Issue 5

December 2012

Best of Luck,

Earth

What does science say about December 21, 2012? Page 18

CONTENTS Nerve Magazine • December 2012 • Issue 5

Exotic at Home 6

Consider poison dart frogs as your next pet.

By Leif Simmatis

Are You in Pain? 12

Scientists communicate with vegetative patients.

By Ralph Yeung

Sex, Drugs and Drosophila 14

How sex deprivation affects alcohol consumption in fruit flies.

By Julia Duszczyszyn

Apocalypse Now? 18 A scientific look at our upcoming doomsday.

By Kent McDonald

Windows Through Time 24

The transformation of Windows OS.

By Genevieve Chan

A New Future for Females 30

How women are changing the field of engineering.

By Alison Rockley

Science Carols 34

Christmas through the eyes of a science student.

By Tyler Vance

Editor in chief Catherine Owsik Staff Writers Ralph Yeung Tyler Vance Copy Editors Geoff lundell-Smith Genevieve Chan Layout & Design Catherine Owsik Social Media & Marketing Manager Mary Gilaine Arkles

(Jody Roberts vis Getty Images)

Nerve was ratified as an AMS club in March 2012. The inaugural issue was released August 2012.

Issues are released online monthly.

Print issues will be released as funding permits.

Water on Mercury While the Curiosity rover has found few results on Mars, NASA’s Messenger probe has discovered ice at Mercury’s poles.

4 • Nerve Magazine

(NASA)

5

Science

Exotic at H

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ome H

(Cliff1066 via Getty Images)

7

Science

By Leif Simmatis

I

magine your perfect pet.

Is it fluffy? Cute with a wet nose?

Needs to be housebroken? Now imagine your landlord’s reaction when you go out and get one of those for your bachelor apartment.

Suddenly, Fido or Sylvester seems less appealing and an alternative is necessary. Budgies? They squawk.

Fish? OK, done!

That is, unless you want to stand out a bit. In this case, perhaps a small reptile or amphibian is a consideration.

There are a vast array of both wildborn (not recommended) and captiveborn reptiles and amphibians available at Kingston’s pet stores. But none, I guarantee, will spark a conversation as fast as the poison dart frog.

Of course, saying “the” is a massive misnomer. Dart frogs are a colossally diverse family originating in Central and South America, with over 175 recognized members so far. Dart frog species are surprisingly different, in spite of the fact that many of them may look similar to the uninitiated. Take, for example, Phyllobates vittatus and Hyloxalus azureiventris: both have a blue set of hindquarters and a brilliant orange/yellow snout on a black skin. However, whereas P. vittatus is found Different species of dart widely in Costa Rica, H. frog inhabit very different locations. For example, azureiventris is known only Costa Rica (red) and sporadically throughout Peru Peru (orange). and San Martin, representing a vast geographic separation.

The most striking part about poison dart frogs, besides their colouration, is

8 • Nerve Magazine

their production of poison. That being said, their poison production is not nearly as potent or prolific as in the cases you may have heard. The use of dart frogs by South American tribes to poison-tip their blow darts is part of this misconception. Out of all of the species known, only four have been identified as ever being used for making weapons.

These were effective tools, but the extent of the practice is widely exaggerated. The four frogs on record as being used this way all belong to the Phyllobates genus, with the standout being P. terribilis. This frog in particular produces a potent toxin known as batrachotoxin, which affects the heart and nervous system. An average fatal dose for a human is only 1.6 milligrams of this poison; by comparison, a fatal dose of black widow spider venom is 7.5 milligrams. All members of this genus produce this poison, but in variable amounts.

P. terribilis happens to produce far more than others, though: it is so prolific that the arrow can be scraped along its back to get enough poison to make the dart lethal (each frog has an estimated 500-1000 milligrams on its skin at any given time). In contrast, other members of this genus have to be roasted to extract poison.

Other types of dart fogs have not been documented in producing such a nasty substance at this amount. That is not to say that most dart frogs are not poisonous, though. After all, a defence mechanism is something that the tiny dart frogs need to avoid being eaten on their daytime hunting expeditions (they hunt during the day because they are cold blooded and so the extra warmth allows them to be more efficient).

(Alex P2006 via Getty Images)

However, pet owners need not be concerned about even the smallest amount of poison. This is because the poison that they secrete is a product of their natural diet: certain insects (one family of beetles, mostly) contain toxins that the frogs ingest and concentrate before they secrete them. However, captive dart frogs do not have access to these insects. The typical diet for a captive frog is usually crickets or possibly small waxworms.

Thus, captive-bred frogs have never produced poison in their lives.

This change in diet has no effect on their brilliant colours, though. In fact, captive-bred dart frogs come in many different patterns and colour schemes called “morphs”. These can vary widely even within a single species, to the point where two morphs of one species may look more different than two altogetherseparate species.

This variability is what makes them such an attractive proposition as pets.

