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Do you think that ethics / morality is as important nowadays as it was in the past? Ethics or morality is a system of principles that help us distinguish right from wrong and the good from the bad. However, this doesn’t tell us what standards we use to measure right from wrong. Despite that many schools of thoughts over centuries of time have tried many approaches, none has been satisfactory. Ethics and morality are not without their excessive emotional baggage especially that traditional approaches might be confusing and contradictory. They claim to tell us what is “right” or “good” while making us feel guilty unless we spend a pious life for a Greater Good, stamp down beneficial sexual behavior as losing misconduct and oppose a natural desire to seek personal happiness. After piling up this excessive emotional burden, we are only offered ideal, but most often, impractical solutions for our struggles. My personal opinion is that these views offer a distorted reproduction of what real ethical conduct can and ought to be because ethics’ main role is to guide us through life rather than plunge us into deep emotional conflict. I propose a workable and realistic guide so we can acquire virtuous habits and principles to bring some sort of framework for the individual and, by extension, for society. Rather than being imposed, these ethical morals are for self-motivated rational individuals that seek self-improvement through an intellectual system that defines and achieves parameters for improving the character and lives of those who follow. What we need is a system we follow not out of a personal feeling of guilt or willingness to please others, but out of personal conviction and gratification.
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Ethics or morality is a system of principles that help us distinguish right from wrong and the good from the bad. 4
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Morality has been a favorite tool used by various leaders and organizations to keep society leashed tightly whether through benevolent preaching or instilling a sense of self-sacrifice and human suffering.
Why do we need ethics? Morality has been a favorite tool used by various leaders and organizations to keep society leashed tightly whether through benevolent preaching or instilling a sense of self-sacrifice and human suffering. But that was never the true meaning and reason for ethics. It was meant to provide purpose and meaning for our life by guiding us to meaningful goals we should strive for and to furthermore help us on our journey to achieve them. We are unaware of what will benefit our lives when we
are young. We are also blissfully ignorant of what could prove to be detrimental. And soon enough, we are thrust forward to make decisions that affect the length and quality of our lives such as where to live, what our past time activities will be, our choice of friends, what beliefs we want, etc. We must make conscious decisions about what to think, how to achieve our goals, what traits to cultivate or eliminate, gauging and modulating our emotional responses, criteria for judging others, the dynamics upon which we interact with others and much more. Without clear deliberation about these issues, we cannot take clear acts to guide our lives. Otherwise, we are at the mercy of social and MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m
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emotional factors that are often a far cry from morality like a drifting boat under the mercy of winds and currents. Ethics is about the choices we make and those we fail to make. Free will is the collection of conscious thoughts and choices we make. We have knowledge that even the inconsequential choices have ripple effects on us and others, and that we shoulder the responsibility of them. What cripples us is that we are not born with a reliable and inherent knowledge and instincts that guarantee we not only survive but flourish. All we have are strong conflicting emotions and an aversion to any sort of pain. With the right set of ethics, we can make better choices regarding our lives and well-being. Whatever is beyond our control are not moral issues.
dicated to individuals who make up a society? Each person has to take the choice to act morally and cannot be forced to do so by any outside influence. Even with threats of punishment, some will willingly step outside the bounds of social morality.
Most moral systems focus on the effect individual choices have on society before the individual. That is equivalent to putting the cart before the horse. How can we even begin to fathom what’s good for society if we cannot even wrap our heads around what’s good for us? From that logic, personal morality should be the foundation of social, political and legal morality all of which must conform to the good of the individual. After all, isn’t social morality supposed to be de-
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Nnanotechnology in Ccuring cancer Nanotechnology is a new field of science based on manipulating material to build structures and devices on a microscopic scale. Its utility made it very useful in various fields of science such as physics and engineering. Nanotechnology is now being considered as a forerunner for new cancer treatments. Traditional treatments are known to cause rehabilitating side effects that lead to the deterioration of the body in an attempt to control cancer. Nanotechnology can possibly treat the cancer without the side effects that chemicals used produce. Nanoscience is a new interdisciplinary scientific study consisting of both technology and engineering in order to manipulate matters and particles at the molecular or Nano-scale. In 1959, the physicist, Richard Feynman, came up with a theory regarding this technology. Nanotechnology remained a theory until 1981 when the creation of scanning tunneling microscope moved into the realms of reality. Nanotechnology then moved on to other domains including medicine. The term nanomedicine was coined and can be defined as the usage of the nanotechnology in the medical fields. It is a promising technique to cure the human body from serious threats. Even more, the use of nanoparticle can be useful to repair damaged particles on the molecular level. Cancer is a deadly disease characterized by the alteration of DNA in cells which result in an uncontrollable proliferation and cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and it can start anywhere in the human body. Depending on the type of cancer, there are many ways to diagnose this disease such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), tumor biomarkers analysis and most frequently by biopsy. Till this date, there is no treatment that can completely cure this disease especially in its late stages; most treatments such as, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery work better in the early stage. Unfortunately, most cancer treatments are not selective which results in the destruction of both normal and cancer cells. Therefore, the usage of nanotechnology can exponentially enhance the efficiency of the administered treatment. Using this technology, very small particles, as small as the human cells or even smaller, are injected in the human body and get attached to specific predefined type of cells. They will selectively bind to cancer cells and leave the other cells intact. This enables diagnosis because they can be made to send signals to machine found outside the body to more accurately locate the cancerous cells. They can also inject drugs into these cells to destroy them. They can enter the cells and destroy the transcription and translation of cancerous genes and proteins respectively. They can even mechanically disrupt them. This method makes the treatment more efficient, selective and safer for patients. This would also means patients wouldn’t suffer from the severe side effects and excruciating pain that often accompanies cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is the future in cancer detection and treatment. A single device has the ability to follow, detects and destroys cancer cells while most conventional methods cannot completely cure cancer and can even cause side effects. Nanotechnology isn’t by itself a cancer treatment; it can be molded into a vessel to better deliver the proper treatment. It is always a way for giving patients better quality of life during and after treatment. It is a forward movement in the fight against this disease that will eventually save millions of lives by making cancer detection and treatment more effective, safer and easier. By Edy Hourany
