STEAM Magazine - Summer 2023 Issue

WELCOME

Welcome to Issue 6 of the Steam Magazine.

I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the Students from Year 7 to Sixth Form who have generously shared their exceptional talents and ideas for this publication. I want to give special recognition to Asan, who played an immensely important role as the Student Editor, skilfully consolidating the significant ideas contributed by our team. Stepping into the role of Teacher Advisor this April, I am humbled by the incredible work that has already been accomplished. I am truly honoured to be a part of this remarkable community. Enjoy this issue, and let us continue to inspire one another with our collective brilliance!

SUDBURY FIELDS - JOHN LYON SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDS (PICTURE BY PITCHCARE)

DESIGNED BY PUPILS.WRITTEN BY PUPILS.

MS.W CHAN

TEACHER OF CHEMISTRY

Hello and welcome to the sixth issue of The John Lyon School’s STEAM Magazine!

Since our last issue, there have been numerous changes and advances in the wide-ranging field of STEAM, and these are shown in the array topics that students have picked to write about. It is fascinating to read about the way in which mathematics presents itself in everyday life yet goes unseen without close attention. I find that this notion of there always being something we cannot see that goes on in the background fascinating, and it’s even more fascinating when you discover what it is. This harks back to our fundamental understanding of the world as we know it, on an atomic level, and that there is more to everything we see around us and that if you go further, there will always be new things to be found. This idea also relates well to another article, written exceptionally well for a boy in year 7, I might add, about the science of glass making, and the precision that goes into producing what is in effect, a chemical work of art.

A hearty congratulations to the school’s VEX Robotics team for their remarkable performance at what was their debut international competition in Texas, and for wining The Lovelace Division Innovation Award, as well as coming sixth in the UK! This is a remarkable achievement and all of us as a school are immensely proud of the team’s achievements, and we look forward to further successes!

I would also like to welcome Ms Chan to the School’s Chemistry Department and to the STEAM Magazine team! Her help with the magazine has been invaluable and I look forward to working with her for the future issues of the magazine. I will also add that my appointment as Deputy Head of School is not going to impact my commitment to the magazine and I look forward to editing over the next year!

My own “article” is, in effect, an academic essay of sorts. I have introduced this as an encouragement to all of you to explore something in depth, and for those of you further up in the school to attempt something purely academic in the way that you would when writing an HPQ/EPQ or even a university level paper.

I would like to thank all of the boys who contributed to the magazine for being so dedicated and hardworking, and I wish you all a wonderful summer break after what has been a long and trying year and look forward to seeing you all in the autumn!

With compliments,

Asan (L6QAC)

The Editor

Stet Fortuna Domus

HOW IS MATHEMATICS USED INAI?

TEJ C - 8AJM

I

NTRODUCTION- WHAT IS AI & WHO MADE IT?

In this article, I am going to be exploring the uses of mathematics in Artificial Intelligence. However, before understanding the mathematical side of AI, it is important to know the history of AI and some key terms and important figures, along with what AI actually is. Artificial intelligence, also known as AI, is the study of making computers articulate human-like intelligence. The first major moment in the history of AI is when Alan Turning first coined the term “Artificial Intelligence” in a paper published around 1950, then leading to the production of the ‘Turning Test.’ This was a test to see if computers had some sort of human-like intelligence. The computers were put under a series of trials to see if they could come up with human-like responses to certain questions. However, the integrity of these trials has been questioned following the making of a more modern form of AI called ‘ChatGPT’. Another key moment in the history of AI was the Dartmouth conference in 1965. This was when mathematicians and scientists John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon had a 6 weeklong conference to discuss the agenda of the creation of AI, stating that they wanted computers to articulate thoughts using language and speech.

THE USE OF LINEAR ALGEBRA IN AI

In the broader field of Artificial Intelligence, maths is essential in order for AI to function. There are three main aspects of math in AI. Firstly, we have linear algebra. Linear algebra is the idea of getting columns of numbers and applying arithmetic to them, to create more columns, and then transferring them onto a graph. In AI, Linear Algebra is used to organize data, analyse data, and process data.

