Open AI Creates Text Generator Too Dangerous To Release

Posted on March 18, 2019 by | 5 comments

Open AI, a Silicon-Valley company devoted to developing artificial intelligence to benefit humanity, has recently created an algorithm so good at generating fake text they have deemed it too dangerous to release.

Source

The first step in creating the text generator, GPT-2, was to collect text from the internet by following the most up-voted links on Reddit. This created 40 gigabytes worth of human selected training text for the algorithm. The next step was to set up the computation of probabilities to suggest the next most probable words to use. So, given a sentence to begin with, GPT-2 then recommends a string of words to follow, the quality of which are freakishly good.

As I mentioned in my last article, this capacity for people to use computers to generate fake content is bad news given the advent of fake news. GPT-2 is yet another tool that allows for the mass flooding of fake news into our communication channels.

Researchers from Cambridge University have created a browser-based game that allows you to rise to power using an army of fake news generating computer bots. Incredibly, the researchers are using the data generated from the game to help fuel research on media literacy and education. This is one of the ways that we can fight back, to become more educated and spot fake news.

A second, yet more concerning way that researchers are fighting back, is by using machine learning to spot machine generated text. Researchers at MIT, IBM, and Harvard, have created an algorithm called GLTR, Giant Language model Test Room, who’s inner workings are similar to that of Open AI’s GPT-2, but who’s job is to calculate the probability that the text was written by a computer. They have also made a website where you can try it out. This battle of the machines is quite concerning as there is no malicious actor at the moment, and yet the race is on with researches trying to outdo each other at a rapid rate.

While artificial intelligence does not seem to be in any way dangerous yet, it does look like the spinning wheel of progress is already unstoppable with advances racing forward faster than safety measures can be placed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n95f-eqZdw

Many experts suggest creating safety measures before creating dangerous algorithms: Source

For those who are interested in hearing more, Siraj Raval has an extremely informative, while funny and not too long, video describing the implications of GPT-2 and how it works.

~Danny

P.S. The game is really cool!

Also, if you’re at all into computers, Siraj Raval has a great channel! (Seriously).

 

Here’s a little comedic relief

 

 

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Glowing Pickles and OLEDs

Posted on March 18, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Did you know that a pickle will glow if you pass electrical current through it?

“A pickle glowing due to electrical current” (source: Wikimedia Commons, available under CC BY 3.0)

This phenomenon, while it is peculiar and at first seemingly inapplicable, is a simple example of the same physical principles that underlie the beauty of our modern smartphone displays. An electrical current heats water in the pickle. The pickle rapidly dries out near the electrodes (here the electrodes are the forks at the ends of the pickle), causing sparks to leap between drier and wetter regions of the pickle. Sodium atoms throughout the pickle are then excited by these sparks to emit a characteristically yellow-orange light.

The same effect occurs in smartphone displays made from Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). However, instead of sodium, a film of some organic compound situated between two electrodes (of which one or more is transparent) is excited by electrical current to emit visible light. This approach to producing light differs from previous LED technologies that relied on a “backlight” (a fixed arrangement of LEDs) to produce visible light from electrically excited compounds.

These organic compounds are rarely simple molecules. Take, for example, an iridium-based chemical complex known as Ir(mppy)3, shown here.

“A diagram of Ir(mppy)3” (source: Wikimedia Commons, available as part of the public domain)

We will not discuss the structure or nomenclature of this compound, but it is worth mentioning that the compound is phosphorescent (it emits light without heat nor combustion) and will emit green light in response to electrical current. Other compounds similar to Ir(mppy)3 have been discovered to produce red and blue light. In application, these three colours (red, green, blue) may be added in different proportions to produce the many visible colours that we see (known as the RGB colour model).

It is noteworthy that the discovery of a blue LED was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, emphasizing the modern and increasing relevance of OLED research.

New research seeks to overcome limits on the efficiency, lifespan, and cost of OLEDs. For example, while OLEDs are often a low-power alternative to the former backlight-based LED technologies, displaying images with white backgrounds (such as most web pages) using OLEDs require as much as three times the power of common LEDs. The metals used in OLEDs (such as iridium) are also rare and often expensive, meaning that consumer technologies derived from OLEDs come at a greater cost to both their users and the environment.

