5 Things To Ltitl(}\,\j

TIT

5{tEl\i([ &

TECI-I 5 THINGS TO ltitl(}\,\J

i'.i1i{illl lliini.L[

llotlerhnologies for the 2lst (enlury

Whol Afroid of Big Bod Srienre?

which technologies will come to dominate olu lives?

I lorv profiis, prophets and power ar.e changjng the face of modern sciencc.

ON 2ND THOUGHT

ESSAY MAKT{)VER

,{ MAT]IR OF OPINION

Rethink Srience

How lo Present Your ldeos

Smash those stereomcs you have about ScieDcel

Confused essays? lrst lou| thlead argument? Check out these tt).

t(](AL

[UtTURI

ISSUE

Gl.OBAT

(leorly

The Amish

of

OLLI

ilder

vs. The (orporole Scienlist

writcrs squarc oft: IIas Science

alu'ays been beleficial for

Mankiid?

IIIBftOT YOl.lI{ M!l\Iti

\,1/AT{H

Whot Winning the lethnologicol Rore?

Spotlight: Srience-[irtion vs. Reolity

Murh Ado oboutTerh

Staiistics liom Singapore and beyond on wlto's sprinting ahead ir the race.

what does Full MctalAlchcmisl

A ready-to-use worksheeL to jumpstart your clirssroon discussion on tcch

teach us about Science and society?

BR0A0tR PtRSPtOiVtS ir published by 5iH00L 0F Tll0UGHi 42o North Bridge Rond #06-27, Norlh Bridge Centrc, Singaporc 188727, lvelv.srhool-ol-thought.com tel: +65 63:14 8773. lax: +656447 2766

iubvripiion

Roles {nr ?007

$42 for 12 issucs, $:1.5o pcr issue (U.P. $4.5() per issue)

For subscription cDquiries and ba(k issues: bmaderp€r'spectives(.tischool of thought.com

L:rFcr., '?;F.?&" Eia

$i w #..-.,

m ffi

ffiffi #.$ffiffi

&il

THT LIGHTBULB. PENICIl- LIN. ATBERT EINSIEIN, THE SIEAM ENGINE. TtlE PRINTING PRESS. POOR DEAD DOLLY. FRANl(ENFO ODS. TTOl\lING HITLER. l(ILLtR R0B0TS.wnaT Do Ar.r THEST HAVI IN ((}MM()N? They are all clich6s that featrre time and trme

again

in

General Paper essays

all

over

Siogapore.

il[il!-[AJtii IIAliY

stereotlpe Science. Many students are either stuck in the imaginary good old days of genllcmnn scicnlisls ur drir\rr r,,,i"lnl,i rrr visions of a llture minedbykiller viruses, evil clones and Terminators.

!i ii i.fi. lr l1!,\,"i ilR,\ tli, ;;i: .., iLrll i TUday s Srience r. shapeJ by politicians.

"

prcphets and profit-minded shareholders and - iike everl.thing eise it is inevitably shaped b1' thc forces ofpolitical, ecoromic and cultural globalisation.

scientists and historians of science dse the term "Big Science" to descdbe how science has , hanged inlo r rrsll) di(erent cr.slurc.ince

Big budgets that have led governrrents to bc the nain patrons of scierce. have

to work togcther on one ploject as opposcd

to

oDe scienlist flying solo oD hrs pel proje, r. this lcads lo Jitli, ultt rr ascertaiDing credit or responsiblility for scientific cliscoveries loday.

Bi8 machincs rnd Big l borat'rrics that have become the mainstay ol basic scientific research like the sequeDcers used duling the lluman Genone Project. These {actors forcc scientific research to be more ceDtraliscd for cost effectiveness sake and thus becor'ne less accessible to independent research scientists. Today's Science can l)e intensely competitive, remarkably powerful, ter bly clitist and not alualo a. objcctire:rs ue vrorrld beliere.

Delnand

a

Broader Perspe
1it, utiilat-itli i'ir;\tiiftti\ li ri,, Editor in chief Shiao Yin Kuik Subscriptions & Circulation M:rnager Lorain€ Thanr / Sales Manager

Contributing Wtiters (hi

i ! i'!\l:ri,

Big staff where many scjentists

It's nol that thcsc examples of sc;ence are irrelevant or unworthy of ntention. It's just that they reflect a prolrensity to

world war'I\vo.

BIU S{lt}i\*t

WeD Loong, Wong May l-.e

Yee Tong

It

H()T TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE 2IST CENTURY by JOSEL|N BAU

A

hiqhla er?crienceJ JoseLitl

feld

ntarshall'

pfluotda th nki ihe

hottest thing in lhe 21st

02

BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVES

the science & tech issue

E the

GtlturA'

#I

#2

NUCLEAR

MODERN

ENERGY

NEUROSCIENTE

Nuclear energy is a good guy again.

WhoAm I?

And this is despitc the power politics of nuclear weaponry practiced by Iran and North Korea. Governments and citizens, NGOS and evei certain

asked by scientists

Green groups are rethinking the political and economic benefits ofnuclear cnergr. The impefus lbr this renewed intercst in nuclear power is a combiDation of concems like the rising cost ofdwindling fossil fuels, a volatile

energy supply and the impact ofglobal warming. As such, many third generation nuclear reacLors are being built in countries likc China, India, Japan, Eg)'pt and

Turkey. Bitain and America have also cut down regulatory barrieN to building nuclear plants and offer' interested companies economic incentives. Expect to see nuclear encrgy issues continue to manifest themselves in the fllLure as expressions of national independence and belligerence. It

'l'hc perenDial question posed by French philosophers and angsty teenagers is now more sur-prisingly being

in white coats. Modern

neuroscience's urore recent intdguing resealch turns

on not just how the brain wolks brlt on more philosophical issues like free will and human coDsciousness. Since the invention of the IMRI (functional magnetic-resonance ilnaging) in 199o, iL has been possible for scientists to finally watch brain activity, not just anatomy, in actioD. BeinI! able to record which areas ofthe brain function duing certain tasks, behavrour and thoughts is raising questions of what it means to be human. Cuffent research ranges from how ernotion affects reasonilg and petsonality, how humans mate memory and for $4rat purpose, how humans ideitifywith one anothcr (deterDriDin!, social relations) and our sense of self- I!

5 THINGS T0

l(N0W

5 HoTTrrHNoloctts FoRTHt 2lsItrNTURy

D,uLu=

GE.AAL G'--r-.r -f --t

atJ-

Er rrr,r *ar-rlt

f-f --J

IIII ===\= III*

JJ-/---

J::

nnn

#3

#4

NAN OTECHNOLOGY

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Think less of self-replicating evil nanobots that will take over the world

Ready or not, this millemum will be the age of biotechnology

... and instead, more broad applications like solar cell

paint, the tailored delivery of rnedicine and more powerful computer chips. Nanotechnology isn't just about making things snallerbut exploiting the novel properties that manifest at the nanoscale. For example, silver has antimicrcbial prcperties as a nanoparticle. Re.crr(h into thesc qualilics will dllur .rientisls lo

come up with better ways of improving current applicatioDs and making new materials and devices. Proponents argue nanotechnology's exciting future developments jnclude clean and more efficient use of "nergJ. dcto\iF.in'l agents, manulaclLlring pro.esstss that produce less waste, and sensors that car! identily and detect iiny amounts of infection ald even biological rveapons.