For example, linear algebra helps us organize data so it is easier to perform calculations on it. It does this organizing all the data into rows and columns. These rows and columns are called Matrices. Another example is that linear algebra allows AI to combine and transform data, therefore allowing it to make predictions of said data. It does this by turning the data into tensors (a type of relationship between numbers) and then finding out the pattern between all the numbers, then going on to make a prediction based on the data given. The final example is that linear algebra also helps analyse and process images and words so that we can understand them. It does this by converting the data into vectors and then applying these vectors onto the screen, creating images. It then also uses word embedment to give meaning to words and to help us understand them using vectors.

THE USE OF CALCULUS IN AI

The second branch of mathematics used in AI is called Calculus. Calculus is the study of the rate of change. The discipline of calculus is split into 2 subjects. Differential calculus (the one used in AI), and integral calculus. But how is this used in AI? Well, calculus is used in AI to try and perfect the model of AI, and to try and get it as similar as possible to the blueprint of the AI. The equation used to do this is called gradient descent. It is performed by using random parameter values of the model of AI and finding the gradient of the values, adjusting the values to try and get it to match up with the gradient determined in the blueprint of the AI. After finding out the outcome of the equation, the answer can be used to find the parameters that need to be changed, thus leading to lowering the loss function (a number used in calculus to show how bad the model of AI is compared to the blueprint). This same kind or formula is used for AI to find out the information it needs to know in order to answer questions, but this depends on whether it is a learning model of AI or not.

THE USE OF PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS IN AI

The final discipline of mathematics used in AI is probability and statistics. It is used in AI in many ways, including in data analysis, learning and Natural language processing, referred to as NLP. To begin with, probability is used in AI through data analysis. The branch of math is used to help AI understand data and to summarise it, to help produce short yet informative answers. It does this by using an area of statistics called descriptive statistics. It is performed by finding out the average of a data set (summarising the data), and then finding out how widespread the data is. AI will then use probability to find insights and correlations between the data. The second way that probability and statistics are used in AI is in allowing it to develop and learn new content. This is important so that AI can answer more questions, making it more of a useful tool. Probability and statistics do this in AI through a mathematical theorem called Bayesian inference. It allows AI to learn by combining the systems prior stored data and multiplying it with observed data found online. It does this using an equation called the Bayes theorem. This allows the AI to learn more about sets

of data and make more informed outcomes. Thirdly, probability and statistics are used in AI to help process language, AI being a natural language processer. This is also to help translations from other languages. Mathematics does this by allowing AI to assign probabilities to certain words, thus leading to AI choosing the words with the highest probabilities of matching up to the first language as the outcome. For example, if you were translating from English to French and you asked AI to do it for you, it would scour the web, assigning probabilities to each of the words in French to match up with the English text, forming the French translation. This is how Probability and statistics is used in AI.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, mathematics is important in the field of artificial intelligence as it is used so much in the creation of AI, by using three main branches of maths, Linear algebra, Calculus and Probability and statistics. These areas of math are essential for AI to work, from creating the actual model of AI, to allowing AI to come up with informative outcomes. Knowing the importance of mathematics in AI is a useful skill as technology and AI will have a strong space in the future, but perhaps even sooner! It’s also important to reflect on the complex history of AI systems in the first place, and how AI was not invented in a day, and is still being improved, even in today’s modern and advancing 21st century.

REFERENCE LIST:

Artificial Intelligence Stack Exchange. (n.d.). Artificial Intelligence Stack Exchange. [online] Available at: https:// ai.stackexchange.com/.

Britannica (2023). Encyclopedia Britannica.

In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https:// www.britannica.com/.

Freecodecamp.org. (2014). Learn to code | freeCodeCamp.org. [online] Available at: https:// www.freecodecamp.org/.

javatpoint (2011). Tutorials - Javatpoint. [online] www.javatpoint.com. Available at: https:// www.javatpoint.com/.

Medium (2018). Medium. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/.

Towards Data Science. (2019). Towards Data Science [online] Available at: https://towardsdatascience.com/.

www.hackterms.com. (n.d.). Hackterms. [online]

Available at: https://www.hackterms.com/ [Accessed 30 Jun. 2023].

