ISSUE XVI: Beneficial Innovations in Technology

BENEFICIAL INNOVATIONS IN ECHNOLOGY

ENHANCEMENT SECURITY OF DIGITAL

In a progressive digital society, there has been an increase in the number of crimes and violations of privacy occurring on the Internet. While traditional authentication methods, such as passwords, have long been the norm, these security measures have recently become a major source of attacks and fraud. As a result, tactics have evolved towards biometric authentication, an innovation that o ers a unique and personalized way to verify a user’s identity using speci c human characteristics such as ngerprints, facial recognition, and voice recognition.

Because passwords are easy to forget, users tend to change them

frequently, resulting in users spending more time remembering and typing them in. According to a 2019 Google study in conjunction with Harris Poll, 13 percent of people reuse the same password across all accounts, and an additional 52 percent use the same one for multiple (but not all) online accounts. Only 35 percent use a di erent password for every account. Biometric authentication has gained popularity in the banking sector due to its secure and streamlined process for verifying numerous customers in a virtual space, especially for large corporations like banks.

Not only does biometric authentication make it easier for users to access applications, but the underlying technology has improved the overall security

of Internet users.

Methods such as passwords are easy to discover and replicate, whereas each individual’s ngerprint or biometric characteristic is completely unique, making it incredibly di cult to copy and use for criminal activities. Physical and biological traits cannot be easily duplicated or stolen, which is why biometric authentication has signicantly reduced the risks of fraud and the .

Despite its bene ts, biometric authentication also has its own aws. ere are many concerns about the collection and use of personal data, leaving people uncertain about whether their information is being used in a legitimate way. e frequent news of incidents such as data breaches on social media applications makes it challenging for people to trust an online world that they cannot directly reach or see.

As biometric authentication gains prominence, concerns have also emerged regarding potential

discriminatory outcomes. Arti cial Intelligence (AI) algorithms have exhibited biases regarding the inclusion of physical characteristics from biometric data, including factors like race and sex. For instance, a notable 2018 landmark project called Gender Shades evaluated three gender classi cation algorithms, including those developed by IBM and Microso . e result of this experiment proved that AI performed worse on darker-skinned females, with error rates up to 34% higher compared to lighter-skinned males, posing a threat to individuals in marginalized groups.

Biometric authentication represents a revolutionary technological development that is likely to lead to further advancements in society. However, without a thorough understanding of the detailed mechanisms behind this technology, it may be di cult for users to adapt to such an abstract database. Nonetheless, there is consistent research to strengthen the program and address the issues that arise from this tool.

By Jane Hahn Layout by Ellen Ryu

Innovations in vaccines: The Future of Healthcare

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many hoped for a cure before the disease reached them. With the recent innovation of new vaccines, this once uncontrollable and worrisome disease has become much less prevalent. In 1796, Doctor Edward Jenner created the frst ever vaccine that cured smallpox in many people, and vaccines have only increased in popularity since then, catching the attention of many scientists who sought to continue their improvement. Fresh changes and developments in vaccines are contributing to the future of healthcare. There are many different types of vaccines, including mRNA, or messenger RNA, which was focused on during the recent pandemic. This vaccine was able to slow the spread of COVID-19 because of the various new healthcare expansions that it utilized. As doctors and scientists continue to research new ways to stop viruses, the potential for future vaccines is tremendous, likely making vaccines more accessible and more helpful.

