Welcome to the first edition of Lumina, Seoul Foreign School’s STEM magazine. Lumina is a word that represents light, knowledge, and discovery— three essential elements in the pursuit of science and understanding. I hope this magazine connects our school community to STEM, illuminating complex concepts and sparking curiosity.
As science progresses at an unprecedented pace, it becomes increasingly important to bridge the knowledge gap and make STEM accessible to everyone. Through Lumina, we aim to break down these barriers, presenting topics in ways that engage, inform, and inspire.
Lumina serves as a platform for students to develop their voices in STEM. I hope that Lumina will continue to grow as a place where young minds can explore their interests, collaborate, and contribute to the larger scientific conversation, both within our school and beyond.
This publication would not have been possible without all of our members' help; thank you all for your continued efforts. Additionally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our teacher supervisors for their invaluable guidance throughout this process. Thank you Mr Boeri, Mr Hahm, Mr Diaz, and Mr Feitosa!
I hope you enjoy reading our very first issue of Lumina.
Sincerely,
Rachel Pyo Editor-in-Chief, Lumina
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CRISPR Gene Technology
Chloe Kim
Room Temperature Superconductors: Hope or Hype?
Kyoungra Rachel Pyo
Counter intuitive behavior in n-body pendulums
Eason Ha
The Hourglass Project
Faith Dallao
A Step Forward in Naval Research: The Dragonfire
Won Lee
Exploring the Boundaries of Bio-Design
Jerome Jeon
Supply Chaining Crypto Success: The Blockchain
Sihyun Park
The Psychology and Physiology of Color
Sophie Min
Considering Statistics and AI data science for Badminton Sports
Byung-Ju Park
Virtual Reality: A Business Game-changer
Taehoon Lee
The Finite Mystery of Infinites: Unraveled
Rodion Kobyakov
Entropy: The Universe's Road to Chaos
Yura Shin
Is Daniel Kish Batman?
Jiho Kim
Neuromarketing: Modern Marketing Solution
Joseph Song
Is Zero Even or Odd?
Ryan Park
Bowhead Whales may have a Cancer-Defying Superpower: DNA repair
Emily Moon
The Chemistry Behind Hair
Dye and Perm Solution
Ivy Moon
"Somewhere, something incredible
is waiting to be known"
Images by Unsplash
What is gene technology? Why is it controversial?
Gene technology, particularly the CRISPR-Cas9 system, has emerged as a fundamental force in the realm of genetic science. e CRISPR-Cas system(CRISPR-associated proteins) embodies an opposing concept to the Procrustean bed. It enables scientists to precisely edit speci c DNA sequences by recognizing or targeting speci c parts of DNA sequences to destruct the viruses. e “Cas” proteins act as molecular “scissors” that cut viral DNA in speci c locations and ll in the interspaced spots with the virus ine ective.
However, while its potential for curing diseases and enhancing human capabilities is remarkable, the ethical implications demand careful consideration. e ability to manipulate the fundamental building blocks of life sparked the idea of designer babies; for example, parents may seek to enhance their children’s intelligence or appearance through genetic modi cation. However, such practices could widen the gap between social classes. Considering the huge price for the use of CRISPR technology, there would only be a small number of people that can a ord it and thus “genetically divide” the privileged and the marginalized. e biggest concern about modifying genes of babies is that they are passed down, generation a er generation. Eventually, the entire human species could bear the marks of genetic editing.
A Heartbreaking Journey: Connie’s Battle with Metachromatic Leukodystrophy and the Unfulfilled Promise of Gene Therapy
One story of a young girl who was diagnosed with an incurable disease and went through gene therapy questions the true e ciency and safety of gene technologies. At the age of ve, Connie Elson began experiencing memory and concentration issues, followed by balance problems and seizures. She was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD): a rare and progressive genetic disorder in the nervous system.
Connie’s family was desperate in searching for medical consultations and treatments, hoping for a cure. Amidst the despair, they found a new gene therapy called “arsa-cel,” could o er the potential to halt MLD’s progression(Biopharma, 2023). e “arsa-cel” gene therapy aimed to provide Connie with replaceable copies of the ARSA genes which she lacked. is would reduce the harmful fats being collected in Connie’s fats which could lead to nerve damage.
Connie, on the le , with her three-year-old brother on for MLD disease.
However, despite hopes for Connie to get well through the gene therapy, there were ine ective and unsuitable factors. While “arsa-cel” gene therapy held promises for a potential treatment for MLD, the stage of Connie’s disease, the success of the therapy’s delivery, and any unforeseen complications or adverse reactions of the gene therapy ultimately led her to pass away.
on the right, captured before and during her treatment
In a world where gene technology holds the power to reshape the very essence of life, the tale of Connie Elson stands as a tragic consequence of the profound technical and ethical dilemmas of gene technologies.
As we look cautiously into development of genetic modi cation, we must not forget the human cost and the irreplaceable lives lost in the pursuit of progress. e “arsa-cel” treatment did not yield the expected outcome for Connie and possibly many other MLD patients in the future. e uneven nature of such advancements not only lack e cacy but also cause signi cant risks to society. To confront these challenges head-on, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive and scienti cally evidenced work done to check the real e ciency of the technology for us.
By doing so, we can foster an environment where innovation is respected under careful decisions, ensuring that the potential bene ts of genetic modi cation are realized while minimizing the associated risks. Only through our collective e ort to cultivate responsible oversight can we navigate the ethical controversies of gene technology and balance both human well-being and the integrity of our society.
APA CITATIONS
“A Second Chance at Life” (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/articles/a-second-chance-at-life-can-genetherapies-beat-rare-disease-371727
Claire Ellicott Political Correspondent For e Daily Mail. (2020). Testing for rare diseases at birth may have spared our girl a life of su ering, says mother of ve-year-old who has degenerative brain condition. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8071347/Testing-rare-diseases-birth-spared-girl-life-su ering.html
GN;, M. (n.d.). Gaps, inexperience, inconsistencies, and overlaps: crisis in the regulation of genetically modi ed plants and animals. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16329219/
KL;, K. (n.d.). Controversy over genetically modi ed organisms: the governing laws and regulations. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/11710306/
O ce of the Gene Technology Regulator. (2021). What is gene technology? Retrieved from https://www.ogtr.gov.au/resources/publications/ what-gene-technology
Redman, M., King, A., Watson, C., & King, D. (2016). What is CRISPR/Cas9? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4975809/#:~:text=CRISPR%2FCas9%20is%20a%20gene,genome%20(see%20 gure%201)
(N.d.). Retrieved from https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/genetherapy/success/
Room-Temperature Superconductors: Hope or Hype?
BY RACHEL PYO
DESIGN BY YURA SHIN
Photo
SUPER CONDUCTORS?
Although superconductors have long captivated scientists as a material of unlimited potential, so far, they have not been a familiar topic to the public due to the lack of real world applications. However, superconductors recently came into public attention, especially in Korea, when a team of Korean researchers announced the discovery of a room-temperature superconductor, LK-99, in July of 2023. Although extensive follow-up studies by many di erent research teams revealed that LK-99 does not function as a true superconductor (Byun), this was enough to spark signi cant excitement and hope among both the public and the scienti c community.
Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity with zero resistance, unlike a typical conductor. e most prominent theory for explaining superconductivity is the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrie er) theory. are called Cooper pairs (Nave). Cooper pairs behave di erently from single electrons; they do not undergo collision interactions. is allows them to move through the metal lattice without colliding and losing energy, which results in zero resistance.
However, as the energy that binds the electrons is very low, Cooper pairs can be maintained only at extremely low temperatures. For this reason, most of the superconductors that have been discovered so far only exhibit superconductivity at very low temperatures.
Superconductivity was rst discovered in 1911 when it was observed that the resistance of mercury disappeared when cooled to 4.19 K (-268.96°C) (Slichter). Following this discovery, several more materials were found to also exhibit superconductivity at temperatures near absolute zero. However, as these extreme temperatures can only be reached by liquid helium, an expensive and complex process, their uses were limited to mainly research purposes. In the 1980s, the discovery of high-temperature superconductors revolutionized the eld. ese ceramic materials, such as yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), can operate at temperatures up to -135°C, which is still pretty low to be called high-temperature superconductors, but achievable using liquid nitrogen which is much more a ordable.
