Making Mars Home: Becoming an interplanetary species.

Posted on March 13, 2017 by | 4 comments

Imagine living on Mars. Experts have made many cases for why humans should become an interplanetary species. The video below discusses some of the reasons why we should go to Mars. From survival of our species to advancing science, the reasons are plenty. But is it possible to colonize Mars?

(Source: National Geographic, YouTube)

Unlike the moon, humans have never actually set foot on Mars. On this dry, desolate planet, the average surface temperature is -55⁰C. This is attributable to the planet’s thin atmosphere, which is too thin to retain heat, not to mention breathe. A good analogy for living on Mars is that it would be similar to living in Antarctica, but worse.

As arid, frozen and desolate as it may be, Mars is the only known planet besides Earth that could be considered remotely habitable for humans. Recent evidence has proven that there was once water on the planet and that at one point Mars’ climate was similar to that on Earth. Below is an image of Mars proving that there was once flowing water on the planet.

The dark, narrow streaks are inferred to be formed by seasonal flow of water and are roughly the length of a football field. (Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)

Although it’s atmosphere is thin, it still offers protection against the Sun’s radiation and the day/night rhythm of Mars is very similar to that on Earth. A day on Mars measures 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds. In addition, gravity on Mars is 38% of that on Earth, which is believed to be sufficient for the human body to adapt to.

The presence of methane gas on Mars means we could create fuel. The planet’s oxidized soil means we could potentially grow food, and although it’s temperature is frigid, it’s ice means there would be a water source.

Even still, humans won’t be able to live on Mars without the help of technology. It would require complex life-supporting measures and living in artificial environments. NASA believes this is possible and has already selected companies to develop prototypes for deep space habitats. These would be airtight habitats that would allow colonizers to grow food and live in a breathable environment.

Artist’s concept of a planned colony on Mars (Source: Bryan Versteeg, Mars One)

It seems entirely possible that humans could sustain life on Mars. With NASA and SpaceX’s continued research and development of technology to send rockets filled with cargo and astronauts to space, it’s only a matter of time before a colony is established on Mars. NASA released a plan outlining the next steps in the journey to Mars.

Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said that he wishes to colonize Mars in the next 40 to 100 years. As he has revealed, this won’t be an easy feat and many challenges lie ahead. Below is a video of Musk discussing what will be needed to successfully colonize Mars.

(Source: The Verge, YouTube)

I think the prospect of establishing a colony on Mars is exciting and the fact that we may see it our lifetime is astounding. I would be open to considering a life on Mars but for now, it’s just a possibility.

Would you live on Mars?

By: Ami Patel

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Porters can retire soon.

Posted on March 13, 2017 by | 2 comments

Although we have built a lot of machines to help us moving things around, such as pickup trucks, cargo planes, ships, etc., we still cannot totally free our hands from carrying heavy stuff. For example, in airports, we must use our hands to unload bags from airplane. Human power are still critical part of transportation.

US National guards unloading cargos from their plan

This is because all porter’s tasks  are actually very complex.  Cargos are varied from size and shape; routes of transporting involve stairs  and slopes. Humans can keep balance easily even when they are carrying cargos walking on bumpy road, and they also can precisely grab or put any random object. Building a machine that replacing these human ability is a challenge.

Scientists are trying so hard for building this kind of machine that can replace porters. Recently, boston dynamic, a robotic technology company, announced their new  robot called handle may be a perfect candidate for feature porters.

Handle is carrying a heavy bucket.

The new robot can grab a heavy item and move away by it self, just like a human grabbing a grocery bucket and taking it to home.

Handle is going downstairs

It has ability to go through complicated routes, such as stairs .

A lot of technologies from different area are involved in this amazing machine. One of the most important technology here is computer vision.  It read and process all data read from the robot sensors to tell the robot where he is, where to go and where is the cargo. Automation also plays a important role here; it control all the motor a hydraulic joints. Therefore, robots can move and carry stuff with out falling down.

In the near future, when the price of this kind of robot reduce to a reasonable point. Our transportation system will be more efficient. Products from all over the world will be more achievable. In addition, with such abilities, robots like this can also be used in disaster rescue operations.

 

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Cloud Computing: High Performance Computing on any Device?