With cost and efficiency in mind, the Wolf Research Group at UBC has explored the use of copper (which is abundant on Earth) and other elements in place of iridium to produce candidate compounds for OLED technologies. Breakthroughs like these push us towards new innovations to benefit consumer technologies, and materials science overall.

– Eric Easthope

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Maybe my mom was right…

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | 1 comment

Ragged, calloused fingers danced across the damp ivory keys of the slightly out-of-tune instrument. A nocturne echoed, howling across the room, as the fear of failure kept his teary eyes glued upon the page. A metaphorical chain shackling him to the traditional device of torture twisted deep into the flesh of his aching wrists. A slave to the music. Broken, tired, and hungry. Those dark and terrible years would haunt him for the rest of his life.

As soon as I could walk, I was forced to play the piano. The daunting task of rehearsing the same piece for hours enraged my heart as a child, and when I asked my mom “why?” she always replied with “you’ll appreciate it when you’re older.” After 14 years of slaving away on that wretched instrument, along with having symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, I realized, maybe she was right. I was privileged to have an opportunity that she hadn’t had when she grew up and it allowed me to appreciate music further as well as learn other instruments with ease. But beyond this, I questioned, “in what other ways did I benefit from playing an instrument?” As a kid, I remember overhearing how playing piano had some correlation between being better at math, and although this seemed crazy, it led me to ponder the effects that playing instruments had on the brain.

 

Piano Keys By Elliot Billings 

How does playing an instrument affect the brain?

Today, the study of the brain is conducted by monitoring participants as they complete tasks such as reading or mathematical equations. Neuroscientists have found, that in doing such specific areas of the brain were activated. When monitoring the activation as participants listened to music, they found multiple areas across the brain firing all at once which differed from other activities.  Moreover, when playing a musical instrument nearly the entire brain was stimulated.

How does this transfer over to things outside of music?

Just as working out makes a person stronger, practicing an instrument is found to strengthen the brain functions used. For example, since studies show that there are common mechanisms used when playing an instrument and reading, it can be said that music can be used to promote child literacy. Similar suggestions from other studies can also be said for playing an instrument with linguistics and mathematics. These benefits, even when done as a child, were retained all the way into adulthood.  Furthermore, the act of playing an instrument utilizes both sides of the brain. In doing so, musicians are found to have increased volume and activity in the brain’s corpus callosum, which is what links the two sides together. This means that the brain has an easier time sending messages from one side to another, which could be beneficial as each side focuses on different processes. The TED-ED video below goes into further detail on the topic. 

The Corpus Callosum by Henry Vandyke Carter

So, in the unfortunate case that I end up with a child, I’ll probably get them to learn an instrument at a young age, and if they ask why, I’ll tell them “You’ll appreciate it when you’re older.”

-Nelson Bulaun

 

 

 

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Can Video Games Help You Learn?

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | 2 comments

Canada currently has the third largest video game industry in the world. As a leader in the industry, it comes to no surprise that over 19 million Canadians identify as gamers. In doing so, as the societal interest in video games increases, so does the interest to research the effects of gaming, especially on students.

Child playing Fortnite. Image from Alex Haney, Unsplash

What does past research show?

Past research has shown that gaming by young people can lead them to develop a variety of detrimental behaviours. Children who played violent games had a higher likelihood of being more antisocial, more aggressive, and less empathetic than their non-gaming peers. Other studies have shown that excessive gaming can have a similar effect on a child’s brain as drugs and alcohol. This effect would lead to poor school performance and a higher likelihood of developing other addictions later in life. These results highlight the issues behind unhealthy gaming behaviour that goes beyond the limits of a hobby. While these results are very important to consider, there may be some benefits to gaming.

Is there any current research on gaming?

A recent study done by Ruhr-Universität Bochum compared the learning of gamers and non-gamers. Of the 34 participants, 17 volunteers did not play games regularly, and the other 17 played for 15+ hours a week. Both groups completed a weather prediction task while being recorded by an MRI.

In the task, participants were shown a combination of cue cards with varying symbols. Based on the cards shown, they had to guess whether that particular combination predicted sun or rain. With each guess, participants were given feedback on whether they were correct or not. This feedback would lead to learning of the combinations by all participants, but at varying rates.

Diagram of the brain showing the hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum. Image from picturesboss.com

What are the effects of gaming on learning?

The results showed that gamers were significantly better at learning the card combinations with a faster learning curve and more correct answers. While the non-gamers did show learning, they were much slower in comparison. Also, the MRI scans showed that gamers had a stronger activation response in the hippocampus and surrounding regions of the brain. All of which are associated with learning and memory.