As vaccine technology has expanded, various types of vaccines have emerged. They all serve the same purpose: to prepare one’s immune system to recognize infections in order to fght them more efectively. Of the three most important types, the frst is the live-attenuated vaccine which contains live pathogens, sampled either from a virus or bacteria, that have been weakened or “attenuated,” hence the name. Live-attenuated vaccines have proven to be

very helpful against infuenza and chickenpox, as the immune system often responds well to them. Second, inactivated vaccines, also known as “killed vaccines,” kill or “inactivate” a live pathogen as their method of causing the body to develop immunity. A major advantage of this vaccine is that it is not able to cause disease and can be mass-produced. Lastly, is one that many are familiar with: the messenger RNA vaccine. This is a fairly recent vaccine that has been used against COVID-19. It was rapidly developed by utilizing the genetic code of the pathogen. Shortened to “mRNA,” this vaccine has the ability to teach the body and its immune system how to make a specifc type of protein that is specifc to the virus at hand, making it very futuristic and promising. Each of these three vaccines, all with the potential for great improvement, has helped stop or slow down the spread of disease from one person to another.

At the height of the recent pandemic, many were awaiting the development and release of a vaccine. Now that a vaccine for this disease has been created and proven to work, some were curious about the ability and power of the vaccine against the dreaded coronavirus. While the need for a working vaccine was urgent, the development and approval process for the fnal product was complex for the scientists and ofcials involved due to the time-

consuming initial invention and refnement of the vaccine as well as the trials that followed.

Then, the scientists had to obtain FDA and CDC approval in order to release the vaccine. This is a likely reason why many citizens were worried while waiting for the vaccine. Nevertheless, a working vaccine was developed: the mRNA vaccine. Firstly, the mRNA vaccine showed a favorable and safe profle on animals. This vaccine has been tested against other diseases such as the Zika virus, rabies, and even the common fu. This gave the scientists developing the vaccine confdence that it would protect against the ongoing threat of COVID-19. The vaccine was also very convenient to use and produce, as the manufacturing process was very versatile and rapid that it could be used for other quickly-emerging diseases as well. In addition, the mRNA vaccine is scalable to GMP production. This vaccine has proven to be efective and has helped millions of people after it was released to the public. Many credit this vaccine with helping to slow the fow and regain control of life before the pandemic.

Though many changes have been made to vaccines already, there are still a number of limitations. Scientists are continuously working on and improving vaccines to make them even more efective and are urging citizens to invest in vaccines to further their development. One idea for vaccine innovation is to advance enough in the knowledge and understanding of vaccines to the point where they can be developed in months instead of years. Currently, considering that vaccines used to take years to develop, they are unable to provide quick solutions to unfamiliar and new diseases. Not only this, but scientists

are also hoping to make vaccinations more accessible to those from low-income backgrounds. This would create a safer and healthier society moving forward. Additionally, iris scanning will help make vaccines more inclusive. As the world begins to move beyond animal testing, human infection studies will be used to develop better and improved vaccines. The possibilities are limitless for future innovations that could develop vaccines and greatly improve the healthcare industry.

Vaccines have clearly made a large impact on infected people over the past few decades, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is especially important to invest in vaccines after seeing the helping hand they provided during the height of the disease’s spread. Although many were skeptical, it is hard to argue that the quick innovations that scientists have made in vaccines, particularly the mRNA vaccine, have saved millions of lives. With the many diferent types of vaccines being developed and improved every day, it is only a matter of time before these lifesavers become available to everyone, making healthcare discrimination a much less prevalent issue.

By Grace Lee Layout by Yeonjae Kim

Through the Lenses of a Phone

Celine Yang

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

In today’s world, people are constantly generating new innovations but instead of making physical inventions just like people have done throughout history, innovations are being made online. New apps and websites are constantly being created to enhance productivity such as apps backed up by artifcial intelligence that facilitate quick research and accessibility. Consequently, due to the rapid generation of new technologies and apps, people constantly resort to their devices to rely on new developments that people have created. In order to show the increasing reliability people have on phones in today’s society, I painted a hand reaching up towards a phone, resorting to the productivity and effciency of a phone rather than books. This shows how phones have been developed so much to an extent that it has become the primary resort people rely on for their daily lives.