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If You Must Drink and Drive, Drink Water! Alcoholic beverages are not a problem in themselves. They can be an excellent ice breaker that help people to socialize and establish friendly relations. It‘s when consumption gets out of control that a person can end up facing severe consequences. Alcohol enters the blood stream immediately and starts to exert its effects within 10 minutes. The more they are consumed, the more pronounced alcohol impairment becomes. Abuse, both physical and verbal, can commence as a result. Sometimes, violence occurs with physical blows being exchanged. Alcohol impairs judgment, and it is considered a major contributor to domestic violence and rape. Of course, without prior disposition to such acts, a person wouldn‘t do such a thing. However, alcohol lowers inhibitions making people do things they wouldn‘t otherwise do. It makes them want to exert their dominance on others. In conclusion, there is a German proverb that says: „To good eating comes good drinking“. And as the old man said: „If drinking is interfering with your work, you’re probably a heavy drinker. If work is interfering with your drinking, you’re probably an alcoholic“. By Dr. Randa Saliba Chidiac
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What Sabotages a Relationship? Relationships can be either gracious or poisonous. This depends on the characteristics, maturity and socioeconomic status of the two people involved. Toxic relationships appear if there is a lack of love, a need to control others, or a desire to have further materialistic gains. To know if a relationship is getting fruitful or not, a person must clearly see if it has a functional correct basis in order to calculate the necessity to elongate the union or to burn it in its course. First, when love is absent between two partners, there is
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no further need to continue dating or exploring a relationship as the key component is missing. The saying that “It‘s better to be safe than sorry� is a perfect explanation. Either the man or the woman in the relationship must admit to their partner that they cannot continue their journey with them, thereby breaking up with them while they are still dating or even engaged. This will ease matters because the situation becomes complicated ten folds if they get married. Besides, if they do not love each other, then a breakup before marriage is the smartest decision to take before regretting things later in life. As long as nothing is written on paper, though a scene of people dumping others is heartbreaking, it will save them a lifetime of sadness. A small dose of humiliation is better than a lifetime of misery. It shows how courageous one or both is to be this honest about their feelings. In addition, married spouses who do not love each other will have a hard time
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boosting their sexual life, which can easily affect their children if they had any. Children will feel a lack of affection because their parents will be incompetent at transmitting positive feelings to their family. Children could potentially get negatively affected, biased and depressed as they always try to fill the void in their hearts with strangers’ compassion. This is why society faces a huge number of divorces each year. The negative impacts explain why people tend to lower their standards, go to strip clubs, watch pornography and sleep with random strangers. Second, when a person is in control of his/ her partner, an arsenal of tools is used to keep the other person locked in. A dominating position in a relationship leads to physical, spiritual or even emotional abuse. With time, the counterparties will think that they need the controlling people in their lives to maintain a semblance of order and control. Powerful manipulators even have the power to let their victims think they are in control when in reality, they play them like puppets. It is not at all healthy to stay in such situation for the mental safety of anyone. For example, a controlling woman might subtly isolate her man from his family and friends by telling him that he is spending too much time with them and that she needs him to focus on her more. She might also tell him that some of his friends are not good enough for him to have him all to herself. When controlling people succeed to strip others from their strength and social network, they can easily change them. Controlling people also criticize several details in their partner’s personality, but, they justify their behavior by wanting their partner to be better in many aspects. The truth behind these tactics is that they think that they are out of their partner’s league, which shows clearly that they do not treat them with equality. It could also be the opposite where they think they are not worthy of their partners and therefore need to break them. Any acquaintance with such people must come to an end for a person’s rational sanity. Finally, a person dating another for money is a despicable thing. A rich man would spend lots of his money on his girlfriend whether by taking her to five star hotels, buying her expensive luxuries or eating with her at a famous restaurant with a calculated instigation by her. In this example, the girl is visibly a gold digger that is dating the man to gain things from him. Her true love is for the dollar signs. This is truly misleading to him because he is somewhat blinded by her beauty, intelligence or whatever misleading factor she wants him to believe she poses. His brain would not be functioning on high alert, and he wouldn‘t listen to what anyone has to say. For her, when a hotter guy approaches her, she will dump the rich man because she founds the new guy attractive whereas she was never interested in the rich man. Some gold diggers hold money above all and only leave when a richer man comes along. In conclusion, a relationship that is poisoned by lack of affection, a control disorder or materialistic gain is not getting constantly nurtured because the same feelings are not simultaneously exchanged. This will surely sabotage the liaison between two people, and with time lead to a dead-end due to their incompatibility. By Fady Al Hashem
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It Is About Time to Create an Interactive Classroom Environment Interactive learning is a new approach that works intimately with students to make them more involved in the learning process and helps them retain more accumulated information. Contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t have to involve technology because, at its basis, interactive learning aims at strengthening critical thinking and problems solving. Education has been propelled to change similarly to every other aspect of life. The quality of students has changed, and therefore it’s counterproductive to expect them to sit at their desks and takes notes. Learning has to be more engaging to capture their attention, and hence interactive learning is a realistic approach to education in this new age. It aims at prickling the curiosity of students and adding zest and invigoration to the classroom. Instead of giving lectures, there are discussions where both student and teacher unite in a quest for exploring the world. Holistic approaches will help strengthen critical thinking and problem solving. Students interact with their teachers and classmates in group discussions and activities. This can be applied in various spots across the curriculum with or without technology. Technology is a tool used in the process of interactive learning. There are numerous programs and applications used for engaging students from elementary to secondary levels. They are in hot demand by the students because it fits into their world. Assignments like long math worksheets are alien and tiresome to them. Activities are available online regarding everything from mathematics to social studies. The methods of engagement are numerous. For example, a history activity would invite the student to trace the journey visually. Pictures and interactive diagrams are available as well. There are even programs that encourage students to mix different chemicals and see the result or invent new things. Language students also benefit a lot because they can now listen to the proper pronunciation and have plenty of grammar and vocabulary exercises. If that’s not enough, they can practice popular word games such as Scrabble and Hangman.