Based on these results, researchers were able to conclude that gaming helped individuals in probability-based tasks, which are activities that requires individuals to learn rules as they go. Gamers displayed a heightened ability to analyze and adapt to a new situation. This adaptation showed that players had a much better categorization performance, where they are able to generate and classify new information quickly. Thus illustrating that video games helped enhance learning performance rather than deter it.

While excessive gaming can have detrimental effects, there also are some beneficial factors. Video games, when done in moderation, allows individuals to learn more rapidly by training their hippocampus to be quick and effective. Video games create a challenging environment that pushes players to problem-solve and think creatively to achieve their goals. Looking ahead, researchers believe that further studies can be done to see whether games can help older people reduce the effects of memory loss.

– Arrthy Thayaparan

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How Does Sugar Affect Your Brain?

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | Leave a comment

When people are stressed, they often find themselves craving sugar, sweets or chocolate. Despite the fact that they can temporarily give some pleasure, they’re highly addictive and the overconsumption of sugar has many brain-related health consequences.

Sweets. Image from Pexels

Sugar Is Addictive

When sugar is consumed, it activates the tongue’s taste receptors. Then, signals are sent to the prefrontal cortex of the brain which stimulates the reward pathways and causes the release of dopamine, a natural chemical that makes us feel good.

The nucleus accumbeans is a part of the brain that receives dopamine and gives you a sense of pleasure.  Activating the brain’s reward system is associated with it and activating it with an appropriate amount of sugar is harmless. However, when it’s activated too frequently, the signal from sugar consumption becomes weaker and it grows the tolerance to sugar. Then, people need to consume more in order to feel the same pleasure, causing addiction.

The rewarding system that sugar gives is very similar to what keeps alcoholics and drug addicts to stay addicted. According to a study, there is a high degree of overlap between brain regions involved in processing natural rewards, such as sugar, and drugs. This is why it’s hard for people to control the consumption of sugar after constant exposure, and creates a dangerous cycle of excessive cravings.

Prefrontal cortex and Nucleus accumbens. Image from Public Domain Files

Brain-Related Health Problems

Besides addiction, sugar has many other negative effects on the brain. For example, sugar affects the overeating sensor, lowering our ability to feel a sense of fullness. When sugar is consumed constantly, the brain’s anorexigenic oxytocin system that senses and prevents overeating becomes less sensitive and does not release hormones that signal the body that we are full. Thus, people are likely to continue eating even after they’ve had enough which then could contribute to obesity and diabetes. 

Furthermore, sugar affects memory and learning skills by lowering the amount of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) factor. BDNF is what helps the brain with learning and forming new memories. Therefore, when BDNF is low, the ability to learn new things and our memory reduce. According to a study, researchers found out that a diet in high amount of sugar hinders learning and memory by literally slowing down the brain. The rats who over-consumed fructose (a form of sugar) ended up with impaired communication among brain cells.

Not All Sugars Is Bad

Although sugar has many negative effects on the brain, it is true that not all sugars is bad. Glucose, a form of sugar from carbohydrates like bread, fuels the cells throughout the body and is the primary source of energy for the brain. Thus, in order to manage your sugar intake, it’s important to avoid the consumption of fructose from processed foods and know that you only need a small amount of sugar per day as the World Health Organization recommends only 5% of daily caloric intake from sugar.

-Janet Lee

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The battleground of human genetic engineering

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Science, ethics, ideology, and politics all clash fiercely over an innocent-sounding topic: the “designer baby”. This battle has loomed unusually large in the public view after a recent announcement that a Chinese scientist intentionally used a controversial genetic engineering technique on a set of viable human embryos, a global first. There are a number of fascinating perspectives to explore, and this story comes with a sprinkling of geopolitical intrigue as well.

In November of 2018, scientist He Jiankui announced that he had used a burgeoning gene editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9 (or just CRISPR, for short), to genetically modify two twin girls. He claims to have used this tool in an attempt to confer genetic resistance to HIV/AIDS by disabling one particular gene, CCR5. CRISPR, while extremely promising, is still quite poorly tested, and has been proven capable of deleting much larger swaths of genetic material than intended. The main concern is that these deletions could eliminate sections of a cell’s genetic code that are crucial for its normal functions, which could lead to problems such as cancer. There is also a concern that catastrophic errors could be transferred genetically to descendants.

