Tag Archives: Breaking Science News

Do humans have superpowers? -Magnetoreception

Posted on March 18, 2019 by | Leave a comment

What if you had a superpower? What would you want it to be? The ability to fly? Superhuman strength? Well, what if the ability was to tell which direction the sun would rise from without actually seeing the rise, or just finding your way back to camp when you get lost in the woods? Researchers from Caltech and the University of Tokyo have found evidence that humans can subconsciously detect changes in the Earth’s magnetic fields.

Although this study only suggests that the effects of changes in magnetic fields are detectable by our subconscious brain, they feel that this could open up the window for new research. Prof. Shinsuke Shimo, in a YouTube video with science communicator Derek Muller says, “This is just the first step to make sure that it’s not theoretically impossible that our ancestors might have utilized this ability for their navigation.”

 

Derek Muller from Veritasium takes the test of magnetoreception

The ability of an organism to detect magnetic fields to identify directions, altitude or location is known as Magnetoreception. Have you ever wondered how pigeons are always able to find their way home? Or how birds know which direction is south when they migrate? Evidence of magnetoreception has even been found in dogs that will usually sit in North-South direction while they poop.

Prof. Shimo also believes that this ability may potentially reside in modern humans. Not so long ago, Prof. Joseph Kirschvink of Caltech claimed that he had discovered magnetoreception in humans. A few years later, Kirschvink, along with Shimo and co have found evidence suggesting humans may potentially posses a superpower.

It is important to remember that as of this moment, humans are only capable to detecting changes in magnetic fields subconsciously in a state with no distractions from the surroundings. However, if we were able to study and bring this ability to the consciousness, we would not only be gaining a superpower but also making inroads into bringing other parts of subconsciousness into consciousness.

If you wish to learn more about magnetoreception, you can watch this short video by Science Magazine.

 

 

 

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Outreach Project, Science in the News

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Immortality?

Posted on March 18, 2019 by | 1 comment

What defines immortality? If immortality is defined by “living” beyond the grave as a physical body with a personality and ability to interact with the world, then computer science is on the edge of this scary yet fascinating phenomenon.

https://www.sciencealert.com/images/articles/processed/shutterstock_225928441_web_1024.jpg

What is it:

In the past few years, researchers have developed many different types of AI technology to capture and store human data, with the potential of building Virtual Reality replicas of the deceased. This AI technology is based on the idea of “augmented reality,” where an AI programme uses the technological imprint – past social media – left behind by someone to build a digital replica of them. Lifenaut, a branch of the Terasem Movement, for example, gathers human personality data for free with the hope of creating a foundational database to one day transfer into a robot or holograph. While this technology is still in its experimental stages, at least 56,00 people have already stored mind-files online, each containing the person’s unique characteristics, including their mannerisms, beliefs, and memories. According to researchers, in about fifty years, millennials will have reached a point in their lives where they will have generated zettabytes (1 trillion gigabytes) of data, which is enough to create a digital version of themselves.

How:

The prospective application of this technology is that loved ones may use robot reincarnation as a way to grieve or commemorate someone who passed away. VR replicas will be able to speak with the same voice as the dead person, ask questions, and even perform simple tasks. They may be programmed to contain memories and personality, so family members could dynamically converse and interact with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=89&v=KYshJRYCArEConcerns:

Concerns:

Of course, digital-afterlife technology is a revolutionary concept that brings major ethical and practical implications. Some believe that VR replicas of loved ones are a normal, new way to mourn the deceased, similar to current ways people use technology to remember their loved ones, such as watching videos or listening to voice recordings. The problematic part of this application is that it does not seem like a healthy way to grieve. Allowing people to clutch onto digital personas of deceased individuals out of fear and delusion could effectively inhibit people from moving on with their life. The other consequence that this AI technology threatens is the potential of robots achieving high intelligence, becoming so advanced they could replicate the human race. Some futurists thus believe that it is essential to program chips with preventative technology into robots to battle this apocalyptic risk. There are also significant social implications to consider with VR replicas. Should the right to create these replicas be based solely on wealth? The prospect of people having the ability to buy immortality, even in digital form, is certainly problematic, as it perpetuates troubling societal disparity. Ultimately, there are far too many harmful individual and societal consequences of VR human replication technology for it be a worthwhile or necessary AI innovation.

“Do you believe in immortality?”

“No, and one life is enough for me.” – Albert Einstein

~ Angela Wei

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Posted in Issues in Science, Science in the News

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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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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Science in the News

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New Wireless Pacemaker Offers Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on February 11, 2019 by | 1 comment

In Canada, over 10,000 people currently live with Parkinson’s disease with an additional 6,600 new cases being diagnosed every year. The disease is caused by a loss of dopamine producing nerve cells. Without dopamine, the nerves are unable to control body movements efficiently. As Parkinson’s advances, movements such as walking and talking become heavily affected. Due to the complexity of this disease, the reason behind the nerve damage is very difficult to determine. Thus, researchers are focusing on ways to alleviate patients’ difficulty in movement. Most recently, UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a new neurostimulator, WAND, that could change the course of neurological disorder treatment, especially Parkinson’s.