tive learning. It is all about the two-way flow of information between teacher and student. Teachers shouldn’t just give; they need to ask for the students’ input about the topic for a deeper and more meaningful experience. There are some techniques used to stimulate this flow. Passive listening should forever be banished from schools. It might be a method to get the information across to large groups of people, but it stifles real communication. Teachers can also play an interactive activity to accompany the lecture. They can brainstorm with students about the topic before the lecture starts. Question-answer techniques can provoke more involvement than just saying the information. Whatever boosts participation is considered a form of interactive learning. Teachers should let students feel they have a saying in what is being done in the class. They can offer opinions about which topic should be discussed. Solving problems can be done in pairs or groups. The interaction between students is just as important as that between them and the teacher. They can even review homework together and critique each other’s work. They should be invited to voice their opinions on how the teachers conduct the lessons. These methods are an asset to teachers as well because they can monitor the progress of students so that they can change the tactics used to better suit the dynamics of the class. Students will only participate if they are emotionally and physically secured. They won’t dare to voice their opinions if they feel that what they have to say doesn’t have any weight or they might be ridiculed. Teachers need to be sensitive to the students’ feelings and encourage them to be welcoming of everything and approachable. There should be frequent conversations that form a real bond between the two. Clear and concise instructions and goals need to be established. And teachers should be flexible at all times and change their teaching techniques to accommodate the students’ needs instead of expecting students to conform to their lesson plans. The relationship should go beyond the lessons and into the cultures, hobbies, and interests of students. Every teacher should make it their goal to include every feasible aspect of interactive learning into their lesson to empower their students. This helps the students in and outside of the class as they will have more confidence and a better set of skills. Written by Dr. Laurence Ajaka
Tablets are an excellent accessory to be had if it’s financially available. It makes it easier for students to have all their material in one place and interact easier with any form of technology. It’s also a means that most students use in their real lives, so it comes more naturally than pen and paper. It’s convenient, but it might not be available for all students due to the relatively high economic cost. Computers and tablets are not the only means of interacMAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m
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Wedding Anniversary Rituals
It is funny how hard nostalgia can hit when there is a special anniversary imminent. I did my math, and it will be 2190 days this August. As I started reminiscing about my own wedding, it struck me just how odd wedding rituals can be. If marriage has taught me anything then it’s that tying the knot is a commitment between two people vowing to love and support each other. It‘s tough and challenging so that bond has to be reaffirmed on a regular basis. Prior to each anniversary, both my husband and I take some days off from work. The kids are lovingly entrusted to relatives as we embark on a trip to a new country. During that time off, we work on our relationship. We pamper each other with fantastic meals and exotic locations. We dress up and make ourselves as attractive as possible to each other. We relive our younger years of courtship and romance. And yes that occasionally means getting drunk and giggling like kids while dancing in the rain to our favorite songs. One of those dances has to be the one we shared at our wedding ceremony. We recollect the past and look at old memorabilia. But it’s also a serious time when we both take a long and hard look at our relationship. We have a year in review to take a closer look at the highs and the lows. We discuss what our favorite
parts of being married are and what areas we need to work on. It’s an open dialogue with no consequences. I cannot stress the importance of having a no limits safe haven where each partner can voice any complaint and be assured of having the other half listen attentively and openly. After all has been said and done, we express the depth of our feelings to each other and confirm our pledge. My marriage has taught me patience. No matter how high the passion runs, when you meld your lives together, there will be plenty of obstacles till you find the right recipe for harmony. Things don’t just magically work out unless you put in the work and keep it alive by constant nourishment. It cannot be rushed nor fabricated out of thin air. It’s alive and fluid because what worked a year before might not today as life keeps hitting us with surprises. Just remember that constant criticism will be met with constant defiance while praise will be met benevolence. The fairy tales tell us the meeting and falling in love part. They never show the tolls and hardships. If you want that happily ever after, be prepared to laugh and cry on the greatest roller coaster ride of life. By Dr. Randa Saliba Chidiac MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m
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Confidence By Fady Al-Hashem
We often ask ourselves: what is it that makes us confident? While we think about this question, we must remember the fact that everything that we do marks who we are and identifies our personalities. Confidence is thus a result of a good social conduct and the expansion of one’s comfort zone. If someone went through hard circumstances in life such as bullying, sexual violence, or any kind of teasing, one begins to feel weak because his/her self-esteem decreases little by little, and, at that point, the person cannot face society without having to shiver or stumble. When a person goes through things like that, getting affection and compliments are essential in order to reestablish a great self-esteem and forget the past. Let us now illustrate the opposite example of people who have not been through all of the above-mentioned situations; they will easily gain confidence and endure any problem thrown in their way. Receiving love is a condition that is always necessary to become kind-hearted and optimistic, without which people grow morbid. This is why people must always surround themselves without
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Building relationships is the crucial basis of our existence, so a person must work on body language to send the right signals to other people and communicate interactive dialogs to elongate the conversations. A person cannot live alone. Loneliness is a horrible thing to go through if we think we need the presence of others to feel happy. Happiness comes from the depth of the soul and seeking what makes us feel alive. It is the main key that constructs a nearly perfect confidence as a consequence of an inner search for our purpose. A comfort zone must expand for the betterment of self-assurance. That happens when people dare to do what they are afraid of. They defy their fears by exposing themselves to uncomfortable events and tough choices that seem scary at first, but with time strengthen them. They become a part of us as they enter our habitual process and nourish our experience with interesting adventures. As we discover new activities and new things, many options lie in front of our eyes as it becomes easier for us to follow our purpose. A pivotal movement is usually essential to set us on the right track and put our feet on the right path. We embark on new long lasting journeys that transform us to courageous human beings. If we do not open up to the world, we will remain forever uncomfortable in our own skin and will not, therefore, be fully free from what is holding us back. Talking in front of the mirror helps to reflect our true thoughts and emotions on every aspect of life and assembles a whole image on how we really see ourselves. Every path begins with a first step. No goal is impossible to attain if we believe we can achieve it. Improvement occurs when we know that our loved ones encourage us because they want what is best for us. Whereas, those who bring us down and constantly criticize us will always be an obstacle that forbids us from living authentically who we are; a source of terror that blocks us from ameliorating and reaching the pinnacle of confidence.