More recently, other types of superconductors, ones that exhibit superconductivity at extreme pressures, not temperatures, have been discovered. For example, hydrogen sul de or lanthanum hydride exhibit superconductivity at relatively high temperatures of around -23°C, but only when subjected to pressures exceeding one million atmospheres (Slichter). ese limitations have fueled the search for a superconductor that can operate at room temperature and ambient pressure, which would be a game-changer for numerous industries.
e recent excitement surrounding the discovery of LK-99 was due to its potential to act as a superconductor at room temperature and ambient pressure. e material, based on lead compounds, exhibited properties that led some researchers to believe it could exhibit superconductivity at room temperature. Excitement escalated when a video of LK-99 appearing to exhibit the Meissner e ect was released to the public.
e Meissner e ect is one of the key features of superconductors, whereby a superconductor expels magnetic elds from its interior as it transitions into its superconducting state (Diebner). Under the in uence of a magnetic eld, electric currents are produced on the surface of the superconductor. ese surface currents produce a magnetic eld which perfectly cancels out the magnetic eld within the superconductor.
As this magnetic eld is opposite to the applied magnetic eld, a superconductor repels magnets in its vicinity, causing them to levitate—a visually striking demonstration of superconductivity.
In the case of LK-99, there were a few initial reports of it demonstrating the Meissner effect, leading some researchers to believe it could be the breakthrough material needed for room-temperature superconductivity. However, follow-up experiments have so far failed to consistently reproduce these results, casting doubt on the claim. Although the current consensus of the scienti c community is that LK-99 does not behave as a superconductor, the search for a room-temperature superconductor is still ongoing, as several research teams, including the team that created LK-99, claims to have discovered new candidates for room-temperature superconductors.
Despite the need for extreme conditions, superconductors are already being used in a range of cutting-edge technologies. One prominent application is in maglev (magnetic levitation) trains, which rely on superconducting magnets to create strong magnetic elds necessary for levitating trains. Producing strong magnetic elds requires strong electric currents which, when produced in conventional wires, would produce large amounts of heat and waste energy. Since current can ow through superconductors with zero energy loss, superconductors
Figure 1. A partially levitating sample of LK-99 (Kim Hyun-tak’s YouTube)
can signi cantly reduce the energy consumption of maglev trains.
In the medical eld, superconductors are essential in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines. MRI scanners use magnetic elds to cause the atoms in a human body to align, in order to produce images of the internal structure of the body. As with maglev trains, superconducting magnets must be used to generate these powerful magnetic elds.
If a room-temperature superconductor that can operate at ambient pressure was to be developed, it could be one of the most signi cant scienti c breakthroughs in modern history. e more obvious applications include power grids where cables made of superconductors will enable lossless power transmission. Technologies which already utilize superconductors, such as maglev and MRI, can also bene t from room-temperature superconductors as it will not require complex cooling systems.
However, the area where superconductors might have the greatest impact is in nuclear fusion. Fusion reactors, which aim to mimic the processes powering stars, also require extremely strong magnetic elds to contain the plasma where fusion occurs.
Currently, superconductors used in these reactors must be cooled to extremely low temperatures, which adds complexity and cost to the reactor design (Haack). If a room-temperature superconductor could be developed, it would simplify the construction and operation of fusion reactors, potentially making commercial nuclear fusion more achievable. Fusion is seen as the holy grail of clean energy, o ering virtually limitless power with minimal environmental impact. e success of nuclear fusion would provide a near-innite source of energy, producing no greenhouse gasses and little long-term radioactive waste.
Works Cited
Byun, Hye-jin. “[KH explains] LK-99: Roller coaster of excitement, de ation.” e Korea Herald, 7 August 2023, https://www.koreaherald.com/view. php?ud=20230807000613. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Diebner, Alicia. “Meissner E ect.” Engineering LibreTexts, 7 September 2021, https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Materials_Science/Supplemental_Modules_ (Materials_Science)/Magnetic_Properties/Meissner_E ect. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Haack, Julia. “Superconductivity for Nuclear Fusion: Past, Present, and Future.” Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 2024. https://rdcu.be/dUO79. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Johnston, Hamish. “Superconductivity endures to 15 °C in high-pressure material – Physics World.” Physics World, 14 October 2020, https://physicsworld.com/a/ superconductivity-endures-to-15-c-in-high-pressure-material/. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Nave, Rod. “Cooper Pairs and the BCS eory of Superconductivity.” HyperPhysics Concepts, http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Solids/coop.html. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Slichter, Charles. “Superconductivity - Moments of Discovery.” Superconductivity - Moments of Discovery, https://history.aip.org/exhibits/mod/superconductivity/01.html. Accessed 23 September 2024.
Fig 2: Nuclear Reactors (E&E News)
counter intuitive behavior in n-body pendulums
EASON HA
DESIGNED BY: SEJIK LEE
Chaotic systems, a field of research first pioneered by Edward Lorentz, is often presented to curious students through the double pendulum experiment. In a simulation, such as [1], it is not uncommon to have the path of the double pendulums tracked by bright colors, allowing the audience to view the erratic, jerking motion of all the pendulums. The reason for the erratic motion of the double pendulum versus the calm movement of a single pendulum is the fact that for the double pendulum, the first pendulum is being dragged and pulled by the second pendulum. By this logic, one might think that this pattern applies for any n-body pendulum - the more pendulums are consecutively attached, the more chaotic the motion would be. Visually, this is not the case, however. From a 7-body pendulum and onwards, the overall motion of the pendulum begins to revert back to the periodic, back-and-forth swinging of a single pendulum. Whether this phenomenon is an actual trend or a lucky coincidence can be determined by analyzing the Lyapunov exponents of the n-body system.
First, a light introduction into Lyapunov exponents. Lyapunov exponents are built around the following assumption: the difference between a function with a set initial conditions and the same function, but with slightly different conditions can be well approximated by an exponential function. This means that if the exponent is positive, the system will be chaotic and vice versa. Additionally, the greater the exponent, the more chaotic that system will be.
For convenience, the initial angles of all bobs were set to be the same. Numerical analysis was conducted by using the Eigen C++ library with n=2,3,…,7,10,12 and initial values of n=10,15,20,…,175,180.
In the case that the Lyapunov exponent was complex, the code would only output the real part of that exponent. This is because the imaginary component of the exponents would represent cyclical motion of θi in the Hamiltonian phase space, thus not contributing towards growing or decaying the motion of the pendulum bobs. In this case, the Hamiltonian phase space is an abstract 2n dimensional space where the coordinates - usually describing position of a particle - is instead replaced by the canonical momentum and the derivative of the canonical position.
The results of the simulations, shown in Figures 2 and 3, all demonstrate a common trend: the Lyapunov exponent approaches 0 as the initial angle approaches 90 degrees from the left side. Another observation worth noting is that chaotic behavior doesn’t scale linearly—the gap between the data points n =2 and n =4 is exponentially less than the gap between the data points for n =4 and n =8. Since the Lyapunov exponent represents the exponential growth of a system for small values of time, it can be concluded that, at least for a staring angle of 90 degrees, all n-body pendulums, regardless of the value of n, evolve in a similarly chaotic manner. For initial angles less than 90 degrees, n-body pendulums for n =2,3,…,6 , have Lyapunov exponents of 0 or imaginary numbers. This means that for many-body pendulums with n less than 7, if the initial angle is less than 90°, the pendulums will not exhibit chaotic behavior. However, as the value of n becomes greater than 6, a few of the Lyapunov exponents associated with a few of the lowest pendulum bobs have a non-zero real component for an initial angle less than 90° . A possible explanation of this is that for 7-body pendulums
and upwards, the bottom-most pendulums act like driven double or triple pendulums, with the motion of the pendulum bobs above the bottom few pendulum bobs acting as the driving force.
This study was able to confirm previously unproven counter-intuitive ideas, as well as providing comprehensive evidence of general trends among n-body pendulums. First, through analyzing the portion of pendulum bobs which moved chaotically for a given n, we provided quantitative evidence for the qualitative observation made from simulations.
[1] Neumann, E. (2016). myPhysicsLab Double Pendulum. Myphysicslab.com. https://www.myphysicslab.com/pe ndulum/double-pendulum-en.html
A Step Forward in Naval Research: The Dragonfire
Written By: Won Lee (9) Designed By: Yuna Lee
As wars and conflicts continue to escalate throughout the world, the UK has developed a military weapon we once thought was reserved for Jedi and Sith from Star Wars. Recently, the British Defense Ministry (MOD) released a new and improved Dragonfire, a military laser weapon, now able to reach aerial targets with ease. According to the ministry, most experts from the British engineering community believe the “UK’s DragonFire laser weapon achieved the country’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets”, improving the publicity of naval research programs around the globe.
WhaT is The Dragonfire?
2023 was one of the most politically chaotic and violent years ever since the second World War – Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy-Secretary General of the United Nations, has repeatedly shared her statements of concern, starting with the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Vladmir Putin, the inauguration of the Pinochet dictatorship, and the Israel-Hamas war. As one of the largest military powers in the world, the UK had clearly expressed the country’s endeavor to pursue peace in the world, regardless of whether it requires their military or government.
