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제 14 호 Breakthrough for Green Planet : Behold the “e-Fuel”

Kicker: SCIENCE Breakthrough for Green Planet : Behold the “e-Fuel” Brand New Type of Fuel Takes Advantages of Older Type of Internal Combustion Do-Hyuk Kim, Reporter ndapple0921@gmail.com Recent dramatic changes in global climate recalled the need for urgent tactics to slow it down. Reports estimated 1.5 degrees rise in earth’s average temperature since industrialization within two decades, whopping ten years faster - which is alarmingly quick. So quick that officials at the G20 summit agreed to crack down on emissions harder than ever before last November. Because carbon dioxide emitted from internal combustion engines is widely known as the main culprit of breakdown in ozone layers, most of the developed nations are announcing ban on internal combustion engines in the near future simultaneously. But steps heading for completely getting rid of internal combustion engines are currently facing lots of realistic obstacles, especially in industrial workforces. Most of ordinary consumers are still hesitating to swap their daily transportation to electric cars too, due to their high prices derived from expensive batteries. The sudden spread of COVID-19 didn’t help, either – taking prices of base materials for manufacturing battery hike alongside all other minerals. Electrification never felt so hard in the world still under the influence of coronavirus, asking the need for new solution. Mercifully, there is an e-Fuel, which is surprisingly unfamiliar in terms of terminology and what might be the genuine answer for this biggest crisis which humanity has ever faced. https://www.wirtschaftsforum.de/interviews/swe-suedwestenergie-gmbh/energiewende-mit-e-fuels So, what exactly is an e-Fuel? Life of an e-Fuel begins from the biggest source in the entire planet for collecting water – which is the ocean. Water can be gathered from various channels, but it is crucial not to effect fresh water that humanity can drink for their lives. This makes e-Fuel’s main ingredient sourced from seas ranging worldwide, which is a good thing, since those seas can provide water endlessly until our humanity lasts. Because seawater contains salt and is not pure enough to become a part of fuel, collected seawater passes through a series of desalinization to make preparation for electrolysis. Electrolysis sends electrical currents through H2O, separating out hydrogen which will be later combined with carbon dioxide to be reborn as a form of fuel. Electricity used for electrolysis can be brought from renewable sources such as wind farms. None of fossil fuel is used until this process, and things get even better. The hydrogen gained from previous activities is mixed with CO2 produced from ordinary industrial activities. Combination of hydrogen and carbon dioxide brings us the “e-methanol”, which has versatility to be converted into fossil fuels we can see today in gas stations : petrol, diesel or kerosene. The final form is quite familiar, but the entire process from collection to fusion hasn’t made any impact on Earth’s atmosphere. Giant Benefits in Return from Minutely Noticed Newcomer Fruits that can be attained from this totally carbon-neutral e-Fuel are genuinely huge, and its benefits start from eradication of worries about air pollution. Biggest pollutant of Earth’s atmosphere is created from vast rows of factories placed around the globe producing goods for consumers. These factories – especially the ones placed in developing countries such as China or India – emit tons of carbon dioxide while they are active, heatting up the pace of skyrocketing Earth’s average temperature. Production of e-Fuel can cut down this tendency dramatically, taking away those CO2 to use as a material for e-Fuel. Freeing ourselves from major pollutant is quite a big deal, and at the same time we can produce fuel for other social infrastructure to keep on running. Cycle of capturing carbon dioxide from running factories and hydrogen from waves of ocean is basically endless, so infinite possibility of production is assured, too. The second benefit we can appreciate is that major shift for electrification among the entire industry is no longer needed. Major companies producing automobiles already have announced to swap internal combustion engines for more environment-friendly battery powered electric motors. That sounds fine for ones who can afford electric vehicles, but not everyone can and people who work in transport business using their big diesel trucks are likely to face practical problems. It is a critical issue since these businesses run through the entire industry, making all of social infrastructure under its influence. Production of e-Fuel can let those businesses work just as they have done before, also can buy some time and money for automobile companies to invest in other ways. Some experts pointed out questionable aspects of the entire industry aiming solely on electrification, claiming that mining nickel for battery production harasses the environment in even more severe ways such as destroying forests. Switching to e-Fuels can walk away safely from these worries in a single opportunity. Tradeoff for Saving the Environment Is Your Wallet Becoming Thinner However, not all of the story is a fairy tale in e-Fuel’s world. Production costs of e-Fuel is much higher than fossil fuels that we use today, resulting in exceptionally high prices tagged on them. e-Petrol made from e-Fuel is currently placed in normally unacceptable range of around ten dollars per liter. That is more than three times even in today’s standards where oil crisis departed from Moscow is ongoing. High costs for e-Fuel production are mostly due to expensive labor costs for extracting hydrogen from seawater, but optimists expect these prices will go down to a reasonable level very soon benefited by the technological advancements. A report from the EU made a bold claim that the price of e-Fuel will go below one euro per liter, but only time will tell. Imposing massive amount of taxes on other types of fuels and using those money for subsidy on e-Fuel can be another suggestion, but that involves a chance of dragging the entire economy into decline. This is why even though e-Fuel carries tangible benefits, careful consideration should be thoroughly done to really dive into it. Concepts of e-Fuel might be vague and confusing at this period where only the early development has been done, but the fact that it is a new solution for seven billion inhabitants living on this green planet to sustain their lives in the imminent future is clear. e-Fuel’s strengths on reducing carbon emissions are currently hiding behind the problem of low economic efficiency, but as technology develops, my thoughts are on the possibility of e-Fuel dictating most carbon emissions down to near nil. The message from current development of e-Fuel is definite : it is time for all of us to finally give attention to the urgent mission of cleaning up Earth’s atmosphere, and no longer overlook unusual climate issues. If we don’t take time on examining our environment, it might be impossible to bring it back to hospitable conditions. Sources: https://youtu.be/G8uJjP_gMy8?t=304 https://m.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2021111114450001921 https://www.motortrend.com/features/porsche-supercup-efuel-direct-air-carbon-capture/ https://www.wirtschaftsforum.de/interviews/swe-suedwestenergie-gmbh/energiewende-mit-e-fuels (Image)