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The Origin of Anger Anger is probably one of the most infectious emotions out there. Many specialists are campaigning to redefine anger in textbooks and the general pop culture. The new era has made life more difficult with plenty of overcrowding, familial instability and insecure prospects that left us all feeling deprived, inadequate and low on self-esteem. Anger and rage are often brought on by stress and the hardships of life. However, they can also be a result of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and epilepsy. They might originate from recent social and emotional changes in the patient’s life. Anger is a known symptom of psychiatric diseases such as depression, mania, bipolar and elation. Alcoholics face uncontrolled bouts of anger, and some people become more prone to violence when they drink a lot. This issue has destroyed careers, families, and lives. It is not a laughing matter and is often brushed aside as a personal inclination when it could very well be a cry for help for deeper issues. It’s easy to give general solutions such as taking a walk or enjoying the hobby, but only a real discussion and in-depth analysis of the situation can uncover the real culprit.
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WORLD WAR Z
Mosquito birth control and other ways to fight Zika virus The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. Many cases in the U.S. are travelrelated infections, involving people infected in other countries with Zika-carrying mosquitoes. But now, some U.S. cases involve local mosquitoes infecting people in nontravel incidents. As officials deal with nontravel Zika virus cases in Miami, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of genetically modified mosquitoes to eradicate those that carry the virus. Here are three methods of mosquito control being used to fight Zika. Travel-related Zika cases by state Totals as of Aug. 17 Genetically modified mosquitoes This approach uses molecular biology as birth control for mosquitoes. Called the RIDL technique, for „release of insects with dominant lethality,“ it‘s an update to a similar pest-control technique. It is being field-tested in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Malaysia and possibly the Florida Keys this fall.
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1. Millions of mosquitoes are reared or collected and the eggs are sent to a lab. A lethal gene is microscopically inserted into the mosquito embryos that kills or disables adult females, the ones that draw blood and spread disease. 2. Once born, the males are released to mate with wild females and transfer the lethal gene. 3. The female lays eggs. When they hatch, only the male larvae develop and females die. The male offspring grow and pass the copied lethal gene to more wild female mosquitoes. Radiation-treated mosquitoes This technique has been used against disease-carrying insects since the 1950s. 1. Millions of male mosquitoes are reared or collected and irradiated in a lab to make them sterile. 2. The sterile mosquitoes are released into the wild over a wide area. 3. The sterile mosquitoes mate with females. 4. The females lay eggs but they are not viable or don’t hatch. Pesticides Mosquito control districts use airplanes to spray pesticides on areas where mosquitoes breed in communities affected by outbreaks. There are different pesticies for adult mosquitoes (adulticides kill adult pests immediately) and for larvae (larvicides kill young mosquitoes in a few days). Insecticides can also be applied by hand with a sprayer or fogger or by truck. A downside is mosquitoes can become resistent to pesticides over time. Latest News Despite intense efforts to kill mosquitoes that carry Zika virus, the number of people infected via mosquito bites in Florida has surged. Ten new cases of locally-acquired Zika have been identified in the state, bringing the total of such infections up to 14. Mosquito control measures in Miami “don’t appear to be working as well as we would have hoped,” Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a news briefing August 1. Florida has been spraying insecticides daily, but mosquito control experts are still seeing new larval mosquitoes and “moderately high” counts of Aedes aegypti, a species known to carry Zika. Mosquitoes in Miami may be resistant to the sprayed insecticides, or they could be holing up in hard-to-find breeding spots: small pools of standing water where larvae can hatch, Frieden said.
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Health officials have pinned the area of exposure to a 150-meter radius around the workplaces of at least two infected people. It’s a swatch of mixed-use real estate just west of Biscayne Bay; the CDC has now warned pregnant women to avoid a one-mile zone surrounding the area. Infection with Zika can cause severe birth defects.
Frieden still doesn’t expect to see widespread transmission — A. aegypti don’t typically range far from home. And unlike with some mosquito-borne diseases (like West Nile virus), animals in the Miami area don’t seem to act as reservoirs for Zika.
But, Frieden cautions, in some small areas, especially where people live in crowded spaces or don’t have screens or air conditioning, Zika could stick around.
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By sneakily influencing brain activity, scientists changed people’s opinions of faces. This covert neural sculpting relied on a sophisticated brain training technique in which people learn to direct their thoughts in specific ways.