Defense News recently reported the country’s efforts to show promising progress with such weapons were motivated by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle east.
Equipped with one of the most high power and demographic military in the world, the UK has allied with countries in the past (and still continues to) participate in peace amending works, such as sending troops to areas in conflict.
Approximately £100 million has been invested for development of The Dragonfire by the British government, demonstrating a step forward in researching new naval technology (Elmas, 2024).
Despite being one of the first of its kind, the Dragonfire is unsurprisingly one of the most vital tools for the UK military, especially as the threats of aerial weaponry warfare continues to develop.
The UK military and Royal Navy are currently considering adding the Dragonfire to one of their air defense arsenals, as many experts have shared the weapon’s potential to be used in the field in approximately 5 to 10 years. The newly developed weapon is categorized as a British laser directed-energy weapon (LDEW) technology which was created in collaboration with MBDA UK, Leonardo UK, QinetiQ, and the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). Designed to defend land and maritime targets from aerial threats (ie. missiles and mortars), the UK envisages the potential of high energy laser weapons, such as the Dragonfire to be equipped on Royal Navy warships, armored vehicles, and fighter aircrafts of the Royal Air Force in the near future – and possibly advance into the international market.
explanaTion: hoW Does iT Work?
Lasers, although it may seem provocative to understand, actually utilizes simple concepts in the physical sciences which are executed through highly advanced machinery incorporated into the Dragonfire. Lasers are essentially high energy light beams that can be focused and condensed very tightly; however, in contrast to the range of visible light, photons within the laser all oscillate in the same wave cycle, meaning that they all have the frequency (LLNL). Atoms can have various levels of energy: when it is at its lowest energy state, it is able to absorb energy to get “excited”.
If a photon happens to pass by an atom at a high energy state, the atom will release the same exact photon with the same frequency, which uses up its energy, ultimately causing the atom to relax again as it has gotten rid of excess energy – this phenomenon essentially occurs numerous times to create a huge ray with photons of the same frequency moving in a condensed space. Ultimately, a laser beam requires a securely closed space with excited atoms, mirrors, and a photon that can be released (LLNL), which the Dragonfire is equipped with.
Once the photon with the right frequency is released into closed space, the excited atoms within the chamber will create a copy of the photon with the same frequency. After the photon passes through, the beam will meet a partially reflective surface (usually a mirror) which will allow more copies of the photon to be created as it passes through more atoms. Once this process repeats itself enough times, a large quantity of photons will be present within the enclosed space – after this is detected, a small opening will open at the top of the laser beam, causing a tight collection of photons to be released wherever it is pointed to.
This process is the same for whatever laser emitting machinery present in daily life settings, however the difference between your cat’s laser toy and the UK’s Dragonfire, is that the frequency of the photons differ drastically. Military lasers often have the frequency of an infrared (IR) range, which is invisible to the human eye; although lasers of this frequency are used for various purposes in the field such as communications, targeting, and surveillance, it is the most lethal when used for targets as it’s precision, durability, and camouflaging abilities are extremely advantageous (MIT OpenCourseWare).
Why are lasers essenTial To Daily life?
Although it may not seem like it, lasers are incorporated to numerous points in people’s lives today: barcode scanners, laser cutting, in printers, x-rays, and so much more. Stereo types of laser emitting machines (such as the Dragonfire) often causes many to believe its only use is in military settings. However lasers take part in many aspects of modern society than its citizens seem to realize.
Most accessible items incorporated with lasers, such as x-rays and simple light beams, emit photons in a very high frequency range and in the visible light spectrum. High frequency photons used in x-rays have very short wavelengths, and are used for medical imaging, materials, processing, and scientific research – the high energy of these photons allows the light beams to penetrate through material and reflect back to mirror detailed images of internal structures (MIT OpenCourseWare). Simple light beams, often used at concerts or even for your cat’s toy, is similar to light photons produced by lightbulbs which people are able to see –and as the frequency of these lights correspond to the lengths within the visible light spectrum, allowing both a human and cat’s eye to observe the reflecting light frequencies at the retina.
ConClusion:
The development of the Royal Army’s Dragonfire has drawn public attention from international militaries from around the world, suggestinsg a possible increase in the use of lasers in naval research. This new technology marks a significant milestone in the realm of military and defense technology.
Rising conflicts force engineers and technicians to evolve and become creative, and the need for new innovative and effective measures may be satisfied as lasers and various other modern technologies continue to develop.
The Dragonfire represents the collaborative development and formidable advancements of the UK’s arsenal, while also addressing the growing threats of aerial warfare in the future. While implications of laser technology have the potential to extend beyond military applications, many still continue to neglect the profound impact of this scientific innovation in society. As it has reached the epitome of naval research and development,
The Dragonfire will continue to stand as a beacon of human ingenuity and the commitment to peace and security in an ever-changing world.
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Elmas, D. S. (2024, January 23). UK demonstrates rival to israel's iron beam. Globes. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://en.globes.co.il/en/articleuk-demonstrates-rival-to-israels-iron-beam-1001468374#:~:text=Last%20 week%2C%20the%20UK%20marked,million%20pounds%20in%20the%20 project.
Hoffman, R. (n.d.). DIRECTED ENERGY weapons: HIGH POWER MICROWAVES. Office of Naval Research. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https:// www.nre.navy.mil/organization/departments/aviation-force-projection-and-integrated-defense/aerospace-science-research-351/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwaves#:~:text=Directed%20energy%20weapons%20 (DEWs)%20are,or%20destroys%20an%20adversarial%20capability.
Houser, K. (2024, February 3). UK's "dragonfire" laser weapon downs its first drones. BigThink. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://bigthink.com/the-future/uks-dragonfire-laser-weapon-downs-its-first-drones/
Houser, K. (2024, February 25). Fusion startup plans to shoot space junk with lasers. Freethink. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://www.freethink. com/space/space-junk-fusion How lasers work [Film]. (n.d.). Kurzgesagt. MIT. (n.d.). Fundamentals of photonics quantum electronics. MIT Open Course Work. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-974-fundamentals-of-photonics-quantum-electronics-spring-2006/fe5ea9d381e0ddf25248e4057d8c5de3_laser.pdf
National Ignition Facility and Photon Science. (n.d.). NIF's guide to how lasers work. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://lasers.llnl.gov/education/how-lasers-work National Ignition Facility & Photon Science. (n.d.). A legacy of lasers and laser fusion pioneers. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://lasers.llnl.gov/about/keys-to-success/legacy-of-lasers
Wang, N., Wen, H., Zacarias, J. C., Antonio-Lopez, J. E., Zhang, Y. H., Delgado, D. C., Sillard, P., Schülzgen, A., & Saleh, B. E. A. (2023, June 30). Laser2: A two-domain photon-phonon laser. In Science advances. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg7841
Exploring the Boundaries of Bio-Design
What is Bio-Design?
Bio-design offers hope in the ever-changing world of innovation. It provides innovative solutions grounded in our understanding of nature. Through the inventive application of design concepts to biology, this subject is changing a number of industries, including energy, healthcare, and agriculture. Bio-design has ushered in an era characterized by efficiency, sustainability, and environmental responsibility through the use of biological systems. The great potential of bio-design to promote a harmonious relationship between people and the natural environment is examined in this study, along with its applications, implications, and theories.
The Principles of Bio-design
A collection of guiding principles that shed light on the ethos of bio-design and direct its practice are at its core. Using biological materials, systems, and processes to influence and inform design choices is essential to this methodology. Biomimicry enables bio-designers to harness the creative power of evolution by taking inspiration from nature, resulting in solutions that are durable and effective. Nature serves as an unmatched source of inspiration, from the lotus effect creating self-cleaning surfaces to the aerodynamics of bird wings influencing aircraft design.
Furthermore, interdisciplinary cooperation is emphasized by bio-design as a fundamental tenet. This approach fosters innovation by gathering experts from different fields like biology, engineering, materials science, and design to create a conducive environment for invention. Bio-designers push the limits of what is possible by working together across conventional barriers and sharing ideas and information. The growth of innovative and effective approaches to difficult problems is fueled by the fusion of biology and technology. Additionally, by taking into account the effects of design decisions on the environment, society, and economy, bio-design promotes a comprehensive understanding of sustainability. This method adheres to the principles of sustainable development by acknowledging the link between human prosperity and environmental health.
Bio-designers are people who create systems and products that enhance human health and environmental sustainability. They combine their expertise in biology with human-centered design principles. Bio-design is an example of how human creativity and environmental sustainability may coexist together. It uses energy-efficient processes and biodegradable materials.