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE AND THE GOLDEN RATIO

ERIC Z - 9AHJ

The Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio. Two things I bet you have heard mentioned or spoken about between our sixth formers, but have any of you ever really understood what they meant or how important these two concepts are in our everyday life?

Some people are under the impression that they were made by a man called Leonardo Fibonacci, but this is actually wrong. It was first formulated by a mathematician in India called Virahanaka. Fibonacci was related to it only after he introduced it to the western world 600 years after it was originally conceptualized in 1202. It was in a book he published for tradespeople designed to help them with arithmetic and to track profits, losses etc.

But what exactly is the Fibonacci sequence? Well, it begins at one, and you get the next number by adding the previous two numbers together, being 0 and 1, to make 1. The sequence goes like this; 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13. This is a form of arithmetic sequence. Before explaining what the Golden Ratio is, I would also like to mention the formula for finding a term in a sequence; A+(n-1) d. a is the starting term and d is the difference between each term and n is the which term you want to find.

The golden ratio is the quotient, or product, of the division of two successive numbers in the sequence, such as 2 and 1, or 5 and 3, which always equal to a number approximate to the golden ratio, which is 1.618……

The bigger the numbers being divided, the closer the number is to the golden ratio. The golden ratio is sometimes also represented with the Greek letter phi or ϕ. The ratio can also be exactly represented as ϕ = (1+√5) / 2. Notice the slight resemblance between the two formulas. It is the golden ratio, however, that has piqued the interest of so many mathematicians and scientists.

There are many natural and wild phenomena which have almost no apparent explanation. For example, the number of petals on a flower follow the Fibonacci sequence and, in a beehive, if you divide the number of female bees by male, you will get a number around 1.618. You will also probably have seen the famous golden spiral in which the growth factor has an inexplicable link to, you guessed it, 1.618. As you can see in the image, the golden ratio helps form a perfect spiral in the nautilus shell which may be familiar. The Nautilus seashell is a perfect example in which nature obeys the laws of the golden ratio. The golden ratio also applies to many other things, and you’d be surprised how wide reaching it is.

In the music I am listening to right now while I’m writing this, the golden ratio could be applied to it. Mozart made his sonatas so that the number of bars in the second part of his piece, or the development divided by the number of bars in the first part of the piece, or the exposition, would equal 1.618.

This has reached architecture as well, and it’s said that buildings that follow the golden ratio look more appealing to the human eye, with ancient buildings that were made thousands of years ago, including The Great Pyramid of Giza and even The Parthenon in Athens. This just goes to show how important the ratio was to humans even before we really knew what it was. Really quite a remarkable system that has been ingrained in our brains from the very beginning.

Yet another way in which the golden ratio has reached us, a medium that many of you will recognize, art. Not only in any painting,

but most interestingly, the Mona Lisa. It is said that the Golden ratio is used to help give her the inescapable grasp that she has on her viewers and gives the look in her eyes that makes it look like she is following you. Another observation of note I’d like to mention is that people who have a closer representation of the golden ratio in their faces are considered more beautiful than those who do not.

To come to a conclusive thought, I think that this is a very underexplored topic that I personally think should be researched into much more, as it has so much potential and as you can deduce features immensely in our lives and in the end has affected all of us at one point or another in life, whether you notice it or not. In the meantime, I hope you will all stay curious and ask questions, and I look forward to featuring in the next issue!

References

Bartlett, C. (2018). Nautilus Spirals and the Meta-Golden Ratio Chi. Nexus Network Journal, 21(3), pp.641–656. doi:https:// doi.org/10.1007/s00004-018-0419-3.

carla-pinkney (2022). Great Music and the Fibonacci Sequence. [online] Carla J. Pinkney. Available at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/stor-istudent-sites/carla-pinkney/2022/02/14/greatmusic-and-the-fibonacci-sequence/#:~:text=It% 20transpires%20that%20Mozart% 20arranged.

Esposito, E. (2018). The Golden Ratio - What it is and How to Use it in Design. [online] www.invisionapp.com. Available at: https:// www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/golden-ratiodesigners/.