04

(l

BR0ADIR

PIRSPIOIVIS the

st:ience

Research and applications are increasing in its th divisions: rcd (medical), gleen [agricultural) and $'hite (industrial). we may in our lifetirnes reap the benefits of cures for diseases, more nutritious food, and dare we even say, better humaDs? Biotechnology may reaiise most of hllmankind's hopes for a bettet life and yet raises heated and troubled ethical debates. Stem cell research rnay lead to scientists being able to repair' damaged tissue, grow organs and tl-eat life threatening genetic diseases but can also clone animals and maybe humans even Hitler would be proud of. Biotechnology can produce biodegradable plastics or tansfonn PLLnts and animals into producing vaccines and medicine but can also lead to an ecological or humaD health disaster' While these debates may play out in etrcmes for now, make no mlslake, uncomfortable decisions will have to be made sooner or later. lt

& tech issue

r

l,: L: *

!*

i: S$fx

The Nobel Prize is commoniy recognised as the highest honou one can attain in tlre fields of Physics, Chenistry,

l,itelature, Peace, Medicine or Physiology ard Economics. Out ofthe 781 Nobel Prizes that have been awarded.

to organisations, 73o prizes to men and only 33 prizes went to women! l! 18 prizes went

#5

::

';rbcnlegeFrd?

RCIBOTICS

ll

Saddarn Hussein bought PlayStation z consoles

Who would have guessed that Tickle Me Elmo Extreme contained cutting edge robotics?

perform a pre-programmed function to Dobile, autonomous, intelligent and aclaptable robots. Innovative advances in robotics are rcvolutionising man], diveEc industries and impacting hunlalr life for the better. Such robols can perfon activities that llee hurnans from dangerous and healy work, increasing prodrctivity, safety ancl ellicienry. Industry applications include robots that can help fight fires, clean up toxic spills, sDifT out bornbs and mines, make lepairs in space arrd explore and monitor ma ne eDvironments. Appliecl biomorphic robots, which act more like hurnaurs like the HondaASIMO, can assist the elderly or people confiDed to beds and rvheelchails. There are robots that can help paraiysed humans walk, r-obotic wheelchairs that can climb stairs and even robotic prostheses that caD automatically adjust theil stiffness based or sensor r-eadings. (l

,l ,i

i]

for Iraq's weapons proSrarnme.

1

'l it

Probably false. In Decernbcr 1

Robotics in recent decades has moved awa-v from passive industlial Iobots that can only repetitively

.1

:i

'l ,l

l

I

t { 3 d

i

! 3

{ 1

I I

I

2ooo, worldNetDaily.conl repodcd the reason why there was a PS2 shortag,e was because late dictator Saddam bought 4,ooo Sony PS2 consoles to creale a cmde supercomputer for calculating ballistic missile data and designing nuclear warheads.It is true that the I'S2's mainprocessor is so advanced that it is classifed as a supercomputer and expets feared that a clcver hacker could use it to mn advanced mathem:rtical calculations necessary to control a guided missile system. The USA'S Defense Intelligence Agen(y illvestigated but no deli nitive conchsion was reached. l!

!l

l

:l

ii

! E

a

i 't

I

l

)

:

I

lulu 1S45 - ong rnonth [efsre lasatn was hrnusftt E$ fter finees hythc desttuction ol llirssftima an$ liaSasa&i. The norrnally nlacid sfties ouer filarnugordo, l{ew Itlexico was rinrcd asunder by a massiue lilestorm 0f

a[ocaly0tic [ro[ollions, "as if tns radianee 0l a tn0usans suns lurst at 0ncc into thG slty". The world's firsl nucleat ex[losiolt ffind talen [laee. tarIding amongst the awestruck witnesses at the

military test site

was

Amedcan physicist, J Robefi

Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project that built the bomb.

ajoint efforl betweel world War II a]lies - the United States. the United

The Manhattan Project was

Kingdom and Canada to develop nuclear weaponry. The allies feared that their Nazi German counterparts were developing nuclear weapons rftheir own-

In his memoirs, Oppenheimer recalled, "we knew the world would

not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent.

Oppenheimer was prophetic. The world would indeed be changed forever for the success of the Manhattan Project itself marked the beginning of"Big Science": a term used by scientific historians in

reference to how the bigger questions in today's Science require

for scientists to finance their

bigger staff, bigger machines and biggerlaboratoies in other words, bigger budgets beyond the means of most individual scientists and small organisations.

research independeDtly via

Before World War II, aside from agricultural and medical studies, almost no public money was available in the United States for

scientific research. only after recognising that technological advantage could make or brcak the

war effort did governments begin

I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, thc Bhagavad-Gita. Now, I arn becorne

contra ct research and developmeDt services from

inheited wealth or other forms of salaried work. Today,

witi

budgets

running easily into the millions or billions, the average scientist would Iind it almost impossible to independently sustain his own research. While profits made ftom patents are significant, most scientists must draw ftom a variety of affluent sources: government bodies, multinational corpomtions, private philanthropists and even religious organisations.

to

university scientists and private

of lvorlds."

industry. Beyond nuclear teseatch, tlre first flush of public tunding also went into the development of rudar and sonar, the perfection ofsulphurbased drugs and penicillin, the invention of insecticides such as DDT etc.

shido yin teaches af schoc'l of Thouqht.

She fearc

L)eath, the ciestroyer

Thrcughout history, the systems of economic support for scientists have been impotant determinants ofthe character and pace of scientific research. From the Middle Ages till the r8tl century, scientific researcl was smaller in scale. It was possible

T'his marriage of Big

Scicnce and Big Mnney is necessatT but disturbing4 on :*anv levels,

Big Bad Scietrce bLIt loues her Big Bad Gs Apple desktop.

I"il$,I il

iii llilIiI!-i:

WllO'S AFRAID OF BIG BAD STIENTE?

Secorldl"r', huge anr*r r l !s lrl' funtli*g resually c{*r{it:

Fir$ti1'" ial a gl*rbaliserl Eq',;rtil." scierltisis I :rr:e: incrt:i*,; i :i gl 1 heat*:rl alld e",'erl tin d r: i" il '.uI <{ i: t'i ineerllritii.-lnal *tlulpr.li.i :,:r.a*,{"lrt' research lirnelir"lg,

r'sith strings

{lf

&rultiFle ftlieneiRs

With billion dollar stakes at h;rnd, anl scientist would be sorely tcn4)ted to resotl to fia d to ensur-e he can lay clairr to thc first scieDtific brealith.o gh in his fielcl and thrs the flrst llllsh of ftnding. Scientists are not nobler than aDy of us they can bcjust as greedy and caleer rnindcd as any other persolr.

,i i i it,. !?€{1.