Applications of Bio-design
Bio-inspired innovation is beneficial to several industries, and bio-design is one of them. The healthcare discipline of “bio-design” creates novel drugs and devices by taking cues from biological processes. This makes major advancements in prostheses, diagnostics, and medical treatments possible. Because biomimetic materials mimic the characteristics of natural tissues, they significantly improve the compatibility and biocompatibility of implants and medical devices. Moreover, tissue engineering and stem cells are used by bio-design to promote tissue healing and regeneration, which further advances regenerative medicine.
Bio-design revolutionizes agricultural practices, promoting crop sustainability and resilience. Bio-designers create methods for managing pests, conserving soil, and enhancing crops by modeling the ideas of agroecology and natural environments. Bio-design optimizes agricultural systems for productivity and environmental stewardship. It includes precision agriculture methods guided by satellite imaging and machine learning, as well as biopesticides made from natural molecules.
Bio-design is a leader in energy, introducing sustainable solutions derived from nature. Biomimetic solar panels capture sunlight with unparalleled precision, imitating the efficiency of photosynthesis. Biofuels that come from bacteria and algae provide fossil fuel substitutes that are less harmful to the environment and less dependent on limited resources. Additionally, bio-design leverages biological processes to improve the performance and sustainability of batteries and fuel cells, spurring breakthroughs in energy storage and efficiency.
Implications and conclusions of Bio-design
Beyond technological advancement, bio-design has far-reaching consequences that will shape a future where both humans and the world can live in greater sustainability and resilience. Through the application of biomimicry and interdisciplinary teamwork, bio-design cultivates a more profound understanding of the complex elegance and adaptability of natural systems. Furthermore, bio-design promotes a change to regenerative and symbiotic ties between human activity and the natural environment, challenging traditional paradigms of design and production. In addition, bio-design encourages us to consider our responsibilities as environmental stewards and to have awe and humility for the interconnectedness of all life. By acknowledging the wisdom and intrinsic worth of nature, biodesign encourages a paradigm change in how we think about innovation and advancement. Bio-design provides a road to a more peaceful coexistence with the natural world through ethical behavior and attentive stewardship, guaranteeing a legacy of sustainability and wealth for coming generations. Finally, in an era characterized by technical complexity and environmental difficulties, bio-design appears as a ray of hope. Bio-design blends design concepts with biology, inspired by the intelligence of nature, to open up innovative opportunities. By incorporating biomimicry, multidisciplinary collaboration, and holistic sustainability into its core beliefs, bio-design provides creative solutions that improve human welfare and preserve the planet’s health. Bio-design is establishing the foundation for a future where, in the face of challenges in the twenty-first century, creativity is linked to sustainability and balance. It serves as evidence of both the persistence of life and the strength of human creativity.
Author: Jerome Jeon DESIGNED BY JEROME JEON PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH
The Psychology and Physiology of Color
Written By: Sophie Min Designed By: Rachel Pyo, Yuna Lee
Color is believed to be the most important visual experience to human beings. More specifically, significant rese arch has been conducted in recent years exploring the function of color as a powerful channel to cognition and memory.
In a world where the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of our society has become a significant concern, scientists and doctors have been in pursuit of more holistic methods of treating such mental illnesses. Amidst this search for harmony between the mind and body, ancient practices resurface, offering timeless wisdom and healing. One such practice that has gained popularity recently is chromotherapy, or color therapy, which refers to a form of therapy that utilizes the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to manipulate the subconscious mind and physical body to react in a certain way. Harnessing the vibrational energy of different wavelengths of light, chromotherapy taps into the profound influence colors and light implement on our emotional, mental, and physical states. As we delve into the depths of chromotherapy, we board the journey through the spectrum of colors, each with its unique qualities and therapeutic potential.
[Chakra, refers to the energy points of the body]
We don't actually see colors with our eyes. We see colors with our brains. Our eyes are important for detecting and responding to light, but it is the brain's visual center in the occipital lobes that processes visual information and assigns color. The colors we see are determined by the wavelength of light that is reflected. Visible color wavelengths range from about 380 nanometers (nm) to about 750 nanometers. Different colors along the visible light spectrum have different wavelengths. For example, red has wavelengths ranging from 620-750 nm, yellow from 570-590 nm, and blue from 450495 nm. Our eyes are equipped with special photoreceptors called rods and cones.
Rods are more sensitive to light than cones and allow us to see in dim light. Rods are not able to detect color. Cones detect a range of color light wavelengths. Our eyes have three types of cones: blue, green, and red. The red cones are most sensitive to red wavelengths, blue cones to blue wavelengths, and green cones to green wavelengths.
When a color is reflected from an object, the light wavelength hits the eyes and cones send signals to the visual cortex of the brain for processing. Our brain associates the wavelength with a color. Although our eyes have three cone types, the different wavelengths of light detected by the cones overlap. The brain integrates these overlapping wavelength signals sent from cones enabling us to distinguish between millions of different colors.
So, how do we even perceive color so that it affects how our brain functions?
Retinal processing
Light enters the eye through the cornea and passes through the lens, which focuses the light onto the retina situated at the back of the eye. Here, the retina contains specialized photoreceptor cells responsible for color vision, also known as cones, which detect different wavelengths of light corresponding to different colors. There are three types of cones, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light: short-wavelength cones (S-cones) for blue light, medium-wavelength cones (M-cones) for green light, and long-wavelength cones (L-cones) for red light. In addition to cones, the retina contains another type of cell called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). These cells not only transmit visual information to the brain but also play a role in non-image-forming functions, such as regulating the body’s circadian rhythm and pupil response to light. Some RGCs are particularly sensitive to specific wavelengths of light, including those associated with different colors. When light hits the cones, it triggers a chemical reaction that generates electrical signals as a product.
Emotional and Physiological Responses
Processing In The Brain
These electrical signals from the sensory input in the eyes travel along the optic nerve, through the lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus and then to the brain’s primary visual cortex, which is located in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain. Here within the primary visual cortex, neurons analyze and process the incoming visual signals to create a representation of the visual scene through extracting features such as color, shape, and motion. This process involves analyzing the wavelength and intensity of light to determine the colors present in the scene. Beyond the primary visual cortex, color information is further processed in higher-level visual areas, such as the secondary visual cortex, extrastriate cortex, and the fusiform gyrus. These areas are involved in extracting more complex features of color, such as hue, saturation, and brightness, and integrating color information with other visual attributes. Different colors stimulate distinct neural pathways and regions within the visual cortex, leading to the perception of color.
The processing of color information in the brain can elicit emotional and physiological responses through connection with other brain regions, including those involved in emotion regulation and autonomic control. For example, the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped brain structure implicated in emotion processing, receives inputs from the visual cortex and may modulate emotional responses to color stimuli. Fear is the main emotion that the amygdala is known to control.
It processes things you see or hear and uses that input to learn what’s dangerous. If you encounter something similar in the future, your amygdala will cause you to feel fear or similar emotions. In this way, the amygdala associates the different stimuli to protect an individual from potential danger or harm by drawing out physiological responses mediated by the autonomic nervous system, regulating involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate, stress responses, as well as hormonal secretion.
Red Light
Red is the longest wavelength of light on the visible light spectrum, with a dominant wavelength of approximately 625 - 740 nanometres. When a person is exposed to red light, their fight or flight response is invoked, and this instinct is triggered by the brain’s amygdala. This leads to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in increased physiological arousal, including elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, higher respiration rate, and the release of endorphins. These physiological responses are the body’s preparation for action in response to perceived threats, challenges, or alarming situations. Consequently, exposure to red light may increase feelings of excitement or arousal in some individuals. Research has shown that exposure to red light in the morning can help wake us up and improve our alertness.
However, red light has longer wavelengths and lower energy than that of blue light, and this difference makes red light less stimulating to the brain and less provocative to the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. Red light, especially on the lower end of the spectrum, is less likely to suppress the production of melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates the circadian rhythm. In this sense, exposure to red light during the evening or night can help an individual wind down and get ready for bed.
Blue Light
Blue light is situated towards the other end of the visible light spectrum, with shorter waves of light and a wavelength of approximately 450 - 495 nanometres. When a person is exposed to blue light, their brain perceives it as daylight, signaling the body and mind to be wide awake and alert, which stimulates the brain and the body and suppresses melatonin production. As a result, exposure to blue light, particularly in the evening or at night, prevents you from falling asleep and keeping to the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
However, exposure to blue light during day time can lead to increase in cognitive performance and alertness, and this is due to how blue light stimulates specialized cells in the retina called melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells, which regulate the body’s response to light. These cells transmit signals to the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus, the body’s ‘master clock’, to help synchronize circadian rhythm with the natural light-dark cycle. Phones, computers, and electronic devices emit blue light, so ultimately, looking at screens during the night or before going to bed will keep you awake and prevent you from going to sleep. It is recommended to stop looking at these devices an hour before bedtime.