Prospective owners can choose from nearly any imaginable combination of colours and patterns, and some species of frogs can even be combined together in the same enclosure. This is a risky proposition, though, unless adequate enclosure space is provided.

A rule of thumb for dart frog enclosures is, for a standard “tall” tank (referred to as a “vivarium”), 5 gallons per frog should be provided.

Other vivarium conditions should be carefully monitored to keep the frogs healthy. Temperature and humidity are key amongst these. Given their tropical nature, one would expect that dart frogs would require higher temperatures but this is actually not the case. Approximate daytime hightemperatures should not exceed 26 degrees Celsius (around 80 Fahrenheit) and night temperatures should drop to

9

(Cliff1066 via Getty Images)

Science

approximately 20-22 degrees. Frogs that are too hot will “gape”, that is, they will sit with their mouths open and appear to do nothing.

Humidity is also quite important, as dart frogs (along with most other frogs) absorb most of their hydration through their skin. Ideal enclosure humidity should be in the range of 90%, which is quite high, but understandable, that they hail from rainforests.

However, other things besides temperature and humidity should be carried over from their rainforest homes.

For example, it is common practice for even small enclosures to contain live plants and working waterfalls, which provide not only additional beauty to the tank but also help stimulate the frogs to both be active and also seek hiding places. Frogs deprived of hiding spaces can easily become stressed, which can be fatal. One thing that can

10 • Nerve Magazine

obviously not be carried over easily is their highly specialized diet (given its implications for the production of poison, it may not be wise to attempt regardless).

There are other illness factors that can plague dart frogs aside from simple stress, though. Parasites can occur, and dietary deficiencies can be quite dangerous. Particularly a lack of calcium or too much phosphorus, both of which can cause Spindly Leg Syndrome, a chronic weakening of the bones that can become fatal.

Do not be dismayed by these complications, though. Any pet requires proper care and maintenance, be it a frog or a dog. In this case, the requirements are simply a little bit different than what most people might be used to. •

(Anne Sleben, Jerry Kirkhart and Angelskiss31 via Getty Images)

Science

Are you

in pain?

If you had the chance, what would you ask someone in a vegetative state?

T

he brain is a beautifully complex structure. Its complexity, in part, allows us to interpret, perceive, communicate and interact

with our world. But it came at a price: complexity, in our case, necessitated specialization, and specialization required an isolated and consistent environment. This made our brains fairly sensitive to insult and any damage could cause drastic consequences for cognition

and consciousness.

Such is the case for many patients who have experienced brain trauma, be that in the form of physical trauma, infection, stroke, or any other number of ways you could injure your brain. It’s not difficult to imagine then, how easily and quickly someone could lose enough brain tissue to stop perceiving and interacting with their environment – to lose consciousness.

Unconsciousness is a realm of existence that is quite mysterious to science and medicine. Some of the patients who have suffered from such brain trauma are said to be in a vegetative state: physiologically alive, but cognitively absent.

They are unable to respond or

12 • Nerve Magazine

interact with their world, and traditionally it’s been thought they are unable to perceive their surroundings.

Since the widespread usage of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we’ve discovered that’s not always the case.

Most recently, Dr. Adrian Owen at the University of Western Ontario identified a patient who was previously thought to be in a vegetative state. Using functional MRI (fMRI), his team was able to identify that his patient was in fact, capable of communication.

By extension, this patient can be said to be at least aware of his environment, and by some definitions, conscious, despite not being able to react to stimuli

in any obviously observable way.

So how do we get people to “talk” via fMRI? Dr. David Andrew, professor of neuroscience at Queen’s, describes the process.

“The basic idea is to say to the patient: imagine playing tennis, while they’re in the MRI. Particular parts of their brain light up. Then they say: imagine cooking a meal.

Another part lights up. Then they say: for yes, imagine playing tennis, for no, imagine cooking a meal.”

The differential pattern of activation in the brain when someone thinks of two unrelated scenarios allows clinicians and scientists to recognize simple yes and no answers – assuming that patients respond to questions. It seems a little surreal, to think that these people are perceptive and clinicians are rightfully sceptical about claims of responsiveness from such individuals.

Often times, this method is also used to test a patient’s previous perception of the environment around them. For example, if a family member has told them, while they were in a vegetative state,

By Ralph Yeung

that they have two nephews that were born after they have been in their vegetative state, the clinicians could ask whether or not the patient has nephews and how many.

Determining whether a patient in a vegetative state – or rather a minimally conscious state, according to Andrew — raises some very tricky ethical concerns. Given this capacity to ask questions of someone who is able to perceive the world, but unable to interact physically with it, what questions would one ask?

Often, as is the case of Owen’s patient, the first question asked is whether or not the person is in pain. In this case and in others, according to Andrew, the answer is typically no.

However, there are other important questions, and one in particular, which no clinician ever wants to ask of a vegetative patient.

