Veritas - Spring 2020 by Himani Kalra

V ERI T A S

Spring 2020

Fr om th e Editor s Two years ago we decided to keep Veritas on a virtual platform for ease of logistics, flexibility, and

accessibility. We learned to use virtual publishing tools and experimented with shareable templates. Fast forward to spring of 2020 and the third issue of Veritas using the same tools of collaboration. This time, however, virtual platforms have become the new norm. Virtual Westminster is more entrenched in our learning than ever before. COVID-19 required of us an unprecedented degree of accessibility, collaboration, and tolerance - goals we set for Veritas two years ago. A new team takes over this issue and the future of Veritas, committed to our vision of making STEAM exciting, accessible, and relatable. Thank you for an incredible journey of discovery over the past two years. As always, pursue and persevere. Farewell. Ananya Ganesh

Welcome to Veritas, Westminster ?s entirely student-run STEAM magazine! As the new head editors, we hope to encourage an interest in STEM on the campus through Veritas. We want to thank all the contributors who came together to produce this issue. Without their hard work, dedication, and patience, this magazine would not be possible. We also want to thank Mrs. Juliet Allan and Mr. Jason Vuckovic for encouraging our creative process and believing in us. The magazine is filled with interesting topics: the novel coronavirus, epigenetics, the dangers of sleep deprivation, female gendercide, and so much more. So turn the page and delve into a world of STEAM. If you enjoy reading the magazine, we hope you will consider writing about your journey in STEM for our next issue. Sincerely, Lucy Hager, Himani Kalra, Khushi Sharma

T e a m

Ananya Ganesh Lucy Hager Himani Kalra Khushi Sharma Beatriz de Aristegui Clara Johnson Siya Kalra

V e r i t a s

Sara Kapasi Norah Lascar Sophie Oberle Julia Rhee Jack Scalise Soumia Vellanki

Faculty Advisor: Mr. Jason Vuckovic

Coronavirus Outbreak

Epigenetics

Siya Kalra

Lucy Hager

11 Translating Proteins Into Music Sara Kapasi

14 Synesthesia

Beatriz de ArĂstegui

17 How to Use the CRICUT Maker Jack Scalise

20 LaGrange Points Muskaan Gupta

23 Dangers of Sleep Deprivation Clara Johnson

25 The Progression of Alzheimer's Katherine Johnson

28 Faculty Feature: Mrs. Ellis Soumia Vellanki

30 Female Gendercide Himani Kalra

C O V I D - 19 : Fr o m A n i m al s t o T r eat m en t Si y a K al r a

M an y an i m al s p r ov i d e ben ef i ts to h u m an bei n gs, w h i ch i n cl u d e p r ov i d i n g f ood , com p an i on sh i p , an d ed u cati on al l over th e w or l d . H ow ever , som e an i m al s can car r y h ar m f u l ger m s th at sp r ead to p eop l e an d cau se d i sease. T h ese ty p es of d i seases ar e cal l ed zoon ot i c v i r u ses, an d th ey ar e m or e com m on th an on e m i gh t th i n k . I t i s esti m ated th at 6 ou t of ever y 10 d i seases i n p eop l e can be sp r ead f r om an i m al s. T h er e ar e a n u m ber of r eason s w h y zoon ot i c v i r u ses ar e sp r ead so easi ly. T h e f i r st i s th r ou gh d i r ect con tact. Petti n g an i m al s or com i n g i n to d i r ect con t act w i th th ei r sal i va, m u cu s, or f eces can p u t on e at sever e r i sk f or con tr acti n g th e v i r u s. Ad d i ti on al ly, com i n g i n to con tact w i th p l aces th at an i m al s l i ve or r oam can al so be d an ger ou s. T h i r d ly, zoon oti c v i r u ses can be con tr acted th r ou gh an an i m al or a bu g bi te, or th r ou gh eati n g con tam i n ated f ood s su ch as r aw f i sh or m eat.

Fi n al ly, zoon ot i c v i r u ses can be sp r ead th r ou gh d r i n k i n g or com i n g i n to con tact w i th w at er t h at h as been con tam i n ated by f eces f r om an i n f ected an i m al . I n t h e case of CO V I D - 19, an ou tbr eak of cases of p n eu m on i a w as r ep or ted i n th e ci ty of W u h an i n Ch i n a an d w as r ep or ted to th e W or l d H eal th O r gan i zati on (W H O ) on D ecem ber 31, 20 19. T h e ou tbr eak w as l i n ked to a seaf ood an d an i m al m ar ket i n W u h an , an d f r om sam p l es of th e v i r u s taken f r om i n f ected i n d i v i d u al s, i t w as d eter m i n ed th at th e n ovel v i r u s w as i n th e f am i ly of cor on av i r u ses, m ak i n g i t a zoon oti c v i r u s. I t i s u n cl ear h ow th e d i sease sh i f t ed f r om an i m al s to h u m an s, bu t sci en ti sts ar e qu i ck ly w or k i n g to tr y an d cr eat e a v acci n e f or th e v i r u s. O n e p ot en ti al d r u g tar get h as been i d en ti f i ed i n a n ew ly m ap p ed p r ot ei n of SA RS- CoV- 2, t h e v i r u s th at cau ses CO V I D - 19. T h e f i n d i n gs su ggest th at th e d r u gs th at w er e on ce ef f ecti ve i n tr eati n g th e SA RS ou tbr eak cou l d be ef f ecti ve i n tr eati n g th e CO V I D - 19 ou t br eak as w el l . ?T h e p r otei n N sp 15 f r om Sever e Acu te Resp i r ator y Sy n d r om e Cor on av i r u s 2 (SA RS- CoV- 2) i s 89% i d en ti cal to th e p r otei n f r om th e ear l i er ou tbr eak of SA RS- CoV. St u d i es p u bl i sh ed i n 20 10 on SA RS- CoV r eveal ed th at i n h i bi ti on of N sp 15 can sl ow v i r al r ep l i cat i on . T h i s su ggests d r u gs d esi gn ed to tar get N sp 15 cou l d be d evel op ed as ef f ecti ve d r u gs agai n st CO V I D - 19.? T h i s n ew ly m ap p ed p r otei n N sp 15 i s con si sten t am on g al l cor on av i r u ses an d essen t i al i n t h ei r bei n g abl e to r ep l i cate. A l th ou gh i t w as th ou gh t to p ar ti ci p at e d i r ect ly i n v i r al r ep l i cat i on , n ow sci en ti sts k n ow th at i t h el p s r ep l i cati on by i n ter f er i n g w i th th e h ost?s i m m u n e r esp on se. T h e N sp 15 p r otei n w as tested as a p ossi bl e tar get f or n ew d r u g d evel op m en t , bu t si n ce th e SA RS ou tbr eak d i d n ot l ast ver y l on g, th e testi n g w as n ever com p l et ed . T h e p ossi bl e i n h i bi tor s th at w er e tested can n ow be tested agai n st th i s p r ot ei n . H ow ever , th e r ap i d p r ol i f er ati on of th i s v i r u s i n com p ar i son to th e SA RS an d M ERS cor on av i r u ses h ave cau sed qu esti on s. A l th ou gh th er e i s n ot y et a cl ear an sw er , r esear ch er s at N or t h w est er n ar e r ap i d ly m ap p i n g th e 28 p r otei n s of th e v i r u s to see w h er e a ?w r en ch ? can be t h r ow n i n th e v i r u s?s m ach i n er y. T h e d i f f er en t p r otei n s al l h ave acti ve si t es th at ch em i cal com p ou n d s can sp eci f i cal ly tar get. T h e f i r st step i n testi n g i s to cl on e an d ex p r ess t h e gen es of th e v i r u s p r otei n s, an d th en u se a p r ocess cal l ed x- r ay cr y st al l ogr ap h y to v i ew t h e p r ot ei n s d ow n to th e ar r an gem en ts of th e atom s. A l t h ou gh th e v i r u s h as qu i ck ly becom e a p an d em i c an d h as sever ely i m p act ed th e w or l d ?s econ om y, r esear ch er s ar e on th e f r on t l i n es tr y i n g to com bat th e v i r u s an d f i n d a vacci n e as soon as p ossi bl e. H op ef u l ly, w i th th e con cer ted ef f or ts th at ever y on e i s m ak i n g, ou r w or l d w i l l r etu r n to n or m al soon er r ath er th an l ater . Ref er en ces: M acken zi e, Joh n S, an d D av i d W . Sm i th . ?CO V I D - 19: a n ovel zoon oti c d i sease cau sed by a cor on av i r u s f r om Ch i n a: w h at w e k n ow an d w h at w e d on ?t.? M i cr obi ol ogy Au str al i a, M A 20 0 13. 17 M ar . 20 20 , d oi . 10 .10 71/ M A 20 0 13