Yellow Light
Yellow light is situated between the red and green light on the visible light spectrum, with a wavelength of approximately 570 - 590 nanometres. Yellow light is often associated with feelings of warmth, cheerfulness, and positivity. Exposure to this can evoke a sense of joy and optimism in an individual, similar to the emotions associated with sunshine and bright, sunny days. Research suggests that exposure to yellow light may have mood-enhancing effects, such as promoting feelings of happiness and well-being.
Yellow light is believed to stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter hormone associated with mood regulation and emotional balance. Yellow light enhances focus and concentration, making it beneficial for tasks requiring mental alertness and cognitive performance. Exposure to yellow light may help increase mental clarity and productivity, leading to improved studying, working, problem-solving, and creativity. However, along with these benefits, yellow light is also used to fight depression. Yellow light energizes, and stimulates the body, so the exposure to this light is used in therapy to alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and boost mood during times of low energy or depression. However, too much exposure to yellow light can lead to crankiness and paranoia.
Considering Statistics and AI data science for Badmindton Sports
Written by Byung-Ju Park
Designed by Jisub Kim
AI(artificial intelligence) including the statics and data science appeared in the sports industry, the significance of further development in the analysis in stats and camera is high lighting around the world. There are a lot of factors of sports that affect the performances of the sports, such as the play pattern, mistakes of attack and defense, skill, psychology, and physical appearance. They construct a system to summarize the sports game with appropriate stats. Despite using an appropriate stat, they don’t have any further strategy to use those appropriate stat. The past studies are only focusing on the record of the sports game.
Parameter studies have been attempted, such as designing an actual systematic record method for badminton, using a record evaluation system in tennis and table tennis that is similar to badminton in terms of game type and method. In famous sports, there were a lot of stats for offense, and defense such as OPS(on-base percentage plus slugging percentage), WAR(win above replacement), AVG(average), URC+, WPA(win probability add), ERA+(earn run average plus).
Also, the other stat that calculated the efficiency of the stat is called WRP (winning responsibility per player equation: (serve percentage + success rate – fail rate –lifting percentage / total point).
As badminton became one of the popular participants sports around the world, it becomes a popular sports around the world. It will highlight the novel ways to investigate the badminton stat. The main aim of this article is that improve the player’s ability and evaluate the player’s diverse style in badminton.
In the previous presentation (Byung-Ju Park, et al, “Nobel Investigation of Badmintong Sport Using Space and Direction Analysis, Proceedings of 2023 AASM Conterence: Asian Association for Sport Management, 19~20 August, Malaysia, 2023), SPU (the relation of success rate plus using rate) was made a unit to evaluate the badminton player for a noble investigation of analysis badminton sports using space and direction for obtaining.
-In detail, recording a badminton replay, a specific player making a specific type of attack, and packaging that game, because the player who committed that attack made a mistake, is very important for power analysis and performance improvement guidance. By applying this to the type of nine attack and defensive stroke (drop, smash, high clear, drive, net shot, cross net shot, serves, defensive shot, lifting) and adding a defense’s three different responses (high, no touch, fixation), the data was used to analyze the attacker’s power and improve the defender’s performance. Through this, it was possible to enter the badminton match details such as the player to be recorded, the set and scoring situation, the location of the player to be recorded, the player’s trophy, and the result for the player.
Badminton is recorded only in direct situations without consideration for continuous skill patterns in the bible process. As a result, the starting position of the batted ball is divided into nine separate areas equally and the ending position is also divided into eighteen separate areas in badminton courts. According to the type of score, attack success was divided into no-touch and touch of the bar, the opponent’s mistakes were collected into attack mistakes and non-achievement mistakes, and the opponent’s judgment and luck were scored. However, the existing recording method recorded the position on the court and contact with the bar and no touch.
Badminton games could be analyzed in the view of space and direction in the game. SPU score is presented to 4 different levels ace (91-120 points), average (61-90point), sub (31-60), and rare (0-30 points). In one game, the winning team was having over 76 points, but the losing team was having under 50~60 points, in attacking strokes such as drive, smashing, net shot, and drop. However, the losing team
was increasing their defensive shot of SPU, because the losing team could defend and stop attacking and if the team was losing, they lost their confidence to attack the opponent’s players. Beyond that, the relationship was analyzed between changes in defender and grip form and improved performance. Not only for the analyzing skill and statistics but also the noble invention research of the studying is important. Now a real-time analysis and coaching program using an AI (artificial intelligence) coding system for real matches will be able to be conducted in the future.
Virtual Reality: A business Game-Changer
In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has transcended its reputation as a mere gaming technology to become a pivotal tool reshaping the business landscape. Once confined to the realms of science fiction, VR has emerged as a transformative force, offering unparalleled opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and efficiency across diverse industries (Virtual Reality in Business: A Game-Changer for Industry Disruption, 2023). More recently, Apple released a revolutionary piece of technology that has the potential to drastically change the field of technology and how we perceive it: the Apple Vision Pro. The Apple Vision Pro brings a whole new selection of technology, allowing users to display websites in the air. Paired with spatial audio and visuals, it can immerse the user in an entirely different world. However, with its hefty price tag of $3,499, there is still some way to go before our world fully embraces a VR future.
Nonetheless, the release of the Apple Vision Pro represents a pivotal moment in shifting society’s perception of VR beyond gaming. It underscores the growing recognition that VR holds immense potential beyond entertainment, particularly in the realm of business.
One industry embracing the potential of VR is the hospitality giant Hilton. With nearly 6,000 properties worldwide and a commitment to exceptional guest experiences, Hilton recognized the need for innovative training solutions to enhance its staff’s empathy and customer service skills (5 Fantastic Examples of Brands That Use
Virtual Reality | Yonder, n.d.).
Facing the challenge of training over 400,000 staff members efficiently, Hilton turned to VR technology as a solution. Collaborating with SweetRush, a leading firm specializing in corporate training, Hilton developed immersive VR simulations to simulate real-world hotel scenarios, such as room cleaning and guest interactions.
Through these VR simulations, Hilton witnessed remarkable improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. VR training reduced in-class training time from four hours to just 20 minutes, while 87% of staff members successfully improved their empathy and customer service skills after completing the VR program (How Hilton Uses Oculus for Learning & Development, n.d.).
The success story of Hilton serves as a compelling example of the transformative impact of VR technology on business practices. By leveraging VR for training and skill development, Hilton has not only streamlined its training processes but also elevated the quality of guest experiences.
In conclusion, the emergence of VR as a transformative force in the business landscape is undeniable. While barriers such as cost still exist, the strides made by innovative companies like Hilton demonstrate the tangible benefits of VR in redefining business practices and customer experiences. As VR technology continues to evolve, its potential to revolutionize industries across the globe remains boundless.
ARTICLE BY TAEHOON LEE | PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH
4 hours reduced to 20 minutes
The Finite Mystery of Infinites: Unraveled
Article by Rodion Kobyakov, DESIGNED by Jerome Jeon, REVIEWED by Rachel Pyo
Infinite sums are commonly used in diverse fields of mathematics – calculus, number theory, analysis, and much more. Usually, we are interested in converging infinite series, where the series converges to a finite number, while individual terms approach zero. . However, there are infinite series which converge to a finite value, even when its individual terms diverge to infinity .
According to Mark Dodds, Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the most influential mathematicians in the 20th century, claimed that the sum of all positive integers, 1+2+3+4+5+... equals to -1/12. Inspired, many others followed Ramanujan and began to study other combinations that led to infinite sums that had not been discovered. The first step to proving his claim is finding the sum of the infinite series 1-1+1-1+1-1+1…. This infinite series can be considered as a geometric series where the first term is 1 and the common ratio is -1.The equation for a converging geometric series can be found through U1/(1-r), where U1 is the first term while r is the ratio, given that -1 < r < 1. However, when the ratio becomes equal to -1, the equation for the coveraging series can no longer be applied.
Thus, in order to find the sum, we must approach the problem in a different route. Looking at the series, it is quite apparent that there are two possible outcomes to this series: 1 or 0. Although concluding that 1/2 , the average of the two possible answers, could be considered to be correct mathematically, Ramanjuan originally believed this answer was not
logically accurate – this is because he discovered, that the more you go into the series, the closer to the average of 1/2 you’ll reach. Meaning that on an infinite scale, the sum of 1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1-1+1…. would be approaching 1/2.