Kuepper, J. (2022). Fibonacci and the Golden Ratio: Technical Analysis to Unlock Markets. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https:// www.investopedia.com/articles/ technical/04/033104.asp#:~:text=The% 20golden%20ratio%20is%20derived%20by% 20dividing%20each%20number%20of.

The VRC Team at The VEX Robotics World Championship

HEMANG K - 10RMC

For the first time ever, The John Lyon School entered a team into the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) and have already been highly successful by qualifying for The VEX Robotics World Championship, winning Tournament Champion twice and winning the Innovate award at 2 different competitions among other awards. VRC is a step up from VEX IQ, where there are 2 alliances composed of 2 robots created using metal, where they each compete in a 12’x12’ field. The object of this year’s game, “Spin Up”, was to attain a higher score than the opposing alliance by scoring disks in goals, owning rollers and covering field tiles at the end of a match. Teams must overcome high-level engineering challenges and, as you can imagine, designing, building and programming a robot from scratch is quite the task.

The John Lyon VRC Team comprising of Tarun N, Rafay R, Yash S and Hemang K, had a great and insightful time in Dallas, USA for the VEX Robotics World Championship. Competing against world-class teams, meeting new people, and most importantly learning new skills equipping us for the future. The JLS VRC team finishes the season on a high by being in the Top 3 for Combined Skills in the whole of the UK our first year of competition, and 2nd in the Autonomous Skills category.

Qualification matches flew by and with our resilience, JL Artax ended the competition with many highs and lows and ranked 2nd out of the UK Teams in Skills and ranked top 50 worldwide with more than 500 teams at the competition itself, which is an impressive feat given that we are competing against many long established and well-experienced teams.

Overall, this has been a life-changing experience for us, and we look forward to our future endeavours and would like to thank Dr Weinberg, Mr du Plessis and Mr Malhotra for their unwavering support throughout our journey.

Snippet Of Code (Written

Not only that, but the team also competed against people across the globe in the Worldwide Online Challenges, where they achieved 1st place for their Reverse Engineering report where they disassemble an electronic device and analysed its components in greater detail which won them a spot to Worlds but also a total of $600 in vouchers. We were also highly successful at the UK National Championship where we won the Innovate award which also won us a spot in the World Championship which was a dream come true for the team after countless hours of hard work while balancing academics at a pivotal time of Secondary Education.

It all started on Wednesday 26th May, early morning when we met at London Heathrow for the outbound flight to Dallas. The team was full of excitement, mixed with nerves for the competition ahead. A largely empty flight meant we could stretch our legs and enjoy our 10-hour leg to America. Furthermore, to add to the pressure, the airline had missed one of our bags which contained a pneumatic reservoir, which was a crucial component of our robot, and we were scrambling to find replacements as the competition was the next day, but to our luck, it arrived just in time before we left for the venue.

(Written in PROS C++) on Visual Studio Code

VEX IQ Team’s Reflections on The VEX Robotics World Championships

AMEYA B - 9AHJ

John Lyon’s VEX IQ Robotics team was founded in October 2022. Comprising of 4 team members; Alexander W, Aarav D, Sulayman O, and Ameya B. All of us are passionate about engineering, the team has invested hours and hours to build an outstanding award-winning robot, writing code to drive it and scrupulously documenting this engineering journey. The team has had impressive successes in their first season; winning several awards at regional competitions which led to the team qualifying for the VEX IQ UK National Championship in Telford. At the National Championships, the team acquired the prestigious Amaze Award for building one of the very best robots in the UK. We were ranked 3rd in the UK in the robot skills category and 4 teamwork matches, outcompeting long established teams. Given all our hard work, we were incredibly pleased and excited to qualify for the World Championships in Dallas, Texas, the largest robotics competition in the world!