• 작성일 2022-05-27
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 13 호 Technology Related to Mask Environmental Pollution

Kicker: SCIENCE (Technology) Technology Related to Mask Environmental Pollution By Seo-Won Hong, Reporter eunoia1025@naver.com Masks have become a necessity for people around the world to prevent COVID-19. As face masks are used continuously, the mask trash increases around the world. A report released by a Hong-Kong-based marine conservation organization said that they estimated about 1.56 billion face masks flowed into oceans in 2020. Most masks are made of plastic. Polypropylene, the main component of the mask, generates harmful substances such as carbon monoxide and dioxin while burning. These substances are causing environmental pollution, taking more than 450 years to completely rot away. Accordingly, the concept of mask recycling and the need to replace disposable masks are emerging. Currently, research on mask recycling is being conducted worldwide to prevent environmental pollution caused by masks. Through this article, I’m going to introduce the development situation and commercialization possibility of recycling mask research in foreign countries and here in Korea. N95 mask-disinfection technology developed by researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) in the United States Ying Zhong, a researcher in USF’s Green Research for Energy-Efficient innovations lab, and Libin Ye, researcher and cellular molecular biology professor, created a team of five graduate students. Researchers conducted experiments to develop a new type of sterilization technology to combat pathogenic viruses. The research team announced in the journal “Environment Science & Technology” that it has developed a disinfection technology that can restore the filtering function of the N95 mask to its original state. The N95 mask refers to a respiratory protector that filters 0.3 μm fine particles floating in the air at more than 95% although they are not resistant to oil components. The N95 mask is called Surgical N95 Respirator in the United States. Products that pass the same standards as N95 are being used at quarantine sites and for medical staff around the world. Researchers developed a new type of sterilization technology using the corona discharge (CD) effect. This technology works by simultaneously deactivating the pathogen of the mask and restoring static electricity. This technology does not generate heat, so additional heating and chemicals are not required. So it can be used safely and conveniently. It is a low-power consumption technology that is reusable, safer than ultraviolet (UV), and requires only 1.25 W of electricity. The patented technology is key to destroying DNA with electric fields and ions made of corona discharge (CD). The Corona Discharge is an electrical discharge caused by the ionization of fluids. The patented technology of this research team features neutralizing pathogens and viruses attached to masks by transforming proteins. The research team said it has proven a technology that can maintain about 95% of the original filtration efficiency even after 15 disinfection times, and can be recycled at least 10 times with high safety. Effect and possibility of commercialization The research team said that the technology could reduce the demand for masks from hundreds per person per year to dozens. This is expected to solve not only environmental pollution caused by quarantine masks, but also the lack of mask supply in low-income countries. Zhong said, “We will be able to reduce mask usage by 90% per person,”. In addition, “Assuming that 10% of the world's population uses this technology, we will reduce mask waste by 4 billion to 5 billion.” The research team explained that this alleviates environmental shocks by reducing the use of chemicals for masks along with more than 24 million tons of plastic pollutants. The nano filter mask developed by KAIST Professor Kim Do-hyun's research team at KAIST has developed a technology for mass production of nano filter masks. The nano filter mask can be used for more than a month because its performance is maintained even after being washed dozens of times. Existing mask filters use static electricity to catch fine foreign substances. For this reason, it is very vulnerable to moisture and cannot be reused if disinfected with ethanol or washed with water. On the other hand, a very thin polymer nanofiber-based filter developed by KAIST researchers is the principle of closely overlapping nanofibers, which are 1/10 as thick as existing filters. It filters out foreign substances, and its filter performance is maintained even after washing. However, in order to make very thin fibers, a high voltage of tens of kilobolts is required, and the production speed per hour is only up to 1g. In other words, there is a limitation in that it is difficult to mass-produce nano filter masks. To compensate for this, the research team developed a centrifugal radiation disk system that rotates and discharges polymer solutions. They made the disk into three layers, dramatically increasing the production speed of nanofiber filters. In addition, the research team succeeded in producing 25g of nanofibers with a thickness of 500nm (nanometer, 1 millionth of a millimeter), which is about one-hundredth of the thickness of hair per hour. This is an amount equivalent to 30 KF94 mask filters, which is about 30 times the production of existing electrospinning processes. The filter developed by the research team can completely block saliva droplets and has a blocking efficiency of KF80 or higher depending on the amount of fiber used. Interest in environmental pollution caused by masks is increasing, and various technologies are being developed worldwide to solve this problem. If these technologies are commercialized as soon as possible, it will be possible to reduce major environmental pollution caused by masks in the current situation of living with COVID-19. We will be able to develop an interest in environmental pollution we can think of in our daily lives, such as masks. Sources: https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20211006074100009 http://www.newsje.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=245460 https://n.news.naver.com/article/056/0011133331 https://blog.naver.com/slcdream/221883007809 https://www.usforacle.com/2021/10/21/usf-researchers-develop-n95-mask-disinfection-technology/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkA-_Ek5iA4 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20210322140300063

• 작성일 2022-03-02
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 13 호 The Road to Endemic