EPIGENETICS You have many different kinds of cells all over your body. Most of your cells?main job is to create proteins to fulfill that cell?s purpose in the body. So, why do your skin cells look so different from your neurons, and how do pancreatic islet cells produce insulin while melanocytes produce melanin in your skin even though they have the exact same set of DNA? Your cells have many complex mechanisms to control which parts of your genetic sequence get copied and turned into proteins for different cells. Epigenetics play a role in this protein synthesis regulation team, although they are poorly understood, even today. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression, or which genes actually get copied and transformed into proteins. These changes do not involve the underlying

The Pow er To Change Your Genes

DNA sequence, but instead alter the accessibility of the genes to be read by the cell. The DNA in your cells is tightly wound around histone proteins to be able to fit inside the nucleus. Scientists believe that acetyl molecules attach to these histones which loosens and unravels the DNA from its tightly wound state. This allows the DNA to be read by transcribing enzymes and proteins to be made. Similarly, there are methyl molecules that can also attach to histones causing the DNA to be read by transcribing enzymes and proteins to be made. Similarly, there are methyl molecules that can also attach to histones causing the DNA to be wound even tighter together, inhibiting the cell from making proteins from those genes that are hidden away. These molecules appear in patterns across your genome and these patterns across your genome and vary

somewhat from person to person (unlike DNA, which is almost identical across the human race). So yes, epigenetic patterns in your genome ensure that only necessary proteins are produced in each cell by constricting some genes and opening others. These patterns can vary greatly from tissue to tissue For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Because of how widely epigenetics can vary, and how differently genes can be expressed from cell to cell, scientists have deemed each person?s unique pattern of these molecules their own epigenome. This epigenome is quite sensitive and prone to change. For example air pollution can alter the methyl caps on DNA, increasing risk for neurodegenerative disorders. A study found that a high fat, low carb diet could also alter chromatin packaging and improve mental ability via HDAC inhibitors. Additionally, certain compounds within the foods we consume could protect against cancer by adjusting methyl marks on oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. When you were just a few days old, you were considered a zygote, or a small clump of embryonic stem cells that had very few epigenetic markers on their DNA. With this blank slate, your epigenome was developed as your zygote started to become different parts of your body and you started to make different types of cells. This also means that your epigenome was greatly affected by your mother ?s environment. The types of food she ate, vitamins she took, cigarettes she smoked and everyday stressors she encountered were

transmitted as chemical signals through her bloodstream to you, and they got laid down as epigenetic marks on your DNA that affect your own genes, aspects of your long term health, and predisposition for certain cancers. And, if these epigenetic marks are laid down on your sperm or egg cells, you could pass these traits on to your offspring. For example, my paternal grandmother smoked during the first half of her pregnancy with my father. As a result he has pretty severe asthma after no history of the disorder on either side of the family. What?s more, I have asthma as well, most likely due to the same epigenetic marks that caused his asthma being laid down onto his reproductive cells, which he passed to me. Similarly, studies in England have shown that prepubescent boys who smoked and overate when their sperm were developing altered their epigenome such that up to two tested generations of their offspring were susceptible to obesity. There is a GR region of the brain in rats, and the more receptors the rat has in this region of the brain, the better it will handle stress. The amount of interactions between the rat mother and her pups in the first week of their life can have long term consequences for how much or how little this region will develop. The pups will grow up, and the number of sensors they have in their brains determines how well they will handle stress. When they are born, the region is surrounded by silencing, marks turning it off. If the rat mom licks and grooms the pups, the marks will be removed, and the region is turned on and then they will be better adapted to deal with stress later on in their lives.

his asthma being laid down onto his reproductive cells, which he passed to me. Similarly, studies in England have shown that prepubescent boys who overate when their sperm were developing altered their epigenome such that up to two tested generations of their offspring were susceptible to obesity. There is a GR region of the brain in rats, and the more receptors the rat has in this region of the brain, the better it will handle stress. The amount of interactions between the rat mother and her pups in the first week of their life can have long term consequences for how much or how little this region will develop. The pups will grow up, and the number of sensors they have in their brains determines how well they will handle stress. When they are born, the region is surrounded by silencing, marks turning it off. If the rat mom licks and grooms the pups, the marks will be removed, and the region is turned on and then they will be better adapted to deal with stress later on in their lives. All of these outside stimuli and stressors can widely affect your epigenome during your lifetime. As opposed to your DNA, an unchangeable sequence, your epigenome is an entirely adjustable sequence that controls many different functions and gene expressions. You have more control over your body and life than you may think.