Participating in the Vex Worlds Championships was a dream come true for the team after countless hours of work and toil. The competition lived up to our expectations of it and the team learnt an enormous amount about engineering and coding. We also learnt key life skills like having resilience under pressure, especially when we had challenges with our robot, as well as being able to persuasively negotiate, to collaborate, work well as a team, and to persevere in the face of tough competition. We learnt a great deal from the other teams while also supporting others on their engineering journey at the competition. We learnt to navigate language barriers and communicated in the universal language of engineering with our alliance partners! At the end of an exciting competition with many highs and lows and lots of learning along the way, JL Discovery was proud to rank second out of 20 UK teams at the end of the World Competition, impressive, I'm sure you’ll all agree, given we were competing against other well established and experienced teams, but shows just how well you can do at anything if you put your

The team is already looking ahead to the next season, and we have big ambitions for our new robots. If you can sponsor the team and support our continued success in the 2023 2024 season along with the opportunity to have your logo on the team's competition kit and materials, please do get in touch with Dr Weinberg or visit the teams GoFundMe page -jl-discovery

were in at the liquid state.

Hence the transition from liquid to solid is defined transition. Having said all this, however, what scientists have now realized is that whenever the method settle in distinct positions; and this changes the characteristics of the glass as well such as its clarity, strength and even its density.

marbles in a biscuit tin layer by layer. If the crystal. If you were to now shake the tin, places and perhaps not be able to return to their original places, this would be like the

On the face of it, glass making seems quite simple. You heat sand, lime, and soda ash, all at a remarkably high temperature, and rapidly is key to making glass as this avoids crystallization. Crystallization is the process

glass making process. They were determined to learn how to use the purest materials, and to discover what ideal combinations and ratios were needed to achieve different qualities of glass. Over time, Murano glass became highly coveted all over Europe for its clarity and strength.

that create a net like or lattice frame. This Considering the fact that there are so many factors that play a critical role in the making of glass, such as the elements mixed with molten sand is then cooled to control the vocation. Indeed, for many centuries, glass makers were forbidden from sharing their skill and knowledge with the disclosure of this information being punishable by death

The Venetians had famously mastered the sole aim was to master and perfect the

In fact, for 1,500 years the Romans were the flag bearers of the glass making process, and it was through their dominance over large territories that led knowledge about glass making to proliferate through the rest of Europe. The main reason as to why scientists are interested in glass lies in its atomic structure. The perplexity around glass’ atomic structure comes from the fact that its atoms are disordered, compared with a crystal; and yet in many ways glass shares several characteristics with crystals. Now, glass has atoms of various elements including metals, silicon, and sodium, as well as non-metals like oxygen. So, where on the one hand you have a crystal such as quartz, as found in sand, which has pyramid shaped particles all held together in a lattice, glass particles are all arranged in a disorderly manner, much like the arrangement of a liquid, only it glass is solid.

What is more, is that whenever a new substance is added while making glass, its particles all arrange themselves up in a disorderly but different manner. This is important to know because glass is never really made of pure sand, and when you add other substances to it, such as soda ash, or if the process of cooling molten sand is varied, the resulting glass would have very different properties. This haphazard rearranging of particles when glass is made makes it exceedingly difficult to predict the type of glass that would result from making slight changes to this complex process. In fact, often, glass when prepared is exposed to heat again.

This heat changes the arrangement of the particles of the glass and causes improvement in its density and clarity. The same cannot be said of other materials whose chemical properties such as density do not change simply because it is being heated.

Glass is so fascinating that it has spread through the whole spectrum of human life. It is an everyday good but, in a sense, and in some forms, it is also a luxury good. Several types of glass can be made to cater for its many purposes in our world. Soda is added to it to bring down its melting point and make it easier and cheaper to manufacture. Lime can be added to make it stronger, and alumina is added to improve its other mechanical properties.

Initially, when the Romans made glass, it would turn out to be brownish green due to the impurities in the sand. Nonetheless, they would blow the glass into bottle-like shapes to store their wine, as the transparency allowed them to appreciate the wine and the non-reactive nature of the glass did not interfere with the taste of the wine. Over time, as glassmaking techniques were refined, glass of greater clarity began to be manufactured. This led to glass makers understanding that different impurities in sand such as iron, manganese, copper, and chromium for example affected the colour of the glass. It is at this juncture that we see the advent of stained-glass windows.