By Matthew Park Layout by Jason Lee

As the daylight broke in the construction site, a scene of change was seen. Just about 77 years ago, robots were frst introduced to the construction industry. But, none were as signifcant as recent advancements. At the beginning of 1946, automation was frst introduced. It evolved the use of automatic systems for production/manufacturing purposes and adopted a more efcient way of balancing the number of goods produced while decreasing the percentage of workforce devoted. During the 1960s and the 1970s, construction industries started to adopt robotics because of the lack of interest in construction labor. Due to this issue, Japan developed automation and robotics in the construction industries in the 1970s and 1980s which rapidly advanced technology and manufacturing in construction felds. Moreover, enterprises that adopted automation showed more growth increase in productivity than industries that did not embrace automation.

Therefore, automation in construction industries helped industries manufacture goods/services with an increase in productivity and reduction in cost. For example, industries implemented improvements in planning/designing and producing components needed for construction. However, there are many bad things to it as well. Such as the cost of new technology, increase in competition between companies, and collision between workers and enterprises. This automation has many benefts and disadvantages. But because of the benefts of fnance to construction industries, it is much better to implement automation in construction industries.

Such benefts are limitless when construction industries acquire automation. A few benefts are efciency and increase in productivity, fewer safety issues, fewer underpayment issues because of robots, enhanced precision, and the ability to achive tasks that may be imposs-

ible for humans. The three primary benefts/ tasks that automation in construction frst, are prevalent and traditional tasks such as laying bricks on roads. The second task is more focused on production in factories such as 3-D printing of components needed for construction. The fnal task centers more on organization and automation in designing and planning. These procedures take responsibility for detecting issues, and implementing solutions for the ease of architects to make the process more efcient when taken into action. The three main tasks cover the broad benefts of automation in construction industries that help architects/workers to work more productively and easily.

However, it is said that all good things must come to an end. Automation in the construction industry is not always a good thing. Although automation can be good for physical labor, it produces other problems. The frst main problem is the cost of these robots. While the president of these industries does not need to pay for these robots, maintaining the condition and implementing construction robots is a lot of money. For example, even though one purchase a robot, technology improves, eventually forcing people to buy newer and more expensive items to maintain fnances and to compete with other industries. Next, is the worker’s perspective. Although new technology can be implemented, workers are challenged with the system of a mix of humans and robots. And this can cause minor collisions between workers and the company eventually leading to other crises’. The fnal problem is the hierarchy between companies. Because bigger companies have higher investments and more money, they are able to implement new technology and robots. However, medium

or small companies are not able to apply advanced technology because of the lack of money. Because of the contrast between companies, creates better chances for large companies while small companies go broke.

Although difculties might approach, automation in construction industries can be better than in other enterprises. Unlike other industries that can have job loss as a result of implementing automation, construction industries partly do not have to worry about it. For example, even though robots lay bricks, plan, and do many things, workers can be assigned to other jobs regarding physical labor. There can be jobs included such as the maintenance of these robots and taking care of and controlling robots. And these jobs exist such as controlling drones or looking after robots. Also, new technology resulted in a 14 to 15 percent increase in productivity and a 4 to 6 percent cost reduction. Like this, regarding many of the difculties, automation in construction industries is much more benefcial to companies.

Therefore, automation in construction industries helped industries with the manufacture of goods/services with the increase in productivity and reduction in cost. For example, industries implemented improvements in planning/ designing and producing components needed for construction. However, there are many bad things to it as well. Such as the cost of new technology, increase in competition between companies, and collision between workers and enterprises. This automation has many benefts and disadvantages. But because of the benefts of fnance to construction industries, it is much better to implement automation in construction industries.

HOW VIRTUAL REALITY BRINGS COMFORT

Are you afraid of something?