Hypothetically accepting that the sum of this sequence is 1/2, we can go through the following calculations to arrive at the answer to the original problemThe next step is to find the sum 1-2+3-4+5-6+7… using the sum 1-1+1-1+1-… which we have just determined. The calculations are explained below. In order to simplify and shorten this next explanation, let’s name the equation 1-2+3-4+5-6+7… as G.
By shifting each term to the right by one space and adding both sides of the two equations, we get
Dividing both sides by 2 gives
Based on the calculations shown above, the sum 1-2+3-4+5-6+7… can be said to be equal to 1/4.
The last step is finding the original sum, which will be labeled as E, using the result that we found.
By adding both sides of the equation,
Since G is equal to 1/4 and the right-hand side is the sum of the multiples of 4, the above equation can be expressed as Rearranging gives
Through this process, the final value of E is calculated to be -1/12. Ultimately meaning that the sum of all positive integers is only -1/12.
However, this is only one example of calculating sums on an infinite level out of numerous other sequences that can be calculated with a similar method to this as well.
Such sums might seem logically obscure and non-sencial, and seem impractical in the real-life context. However, according to Jefferey Harvey, such sums are crucial in modern physics and numerous other scientific fields, such as when discovering small-scale fundamental constructs of the universe in physics (ie. quantum physics or the String Theory).
Though the equations may seem irrelevant and unrelated at first, these equations help mathematicians and many others reach the epitome of understanding the fundamental structures of the universe.
References:
Harvey, J. A. (2019, December 9). Ramanujan's influence on string theory, black holes and moonshine. The Royal Society. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https:// royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2018.0440
Math Centre UK. (n.d.). The sum of an infinite series. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https:// mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/mc-ty-convergence-2009-1.pdf
Images by Unsplash
IS DANIEL KISH BATMAN?
ARTICLE BY JIHO KIM | PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH
In the array of abnormal human abilities, there lies an ability so bizarre and profound that many regard it as a superpower. Daniel Kish, the real-life Batman and president of World Access for the Blind, is a man who uses bat-like echolocation to “see” despite his blindness. After both of his eyes were removed as a baby due to a form of retina cancer, Daniel mastered the art of echolocation. With a click of his tongue, Daniel sends out a sound wave that ricochets off of the surfaces around him. The returning wave carries within itself information about its general surroundings, such as structure, size, depth, and texture. Utilizing this skill, Daniel can navigate through busy city streets, hike unfamiliar paths, and ride his bicycle–yes, a bicycle–with the ease of someone with enabled eyesight.
So how does this echolocation work? Echolocation, in essence, is a biological sonar system. Similar to how visual perception utilizes light waves, echolocation is based on the transmission and reception of sound waves. Sound waves are longitudinal waves caused by vibrations of particles in a medium (such as air). These waves propagate by compressing and rarefying the medium through which they travel. At room temperature, sound waves move at a speed of 343 meters per second, although this varies with temperature, air pressure, and humidity.
When Daniel Kish clicks his tongue, he creates a sound wave that travels through the air. The characteristics of this sound wave and its echo, such as frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, are crucial for the effectiveness of the echolocation.
The Frequency
(f) determines the pitch of the sound and is measured in Hertz (Hz). Higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths and can provide finer details about an object. However, it can attenuate more rapidly with distance, meaning that over longer distances, it loses its volume and energy.
The Wavelength
is the distance between neighboring compression or rarefaction points in a sound wave. It affects how well the sound is reflected from the object, or diffracted around obstacles. Typically, the sound will reflect off the object more “cleanly” when the wavelength is smaller than the object, making the object easier to detect and identify.
The Amplitude
(A) is the maximum extent of an oscillation, relating to the volume of the sound. The amplitude of the echo can provide information about the distance and size of the object. A louder echo can indicate a closer and possibly larger object, while a fainter echo suggests a smaller or more distant object. The frequency and the wavelength of a sound wave are inversely proportional, as stated by the wave equation f=v, where v is the speed of sound. Therefore, sharper clicks–similar to the snap of a finger or the pop of chewing gum–which have a high frequency and a short wavelength are deemed appropriate for the task.
“Ignorance and fear are but matters of the mind–and the mind is adaptable.” - Daniel kish
Now, the interpretations of the returning echoes are what allows Daniel Kish and others to “visualize” their surroundings. As the sound waves encounter surfaces, they are reflected back towards the source. The nature of the echo depends on the characteristics of the surface. On one hand: soft, irregular, and lower-density materials such as wool scatter and absorb sound waves. This phenomenon occurs because the irregular surface disrupts the uniformity of the sound waves, causing the sound waves to disperse in random directions rather than being orderly reflected back to the source. Additionally, the porousness and the lesser densities of these materials allow them to absorb some of the sound waves, converting them into heat energy, and thereby dampening the returning echo.
On the other hand, hard, smooth, and higher-density materials such as metal are able to reflect waves more directly. The smooth, hard surface of metals ensures that when sound waves strike it, they are reflected uniformly, resulting in a clearer and more direct echo. Additionally, the high densities of these materials allow for a more coherent reflection of sound, as tightly packed molecules are less affected by the vibrations of sound. For example, a hedge located several meters away may produce soft, dispersed echos due to its irregular surface, low density, and distance from the source. A solid marble ceiling located directly above the source will do the opposite, producing loud and pronounced echos due to its uniform structure and high density. By processing these subtle cues in the returning echoes–variations in volume, pitch, and sound quality–Daniel Kish and others can construct a detailed, three-dimensional map of their surroundings. This ability to “hear” the world in such details closely mirrors and even surpasses visual perception in many aspects. This example set by Daniel Kish isn’t just the overcoming of a disability but a newfound discovery of human potential, showcasing the unrivaled adaptability of humans.
Currently, Daniel Kish works as a motivational speaker and an educator. His nonprofit organization, World Access for the Blind, aims to facilitate “the self-directed achievement of people with all forms of blindness” and increase public awareness about their strengths and capabilities. So far, Kish and his organization have taught this unique form of echolocation known as Flash Sonar to at least 500 blind children around the world.
NEUROMARKETING: MODERN MARKETING SOLUTION
Think
about something you’ve bought recently: a toothbrush from Colgate, a can of Coca-Cola, a pair of sunglasses - anything. Now, recall why you purchased that item. Have you ever wondered how your brain influences what you buy? Well, that’s the science of neuromarketing, a study that has seemingly burst onto the scene that connects neuropsychology and marketing. According to Harvard Business Review, neuromarketing “studies the brain to predict and potentially even manipulate consumer behavior and decision making.” This fairly new discipline is catching the attention of many notable companies worldwide. However, the tools required to apply neuromarketing aren’t cheap. This article will delve into the intricate world of neuromarketing by observing its practicality in the business world while also predicting how this relatively small field will grow over time.
Many say that neuromarketing is the future of the world, but how practical is it to businesses worldwide? First, the processes and tools required for neuromarketing must be understood. An fMRI or an EEG is essential for carrying out processes, as they both allow observing brain activity. fMRIs are more accurate than EEGs, as they can pinpoint specific areas of the brain. However, fMRIs cost significantly more, ranging from 300,000 USD to 1,000,000 USD, compared to an EEG, which may only cost around 20,000 USD. Therefore, businesses interested in neuromarketing have to expect a hefty cost. Is it really worth the cost, or does neuromarketing simply provide information that can be obtained through cheaper and simpler tests and scans? Marketing experts have been divided over this predicament for the past decade, but with advancements in technology coming every year, it appears more are leaning towards investing in neuromarketing.
But where do we see applications of neuromarketing in our day to day life? Everywhere. Businesses will obtain information
Article by Joseph Song | Photos from Unsplash
through the neuromarketing techniques and apply it to their advertising campaigns or to their products. This information ranges from brainwave activity to eye motion in response to certain stimuli. Firms then create their advertisement campaigns/products based on what the consumers “liked” most. For example, BMW was able to use EEG scans in 2012 to determine what consumers liked more: cars with curved lines or straight lines. The results concluded that the observers had a greater emotional response for the curved lines, prompting the company to release the 3 series, a car model with an increased number of curved lines.
Although it seems that neuromarketing is completely future proof and perfect besides the cost, there are a couple problems on both consumers and businesses. One major issue for consumers is how they can be deceived by these advertisements using neuromarketing. If all these advertisements appeal to consumers through their advanced technology, how will consumers know that they are buying a product they actually want? Therefore, consumer freedom and power is decreased and marketing power is increased. Another implication of neuromarketing is the effect on smaller businesses. Due to the costly nature of neuromarketing, smaller firms will have an even harder time competing with large companies in the marketing world. Hence, the rich will become richer, and the poor will stay poor.
Even though neuromarketing has its negatives, it appears to be a positive step for marketing in our ever-changing world. Neuromarketing is here to stay, and in the near future it will completely alter our view on marketing forever. So next time you buy those headphones you saw in an advertisement, think about what nudged you to buy it. Chances are that it was the power of neuromarketing.