Lucy hager

Ref er en ces [1] "Epigenetics - It's Not Just Genes That Make Us." Biology Society for Cell Biology. Accessed 16 Apr. 2020. [2] Rettner, Rachel. "Epigenetics: Definition and Examples." Live Science, Future US, 24 June 2017. Accessed 16 Apr. 2020. [3] "What Is Epigenetics." U.S National Library of Medicine, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 3 Feb. 2020. Accessed 16 Apr. 2020.

Translating Proteins Into Music SaraKapasi

Ever hum a few lines of a song and made your own spin on it? You might have created a new protein. In June of 2019, MIT researchers created a system to convert the molecular structures of proteins into musical patterns, combining both science and art. By inserting new variations into these patterns and reversing the process, they can create new proteins unseen before in nature, which could lead to numerous advances in biological, chemical, and technological fields [1]. The system could also provide a clue into figuring out what determines the function of a protein, a complicated puzzle [2]. The system translates the protein?s building blocks into a series of notes on a twenty-tone scale, also taking into consideration some of the protein?s other physical properties. The amino acid?s vibrational frequencies correspond to a note on the scale. These vibrational frequencies, calculated from principles in quantum chemistry, are crucial to determining the intervals as well as the actual sounds. The heavier the amino acid, the lower its pitch, leading glycine to have the highest pitch and tryptophan to have the lowest. Determining the rhythm of the music hinges upon the protein?s secondary structure, or how it folds on itself in 3D [2]. The researchers translated multiple proteins in their study, such as sperm whale myoglobin and a protein in spider silk. Some of the music from translated proteins can be found on the system developer Markus Buehler?s SoundCloud, https:/ / soundcloud.com/ user-275864738 [2]. The songs employ percussive elements as well as the vibrational frequencies themselves but are free of synthetic or natural instruments, using only the amino acids [1]. Additionally, by taking advantage of AI, the team categorized the proteins and incorporated the slight changes in their rhythms and tones [1]. AI learned the language of proteins by analyzing some of the protein data in a few days, then creating its variations in less

than a second. The researchers would then repeat the process with multiple sets of proteins, which opens up the possibility of trillions of potential proteins created by these variations. It?s important to note that just considering proteins based on their musical translations won?t necessarily predict all of their properties. Chemical properties of the protein such as its reactivity and elasticity are not intentionally created by the system, so the actual protein and its depiction by AI might be different [1]. The system created by these researchers is immensely fascinating. W hen expanded to a larger scale, this system could further investigate viruses like COVID-19, or diseases we haven?t found a cure yet for. Using music to learn more about unknown possibilities - what could be more exciting? If you?re interested in creating your own proteins, the researchers built an Android app, Amino Acid Synthesizer, that you can download for free [1]. References: 1. Chandler, David L. "Translating Proteins into Music, and Back." MIT News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 26 June 2019, news.mit.edu/ 2019/ translating-proteins-music -0626. Accessed 28 Mar. 2020. 2. Kramer, Katrina. "Translating Molecules into Music Helps Humans and AI Understand Proteins." Chemistry W orld, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2 July 2019, www.chemistryworld.com/ news/ translating-mo lecules-into-music-helps-humans-and-ai-under stand- proteins/ 3010680.article. Accessed 28 Mar. 2020.

W H AT CO LO R IS Y O U R N A M E? A N O V ERV IEW O F SY N T H ESIA

Synth: ?together?. Aisthesis: ?feeling?. Put this together to get synesthesia- ?feeling together?in Greek [9]. W hat does ?feeling together?really mean? Imagine you saw a vibrant splash of blue upon hearing your mother?s name or tasted a tart apricot upon seeing the word chair written. For many synesthetes, these combined sensory experiences are an everyday reality. According to McGraw Hill, Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which things that are normally experienced with one sense, become enmeshed with another sense [8]. Although synesthesia seems like a far-off, dream-like occurrence, the condition is not new. It was first formally recognized in 1812 by Austrian doctor Georg Tobias Ludwig Sachs when publishing a paper, not on synesthesia, but on his albinism [11]. Sachs, fascinated by his esoteric neurological condition, went on to devote an entire section of his dissertation to his synesthesia. Sachs went on to describe his synesthesia as ?colored ideas?, most likely a form of grapheme-color synesthesia, as he also describes being able to see numbers and words as colors [6,7]. Synesthesia is relatively rare, occurring in about 2-5%of the population, but some forms of it are rarer than others. 68%of synesthetes experience grapheme-color synesthesia by itself or in conjunction with another type [6]. Grapheme synesthesia describes the perception of color along with the idea of a grapheme?a letter, a number, or some sort of written symbol?or the visual input provided by looking at

one. Synesthesia includes all sorts of conjoined sensory experiences such as sounds translating to colors, sights translating to tastes, and sensations to colors [10]. W ithin categories of synesthesia exist subcategories such as ?projected?or ?associator?. Most synesthetes experience their synesthesia internally, in ?the mind?s eye?, while some may experience it as if it were in the outside world [4]. The difficulties in researching synesthesia lie in the personal, hard-to-distinguish nature of the condition. Many synesthetes do not realize they have the condition or fear coming forward with their condition, thus skewing the perception of synesthetes. Due to the relatively unknown, mysterious nature of the condition, there have been conflicting theories about what causes synesthesia, inquiries about the people who have synesthesia, and so on. Theories have spanned from the field of ophthalmology, theorizing that people with color-related synesthesia had extra cones in the eyes, to the idea of ?crossed wires?in the brain [11]. Despite theories diverging across multiple fields of science, there are certain similarities that have arisen from research on the topic. One of the main discoveries being that synesthetic experiences stay consistent over time. An ?inducer?, the original stimulus?a picture, sound, etc?is introduced with the hope to describe ?the concurrent??the sensory experience caused by the inducer. W hen provided with the same inducer after a certain period of time, the subjects displayed the same concurrent 80-100%[11]. Not only that, in recent years, research has become more readily available regarding the diagnostic procedure of synesthesia. In studying grapheme-color synesthesia, there have been results showing heightened activity in the hV4 region of the brain upon introduction of auditory stimuli, however, these results are inconsistent and inconclusive [5]. Research remains inconclusive in many regards because researchers may only look at one form or find empirical evidence for the occurrence of only one type of synesthesia. Some less analytical theories about synesthetes include increased empathy (mirror-touch), increased creativity, or stronger memories [1,12]. The urban legend-like status of synesthesia in popular culture is what leads many synesthetes to stay in the dark in regards to the condition, or even think the condition does not exist. Only upon discussion with another synesthete did sophomore Sophie Oberle realize she had a form of it, mirror-touch synesthesia. Mirror touch synesthesia refers to the tactile feelings someone experiences after seeing someone else being touched [2]. There are varying degrees of mirror-touch, with Oberle classifying hers as a relatively mild case. According to Oberle, her mirror-touch manifests in the form of ?echoes?. W hen seeing two people touching, she describes the ?echo?similar to the sensation of an arm falling asleep, or a warming sensation in the spot where the other person was touched. The reason Oberle describes the sensation as an echo is because of the ?aura?-like feeling other mirror-touch also describe. ?It feels like a second skin, I can feel the touch, but it?s not really there?. She goes on to explain that although it doesn?t affect her daily life to an extreme extent, she does have to adapt when it comes to choosing entertainment. ?I usually avoid violent book/ movies. W hen I see physical harm, I can end up feeling pretty sore in the corresponding area?. Although ?it can be a nuisance?, Oberle posits her synesthesia as making her more empathetic, because she can connect to people on a different level. Just as Cambridge synesthesia researcher Simon Baren Cohen said, "If you ask synesthetes if they'd wish to be rid of it, they almost