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Brain training can alter opinions of faces by The Y7 Staff / Interview
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Brain training can alter opinions of faces By sneakily influencing brain activity, scientists changed people’s opinions of faces. This covert neural sculpting relied on a sophisticated brain training technique in which people learn to direct their thoughts in specific ways. The results, published September 8 in PLOS Biology, support the idea that neurofeedback methods could help reveal how the brain’s behavior gives rise to perceptions and emotions. What’s more, the technique may ultimately prove useful for easing traumatic memories and treating disorders such as depression. The research is still at an early stage, says neurofeedback researcher Michelle Hampson of Yale University, but, she notes, “I think it has great promise.” Takeo Watanabe of Brown University and colleagues used functional MRI to measure people’s brain activity in an area called the cingulate cortex as participants saw pictures of faces. After participants had rated each face, a computer algorithm sorted their brain responses into patterns that corresponded to faces they liked and faces they disliked. With this knowledge in hand, the research-
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ers then attempted to change people’s face preferences by subtly nudging brain activity in the cingulate cortex. In step 2 of the experiment, returning to the fMRI scanner, participants saw an image of a face that they had previously rated as neutral. Just after that, they were shown a disk. The goal, the participants were told, was simple: make the disk bigger by using their brains. They had no idea that the only way to make the disk grow was to think in a very particular way. For 12 people, the researchers made the disk grow when the participants’ brain activity looked like the activity that corresponded to faces they had liked in the first round. For 12 other people, the disk grew when their brain activity mirrored activity elicited by previously unliked faces. Another six people saw the faces, but didn’t do any disk training. This training lasted an hour each day for three days. At the end of the training, people induced to call up brain activity similar to positive responses rated previously neutral faces as slightly more positive. “By doing this again and again, subjects began to like what was
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neutral before,” Watanabe says. And people who had called up activity associated with negative responses rated previously neutral faces as slightly more negative. People who hadn’t trained on the disk didn’t change their ratings. These opinion shifts lasted at least three months, later experiments showed. Participants were simply told to make the disk bigger; they had no idea what the disk actually represented. “These results are fascinating in showing how nonconscious brain activity can be utilized to modify brain function and behavior in a targeted way,” says neuroscientist Rafi Malach of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. By showing that neurofeedback can influence complex mental processes, this study and others raise the possibility that similar methods could change the brain in desirable ways. Perhaps this sort of neural training could get rid of problematic patterns of thinking, such as those that come with abnormal fear and depression, Watanabe says. ture protection, the mudflats off Sylt are even a UNESCO-world heritage site and belong to the most important landmarks in the world.
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Preconceived Knowledge: A Barrier to Teaching in the Academia! Dr. Laurence Ajaka
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Academia is a message and not a job. However, it is perceived as an easy ticket meal for a life with plenty of vacation time. When educators behave as if their only duty is feeding information to students, the path starts to go awry. In the end, it’s the students that end up suffering the most damage out of the deal. The first misconception that some academics have is assuming they have all the answers. Learning ought to be a life-long journey of discovery. Even the most rudimentary piece of information can be viewed in a completely different manner when seen by fresh eyes. Young children are especially apt at this particular task because their imagination is still unbound. They can surprise academics with insights and wisdom that are sometimes quiet mind boggling. It is truly vexing when some teachers try to tame students’ imaginations and leach them up in conventional stitches when
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the spirit of challenging the status quo is what brought humanity to its current heights. University level students perhaps suffer the most out of traditional teaching methods. Many academics make the very misjudged assumption that pupils at this level no longer need much attention and care. Many other academics believe the exact opposite to be true. This should be the most interactive and dynamic stage of learning. The students by now have chosen what they love most, and hence have more passion for learning. They also have the mental capability to keep up with their teachers. The relationship can easily transform into a partnership between the two. The old method of just showing slides is not enough. It barely quenches the students’ thirst for knowledge and is above and beyond unengaging for them. It’s saddening to see such a golden opportunity
for advancement being wasted. How will these students make the great discoveries if they aren’t encouraged by their teachers to explore? After all, all the major discoveries were in plain sight since early conception just waiting for that special someone who had the imagination and courage to take a closer look. Teaching is no longer an easy profession where academics can get away by simply spilling out memorized verses of preconceived knowledge. The inquisitive yet easily distracted nature of current students demands far more from academics. It’s time for each of us who consider themselves bastions of knowledge and far removed from such practices to retain a healthy dose of humility should they want to stay true to their message.
Magazine
The New Era of Slavery In our daily 21st century life, we brag about our freedom of speech, our sovereignty and most importantly our self-determination. We also call for brotherhood, peace but above all, equality… Alas to the days of Freedom. There is a price to pay if you request equality. Today, equal we stand, nobody can negate… Today, all human beings are identical: youngsters, adolescents, adults and even elderly. We are all similar under the rule of the new MASTER of the 21st century. Whom of us would dare say they do not want to follow the MASTER? Whom of us would dare say they want to break free from this new era of slavery? Whom of us would dare say they can live without the MASTER? We are bombarded every hour, every minute, and every second by a wave of MASTERS in the new era of slavery:
We solely live to toil. We shadow fashions we are not persuaded of. We wear garments we do not fancy. We drive automobiles we cannot meet the expense of. We party in dwellings we do not treasure. We spend money we do not own. We do not notice trivial niceties. We escape simplicity. We bogus happiness. We are petrified to show emotions. We collapse under peer-pressure. We refute our humanity. We nurture virtual friends. We construct cybernetic houses we even call homes. But above all, we cannot detach from, not even for a second, our devices. Our laptops, our phones and even our watches became our masters. We are in a constant duel against time and THE masters who possess our remote controls. They command us to do so and so, and we obey… Whom of us would dare disconnect from their internet for a minute? Don’t we go crazy if we lose the connection for a split of a second? This is extremely upsetting…. This is distressing…. This is terrifying… Our lives are based on a computer-generated world which we are more attached to, than to our kids, friends and
families. Our relationships are grounded on fake people, pretending to be what they are not, that is IF THEY EVEN exist. Our families are torn, our bonds are deceitful, our emotions are artificial, and our world is fake…. But we still follow the MASTER and we are all equal… Alas to the days of Freedom. There is a price to pay if you request equality.
By Dr. Chantal Antoun
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OPINION
Outlawing Guns Is A Salve, Not A Solution!