“Do you want to die? Should we take you off life support? If they ask, they better be ready for the answer and do something about it,” Andrew comments.

There are a number of implications to the answer of this question. First, even in patients who are able to communicate more effectively than those in a vegetative state, euthanasia is a difficult ethical issue that the field of bioethics has yet to tackle. If the answer is yes, that they want to die, it would appear the only course of action for clinicians would be to do everything in their power to change the patient’s answer.

Andrew highlights another issue: “If they say yes, and

they don’t have all their brain there, how can we go by [their decision]?”

The same, of course, can be said for any question a patient in this condition answers. This issue remains one of the strongest critiques about incidences of patients in a vegetative state communicating. How do we know they’re conscious enough to respond properly to questions?

There is no one area that governs consciousness in the brain, but rather the integration of many parts creates consciousness. Neuroscience is no closer at understanding how this works, and thus is unable to determine, by brain activation alone, truly, whether someone is, at least, minimally conscious.

Andrew’s research hopes to tackle the issue of brain damage from another angle.

The vegetative state these patients are in can come about from various ways, one of which is stroke, causing oxygen deprivation to the highly sensitive brain tissue. As the lack of oxygen continues, brain tissue begins to die.

“What people don’t seem to understand is why the brain stem survives all that, but the higher brain burns out,” Andrew says.

Patients in a vegetative state, having suffered from say, a heart attack that stopped circulation from going to the entire brain, are physiologically still able to maintain involuntary control of their breathing, heart rate and reflexes, thanks to the seemingly unaffected functions from the brain stem. Strangely, the brain stem in many of

these patients seems to be completely unaffected.

“Why does the brain stem survive stroke, even when deprived of glucose and oxygen as the higher brain? Maybe it’s getting more blood flow [from the heart], or blood flow isn’t getting cut off as much. What we found in my lab is that if you take slices of brain stem and expose them to oxygen glucose deprivation, the brain stem survives. You can hit these neurons … and they bounce right back. This really provides insight as to why patients in a vegetative state are alive, because the neurons are more resistant.”

Do the differences between resistance of brain stem neurons to harsh conditions compared to higher, cortical neurons, allow us to understand how the brain may recover from extensive trauma? It, unfortunately, is too soon to tell. There remains a problem, even if we identify what makes brain stem neurons so resistant: how can we treat damaged neurons?

For now, hope for patients in a vegetative state is that they can continue to live pain-free, and that neuroscience will continue to refine techniques to identify the patients who are conscious enough to communicate with their loved ones, so then we can free their trapped voices. •

Dr. David Andrew’s lab investigates the effects of stroke on the brain. He teaches a graduate level “Controversies in Neuroscience” course at Queen’s.

13

Sex, Drugs an Drosophila

Science Science

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nd

A fruit fly walks into a bar. He has a couple drinks. That’s the end of that sad joke.

It’s been found that sex-deprived fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, prefer alcoholic food over regular food.

By Julia Duszczyszyn

F

rom an evolutionary standpoint,

(Jody Roberts vis Getty Images)

the brain’s reward system is there to reinforce behaviours and actions that are advantageous for one’s fitness. In reality though, the things that are reinforced are not always beneficial.

As you might have guessed, food, social interaction and sexual intercourse are all linked to the brain’s reward system. Many drugs, including alcohol, are also linked to the reward system and therefore addictions to food, social interaction, sex and drugs are common in nature.

Galit Shohat-Ophir and colleagues at the University of California used fruit flies,

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Science

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(Galis Shohat-Ophir)

Drosophila melanogaster, to study ethanol consumption as a response to sexual deprivation.

Like humans, fruit flies exhibit addiction-like behaviours.

For example, some have a preference for food soaked with ethanol, even if it is made abhorrent. In other words, even fruit flies enjoy the occasional shot of alcohol… some more than others.

They found male fruit flies that had frequent sex exhibited higher levels of the hormone neuropeptide F (NPF). NPF is a hormone that acts on the brain’s reward system, which can affect ethanol preference.

Male flies that have fun in the sack prefer lower-ethanol meals and males that are sexually deprived (and socially rejected) prefer as much ethanol they can get their proboscises on.

This experiment was rather simple but holds compelling results. Drosophila are easy to manipulate, and are therefore common biology subjects. For example, to tease apart the effects of social rejection from sexual deprivation, males were exposed to decapitated virgin females. The females did not show obvious signs of rejection, but also did not allow the males to mate… well, because they were dead. The sexually frustrated and socially rejected males had lower levels of NPF in their brains and showed significant preference for highethanol food.

Males that were given normal virgin females (virgin females were chosen because they are eager to mate) usually were able to ‘woo’ the ladies into mating with them, using intricate courtship techniques.

These satisfied males had higher levels of NPF in their brains and showed a preference toward food with low-levels of ethanol. Rejected flies, on the other hand, had lower levels of NPF in their brains, and sought an alternative reward — drinking to the point of intoxication.