always say no," Oberle says, ?I?ve only ever lived my life, and I think mirror-touch is fascinating, so no, I wouldn?t get rid of it?[3]. Refer ences: Banissy, Michael J, and Jamie W ard. ?Mirror-Touch Synesthesia Is Linked with Empathy.?Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 17 June 2007, www.nature.com/ articles/ nn1926. BIAL Foundation. ?Explaining Mirror-Touch Synesthesia.?Taylor & Francis, www.tandfonline.com/ doi/ abs/ 10.1080/ 17588928.2015.1042444. Carpenter, Siri. ?Everyday Fantasia: The W orld of Synesthesia.?Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/ monitor/ mar01/ synesthesia. Dixon, Mike & Smilek, Daniel & Merikle, Philip. (2004). Not all synaesthetes are created equal: Projector versus associator synaesthetes. Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience. 4. 335-43. 10.3758/ CABN.4.3.335. Gross, Dr. Veronica. ?Synesthesia Project: FAQ.?Synesthesia Project | FAQ, www.bu.edu/ synesthesia/ faq/ #q3. Hubbard, Edward M., et al. ?Individual Differences among Grapheme-Color Synesthetes: Brain-Behavior Correlations.?Neuron, Cell Press, 23 Mar. 2005, www.sciencedirect.com/ science/ article/ pii/ S0896627305001248. Konnikova, Maria. ?From the W ords of an Albino, a Brilliant Blend of Color.?Scientific American Blog Network, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2013, blogs.scientificamerican.com/ literally-psyched/ from-the-words-of-an-albino-a-brilliant-blend-of-color/ . McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, New York, 2003 ?Synaesthesia (n.).?Online Etymology Dictionary, www.etymonline.com/ word/ synaesthesia. ?Synesthesia Types.?Synesthesia, synesthesia.com.au/ types-of-synesthesia/ . W ard, Jamie. ?Synesthesia.?Annual Reviews, 29 June 2012, www.annualreviews.org/ doi/ full/ 10.1146/ annurev-psych-113011-143840#_i2.

BEAT RIZ DE A RIST EGU I

The CRICUT M aker

Jack Scali se

NEW TECHNOLOGY CRICUT MAKER The new Westminster Innovation lab is set to open next year, and it will contain multiple powerful tools that students can use! Along with the virtual reality programs, 3D printers, woodworking tools, and a laser cutter, the Innovation Lab will house the Cricut Maker. Don?t let its size fool you, as this is a powerful and versatile tool! This article will guide you on how to start using the Cricut Maker to easily make complex designs through importing and preparing images.

W HAT IS CRICUT?

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE Cricut has its own ecosystem, including its own CAD software: Cricut Design Space. This software can be downloaded at https://design.cricut.com/#/launcher and you can teach yourself the basics in minutes. However, the Design Space can feel clunky when making complex designs, so to overcome this issue, one can import images (currently images must be .png, .jpg, .gif, .svg, .dxf, or .bmp).

The Cricut works similar to a printer, however it accepts a wider range of materials, including balsa wood, paper, cardstock, iron-on, and vinyl decals. The notable difference between the Cricut and a printer is that the Cricut does not generate an image in the same manner as a printer. Instead of working from one end, the Cricut actually draws/cuts in specialized paths, moving on both axis of the paper at the same time.

IMPORTING AN IMAGE TO CRICUT 1. Find the image you want to draw, or make one in another program. Higher resolution images will perform better, as will ones with simple backgrounds. 2. Once the Cricut Design Space is open, click the upload icon in the left menu. 3. This will navigate you to a page asking you to select images, pattern fills,or recent images. For now, just select images 4. Click browse to go through your computer ?s files, or drag and drop an image 5. Next, depending on the image imported, choose the resolution. At the lowest end, Cricut will try to mix adjacent similar colors, increasing contrast between the background and subject. If you want a highly detailed image to cut, then ?complex.? 6. The next steps are akin to photoshop, where you cut away the background to leave the item(s) you want cut out. (with simple images select the wand in the top right corner and it will remove all that it thinks is the background, like preview) 7. After removing the background Cricut will ask you to save the item as a ?print then cut image,? or a ?cut image.? This does not alter the cricut tool path, it just alters the representation in Cricut Design space. If you select that you will print then cut, then Cricuit will show the image in the design space to help you visualize the final product. 8. All the above steps uploaded the image to Cricut, to add it to your canvas, select the green ?insert images? button in the lower right corner. You may now manipulate these images like any other shapes.

Feel free to reach out to any Innovation Fellow or Steam Lab Coordinator for help! -----------Cricut?s online tutorials are also useful. Find them here: https://learn.cricut.com/design-space-for-beginners.