It seems almost routine to hear about yet another shooting in a school or university that claims the lives of many innocent students. And the classic reaction commences: outrage and shock followed by the demands of stricter gun control. There are examples around the world where guns were banned completely. Those affected by tragedy campaigned long and hard thinking it will end the problem. No one can fault the sentiments of the victims’ families and friends, but it doesn’t solve anything because the core of the problem lies elsewhere. A complete ban was shown to have little to no effect on the rate of gun-related crimes. They tend to steadily increase in response to other criteria. In some cases, it even increased as a
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response to the ban when people consider it an infringement on their rights. Homicide rates have also shown no fluctuation as a response to gun bans. There is a misleading link between owning firearms and having a violent society. Countries with the lowest crime rates do not necessarily have the lowest gun ownership rates. There is a multitude of other reasons that are linked to gun shootings such as overall population happiness, mental stability, and economic perspectives. The solution must address the cause. It’s the people doing the killing, not the guns. A non-violent person by nature will not take up a gun and go on a killing spree; for a violent person, a gun is just the easiest means of inflicting pain, and should it be absent, a substi-
tute would be found. Our society has glorified violence and made it synonymous with power. Young and adult people are left to deal with their own demons and then condemned when they act out of a place of desperation and hate. There is no arguing that guns should be made less accessible, but that will heal one outcome and not the problem. Society needs to take a closer look at the core reasons and start debating how to heal those prone to violence before jailing them.
By Dr. Toufic Ajaka
MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m
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OPINION
A Reminiscing for the Past! I have always wondered if old timers would agree to switch places with us. Would they have given up on their simpler times for the hectic rat race of ours? How I envy them their era of simple pleasures. How I long for a time that I never lived in yet it lives within me.
another tiny beautiful shred of who we used to be. Soon I fear society will stop even missing what used to matter most: art, music, kindness, gentility and much more. I see it with every hurtful judgment hurtled. I fear it whenever I see people glued to their cyber world.
They spoke to each other in such pleasant tones and words. They listened to the music of the great ones. They enjoyed the literature of some of the greatest minds in history. How would they have coped in our materialistic world where all their values are but memorabilia of a time long past? I think this world would feel alien to them. It suffices to see how the older generation keeps grumbling about this world we live in.
If only I could step back into nostalgia to bask in the goodness that once was. If only each and every one of us can borrow from these old timers some of their values and qualities and exhibit them in life. Call me a dreamer, but with a bit of concentrated effort we might just be able to breathe life into those morals again then perhaps we might steal a bit of their happiness and serenity into our world of chaos.
We have lost some of the most beautiful aspects that make us humans. With every new invention we embrace, we simultaneously lose
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Written by Dr. Laurence Ajaka
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The Soul: The Incorporeal and Immortal Essence of a Living Being! Whenever the soul is described, it‘s seen as naked because it represents us in the purest form that God has created us in. It was made to be beyond sin and portray us in our highest form. That means our souls are both incredibly powerful yet immensely fragile at the same time.
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In order to preserve this precious and irreplaceable commodity, God bestowed on us two tools to protect it: our bodies and brains. Our physical flesh provides a covering to materialize and solidify our souls on this earth. Our superior protection is our brains; it’s where common sense and decency should prevail. Our souls were never meant to dredge through the hardships of life. It was meant to be nurtured and preserved till it returns to the source whence it came. It should not be abused by temptation or sin lest it does not diverge from its original essence. Only then will it truly be protected and allowed to connect with its true divinity. Though we cannot shield our souls from the travesties of life, we can at least use the tools God gave us to minimize the damage. Let it not be tainted by bitterness or hate so it recognizes its soul mate when God deems us worthy enough to receive such a blessing.
Written by Dr. Laurence Ajaka
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MAGAZINE
SUPERHERO POWERS ARE CLOSE TO BEING A REALITY The human body is an extraordinary piece of biological machinery that over the centuries we have pushed to new extremes. We have invented flying machines, developed new medicines, built advanced computing devices and launched rockets into space, testing the mental and physical resolve of the human body. We have run faster and further, jumped higher and longer, climbed the highest mountains and swam to the depths of the oceans. We are astonishing. We are truly super. But in recent years, Hollywood superhero films have reminded us of the amazing feats we have yet to master. While superheroes such as Superman and Captain America may take their extraordinary gifts for granted, we can only look on in astonishment as their superpowers save the world and defeat evil. In June of this year, a group of scientists and industrial proponents outlined Genome Project-Write in the journal Science, a project with the principal aim of building a fully synthetic human genome. Although this project could have positive implications for drug development and gene therapy, those central to the project envisage the possibility of creating a generation
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of fully synthetic humans, more advanced than current humans. Initial forecasts suggest that it might require $100 million and at least 10 years just to kick-start the project. As a result Genome Project-Write could be years from creating “superhumans”. But do we have already the biological and technological means to create superheroes with superpowers? Incredibly the answer to these questions is an emphatic yes. We are getting closer to a superpower world. In X-Men: Apocalypse, after waking from an entombment of thousands of years, the immortal Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) is shocked at the path humanity has taken. He believes that humanity has lost its way and that human society needs to be reshaped under his guidance. Apocalypse is seen by many as the first mutant in the X-Men Universe and therefore the first to carry the X-Gene, the genetic code central to the powers of the X-Men. Without the X-Gene, Professor Xavier wouldn’t have his incredible telepathic powers, Wolverine wouldn’t have the ability to rapidly self-heal and Cyclops wouldn’t be able to shoot energy blasts from his eyes. Thanks to the Human Genome Project (HGP), we have identified all of the genes in our DNA. When expressed in the body, genes can lead to the production of RNA and proteins such as collagen and haemoglobin. But if we somehow managed to synthetically create an “X-Gene” that could give someone superpowers do we have the means to include it in our DNA? The answer is yes and the tool is known as the CRISPR/Cas system. Adapted from the defence mechanisms of bacteria, the method can be used to “slice” or “cut” DNA at targeted locations. After cutting, it is possible to insert a new gene such as the X-Gene behind