The team also performed a number of additional tests to see if the environment, the number of females or virginity played a role in the discovered ethanol preference. The results all pointed to sexual activity being correlated with ethanol preference and fluctuations in NPF levels. This result is enhanced when the male is isolated.

So, sexual experience

governs NPF levels, which dictates ethanol preference.

Galit Shohat-Ophir and colleagues genetically manipulated the NPF levels in Drosophila brains and showed that males who have preset low NPF levels but are sexually satisfied, still prefer high ethanol food. This confirms the NPFethanol interaction.

This experiment is significant because for the first time ever, scientists have linked sex, the NPF system and ethanol consumption. Although there is no obvious adaptive benefit to drinking high-ethanol food, the sexually frustrated flies seem to be acting as a result of their discontent. This study may prove to help other scientists understand human coping mechanisms and addiction. •

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Apocalypse

Now?

18 • Nerve Magazine

(Composed from images by Gopal Venkatesan via Getty Images and NASA)

19

Science

By Kent McDonald

T.S.

Eliot probably had it right in The Hollow Men with his assertion that the end of the world would be heralded not by a bang, but a whimper. Nevertheless, proponents of catastrophic events are popping up with ever-increasing frequency. Wild speculation abounds, with the most popular theories implicating galactic alignment, rogue solar flares, and encounters with the putative Planet X. At first glance, there exist three main tenets to each theory: annihilation of life on Earth, December 21, 2012, and absolute denial of accepted scientific theory.

Life on Earth will not continue indefinitely. Stars have a finite lifespan, and our Sun’s is projected to expire in approximately 10 billion years. About five billion years prior to this, however, it should expand to 250 times its current radius, which would engulf Earth in its current orbit. Looking on the bright side, life on Earth will probably be eradicated about one billion years from now when the Sun’s intensity has sufficiently increased to evaporate all water on the planet.

Clearly, these theories are ultimately rooted in fact. However, they occur in a future so distant it is irrelevant to the next million generations of humans.

In an effort to achieve relevance and thus notoriety, the timescale of the apocalypse must therefore be accelerated, and it is here that problems arise.

The fascination with the upcoming December 21 is a little less cut and dry.

In the Mayan Long Count calendar, a 5125-year period known as the “Great Cycle” ends December 21, 2012. By Mayan reckoning, this is the fourth of

20 • Nerve Magazine

such cycle, with the previous three cycles culminating in the destruction and subsequent recreation of the universe.

Without delving into theoretical physics, we can set a lower limit for the age of the universe with the assumption that the universe must be at least as old as the oldest thing in it. Through radiometric dating, we can conclude that Earth formed approximately 4.54 billion years ago. At the very least, the juxtaposition of ancient mythology and modern subatomic technology should begin to damage the credibility of these theories.

The first theory of the apocalypse we’ll examine is the Niburu Theory. Nibiru, known colloquially as Planet X, will have a close encounter with Earth. Nibiru is approximately four times the size of Earth with a 3600-year orbital period, and it may either collide with Earth or alter Earth’s rotation in a near-miss. In the case of a nearmiss, Earth will rotate 180o on its axis, physically flipping its North and South poles. Earth will cease its usual rotation for nearly a week, at which time it will resume rotation as usual.

Considering the sheer volume of astronomers throughout human history, it is impossible that a local planet could remain undetected for thousands of years. A planet as massive as the putative Nibiru would certainly be visible with the naked eye, particularly if its orbital trajectory permits a near-miss terrestrial encounter. However, even if Nibiru managed to evade prying eyes, it would still impact the orbits of planets.

In 1846, the discovery of Neptune was pre-empted by the 1821 miscalculation

of the orbit of Uranus. A comparison between the empirical and observed orbits necessitated the existence of an eighth planet. Upon its discovery, Neptune’s location had already been calculated to within one degree.

Mike Brown is a professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. “It is not impossible that the Sun has a brown dwarf companion,” he said in reference to Nibiru during a 2009 interview with Discovery. “But to be hidden from us it would have to be much, much further out than the Kuiper Belt... there are very good limits to what you can hide at what distances in the solar system.” A Mars-sized object would have to be at least ten times further than Neptune to avoid perturbing solar orbits. However, such an oblong orbit would not persist. “It would only last for about a million years before it came too close to Jupiter and got ejected out of the solar system,” Brown said.

If Nibiru has somehow done the impossible and remained undetected, there can be no doubt that a collision with Earth would be absolutely devastating. However, the predicted outcome of a near-miss completely defies physics. In a 1977 rebuttal of the same claim, renowned astrophysicist Carl Sagan asserted that halting Earth’s rotation would require so much energy that the oceans would begin to boil.

Furthermore, Sagan questioned how rotation would later resume without the application of an external torque, an argument we can extend to the pole shift supposedly triggered by the arrival of Nibiru.