Ref er en ces: Bonbonlol[a]. Lion Eating. 2020. FAVPNG, 5 Dec. 2018, favpng.com/png_search/lion-head/15. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020. "Coaster Cliparts #60255." 2016. Clipart Library, clipart-library.com/clipart/125712.htm. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020. Stillings, Susan. Ready. Set. Cut. ? with Cricut Knife Blade! 1 May 2018. Cricut Blog, Cricut, inspiration.cricut.com/cricut-knife-blade-launch/. Stregowski, Jenna. The Best Small Dog Breeds. 2 Feb. 20. The Spruce Pets, DotDash, www.thesprucepets.com/top-small-dog-breeds-1118155. Unique Activities. 2020. Skyline Sightseeing, www.city-sightseeing.us/en/groups. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020

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Mus k aan Gupt a

E C N A BAL

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third

object?s

Euler found three L-points, his successor

Joseph LaGrange names these points for

remains invisible to Earth. Because its

his work in refining and completing Euler ?s

location prevents communication with the

initial

crucial

Earth, no viable spacecraft missions are

considerations when scientists propose

planned at this point. However, it has

spacecraft missions. Now, we will explore

remained within public thought ? its the

the possibilities of the Euler ?s L-points

location of the fictional Planet X.

present in our solar

Importantly,

discovery.

L-points

are

system

for

the

these

three

points

are

Three-Body Problem where Earth and Sun

classified as having unstable orbits. This

serve as the two massive bodies.

means

located

inbetween

minimal

recalibration

two

required to ensure that they retain a

surrounding bodies. It is currently the

constant position relative to the Sun and

home of

Earth. Although L2 and L3 seem oddly

the Solar

and

its

that

Heliopsheric

positioned, you should remember that the magnitude of gravitational force varies in our solar system. Never forget that our universe is a balancing act of celestial bodies when you see the next spacecraft launch. Ref er en ces: Cain, Fraser. "What Are The Lagrange Points?" Universe Today, Squarespace, 26 Aug. 2016, www.universetoday.com/102785/what-arelagrange-points/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020. "Gravity operates by the inverse square law." Crossroads Academy, May 2016, www.crossroadsacademy.org/crossroads/ wp-content/uploads/2016//05/Gravity-andCoulombs-Law.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020.

Observatory Satellite because it receives an unblocked view of the Sun. L2 is located

behind

the Earth

and

sheltered from the Sun?s light to provide a clear view of deep space. In application, the L2 point for our Earth-Sun system will be the place of the future James Webb Telescope, an observatory for infrared wavelengths. L3 is located behind the Sun and always

"Lagrange Points." Crystalinks, 2012, www.crystalinks.com/lagrangepoints.html. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020. "Lagrangian point." EncyclopĂŚdia Britannica, EncyclopĂŚdia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/science/Lagrangian-point. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020. "Leonhard Euler." MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, School of Mathematics and Statistics U of St Andrews, Scotland, Sept. 1998, mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/ Euler.html. "The Two Body Problem." Harvard, President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2004, ads.harvard.edu/books/1989fcm..book/ Chapter6r.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020. "What is a Lagrange point?" solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/754/ Accessed 17 Apr. 2020.

NASA, 27 Mar. 2018, what-is-a-lagrange-point/.

THE DANGERS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION Sleeping is an essential asset of human health, well-being, and happiness. But what happens when we don?t sleep? Most people know that insufficient sleep is bad for us, but are unaware of exactly how dangerous it can be. Sleep deprivation slows down coordination and reaction time, shortens attention span, puts people at higher risk for stroke and diabetes, causes hallucinations, and in extreme cases has been linked to death. Many people have experience sleep deprivation on some level. For instance, staying up late to study for a big test, or taking an overnight flight. While most of us are familiar with feeling depleted after a sleepless night, the effects of continuous long-term sleep deprivation are far more extreme. On January 8, 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner set the record for longest amount of time gone without sleep, staying awake for 11 days (5). Just two days into Gardner ?s sleep experiment, he lost the ability to focus his vision, and quickly became uncoordinated and irritable. On the fifth day, he started hallucinating. Near the end of the eleven days, Gardner ?s attention span became extremely short, rendering him unable to perform simple tasks such as repeating easy tongue twisters. In one test, Gardner was asked to count backwards by sevens starting at one hundred. When he reached 65, he stopped because he had forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. The effects of long-term sleep deprivation on Gardner proved to be so severe that the Guinness Book of World Records did not include his record in their publication in an effort to dissuade people from attempting the feat (2). Health experts recommend that adults get about 8 hours of sleep per night. Teens need even more sleep than adults, and are recommended to get 10 hours. Unfortunately, teens are often overworked with school and other responsibilities that do not allow them to get these 10 hours of sleep, and 66% of adolescents are regularly sleep deprived (2). Adolescents also commonly experience sleep phase delay due to shifts in their circadian rhythms, the internal body clock that regulates wakefulness and sleepiness throughout the day. As a result of this shift, teens are often naturally awake and alert later at night than most children and adults, and tend to have trouble falling asleep before 11:00pm. Falling asleep later at night causes the body to wake around 9 or 10:00am, but waking up this late in the morning is

often impossible for teens because they have to wake up early for school (1). Adolescents also miss out on the most critical sleep phase, rapid eye movement sleep, which occurs in these morning hours. Because of this sleep phase delay, teens experience more sleep deprivation than any other age demographic (6). Continual sleep deprivation often leads to increased stress, mood swings, depression, and anxiety, as well as more severe sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and insomnia. Irritability, sadness, and anger are common symptoms of sleep deprivation because the amygdala becomes as much as 60% more active when the brain is sleep deprived. The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for emotional reactions. The hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for creating memories, can also be severely impaired by just one night of bad sleep. Decision making and problem solving functions in the frontal and parietal lobes also decline with sleep deprivation (4). Sleep deprivation is a particularly concerning problem for people with preexisting mental health concerns. Studies show that around 65 to 90 percent of adults with depression, and about 90 percent of children and teens with depression, experience some kind of sleep disorder (3). This creates a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation causing increasingly severe mental health problems, and vice versa. Sleep deprivation has not been the direct cause of any deaths, but is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal in a variety of indirect ways. Consistent sleep deprivation has been proven to make individuals 4.5 times more likely to have a stroke. It also puts individuals at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, due to increase in stress hormones and inability to regulate glucose in the bloodstream (7). The shortened attention span and memory loss can also result in fatal accidents, such as car crashes. Overall, we should all work to get better sleep by regulating our sleep schedules, limiting screen usage and caffeine intake near bedtime, and listening to our bodies when we feel tired.