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Wolverine’s accelerated healing powers. However the tool can also be used to disrupt or destroy those genes that may lead to future ailments or diseases. Although CRISPR/Cas has been used to genetically modify crops and zebrafish, it will be some time before the method is used to genetically modify the human genome. There are
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ethical, financial, scientific, religious and societal issues that must be addressed before the CRISPR/Cas method is widely implemented. In the meantime we’ll just have to make do with the edited mushrooms that don’t brown or zebrafish that now grow limbs rather than fins. But if the world accepts the process as a safe and reliable method for genome editing, we may very well be able to
engineer the X-Men. Now you see me, now you don’t
While genetic editing provides a viable path towards biologically engineered superpowers, it may be years before the first X-Menlike people appear in the real
MAGAZINE
world. But rather than choosing a genetic-editing path, there is a considerable possibility that modern technological research projects will yield superpower-like gadgets sooner rather than later. The power of invisibility has been the subject of a number of science fiction adventures since H.G. Wells’ 1897 book The Invisible Man. Invisibility
has played a part in Harry Potter films, the 2004 film The Incredibles and the 2000 science fiction film Hollow Man starring Kevin Bacon. However, long before Harry Potter came to Hollywood, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby at Marvel Comics gifted one of their most famous characters with the power of invisibility – Sue Storm. Also known as the Invisible Woman, Sue is part of the dynamic
superhero team The Fantastic Four, battling villains such as Doctor Doom or Galactus. The key to making anything invisible is to prevent reflected light from the object from entering our eyes. If the light doesn’t reach our eyes then the rods and cones in the retina, which is located at the back of the eye, won’t be able to produce electrical
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and chemical impulses that are interrupted by the brain to form an image. Transformation optics is the field of research dedicated to development of invisibility technologies and researchers are investigating a number of materials that could be used to create an invisibility cloak.
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For example some researchers are fabricating artificial materials known as metamaterials that can be used to bend light around objects. The key to the functionality of many of these materials is that they possess a negative index of refraction, a property that’s not found in the natural world. These metamaterials work well for long wavelength
sources such as microwaves. However, as the wavelength decreases towards the visible spectrum it becomes more and more difficult to manufacture metamaterial structures that can bend visible light. As a result some researchers have turned to calcite crystals to create invisibility
an invisibility cloak using optical lenses that can be bought for less than £100. Yes, you could build an invisibility cloak at home. Producing Spider Silk Sue Storm developed her superpowers thanks to a genetic modification caused by, depending on which comic book origin story is gospel to you, either cosmic rays or inter-dimensional travel (note: avoid cosmic rays - these high-energy particles are more likely to kill you than give you with superpowers). Spider-Man is another notable Marvel character who gained their superpowers through genetic changes after his alter ego Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider. After the bite, Parker develops many spider-like abilities such as wall climbing, but he also masters the production and manipulation of spider silk. Spider-Man in the 2002 film SpiderMan can naturally produce spider silk while Spider-Man in the 2012 reboot The Amazing Spider-Man constructs his own web-slingers. Like collagen in the human body, spider silk is a protein and one of the strongest natural materials on the planet (it could comfortably stop a train for instance). Given these properties, many have envisaged using spider silk as an alternative for existing bulletproof technologies. In fact, Dutch bio-artist Jalila Essaïdi has created a bulletproof skin that incorporates spider silk, which although won’t block bullets travelling at normal speeds, is a promising start. In addition, spider silk is being considered as an alternative material for parachutes, fishing lines and even replacement ligaments for the human body. But how can we get access to ample amounts of spider silk? Professor Randy Lewis at Utah State University is at the forefront of massproducing spider silk with genetically modified goats. Spider DNA has been combined with goat DNA to create “spider-goats” that when milked, produce spider silk in their milk. It’s astounding
science and a prime example of thinking outside the box. Now that we have a way to massproduce spider silk, a material that is many times stronger than most alloys of steel, we could, in the future, build web-slingers. No Suit like an Iron Man Suit Captain America: Civil War saw the return of Iron Man, but many contend that Iron Man isn’t a real superhero and that he just invented a suit that gives him superpowers. It is hard to disagree with this statement but Tony Stark’s scientific and engineering developments are no different from those researchers trying to develop invisibility cloaks or spider silk bulletproof skin. Stark has invented some incredible devices over the years but perhaps his greatest invention is the Iron Man suit, which can fly like an aircraft, fire multiple weapons from various locations, has an advanced on-board computer and provides Stark with augmented protection for his body. Without the suit he’d never have been able to battle Thor in The Avengers, the Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron or Captain America in Captain America: Civil War. In the 2008 film Iron Man, Tony Stark reveals that the suit is made from a gold-titanium alloy. Up until recently, the only application for this type of alloy in the real world was in dental fillings and jewellery. However, a group at Rice University in Texas has developed a new titanium-gold alloy known as titanium-3 gold. The secret to creating the material was to mix three parts titanium with one part gold at very high temperatures. Titanium-3 gold is about 3-4 times harder than most steel alloys and will most likely be in replacement joints for the human body. But now that we have the supposed alloy used by Tony Stark for the Iron Man suit, might it be time to start integrating the material with advanced exoskeletons such as the one being developed by the Japanese company Cyberdyne? You never know, the Iron Man suit could become a reality sooner rather than later.
