Journal Entry #12: Architect

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Career Overview

An architect is someone who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of a structure, for example a library. In architecture both art and science is involved. Just like other forms of art, there are many different types and styles in architecture, such as “post-modernism.” A lot of science and physics is also involved in architecture.

Journal Entry #11: Nanowire Battery

Silicon nanowires before and after lithium absorption
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Introduction

For the grant proposal, my group’s idea is to make an efficient and reliable electric car while using various types of renewable energy to power the car (wind, solar, water). By doing this we wish significantly reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for transportation.
In order to increase the efficiency of the car, I decided to research upon a highly efficient battery that we could possibly use for our project. I came across a scientific journal in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, titled “High-performance lithium battery anodes using silicon nanowires.”

Journal Entry #10: Super-Sensory Hearing

Newspaper article: Key to Super-Sensory Hearing? Newly Identified Hearing Organ in Bushcrickets' Ears May Inspire Acoustic Sensors

Article by: ScienceDaily

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Summary of the Article

Scientists from the University of Lincoln and Bristol have discovered an organ, called the “Auditory Vesicle” in the ear of a bushcricket. This organ converts sound waves to mechanical, hydraulic, and electrochemical energy. This discovery reveals that the bushcricket ear does “air to liquid impedance conversion and amplification” like the ear of a mammal. Dr. Fernando Montealegre-Z, one of the researchers who discovered the new organ, plans to further study the ears of different bushcricket species in order to understand how the insects can each other’s high pitched sounds over long distances.

Journal Entry #9: Computer Hardware Engineer

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm#tab-1

Career Overview

Computer hardware engineering is a career that I find interesting. A computer hardware engineer develops, designs, and tests computer equipment. Examples of equipment that they design include circuit boards and computer chips. This career appeals to me because I have an interest in computers and technology and I like seeing the way things work. In addition, computer hardware engineers use chemistry, which is one of my favourite parts of science.

Journal Entry #8: Cancer

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Cancer

During our biology unit a few days ago, we learned about cancer. We learned what cancer is, how it develops, what the possible causes are, and what treatments are available for it. I knew some of the things that we learned in class, for example, I knew that cancer was unregulated mitosis (division) of abnormal cells. From the class discussion and lesson on cancer I learned quite a bit that I did not know. I learned that cells become abnormal because sometimes the DNA isn’t copied correctly into the new cell. When this happens, usually the cell will repair its DNA, or if it cannot be repaired, the cell dies.

Journal Entry #7: Typhoid Animal Model

Newspaper article: Animal Model of Typhoid Fever Could Lead to Better Vaccines 

Article by: ScienceDaily 

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Summary of the Article

Since mice show symptoms related to humans, and since they respond positively to immunization, mice models can be used to develop vaccines for typhoid fever. However, prior to the work done by Columbia University researchers, there were no animal models for studying responses to typhoid. Researchers from Columbia University developed the first mouse model to respond to typhoid as mice do not develop this fever due to a receptor in their intestines. The team hopes that their model will increase progress towards developing better vaccines.

Journal Entry #6: Power Felt

Newspaper article: Recharge Your Cell Phone With a Touch? New Nanotechnology Converts Body Heat Into Power
Article by: ScienceDaily

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Summary of the Article

A new thermoelectric device called Power Felt, converts heat into electrical energy. This device was developed by researchers at Wake Forest University. The Power Felt is made to feel like fabric, but it is actually made up of carbon nanotubes and plastic fibers. The potential uses for it include collecting heat under roofs to lower heating costs, lining automobile seats to help boost battery power and things like the radio and navigations systems in the car, and more. It could also be used to recharge a cell phone and make an emergency call, or to power a flash light. Currently the power output is 140 nanowatts, and the research team is working on adding more nanotube layers to increase the power output. More work needs to be done on the Power Felt before it is ready for the market, however one researcher says that “it's definitely within reach.”

Journal Entry #5: Sicko

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Summary of Sicko

Sicko is an informative documentary on the healthcare system in the USA. It explores issues such as insurance companies denying claims (without good reason), insurance companies denying insurance based on pre-existing medical condition, and advantages of a universal healthcare system. The documentary also talks about how many politicians have been bought by health insurance and drug companies. In Sicko, the healthcare systems of France, Canada, the UK, and Cuba are compared to the American system to prove that universal healthcare could work in the USA as well.

Journal Entry #4: 3-D Medical Scanner

Newspaper article: 3-D Medical Scanner: New Handheld Imaging Device to Aid Doctors on the ‘Diagnostic Front Lines’
Article by: Angela Stark (The Optical Society)

Summary of the Article

A new, real time imaging scanner developed by engineers from the University of Illinois will help physicians (family doctors) better diagnose conditions and accurately refer patients to specialists. This scanner uses optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is a technology similar to ultrasound. The device is made up of three parts, “a near-infrared light source and OCT system, a video camera to relay real-time images of surface features and scan locations, and a microelectromechanical (MEMS)-based scanner to direct the light.” (Source article) Reduction in price for production and more compact designs are hoped to help make this device a common point-of-care device.

Journal Entry #3: Asteroid Dust

Newspaper article: Asteroid Dust Could Fight Climate Change on Earth
Article by: Charles Choi (LiveScience)

Summary of the Article

A new, “out-of-this-world” suggestion by Scotland scientists could help fight global warming. Russell Bewick, a space scientist at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland), suggests using an asteroid in space to create a dust cloud to act as a sunshade for the entire planet. This type of project is known as geoengineering. The idea of using dust clouds in space as a sunshade is not new, but the dust clouds had the risk of dispersing over time by the Sun’s radiation and gravity, as well as gravity of other planetary bodies. In order to solve this problem, Bewick suggests using an asteroid because the asteroid could create a dust cloud and gravitationally anchor the dust cloud to help cool down the Earth. Bewick said that he would never suggest geoengineering over reducing emissions, but it could buy time in order for slower-acting measures such as carbon capture to take effect.

Journal Entry #2: The Core

The Core Poster
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Summary of the movie

For an unknown reason the earth’s core has stopped spinning; as a result strange incidents are occurring, for example, birds acting crazy and people dying because pace makers stopped working. Dr. John Keyes discovers that the earth’s core has stopped spinning and brings it to the attention of the U.S. military. The military organizes a crew of six people (Ed Brazzelton, Serge Leveque, Dr. John Keyes, Rebecca Childs, Commander Robert Iverson, and Conrad Zimsky) with the mission to travel to the center of the earth and detonate nuclear explosions to make the core spin again. The vessel they travel is called Virgil and it is made of unobtanium; an element that becomes stronger as it undergoes extreme heat and pressure. Ed Brazzelton

Journal Entry #1: Bits of Mystery DNA



Newspaper article: Bits of Mystery DNA, Far From ‘Junk,’ Play Crucial Role
Article by: Gina Kolata (The New York Times)

Summary of the article

The human DNA not only has genes but also gene switches. Previously thought to be junk, these 4 million switches are important in controlling how cells and organs work. Diseases like high blood pressure and psychiatric disorders seem to be caused by changes in these switches. Based on this discovery, new drugs can be made which affect the gene switches and therefore better cure and treat various diseases.