Clara Johnson Ref er en ces: 1 ?Body Clock & Sleep.? National Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-drive-and-your-body-clock. 2 Crew, Bec. ?Watch: Here's What Happened When a Teenager Stayed Awake For 11 Days Straight.? ScienceAlert, www.sciencealert.com/watch-here-s-what-happened-when-a-teenager-stayed-awake-for-11-days-straight. 3 Harvard Health Publishing. ?Sleep and Mental Health.? Harvard Health, www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health. 4 Hosie, Rachel. ?This Is What Lack of Sleep Does to Your Brain.? The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 27 June 2017, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/sleep-deprivation-how-affects-your-brain-tiredness -insomnia -a7809756.html. 5 Keating, Sarah. ?The Boy Who Stayed Awake for 11 Days.? www.bbc.com/future/article/20180118-the-boy-who-stayed-awake-for-11-days.

BBC

6 News Center. ?Among Teens, Sleep Deprivation an med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2015/10/among-teens-sleep-deprivation-an-epidemic.html. 7 ?What's Behind the Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Type www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/link-between-lack-sleep-and-type-2-diabetes.

Future,

BBC,

Epidemic.?

Diabetes.? National

18 News Sleep

Jan.

2018, Center,

Foundation,

T h e Pr o gr essi o n o f A l zh ei m er 's K ath er i n e Joh n son

In 1906, German doctor, Alois Alzheimer diagnosed his patient with the first known diagnosis of a disease later coined as ?Alzheimer ?s disease.? His patient experienced symptoms of memory loss, abnormal behavior, and brain shrinkage. Alzheimers is the most common type of dementia and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. As such, copious research has been dedicated to finding possible treatments, although no cure has yet been found. To understand Alzheimer ?s, one must first have a basic understanding of how the brain works. The brain is responsible for everything we see, do, and say, and the brain sends signals to every part of the body through neurons, or nerve cells. There are neurons throughout the body and brain that communicate with one another through tiny electric charges. In a healthy brain, a protein called tau is responsible for helping deliver nutrients throughout neurons. The tau protein stabilizes microtubules with neurons, and the microtubules hold the shape of the neuron. However, in a brain with Alzheimer ?s, the tao protein has an abnormal shape, and the microtubes become unstable. The tubes collapse, and become tangled. These ?tangles? then

make it impossible to deliver nutrients throughout nerve cells, and the cell eventually dies. Along with tangles inside the neurons, protein plaques are also seen in brains with Alzheimer ?s. The plaques are made up of a protein called beta-amyloid. Normally, these small, sting-like proteins are able to be dissolved and carried away from the brain, however, in an Alzheimer ?s patient, the beta-amyloid protein is too big to be dissolved and begins to clump together. Scientists believe that these clumps inhibit neuron-neuron interaction. Therefore sometimes when memories are being made, the neurons are inadequately able to communicate, thus causing short-term memory loss. The plaques form in between neurons, and eventually cause the cells to die. Both plaques and tangles cause an immune reaction to fight against them. Specifically microglia cells are the first to fight against the build up of beta-amyloid; however, the microglia cells can become overactive around beta-amyloid plaques, causing inflammation and the production of compounds that can hurt nearby nerve cells. So how, if our own immune

system seems to be hurting our brains, can we help to treat Alzheimer ?s disease? A current target of treatment is to reduce inflammation. A medicine called Sargramostim, formerly used in bone marrow stimulation for leukemia patients, is being tested in clinical trials to determine whether the drug can stimulate the immune system to protect neurons from the harmful proteins. The drug is still currently being tested. Another drug, called AADvac 1, targets the abnormally-shaped tau protein. A clinical trial in 2016 tested 208 volunteers with mild Alzheimer ?s, and the results at the end of the trial in June 2019 were fairly successful. Ninety-eight percent of the patients produced antibodies to the abnormal tau protein, and many patients experienced positive changes in cognitive ability. The drug is continuing to be studied, however it is seen as a possible treatment to slow the progression of Alzheimer 's disease. On the other hand, many drugs have failed. Prevagen, a drug that has been heavily marketed to the public, is a supplement claiming to improve one?s memory, one of the symptoms of Alzheimer ?s patients. The active ingredient, apoaequorin, is a protein found in some jellyfish. The protein is supposed to help in preventing

the death of nerve cells. However, there is insufficient evidence to support this hypothesis, and many scientists believe that the protein would be dissolved and destroyed by stomach acid and other fluids before it ever reached the brain. Despite these failed attempts to improve memory and other drugs intended to improve Alzheimer ?s symptoms, scientists continue to research to find solutions that will work and cure the disease. It is very common as we age to experience short-term memory loss, and declining cognitive ability. Similarly, most people develop some plaques and tangles as they age. Alzheimer ?s patients however have many more of these plaques and tangles, originating in the area of the brain responsible for memory before spreading outwards. Alzheimer ?s is most common for those over the age of 65, however, early onset Alzheimer ?s has been known to happen in middle-aged adults and is more commonly linked through genetics. Additionally, the disease progresses with time, first appearing as mild cognitive impairment and short-term memory loss. The diagnosis of the disease can be as long as eight years after progression has already started.

Eventually the disease leads to forgetting how to walk, swallow and breathe. Because of the devastating effects of the disease, scientists continue to search for solutions to slow the progression of the disease, treatment of symptoms, and most importantly prevention strategies.

Work?? Medical News Today,

Ref er en ces:

2019, www.pharmacistanswers.com/ articles/does-prevagen-work.

?Amyloid Plaques and Neurofibrillary Tangles.? BrightFocus Foundation, BrightFocus

MediLexicon International, 7 Dec. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/320289#synapses. Sharma, Shailesh. ?Does Prevagen Work?? PharmacistAnswers, PharmacistAnswers, 28 Oct.

?Treatment Horizon.? Alzheimer 's Disease and Dementia, Alzheimer 's Disease and Dementia,

Foundation, 13 Mar. 2020, www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers-d isease/infographic/amyloid-plaques-2020, www.alz.org/alzheimers-demen and-neurofibrillary-tangles. tia/ Frey, Rebecca J. "Multiple: research_progress/treatment-h Alzheimer Disease." UXL orizon. Encyclopedia of Diseases and ?What Is Alzheimer 's?? Disorders, Alzheimer 's Disease and edited by Larry I. Lutwick, vol. 1, Dementia, 2020, UXL, 2009, pp. 32-39. Gale www.alz.org/alzheimers-demen eBooks, https://link-gale-com.westminster. tia/ what-is-alzheimers. idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/CX18388000 16/GVRL?u=atla10186&sid=GVRL& xid=cd4f16a8. Accessed 27 Mar. 2020. Godman, Heidi. ?A Brief History of Alzheimer ?s Disease.? Healthline, Healthline, 20 Sept. 2016, www.healthline.com/health/a lzheimers-history. Newman, Tim. ?Neurons: What Are They and How Do They