Anyonc who has ever depended on the generclsity ofa patron knows ihat their work will ine-vitably be govemed by the agendas and egos oftheir sponsots. A scientist night sinply secure his ftrnding by playing along with the beliefs his sponsoring politician, propiret or investor espouses - no matter how bizatre or questionable

Worse, tbe scicntist mi€iht actually cnd up being convincetl of these beliet-s himselL

L

I I

.__ l Consider Hwang \,ly'oo suk, South Korea's most infamous fallen scientisl. Until November 2oo5, Ilwang was lauded as a cutting edge pionccr for his work in stem cell research. In 2()(]6, after llercc dcbate alld olficial probes, Hwalg was indicted for faldng data and lyirgthalhehad succeeded at using cloning technolog/ to oreate humaD embryos. Hwang's onlv explanation was that he was "blinded" by career pressures and the paLriotic need to make Korea "stand in the centre of the world".'fhe stakes were high: lbrhis claims, he was named Supremc Scientist of South Korea - a title crcated for hinr that was worth a cool $r5 nillion in resoerch firnds rlone.

08

BR0ADIR PERSPIOIVES

tirc scicnce & tccrl

rs.srrt:

Think about Hideo Mur'ai, chief scientist ofAum Shinrikyo, the infamous Japanese doomsday ctrlt With a team of ex-Soviet military scientists, Murai ovetsaw the prcduction ofchemical and biological weapons that wele eveDtually used in the 1995 sain gas attack on the Tokyo subway. After meeti g Asahara (,{um's charismatic plophet leader), the b lliant astrophysicist channeled his life's work towarcls lirifilling the crlt's apoca\ptic vision.

.\um's particular obsession was with the secret works of eccent c electromagnetic genius Nikola Tesla especially the much talked about "deatll ray", the "superweapon that would put an end to all war"

Also consider: Brigifte Boisselier - chief scientist and biqhop ol lhe Rirplian cull as \4cll as rnanc8ing director of lhc \^ orld's only htrrnan ,loning companl,

clonaid. Jevoted to Rael, the FrencI race car driver turned New Age prophet, Boisselier believes that humans are descended from aliens and the key to etetnal life is cloning. Right now, many dismiss Boisselier and the RaeliaDs as fairly harmless conmen because nobody believes the Raelians have actually succeeded at human cloning- However, should their claims prove to be true, the implications would be shattering.

Look at Di. Jeff:ey Wigand, Science's Drost famous whistle blower- once the head of research and development for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.

(B&W), America's thi.d-largest tobacco company Wigand broke the vow of secreey amongst many scientists recruited by tobacco companies to mislead consumers about the highly addictive nature of nicotine. B & W even suppressed rcsearch that chernical additives used to improve flavor in cigareLtes causecl cancer.

wigand and scientists like him bring media attention and public action against companies usuallytobacco or petroleum corporations who would fund scientific research work as long as the results were skewed to present the effects oftheir by products (e.g. second hald smoke, environmental pollution) more favourably. Boisselier, Murai alcl Hwang may be the most dramatic and ertreme examples that alefi us to the problems of Big Science. But Wigand shows us that therc are scientists who stdve to preserve lhc integrity of their prcfession and will not hesitate to blow the whistle on manipulative patrons or poor scientific practice.

English arlthor an{t thinker Sir Thomzrs Brort ne sitid. "No one shoukl appr'{}ach the temple of sciencc lvith the soul of a money changer." To forge ahead with research undelened, scientists must maintain the continued tlust ofthe people and firmly oppose the commercialisation and conuption of Science. l!

by

YEE

TONG

Scientific development is notjust atrout wealthy and developed countries

designing newfangled kitchen appliances and offering life-saving MRI scans. Nor is it about fundarnentalists building hornemade chemical

bombs intending to obliterate mankind. We wish things were so straightforward, Surely one of the most powerful agents of change the world offers today warrants a second look...

l0

BR0ADIR

PTRSPIfiIVIS t,rre science & tech &sue

W b Not anymore.

cone arc the days away ir his gerden, where Ne$'ton could while observe the falling of an apple and oontemplate the int cate mechanics of gravitr_ in relaiion to our univetsc. 'llhoulih still possessing lhilt sarne curiosity in understanding, our tuliletse and dcsirc to advance the progress ol mankind, scientisLs today find themselves rlired in a u.eb of corporate agendas and polilical interests, Ever since the Industtial Revolution, sPeedy scientilic discovery has become irtinratcllr linked with succcssful industr) and prolil. Scientists find then,lsc-lves lacing to hcb their rpon\oring rrn i\ crsilie. or coIl'Urrrtiorrs Batn first movea advantage. Sadly, should scienlists to ad indepcndently, lblloh the ideals d rcject the commercialisation of scieDce, ey could find themselves stranded o!t on a

limb without the funding or expensrvc iDfrastruclure necessary for any kind of Iesearch today. Companies like Human GenoDe Scicnces and

lncytc have inveslcd extensiveiy in gcne research, but arc also notorious for trying to coner the m arket by patenl ing as memy human genes as possiblc, attemPtiDg Lo make profit from what is given to all man. Pfizer and

ClaxoSmithKline have similarly bccn researching a cure for Aids but paradoxically

are also accused of monopolizing the distribution of Aids mediurtiol for the sake of profit. l'his is a noral dilcmma many mr-rdcrn scientists lacc, that doing rcsearch these days necessarily means that scieDtjsts have to accept thc commercialisation of their work in order lo ststain its

funding.It

I Ever sinee {rre lndusfii*! Revoluticn" 5p*eCy si:if; r-ilifi,l: rj!9i::{:}!'*iy hss bec*,"}* intirn sf *iy iin ke*'.rr ii'. :jirr: i:* -qsf iJ I ind ustry e:ft d prnf i*.

T T

I I

I I

0N 2ND THOUGHT

RETHTNK

sctENtt

Probably.

Eve,since the Tn dustrial Revolution. Westem powers have enjoyed dominaDce in the area of

science and technology especially the United states oI America, the United KingcloDr and Germany. The west stiil stands shoulders ahead of the

competition in the most significant areas of space techDology, material science,

telecommunicalions, biotechnology and artificial

witl t]le exception of Japan as the only Asian intelligence,

contender. Yet, Asia's foray into

biotechnology, recent trcnds of rising labour cost and restrictive legislation on cloning

and stem ceJl engineering

developmCnl will ulwoys he dominoled by

wesrern"Wffi

engendered by the religious right in the West have made any question whetheI the nited States and European

powers can retain their technological advantage for long. Alrcady, China, SiDgapore

and South Korea are gaining ground in the technological race and pose new sizeable

tl

Ceriainly, very supportiYe state lcgislation and coDsequent !!overnment funding, cheap labour and a lack of cultural resistalce to biotechnology all bode well for these dsian states. Yet, deeper analysis reveals morc sobering revelations. Asia continues to lack comrection to established research netlvorks and has a shortage ol p vate funding due to weak investor

in Asia's past scienti{ic track record. confiderlce

Unfocused research and sometimes bizarre research

objectives as well as ne internatioDal pressure to adhere to existing restrictions on research may also become Asia's undoing. Havin€i enjoyed over a cen Lury of technological dominance, both Europe and Amcrica will certainly find wals around their cunent struggles with conflicting ethics and

tlfavo u rabl e market conditions. Their overall u

headstart may be too huge an adlantage {or Asian competitors

to overcome.