Is Zero Even or Odd?
BY Ryan Park DESIGNED BY Jerome Jeon
In the vast landscape of mathematical history, perhaps no numeral holds more influence and mighty power enigmatic number zero. Before the present of zero, ancient civilizations have used physical calculations, refusing the presence of numbers except for positive integers. However, In the 7th century a man known as Brahmagupta, developed the earliest method for using the concept of zero with calculations, treating it as a number that represents empty quantity defining nothingness (Therieau). Since then, zero has undergone centuries, cultures, and mathematical interpretations that have shaped people’s perspective towards its mere presence. This chronological development has made zero an indispensable symbol in the language of mathematics. From its enigmatic origins in various civilizations to its pivotal role in revolutionary mathematical breakthroughs, the history of zero uncovers a narrative of intellectual evolution and the change in perceptions of a void within numerical realms. The presence of 0 encapsulates the significance of a boundary between positive and negative, enriching mathematicians’ comprehension of the numerical universe.
Having its unique and dramatic history compared to other numbers, zero is currently defined as an even number, though having some controversy within it. Even number is defined as a number that is a multiple of 2.
This can be represented with different kinds of notations: n=2k (K∈ℤ)
n ≡ 0 (mod 2)
On the other hand, odd number can be represented in quite different notations:
n=2k+1(K∈ℤ)
n ≡ 1 (mod 2)
Providing verifications for this notations, for example of 14, it can be represented as 2(7), which is a form of n=2k (K∈ℤ) and thus, it is an even number. For 31, it can be represented as 2(15) + 1, which is a form of n=2k+1(K∈ℤ) and thus, it is an odd number. With these numbers, we can form a set of numbers as 1,3,5,7,9… (odd set), and 2,4,6,8,10…(even set). These odd and even numbers obtain specific characteristics known as ‘parity’, the fact of being even or odd. This proves that below equations are always true for all set of integers: even+even=even, even+odd=odd, odd+odd= even, odd+even=odd, odd×odd=odd, odd×even=even, even×odd=even, even×even=even.
Zero is an even number, and there are multiple methods that can be proven. For example, by using the definition of even number, which is a number that can be represented as a form of n=2k (K∈ℤ), zero can be shown as 0=0×2, which shows that 0 is even. Another way of proving this is using a ‘set’ which is a common mathematics area that is often used to indicate the quantity of something. In a certain group, if each of them pairs one another and there is no remainder, it is defined that the group is even. This is also a indirect indication of n=2k (K∈ℤ), n ≡ 0 (mod 2). There is also a visualized way that we can view zero geometrically. In a number line where it indicates all the integers, it can be identified as a general trend that even numbers and odd numbers intersect. -1 comes after -2, 4 comes after 3, and 8 comes after 7. Then, by looking at the part where -1, 0, 1 is being lined, there is no reason for us to not treat zero as an even number, being in between -1, and 1 which are both odd numbers.
However, these approaches can be somewhat abstract and might not seem logical. One of the ways of having a mathematical approach is using proof by contradiction to prove that 0 is an even number. As mentioned previously, if a integer n can be represented as n=2k+1(K∈ℤ), it is defined to be an odd number. Let’s assume that 0=2k+1.
Then 2k=-1 and k=-1/2. This contradicts the fundamental condition that K∈Z, and thus, by contradiction, 0 is an even number.
The fact that 0 is defined as an even number brings an interesting interpretation to other math concepts. Mobius function can be a one example for this. Mobius function µ(n) is a multiplicative function in a number theory, which is defined as below (“Möbius Function”).
1. µ(n)=0 if n has a squared prime factor
2. µ(n)=(-1)^k if n is the product of k distinct prime numbers
3. µ(n)=1 if n has a prime factor repeated an odd number of times
Which in function represented as:
Here, the mobius value for 1 results in having an interesting value. 1, in mathematics, is not a prime number. This is not proven by an explanation or analysis, but a simple promise in math. Then for 1, it is considered that there is 0 inherent prime factor that composes 1. However, if 0 is an even number, this can be re-interpreted as 1 having an even number of inherent prime factors. This interpretation implies the equation µ(1)=1, which shows a complete contradiction in defining numbers.
In conclusion, zero's journey from enigmatic placeholder to classified even number reflects the ongoing evolution of mathematics. This exploration to 0 with various methods has not only solidified 0’s status as an even number, but also highlighted the importance of clear definitions and a nuanced understanding of the number system. As it was in the past, these new discoveries and re-defining processes will enrich our grasp of mathematics, strengthening its foundation for future discoveries.
Bowhead Whales may have a Cancer-Defying Superpower: DNA repair
ARITCLE BY Emily Moon DESIGNED BY Aidan Kong
PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH
Arising from the depths of marine biology, scientists have found an enigmatic creature called the “bowhead whale” known for its large size and unique features, scientists have discovered a fascinating linkage between the mammal and the deadly disease: cancer. Surrounding the frigid waters in the arctic, amidst the cold and shifting currents, the enormous bowhead whale roams about resisting the odds of aging with a remarkable withstanding mechanism. Although rare, scientists believe that within their ancient bodies, a solution to cancer could potentially be established.
What is a bowhead whale?
Bowhead whales: besides being one of the largest creatures on Earth, it’s been discovered that these creatures also do not suffer from cancer. Known as “Peto’s Paradox” this phenomenon has confused the whole scientific community – this paradox suggests that “despite having more cells than humans and longer life span… the chances of cancer incidence does not increase for bowhead whales’ ‘ (arcticportal). Bowhead whales could be the next prevention mechanism for cancer patients.
The Bowhead whale or the Balaena Mysticetus are a few species that originate from the Arctic and subarctic waters. Its name derives from their unique triangular skull which allows it to swiftly break through icy waters. To adapt to the extreme conditions of arctic waters , these whales have developed thick blubber – which can be as thick as 1.6 feet, along with a dark body and white chin.
Whales and Cancer?
Cancer can be identified as organ failure and various diseases in the body are proven to be caused by the development of abnormal cells in the body. As cells begin to divide uncontrollably, the body fails to function and provokes normal body tissue to be destroyed by the body’s own immune system as it attempts to remove the abnormal cells. This cycle occurs in various organs of the body, which is why cancer is constantly mutating and difficult to cure – unsurprisingly, cancer is one of the most popular causes of death on a global spectrum, for both wild animals and people. However, as modern medical treatment and technology has been continuously improving, methods of prevention and survival rates have increased significantly (Mayo Clinic, published year).
Astonishingly, recently published preliminary research shows that bowhead whales could potentially be equipped with a protective mechanism against cancer. This mechanism is the reason for its impeccable DNA repair abilities. According to an article from The New York Times, this new discovery “shows that
whales approach cancer resistance from a very new perspective.”Additionally, a laboratory study conducted at the University of Rochester at New York experimented how cells from bowhead whale tissue are able to combat cancerous cells in the body in comparison to other mammals. Researchers concluded that bowhead whale cells were both more efficient and accurate at repairing double-strand breaks in DNA in comparison to that of other mammals,as they restored broken DNA to completely new conditions more frequently . During this experiment, two proteins, called RPA2 and CIRBP, were found solely in bowhead whale samples. Currently, experts believe that the implementation of CIRBP protein could be a potential strategy for better tissue recovery, as well as surgery and organ transplantation – improving the significance of technological advancement in medical fields. However , DNA repair therapy has not been approved by [organization name] at this current state to reduce cancer cells. As this striking new discovery begins to significantly influence the medical field , some are now questioning whether commercial whale hunting is ethical and can be justified simply for medical advancements.
Conclusion
Regarding the countless experimentation and exploration that scientists have taken into thought, to a deadly disease like cancer, scientists believe that the eccentric characteristics of the bowhead whale may be the reason for this possibility. Many researchers have concluded that a bowhead whale’s long life and absence of cancer might highly depend on their specific DNA repairing abilities , which allows them to restore cancerous cells instead of destroying them. Preliminary studies underscore the evolution of bowhead whales and the development of accurate, efficient DNA repair, ultimately allowing them to live cancer-free.
Entropy: The Universe’s Road to Chaos
ARTICLE BY YURA SHIN | DESIGNED BY AIDAN KONG PHOTOS FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS AND UNSPLASH
“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” This is Murphy’s law, a common adage quoted by philosophers and commoners alike. But what extent is this statement true? Although this can be answered through deep, philosophical analysis, many tie the statement back to a rather unexpected field of study: the study of entropy.