Not just afraid that your mom is going to kill you because you got a D on a test, but the type of fear where you aren’t able to face something. That is a phobia. For example, I have a phobia of dots, which is called trypophobia. Having a phobia can be debilitating and can be detrimental to achieving anything in life, and can often feel impossible to overcome. But researchers at the University of Otago have found a way to help those with phobias overcome their fears. The solution is Virtual Reality (VR). VR is basically a 3D simulated environment in which people can experience things. Through the use of VR, people are now able to attempt and face their fears in a safe environment. Traditional exposure

By Yeonjae Kim

Layout by Haven Cha

therapy is a psychological treatment that allows one to overcome a fear in a controlled ment and is used to treat pho bias. The idea is that when a person has to con stantly face their fear, they gradually be come desensitized to it, and even tually learn to overcome it. Al though it is an effective meth od,

people are deterred by its high prices. Therefore, many have turned their attention to VR as it can simulate a variety of phobias, such as heights, fying, or enclosed spaces at a much cheaper price, but still provide the same results. Unlike normal exposure therapy, the settings are adjustable, allowing the individual to feel calmer and adapt to the environment quickly. For example, someone with a fear of heights can use

to actually ride a roller coaster in order to experience and overcome their fear, the person can simply simulate that experience. VR is effective as it also provides realistic features such as wind or sound effects to help the person cope more easily. When someone is unable to handle another step into a situation, they can simply ask to turn off the simulation, which allows individuals to face their fears at their own pace. Thus, this technology could be a key solution to improving the lifestyles of many. Although many people may imagine VR as a form of entertainment for children, in reality, it actually is helping many people to feel comfort. As VR is much more cost-effective and safer than traditional methods, it is becoming more and more common. VR has benefted the lives of many as they are no longer limited by their fears and can actually experience life to the fullest. Not only does VR help to overcome phobias, but it can be used as a solution for other psychological problems such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or anxiety, which shows its importance in people’s lives. As technology advances everyday, VR may be the solution to many different

Revolutionizing ToiletsHow the Gates Foundation is Tackling the Sanitation Crisis

By Jason Lee Layout by Sophia Park

In the developed world, when a child is su ering from a case of diarrhea, a parent simply takes them to the hospital, provides medication, and waits for the condition to clear up in a week or two. Even if it’s uncomfortable for the child, at this point, the worst is over. Let’s restart this scenario, only this time the child and their parents are in Côte d’Ivoire, a small country in West Africa. Here, as in many other parts of the de veloping world, the situation is very dif ferent. In many villages in Côte D’Ivoire, where toilets siphon o human feces directly into rivers where children play, diarrhea is far more common–and deadly.

For the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this is not a problem that can be tolerated. In much of the Western world, sanitation problems seem like a distant memory–the industrial revolution helped transfer human waste o the city streets and into the pipe infrastructure beneath. And even if a child in the West got diarrhea, a mother would take them to the hospital, give them medicine, and they would get better. For Melinda Gates, a mother herself, the thought of having to bury a child who had succumbed to such a preventable disease was unbearable. And so the Gates Foundation has

let” Challenge in 2011, which aimed to combine the proposed solutions for a cheap, self-sustainable toilet that minimizes biohazardous waste. e initiative sought to nd this solution by o ering research grants to the top three research teams whose toilet designs would be judged by the Foundation. e Foundation and these researchers would then work together to make the proposed toilets a reality, and one that could be legitimately distributed in even the poorest rural towns of Africa like those in Côte d’Ivoire.

e toilet designs that ultimately won this challenge were created by research teams from prestigious schools such as the California Institute of Technology, whose self-contained toilet systems

turned human waste into fuel and useful byproducts like fertilizer and clean water.

e Gates Foundation did not only cooperate with research teams. It also worked with governments, non-governmental organizations, and large private corporations to turn the Gates’ and Kone’s vision into a reality. On top of developing new technologies such as self-contained toilet systems, the Gates Foundation has also sought to promote education on the necessary sanitation

to many of the rst-world readers of this magazine, it’s important to remember that the infrastructure of the developed world is not an accurate representation of the world’s sanitation standards. With millions of children around the world dying each year from completely preventable sanitation-related diseases, the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates’ Foundation’s work outside of the sanitized, bubbling rst-world is incredibly important and, thankfully, seems to be on the right track.

