Over the years, the world has seen dramatic improvements to robotics' functionality and autonomy in the workforce. These improvements have streamlined manufacturing processes and enhanced working conditions. Unfortunately, the implementation of robotics is limited by an inability to adapt. Fortunately, new technology means this limitation is on the verge of being overcome. A group of scientists, in their paper of nature publishing, have been working to increase the practicality of robots, and they have discovered two primary techniques for creating robotic mechanisms that can quickly adapt to a human workplace. The first is the development of a system that allows the robot to feel pain. Previous robotics have had a system that mimics the human nervous system; specifically, all of the robots sensors feed to one central processing unit that controls reaction. However, this system is unable to match the speed of human neurons. The wiring of modern robots, while incredibly fast, is still notably slower than human nerves. Thereby, the current system for wiring a robot leads to a delay between when sensors determine something in the environment and when the central processing unit receives this information. This delay keeps robots from reacting to changes in the environment, which can be dangerous not only for the robot but also for the humans interacting with it. To solve this problem, scientists have been experimenting with a new system for wiring robots. Instead of mimicking the human nervous system, this system uses multiple central processing units. This gives various regions of the robot its own "brain" that analyzes the data from specific sensors. These systems decrease the distance sensor data must travel, speeding up the robot's reaction to stimulus. Ultimately, this new system gives robots the ability to sense and analyze their environment in a fashion remarkably similar to the way humans feel pain. These scientists also developed a technique that will allow the robots to heal themselves. As robotics stands now, any damage to a robot leads to expensive repairs. This makes using robots expensive and drives people away from using robots. To solve this problem, scientists have developed an ionic gel that allows the robots to heal themselves. Specifically, the gel allows the robot to heal minor cuts that will not keep the robot functioning. Holistically, these two techniques give robots increased adaptability. This will ultimately allow various industries to continue to improve and expand their use of robots. Works Cited John, Rohit Abraham, et al. “Self Healable Neuromorphic Memtransistor Elements for Decentralized Sensory Signal Processing in Robotics.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 12 Aug. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17870-6. McFarland, Alex. “Robots Use AI to 'Feel' Pain and Self-Repair.” Unite.AI, 17 Oct. 2020, www.unite.ai/robots-use-ai-to-feel-pain-and-self-repair/. “Scientists Develop 'Mini-Brains' to Help Robots Recognize Pain and to Self-Repair.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 15 Oct. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201015101812.htm. Maggie Fontaine
11th Grade CHS
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Regarding the longevity and sustainability of life on Earth, one ongoing issue that many can point to as a dire threat and climate injustice is the state of global marine ecosystems. But what can be done to stabilize the declining capacity of kelp beds, coral reefs, saltmarshes and seagrass reserves (which have, altogether, diminished about 85 percent now)? Colloquially deemed ‘bright spots,’ these are select areas in the sea where marine ecosystems flourish. These areas have way more of a dense and diverse population than scientists would expect-- at least while being inflicted by the negative impacts of humans and adverse environmental conditions. This unexpected prosperity is what baffles scientists. Why are these particular oceanic communities able to thrive while others falter under the same pressures? Can whatever helps these bright spots be transferred in order to support another marine ecosystem? The latter answer is yes, and this--analyzing bright spots--is the aim of Australian scientists at CSIRO (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization). Said scientists at CSIRO are exploring bright spots, utilizing various forms of marine restoration to combat dwindling marine ecosystems. In essence, the goal is to replant and reconstruct parts of marine habitats, as modeled after bright spots. This can be by way of harvesting coral larvae from bright spots (successfully done in the Great Barrier Reef), how one plants saltmarshes (leading to a boom in marine population when done right), cultivating seagrass seeds (as well as dispersing them in large quantities) and, finally, investing in/ funding coastal restoration. Ultimately, these methods will help halt the decline and potentially restore a large portion of the 85% destroyed land. The UN even addressed restoration, stating that the time for repairing marine ecosystems is now, naming 2021 and onward the “Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” However, many people are held under suspicion, continually hearing phrases along the lines of: “save the turtles,” “save aquatic life,” “protect our