Another key factor in the use of glass is its transparency, as this tells us a lot about the effect of light on glass. It is remarkably interesting that, despite being a solid, glass allows for light to pass through. The transparency of glass too is due to the structure of its molecules and how they are arranged. All physical light will pass through transparent glass. Newton used a glass prism to refract, being the bending of light, white light and separate it into its various colour components; and this was critical to our understanding of the nature of white light.

Light in free space travels at an extremely high speed. 300 million meters per second. But, once it enters a solid, it must get through that dense material, which is not free space anymore, and so its speed slows down. When the light passes through the solid it moves the solid’s electrons around. So, the denser the solid, the slower the light will pass through it. Glass makers would put a heavy metal such as barium into the glass to increase its density. This would really slow the light down. Long ago, this was what led to the invention of flint glasses which were used in the first microscopes.

By the end of the fourteenth century, glass making techniques had come along far enough for glass to be used for lenses in spectacles. Optical glass was used to make concave and convex lenses to correct long and short sightedness. Similarly, optical lenses were used on the two ends of a telescope; concave on one end and convex on the other. Early telescopes were used by pioneers such as Galileo and Tycho Brahe, both of whom sourced the glass for their optical lenses from Murano, made discoveries with this that changed the human understanding of our planet and indeed of our solar system.

Glass used for making contact lenses and fiberglass are made

from substances called polymers. Polymers are long chain molecules. One of the characteristics of polymer glass is that it will never crystallize, meaning that its particles will not have a regular lattice like structure, no matter how slowly the molten sand mixture is cooled down. The slow cooling allows the glassmakers to control the density and weight of the glass.

Today, glass is at the heart of research and development in the production of electricity. Electricity was discovered in the eighteenth century by rubbing glass on wool and causing electrons to move around. This created a static charge on the glass which would remain there. A glass spike would then be used to take that charge from the charged glass elsewhere. Electricity could then be transported and stored in a large glass sphere. Semiconductor glass, for example, came about using the same principle. They conduct electricity in light (but not in the dark). This Is the technology used inside photocopying machines.

Something we all know about glass is that it breaks. Its amorphous nature does not allow its atoms and molecules to move from their haphazard positions in which they have been frozen into when the glass transitioned from molten sand to its solid state. This makes glass very brittle and that's why a small crack in the glass will travel through the whole piece.

Regardless of how elusive this ancient material is to scientists; its strange and unpredictable properties are being exploited to drive research and development into the use of glass to further develop optical fibres and to use glass for generating electricity. This shows just how far we still have to go to refine and perfect the beautiful phenomenon that is glass.

Reference list

Curtin, C. (2007). Fact or Fiction?: Glass Is a (Supercooled) Liquid. [online] Scientific American. Available at: https:// www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-fiction-glass-liquid/.

Doremus, R.H. (1994). Glass Science. Wiley-Interscience.

Douglas, R.W. and Frank, S. (1972). A History of Glassmaking. G T Foulis & Co LTD.

George Washington Morey (1954). The Properties of Glass. Reinhold Publishing Corp.

Hussain Kanchwala (2019). How is Glass Made? [online] Science ABC. Available at: https://www.scienceabc.com/innovation/how-is-glassmade.html

Magazine, S. and PLACEHOLDER, R.A. (2021). A Brief Scientific History of Glass. [online] Smithsonian Magazine. Available at: https:// www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-brief-scientific-history-ofglass-180979117/.

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE

NIAM S - 7CJC

As technology continues to evolve, the way we travel evolves with it. People already use Auto Parking to park their cars, but that’s not even the beginning. From Electric Cars to Autonomous Driving, there are so many innovations in this field that may very well reshape our world as we know it.

Ten years ago, we could never have imagined a car that could drive itself. Autonomous and Self Driving vehicles are exactly that. Now, you can just sit in the back and just tell the car where you want to go. Although Self Driving cars are not legal in the UK just yet, they could be by the end of the year. In several states in the USA, self-driving cars are legal if licensed. Most states have published laws in relation to these cars given the significant increase in their numbers out on the roads. Autonomous cars use Sensors, Cameras, GPS, and much more advanced technology to navigate roads safely. Hopefully one day you will be able to get in the car, and it will take you where you need to be. So far, autonomous vehicle accidents have been recorded at a slightly lower rate compared with conventional cars, an average of 4.7 accidents per million miles driven.