(!

eats to Westerr technological

Hafdly.

one ofthe most fascinating entertainment genres

of our time is science fiction. Popular- movies like

f.len( e Fidion -i'b3l

Ir)

fonlusy!

BR0ADIR PERSPEfiI\/IS

Terninator and Steven SpeilbeB's ,4'f have delighted audiences the world over, leaving us to question whether the The Mcrtr*,

scenados depicted should ever be taken seriously. When Jules Vernes first publisbe d Around the world in 80 dals in a872' it was quickly labeled as 'boys' literature' a fli8ht of fancy that was possible but hardly probable. Yet, Vernes was inspired bytrends of a growing possibility of inter continental travel via newly connected railways.

the science & teclt

Scientific reseorch is boring qnd too difficult for lhe loymon lo underslond PreciselY"

studeDls anal the shY auay from oflen lalnren avcngc hl,ing lo uncl(rI staDd Lhc conplelities of modcn s(:icnce as theY fiDd thc

r-esearcir and ensuing debate so letinrcs intirniclating and nost of 'rc time inco]l]prchensiblc. Yet, the rear to en!,age scit:nce has led to a clistLlrbing apathl' .lnd ignoran
is cleariy

rLnpr-eparcd

for

the

phcnornenal charge thaL looms over bis future.'l'his is uDacceDtable as

everl' citizer ol the rvorld loday shorld be prrt of the collectivc ilc.ision to detdrninc \^'here mankind nrovcs ftorn this signillcant juncturc in human developrrrent. Ihe debate over a widcning cligital dividc, the alleged nisusc o1 Dewinventior$ and the disturbilg, changes to onr human -xperience shoLrlcl not be left iD the ,,ands ofiust our-!,overnnlcnts or an intellectual elite. we oanllot blindiv

Soon, rTral couLcl see the $orld that way, a privilelie that was reserved lbr

only the most rich or adventruous. lodaywe scc sinrilar trends iD space touism, opcring a similar possibility that we ntay one day lulch ol] thc moon. Flight of fancy? Histor-y has shown us other.rl,ise. Orwell's Jlig tsi'other, Huxlev's Soma, Shelley's i'ronliensteil a1l have rnot'lern day

c(iuivalents iD srLcllilt: survcillancc, Prozac and stcm cell aDd cloning tcchnologies rcsprrtivelv.

t

lst otll- leada$ to make decisions ovei matters that woulcl r,ery rvcl redefine our ever-ydirv lires and the iives of futurc generatjons to come. 'lhankftrlly, many elIrineDl scicutists

havc takeD on the dual rolc of educaiors and leadcrs, shedding liP,ht on conplicated issues in wavs that people ca,r bcgin to undemtand antl thcrefore contribute to ilte dcbateRichard Dalvltins, fu chard Feylurzrn, Sle pllen Hirwkings and Jar'cd Diamond are somc indi\iduals lhal have enabled the comrnuniil- at lurgc) to get pasL science's aiienatingjargon and be ablc Lo grasp cornplicated issues in a meaninghrl u'ay. 'I'be

avaiiability of popular scicnce literature and oulrcach pr-ogramnrcs like the world famo s Cfiri.stDr(ls lectrrres held in London's Royel Institution evcry year, thercl ore lervcs the literafu lawran little excLtsc for' rcmaining ignorant. at

Perhaps, we should think trvice belirre

brushing olf the work of the Wachowsld broLhers as an excitinli but ridiculous worh of fiction. l he {ascinaLing works of Philip K Dick have beer picked up and adapted by scveral major film studios and adapted iDto popular m<-rvies likc Blo(le RlnY]/Jt, Total llecall, Mirtctrittl Report irnd 'l-he TerntitnLor. The I lolll-wood dcpictions ofthcsc works officii{)n have stark resoDancc Lo oul

incleasingly technoIogica1J! rl(nni nated li first\lcs toda\'.

A .frnL tn11(

ontpute| ltanlitltl

{rddicl. ke oc.rsionll/1! rrriles to dcbulk con1n1at1 pcrt\\)tiltI that hc is .qaod Jor nathin!t. He tul('l1cs hllppilrl et Sdr,Jtl 0[ tlnuqht.

HOWTO PRESENT

14

BR0ADIR PERSPIOIVIS

th.,s.ilr.r

&

r.r'i

?sl;rr.

il, I :

'ii:

r

i'.:-i

i,: tl;t &fiAfi{*{?tr't If THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS OF THUNXIJ'S TSSAY LOOI(ED

LIl(E THIS! CAN YOU SPOT HIS MISTAI(ES BEFORE YOU READ THE TEAM'S ANALYSIS? .;,ir'',.

you optimistic about recent .'Aie #developmen[s in science and technology? 4i;i:,., been appallingly obvious that our techrology has excceded our filmanity'a quote by Albert Einstein.Indeed as human beings progressed ifi(im the Industrial Revolution into the Information Revolution, humans powerlul science and te, hnologl ' an bc. \4 ilh more -har"e witness*J how fadvan, emcnl in
open arms.

Truly, humans have tried to adapt to these chtmges. However, by accepting these technological breakhroughs, there is always a price to pay Global warming has become increasingly evident, with more erratic \a'eather pattems, rising tempemtures, rapidly melting glaciers and many others' With the aid of science ald technology, global warming is further exacerbated by man's thirst for a better quality of life. Gases released by transporlation, buming of gasoline for heat and electricity are fuelling the effects ofglobal warming. Although measures are being takcn to combat s[ch problems, they are still not efficient enough in the long lun. The effects ofglobal warming could be diminished if new advancements in science and technology are meant to tackle global warming

HOW TO PRESTNT YOUR IDIAS

"lt

IIIARIY

has bcen appallingly obvious that orrl' technology has exceeded our humanity" a quote by Albert EinsteiD.

Indecd as hurnan beings progressed from the IDdustdal RevohltioD

ilto

the InformatioD RevolutioD, humans

L

h"u"*it'.""."d@withmoteadvancementinscienceandtechnology' hlmans are being exposed to more unprecedented chaDges that would iDevilably chane,e their lives. 'lhrolghott the corrse some ethical issues

of history, humans have managed to come to ter--nls with these chaDges.

that

ut, there are still

to considel belore humans can embrace science ar1d techno]ogywith open arms.