Kicker: SCIENCE (ENDEMIC) The Road to Endemic pch39067@gmail.com Choi Yeong-Jin, Editor Have you realized that it has been approximately three years since the Corona virus has changed our lives entirely? Everybody expected that the epidemic would just fade away someday and tried to be patient with the current situation of locking themselves up in their own house. However, when the situation was being prolonged, people started to question the possibility whether the situation will end someday. Since everybody has a life to live, people could not stand locking themselves up the whole time, and became more positive at working, enjoying hobbies, and spending time with their families and friends. Though news reports announce to us that the rate of daily new cases of COVID-19 is skyrocketing every day, there still are some medical advancements that give us hope. Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Viral, and Antibody Therapy There are many types of drugs that are available now for anti-COVID. Anti-inflammatory* drugs that stop our immune system overacting with deadly consequences, anti-viral drugs that make it harder for the coronavirus to replicate* inside the body, and antibody therapies that mimic our own immune system to attack the virus are the main solutions. What happens to our body when we catch COVID-19? Our body releases a flood of chemicals to warn that our body is under attack. This chemical alarm is called inflammation, and it is vital* for rallying our immune system to boot out* COVID. However, if we cannot get rid of the virus quickly, inflammation can spiral out of control and eventually damage vital organs such as lungs. In this case, it becomes a massive problem that can eventually kill people. To prevent this, we can use anti-inflammatory drugs which includes the steroid hydrocortisone*. It has already proven very effective, but is highly expensive, so an asthma drug called budesonide is recommended to vulnerable people who encountered early COVID symptoms and recover more quickly at home. Anti-Viral Drugs Anti-viral drugs directly target the ability of the coronavirus to make copies of itself inside our bodies. A well-known drug named “Paxlovid” is one kind of anti-viral drug, and it keeps levels of the virus in the body low, so there is less of it for our immune system to deal with. Lastly, Antibody therapy is to give people an infusion* of antibodies that can attack the virus. These stick to the surface of the coronavirus and mark it for destruction by the body’s immune system. Therefore, the body makes its own antibodies when it is attacked by coronavirus. *Inflammatory: Causing or related to swelling and pain in the body. *Replicate: To make or do something again in exactly the same way. *Vital: Necessary for the success or continued existence of something. *Boot out: To force someone to leave a job or not allow them to continue with an activity. *Hydrocortisone: The name of the hormone cortisol when supplied as a medication. *Infusion: The act of adding one thing to another to make it stronger or better. Pandemic Becoming Endemic Many experts have already said that they expect COVID-19 to become an endemic disease. Then what is endemic? Endemic is especially of a disease or a condition that is regularly found and very common among a particular group or in a particular area. Imagine a cold, for example. Back in the old days, the common cold killed millions of people. That was when the cold was recognized as pandemic. Nowadays, on the other hand, nobody worries when we catch a cold. The expectation that COVID-19 will become endemic essentially means that the pandemic will not end with the virus disappearing, but to be weaker and very less fatal. Optimistic view of COVID to become endemic is that enough people will gain immune protection from vaccination and from natural infection such that there will be less transmission* and much less COVID-19 hospitalization and death, even as the virus continues to circulate. The Quarantine* Authority of Korea, too has agreed with optimism with Western experts that COVID-19 will be transferred to endemic sooner or later. Yes, some experts worry that since Korea’s quarantine circumstances and vaccination differs, the outcome might turn out differently with foreign precedents*. However, optimists of COVID becoming endemic argue with the example of the Omicron variant*. Omicron spreads extremely quickly compared with the Delta variant, and as massive infection occurred, many people are obtaining natural immunity, and this happened in both Europe and America. This explains that Korea, too has hopes to go back to our normal life in a matter of time. Though some question the effectiveness of vaccination as more and more people are being infected even though they are fully vaccinated, it is already proven that being vaccinated protects us from serious illness and death. Breakthrough infection happens more often as time passes, and this phenomenon explains that immunity becomes weaker as time goes by. That is why more and more countries are accelerating to invent new vaccines. There are possibilities that when COVID-19 is finally treated as endemic, it would be likely to be handled like flu by getting an injection once or twice a year. *Transmission: The process of broadcasting or sending out something by radio or television, on the internet, etc., or something that is broadcast or sent out. *Quarantine: A specific period of time in which a person or animal that has a disease, or may have one, must stay or be kept away from others in order to prevent the spread of the disease. *Precedent: An action, situation, or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made. *Variant: A form of a virus or disease that is slightly different from other forms. Countries all around the world, including Korea as well, are paying lots and lots of attention and care for the end of the reign* of the coronavirus. As we can witness the current situation of the Western world and their efforts to make COVID become endemic, it would not be considered a hopeless dream that we might return to our normal life without wearing masks anymore. *Reign: A period when a particular person, feeling, or quality is very important or has a strong influence. Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52354520 https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/what-will-it-be-like-when-covid-19-becomes-endemic/ https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25043473#home http://www.hitnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=37965

