Category Archives: Science Communication

Artificial Intelligence: A Friend or Enemy of Humanity?

Posted on January 30, 2017 by | 3 comments

During the most recent decade, there have been a lot of movies showing humans fighting against robots. Most of these movies have a background that the robots massively destroying human society, such as The Matrix and The Terminator series. This makes some people worry about the future of human society: Will scientists eventually develop an artificially intelligent machine that can outsmart human in every aspect, and will this machine likely declare a war to overthrow the domination of humans?  Unfortunately, according to some leading scientists such as Stephen Hawking, both of these worries have a high possibility to occur soon.

The revolution? — From Wikimedia Commons

Artificial intelligence (AI), which is defined as the machines or software that are designed to perform tasks, is extremely beneficial to the current society. Therefore, techniques that create advanced AI are developing at a staggering rate nowadays. Some AIs that exist today can even outsmart humans in certain aspects since AIs’ components provide AIs a processing rate that no human being can reach. For example, a well-known AI that is designed to play Go (encirclement chess) defeated the top Go player in 2016 because this AI can always calculate the move that has the highest win chance. Moreover, developers have developed a machine that has the functionality to self-code in order to generate new algorithms for new questions. Using this technology, with enough time and memory space, building an AI that could learn more than any people and outsmart humans in every aspect will become highly possible. In 2013, a research survey asked hundreds of AI experts about the approximate time to achieve a human-level AI. The results were that with the current trends of the development of artificial intelligence, AI experts expect the first human-level AI to be developed in 2022 at the earliest.

What is likely to be the consequence of this development? Although it sounds impossible that a piece of code or a metal machine will declare a war on human beings, a lot of professors have expressed their worries about that a high-level AI, such as a human-level AI, may declare a war on its creators, human beings. The following video shows the details about their worries:

https://youtu.be/LjWc2vtbn9M

To sum up, a genuinely smart AI is likely to be invented by humans in the coming future as technology develops, and such an AI will have the high potential to spell the end of humanity. However, this should not be a reason for stopping the development of AI, as AI has brought so many benefits to humans. From my perspective, as long as the developers have the overall control of any of its developments, such as inserting a self-destruct function triggered by anti-human thoughts for every AI, humans will never lose control to AIs.

-Zhaolin Deng

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Posted in Issues in Science, Science Communication

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Fatal Fentanyl: The Pill that Kills

Posted on January 30, 2017 by | 3 comments

Imagine this house party scene: I’m stuck at my best friend’s house for his birthday, and everyone is either passed out or wasted. My best friend comes up to me, insisting that I try fentanyl for the first time.

“Just one pill. It won’t hurt,” he says persuasively, and places the green pill on my palm.

Fentanyl is often crushed into powder using a pedicure file and then snorted for rapid ingestion. Image Credit: CalgaryPolice.ca

Peer pressure  gets the best of me, and I reluctantly swallow the green pill. “It can’t be that bad, could it?” I question myself.
As it turns out, swallowing that fentanyl pill was one heck of a big mistake!

Image illustrating that less than a dime-sized amount of fentanyl can fatally harm a person. Image Credit: abbypd.ca

A single green pill contains merely 50mg of fentanyl, which was more lethal than I thought! A deadly dose of fentanyl is just 2mg, which is equivalent to 2 grains of salt. Fentanyl works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, which control a person’s breathing rate, emotions, and pain. This produces a state of peaceful happiness for the user, making fentanyl a highly addictive drug. However, fentanyl can stop a person’s breathing as a side effect, which can lead to death. Fentanyl is an opioid drug that is up to 100 times stronger than morphine! The high potency in a small amount of fentanyl misleads users to take a higher dosage, and greatly increases overdose risk.

Recreational drug use is on the rise, and many street drugs are unknowingly laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl’s potency makes it attractive for drug traffickers to smuggle many doses into a small package, but proves to be deadly for users.

Barcharts illustrating the number of deaths caused by fentanyl overdosage in BC. The number of deaths 2015 was ten times more than the number of deaths in 2012.
Image Credit: cbc.ca

B.C’s drug overdose crisis continues to take a terrible toll, and most are fentanyl-related deaths. Since July 2016, every 4/5 drug testings in Vancouver were positive for fentanyl. Teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 21 are the most vulnerable to drug abuse because of their high tendency for experimentation.