reefs,” creating a widely believed wisdom that something is wrong with the ocean and it is the job of humanity to swiftly come to the rescue of the monster we, ourselves, have created--or rather left in ruins. So, should we really care, then? Is wanting to preserve sea life and maintain coral reefs just for aesthetic purposes or for some trendy fad… or do marine biomes hold a deeper meaning? In short, it is imperative to preserve the ocean and what lies within it. Approximately 775 million humans rely on marine ecosystems for income, protection, sustenance as well as quality of life. Such marine ecosystems--particularly coastal ecosystems--help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and keep shorelines in place. Coral reefs, in particular, defend coastlines from erosion, harsh weather and serve as functional jobs for locals. Even better, coral reefs unlock medicine resources related to treating conditions such as arthritis, heart disease as well as cancer. Additionally, the aforementioned seagrass not only stabilizes the seafloor, but yields food and habitat to sea-life, while improving the water quality of the surrounding ecosystem. So, overall it is established that marine ecosystems are essential to the world, thus maintaining them is key. The most effective way in making sure this happens is, again, through marine restoration. Keeping a nourished and abundant marine biome will ultimately pose crucial to combating climate change (i.e. decreasing carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases), while employing positive impacts all across the globe (impacts we have already seen in Australia, North America and Indonesia). Likewise, a huge incentive to think about in marine restoration is that oftentimes investments into local biomes creates jobs in the particular areas needing help and, therefore, boosts the local economy. Ultimately, just because we don’t see marine ecosystems depleting in everyday life doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Harmful use of land, overfishing, coral bleaching, pesticides, factories, oxygen depletion and global warming loom over the future of an overall healthy marine ecosystem--but visible change through knowledge, investments and spreading awareness is still possible. Works Cited “Coral reef ecosystems,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems CSIRO Australia, “Coastal ecosystems 'bright spots' for repairing marine ecosystems,” Science Daily, December 21, 2020, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201221121756.htm “Threats Facing The Oceans and Their Species,” National Geographic, June 18, 2019, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/ocean-threats/ Weiss, Kristen, “Stanford scientists discover coral reef 'bright spots' where marine life is surprisingly thriving,” Stanford News, August 18 2017, https://news.stanford.edu/2016/06/15/stanford-scientists-discover-coral-reef-bright-spots-marine-life-surprisingly-thriving/ Izabella Turner
10th Grade CHS The lack of underrepresentation of women in STEM has been a long time trend that has continued to impact women in these fields. The many factors such as race/gender discrimination, negative stereotypes, lack of confidence, etc. have continued to negatively impact women who find interest in STEM and those who are currently pursuing careers in the workforce. These women don’t feel represented as there are not many women in the workforce to look up to or feel encouraged by. The main root of this problem is the lack of encouragement towards young girls with an interest in STEM at an early age. Many young girls often feel discouraged from stereotypes that categorize any science-related study as a “man’s field.” These stereotypes are very harmful as they greatly hinder confidence or any desire in young girls to pursue careers in STEM. According to a survey conducted in 2018, only 4% of the participants were able to correctly name an influential woman in STEM. Women make up almost half of the college-educated workforce yet only 28% have made it into the workforce (National Science Board). Why is this? Many women have reported discrimination, self-doubt, discouraging environments, and lack of inclusivity/diversity as career obstacles. The diversity of different genders in STEM fields promotes a variety of different viewpoints and ideas. Programs should continue to be implemented into education systems and the workforce that make women and minorities feel included and heard. GEMS, National Girls Collaborative Program, STEM mentoring programs, and many others have been created to encourage girls to pursue STEM fields and to not be discouraged by the negative stereotypes that society places on them. Conclusively, women make up a very important role in STEM and it is our responsibility as a society to continuously encourage them. There are many young girls in the world with the potential to change the world for the better, and we must support them. With the help of programs that encourage girls in STEM fields, we can start to see more change and inclusion in STEM. Works Cited The Importance of Women in STEM by Morgan Lyons - iSchool: Syracuse University. (2020, July 07). Retrieved December 30, 2020, from https://ischool.syr.edu/the-importance-of-women-in-stem/ The STEM Gap: Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881. (2020, October 05). Retrieved December 30, 2020, from https://www.aauw.org/resources/research/the-stem-gap/ Toluwa Ekundayo