Posted on March 13, 2017 by | 1 comment

Can you imagine a smart phone that plays the latest PC games? NVIDIA, a graphics cards company, recently made it possible using a platform called GRID. GRID uses cloud computing technology that allows its users to run accelerated desktops on their phones and laptops. By using these desktops, people can play games and run software with an enhanced speed, because the cloud handles the processing part.

cloud computing. source: ibm.com

For example, when users start GRID on their smart phones, the selected games or software will be operated on cloud servers; these cloud servers are far away from the users but high-performance. On the same time, the real-time display of the games/software will be transferred from the cloud servers to their phones via the Internet. The real-time inputs, such us keyboard and mouse inputs, will be transferred from the phones to the servers as well. This is not only how GRID works but also how cloud computing works.

cloud computing: gaming everywhere on any device. source: nvidia.co.uk

As a result, the users feel like the game/software is running on their phones， and the phones perform well. In fact, the mobile devices do not need to actually process since all the processing is done in the cloud. Similarly, users can use GRID to run any software on any device with an Internet access.

high-performance mobile devices are usually heavy and large.                               source: nextgengamingblog.com

In past decades, IT companies and scientists were trying to make mobile devices high-performance, especially when dealing with graphics. However, poor heat radiating and poor battery life are still big problems for mobile devices due to their small physical size. NVIDIA was facing the same problem, but they took a completely different approach to achieve the same goal. In terms of performance and convenience, they succeed.

cloud computing: work everywhere on any device. source: http://www.nvidia.com

NVIDIA GRID, and other similar services, gives small companies and low-income people an alternative way to use high-performance devices with an affordable price. For instance, a small company can save money on buying high-end PCs, and low-income people can play games on their low-priced laptops.

However, GRID still has the same lag problems as most online games have. In addition, users need to pay for this service by month or by year. Consequently, playing games and working with a desktop computer is still the best plan. However, if a person travels a lot, using GRID can be a good plan for him/her.

 

By Max Ma.

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Posted in Science Communication, Science in the News

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Canadian Seafood Fraud

Posted on March 2, 2017 by | 2 comments

What if you were told the “tuna” you’ve been eating all this time isn’t actually tuna?  In fact, 59% of tuna sold in the Canadian markets are mislabeled, making it the second most commonly mislabeled seafood, with red snapper sitting at the very top of the list (87% mislabeled).

As seen below, compared to Europe and US, Canadian seafood labels are very much misleading and uninformed for consumers. Luckily, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is currently reviewing the laws and regulations for proper Sea Food labels.

image from: http://www.seachoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Are-you-Eating-in-the-dark-FINAL.pdf

As alarming as “mystery meat” sounds, it’s not too far off to use as a description for Canadian seafood. “Rockfish” as seen above, is nothing but a common name used for over 100 different species. David Suzuki Foundation is currently holding a petition for seafood labels to include the Scientific name, geographic origin, production methods, and additives used.

image from http://action2.davidsuzuki.org/seafood-labelling

A study conducted by University of Guelph found that 84% of fish sold as “white tuna” were actually a closely related species called escolar. However, it is known that escolars are unable to digest gempylotoxin (type of wax, similar to mineral oils found in escolars’ diet), which means that when it is consumed, it can cause various digestive problems such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Enforcing regulations on seafood providers to have proper labeling will not only help us make healthy choices for ourselves and our families, it will also help us to make environmental and economical friendly choices by supporting locally farmed seafood. Sign the petition today!

Lisa Liang

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Dengue Fever Virus: What Is it?

Posted on February 27, 2017 by | 2 comments

Warning for those who suddenly begin to feel fatigued, nauseous, and sport a severe headache! This is a warning sign that the mosquito bites you received on your trip through a tropical region a few months ago may have introduced a deadly virus into your body. At this point, you could be infected with Dengue fever virus.

A map detailing the prevalence of Dengue virus back in 2005. From Wikimedia.

 

According to an article published by Anne Gubler in Trends in Microbiology, Dengue fever virus originated from the tropical regions of the Earth during the 18th to 19th centuries. The virus is mainly spread through a species of mosquito, referred to as Aedes aegypti, which still populate the tropical and some subtropical regions today. However, as human population continues to increase in these areas, the risk for another epidemic outbreak increases. This is due to the ease at which a mosquito can travel from host to host, spreading the virus at a much higher speed. Recently, outbreaks of Dengue have intensified in all tropical regions resulting in an increase of reported infections and deaths. This makes me extremely cautious of visiting countries that are infested with mosquitos carrying Dengue and I’d like to spread some information about what it is.

 

General cross-section view of a Dengue virus. From Wikimedia.

The structure of a Dengue virus consists of a core, an envelope, and proteins attached to it. The core contains the genetic information of the Dengue virus. This genetic information codes for the production of a new virus as well as the creation of a new core, envelope, and envelope proteins. The viral envelope can fuse with the outside of a human cell, and also allows for the attachment of proteins. The envelope proteins are used to attach the virus to the outside layer of a human cell.

 

A study done by Karen Clyde sheds light on how the virus uses a replication cycle that involves entering a healthy human cell and hijacking numerous cell processes to complete replication. First the virus attaches to a human cell using proteins on the outside. Then the human cell brings the virus into its body, resulting in the release of the virus inside the cell. The next step involves the formation of a structure for reproducing the virus using materials found in the human cell. Finally, this produces a chain of viral proteins which are broken apart to form the final product of a core surrounded by an envelope with proteins.