There is literally zero scientific evidence in support of the Nibiru/Planet X apocalyptic theory.

The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012.

(Wolfgang Sauber)

Moving on, the galactic alignment theory posits that on December 21, 2012, Earth will align

21

Science

A star with an expanding light echo. It’s been used as proof of Nibiru’s existence.

(NASA)

with the Sun and Sagittarius-A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. The combined gravitational effects of the Sun and Sagittarius-A* (pronounced SagittariusA-star) are anticipated to wreak havoc upon Earth somehow.

The galactic alignment theory likely finds its roots in the interaction of solar and lunar gravity effects on Earth.

Shortly after a full or new moon, the Sun and Moon align, resulting in higher than normal tides known as spring tides. Conversely, following the first and last quarter, the Sun and the Moon are at 90o angles when observed from Earth, resulting in lower tides known as neap tides. It therefore seems logical to extend this theory to the Sun and a black hole approximately 4 million times more massive than the Sun. However, Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation dictates that gravity is proportional to mass and inversely

22 • Nerve Magazine

proportional to the square of the radius between two objects. Sagittarius-A* is approximately 30,000 light-years away from Earth, whereas light covers the distance between Earth and its moon in 1.2 seconds flat. At that distance, Sagittarius-A* would need to be 1000 times more massive than it is to have the same gravitational impact as the Moon.

Fortunately for those of us who enjoy not having our civilizations annihilated, on December 21, 2012, the Moon will be just past its first quarter. It will have 1000 times more gravitational force on Earth than Sagittarius-A*, and it will be at an almost 90o angle to the aligned stellar bodies. Furthermore, this galactic alignment actually already occurred in 1998, with absolutely no effects, as expected.

The final highly-touted theory of the apocalypse relates to

a combination of Earth’s magnetic field reversing and the Sun’s activity strengthening.

The magnetosphere protects Earth’s surface from cosmic radiation, and if it were ever to reverse, it would be weakened. It is in this weakened state that a particularly strong solar storm is expected to penetrate the metaphorical shield and fry all life on Earth. Just to remain faithful to the Mayans, this storm will happen on December 21, 2012.

Geomagnetic reversal is not historically unprecedented. In fact, they occur randomly throughout Earth’s history due to the stochastic nature of Earth’s magnetic fields, which constantly wax and wane in strength.

However, the degradation of the global dipole followed by a complete reversal may take on the order of thousands of years, as opposed to the single catastrophic event required for the classic apocalyptic cataclysm.

Conversely, solar maxima occur cyclically every 11 years, although the precise period fluctuates between 9-14 years. This entails an elevated number of sunspots and an increase in the frequency of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) to 3-5 daily, up from once every few days at solar minima. A CME releases large quantities of matter and electromagnetic radiation into space, although not necessarily out into the planetary system.

Upon reaching Earth, the magnetic field associated with the CME interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere, compressing it on the day side and expanding it on the night side, while potentially injecting large amounts of energy. Particularly severe compression

is called a geomagnetic storm.

Excitation of atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen may follow, resulting in photon emission that drives the phenomenon known as aurora, typically only observed near Earth’s poles.

The largest recorded geomagnetic storm occurred the night of August 28, 1859, and produced an aurora visible as far south as Panama, and was bright enough that Americans thought their cities were burning.

Observations of storm magnitude may be made via analysis of nitrate-rich ice cores based on high-energy proton radiation.

According to Sten Odenwald, a specialist in space weather phenomenology, a storm of such magnitude today would cost upwards of $70 billion to satellites alone.

Fortunately for consumers, the impact of the satellite damage would be mitigated by prolonged widespread power outages because electrical transformers all over the world would literally fry after geomagnetic-induced current spikes their temperatures over 200oC and vaporize their coolant.

Odenwald predicts a full recovery from such a storm could take weeks, or possibly months.

Think about that. In today’s techreliant world, mass chaos would inevitably ensue as people suddenly lose all means of communication. It may not be the horrible, fiery death promised by apocalyptic believers, but it sure would feel like the end of the world. •

23

Technology

Windows

Through Time

By Genevieve Chan

With the recent release of Windows 8, Microsoft has brought Windows users another revamp. But operating systems have not always had sleek icons, speedy performance and reliable operation — in fact, many of us can probably remember the rectangular, grey taskbars and dull fonts of the older operating systems.

In just under two decades, computer operating systems have come a long way, whether in regards to features, speed, aesthetics, reliability, networking or support.

So in honour of the release of Windows 8, let’s take a look back at some Microsoft OS milestones over the past seventeen years.

24 • Nerve Magazine

Windows 95

At the time of its release, Windows 95 was a huge step forward in the PC world in terms of efficiency, smooth performance, customizable graphics, multimedia support and more. It also gave birth to some of the features we now consider to be core essentials — features like the start menu, taskbar, and audio and video playback tools. The inaugural version of Internet Explorer was also released around this time, and it steadily rose to become one of the most widely-used web browsers, peaking in 2003.