AI ARTIST

Haven Cha

Medium: Digital art (Procreate)

Recently, the issue of consent and plagiarism regarding AI art has been increasingly popular, especially within the art community. However, despite its negative connotation, AI-generated art can have some benefts such as increasing the accessibility and efciency of art. This artwork shows a humanoid robot painting on a canvas while wearing a conventionally painter-like outft, creating a contrast between the modern look of the robot and the traditional look of the canvas and apron.

Voice Assistants: A Massive Leap in Accessibility

By Russell Jin Layout by Jason Lee

Most people do not find much use in virtual voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Bixby. When one gains access to a new voice assistant, there is usually a surface-level curiosity (perhaps one will ask it for a joke or two), and then it promptly falls out of use for an average person. However, voice assistants are much more versatile and helpful than they seem; in fact, the invention of voice assistants has been crucial to accessibility.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 26% of adults in the United States live with some form of physical disability. For these people, life has drastically improved since Apple introduced Siri along with the iPhone 4S back in 2011. The new technology was polarizing, with some people seeing the potential in the nascent technology and others criticizing it for security risks. In the coming years, Google followed suit with Google Now, along with Microsoft and Amazon who launched their own versions of virtual voice assistants, Cortana and Alexa. Now, after the introduction of several more voice assistants, the technology has become ubiquitous. This begs the question: who actually benefits from this technology? Well, it does not take long to see that voice assistants facilitate independent living.

Jamison Hill’s life was normal. Until suddenly, it was not. One day he was walking around, talking, eating, and going about his life like everyone else; the next day, he was bedridden, and had lost the ability to speak or eat solid food. Hill was battling myalgic encephalomyelitis, a disease that mainly impairs the body’s metabolic functions. After contracting the disease, he began using Siri for virtually everything he did. He claimed in a Mic article that he “had it play soothing music when [he] was laid up in bed,” “used it to call a family member,” and “even used it to research [his] disease when [he] was first diagnosed.” Essentially, it has helped him to conveniently perform basic tasks, enabling him to move beyond his current physical limitations.

Virtual voice assistants have also had a profound e ect on a 19-year-old Michigan resident Robbie Ivey. Robbie su ers from duchenne muscular dystrophy, which means he only has control of his eyes, head, and right thumb. Before utilizing Google’s voice technology, Robbie’s family was in a bind; every few hours, someone would have to readjust Robbie’s sleeping position to prevent sores or infections. This left him and his mother incredibly sleep-deprived. However, after consulting with retired tech engineer

Bill Weis, the problem was finally solved. Weis found a way to automate the process using voice assistants and gradually began to revolutionize Robbie’s life. From turning on the fan to calling his friends, he could now use Google’s voice assistant to do many tasks independently. Robbie Ivey’s experience with voice-assisted devices vividly illustrates how they can improve one’s life for the better.

One potential drawback of this technolgy is that it is ine ective for those who have lost their voice. Going back, Jamison started to realize that his perpetual use of voice to conduct daily activities made him slowly lose his ability to speak. This meant that every time he called Siri for help, he could only mumble an unintelligible, quiet phrase. While this problem is mostly fixed with the ability to use text commands, it remains a drawback of voice

assistants. In addition, privacy concerns remain. The Guardian puts Amazon’s Echo Dot under scrutiny, recounting cases where people have found their Echo Dot malfunctioning and “regurgitating requests to book train tickets for journeys they had already made and to record TV shows they had already watched.” This goes to show that although voice assistants have been extremely helpful, they should still be used with caution.

In conclusion, voice assistants are revolutionary because they provide an unprecedented amount of control, convenience, and independence to people with some sort of disabilities. Although there are drawbacks to using this technology, it continues to help people all around the world; from adjusting beds to playing music, voice assistants can do it all.