10th Grade CHS While false information, more commonly referred to as “fake news,” has always been an important issue, it has become an issue of urgency due to the current, massive COVID-19 pandemic. With over 19 million cases and 332,000 deaths just in the United States alone, false information puts the health of the general public at a major risk. In fact, the sharing of misinformation and disinformation has brought on a “pandemic of misinformation” or an “infodemic” with nearly ⅔ of Americans saying they have seen false information pertaining to COVID-19 on a widespread platform according to a Pew Research Center study. Forms of misinformation range from false reports of the number of deaths and cases to misinformation concerning Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to even conspiracy theories claiming that business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist, Bill Gates, and American Physician and Immunologist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, are using the current pandemic for monetary and political gain. Overall, in the midst of such chaos, one thing remains clear - false information is not only a major problem, but an urgent issue. While solutions to help reduce this issue are being implemented, the practicality of taking down all forms of misinformation may be low due to the sheer scope of this issue. However, if more individuals take action by simply flagging or reporting a post as misinformation on various platforms, the rise in false information will be flattened and the general public will be able to easily obtain true, fact-checked information. Works Cited “CDC COVID Data Tracker.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/. Conner, Erin Simpson and Adam. “Fighting Coronavirus Misinformation and Disinformation.” Center for American Progress, 18 Aug. 2020, www.americanprogress.org/issues/technology-policy/reports/2020/08/18/488714/fighting-coronavirus-misinformation-disinformation/. “How to Report Misinformation Online.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat-coronavirus/how-to-report-misinformation-online. Pazzanese, Christina. “Social Media Used to Spread, Create COVID-19 Falsehoods.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 11 May 2020, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/05/social-media-used-to-spread-create-covid-19-falsehoods/. Nandini Shukla
11th Grade CHS In his late years, Albert Einstein, a renowned theoretical physicist, tried tilting windmills to unify all forces of nature. However, he ultimately failed to achieve this goal and died disappointed. Einstein’s theory of relativity is the most successful and well-known theory regarding gravity to date. While it appears to be fairly simple, it is more complex than meets the eye. Einstein spent more than seven years working on it:
Einstein’s goal was never to explain these phenomena, but rather to unify all the aspects of every law of physics into one equation. Other physicists have not given up on this dream. Since Einstein’s discovery, they have been trying to unify physics. One of the most developed concepts that center around this is String theory, which states that all the particles in the universe a made of small strings. However, string theory is not based on Einstein’s original theory of space and time. Scientists are now studying the old idea of teleparallel gravity. Physicists don’t believe that teleparallel gravity is the key to unifying all the forces of the universe. However, it could be an interesting candidate for a new theory of gravity. There is more work to be done, but it is riveting to be alive during a time of such discovery and new ideas. Works Cited Falk, Dan. “What Is Relativity? Einstein's Mind-Bending Theory Explained.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 29 Nov. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-relativity-einstein-smind-bending-theory-explained-ncna865496. Sutter, Paul. “Physicists Attempt to Unify All Forces of Nature and Rectify Einstein's Biggest Failure.” LiveScience, Purch, 15 Dec. 2020, www.livescience.com/einstein-biggest-failure-teleparallel gravity.html. Ema Cheraisi
9th Grade CHS AP Seminar is a course offered to all CHS juniors in a program known as AP Capstone. AP Capstone consists of a 2 year track; AP Seminar during 11th grade and AP Research during 12th grade. This program is beneficial to nearly any student, as it provides you with skills in researching, collaboration, communication and speaking. At CHS, joining this program isn’t particularly easy. There are limited spots and each student must go through an interview. The main idea to remember during your interview is that YOU ARE UNIQUE. Each student is special in their own ways. Show your passions and what sets YOU apart! There is no model student for this program. The teachers are looking to make sure you are up for the challenge and ready to tackle this course. So you may ask: what should I know coming into this program? I’m providing you with 3 of the biggest things I learned coming out of AP Seminar. I believe this course allowed me to look at my school work in a more complex way. I was able to gain crucial information that I want to share with all of you. My experiences in AP Seminar changed the way I perform, research, communicate and speak. 