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“Pure Genius”—Engineers versus Wind, Fire and Water
Posted on May 18, 2013 | No CommentsBobby Miller This week the contestants designed a portable, one-person shelter that can protect an individual from extreme forces of nature. First, heavy wind blew the shelter to simulate a hurricane. Next, fire blast the shelter. Finally, water was shot at their creations. The judges showed these forces acting upon a miniature building for demonstration. Every element tears away at the structure—the water blast practically destroys it. In the Blueprint Challenge, the engineers come up with conventional ideas and some outlandish ones, such as a suit of armor akin to... -
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence: What’s Going on Now
Posted on May 16, 2013 | 1 CommentMichael Cleland Although James Cameron’s 2009 film “Avatar,” which is set in 2154, seems like a far stretch from reality, the first steps toward experimenting with robot surrogates have been taken. Avatar technology will prove to be able to forever change what science can accomplish for humanity. Of the many definitions of avatar, the online free dictionary contains a derivative that is the most relevant today, “a movable image that represents a person in a virtual reality environment or in cyberspace.” Recent precedents have proven that avatar-related technology has evolved... -
“Pure Genius”—Fire at Will, Don’t Miss the Missile
Posted on May 10, 2013 | No CommentsBobby Miller The second episode, original airdate May 8, opens with a unique twist. Apparently the eliminated contestants will still be participating in every build. As the competition winds down, the judges will pick one capable “wild card,” who will then have a second chance at winning. Joe Caravella, who was eliminated last week, is confident that he can make a comeback. The wild card aspect certainly adds suspense to the show, and allowing the contestants to return prevents the teams from shrinking—smaller teams would mean less interesting builds. After... -
How Far are We from Catastrophe? The Doomsday Clock and What it Signifies
Posted on May 8, 2013 | 1 CommentMiranda Moore In recent years, gas, grocery, insurance, and a number of other normal American expenses have radically increased. According to Yahoo News, a new car, which was once an American staple item, is now out of reach for many American families. With the growing economic pressures in the United States, many Americans as well as people abroad, overlook the environmental and political dangers that could endanger the world. What is the Doomsday Clock? Since its creation in 1947 by the board of directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic... -
“Pure Genius”—Protecting a Black Box in a Plane Crash… or Truck Collision
Posted on May 4, 2013 | No CommentsBobby Miller The first episode, original airdate May 1, opens with host Kal Penn explaining the scope of the series. He then tells the contestants to watch a little show as two white pickup trucks drive in traveling at 35 mph, about 56.3 kph. They collide head-on, causing boxes of explosives in the truck beds to explode. Penn explains that the explosives in the trucks were designed to detonate if their gravitational force, or G-force, exceeds 25 G’s. WiseGeek.org defines g-force as “either the force of gravity on a particular... -
“The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius”—Inspiring a New Generation of Innovators
Posted on May 4, 2013 | No CommentsBobby Miller On the Discovery Channel every Wednesday at 10 p.m. EST, a new episode of “The Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius” airs. The show involves 10 contestants who are divided into teams each episode to tackle difficult engineering projects. It blends reality TV drama, where the contestants must deal with each other’s clashing personalities, with science that is explained in such a way that laypeople can understand. According to the show’s host, Kal Penn—who played Dr. Lawrence Kutner on the TV series “House”— “The Big Brain Theory” wants to... -
Innovative Pet Care: A Tweeting Cat Collar to a Poop Identification Program
Posted on April 19, 2013 | No CommentsBy Bobby Miller It’s no secret that we love our pets. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent an estimated $47.7 billion on their pets in 2010. We want what’s best for them, whether it’s in the form of a toy, a device that lets us take care of them better, or a new medical advancement to treat their illnesses. Luckily, new pet-related products are always being released, giving us a wider variety of options to choose from as we care for our pets. Here are some that... -
Neural Implant Shows Promise of Helping People with Brain Damage and Neurodegenerative Disease
Posted on March 27, 2013 | 1 CommentBy Alison K Lanier Neural implants in monkeys began making appearances in psychology and science textbooks on a practical level as early as 2004. Back then it was a matter of recording anticipated and intended limb movements in the brain’s motor cortex. Late last year the business of medical neural technology took another turn. From tracking neural motivation, scientists are now looking to repair and even enhance those neural functions themselves. Researchers have developed an implant that, in “Flowers for Algernon” style, apparently improves higher-level mental functions like memory and... -
Is it Safe to Drill? “Fracking” America for Energy
Posted on March 8, 2013 | No CommentsBy Carolina Luna The notion that there is an abundance of shale gas and other forms of unconventional gas in the United States, Asia, Europe, and elsewhere has prompted a global rush to explore and extract this energy source. In the United States, natural gas is booming as a result of horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and the rising of natural gas prices. Between 2006 and 2011 the annual shale gas production in the United States increased from 1 to 4.8 trillion cubic feet. Shale gas is viewed by many policymakers... -
Advancement in HIV Research Announced
Posted on March 4, 2013 | No CommentsBy Linzy Novotny An advancement in HIV research was announced on March 3, 2013, in Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Deborah Persaud of Johns Hopkins University outlined the “first documented case of a child being cured of HIV,” according to ScienceDaily, while attending the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. ScienceDaily reported that, “According to Persaud, comprehensive tests have confirmed beyond doubt that both mother and child were HIV positive when the child was born, and today no signs of HIV infection in the child can be detected by the most...