 

In my opinion, travelling through a foreign country and having to be constantly aware of mosquitoes is annoying, but well worth the effort. Next time you travel through a country at risk of Dengue infection, make sure to coat yourself in bug repellent. As there are no known vaccines or treatments for Dengue, once infected, it will accompany you for the rest of your life. Therefore it is up to you to take appropriate precautionary measures to protect yourself.

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Aside

Do you know that you have germs living inside your body?

You probably hear from the news that you were born with germs (or microbiome) inside your stomach that help you to stay healthy. Also, some germs even protect you from getting diseases.

Not long ago, researchers discovered that there was a mysterious talk between brain cells and the germs inside the stomach. Diaz- Heijtz 1 and colleagues presented the link between anxiety and germs by studying animal model (specifically mice).

In other words, all those germs living inside your stomach may be the reason for “feeling butterflies in the stomach”.

 

Few months ago, there is also another frontier in the field. Besides the effect on the anxiety, Kiraly 2 and his colleagues at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found out that changing the germ content could reshape the response to pleasure drugs, such as cocaine.

Drug abuse is a huge ongoing public health crisis. Namely, alcohol use leads to organ damages and cancer. It also changes the brain function. Like alcohol, cigarette smoking harms every part of the body. The UN report estimated that 1.3 billions were smokers and 2 billions were alcohol users. Also, 1 in every 20 adults had used an illicit drug, at least once.

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/global_burden/en/

From WHO: Management of substance abuse

Kiraly and his research team noticed that there was a gap in the microbiome research, with a central question in mind: the gut germs affect the behavior under the influence of a drug. They observed that germ-free mice became more attached to cocaine even at low dose.

The research team showed that the part of brain, called nucleus accumbens changed its chemistry due to the alteration of germ proportion.

The nucleus accumbens of the brain instructed the body what to do first based on the need or desire (to feel good). In this study, the presence of germ seems to form more robust response against the addiction.

Of course, these researches were done on animal models. Therefore, the evidence would be inconclusive if taken to human level.

After answering the question “how the germs do that”, scientists could possibly discover the germs potent enough to cure the addiction, easy as ABC!

1  Heijtz RD, Wang S, Anuar F, et al. Normal gut microbiota modulates brain development and behavior. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2011;108:3047-3052.

2 Kiraly, D. D. et al. Alterations of the Host Microbiome Affect Behavioral Responses to Cocaine. Sci. Rep. 6, 35455; doi: 10.1038/srep35455 (2016).

 

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Posted on February 13, 2017 by

Menopause: Why Do Humans Experience It?

Posted on February 6, 2017 by | 4 comments

It has always been a mystery as to why humans go through menopause. Chimpanzees and bonobos, whom we share 99% of our DNA with, are still able to reproduce throughout their entire lifespans while humans in their latter part of their lives become infertile. What then, are the reasons for humans becoming infertile as they get older?

Recently BBC and the Atlantic has published an article that can potentially explain the cause of menopause. Menopause is actually a unique trait shared by only three species: humans, killer whales, and pilot whales. Scientists have made many predictions as to why humans may experience menopause, but these predictions end up being extremely difficult to test. One possible explanation for menopause is the Grandmother Hypothesis. The Grandmother Hypothesis suggests that humans have given up their reproductive potential to focus more on caring for their children and grandchildren. In order to prove this hypothesis, we must prove that children are more likely to survive when their grandmother is present compared to when she isn’t. Dr. Lummaa from the University of Turku has published a study that shows that children are 12% more likely to survive adulthood if their grandmother is present.

Elderly Woman Image by Kawahara via Flickr

With the help of advanced technology, humans nowadays are able to live longer than ever, and women often outlive the lifespan of the female reproductive system. However scientists are still finding it. This hypothesis is near impossible to test because humans’ current fertility rate patterns are different from the fertility patterns of our ancestors.

Surprisingly, if we investigated other species that also experience menopause, we could possibly relate this information back to the human species. Darren P. Croft, an animal behaviorist at the University of Exeter, used years of data to reveal why killer whales potentially experience menopause. It became clear that from an evolutionary standpoint, it is a disadvantage for the mother and daughter killer whales to be impregnated at the same time. When both the mother and daughter killer whales reproduce during the same period, the newborns of the older generation have a higher chance of dying, approximately 1.7 times more likely as opposed to the younger generation. According to Croft, “this new research shows that old females go through the menopause because they lose out in reproductive competitive with their own daughters.” This research on killer whales provide us with an explanation for menopause that may possibly apply to humans.

Killer Whales: One of the three species that goes through menopause
image by Grit via Flickr

All in all, it remains a mystery as to why humans go through menopause. Although there are many existing hypotheses that may potentially explain menopause, nothing has been scientifically proven. However, we can gain insight into why humans experience menopause through observing other species.

-Andrew Ting

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