Fa c u lt y Fe a t u r e : M r s. Li n a Elli s

Co m m i t t e d

c u lt i va t i n g

in d ep en d en t

and

t h o u g h t f u l p r o b le m

so lve r s, t h e m a t h

d e p a r t m e n t a t W e st m i n st e r i n st i lls a st r o n g f o u n d a t i o n o f m a t h e m a t i c a l r e a so n i n g , e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , a n d d e t a i l-o r i e n t e d w o r k h a b i t s. Of f e r i n g a w i d e r a n g e o f c o u r se s, W e st m i n st e r m a t h e x p o se s st u d e n t s t o va r yi n g f i e ld s o f m a t h e m a t i c s f r o m Ge o m e t r y t o M u lt i va r i a b le Ca lc u lu s. Be yo n d c u r a t i n g c o m p e t i t i ve a n d ski lle d m a t h st u d e n t s, f a c u lt y li ke M r s. Li n a Elli s a r e d e d i c a t e d t o b u i ld i n g a ki n d a n d w e lc o m i n g c o m m u n i t y t o f a c i li t a t e e x c e lle n c e i n m a t h . Te a c h i n g a t t h e Hu m e Fo g g M a g n e t Sc h o o l i n Na sh vi lle f r o m 1998 t o 1998 a n d a t W e st m i n st e r f r o m 1998 t o 20 0 4, M r s. Elli s h a s e x p e r i e n c e t e a c h i n g i n c o u r se s r a n g i n g from

A lg e b r a

I to

c o lle g e -le ve l m a t h e m a t i c s, o b se r vi n g

t he

in t era ct io n s b et w een

st u d e n t s su r r o u n d i n g m a t h . Eve n a f t e r d e c i d i n g t o st a y h o m e w i t h h e r c h i ld r e n , M r s. Elli s c o n t i n u e d t o h e lp c r e a t e su c c e ssf u l m a t h st u d e n t s, t u t o r i n g Lo ve t t st u d e n t s. Th e r e f o r e , w h e n f o r m e r Up p e r Sc h o o l m a t h d e p a r t m e n t c h a i r M r s. Cle m m o n s a n d d e a n o f f a c u lt y, M r . Pe r so n s, p r o p o se d t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e M a t h La b i n 20 13, M r s. Elli s?s h e lp f u l a n d ki n d sp i r i t se e m e d t o b e a p e r f e c t f i t f o r t h e n e w sp a c e . In h e r w o r d s, ?It h a s b e e n so f u n t o w o r k w i t h st u d e n t s a n d d o m a t h e ve r y d a y! I n e ve r kn o w w h o i s g o i n g t o w a lk i n t h e d o o r o r w h a t q u e st i o n s t h e y m i g h t a sk - so t h a t r e a lly m a ke s e ve r y d a y d i f f e r e n t !? M r s. Elli s?s a n d t h e M a t h La b ?s i m p a c t

o n t h e W e st m i n st e r c o m m u n i t y h a s b e e n

e x t r e m e ly t r a n sf o r m a t i ve . He r g e n u i n e lo ve f o r t h e su b j e c t a n d h e r st u d e n t s sh i n e s t h r o u g h h e r w o r k. A lw a ys sm i li n g , M r s. Elli s e x u d e s j o y, m a ki n g t h e M a t h La b a

w e lc o m i n g a n d j u d g e m e n t f r e e z o n e f o r st u d e n t s t o c o lla b o r a t e . Be yo n d h e r p e r so n a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s, M r s. Elli s h a s i n sp i r e d M u A lp h a Th e t a (M a t h Ho n o r s So c i e t y) m e m b e r s t o se r ve

Tu e sd a y,

W e d n e sd a y,

and

Th u r sd a y

m orn in gs

prom pt in g

g rea t er

i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n Up p e r Sc h o o l st u d e n t s. W h e t h e r st u d e n t s a r e i n se a r c h o f p r a c t i c e p r o b le m s, h o m e w o r k c la r i f i c a t i o n , o r a n e w p e r sp e c t i ve o n a t o p i c , t h e M a t h La b f o r t u n a t e ly h a s t h e r e so u r c e s t o a ssi st w i t h a c le a r m i ssi o n t o se r ve . A ve r a g i n g a r o u n d 70 0 -80 0 vi si t s p e r ye a r , t h e M a t h La b h a s b e e n g r e a t ly u t i li z e d b y W e st m i n st e r st u d e n t s, o f f e r i n g a sa f e sp a c e f o r d i sc o ve r y a n d g r o w t h . Eve n a m i d st t h e n e w vi r t u a l le a r n i n g si t u a t i o n , t h e M a t h La b r e m a i n s a va i la b le vi a Z o o m a t t h e f o llo w i n g li n k: h t t p s:/ / w e st m i n st e r w i ld c a t s.z o o m .u s/ j / 183299372 . Co n t i n u i n g h e r c o m m i t m e n t t o f o st e r i n g c r i t i c a l m a t h e m a t i c i a n s, M r s. Elli s t e a c h e s t h e Ho n o r s M a t h Se m i n a r e le c t i ve c o u r se t o h i g h -a c h i e vi n g m a t h st u d e n t s. Th i s u n i q u e c o u r se i m m e r se s st u d e n t s i n a d e e p d i ve i n t o a sp e c i f i c m a t h e m a t i c a l t o p i c , a llo w i n g st u d e n t s t o u t i li z e t h e ski lls g a r n e r e d f r o m p r e vi o u s c la sse s i n o r d e r t o a t t e m p t a n e w f i e ld . Fo r t h e p a st 10 ye a r s, M r s. Elli s h a s t a u g h t Fr a c t a ls, Ch a o s, a n d Dyn a m i c a l Syst e m s, a c o u r se sh e h a s p e r so n a lly b e e n p a ssi o n a t e a b o u t si n c e h e r t i m e a t Ru t g e r s Un i ve r si t y. W h i le M r s. Elli s h a s c o n si st e n t ly t a u g h t t h e sa m e c o u r se , sh e e n su r e s t o a d d t o t h e m a t e r i a l e a c h ye a r , c r e a t i n g i n n o va t i ve a n d e n g a g i n g w a ys t o f a sc i n a t e h e r st u d e n t s. He r e n t h u si a sm t o i n sp i r e st u d e n t s i s e vi d e n t a n d a p p a r e n t t h r o u g h t h e se i n i t i a t i ve s. Elli s e ve n e x p r e sse s, ?I b e li e ve t h i s c o u r se i s a w o n d e r f u l c a p st o n e c o u r se f o r t h e st u d e n t s b e c a u se , t h r o u g h e x p lo r i n g t h e se t o p i c s, w e h i t o n p r e t t y m u c h e ve r y c o n c e p t t h a t t h e st u d e n t s h a ve le a r n e d i n t h e i r h i g h sc h o o l c a r e e r s, i n c lu d i n g li m i t s, d e r i va t i ve s, se q u e n c e s, se r i e s, g e o m e t r y, t r i g o n o m e t r y, a lg e b r a , p o la r f u n c t i o n s, c o m p le x n u m b e r s, r e c u r si o n , m a t r i c e s, a n d t h e li st g o e s o n a n d o n .? Fo r se c o n d se m e st e r se n i o r s, t h e c o u r se o f f e r s a g e n u i n e ly f u n