Truly, humans have tried to adapL

Lo

lhese cha

ovrevcr, by accepting these technological brcakthrougl

there is al\\,ays a price to pay. Global warming has become increasingly evident, with more erraticweather

pattenr,

rising temperatures, r'apidly melting glaciers and many others. With the aid ofscience and technology, global i,varming is further exacerbated by man's

ihi$t tor a better quality

of life. Gases released by tralsportation,

burniDg o{ gasoliDe for heat aird electricity arc flelling the elfects of global warming. Although measures are being taken to combat such problerns, they are still not ellicicnt enough iD tlle long ncements rn s(ien(:e

t6

BR0A0[R PERSPECTIVTS

fhe scien(\. & t.al7issue

e effects of global

a--e m.ant to tackle gJobal warmirrg'

Ihunxu's problem il shored by many students. l.here is o heiiei thut lhe tea:ott why essoys {oii quoles, nunrbers ond is becouse of weol eonlent. 5o sludenls s(rumble l0 pock fteir esserys with (urrenf 0ffgirs. !n pcit ihis shouid lielp. Bul only a bil. \rVhot is m0re !mF0rl0nl ihon tonlent is lhe preseniolion cl tonlenl. The reoder of any piete o{ writing needs l0 be led. No one likes recding 0n nrlirle wilhoul direclion betouse it lusl feels like a b;g mish'mosh oi words ond (hunxu be a LEADER I0 il15 READERi. numben. Sc we ,:ire goino lo help

t

startirrg olf uitlr en irtonlplete erltcnre qive\ r fuol tr rst impression. Th is incomplete

stanLl.

5The paragrapn

in this introducturv

rs

unclear Jno rner-erore

dir-ection of the essay rernains uncertain. Nothing has been said so far in this introduction lhat

presentation ofquotcs is a common

mistake that strrdcnts make.

addresses the question. Is ChunxLl

optirnistic or Ilot?

t

Drouglrt aDout by science and technologr and the last sentence is probably an attempt to balance the content delivered. lI so, it has more of a confusing cllect as it seems like an ineflectual

conclrrding statement. The

nleiruLu iin(l Llu nol lrel0 \oLrr reacler u ncl eistan d tl,e sigDificance of what you are trying to say.

paragraph dlso nakes no link to the

This oncning /f v,',rclea.

sentence is agxin an,l thc re.rdcr m:r! not hc sure what 'changes' the writcr is

leferlin€i to. This problen is of A sinrjlar case L'i rlut eicborrting

course compounded by Chunxu's

on wnat \ull \rint to s:r\ rnd

\,ague introduction-

tr-usting that vague statements are sufficient.'fhis ambiBuily confuses

'our readcrs

/l '

a

Vague statemenl. )ike ihis hrve no rcaL

3

of the.paragraph laints

SMost pessrmrstrc prfture

,

Uf Lo tiis puint. nu realcollnection tuthequestion ha'been made Tbe reader is probably lost or bored by now as he has no ditection or argument to follow.

f;fi tr

7 t

This whole secti,,n ,loes not follow irom the introahction. It is theretore hard to pinpoint what is the exact point Chunxu is trying to make. That is why the content, although relevaDt, does not always add to meaning. This is a very common ploblem for students who have content but get feedback that what they write is irrelevant.

oNE LrKrs READTNG AN

ARTTTLE

\,VIIHOUT DIREITION BECAUSI

IIJUST

T OFWORD5ANDNUMBIRS #

FEELS LIl(E

A BIG MISH MASH

strnd made in

tle

introdrrction.

ili{ir;

J\,{JI|{['JuIiI HowTo

PRISINIYOUR IDEAS CIEARLY

&FTH ffi fddqfr{ E:t + di;

H{;

Thl fr TffiAP-4'S lat$A$"Y5$ 5 i:ftul\lXU'5 tiili,v Ai'{il il!1Pi{l1ii} i'}1i{.llfi I{A{,|{5 ous that our technologr has exceeded

our

Indeed as human beings prcgressed from the Industrial Revolution into Lhe Inform'tion Revolutit we have witnessed on several occasions

owerful technology brought self-serving and rnalicious harm upon

h

3

nfortunately with nore advancements in science and technology, humans are now beilg exposed unprecedented changes that aging to note that

will add to our potential to

cause ha.m to oDrselvPs Tt is

tlroughout the cou$e of history, humans have maDaged to ultimately circumvent Recent developments in science and technology give us reason

or even curb the negative effects of these chang

to be pessimistic but optimism is not unwarranted as long as we keep

tEry

{ilg!

5 Take for instance how global wanning,

for

a

ided by industrialization, has been further exacerbated by man's

thi$t

better life. cases rcleased by transpofiation and the buming ofgasoline for heat and electricity are fuellilrg

the effects of global walrning.

[o"gilco;on"[

^"d;otitlcat -e^sures

have been taken to combat such problems,

they have proven to be inefficient and unsustainable as the signs ofglobal warming have become increasilslY

evident, with more eratic weather patterns, dsing temperat[r'esand rapidly melting glaciers. Humans have

al

ays

tded to adapt to make our expanding economies work. H"rlre-v;)r'

breakthroughs we also realise

tlat there

"*

th"*f.t"-ptt-tt"

chnological

BR0ADtR PIRSPKTIVIS rhe science

like cleaner fuel sources and recycling technologl

in many scientific circles that new environnertal technologies can

help us recover from the mistakes we made in the past

l8

th".

is a price to pay. Despite this rcality, the effects of global walming can

be alleviated if new advancements in science and ta

""*ptt"g

& teci issue

THT TEAM'5 fili',4M[NTs

I This is a nlore clegcn I prescnlalion tf Notice the reanargement olconlenl 8 I ta quote. Thc ideas in lhe re"l ol in lhis paragraph The lasl lcr lT.:::",',1 #Ji;:,iii""TJ.l sentence of each paragraph. Using your paragraph must link to the sentences were brought fotuard in

quote thorgh. tt would otherwise ordertobe in line wit]l the stand we had established in the introduction be meaningless to use it. We start off with discussing how science is a cause for wolly as s initial benefits almost always come with witb Chunxu t compare tlib rcsultant probl(]ms. xlteration helPs us 'writing. Thjb quote mentionedfor connect to the a more meaningfui flow o{ ideas. After using the studenl's examlles I,!. and elaboiation \,!e rounal up bis

tc... Thc use of connectors like unrortunalety ) cven more allo "howevcr"

all help the logical

progression of the introduction instead of the disjointed seDtences

illustrations with a clear topic sentence. This topic sentence ls an

altemtion of what was previously writteD but made clearer so as to lead the reader better.

.reviously presented.

4'

t This \4a. thc inlormation lhe wriler A clear stand llra I addrerse\ the I tried to end his previour paragraph queslion.Donl bealrridtousethe $ith. We"laboraledon il tomake key words in the question to draw it clearer and then ended with a a more explicit lirk. We have more suitable concluding statement. established an argument that although developments in science are a cause for worty we can however overcome obstacles and should stay optimistic. paragraphs that follow from here should enforce this line ofargument.

synonyms ofthe key words in the question help keep it interesting but still meet the requircments of the question.

s Wl.lAT IS MORE IMPORTANT

THAN (ONTENT IS

TI.II PRESTNTATION

OF(0NTTN'"

tlOW

Ii]

PRISINT YOUl{ ID[As ILEARLY

:

Tl{}5 CI!'i',ift

ir;riliif,;i;

You necd lo kno$ thc stand you lvilllt to algue for bclole Yotr \\'tjtc lllthing.

Deviati[g lron l]ris lirte of argruDerlI too

Whcn I'ou have clcci{led, cxprcss yolu stand clearll. in -vour- intrcx1Lrctiort u'ith a blief r',r'i.,r.'1,,,i rrlrr rort l' ",1- trri..tltrr-1.