• 작성일 2022-03-01
• 좋아요 Like 1

제 12 호 Development of Alternative Meat : Environmental Protection and R&D

Kicker: SCIENCE Development of Alternative Meat Environmental Protection and R&D By Eun-Jae Choi, Editor Weloveeun123@naver.com In science fiction movies describing the future, we can see works depicting a world where meat has disappeared. In this way, the artificial meat that we imagined is gradually becoming a reality. There may be various reasons, but most representatively, it has devoted a lot of effort to develop alternative meat in terms of environmental pollution and animal protection, which uses vegetable ingredients to implement a similar shape and texture to meat. Now, alternative meat has reached a very similar stage, not a slightly similar product to meat, and global investment is underway with sufficient consideration for future development. Furthermore, McDonald's in the U.S. is becoming increasingly familiar with our lives to the extent that it sells products using patties using alternative meat. Therefore, it is very valuable for us to take time to think about the demand and prospects for the vegan market in the future by looking at the significance of alternative meat and the process of sales and investment in the manufacturing process. The necessity of artificial meat Why did people gain a lot of interest and popularity in meat? When comparing meat consumption from 1980 to 2018, Korea showed an increase of 4.2%. However, due to environmental restrictions on meat production and dietary changes caused by meat consumption, interest in vegetable alternative meat that can replace it is increasing recently. First, the need for alternative meat was raised in terms of the environment. Due to the limitations of resources, such as land and water, and the growing demand for greenhouse gases and feed grains, the need to discover meat substitute materials that can stably supply proteins is gradually growing. Furthermore, the importance of alternative meat has been highlighted as a solution to the recent series of infectious diseases such as *African swine fever, *avian influenza, and *bovine spongiform encephalopathy that have emerged as a major issue. Second, the growing number of consumers choosing vegetarian food due to religion, animal welfare and ethics issues, and interest in health and sustainability is also a factor in the growth of the global meat market. Overseas celebrities such as Bill Gates are also investing in this possibility of development. * African swine fever: a highly contagious fatal disease of pigs caused by a myxovirus * avian influenza: a cold that occurs in birds such as chickens and ducks * bovine spongiform encephalopathy: a disease that usually occurs in cows aged 4 to 5 years old and die while acting like a crazy cow due to spongycemic encephalopathy The process of making meat Alternative meat is made of vegetable ingredients to implement a shape and texture similar to meat. It is processed by extracting vegetable proteins obtained from beans or mushrooms. This is easy to think of as something like "bean meat." It includes the process of implementing the texture with fiber and making meat color with beet juice. In addition, heme, a non-protein molecule known to produce meat smell and aroma, is extracted from the roots of beans and used. There is another artificial meat created by a different process. It's "cultivation." It literally cultivates meat using stem cells. Stem cells are extracted from cells removed from the animal site and then differentiated into muscle cells to form protein tissue. Using this as a material, people can make a shape similar to actual meat with a 3D printer. Alternative Meat market The alternative meat market is gradually expanding. Pulmuone, a Korean food company, is targeting the U.S. alternative meat market worth 1.7 trillion won with its own plant-based alternative meat. It has been announced that it will launch a replacement meat for ‘Plant Fire’, a vegetable-oriented brand developed by Pulmuone, in all spheres of Waba Grill, an American restaurant chain. In addition, Lotte Confectionery launched a pure vegetable steamed bun using alternative meat to make products with the desire for value consumption for health and the environment. And Paris Baguette, a bread company, announced that it will launch its first alternative meat product in partnership with Unlimit, which has developed vegetable meat slices. The new "Plant Bulgogi Salad Wrap" contains "Unlimited Slice," a substitute meat made of protein extracted from 100% plants. As such, various domestic companies are actively implementing projects to develop and expand alternative meat. Furthermore, alternative meat has now become an indispensable category in hypermarkets, famous e-commerce, and online malls. Since August last year, E-Mart has been operating a vegetarian zone at 22 stores, including Seongsu and Yongsan in Seoul. The Vegetarian Zone handles a variety of alternative meat processed foods at home and abroad, including Beyond Meat and Zero Meat. An E-Mart official said, "The proportion of vegetarian dependent sales is not high, but sales have increased by 20-30% compared to the time of launch," adding, "Customers' responses are steadily increasing." Alternative meat technology has developed much more than in the past. However, more research is needed to improve and supplement the texture and flavor compared to actual meat because they do not meet the preference. In addition, active consumption can be built if easily accessible promotions and cheaper prices are created. If these points are supplemented and constantly developed, an era in which alternative meat is prevalent may open in the future.

• 작성일 2021-11-21
• 좋아요 Like 0

제 11 호 What is Happening to Microsoft?