95 98

Pros Windows 95 provided consumers with a user-friendly layout, the ability

to personalize graphics and support for longer file names. In contrast to older operating systems, it had significantly better responsiveness and multitasking capabilities, allowing for smoother and faster processing.

The introduction of Plug-and-Play support allowed compatible devices to be detected and configured without manual setups.

Cons The drag-and-drop feature worked for most folders, with the exception of folders such as the Control Panel, Dial-Up Networking or Printers.

Some of the early networking abilities opened up some security problems, and protection from computer crashes due to problematic applications was poor.

August 24, 1995

June 28, 1998

Windows 98

With computers becoming more common household items, Windows 98 was designed to target consumers. Among some of the minor items it improved from its predecessor, Windows 98 improved USB and DVD-ROM support, and introduced internet connection sharing – whereby multiple users could share an internet connection within a Local Area Network.

Pros

Released with an updated version of Internet Explorer 5, this provided an upgrade of the web-browsing experience. Overall, Windows 98 was an upgrade of Windows 95, improving aspects such as stability, processing speed, more disk space and multimedia capabilities.

Cons Windows 98 was not as radical of a change as Windows 95 was of its predecessors, but it refined and polished many features.

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Technology

Windows 2000

Released with 4 versions — Professional, Server, Advanced Server and DataCenter Server ­— Windows 2000 was targeted at individual business clients and business servers. It was intended to replace all of the Windows operating systems before it, and provided improvements in reliability, Internet compatibility and a user-friendly setup and installation.

Pros

Users found that Windows 2000 ran better on laptops than previous operating systems had, as the trend began to shift from personal desktop computers to portable ones. With the business clientele in mind, Windows 2000 was also better suited for mobile users to access their personal data and settings from remote locations.

Cons

Though advertised for its security, Windows 2000 fell target to a number of virus attacks, and subsequently required frequent updates (or “patches”) to compensate for its security vulnerabilities.

February 17, 2000

October 25, 2001

Windows XP

Shifting back to targeting personal computer users, XP brought about the biggest change in visual aesthetics and customizable settings. Its stability and efficiency was a noticeable step up from the operating systems that had preceded it. In the wake of Windows 2000’s security troubles, XP introduced a number of security features as well as upgrading its networking features. XP also allowed for switching between user accounts without losing any saved information while a user was still logged on. It was also the first operating system in Microsoft’s line to have product activation, in order to prevent software piracy.

26 • Nerve Magazine

Pros

Windows XP introduced a number of improvements, including sp start-up and hibernating times, more applications to improve rel (such as System Restore, Automated System Recovery etc.) and hardware support for external devices, including USB 2.0 and monitors.

Cons

Though product activation served as a security feature against so piracy, one copy of XP could only be installed on one computer, effe multiplying costs for consumers with multiple computers.

Windows Vista

Vista was designed to address the susceptibilities of its predecessors to viruses, malware and other security breaches. Like each previous upgrade, Vista also improved XP’s stability and efficiency, namely, preventing system crashes.

Pros Vista’s layout was noticeably more visually appealing, with a sleeker start menu, taskbar and icons. Vista also introduced a number of Windows applications, including Windows Mail, Calendar, Photo Gallery, DVD Maker, Media Center and more.

Cons

Generally, people found that Vista was only a more polished version of Windows XP, without any significant software or feature improvements to deserve the upgrade.

January 30, 2007

peedier liability better multi(George Whiteside)

oftware ectively

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Technology

Windows 7

For many users, Windows Vista had not lived up to the 5-year anticipation before its release, but Windows 7 provided the focused upgrades that Vista had not. Instead of increasing the number of new features, Microsoft aimed instead at improving performance and reliability. While maintaining the visual improvements of Vista, Windows 7 also improved the taskbar with translucent icons for users to preview open applications on their taskbars, and allowing for pinning and reordering of taskbar items.

Pros

The improved taskbar, a better searching function and further-improved security are among the subtle, but significant improvements from Vista.

Cons The price for installation is still steep, and the increased performance can be taxing on older computer hardware, especially for users upgrading from XP.

July 22, 2009

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Windows 8

With the rise of devices like smartphones and tablets in the last few years, Windows 8 is a clear step in the direction of touch screens and tiled layout that echoes that of mobile devices. It looks to support compatibility across devices, allowing desktop computers and laptops to be synchronized with portable smartphones and tablets.

Pros The new layout is colourful and modern, and the tiled setup allows for

relevant and updated information to be presented to the user. When switching devices, the same tiled setup is present on a mobile device, allowing ease in working from different places. Windows 8 continues to support multiple monitors, with a significant upgrade that allows the user to personalize each monitor with different backgrounds and displays.