Genetically Modifed Foods

By Michael Byun Layout by Sophia Park

There is a common misconception that GM foods are bad for many reasons; some say that they are unnatural and others say that they are potentially dangerous. However, this is not necessarily true. GM foods, or genetically modi ed foods, refer to all foods that were genetically modi ed through human intervention–popular examples include corn and soybeans. Genetic engineering involves changing the genetic makeup of speci c foods by adding genomes of di erent organisms to bring out desirable traits. Unlike the popular beliefs stated before, many positive products can come from genetic engineering like the papaya. Even though GM foods are viewed negatively by a large portion of society, GM foods have positively a ected society by lessening diseases, increasing e ciency, and providing more desirable foods for consumer markets.

Firstly, GM foods have positively a ected society by reducing diseases. e genetic engineering of GM foods has allowed the removal of speci c diseases that many crops were vulnerable to. A famous example from the National Library of Medicine is how Hawaii’s papaya industry was saved from the ringspot virus. e virus originally caused massive damage to the industry because it created spots on the fruit and stopped its reproduction. When farmers used pesticides to stop the pests from spreading the disease, the virus developed resistance to them. Fortunately, genetic engineering provided a

solution by making the papaya resistant to the virus. Currently, 80 percent of the industry’s papayas are genetically modi ed since there is no other way to control the disease from spreading. Without genetic engineering, the industry would have collapsed, many jobs would have been lost, and shortage of papayas would have been inevitable.

Next, GM foods positively a ect society because they o er more e cient ways of farming. Traditional farming is much more time and energy-consuming because of all the problems with pesticides and herbicides. However, this is not the case when farming genetically engineered crops. e FDA states that GM foods naturally have pesticides stored in them, thus farmers bene t from saving money for pesticides and producing healthier products. e plant’s resistance to these chemicals is bene cial; for example, plants like cotton that have similar con guration as weeds would die immediately upon spraying hebicides. However, if the plant was genetically modi ed, then farmers would be able to use herbicides to control the weeds while keeping

cottons intact. As an added bene t, if farmers use herbicides, it reduces the need for tilling the soil, which improves soil health and reduces soil erosion and the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Lastly, GM foods are bene cial to society because they o er more diverse and desirable foods to the market, reducing waste as a result. Many fruits and vegetables we currently consume were not the same centuries or even decades ago. A famous example from GMO answers is the pink pineapple. e pink pineapple is genetically modi ed to taste sweeter than an ordinary yellow pineapple. Its pink color also attracts many consumers’ attention as it is unique, and that is just one example of foods that were brought to the market through genetic engineering. Another famous example is the Arctic apple. Many consumers buy apples and throw them out because they believe the browning of the apple means that they are spoiled, although this isn’t true. Harvard states that approximately 40 percent of apples are wasted because of this misconception. e genomes from the Arctic apple stop the process of apple browning, leading to more desirable products for the consumers and ultimately the reduction of

food waste.

In conclusion, GM foods positively a ect society because they prevent diseases, bring e cient ways of farming, and create foods that are more desirable to consumer markets. Although some might still argue that GM foods have the potential for misuse, as long as its production is strictly regulated we can ensure the safe application of genetic modi cation. Thus, it is crucial for individuals to recognize the potential of genetic engineering and explore its constructive utilization, given its demonstrated e cacy in various contexts.

A “ZOOM” INTO THE PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE MEETINGS

By Lucy Jang | Layout by Haven Cha

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, it has brought many challenges to the world. From continuous days of quarantine to not being able to attend school and work in person, people have had to find new ways to continue living their lives through this barrier. Online meetings such as Zoom and Google Meet have greatly assisted in connecting people through screens during these di cult times.