Rcnembcr-: It is N()'l hou'tluch vou write (nrorc meaninglcss irlfbllrraLion does Dot

'lhe flow ol informatjolr in )oLlr next 1c1'/ paragraphs should follorv votrr'ljne of ar'!!Loncnt.

?0

9ROADFR

Pil{5P[[TiV[5 ilr.',., n'rrr:,'& tr:rlt isstrr

earl]' can contirse r'orlr rcadcr.

is irorv tlearll you plcsert it (inake info rmal io n trreaninglui by r urrrr,, tirrS il t,-r r ortr te rttt,.ttll. '

help),

it

,

Tltt THt AMISH

iORPORATE

IIDIR

SCIENTIST

WHAT WOULD

2

PEOPLE WITH

(OMPLETELY OPPOSING VIEWS OF TECHNOLOGY

THINK OF SCIENCE'S CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY?

MAillli {li t?il.liiit'l In sinsapore, we have a diversity of views about issues but the range oflocal views will not be as wide as thc range of global views available. BarriDg our ability to convince a Wisconsin soccer mom or firndamentalist anti irbortionisl to write lor us. \^e Lhought Ure npxl bpqt lhinC $ a\ io get ralented wrlter. to mtsthod \rrile - similar lu method acting actors who do lesearch to gel illto chamcter for a film. AB0UT A

#l: []0 Ll0l tARl{ATtiRt our w tels were asked frame their answers in a way that reflected the to RUtt

background, content and belief system persona as fairly as possible.

oftleir adopted

RUI[#?] iliI r,lli'1l''liJi'i iXAldFl"l' writers had to choose from a pool ofcommon examples chosen by our team to demorstrale that the same exarnples can be used by individuals to form rather dilfcrent percpectives. These exarnples are highlighted throughouL Lhe afticles.

A MATTER OF OPINIOhI

THE AMISH ELDER vs. THE TORPORATI SIIENTISI

I.IA5 SCIENCE ALWAYS BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR MAN? . I,i'rr*-,f ir:iaries of ,-i:: r, ii.i li nedir:al advernccs :: :r) 1r:r'iirittg ctluipmcnt, ' lr !,,ir::-:1: q:;tr:nltt dcllt'ttrc . ',, ilt:r'eli:ling ltIl1:; I .. , ; : r ,. ;ttf ti itonr.a:t i ient'i: "..

,

I

r. i

rliallu tlir: lilcs

li' .'li: iiit ililrt' i ii.lirIt

l,i'i

Yet I must continue to warn of the dangers of divefiiDg our attentions to a pursuit of power and luxur'1 lhat lhe enSinet ol consutn*ri'm promote. As sell interest is valucd over the intetests ofthe commurity in the desire to get ahcad or satisly personal wants, morality is conlpromised and faith in the Lord wavers.

'fhe temptations of using science to satis{y our vainglodous natules are evemore apparent today. Science's ability to propel an individual

to instant fame is seen in the exampie of Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, who r\rs L,n\iderctl one of lhe piorreering experts in ' the field ofstem cell research after claiming to lrarn.ucr"eded in crpalinA human etrtbnonic stom cclls by cloning.

22

BR0ADtR PtRSPECIIVIS

lfte science & t.r(ih issue

new diseases

livelihood family

traditio

God's ethics

His infamous act o{ falsifying his rcsearch results to gain rccognition exposes the temptation to forgo moaal pdnciples in the lace to be at the forefront of scienlific discovery. As the use of modem gene thempy promises great relief lbr ailing Amish children suffering from rare geneiic disorders, the continual progress in Science is uplifting rmd

welcone in our community. But when metlical research is for fame and rlot in the best interests ofthe ick. the efforts of scientists like Hwang become selfish and

antibiotics residues and a cancer accelemti.rg hormone called IGF r. As people who live off the goodness ofthe land, we are greatly distressed

by the exploitative use of Science,

turning a simple and enriching product fiom the land into callous industrial gain.

a

tool for

ltre

dangers ofScience also include the steady poisoning ofthe mind as false teachings change the worshjp of cod into an admimtion of Man's

capabilities. The Raelian cult is ole such perversion ol Scripture.

abhorrent.

Their claims of extra-terrestrial

coruption that Science brings about extends beyond the use of deception, to harming others for increased profits. fhis was seen in

human beings having created the human race are depJorable. Their appeals to the superiority ot human intellect ard logic are cunningly successful in this day and age,

The

hotmone maker Monsanto deliberately concealing the negative side-effects of the

Bovine Growth florrnone (BGH),

a

bioengineered hormone

desi8ned to cause cows to produce

more milk. The terrible results of such perversions were rising levels of milk contaminated with pus,

WhiLe she wos

resulting in the corlversion of bedazzled people led to believe in tales not unlike those in science fiction stodes. The consequences of such a movement are dire, as more people arc led away from God by thc

insidious doctrin e tied to

The effects of scientilic growth have

had consequences both positive and otherwise. The benefits of alleviating the suffering ofthe sick as well as sustaining our source of suwival are undeniable, yet many dangerc still

exist. Thus, the increased responsibilities of unprecedented chorce made possible through Science must be accounted for and undertaken by each individual. For the Anish, we have chosen to live apart from temptation, renouncing amenities that connect us ao the outside world, building bolds of trust and firm faith among our peopie.

i;, :,,' I ,.'ir,',', ,

l,

ld il:,1:. lrir '

i

1-l(

1r': rr

,t t {ljl'! I ti f ll\r

i ricit,': : ; i ir,.'! r tu

1l:-,.r'rrr Lhi,r

pctr'it

a1

set

oed uCH

llind

iii:i i';.;lgis {}tiil \r!'11i11 i',',.'. ;illi LiriiirLi 1! t.1I llti'i,l,iri- fl ;

technology.

waiting Jor her 'A'lel)el resutts. Cui Wen proudla

',

hee ice cre(in

at Ben and Jerry's.

A MATTER OF OPINION IHI

AMI5H ILDER vs.IHE (ORPORAIE SIIINTI5T

HAS SCIENCE ALWAYS BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR MAN?

!i's r'::'iirll;-;

ii,. rr,,r

lili)i-i,::i":; .., ,i'rtr I':

I

I:Ii;

'

.:, , r

"

,

iri';ii iir' i,r:, ill,t,' ,;:

.

. i1l^ r.i:1

,,i',1,t ii,. .,,..'i,,

Modern science is so exciting now that even religious groups want in. Observe the rise of religions such a Scientolog,y and cult ofRael, which are based on the belief tlat they a.e intelligent beings {Tom outer space.

.l :i:

,

'

r,l l;., Suddenly the unfathomable as envisioned by science fiction has materinlised; the impossiblc is made probable

Lhrough grorndbreaking experimentation and construction, high powered machines and computers and ofcourse, bigger budgets. 1he futule ofhuman progress has never looked so promising.