Molecular biologist Ellen Jorgensen explains CRISPR-Cas9’s mechanics and potential.
Source: TED

 

Unsurprisingly, then, He’s announcement was met with widespread backlash from the scientific community. An official investigation showed that He fabricated ethics approvals in order to recruit participants for his experiment, and he was subsequently fired from his university. Because of its dangers, many countries (including China) have prohibited gene editing of human embryos for reproductive purposes.

However, He’s situation may not have been quite what it seems. He has been painted as a rogue agent, pursuing his research in relative secrecy in pursuit of fame or notoriety. His university, the hospital where the edited twins were born, and even his own government denounced his actions. Suspiciously, though, the Washington Post noted that, in an interview with the Associated Press, an executive from that same hospital applauded He’s research on camera, and the university was listed as a sponsor on a copy of the informed consent form He used for his experiment. Furthermore, CCR5, the gene He attempted to modify, is associated with memory and cognition, meaning that the modified twins may exhibit augmented intelligence.

He Jiankui speaking at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing. Source: Iris Tong (Voice of America)

Is it possible that the Chinese government is covertly supporting or encouraging unethical genetic engineering practices? Dr. Gregory Licholai of Yale’s School of Management notes that China has been much quicker than other countries to expedite human trials of CRISPR-enabled cancer treatments, and that China’s regulatory authorities have been “extremely permissive” regarding CRISPR clinical trials.

The genetic modification of humans carries enormous risks and rewards. With enough skill and some good luck, a country that supports early adoption of human gene editing could claim significant health and intellectual advantages over the rest of the world within a generation. Only time will tell if November’s announcement quietly ushered in a new age of geopolitical competition.

— Ricky C.

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Help! I can’t stop eating!

Posted on March 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

A child eating pizza. Image from Wikimedia Commons

One slice of pizza turns into five boxes of pizza and twenty hours later… you’re still eating! Imagine an insatiable hunger and a love for food turned deadly. When eating becomes your worst enemy, Prader-Willi Syndrome may be the culprit.

What is Prader-Willi Syndrome?

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder in which an individual feels hungry all the time. So much to the point where they are found constantly eating, and can continue eating even after they’re full. These individuals can literally eat to the point of death.

PWS was first described in 1956 by Swiss doctors Andrea Prader, Alexis Labhart, and Heinrich Willi. Anyone can develop PWS, and it was found that this disorder affects nearly 1 in every 15,000 births. As a result, PWS is one of the leading causes of childhood obesity.

Symptoms of a Deadly Appetite

The most common symptom of PWS is chronic hunger. Other symptoms can include: poor muscle tone during infancy, early-onset obesity, limited growth, delayed motor and verbal skills, behaviour and mental disorders, and curvature of the spine.

A 15-year-old child with typical PWS facial features. Note the presence of mild truncal obesity. Image from Wikimedia Commons

How does this happen?

PWS is a genetic disorder, which means that children inherit this disorder from their parents. Specifically, from an abnormality in a chromosome that comes from the father. This abnormality arises when a part of the gene is missing or malfunctioning. When this occurs, the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls hunger and thirst and releases hormones that promote growth) stops working which results in an inability to regulate food intake.

Is there a cure?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for PWS. In fact, most of the research to date has only been targeted towards developing treatments for the disorder. For example, doctors may prescribe a growth hormone to treat PWS that not only increases height, but also decreases body fat, increases muscle mass, improves weight distribution, increases stamina, and increases bone mineral density.

Ultimately, the inability to regulate food intake remains one of the biggest obstacles that prevent individuals with PWS from living independently. There is still no effective medication that aids in regulating appetite. Nevertheless, those with PWS can still live a long and fulfilling life with the right guidance and support, as seen with Katie in the video below. Her documentary on living life with PWS gives us a better insight into the disorder, and presents a new meaning to the saying “you are what you eat”:

Documentary of Katie, a child living with PWS. Video from Youtube.

-Christina Rayos

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Will it be a snow day tomorrow?