An important tool to help fight against B.C’s fentanyl crisis is the Naloxone kit, which contains medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdose. BC‘s Take Home Naloxone (THN) Program provides training and resources for overdose emergencies. Naloxone is now available to the public without prescription. It is easy to use, has small side effects, and provides a life-saving solution! Increasing access to naloxone is the fastest way to reduce the dramatic number of fentanyl-related deaths.

BC’s Naloxone Program distributes lifesaving kits and trains people to use overdose-reversal medication. This video shows how to recognize and respond to an overdose. Video Credit: towardtheheart.com/

Poster outlining the dangers of drugs cut with fentanyl. Image Credit: knowyoursource.ca

As I mentioned before, fentanyl binds to opioid receptors, which puts the person in a state of ‘suffocating happiness’. Naloxone works by knocking out fentanyl from opiate receptors in the brain and restores normal breathing rate. Without Naloxone, brain cells die without proper oxygen circulation, and the drug user receives serious brain damage and memory loss.

If you decide to take recreational drugs, be sure to carry a Naloxone kit with you. In addition, don`t be afraid to call 911 if you sense that someone is overdosing. Don’t let either you, or your friend, become another fentanyl victim.

-Anna Tam

 

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication

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All Aboard the Hype Train!

Recall the most recent technological or scientific breakthrough that you were hyped about – a new Apple product, SpaceX, coffee mugs that charge your phone, or one of the other innumerable findings in the realm of science. How long did the excitement last before – and after- the slated release of the technology you have in mind? When it finally arrived were you satisfied, let down, or left somewhere in between?

In the field of genetics, a new approach which utilizes the CRISPR (pronounced as crisper) mechanism to edit the genomic DNA of a target host holds great potential and is seen as the next “big thing”. CRISPR and its associated genes (cas) are part of an immune system used by prokaryotes to identify and degrade foreign DNA. Geneticists have modified the CRISPR/cas system to help them accomplish amazing feats. Compared to previous methods of genetic modification, CRISPR/cas is far more streamlined and efficient.

The CRISPR/cas mechanism has seen numerous applications in fields ranging from botany, pathology, and even oncology. CRISPR/cas has also proven to be able to restore the non-functional gene which leads to sickle cell anemia.

The hype behind this emerging technology should be kept in check, however, as CRISPR/cas is not a magic bullet. Though its potential seems limitless, it does have technical limitations. Furthermore, an international consortium on stem cells, ethics, and law known as The Hinxton Group has released a statement warning about the potential dangers of unfettered application of CRISPR/cas to biomedical research.

We know that the media and the scientific community both love to get excited over new and upcoming technologies, and the hype for CRISPR is no different. As potential consumers and beneficiaries of CRISPR/cas mediated treatments, we like to hear about the wonders of this emergent technology. However, as scientists and communicators, we ultimately have to be careful that we do not lead ourselves and our target audience through the hype cycle. Over promising and underperforming is a hallmark of bad science, and is something we should strive to avoid.

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Posted on January 23, 2017 by in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication, Science Communicators

Controlling Your Dreams: You Can Do It!

Posted on January 23, 2017 by | 3 comments

Did you see the movie Inception a few years ago? This amazing movie is all about controlling and entering a person’s dreams. In fact, controlling dreams is real. The psychology term for a controlled dream is called “Lucid Dream“.  Specifically, a lucid dream is a dream during sleep in which you become aware that you are dreaming. In addition, people can control their dreams by using some techniques.

The movie: Inception, source: wallpapervortex.com

The scientific proof of lucid dream was just done in 1975 by Dr. Keith Hearne. However, only a few people know about this interesting psychological phenomenon nowadays.  A brief reason why people can have lucid dreams is that we almost always lose our consciousness when we fall asleep; but in some situations, people may gain consciousness without waking up. Once one’s consciousness take over his/her dream, the whole dream world will be down that person’s control.

During lucid dreaming, people feels like they are in the real world. However, there are many differences between the real world and the dream world. First, it is safe, because it is just a dream. Second, people can do anything(like flying) in a lucid dream world. Third, when someone want to quit, it is simple to wake up at anytime. In addition, there are two types of lucid dreams; in other words, dreamers have two ways to gain a lucid dream. Here are some details.