24

BROADIR PTRSPIITIVIS

rhc science & tech i.ssrze

Raelian doctrine states thal we should support genetically modified food because it is the only means of tackling world hunger, and clone humaD beings, because that would be fulfilling, our true destinies. we saw the emergence of Clonaid, a Raelian linked cornpany, deciaring that theyhad successfully cloned several children. Whether Clonaid's claims are true remains to be seen, but the amount of attenLion this has garnered only proves the prevailing view that scientific progress has become so developed that anlthing is probable, marketable and profitable. Such progress has not been without its controversies 'fake for example, Monsanto, a conpany which develops GM food products and which once boasted

ethics

scientific inquiry

winner in lt raised enough ire from its ranks.

passion lbr money.

it,

it for the

a Chernistry Nobel Prize

alld research.

p blic to lead to a banning of its product, Posilac, a bovine groMh

\Voo-Suk crcated a scandal in the

ll a scientist worked

scientific community and the world by proclaiming the unprecedented creation of 11 patieDt stem cell lines, only to be found a fraud in the end. This blighted the image of science and oul system of peer-r'cvie . lly and larye, the scientific com.nunity maintains the integdty of research by iDstituting their own checks and

he would have to be concerned about funding, which would inevitably direct the focus of his rescarch. Working fol a company sometimes entails withholding information or placing your name on research which others might

the

hormone which produces more milk in cows, because ofhealth concerns. wlrere does the scientist, theperson

responsible for producing such a breakthrough, stand in all this? Many of you have railed agaiDst the unethical natule and narketing of Lhe research which res lted in this honnone, but before you stone the scientist, I urge you to consider our aosition. We scientists work in latlge ,mtltinationals which dictate and own the ki nd of research that we do. Otlt work is the company's work. Our profession is in many ways

any other

profession

like

we work because rve are good at what we do and we waDt to be paid for it. Clearly, the effects ofcommerce on science gcnerate plenty of ethical implications brt we cannotbe held

solely responsible every single conseqrrence.

Ifl my opinion, what the scientist is accountablc to the public for is the methods of his expe mentation MaU Le teeches

hnguage

AlLs et

e

Recently, biotechnologist

other-s do

llwang

balances through inquiry and critique. Hwang's own exploitat;o of the system, Iin sure, is in part prompted by the plessures of a political agerda to raise South Korea's profile in tbe inclustry. Scandals like that should not faze

anyone about the integrity of

iD a lDiversity,

object to morally.

':i ' li. I ', :.,.r. . r, ,-,

.

.. .t : I .. j: .. t;' I

,, 1:,.1..]: .IIL.,,..,.I.,,:.

research industries, particularly iD

counties with more establishecl scientific communities and rcsearch the U.S.

As long as there are enough regulations to ensure certain

The public should be more rcalistic

standalds of scientific research, there's a margio lor negotiating

about their expectations of

between the demands ofcompanies,

scientists. Scicnce is mosl times justlike any other prolession some people do it because they have a

governments and thc public, and the necessary and evcr inrportant progless of sciertific inqui4'. It

regulations such as the U.K. and

locol Junior Collegc

ls Singgpo[e Reody for the Technology Roce? Singaporeans have been forewarned by their government: Local economic growth in the zrst century will no l.rrrge. come frorn assembly-line manufacturing or the electronics sector as long as the rest of Asia holds the trump card of lower lalrour costs. ihe

future is in knowledge creation and intellectual capital. : f Singapore builds up its -, rcputation as a key Research : and Developnent [R & D) ,' hub in the world, the payoff : to key industries Iike : biomedicine,electronics, chcmicals and infoconms will be substantial.

To secure as many patenls as possible, Singapore has been going all out to lure the 1\'orld's top scientists wiLh attractive salaries, cutting-edgelaboratories,

reliable infrastructure, a stable English speaking environmeut and fairly liberal attitudes to controversial fields like stem cell research. Costing an inp.essive USD$3oo million in investmeDts. Singapore's Biopolis is ahigh tech complex dedicated to providing space for biomedical R&D activities and promoting peer

review and collaboration among the private and public scientific community. It remains the clearest signal of Singapor.e's dogged desire to stay at the head of the technological pack.

So far., Singapore

has managed to attract a steady stream of some of modern Science's super'"gtars. 1'he hope

is that these international

scientific giaDts will transfer their knowledge, skills and experience to oulbrightest locals - the same strategy that worked for the local manufacturing sector in the 197os.

In addition, Singapore is out to build its human capital the local Agency for Science,

Technology and

Research [A*STAR) aims to produce t,ooo PHD holderc by 2o1o through

various science scholarships. Singapore is more than willing to tap off-shore academic talent as well - at least 15% of A*STAR scholarships go to naturalized citizens mther than native born citizens.

Thcre havc been rnufterings both a1 lrome and abroad about whether Singapore can

achieve its technological dtearns.

Aiter all, Singapore faces unique cultuml constraints: Can a nation raised on

top-doun

managenent s|lrle achieue a spontdneous combustion oJ creotiuitu o\erntght? WiIl Singaporeans tisk thinking independently and go beyon
S$eq

ffiF

Withotrl a rnajor paradigm slrift. the alreadv copious arnounts of money and foreign talent poured intei Singapore's noble

R&Darnhitions

a,,,tr,

will be fbr r.raught. u?' -,1' ,'

a& ,

Arc Sinqapore's leoder.-s ond rnlrn.I(/€r.s /heDtselues r1)illinat to siili their mindsers ro a//.Jr;/br el[ thal to hepp(.n?

WiihoLrl x n];1n1p3, rrligLll shift, th. alreadr cuniuLr5 arnnu,rts ut nonel'ancl foreign talent polD.l](l rnto Singapore,s Doblc R&D ambitions $,ill be lbr naug,lrt. 6l

L0mL GL0BAL

I

srNGApoRE RTADY FoR THE TI(HNoIoGY RAcE?

5 World-Renown Scienlisls in Singu pore ond whol they ore currenlly reseorching

ALAN COLEMAN The British geneticist who in 1996 was on the team that delivered Dolly the sheep, theworld's first cloned mammal. He has been working for

Singapore's ES Cell International (ESl), a stem cell research and production company since 2oo2.

Cr.rrreutly researching a cure for diabetes

director of the US National Cancer Institute's Ilivisiorl of Clinical Sciences. has headed the Genome Instit[te of Singapore since 2oo1

Currently researching cancer genornics ald

a cure

for brcast cancer

by engineer:ing stem cells to secrete insulin

N EAL COPEL

DR. JUDITH SWAIN One of the world's leading molecular cardiologists, has come to Singapore to run the country's new Singapore lnstitute for Clinical Sciences.

Currently researching a cure

for stomach cancer and the genetic basis

of cardiovascular development and disease.

+ NANTY IEN KIN s The renowned cancer geneticist husband-andwife team has been working for Singapore's lnstilrte ol Molerular and Cell liiology since 2OO5.

Currently researching how to use the nouse genome to study immunity, fe ility, learning, memory and human diseases like cancer.