Cons

October 26, 2012

(Leif K-Brooks via Getty Images)

8

Though the cross-device compatibility and touchscreen support seem to be futuristic steps, some users feel that Windows 8 is better suited for tablets than desktops.

Although the new layout is visually appealing, it is a great departure from the traditional start menu and taskbar users have grown accustomed to, and some have difficulty navigating the radically different desktop. Considering that Windows 7 is still fairly new, some consumers and businesses are opting to stay with that rather than upgrade.

Though Windows 8 is still in its infancy, it has given us a glimpse of the direction in which computer technology is headed. In as little as seventeen years, there has been a huge shift in the capabilities, efficiency and aesthetic design of Windows operating systems – an enormous technological improvement without even looking at other corporations, gadgets or modes of media. With the radical technological advancements that we have witnessed, we can only wonder what is still to come. Maybe those science fiction visions of our future technology aren’t so far off after all. •

29

Engineering

30 • Nerve Magazine

An

F

ew u emtur al e f es or

T

By

Al

iso

n

Ro

ck

el y

he enrollment of women in engineering

has significantly risen since the

1960’s,

women first started entering this field.

when

And

trends across universities show that this number is going to keep rising.

Queen’s University

has

one of the highest rates of female engineers in major

Canadian universities.

31

Engineering

The percentage of women in engineering at Queen’s was 23% in 2008, and rose to 28.1% in 2010. Even the number of girls in male-dominated disciplines, such as engineering physics, is rising.

Two of the top academic positions in engineering at Queen’s are held by women: Dean of Engineering Kim Woodhouse and Associate Dean Lynann Clapham. Professor Clapham has mentioned that women are more attracted to the collaborative nature of Queen’s engineering.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) is an organization at Queen’s that promotes education of women in the science and engineering disciplines and creates awareness of opportunities available to women. Throughout the year, they do a number of outreach programs for girls in the Kingston community, as well as an annual ‘Dinner with Industry’ conference. Some of their outreach programs include attending Girl Guide meetings to help girls work towards science badges, and volunteering with elementary girls (grades 4-6) to organizing science and engineering related events.

As well, WISE runs EngSci Day twice a year, which introduces girls across Ontario to science and engineering. Heather Murdock of Engineers Without Borders has said “we need to redefine our outreach programs and promote engineers as creative problem-solvers who apply technology to benefit society. This re-branding could be very helpful in recruiting a more diverse engineering student body.”

H

istorically, women have made many great accomplishments in the science and engineering world. For example, Marie Curie is famous for her research on radioactivity, paving the way for her to become one of history’s most famed female scientists. She was also the first female to win a Nobel Prize, and the only woman to win in two fields. Currently, Linda Cureton is NASA’s Chief Information Office (CIO), where she

32 • Nerve Magazine

provides leadership to transform management of IT capabilities to support and enable NASA’s missions. Marissa Mayer is presently the CEO of Yahoo, the first woman to assume that role. She was one of the top 20 employees at Google, and the company’s first female engineer where she helped Google develop search technologies.

T

here are many initiatives that promote engineering to women and increase future growth potential. The Society of Women Engineers, based out of the United States, aims to help women achieve their full potential in careers as engineers by informing the general public of qualifications and achievements of women. GoldieBlox is a construction toy for girls created in 2012 by Debbie Sterling, an engineering graduate from Stanford University. The objective of the toy is to promote engineering to girls at a young age, and teach basic engineering principles Engineers Canada reports that in 2012, 10.5% of the country’s total registered engineers were women. The organization has a strategic objective to have 30% of licensed engineers be women by the year 2030 (an initiative nicknamed “30 by 30”). Suzelle Barrington of Engineers Canada has stated that “Canada produces approximately 50% of the engineers we need, and filling that gap will require increased recruitment of women and other minorities”. Through continued support of programs with the initiative to promote science and engineering to women, the numbers will continue to rise in the future. •

33

The Mixture

Science

Carols

By Tyler Vance Can you hear that? That’s the sound of almost every retail store in Canada stopping their usual slew of pop songs to allow for a new monopoly to take over. Christmas tunes are some of the most paradoxical songs out there. Some days you listen to them and a warm feeling of nostalgia flows through you. Others, the sound of some artist’s “new” rendition of a carol you’ve heard a million times can become the metaphorical straw that snapped the gift-laden camel’s back in a season already wrought with stress. With Christmas music and rhymes taking over the airwaves sooner and sooner each year, perhaps some truly novel alterations are in order. Just imagine taking these familiar rhythms and throwing in some new material to spruce up old classics. Like, what if we took a break from pitying Rudolph and focused on a more deserving soul, whose plight continues within all of us to this very second? What if we looked at the night before Christmas from the eyes of an excited electron? And what if we upgraded the old mantra “I’m gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas” to show what really scares undergrads around Christmas these days?

Think of the possibilities.