The World of Lucid Dreaming, source: newbuddhist.com

The first type is called “Dream Initiated Lucid Dream”(DILD). Another type is called “Wake Initiated Lucid Dream”(WILD). In brief, DILD means that a person aware that he/she is dreaming when he/she is asleep, while WILD means that a person directly enter a controlled dream from awake. In most cases, DILD is a easy way to gain a lucid dream for a beginner.

DILD or WILD? source: youtube.com

DILD is a good starting point for new lucid dreamers. You may had this experience before: when you were asleep, you suddenly found that you were dreaming. You woke up after you found that fact. If you could calm down and keep you mind clear, you would have a DILD. In addition to that, using these skills below will also help you to gain a DILD as well:

  • Always asking: Am I Dreaming?  source: bsnscb.com

    Using a notebook to record the recent dreams. You may find it easy to remember your dream just after you wake up.

  • Keep asking “am I dreaming?” during the daytime, This makes a person ask the same question when he/she is dreaming.

  • This means You Are Dreaming source: independent.co.uk

    Using a method to prove that your are dreaming. An easy way is to bite your fingers. If a person is dreaming, biting fingers is painless. This makes one realize that he/she is dreaming.

  • If a lucid dream starts, staying calm is important.

 

 

Techniques for WILD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q8awiCSObA

In conclusion, It is hoped that more people can know about this fascinating psychological phenomenon.

 

By: Max Ma

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Posted in Science Communication

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Programmed to kill! Autonomous vehicles and decision making.

Posted on January 23, 2017 by | 4 comments

Imagine letting your car make the decision to kill you. With the increasing popularity and improvement of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, driverless cars will be publicly available before we know it. But how do they work and how comfortable can we be letting a vehicle make decisions for us?

There is a major misconception that AVs are pre-programmed with tons of intricate and conventional “if-else-then” guidelines for every situation a vehicle may encounter, as well as situations akin to the trolley problem. For example, if a child and a senior citizen are suddenly on the road, then the vehicle would hit the one with the lower chance of injury or perhaps the one with the most life left to live.

However, AV technology is not based on the ethics of driving. In fact, AV systems rely heavily on artificial intelligence and machine learning abilities to make informed decisions and discern its surroundings, just like a human driver.

The most common machine learning algorithms that are being used in AVs are based on “object tracking.” The purpose of these algorithms is to improve the accuracy of identifying and distinguishing between objects.

A core problem facing these algorithms is profiling of an object, i.e. whether it is another vehicle, a pedestrian, a bicycle, or an animal. The answer is a complex machine learning or pattern recognition algorithm that is given many images containing objects.

How a self-driving car might classify objects to make decisions. (Source: Iyad Rahwan, MIT)

Such an algorithm inspects the images and guesses the kind of object in each image. Logically, most of its initial guesses will be wrong and the algorithm modifies its internal parameters or parts of its structure based on the initial mistakes and tries again.

This process occurs continuously, discarding changes that reduce the algorithm’s accuracy and keeping changes that increase its accuracy until it correctly classifies all images. When the algorithm is shown new images, it will classify them with high accuracy. By this time the algorithm is said to have “learned.” The algorithm can then evaluate its surroundings and make a calculated choice about how to proceed.

Now back to the question at hand, how comfortable can we be letting a vehicle make decisions regarding death? I’m not sure how comfortable I would be letting a computer make a choice for me where the consequence could be death. On the other hand, I’m not sure how confident I would be in my own ability to make such a decision. The video below discusses the social dilemma of self-driving cars.

(Source: Science Magazine, YouTube)

When you strip away the bias, and purely focus on the logistics, i.e. the decision that will lead to the greatest good, perhaps an algorithm may be the best decision maker.

After all, evidence suggests that 90% of vehicle collisions are the result of human error. By removing the human element from driving, motor vehicle accidents would significantly decline thereby making roadways much safer.

We’re still a long way from allowing fully autonomous vehicles to take over roadways, but it is worth thinking about how the vehicle might make decisions where ethics and morality would normally play a huge part and how comfortable we might be letting an algorithm decide.