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of online meetings has grown vastly. These platforms have helped people continue their education, work, and communication with others in their own chairs at home. During the pandemic, weeks and even months of quarantine were implemented

worldwide, but online meetings fortunately prevented a full halt on important processes including school and work. Platforms that allowed people to gather and communicate with each other in a virtual environment prevented many from losing their jobs or missing out on their education.

For example, online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet o er a variety of features such as screen sharing, which allows users to share presentations, educational materials, and other resources with other meeting participants. Participants can also interact in the online space by chatting, raising hands, and using emojis to communicate their emotions silently through the screen.

Furthermore, online meetings include many other interactive features such as online whiteboards with drawing tools, and virtual backgrounds for users who prefer not to show their home backgrounds.

Online meetings have provided great convenience for running classes and work meetings during the pandemic. The screen-sharing function has allowed students and workers to view and share materials without the need to physically print them out, thus conserving paper and reducing the need for physical note-taking. With just a few clicks, the host and other participants can share links to pdf files, websites, and more through the chat feature, just as they would hand out physical copies of materials in person. Online meetings also save an abundance of time for many workers, as it allows people to join the meeting whenever, wherever.

However, the prevalent use of online meetings has also brought a severe digital divide, as not everyone has access to ast Wi-

Fi and digital devices required to participate in these meetings. For those without access to these resources, online meetings have caused inconvenience when it comes to working and learning at home.

In conclusion, with its many advantages and features, online meeting platforms have been a tremendous innovation to technology especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online meetings have prevented education and jobs from all over the world from coming to a halt due to the virus, and have enabled many to continue communicating not only as individuals, but as groups and as a community.

crispr. crispr. crispr.

Sopheen Lee

Medium: Digital art (Procreate)

The rise of CRISPR has come to the world’s attention since 2012 and has caused many debates surrounding the topic of ethics. Is it good? Is it bad? Though it may cause incredibly adverse effects on society if used in inappropriate ways, CRISPR is one possible solution to diseases that are incurable. Hence in this artwork, a hand with an ivy is shown.

The other hand is embraced with a watch, representing the ticking time of mindless decisions. The background is purposefully a dark color to highlight the dark sides of CRISPR while also bringing attention to the pastel-colored DNA, bringing a sense of positivity.

Wonderbag—The Frugal Slow Cooker

By Austin Chung Layout by Jason Lee

Samira tearfully shares her family situation: “I have ten children and the oldest one is twelve years old. ey are still so young and they need to be fed properly in order to grow. We have a small farm that we grow vegetables in, but for a long time it has not been enough to feed all twelve members of the family. And now with such high prices for water, we can’t a ord to grow anything.”

Citizens in many developing countries such as Samira are su ering the consequences of starvation and poverty. While people in developed countries such as the US and Korea worry about school and careers, those in poverty worry about their next source of food. One new piece of technology, wonderbags, may help alleviate this issue. ere are many suggested solutions to world hunger. Biologists advise the use of genetically modi ed organisms to increase the nutritional value and yield of crops from a certain area. For example, most corn found in stores has already been genetically modi ed to taste better, last longer, and provide more nutrition to the body. Other crops, such as tomatoes, grapes, and other fruits and vegetables have also gone through the same process. e other, more voluntary and interactive solution is to participate in organizations that help poor families.

UNICEF, CARE International, and Oxfam International are all prime examples. ese methods have all encouraged underdeveloped countries to become advanced societies; however, even as support increases, there don’t seem to be enough

resources to fully revitalize their economies.

According to the World Health Organization, 828 million people were su ering from poverty in 2021, and despite constant technological development, these numbers continue to rise. Yet, another possible solution has risen from the mist in the form of an ordinary cloth bag. Wonderbags, a slow cooking pot that uses minimal energy, may not sound like a big deal. However, although it may not completely save everyone from the e ects of hunger, it will take us one great step closer.