\o o\

q

F1

c! a

%ffiilF fl1$ffih&G: .\L

, rlLL. i-ir r;,,1r:r. ,1,,:r

()lit llf,i]'!r i'iii'

rn*vi*

TiIE PRE$T:GT

lictio , paft th ller, this srPerb movie

is principally about a battle oi cgos bctlveen t1'{o ambitious stage maliicians plaled by Hugh lactman (Woh'crine in Xmen) and Christian Bale (Bd'nrdn /tegins). Both mirke inoreasingly despcHte and dark dccisions to o tclo erch olhcr'. troviding a backch'c)p to lhis llctitious battlc is tLrr: rcal iife rvar for public approval bctlveen r-i!|l scierrtists Nikolai Tesla and 'lhonas Eclison.l'hc disl rrrbing hvist in The 'i) (]s'iqe provirles sone une;.1lccted colllnlcntary on a clrrTelrt cortnrversial tcchnoloPl. f I

i! n

i! tl t;

i ! r d

I 3

{

;

30

lit-.r. i!L"i,

=1ffiq ...,f

[*\J

&VEttAINS i',,'irrrii:r tuchtrclogr'thal lrls '', r,ir tlart iri' ,i il lillil ltilotbll: lhitl it:rs ' ir ,rr'o1.;ctj gr !' , i 1 r ' li iLt)rllltii)l l.

'i

Iis

issttc.

lr, i ,,, i r

mcngo + cnln:e r' F[J tL IviETAl" f"N,*l-l EMIST

;'

PaIt scjcnce

FPei 5flBffiffiflffi '.'ICallse I

This popLrlar manga series centrcs around two aclolcscenl brothers rvho are scientifically gifted bcyond their age. Surprisingly dark, the manga explores the hcllish consequences ofthc brothers' tragic clecision to r-aise their mothcrfrom the dead' Although it is abort thc pseudo science o{ alchemy, A/clre]]rist highl;e,hts Ihe leal-life dangers of the ilmoral pur-s(rit ol scientific knollledge as well as the lack of accountltrility for thc actions of both rogue scientists and state-sponsored militarv scientists. It

ir*r's / APP[E'S iPHONE Apple Computel is legendary for its ability to junrpstart whole industries with onc clever ;nnovatioD 1984 saw lhe pel-soniil cotnputer, 2oo1 saw the iPod and now zooT will see Lhe iPhoneIts revolutiorary touch-screen user interface alone will rvin ovcr anyone. ttest of all, it doubles up as a new gcneratioD, wialescreen iPod Wish you had a lighter, sexier, web-enabled phone free from clumsy keyboards and stylus? Wish you had desltop itr class email ancl *eb browsinS, on thc go? It's all

voru hands

in:ooB.

I!

Hmffiw %,$%- ffi,ffi&tffiT.Y I

t

c

g

$

B

E

d

ts

clcssic llsoii

,'

BRAVH NHW

W0ftl"ii

I

movie / GATTACA

A tluotc fiom Shakespeale's Tie ?'etnpe-sl "llow beauteous rrrankind isl O brave new wcirkl, thal has such people in'l1" ;nspired Aldous Hu\]ey to pen his most famors novcl. written in 1932. Hlulelrs novel pr-edicted that the 26th ccntury would be

bealthy and pernanenlly happy thanks to developmerlts in reptoductive cloning, !,cnetic engiDccring aDd hypnotic dNgs. honically, this utopia is aD].thing but one: hedonistic, self-centred and deprivecl of all things truly jovful - cultural diversity, art, religioD and iarnily. ['

.,r'ioin

This 1997 cuit hit presents a disturbing portr:1it of what happens wheD genetic ellginccring splits socictyinto tlvo canDsr the "Valids ' who are created genel;cally pcrfect from birth and the 'In Valids" who are conceived by traditional means- Gr1ttdco ceDtres on howVinccnt, an llr-valid, defies societal discrimination and assurlres lhe idcntit-v ofJcrcnlc, a Valid, in order to prove that hunran spiril and willpoh'cr can tlump lienetic imperfection. It

i CAMERA PHONES

'lirenagers use it to create home-made porD or "happy slapping" moments. Peeping TonN have discovered the joys of "upskirting" using camera phones to shoot up women's skirts on escalatoN and public transport. Self-righteous vigilantes uploacl images of peoplc who park like idiots onto the Internet in order to publicly shame them. Now with the video of Saddam Husscin's ugly exccution, the camela phone has clearly shown us tbat the be:rst lies within m all. It

MUffi ADO ABOUT IECH Technology underlines all that we do - a Macintosh G5 was used to create this magazine, a delivery truck was used to bring the same magazine to your doorstep, contact lenses may be enabling you to read this page right now as it is. Technologr can change our lives in many ways - from the subtle to tlle dramatic.

WHAT DO YOU TllINK? #1 IXAMINT

#2 ANALYSE

WllAT TEIHNOI-OGY IAN YOU NOT DO

HAS

WITHOUT? WHY?

LtSS PHYSIIATIY

TIIHNOI-OOY MADI YOU MORE OR

MENTALTY

AfiIVI?

AfiIVI?

TMOII ONAttY AVAI tAB TI?

VISIT A NEW WIBSITT WWW.BOINGBOING.NET Listed as one ofTIME magazine's bo coolest websites of2oo5, BOINCBOINC is)ourone-slop direclorJ of w onder{ul things ard curator ofall things weird, witty and fabulous. The world is more odd, amusing and entertaining than you think! :) at

32

BR0ADER PIRSPIIT|VES

rfir: sr:ience & tech Lssue

: .

i l

Ihis page nay be rcp@dLced for non cannercial classrcoh use, in paftar h whate and lry anyn,eans withaut charge ortunherpetnissian ftan Schaataf fhaught Leaming Centrc

DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE SUOTES? modern science iras changed sharply since the days ofA-ristotle or even of Ga,]i]eo... the aJnorrrlt of knowledge has been constantly increasing... Of coulpse,

But a,lthough humaJrs have discovered a great dea,l about the environment, there are stil1 no answers to the most significaJrt questions.For lt trrns out that the most difficult knowledge for humans to acqulre is knoYrledge of themselves. V.A. Sadovnichiy, 2006 Opening Address to Russian Philosophy Congress

HAS TI(HNOIOGY

HtLPtD YOU

UNDERSTAND YOURSI[I A1'lY BEIIER?

Science vdthout religlon ls lame, religion without science is blhd. Albeft Einslein, US (German born) physicisb 1941 "Science, Philosophy ard Religion: a S1'mposium

LEARN A NEW WORD PLACEBO I phrh-see-boh ] figurative use: a measure

designed to merely placate and appease instead ofactnally solving aD).thing.

retnain but nere pldcebos to the daurtinq lroblems faced bu the hungry and poor ofthe uorkl. GM .foods

d, 6r zt


v d\

T tP

#2

E l/lB RAIE

T HI t|t|EB Living meaninglilly is about changing our little cvervday choices. 'fhough we live in an Intemet driven world, manyofus are still ignorant aboul its power beyond the oocasional Google, e-mailing and IM-ing. Resolve to know what HTML and FITTP actually mean. Play with

Photoshop. Wikipedia the history of thc Internet. Take one weekend to set up a Blogger or Flickr account. It might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Your weekend website might be your doorway to a world of possibility. An online brovmie business? ANGO dedicated to saving coral reefs? A political commentary? \,VHO SAYS YOU CAN"I'

CHANGl],'fHE WORi,D?