By: Ami Patel

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Posted in Issues in Science, Science Communication, Science in the News

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Critical Period for Language Acquisition

Posted on January 23, 2017 by | 2 comments

Imagine being isolated, deprived of basic rights, and abused for accidentally making a slight noise. In 1970, the theory of a critical period for language acquisition was tested when a social worker found Genie, a 13-year-old girl, isolated, abused, and underdeveloped. A critical period is a window of time in development for an organism to learn an ability. It is said that after this period, the chances of acquiring the ability are very low if any and after a certain age the ability stays at the same level.

The best time to learn a certain ability is called a critical period.

For language acquisition, this critical period is estimated to be from the age of two to puberty. Well if everyone reaches puberty at different times then isn’t it possible for this critical period to be different in everyone if it does exist at all? Genie, also known as the Wild Child, emerged from isolation after puberty with no linguistic performance and was said to have the mental capabilities of a one year old. So doctors and psychologists had to work with her to improve her mobility, and cognitive function.

The first publicly released picture of Genie at the age of 13.

With their help, Genie learned how to form short sentences of three to four words having the communication abilities of a toddler by the age of 16. This shows that Genie counteracts the theory of the critical period for language acquisition. Meaning that learning language skills is still possible after reaching puberty. From other research, it is also clear that at a younger age learning a language is easier but there is no evidence of strict boundaries for the critical period. The critical period for learning language should either be revised to have new boundaries or dismissed all together.

Some researchers actually prefer calling it a ‘sensitive’ instead of a ‘critical’ period. This might be more accurate as a sensitive period is defined as an extended period after which learning is still possible. I think having a sensitive period for language acquisition would be more appropriate in Genie’s case as she still learned language skills after puberty.

The theory of a critical period for language acquisition still influences much of the research based in developmental and behavioural psychology that occurs today. It is especially prominent in neurological research for the development of the brain and for cognitive mapping. So, if the critical period theory still influences some research today and it is clearly unreliable in Genie’s case then shouldn’t this theory be tested and researched to a much greater extent?

By: Sukhvir Toor

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Science Communicators, Uncategorized

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Criminal activities are around us.

Posted on January 22, 2017 by | 1 comment

Have you ever visited some shopping websites that have unbelievable low prices, or have you ever received some messages talking about making some cash by being a professional shopper? Some wise readers might have already awarded these sites and messages are related to credit card fraud.  Although, nowadays, more and more credit cards are equipped with computer chips for more safety, the incidents of credit card fraud are still increasing. Last year, the incidents rose 16%, which costed 16 billion in loose. How can they still do that with the improving security stander.

I think that it is important for people to know how currently the thefts steal our credit card information. Knowing the mechanism,especially the most updated ones, will help us protect our property in the future.

Currently, because the computer chip credit cards increase the difficulty of fraud in stores or restaurants, almost all the credit card fraud happen on the Internet. There are three major steps for criminals steal money from credit cards.

The first and most important step is gathering credit card information. There are multiple ways for doing it. Web fishing is the most conventional but still a very popular way. These fishing websites are normally pretend to be some shopping sites selling very cheap products. Some people might give them their payment information directly by shopping. Therefore, we should be extremely careful when we try to fulfil any form that required a credit card number and a billing address. It is good to double check the URL and Google the sits for some reviews. In addition to the fishing sites, fake Wi-Fi is another way to obtain your information. Some criminals set up free wireless access points in public area for people using. When you are using it, the criminals, using a method called package capture, can easily get any information that your phone is sending or receiving.   If you are coincidently use this WIFI buying some products online even at sites such as amazon and Newegg, your payment information still might be stolen. Does it sound like something in movie? It is true, so be careful. Do not try to save a few bucks of data fee to use free WIFI in public areas, especially those without any signal encryption. We can see that current credit card fraud using Internet which has lower cost and risk compared to conventional method such as fake pos machines.

The second step is what we cannot see normally. All the leaked payment information is classified and packed. Then these packs of payment information will be selling on some marketing website on tor network.(an anonymous Internet ).  This pic blow is an example of how our payment information are sold online.

 

Normally, there is nothing we can do with this. This is impressive to see a huge amount of data are selling illegally here.

At the final stage, criminals will try to use the leaked payment information to get actual cash. There are a lot of way of money laundry. We should just remember that there is no easy money. The “easy” money is normally dirty. Do not be used as a money laundry machine by criminals.

At the end, if you are unlucky involved in any credit card fraud, you should contact your bank and local police immediately. Here is a url that shows the proper steps.

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