Kicker: SCIENCE (COMPUTER) What is Happening to Microsoft? With the Advent of Windows 11 & End of IE By Dong- wook Kim, Editor/Nam-Ho Yun, Reporter smartpodo@kakao.com /tree32847@gmail.com Discussions On 24th June, Microsoft has released the preview version of the new operation system Windows 11, the follow-up work of Windows 10. At the same time, the company has announced the end of service for IE as their unconventional moves continue. The full version of Windows 11 will be released at the end of October this year. Through beta service, Microsoft’s new operation system is getting a lot of attention because of their unique changes in User interface, icons and support of android apps. What is going on in Microsoft? What are some new functions that students should keep an eye on? Father of the Internet Browser, Internet Explorer Comes to an End Microsoft treated IE 11 as one of the components of its Windows operating system. Although it has not released a new version, it has been supporting only security updates. IE-based web environments have long been built around the Windows ecosystem and companies still operate web services optimized for this environment today. However, Microsoft will terminate the technical support for Internet Explorer after June 15, 2022. In addition, major web applications such as MS office will not be available in IE starting from August 2021. As a result, organizations and companies that build web environments and business systems based on IE plugins such as ActiveX, should be accessed through Edge browser or a chrome browser. Furthermore, the users can risk a security issue since Microsoft no longer supports security updates to IE 11 after the end of support. Especially students and workers should change their working environments to not get attacked. Termination of Internet Explorer 11 Adieu IE, Hello Edge! There are three main reasons why Microsoft terminated IE at the same time recommending Edge browser. First of all, compatibility of the Edge browser, has been strengthened so that it can support the web environment without IE anymore. Edge is a web browser based on a chromium engine, but it also has as engine that supports older websites known as IE mode. The IE mode allows users to use IE-based websites without IE. In addition, the Chromium engine is used in today’s most popular browsers such as Chrome, Samsung Internet and Naver Whale and supports the latest web environment such as HTML5, CSS and JavaScript without any problems. HTML5 accessibilities on Internet browsers The second reason is to enhance productivity through simplicity. It is quite inconvenient for users to use different web browsers for each task. For instance, if you want to use the latest browser, such as Edge or Chrome but some website’s features only work with IE, such as plugins and extensions, eventually users have to use both browsers at the same time. As mentioned earlier, Edge browser supports on both engines that can display old and modern web environments without the need for multiple browsers. The last reason is security. According to the report made by Microsoft, approximately 579 accounts hijacking attacks are attempted every second, which requires a strong web browser. They needed to make a web browser which admits authorizations to the right user and provide integrity to the appropriate data. Edge provides phishing and malware protection through the MS Defender SmartScreen. The password monitor function detects whether the same information as the account information recorded in the browser has been leaked to the dark web. If so, it notifies users. In particular, IE improves vulnerabilities with regular security updates while Edge provides frequent updates to urgent vulnerabilities. Edge Browser’s Password Monitor What Should Users Do? What would be different from the user’s point of view? First of all, existing IE users no longer have to insist on this browser. Edge already has an additional engine to run IE-optimized websites, so users only need to choose what browsers they would use. Of course, IE will not appear from the desktop after June 15, 2022. This is because the Edge browser uses the IE engine installed on the PC. However, even if the user subsequently executes IE, the Edge browser is executed. As mentioned before, the users can choose from Edge, Chrome and Whale. Microsoft Infiltrates the Android Ecosystem At the same time Microsoft terminated IE, they released a new operating system Windows 11. It is the first new product in six years since July 2015 when the last version of Windows 10 was released. The big change of user interface which can be associated with Mac OS, collaboration with Amazon is happening on Microsoft’s new OS. Here are some notable features that you might find interesting. Taskbar right in the middle The first thing you will notice will be the taskbar being put at the middle of the bottom of your screen. If you do not like this adjustment, you can simply drag and move it to the edge like it used to be in Windows 10. It will take some time for you to adjust to this change, but you will get used to it quite fast since it is easier to notice where things are at one glance. Rounded Corners, Friendly Interface The second thing you will notice is that the interface has changed a bit. Whatever you click or use, the corners of the page will be rounded. It is a part of Microsoft’s effort to make the interface softer and friendlier. Some say the interface is becoming more like MacOS, while others enjoy this small but unique change. Return of Windows Widgets That is right. Windows Widgets are back again. You can create your own Windows Widgets section by adding the weather, News curated by the AI, calendar, and other 3rd party apps you like. You can open it up by clicking the widget icon on the taskbar. You will not use this feature as often as others, but it is interesting to see Microsoft enabling users to customize and personalize their PC. New Windows, New Start Menu The new start menu is divided into 3 parts: Search bar, Pinned, and Recommended. You can change the pinned icons by clicking the “all apps” button anytime you want. Recommended apps or files will be changed as you use your windows since it tracks the frequency of which programs or files you use. The search bar uses Microsoft Edge, and you can use it anytime to search for something online. Windows with Apps There were some rumors about Microsoft enabling android apps in their new Windows release. And now it seems to be true. Now you can enjoy the apps you like not only on your smartphone but also on your PC or tablet. You can search for any app you would like to install. However, be aware that not all applications are available on Windows 11 yet. TikTok on Windows 11 Where There is Light Mode, There is Dark Mode Dark Mode has been in the previous version. However, now it is closer to perfection. You can go to Settings > Personalization > Colors to turn it on. Plus, you can customize which mode you want to use for default app and default Windows. With rounded corners and changes in the interface, it is much more comfortable to use your Pc at night. Comparison between Dark Mode and Light Mode It has been several years since Microsoft released Windows 10. Some things have changed and improved. While they are trying to focus on the future, they are packing their bags they have left in the past. With the era of Internet Explore coming to an end, college students should prepare for what is to come and explore new features. Microsoft has announced this year that Microsoft Office, which includes Excel and PowerPoint, will be redesigned as the Windows continue to upgrade. Almost every job requires some degree of skills in MS Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Adapting to these new features at a fast pace is not an option if you want to be efficient at using these programs. Still, you have to remember that Windows 11 has not been officially released yet. In other words, it is still in the development process. Sources: https://www.howtogeek.com/737031/windows-11-whats-new-in-microsofts-new-os/ https://www.techradar.com/news/windows-11-home-and-pro https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-11-new-start-menu-everything-you-need-to-know https://thewincentral.com/windows-11-sun-valley-update-all-changes-new-features-release-date/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-11-vs-macos/ https://www.groovypost.com/howto/enable-dark-mode-on-windows-11/

• 작성일 2021-08-25
• 좋아요 Like 3

제 10 호 Is NFT the Next Big Idea?