w a y t o le a r n a b o u t

c o lle g e m a t h e m a t i c s su c h a s

Di f f e r e n t i a l Eq u a t i o n s a n d Li n e a r A lg e b r a w h i le a lso c a lli n g u p o n t h e i r o w n c r e a t i vi t y. M o r e o ve r , t h e c o u r se i n t e g r a t e s p r o j e c t -le a r n i n g a n d c o lla b o r a t i o n a lo n g si d e t r a d i t i o n a l a sse ssm e n t s. Th r o u g h t e a c h i n g a Fr a c t a ls le sso n t o 3r d g r a d e r s a n d w r i t i n g a r e se a r c h p a p e r i n st e a d o f a f i n a l e x a m , Ho n o r s M a t h Se m i n a r e x p lo r e s m a t h h i st o r y, t e c h n o lo g y, a n d a p p li c a t i o n s t h r o u g h a n u n p a r a lle le d i n q u i si t i ve sp i r i t .

THA NK YOU M RS. ELLIS! So u m i a Ve lla n ki

Raising awar eness about f emal EGender cide Female infanticide is the deliberate killing of a newborn female child by her family. It most commonly happens immediately after birth or within the first year of the girl?s life, through drowning, smothering, poisoning, burying, abandonment, or deliberate neglect by not providing nutrition or medical care. Female feticide is the deliberate selective abortion of a female fetus after prenatal sex determination, thereby preventing a girl child from even being born. The scale of these two issues is staggering Female gendercide has silently claimed the lives of over 200 million girls of the world. Female gendercide is predominantly prevalent in South Asian and East Asian countries, particularly in India and China, which are two of the world's most populous countries.It is a complex issue in which poverty, culturally ingrained preferences for a male offspring, societal problems like dowry, government family-restriction policies, and lack of education ? lead to a devaluation of the girl-child in people?s minds and therefore the cavalier decision to terminate a life. Now, due to immigration, female gendercide is also being seen in cultural communities in the UK, Canada, and the United States. The fact that countries outside of Asia are demonstrating a propensity to abort females at high rates, shows that no culture or country is immune to gender discrimination in the form of female infanticide and feticide. Rather, this is a human global problem. Female gendercide is an unspoken, ignored topic - the darker underbelly of many countries ? and people simply do not realize its magnitude and implications. The unchecked killing of baby girls has had serious consequences in the countries where gendercide is being practiced. The male-female sex ratios have been seriously skewed with only 940 girls per 1000 boys, and some areas, the numbers falling as low as 850 girls for 1000 boys. This has led to increase in crime, trafficking, child brides, the poverty cycle perpetuating, population decline, social instability, and labor market economic distortions due to the potential of one gender not being recognized. In 1990, Nobel Laureate and economist Amartya Sen alerted the world to the phenomenon of ?missing women?. He said that more than 100 million women were missing from the world. These women are considered ?missing? in the sense that they were simply not allowed to be born or to live.In 2012, a documentary "It's a Girl: The Three Deadliest Words in the World" explored this problem in India and China. The United Nations estimates that over 200 million females are missing in the world today and most all of these are a result of female gendercide. It is important for all of us, no matter what part of the globe we live in, to be concerned about female infanticide. Female gendercide passes under the radar because it is a silent crime and happens against a victim who is voiceless and defenseless. It constitutes one of the worst forms of human rights

violations, where a girl is denied her most basic and fundamental right - ?The right to life?. In terms of the sheer size of the atrocity, the number of victims claimed by female infanticide exceeds the number of deaths in World War I and World War II combined. It has eliminated more people than all the genocides of the 20th century, malaria, the AIDS and flu epidemics, and creates a mountain of corpses equivalent to the Jewish Holocaust every three years. The consequences of gendercide are adverse and far-reaching. In populations with skewed male-female ratios, the very fact that many millions of girls have been deliberately eliminated simply because they would have been female establishes a social reality that colors the whole realm of human relationships. Sex-selective termination tears at the very fabric of liberty by denying equal protection under the law to one half of the population. The preference for boys and the gender inequities will not change without outside intervention. Failure to address female gendercide is a failure to address the role of women in society. Gender equality lies at the very heart of each country?s successful progress and development and the loss of the girl child in society is a tragedy of lost potential. We must join forces to ensure that sex-selection is understood as discrimination against girls and must end. We need to do our bit to stop female infanticide, no matter where we live. Working to raise awareness about female gendercide is not like waving a magic wand to wish a problem away. It is a complicated multi-factorial issue that has been years in the making and is embedded in societal and cultural consciousness. Working to eradicate it, means not only raising social awareness about the issue, but also actively working to empower the girl-child, and ensuring her education and health so that she can survive and thrive. In countries where female gendercide is prevalent, often-times a bottom-up approach proves more effective. Although at the top-level, most countries have criminalized female gendercide and banned sex-selection technologies, the laws are often ignored, and their enforcement is difficult in small villages. Change cannot often be mandated from the top; it must arise through social advocacy and education at the grass roots level. One person?s actions at a time can create big change and often the key to taking action can be to ?think small? rather than think big. Your voice and your action is needed. Speak up and raise awareness about gendercide. Educate yourself and then educate others. Help girls in high-risk environments through donations for their medical care and education. Lobby for laws to be tightened and justice against perpetrators to be swift. Partner with organizations that are already working against gendercide and support their established systems and their work. One person, one action, and one small step at a time can make a big difference, so let us not find ourselves on the wrong side of history for failing to take any action at all.

HIMANI KALRA

Th an k you for r eadin g! s a t Ver i

If you h ave an y com m en ts or su ggestion s, pl ease em ail ver itasm ag123@ gm ail .com .