Opening
The second law of thermodynamics states: “the state of entropy of the entire universe, as an isolated system, will always increase over time.” The theorem introduces a fundamental concept, entropy, which governs the very function of nature. Though most define entropy as a measurement of disorder and although true to some extent, this is an oversimplified understatement that merely scratches the surface of this vast concept (TED-Ed, 2017).
Entropy
Scientifically, entropy measures how spread out energy is. Energy, like any other entity, has density. However, the density of energy is not like the standard/commonly known density:
D=m/v
Instead, energy density measures the amount of energy contained in a specific region. Although the concept is the same, the variables are different. Energy comes in many different forms: low density and high density, which affects the usability or effectiveness of it. This is due to the fact that energy is much more accessible and available for work when bundled up. When energy is compact, it has low entropy. When energy is unorganised, it has a high entropy, which renders that energy futile.
Why does the universe’s entropy tend to a maximum?
If this definition of entropy is applied to the second law of thermodynamics, it states that the energy in our universe continues to disperse and become disorderly. But why does the universe tend to disperse energy?
In order to better understand this phenomenon, the essence of entropy is better understood when approached mathematically, specifically through probability. But first, it is important to note that every and any action contributes to the increase of entropy.
The universe works to continue the cycle of giving and taking energy. Humans and animals mostly get energy from food intake, which they then use for daily actions. However, this process consequently increases the universe’s entropy, as it requires energy to be spread. Food is a form of compact energy, and we inevitably spread this energy in smaller amounts in each activity we partake in (Veritasium, 2023).
However, the primary reason for entropy’s increase lies in the fundamental nature of mathematics (Aperture, 2021).
Imagine a box of 7 coloured pencils that were to be randomly categorised into the order of the colour spectrum. In total, there are 5,040 (7!) numbers of ways that they can be arranged, and there is an approximate chance of 0.02% that they are organised in
the order of the colour spectrum. Upon increasing the number of coloured pencils, the probability thins out even more. By the nature of this idea and considering there is an unfathomable amount of ways that energy particles can be arranged in the universe, it is near statistically impossible for it to be orderly. This is mainly due to the fact that there are only a few ways for a system to be orderly, whereas there are more ways for a system to be disordered (Clear, 2017).
Heat Death Of the Universe
Although the entropy of the universe continues to increase, by no means will this continue forever. Like many things, Entropy has a limited point. Many physicists have theorised on what’s called the heat death of the universe, a theory of how the universe will cease to exist. The phenomenon occurs when the universe eventually reaches the maximum entropy, meaning energy disperses completely. Despite the title ‘Heat Death of the Universe’, physicists predict the state of maximum chaos will be quite the opposite. At this state, energy will be too dispersed to do any work, leading to an empty, cold void of the universe (Aperture, 2021).
Entropy Outside of Physics
Entropy has the capability to govern the world of physics and science. However, philosophy claims that this concept bleeds into our own lives, determining the very outcome of our actions, outside that of physics. Similarly to how energy disorganises, every situation in our life does as wellranging from the state of a bedroom to the life and death of a person. This, like the second law of thermodynamics, stems from the likelihood of chaotic disorder rather than order. However, this does not directly relate to that of the second law of thermodynamics. It is true that there is a higher probability of things going wrong than right, but this is only when the situation is left to its own devices with no control. As humans, we strive to prevent things from falling into the depths of chaos (Clear, 2017).
Conclusion
Life has hardships no matter what. But rather than succumbing to despair and losing hope in achievements, we continue to push through. Although entropy may influence our lives, it does not dictate our destiny. Instead of using entropy as a tool for looking at the world in such nihilistic ways, entropy teaches us a lesson of overcoming in the midst of chaos.
The Chemistry Behind Hair Dye and Perm Solution
IVY MOON | Designed by Sejik Lee
Whenever we want to make changes in our lives, hairstyles are often considered as one of methods to feeling refreshed. If you’re a frequent visitor of your local hair salon, it is likely you’re familiar with hairdressers using terms such as “solutions”, and “Neutralizers”— perhaps leaving you to wonder why hairstylists sound similar to chemists. These products, used for perming hair and changing hair color, often contain chemical solutions that react with the hair to achieve desired results. While hairstyling might seem like a form of an art, the use of these terms reflects the fact that a lot of chemistry is involved in hair treatments.
To understand what happens to our hair during hair styling, we first have to know what hair is. Our hair is mostly composed of Keratin. Keratin is the fibrous protein which is also the key structural material of our nails and skin. The outermost layer of the hair, also referred to as cuticles, is composed of overlapping, scale-like cells which are called cuticle cells. Keratin smooths and bonds these cells together, straightening the surface of the hair. Consequently, a healthy cuticle layer is better in reflecting light, which is why lustrous hair is often a sign of healthy hair. Next, the cortex is the layer that surrounds the medulla (The core of the hair) and contains most of the melanin that provides blackness to the hair. In contrast to cuticle cells, cortical cells have a filament structure (A long thread consists of protein subunits) surrounded by a keratinic substance that is richer in sulfur and contains amino acids
(Medium). The process of bleaching: Removing natural pigments of darker hair prior to dying it into lighter and more vibrant colors. Bleaching enables you to remove melanin from the cortex and add a color of your choice instead. Finally, the medulla is the innermost core of the hair shaft consisting of the sparse cells (“ANATOMY OF HAIR”). Like the pith inside the trunk of the tree, it holds the moisture. However, in the interest of the writing, it will not be discussed in detail.
A “ permanent wave”, better known as a perm, is a chemical process which allows the hair to curl or create waves, usually lasting for several months. The perm works via manipulation of chemical bonds in the hair. Specifically, it targets disulfide bonds, which are bonds formed between two sulfur atoms in neighboring amino acid chains within the protein structure of the hair: Keratin. Most perm solutions contain reducing agents such as ammonium thioglycolate. These reducing agents donate electrons to the sulfur atoms, causing the bonds to break. During this process, the reducing agent undergoes oxidation as it loses electrons, while the sulfur atoms undergo reduction by gaining electrons. By breaking disulfide bonds, the hair becomes more pliable, allowing the hair to be reshaped into a coil.
The perm is a reversible process: Once the bonds are broken, the bonds are reformed. Subsequent process, so called “Setting”, allows the hair in its curled or waved form by preventing bonds from reforming back to their original configuration. It is done by applying a “neutralizer”. In opposition to the perm solution, a neutralizer contains an oxidizing agent (ie. hydrogen peroxide). The oxidizing agent in the neutralizer activates the oxidation, which causes the neutralizer to gain electrons from sulfur atoms in the hair. Thus, making disulfide bonds stick with their new shape, creating defined curls and waves that can stay for an extended period by reversing the effect of reducing agent (“How does” 1).
Hair dyeing goes beyond just a back-andforth reaction like permanent waving; It is a multi-step process that requires both understanding of hair structure and the functions of the chemicals in dyes. Hair dyes generally contain three major key components, which are primary intermediate, an oxidizing agent, and couplers. A primary intermediates act as an intermediate agent that reacts with other chemicals to produce the desired color. They are organic compounds composed of various aromatic amines, Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) being one of the most popular choices by manufacturers. Oxidizing agent activates the color-forming process when mixed with the primary intermediate, which hydrogen peroxide is often used for, and it’s the same chemical utilized for hair perming as well. Lastly, a coupler is a specific type of chemical compound that reacts with other dye compounds to create the final color that will be deposited onto the hair. It plays a major role in determining the shade and tone of the hair achieved after dyeing. When an oxidative hair dye mixture, containing primary intermediates
hair, several chemical reactions occur. First, the hair dyeing process is initialized when a primary intermediate and an oxidizing agent reacts. Upon mixing two, hydrogen peroxide oxidizes PPD to form a reactive intermediate, being necessary as PPD only produces dye molecules when oxidized (Bomgardner). Subsequently, the reactive intermediate reacts with couplers present in the hair dye to produce color on the hair. When couplers react with oxidized PPD, they form larger dye molecules, which become trapped within the hair shaft (Guenard). Depending on their composition and hair condition, the time that dye can last changes. Additionally, Intermediate molecules in the hair dye also have the ability to probe hair cuticles and enter the cortex, resulting in a reaction with the oxidized melanin. This reaction causes a chain reaction to occur, causing larger colored molecules to become trapped inside the hair – referred to as a polymerization reaction, this enables the hair to get almost permanently dyed. Moreover, permanent hair dyes contain relatively larger molecules compared to semi-permanent dyes that infiltrate deeper into the hair, providing longer-lasting color. Hence, it demonstrates the permanence of the dye not only depends on chemical composition of dye and hair condition but also can vary on the size of colored molecules and its location within the hair shaft. Capturing the applications of chemistry in the daily lives of students through hair, it showcases the utilization of chemistry that elevates quality of life through advancements in material