Kicker: SCIENCE Is NFT the Next Big Idea? by Nam-HoYun, Reporter tree32847@gmail.com On March 4th, Morons, an original Banksy was burnt and demolished on a YouTube live stream. Then the group that held this event sold the digitalized art piece using NFT technology. The “digital” Morons was sold for 228.69 ETH(Ethereum), which is roughly $380,000 at the time. For comparison, the group bought the original piece for about $100,000. They claim that this stunt was to “bridge the world of physical art with NFTs.” <A burned original Banksy> Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square also took part in the “NFT heat”. He sold his first-ever twit on Twitter as an NFT and made $2.9 million. He later announced that all the proceeds from the sale would be donated to GiveDirectly, a charity group financially supporting people in poverty. It seems that more and more people are catching up with the potential of NFT. So what really is an NFT, and can it be the next breakthrough technology? <The first-ever twit on twitter by Jack Dorsey> What is an NFT? NFT stands for non-fungible token. In other words, it cannot be replaced by something else, just like a plane ticket showing your seat. There is no way someone will have the exact same flight ticket and share the same seat with you. In comparison, gold, physical money, and precious metals can be traded for one another while you have the exact same value of it. NFT is usually considered as a digital asset that is combined with real-life object such as music, art, and videos. It is also common for people to buy NFTs with cryptocurrencies since they are on a blockchain. . Even though the original idea of a blockchain is to support fungible assets like Bitcoin, it has evolved to enable individuals to create their own crypto assets. Surprisingly, this technology has been around us since 2014. How does it work? Because NFTs are on a blockchain, each NFT has a unique code that everyone on the blockchain system can see and confirm. Anyone can create their own NFTs, mainly using the Ethereum network. Inside an NFT, you can see its code, ID, relevant information, and its transaction history. Once an NFT is made, people can trade it like an asset, normally using crypto currencies. You also have to notice that the form of an NFT can be varied. From JPGS to MP3s, it can create almost anything into a digital, immortal token. Plus, there is no or near zero fee to make one. However, keep in mind that just because you “copy-pasted” a famous artwork to make an NFT, doesn’t mean that it should have some value. <Addiction, an NFT by Ina Stanimirova Art> Where can they go? The NFT market keeps growing and going places. More and more games are accepting and creating NFTs. Collectibles, such as NBA Top Shot, also have begun to be digitalized. Now you can collect the things you like and trade them without owning physical ones. Especially, art or digital art with an NFT is getting more traction. <NFTs from NBA Top Shot> As mentioned above, anyone can create and trade one. It is like an art gallery that anyone can visit. It doesn’t require you to be famous, yet gives you more opportunity to showcase your project to the world. If you are interested in this, you can visit OpenSea (https://opensea.io/) and find out what the digital artists are making, or create one for yourself. What are the drawbacks? Although it might seem flawless, there are some problems. First, just like all the assets on the internet, it is not safe from hacking. Some artists report that their NFTs were stolen, or even deleted. As the NFT market gets bigger, the more hackers will sneak into it. Second, it can be hard to clarify/claim who really owns an NFT. No one can stop someone using your image or picture to make an NFT. There’s no law regulating some behavior like this. Lastly, cryptocurrencies are highly volatile. Most people buy NFTs with cryptocurrencies. What they often forget is the fact that the price of cryptocurrencies goes up or goes down rapidly compared to other assets. Therefore, you have to keep in mind that trading NFTs to make a quick buck or making countless of low-effort NFTs is not a good idea, at all. This technology is here to stay. It has lots of potential, and it is open to everyone. As we navigate through the 4th Industrial Revolution, it will surely take a role in boosting new ideas and growing new markets. However, if you just keep focusing on the price, not the technology and possibility behind it, you are highly likely to waste your time just like the people who moved to California blindly chasing a few people who found some gold in the 1850s; many had to go home empty-handed. Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56335948 https://opensea.io/assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/1391710556552267091701954357746125411038643806995143974451967238939856601089 https://www.cardlines.com/track-top-shot-transactions/ https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/30/tech/nft-hacking-theft-environment-concerns/index.html

• 작성일 2021-05-28
• 좋아요 Like 3

제 9 호 AI Market: The Reality of Getting Closer and Closer to Our Daily Lives

Kicker: SCIENCE (AI) AI Market: The Reality of Getting Closer and Closer to Our Daily Lives by Yoo-Jung Kim, Editor-In-Chief kyjmimi121@naver.com These days, many AI technologies, such as AI Bluetooth speakers are changing our industrial market. In particular, objects, stages, and businesses using AI technology are getting closer to our daily lives. Typically, Siri on the iPhone and Bixby on the Galaxy are representative examples of artificial intelligence around us. While artificial intelligence gives us convenience, many people are concerned about problems such as lack of jobs and loss of human abilities beyond human abilities. Now, let's look at the examples of what artificial intelligence is and how it is used in our lives and find out how to use AI wisely. What is AI and how much is it used in the Korean industrial market? AI stands for artificial intelligence, meaning a high-end computer program modeled after human intelligence that uses logical methods of thinking, learning, and judging like humans on computers. Various companies are investing and utilizing this AI technology. Actually, AI technology is being applied and used in various fields such as robotics, medical care, and education. Net marble is said to be investing 20 percent of its sales in securing new AI-related technologies by presenting AI technology as a management keyword. Today, I will introduce the AI case used in chatting, entertainment, and music industries among various fields. AI in Chatting Apps: AI IRUDA AI chatbot IRUDA is a service that allows people to have daily conversations like friends. It was AI with personal information written and Instagram like a real person. As much as it attracted people's attention, many people began to use the service. It is an artificial intelligence service that started with good intentions, but the service has been suspended because of sexual minority hatred and disrespect for the disabled during the chat. In addition, problems such as personal information leakage have emerged, highlighting the shortcomings of AI. <Photographs of AI IRUDA's Daily Life> AI in Entertainment: AI Idol ESPA The idol group ESPA, which debuted in November last year, includes AI members among the groups. Four human members in reality and AI members, which means another ego, appear in the teaser video and dance together. In response, SM Entertainment said that it created AI members by reflecting the characteristics of human members, and that AI members also have their own characteristics. In the entertainment field, AI idols are a big issue. Some respond that it is a fresh idea and others say they are worried about the sexual abuse of AI characters. <Espa, an idol group with AI members> AI in Music: AI Concert A concert was held once with AI pianists, Sangmyung University's Music Department orchestra and guest performers. This AI concert was meaningful in that it was held at Sangmyung University for the first time in Korea. Pianist Arthur Rubinstein restored various performance record data left during his lifetime with AI technology. It was reproduced on stage through an automatic piano and played with the orchestra. Although he passed away, it is a great advantage that we can restore Arthur Rubinstein's performance record data with AI technology and listen to Arthur Rubinstein's performance again. <The first AI concert held in Korea by Sangmyung University> How to use and respond wisely to AI As shown in the above examples, AI technology can be used well or badly. Various experts and books say that rather than worrying about losing a person's job to AI, one should have the ability to adapt and utilize AI technology while having a person's personality. The disadvantages should be minimized by supplementing the technology while continuously providing literacy education to AI. When the era of the fourth industrial revolution arrives, it is necessary to develop technologies and establish AI direction so that people can only utilize the advantages of AI. People also need to recognize the coming of the AI era and think about what abilities they will develop as a person and what they are good at. There is a saying, "If you overdo anything, it becomes poison." It is good to use AI technology well, but as a person, we should set the right line, use it, and develop it. I hope that students of Sangmyung University will develop their unique abilities and respond wisely as a person in the AI era. Sources: https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20210225/105609683/1 https://www.huffingtonpost.kr/entry/ai-iruda-hate-speech_kr_5ffa8d73c5b6c77d85e77c66 https://news.joins.com/article/23916299 https://www.smu.ac.kr/webzine/today.do?mode=view&articleNo=712657&article.offset=20&articleLimit=10&srSearchVal=AI http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002375876