34 • Nerve Magazine

Proline the Fixed Phi Residue Proline, the fixed phi residue, Had a very rigid frame.

He owned a bi-dent R group, A boast that no one else could claim.

Yet, all of the other residues, Used to laugh and play mean tricks.

They never let poor Proline Bond into their alpha helix.

But when spirals grew too long Genome came to say.

“Proline with your phi so tight, Won’t you break this helix tonight?”

Then all the residues loved him, As they shouted out with glee, “Proline the fixed phi residue, You’re the amino acid for me!

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all was at rest.

The solution lay dormant, in its Ground State best.

Atoms vibrated slow with contentment and glee In spite of the lack of thermal energy.

We electrons lay snugly, with none left awake In bonds weaved from unions of give and of take.

My partner and I, within our own energy shell, Had just settled down for a night’s rest as well.

When all of a sudden, there burst forth such a flash.

I jolted awake in search of its path.

Around I searched with growing interest, Completely devoid of past wishes to rest.

The solution about me had an odd eerie glow, That coated the molecules above and below.

When what with my symbolic eyes did I view, But a green photon of my personal hν.

35

The Mixture It flew through the medium, at ten to the eight, Growing in size at an alarming rate.

It appeared as a ribbon, a zig-zagging vector, A transverse wave - or particle - or both-WHATEVER! And then it was there, and its energy was too.

I felt its great bounty, gift-tagged “For You”.

Encircled in radiance, energized to the core, Excitement within, which I’d never known before.

Such rapture it was, which had struck me quite blind, For I failed to note I’d left my partner behind.

Up, up and away I flew, to the ruin of π, Gracing the lobes of a star in the night sky.

There I did perch, jittering with glee and surprise At the curious result of my impertinent rise.

For ascended I had, leaving former bonds below Claiming the rights to the use of the term HOMO*.

I’d heard of such stories in tales told of yore “The anti-bonding orbitals” that lay at heaven’s door.

And there I was, a charge of the highest order Infused with the power to stand at said border.

But such a thing does not last for forever, And my energy reserve was beginning to waver.

My grip on paradise was soon to be lost, And the knowledge chilled me like subatomic frost.

Desperate to stay, I pleaded and fought with the fall, Throwing a tantrum throughout π*’s decked halls.

But the effort was for naught, and the garden did fade Forcing a farewell to my lips, I’d rather not have bade.

Yet as I sunk a soft hue began to show As the depths of my descent forged a soft crimson glow.

A new photon emerged and sprang out to the void A fluorescent spirit of the bliss I’d enjoyed.

And to my surprise, in the red angel’s wake, I found myself content with my decreasing state.

I sank back down to join my partner in bond Happy to be home, in a pairing of which I’m fond.

And the solution was again in a calm state of rest.

As I happily donned my old Ground State best.

Settling in with my friend, I closed my eyes tight, Whispering, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

36 • Nerve Magazine

*HOMO is an acronym for Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital, which is often used in chemistry.

I’m Writing Papers for Christmas The due date is the twenty first, Somebody please pinch me.

More knowledge of which I’m not versed, Somebody please pinch me.

A Christmas tree I want instead, Platters full of gingerbread, Yet, once more, desk meets my head.

Somebody pinch me please!

Oh, I’m writing papers for Christmas.

Science is making me sad.

I’m writing papers for Christmas, Which can’t equal anything but BAD. The title is a full page long, One more slurp of coffee!

The writing makes my head feel wrong.

One more gulp of coffee.

This paper’s going nowhere fast.

Curse this cruel, wretched task.

I think I need my “special” flask Since I’m out of coffee.

Oh, I’m reading papers for Christmas.

Research is driving me mad.

I’m reading papers for Christmas.

My face is now twitching a tad.

The introduction won’t make sense Somebody please punch me.

The results make me sound so dense.

Somebody please punch me.

Discussion points aren’t fully grown, Stunted, ragged, hollow tones.

Please throw my conclusion a bone!

Or just punch me please.

Oh, I’m writing papers for Christmas.

Worst stocking stuffer I’ve had.

I’m writing papers for Christmas, And running out of fiction to add.

The time has come, the end is nigh.

I really need some sleep.

Been up so long, I’m feeling high.

I really need some sleep.

Done and done, now time to send.

Press the button, sweat and pend. . . . Message Sent . . .

Those two words are my best friend.

Now to catch some Z’s.

Oh, I finished my paper for Christmas.

Now in gay apparel, I’m clad.

I finished my paper for Christmas.

Which can’t equal anything but GLAD! A trial it was, but now it’s through Let Christmas begin, and merry ensue, Cause I’m doing nuttin’ all Christmas!

Popular Proteins for Kids The Calvin protein is known to induce a conformational change in the Hobbes protein, allowing for proper binding. While this bond theoretically contains a half-life of six years, experiments show that it is in fact timeless.

37

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Nerve Magazine — ­ Vol. 1, Issue 5