1. Ask Questions! AP Seminar challenges you to work in different ways. Rather than having the answers to the questions you ask, this class teaches you how to discover your own answers through research. As you go through various topics and learn new information, you have to keep an open mind and be ready to ask questions. The main structure of this class centers around asking a question which has not been answered. You have to use analytical thinking to question an idea and find the solution to it. 2. Team work truly does make a dream work! One of the most important things I’ve learned from this class is the importance of collaboration. While AP research is based solely on each individual, AP Seminar consists of groups of students. It is important that you learn to trust other people. In some cases, portions of your grade rely on how other team members present your project. Overtime, I have learned that I can’t control how other people present. Rather, I have to be confident in my peers and know that they possess the proper abilities to present our project. Before taking this class, you need to keep an open mind and be ready to work with people in a new way. 3. Manage your time wisely! Last but not least, an important tip is to manage your time properly. I am 100% sure that you have seen this tip somewhere before. However, I can’t stress this idea enough. Classes like AP seminars require an abundance of your time. In the class itself, we usually end up doing about four projects in the full year. Therefore, we get months to work on our research projects and presentations. In this time, it’s easy to lose balance and save all of your work for the last minute. From my first paper, I learned that it is not a great idea to save all of your work for the night before! AP seminar teaches you responsibility and management in a new way that you haven’t experienced in high school. It is a more openly structured class, with most of the class time requiring you to perform your own research. Your hard work determines how well you do in this course. You should remember that your time is important and must be valued in this class! Works Cited College Board. “AP Seminar.” AP Seminar – AP Students | College Board, apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-seminar. Cecile Choudhury
12th Grade CHS Many health professionals have been using the same “medicine” to treat their patients: humor and laughter. Laughter can distract the person from the stressful reality, which helps the person to stay healthy during hard times. Dr. Michael Miller, a cardiologist from the University of Maryland School of Medicine states, “Laughter releases nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels, reduces blood pressure and decreases clotting.” While stress only increases your chances of cardiovascular risks like heart attacks and strokes, laughter is said to be associated with a longer lifespan. Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at University College London, further reveals that “laughter has also been shown to reduce the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and increases the body’s uptake of the feel-good endorphins.” In addition to these great benefits, Dr. Gurinder Singh Bains of Loma Linda University discovered that, “a funny video was tied to improvements in short-term memory in older adults and increased their capacity to learn.” Laughter has been proven to be helpful for patients by nurses, doctors, therapists, and more. For example, Dr. Peter Viccellio, a professor of emergency medicine, stated that humor and laughter have helped his patients as well as the staff to become a bit relaxed during the painful situation. Overall, laughter has been proven to be a powerful treatment for many people during difficult times. While other treatments are important, it would not hurt to add some humor and laughter to relieve some of the pain. Works Cited Robinson, Lawrence, et al. “Laughter Is the Best Medicine.” Help Guide, www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm. Accessed 2 Dec. 2020. Schiffman, Richard. “Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Oct. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/well/mind/laughter-may-be-effective-medicine-for-these-trying-times.html?searchResultPosition=1. Irene Cheon
9th Grade CHS Most of us have seen movies such as Star Wars and Men in Black that depict aliens. Seeing these extraterrestrial beings has piqued the interests of a wide range of people from children to adults. Many look up at the night sky and wonder if life from other planets is looking back. So the question is, are we really alone in the universe? The answer is complicated, so complicated in fact, that it has become a paradox--the Fermi Paradox. In a Kurzegasgt video, a reputable science YouTube channel, it is noted that planets are very common and there are “probably trillions and trillions of habitable planets in the universe” (In.). But the video goes on to explain that even with the sheer amount of these types of planets, it is unlikely that we will even come into contact with a small percentage of them. This is due to the constant expansion of the universe, not to mention the infinity of space. With around twenty billion sun-like stars, in our home, the milky way, it can be