GMOs have the risk of eliminating similar crops with lower relative tness, and some people, though not con rmed, argue that consuming genetically modi ed crops lead to shorter lifespan and sometimes cancer. Citizens residing in countries with relatively high GDP per capita o en don’t have the capability to donate to poor countries, as they must work tirelessly to secure their own socioeconomic status. is renders the organizations promoting support for the poor as ine cient. Unlike the previously suggested methods, wonderbags do not have scienti c complications when utilizing the product, and are relatively cheaper, allowing access from poorer countries. Wonderbag’s low energy consumption allows families easy access to delicious, safe to eat food. Instead of using money for energy, the country may use the additional nancial resources to obtain better farming equipment and practices, so food no longer has to be a problem in terms of development.

Wonderbags could open up opportuni-

ties that haven’t existed before, and unlike our past e orts, there is no nancial boundary separating our helping hands from theirs. And although there is no de ned answer for whether or not wonderbags are the solution we seek, poor countries, who

have su ered from instability and chaos caused by starvation, can face tomorrow with new horizons and a brighter future.

How Will the Innovation of Green

Hydrogen Impact Modern Society?

Due to its potential in reducing carbon emissions as a substitute for fossil fuels, green hydrogen is a useful technological advancement. Green hydrogen is created through the process of electrolysis, which separates water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable power. In contrast to other processes that rely on fossil fuels to produce hydrogen, this approach emits no carbon.

The impact of green hydrogen on our lives today is signifcant. One benefcial factor of green hydrogen gasses is that they may be used as versatile energy carriers. Green hydrogen has several applications, including transportation, industrial processes, and renewable energy storage.

Presently, most vehicles are powered by either diesel or gasoline, both of which release hazardous chemicals that aggravate air pollution and contribute to worsening climate change. To prevent this spread of harmful emissions, people can use green hydrogen to fuel cell electric vehicles, which are automobiles that convert green hydrogen into electricity. Also, these automobiles are quieter than standard carbon-using vehicles, making them more suitable for urban environments.

There are many benefcial factors of green hydrogen gasses that have a signifcant impact on life today. Green hydrogen gasses are able to be used to store energy that is produced from wind and solar energy. Where there is a low supply of

energy, green hydrogen gasses can provide a signifcant amount of energy. More benefts of green hydrogen gasses include the ability to power electrical buildings such as apartments and more. This factor makes green hydrogen gasses an alternative that people can use in order to prevent using fossil fuels which are detrimental to the environment. Furthermore, green hydrogen gasses have the ability to power electrical buildings because of this factor. This makes greenhouse gasses an excellent alternative to using fossil fuels due to their detrimental efect on the environment.

But, one problem is that green hydrogen gasses are very expensive to produce. As a result, they are not widely used. Poor economies cannot aford these products and cannot use the full potential of green hydrogen gases. One solution scientists are thinking of is to put more time into researching and developing a cheaper solution to making greenhouse gasses.

To summarize, green hydrogen is still having a huge impact on our environment. Green hydrogen gasses currently have the potential to develop a safer and more secure environment. Some negatives can be accomplished by increasing renewable energy sources, developing a cheaper solution, and inventing more efective procedures. If scientists are able to accomplish all these solutions we are able to imagine a safer and more sustainable environment in the future.

By Colin Ryu

Layout by Jason Lee

BOARD

President: Paul Moon

Vice President: Junseo Lee

Vice President: Eric Cho

Writing Editor: Jason Baek

Writing Editor: Jaslyne Tam

Layout Editor: Ellen Ryu

Layout Editor: Sophia Park

Art Editor: Celine Yang

Joshua Lee

Sopheen Lee

Jason Lee

Russell Jin

Colin Powell

Yeonjae Kim

Austin Chung

Grace Lee

Lucy Jang

WRITERS

Jason Shin

Everlyn Chong

Michael Byun

Collin Ryu

William Park

Matthew Park

Jane Hahn

Colin Ryu

LAYOUT

Haven Cha

Yeonjae Kim

Jason Lee

ART

Haven Cha

Sopheen Lee