Posted on March 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

As many students frantically refreshed the UBC website to see if classes (especially midterms) were cancelled due to the recent snow storms, it became apparent the importance of accurate and early weather forecasting systems. In both Eastern Canada and Vancouver, the powerful winter wind, snow, and freezing temperatures caused power outages, road delays, and many flight cancellations. Many emergency centres and snow action plans were in operation, even before the storm hit. The science used in weather forecasting needs to predict accurately and in advance, so that weather warnings can be communicated to the government and to the public efficiently. Without this technology, millions of dollars of damage can be done and public safety could be put at risk.

The January 2019 Snow Storm in Toronto, Ontario. Wikimedia Commons

A recent published study by Fuqing Zhang in the JAS (Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences) suggests that a 2-week predictability with fair accuracy could be possible in the near future, as compared to a current 10-day period. The increasing ability of supercomputers allow higher resolution models to be made when capturing information from satellites and weather balloons. Conditions that are captured include temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed.

A Canadian Radar Weather Station near Vernon BC. Wikimedia Commons

The 2-week period is believed to be the upper limit, as weather patterns follow “The Butterfly Effect“, discovered by Edward Lorenz. Minuscule disruptions, such as a butterfly flapping its wings can eventually snowball into a much bigger tornado far away. Even very tiny differences in starting conditions, over the course of two weeks, can turn into widely varying weather conditions based on the same predicting model. Uncertainty in the conditions observations and in the model can end up leading to a large variation in predicted weather. This makes anything beyond the 2-week period unlikely to be predicted accurately as the uncertainty grows over time.

The following video by Lloyd Treinish shows how weather forecasting systems work and how they can be used to prepare for the weather before they even happen.

Since these weather forecasting models help governments and business to determine how to keep the public safe and minimize financial losses, the science behind it is crucial and early forecasting allows more time to prepare for upcoming weather emergencies. So, if  you’re desperately hoping they cancel that midterm, you can trust that the weather forecast will not let you down.

Christy Lau

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Coffee Joints the Fight Against Cancer

Posted on March 4, 2019 by | 1 comment

You wake up early for school or work and find yourself yawning the whole commute, so naturally you go grab Starbucks or Tim Hortons to wake yourself up. Coffee is always associated with increased energy levels, however, have you ever wondered what other benefits it may impose towards your health? According to the Coffee Association of Canada, 72 % of Canadians reported drinking coffee yesterday. With coffee being the most consumed beverage by Canadians (even more than tap water), it is important to assess any potential health risks floating around.

Credit: Pexels

In the last couple years, many new researches have had a change of heart towards the effects of coffee on cancer. In 2016, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization removed coffee from its “possible carcinogen” list. On top of that, according to the World Cancer Research Fund, there is strong evidence that moderate consumption of coffee reduces liver cancer, and weak evidence in lowering other types of cancer. The reason behind this is that coffee contains a variety of phytochemicals, many of which have antioxidant properties.

Cancer cells Credit: Pixabay

Caffeine has become the most widely used phytochemical that is present in coffee. When consumed, it is absorbed into your blood stream where it then travels to your brain. This blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine due to the fact that that these two molecules have a very similar structure, allowing caffeine to bind to the adenosine receptors in the brain. This not only causes you to feel more awake but lowers your risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is the most common type of liver cancer. HCC is associated with the adenosine3A2A receptor, which can be blocked with increased coffee consumption. G Wiltberger from the University Hospital of RWTH found that HCC was observed less frequently in patients with a coffee intake of three or more cups a day as opposed to patients who had less than two cups a day.

Credit: Wikipedia

When coffee is roasted, the chemical acrylamide is produced due to exposure of the coffee bean to such high temperatures for an elongated period of time. California’s  Proposition 65 suggests limits on daily consumption of certain chemicals, and they claim that consumption of 0.2 μg per day or higher of acrylamide may be correlated with causing cancer . The average cup of coffee contains 0.45 μg of acrylamide, therefore, research is being conducted to determine whether there is a positive correlation between acrylamide consumption and cancer. Nixon BJ conducted a study in 2012 and found that prolonged exposure to high levels of acrylamide can disrupt the DNA replication process by binding to DNA. This results in mutations and eventually cancer. However, his study was conducted on mice, and they metabolize acrylamide differently to humans. Therefore, the effects of acrylamide on causing cancer is still inconclusive.

Credit: Pixabay

For a food to go from the possible carcinogen list to now boast powerful anti-carcinogenic properties, is extraordinary. But, as the millions of people drinking coffee every day will tell you, when it comes to coffee, there’s nothing like it.

-Jonathan Raj

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