assumed that about a fifth of them contain conditions suitable for life (In.). So where is all this life? There are several scenarios that answer this paradox. The first solution for this issue is that other life has not yet developed. There are “great filters” or barriers for complex life to develop. If this solution is true, the great barriers are extremely difficult to pass through and we are the first planet to do so (In.). Advanced life will come, they just have not gotten through the filters yet. This is a hopeful solution, but unlikely because the Earth is so young, why would we be the first? The next possible solution is that life has existed, but an event eventually comes and kills all civilizations. This would be extremely bad for us (In.). Examples of events that would wipe out these civilizations could include overpopulation or when working with advanced particle physics, a catastrophic event occurs (Fermi’s). This would insinuate that we have not yet reached this point. The event would be on an extremely large scale, killing us all best case scenario, destroying our planet or galaxy worst case scenario. Scientists are mostly in the dark to when this could happen. The last solution is quite simple, we are truly alone. We are living in a dead universe, our civilization is the only one to exist and once we die, there will no longer be life in the universe (In.). It is disquieting to think about it--that we are alone. Personally, I think there is life out there. In an infinite universe, how could there be nothing? No one can know. Maybe it’s best not to. Works Cited In. “The Fermi Paradox — Where Are All The Aliens? (1/2).” YouTube, 6 May 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNhhvQGsMEc&list=LLFCDsjAj4oySuJxziNRR0Pg&index=4070. Accessed 21 Nov. 2020. “Fermi’s Paradox.” Uoregon.Edu, 2020, abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/cosmo/lectures/lec28.html. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020. Sara MacGibbon
10th Grade CHS Have you ever tried to FaceTime a relative? Mostly likely that answer is yes! Many times when we FaceTime a relative, we are missing out on something- a sense of touch, especially during coronavirus in which many people are separated from loved ones. Fear not because a solution has already been devised! The STEM field has made a soft wearable machine that mimics the sense of touch. Now, I understand this technology sounds pretty bizarre, but it will make so much more sense once you read how it works! According to the University of New South Wales, “Haptic technology mimics the experience of touch by stimulating localised areas of the skin in ways that are similar to what is felt in the real world, through force, vibration or motion.” Still, existing technology is not advanced enough for these gloves. Although, once these issues are solved, this technology will have so many important implications! In fact, using these gloves, you might even find yourself touching a rock from a different planet without even leaving your home! Works Cited University of New South Wales. “New Glove-like Device Mimics Sense of Touch.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 9 Sept. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909100222.htm. Neha Nakirikanti
10th Grade CHS On Saturday, November 14, 2020, NASA and SpaceX will launch four astronauts into space for an eight and a half hour ride. Their final destination? The International Space Station. The astronauts, Victor Glover, Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi, will depart from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This flight follows the historic Demo-2 launch that took place earlier this year. The Demo-2 launch took NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to a quick visit to the world past the stratosphere before splashing into the Gulf of Mexico. The mission, named Crew-1, also marks a first in international space discovery. NASA has teamed up with Japan’s space agency, JAXA, by sending veteran astronaut Soichi Noguchi on his third flight to the International Space Station. The diversity in the mission’s crew is reflected in the mission’s patch, which features no flags or names. Instead, the patch contains symbols of four previous American spacecrafts: Space Shuttle, Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury. If Crew-1 succeeds, the astronauts will join Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Serchkov on November 15. Many believe that this mission will usher in a new era of regular crew rotations at the International Space Station. Works Cited Harwood, William. “Astronauts ‘Very Excited’ for SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch to Space Station This Weekend.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 9 Nov. 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-spacex-crew-dragon-astronauts-launch-space-station-this-weekend/. Thompson, Amy. “The next Astronauts to Ride a SpaceX Rocket Arrive at Florida Launch Site.” Space.com, Space, 9 Nov. 2020, www.space.com/spacex-nasa-crew-1-astronauts-launch-site-arrival. Wall, Mike. “NASA Hails Success of SpaceX's 1st Astronaut Mission: 'This Is Just the Beginning'.” Space.com, Space, 3 Aug. 2020, www.space.com/nasa-hails-spacex-astronaut-mission-demo-2.html. Anika Sridhar
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