What is a neurostimulator?

The most effective method of Parkinson’s treatment is the implantation of a neurostimulator device to the brain. This is very similar to a cardiac pacemaker, since it is able to maintain appropriate circuits in the brain. The dysfunctional areas of the brain are targeted by electrical signals that block any irregular brain waves.

What is Deep Brain Stimulation?

The most used neurostimulator is the deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. As seen in the video below, the DBS electrode is implanted near target areas, with wires passing under the skin down to the shoulders and connected to the neurostimulator in the chest. The patient after recovery is provided with a remote or magnet that allows for the stimulator to be turned on and off at home. While this treatment has been seen to be mostly effective, the surgery process and control of the device can be very strenuous, especially considering the advanced age of most Parkinson’s patients. Therefore, UC Berkeley researchers have developed a new neurostimulator, called WAND, that is smaller and much more advanced in capabilities.

Video of How Deep Brain Stimulation Works. Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

What is WAND?

WAND or wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, contains wireless and autonomous capabilities. This means that the device once trained to recognize signs of tremors or seizures, is able to adjust the stimulation parameters and apply electrical signals on its own. WAND is also able to record brain wave activity while applying the treatment. These recordings would allow doctors to see how the patient is reacting during and after the treatment. This is a large advancement from the typical DBS treatments which either stop recording or record away from the target region.

Newly Developed WAND Device. Source: Rikky Muller, UC Berkeley

Has WAND been tested?

To test its effectivity, researchers applied the device in a study that taught subjects to use a joystick to move a cursor. WAND was able to detect the neural signatures that preceded the joystick motion, and delay it by applying electrical stimulation. Thus, showing that the closed-loop system and neurological recordings worked more effectively in a demonstration done by previous DBS devices.

In all, WAND is a brilliant new technology that is cost-effective, time-effective, and saves patient’s the worry of having to apply their own electrical stimulations. The device is able to treat and record simultaneously, which builds an up-to-date record of treatment. While there is still much research needed to look at potential side effects, this technology gives hopes to Parkinson’s patients of returning to their former, healthy selves.

–          Arrthy Thayaparan

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New Wireless Pacemaker Offers Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on January 21, 2019 by | Leave a comment

In Canada, over 10,000 people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease with an additional 6,600 new cases being diagnosed every year. The disease is caused by a loss of dopamine producing nerve cells. Without this vital neurotransmitter the nerves are unable to control body movements efficiently. As Parkinson’s advances, movements such as walking and talking become heavily affected. Due to the complexity of this disease, the reason behind the nerve damage is very difficult to determine. Thus, researchers are focusing on ways to alleviate patients’ difficulty in movement. Most recently, UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a new neurostimulator, WAND, that could change the course of neurological disorder treatment, especially Parkinson’s.

The most effective method of Parkinson’s treatment is the implantation of a neurostimulator device to the brain. This is very similar to a cardiac pacemaker; in which it is able to maintain appropriate circuits in the brain. The dysfunctional areas of the brain are targeted by electrical signals that block any irregular brain waves.

The most used neurostimulator is the deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. As seen in the video below, the DBS electrode is implanted near target areas, with wires passing under the skin down to the shoulders and connected to the neurostimulator in the chest. The patient after recovery is provided with a remote or magnet that allows for the stimulator to be turned on and off at home. While this treatment has been seen to be mostly effective, the surgery process and control of the device can be very strenuous, especially considering the advanced age of most Parkinson’s patients. Therefore, UC Berkeley researchers have developed a new neurostimulator, called WAND, that is smaller and much more advanced in capabilities.

WAND or wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, contains wireless and autonomous capabilities. This means that the device once trained to recognize signs of tremors or seizures, is able to adjust the stimulation parameters and apply electrical signals on its own. WAND is also able to record brain wave activity while applying the treatment. These recordings would allow doctors to see how the patient is reacting during and after the treatment. This is a large advancement from the typical DBS treatments which either stop recording or record away from the target region.

Newly Developed WAND Device. Source: Rikky Muller, UC Berkeley

To test its effectivity, researchers applied the device in a study that taught subjects to use a joystick to move a cursor. WAND was able to detect the neural signatures that preceded the joystick motion, and delay it by applying electrical stimulation. Thus, showing that the closed-loop system and neurological recordings worked more effectively in a demonstration done by previous DBS devices.

In all, WAND is a brilliant new technology that is cost-effective, time-effective, and saves patient’s the worry of having to apply their own electrical stimulations. The device is able to treat and record simultaneously, which builds an up-to-date record of treatment. While there is still much research needed to look at potential side effects, this technology gives hopes to Parkinson’s patients of returning to their former, healthy selves.

–          Arrthy Thayaparan

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