• 작성일 2021-03-03
• 좋아요 Like 4

제 7 호 The Space Immigration Plan to Mars

KICKER: SCIENCE (SPACE EMIGRATION) The Space Immigration Plan to Mars Mars Will be Another Option to Live By Dong-Wook Kim, Reporter smartpodo@kakao.com SpaceX, a company that Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk set up, has launched a missile capsule recently. The launched missile was destined to reach space with two astronauts. Amazingly, the launched projectile was successfully collected from Earth after shooting the missile capsule. SpaceX also announced that they will send civilians to the Moon by 2024 and planned to emigrate the human race to Mars ultimately. How can SpaceX plan this fairy-tale like planet immigration? In other words, how specifically are they planning to do a giant emigration? What is SpaceX? Space travel has always been an unsolved task that humanity should manage to succeed. Until then, Tesla’s largest shareholder, Elon Musk, established SpaceX on the 6th of May in 2002. He has dreamed of going to space, because he knew someday, the resources in Earth will be depleted and that is not the right direction for the human race living on Earth. It was the moment that a private enterprise has started to dive into the space industry. Their ambitious plan was to migrate most of mankind living on Earth. Another goal for SpaceX is to significantly save the cost for space transportation. Since SpaceX is interested in going to space, it is natural for them to be interested in the cost of going to space. However, the cost for the space experiment is known to be astronomical. In 1989, when the US fired a space rocket, they spent about 500 billion dollars for a single launch. This made a lot of countries to cut their budgets for exploring space. This made SpaceX to do research on how to save the cost of space travel. SpaceX's Spacecraft Falcon9 In 2008, SpaceX launched their first rocket which uses liquid fuel. Its name is Falcon 1, and it is reported that the rocket has entered Earth’s orbit successfully. Well, this was just a start for SpaceX. In 2010, SpaceX cooperated with NASA to make Falcon 9 to enter the orbit and for the Falcon Heavy, Dragon, sequentially. For Falcon Heavy, the projectiles of the rockets are used again, which made SpaceX to reduce the cost up to 1/3. How is SpaceX going to Carry Out the Plan to Live on Mars? We all have understood how fast SpaceX is continuing to succeed at launching rockets. The question is, how is SpaceX planning to migrate most of mankind to Mars? How can rockets travel to Mars with hundreds or thousands of people aboard? Mars does not have a typical temperature for humans to live in and also Mars is not a suitable environment for humans who are living on Earth. However, part of Mars is covered with ice, and atmosphere which is quite similar to early Earth. Elon insists that if we could warm Mars up, Mars will be covered with a thick atmosphere and liquid oceans. Additionally, he says that Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth, so decent sunlight will be provided which means that we don’t have to think about global warming. The atmosphere consists of CO2 with some nitrogen and Argon, which means that humans can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere to the elements that we use on Earth. He also talked about the procedures from landing on Mars to building a civilization. SpaceX would start off by sending Space commissions to Mars without any foundation on it. They will arrive on Mars by sending the spaceship up to orbit just like they did with the rockets. There is a time constraint in traveling to Mars, which is two years. The moment that the Earth and Mars become the closest distance which means there is a chance to fly to Mars every two years. By 2024, SpaceX will try to fly four ships to Mars to find the best source of water. After finding water, they will send off 6 extra spaceships to install a large array of solar panels, and they will create a machine to convert the natural minerals to store for needs. The foundation will get bigger and when the resources get abundant, SpaceX will gradually send multiple ships to start building up the city. Until 2050, SpaceX said that they will make ships that can carry up to a thousand people to Mars. This will make cities expand as more spacecraft land on Mars and eventually terraforming Mars. Space Plan of Elon Musk's SpaceX to Build Colonization on Mars Elon Musk’s SpaceX vs Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin There is another private enterprise that can be comparable with SpaceX. Blue Origin was founded by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and at the same time who is officially known to be the richest person on the Earth. As one of the space developing companies, Blue Origin has also presented about going to space. Blue Origin’s focus is slightly different to SpaceX’s migration. They said that Mars does not have a better environment than Earth. They say that Mars is farther away then we think it is. Jeff Bezos introduced about the “manufactured” world floating in space. This world has a massive machine to create gravity for people to feel the same as on Earth. The world consists of a lot of structures. Basically, this world is like a floating halo except it is really big. Inside, there will be high transportation for shipping products, agricultural areas and even drones. Blue Origin's Plan to Live on Space "Manufactured World' Migration to Mars has been expected to solve the population problem on Earth from 80 years ago. Back then, humanity thought it was not possible to think beyond the Earth. Due to all the geniuses on Earth, the great dream of the human race is getting close. Now, or sometime soon, I hope there will be a day when we can add the planet’s name when we write down our addresses. Sources: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/08/tech/spacex-mars-profit-scn/index.html http://thesciencelife.com/archives/237 https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191120002200075 https://www.cnet.com/news/book-a-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-ride-online-for-as-cheap-as-1-million/

