character birthday

Neutraliser, an alien from the planet Krinall. She stole a space craft to escape an arranged marriage and landed on Earth. The date she arrived here was 8 August so she adopted this date as her birthday, and she adopted the human name of Loretta Lincoln. She was sheltered for a while by a young girl, Rosie, who discovered her in the garden shed. Later, Rosie’s father, a widower, made a pass at her, so she left the family and managed to get a place at Birmingham University in order to learn more about her new home. There, she made friends with a student named James Lovell (Unicorn) and rescued him when he was caught up in a lab explosion. Together they formed the Freedom League. Neutraliser can fly and recognise if someone is a genetic variant. Her proximity to a genetic variant neutralises their powers. Although her true form is that of a humanoid lizard, she has a device which makes her look human. Her DNA is used to create the neutralising wristbands for use by variants whose powers are out of their control. She appears in Running in the Family.

Running in the Family

An alien craft approaches Earth. The alien on board is a fugitive, fleeing from an arranged marriage to freedom on our world. She befriends James, a genetics student, and shares her knowledge about the future of the human race with him. 

A science experiment gone wrong gifts James with superhuman abilities; but they come at a price, leading him to mentor others like himself. He founds a group of amateur heroes called the Freedom League.

The Freedom League suffers a string of losses and tragedies; it seems doomed to failure; but one of its members, Peter Mayfield, has vowed to form a group of his own. He is determined to keep his vow, despite having lost Rosemary, the one person he wanted by his side to help him.

Lizzie Hopkins is a talented young athlete and dancer. Peter sees her in action and guesses her exceptional abilities are far more than they seem. He offers to train and mentor Lizzie - but her mother is violently opposed to his suggestion.

As soon as she is old enough, Lizzie takes matters into her own hands; she seeks out Peter and his group for herself. She soon makes a discovery which shakes her world at its very foundations. Her search for the truth will resolve many unanswered questions, but it will also stir up old heartbreaks dating back to the Freedom League's early days.

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