Managing superpowers The battle between the eponymous heroes of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was fuelled by Bruce Wayne’s desire to manage superpowers, in effect to manage Superman. This drastic course of action led to their eventual cooperation, and along with Wonder Woman, they battled the fearsome Doomsday. The steps taken by Bruce Wayne to manage a super-being such as Superman are extreme to say the least. On the other hand, Captain America: Civil War explores the introduction of the UNled Sokovia Accords to monitor and control the world’s superheroes. On paper the Accords seem logical and well founded, but they fail to account for the fractures that develop between former friends and allies such as Iron Man and Captain America. Their battles in Civil War are a testament to the difficulties we will have in the future when superpower technologies become widespread. Before we introduce superpowers to the masses we need to carefully analyse society and then decide how and when these powers should be introduced. We need logical controls and the ability to easily change or update these technologies without disrupting society. We may be years away from a superpower world given that many of the researchers working on invisibility suits, bulletproof technologies and Iron Man-like exoskeletons are funded by military research grants. As a result it will be the military that first benefit from superpower technologies while the rest of world looks on yearning to be the next superhero. Planning for your Super-Future Although researchers are on the right track towards creating superpowers, we will still have to wait a long time before these technologies are available to purchase online or in our stores.
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MAGAZINE
technologies while two researchers at the University of Rochester have taken a simpler, and novel, path towards invisibility. Joseph Choi and John Howell have opted to build an invisibility cloak using optical lenses that can be bought for less than ÂŁ100. Yes, you could build an invisibility cloak at home.
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Producing Spider Silk Sue Storm developed her superpowers thanks to a genetic modification caused by, depending on which comic book origin story is gospel to you, either cosmic rays or inter-dimensional travel (note: avoid cosmic rays - these high-energy particles are more
likely to kill you than give you with superpowers). Spider-Man is another notable Marvel character who gained their superpowers through genetic changes after his alter ego Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider. After the bite, Parker develops many spider-like abilities such as wall climbing, but he also masters the production and
GOURMET
MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m
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MAGAZINE
amounts of spider silk? Professor Randy Lewis at Utah State University is at the forefront of mass-producing spider silk with genetically modified goats. Spider DNA has been combined with goat DNA to create “spider-goats” that when milked, produce spider silk in their milk. It’s astounding science and a prime example of thinking outside the box. Now that we have a way to mass-produce spider silk, a material that is many times stronger than most alloys of steel, we could, in the future, build web-slingers. No Suit like an Iron Man Suit Captain America: Civil War saw the return of Iron Man, but many contend that Iron Man isn’t a real superhero and that he just invented a suit that gives him superpowers. It is hard to disagree with this statement but Tony Stark’s scientific and engineering developments are no different from those researchers trying to develop invisibility cloaks or spider silk bulletproof skin.
manipulation of spider silk. SpiderMan in the 2002 film Spider-Man can naturally produce spider silk while Spider-Man in the 2012 reboot The Amazing Spider-Man constructs his own web-slingers. Like collagen in the human body, spider silk is a protein and one of the strongest natural materials on the planet (it could comfortably stop a train for instance). Given these properties, many have envisaged
46
using spider silk as an alternative for existing bulletproof technologies. In fact, Dutch bio-artist Jalila Essaïdi has created a bulletproof skin that incorporates spider silk, which although won’t block bullets travelling at normal speeds, is a promising start. In addition, spider silk is being considered as an alternative material for parachutes, fishing lines and even replacement ligaments for the human body. But how can we get access to ample
Stark has invented some incredible devices over the years but perhaps his greatest invention is the Iron Man suit, which can fly like an aircraft, fire multiple weapons from various locations, has an advanced onboard computer and provides Stark with augmented protection for his body. Without the suit he’d never have been able to battle Thor in The Avengers, the Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron or Captain America in Captain America: Civil War. In the 2008 film Iron Man, Tony Stark reveals that the suit is made from a gold-titanium alloy. Up until recently, the only application for this type of alloy in the real world was in dental fillings and jewellery. However, a group at Rice University in Texas has developed a new titanium-gold alloy known as titanium-3 gold. The secret to creating the material was to mix three parts titanium with one
MAGAZINE
ave the supposed alloy used by Tony Stark for the Iron Man suit, might it be time to start integrating the material with advanced exoskeletons such as the one being developed by the Japanese company Cyberdyne? You never know, the Iron Man suit could become a reality sooner rather than later. Managing superpowers The battle between the eponymous heroes of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was fuelled by Bruce Wayne’s desire to manage superpowers, in effect to manage Superman. This drastic course of action led to their eventual cooperation, and along with Wonder Woman, they battled the fearsome Doomsday. The steps taken by Bruce Wayne to manage a super-being such as Superman are extreme to say the least. On the other hand, Captain America: Civil War explores the introduction of the UN-led Sokovia Accords to monitor and control the world’s superheroes. On paper the Accords seem logical and well founded, but they fail to account for the fractures that develop between former friends and allies such as Iron Man and Captain America. Their battles in Civil War are a testament to the difficulties we will have in the future when superpower technologies become widespread. Before we introduce superpowers to the masses we need to carefully analyse society and then decide how and when these powers should be introduced. We need logical controls and the ability to easily change or update these technologies without disrupting society. We may be years away from a superpower world given that many of the researchers working on invisibility suits, bulletproof technologies and Iron Man-like exoskeletons
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MAGAZINE
are funded by military research grants. As a result it will be the military that first benefit from superpower technologies while the rest of world looks on yearning to be the next superhero. Planning for your Super-Future Although researchers are on the right track towards creating superpowers, we will still have to wait a long time before these technologies are available to purchase online or in our stores. Projects like the “Genome Project-Write” foresee a biological route towards creating advanced synthetic, and possibly super,
humans. However it will be many years before the first synthetic superhero is born. Until then, those craving superpowers (including myself I must add) will watch promising technological research with interest and, of course, embrace the latest cinematic superhero adventures. With films such as Avengers: Infinity Wars, Justice League, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Wolverine 3 and Captain Marvel set for release over the coming years, there will be plenty more superhero adventures to fuel the world’s appetite for superpowers. If you do manage
to get superpowers in the future, it’s imperative that you pick a catchy name and get yourself a cool costume. Prepare yourself for superpowers because scientists are slowly, but surely, revealing the Secrets of Superhero Science.
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