• 작성일 2020-09-27
• 좋아요 Like 4

제 6 호 Recent Environment Issues: New Types of Trash

Kicker: SCIENCE (ENVIRONMENT) Recent Environment Issues: New Types of Trash + Interview with YouTube Channel, "A Trash Kingdom” By Sarah Chae, Editor-in-Chief sarah3fran1@naver.com Our lives have changed a lot because of the Corona Virus. As people's outdoor activities have lessened, fine dust and air pollution levels have been going down too. At the same time, however, it is said that a huge amount of medical and mask wastes will affect the environment soon enough. This type of trash is new to most of us. Therefore, let’s learn about new types of wastes most of us did not recognize before. Plus, do not miss out on: 1. New types of waste: Medical and digital wastes 2. How to reduce it + How to throw it away properly 3. Interview with fellow SMU students who run the YouTube channel, "A Trash Kingdom(쓰레기왕국)" New types of waste: medical and digital wastes Recently, we are putting on masks every day. Thousands of individuals are being tested and treated, too. Along with protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, waste from treatment such as dressings and needles have also increased significantly. The Ministry of Environment said they have burned around 800t of medical waste which is related to the Corona virus. This is not a great signal for the earth because in the process of burning these medical wastes, harmful substances such as carbon monoxide and dioxin are released. The bigger problem is that the SM Herald could not find any safe and eco-friendly masks. Digital waste, which is also known as electronic waste (E-waste), is also a big issue around the world. Digital waste includes waste from electronic devices, pollution produced by manufacturing electronic devices/batteries, and pollution from the energy that is required from electronic devices. This means that in addition to device manufacturing and disposal, there is a growing impact on the environment to build and operate facilities for things like streaming and data transmission/management. Look at the picture below for more information about digital waste! How to reduce it + How to throw it away properly Masks can be reused, but only in particular cases. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, if the mask is temporarily used in a place with low pollution concerns, it can be reused by the same person. The mask that was used should be dried in a well-ventilated* area. They advised that masks should not be dried with hairdryers or disinfected with microwaves or alcohol. Originally, when wearing a mask, it is right to separate the wire and plastic parts from a mask and recycle them. However, because of worries of infection there is now a new way to throw away masks properly. Take a look at the picture below and throw your mask away safely. *Ventilate:If you ventilate a room or building, you allow fresh air to get into it. It may be hard to reduce medical waste by ourselves, but there is a way to reduce digital waste for us too! From using notebooks instead of desktops and more, take a look at the picture below for more tips on reducing digital waste! Interview with fellow SMU students who run the YouTube channel, “A Trash Kingdom(쓰레기왕국)” Just like a ‘Trash Kingdom’, new/old/harmful kinds of trash are piling up everywhere. However, there are people who are working hard to make a small movement and reduce waste. The SM Herald asked two SMU students for a small (e-mail) interview and thankfully, they said yes! Let’s see what these fellow SMU students who run the YouTube channel, “A Trash Kingdom(쓰레기왕국)” want to say about reducing waste! ▶https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiWHm_D8N5QR-5MTXcdTtEA : Trash Kingdom YouTube Channel Q1. These videos about zero-waste and environment you make are very helpful and meaningful. How did you get interested in environmental issues and what motivated you to produce this useful content? A1. Just looking at the garbage, and the garbage that comes out a week in our real life, I felt that a lot of garbage was being thrown away. Once, we read this article about the sea. A sea turtle's nose was stuffed with straws, and a dead whale's belly was filled with plastic. They were suffering from the waste we dumped. At that moment, we felt the seriousness of this, and we became interested in environmental issues. Looking around at Anseo-dong, it was too easy to see that the separate recycling system is not working properly even in our own town. Environmental problems continue to be serious, and proper separation (recycling) and disposal are becoming important. We wanted to share and communicate stories about the environment with more people, so we created content about the environment. ▶ Trash Kingdom member Anpaka(안파카)(on the left) and Maengseuteo(맹스터)(on the right) says they created their YouTube channel because they wanted to share and communicate stories about the environment with lots of people. Q2. Where do these ideas come from? Is there any place you can study this kind of information? A2. We often research about the environment on the Internet, books, and articles! For example, we get information from Internet cafes where there are people who practice zero-waste. We get ideas from articles pointing out waste problems, and more information from reading books about the environment. Also, there was a ‘Almaeng Workshop’ in our trash kingdom video, and I got a lot of information while talking with the people I met there! I feel like I am getting more information from meeting people. Q3. Could you give your fellow SMU students some tips on how to reduce and learn about how to reduce waste? Or maybe could you give us some tips for what we can do for the Earth? A3. The easiest way to reduce waste in our daily lives is to recycle properly. According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment over the last 11 months, 54% of the waste in the standard garbage bags were recyclable. We could see that a lot of resources were being wasted even though they could be recycled in our daily lives. The most basic and simple thing we can do for the earth is recycling waste the proper way; removing and washing substances (like food), removing pet bottle labels, not putting cigarettes or other substances in bottles, and crushing cans. Q4. Thank you for giving us great advice. Do you have any other plans for the future? A4. We're not environmentalists and we're not faithful activists. However, we felt that the point of view of people around us who subscribe to our YouTube channel is changing. We want to think about more interesting and various videos and contents, and we ‘Waste Kingdom’ want to become a channel which can learn and communicate with more people. After entering SMU, we were surprised to see how the school handles trash. The problem with our school's waste disposal system is that the only way to throw trash away is to put all kinds of trash - such as boxes, delivery food, paper, plastic bottles, and cans - all in one trash can. We think SMU should change the waste management system so we can recycle waste properly. The earth is unsustainable. It cannot sacrifice its resources forever. If we forget this, the price we need to pay will grow little by little. Our efforts and ideas can be never-ending, though. It is not that hard to reduce trash. Be aware, reduce some waste, and look out for your carbon/digital footprints. The SM Herald hopes you can help us in making the Earth healthier and a better place to live for everyone. Sources: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiWHm_D8N5QR-5MTXcdTtEA : Trash Kingdom YouTube Channel http://www.undp.org/content/seoul_policy_center/en/home/presscenter/articles/2019/building-back-better--green-new-deal-in-korea-and-elsewhere.html http://www.ecofuturenetwork.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=17513 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51385344 https://www.elle.co.kr/article/46002 http://www.greenpostkorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=114757 http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=4179561 https://research-paper.co.kr/news/view/271912 http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=202002062139005 https://research-paper.co.kr/news/view/271912 https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/a-growing-digital-waste-cloud

• 작성일 2020-06-29
• 좋아요 Like 2