There is also lots of Car Technology already in place that helps your daily life while driving your car. CarPlay and Android Auto are common software in cars to connect your phone directly to your car so you can accept calls, messages, play music and more. Cars also have technology which works using hand gestures, like moving your hand around your dashboard. For example, in a BMW you can now use hand gestures in front of your rear-view mirror to adjust the volume or go to the next track.

Now, everyone knows how Petrol and Diesel ruin the planet, So, the UK government have decided to cease production of combustion engine cars by 2035. This will help the earth and prevent future generations from having to worry about the earth being destroyed.

As we all know, the world of travel is evolving quickly, not just to help our day-to-day life, but also to help the planet. From Electric Vehicles that reduce carbon footprint to simpler technology like the advancement of solar panels. So now you must think, what does the future of car travel look like even further down the line? As well as AI (Artificial Intelligence) guiding our current model of cars, it is predicted that by 2050 cars will be fully autonomous and electric. They will be shaped into a smooth pod that can change colour with a tap of an app. It will have a built-in mattress and no driver’s seat. These cars can be fully voice operated or left for AI. One only must have a look at the new Mercedes Concept Car, the Vision AVTR for a taste of what is to come.

In the future we could also see flying cars. These could be in our skies sooner than you think. Aska debuted its first flying car prototype in 2019, costing a whopping $789 000. Lots to look forward too, fasten your seat belts and get ready to drive into the future!

Reference list

Criddle, C. (2021). ‘Self-driving’ cars to be allowed on UK roads this year. BBC News. [online] 28 Apr. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology56906145.

https://www.facebook.com/lifewire (2019). Are SelfDriving Cars Legal in Your State? [online] Lifewire. Available at: https://www.lifewire.com/are-self-drivingcars-legal-4587765.

VentureBeat. (2023). Aska A5 is a flying electric car that can take off vertically. [online] Available at: https:// venturebeat.com/business/aska-a5-is-a-flying-electric-car -that-can-take-off-vertically/ [Accessed 4 Jun. 2023].

STARSHIP TEST LAUNCH

LEX F - 10SCA

On the 20th of April, Starship was launched from the SpaceX star base in Texas. It was the first full system test flight for the superheavy booster and Starship stack. This rocket was 120m tall with a 9m diameter, and when fully operational this rocket should be able to send up to 150 tonnes of mass into low Earth. The ability to send large payloads into space will be essential for future exploration and settlements on the Moon and Mars. Unfortunately, the flight had to be terminated before stage separation, but SpaceX claim they gathered useful data from the flight. I have investigated the details of the launch, what went wrong and how SpaceX plan to move forward.

Two seconds before the launch the first engine start up happened. Having 33 engines in the booster means that the engines must be ignited in sections and run on low power whilst it held down by clamps until all the engines are on and the rocket can launch. This could be seen in the launch as the cloud of smoke slowly gets larger as more of the engines turn on. Five seconds after launch the rocket lifted off the launch pad as the engines are moved to full throttle. Three of the engines failed to start, which nearly caused the mission control to abort because if one more engine had failed the rocket wouldn’t have been able to launch. As the rocket lifted off, debris flew out in all directions, including up towards the rocket and during the launch, the rocket tilted at an angle due to the three engines that weren’t running. Around 30 seconds after the launch there were a few small explosions at the base of the rocket, which was the hydraulic pressure unit exploding, meaning that the rocket could no longer steer itself as the hydraulics are used in the thrust vector to control the system which allows the engines in the centre of the cluster to rotate in any direction by up to 30 degrees .

Starship is not aerodynamically stable on its own as the grid fins on the super heavy booster are permanently extended. As they are in the middle of the rocket and not at the bottom, this causes instability which we saw when the rocket spun out of control as the thrust vector control system could no longer keep the rocket stable. As the rocket continued its flight, more of the engines shut down and uneven jets of fire could be seen. However, Starship was still able to reach “Max Q”, which is the point when the most aerodynamic pressure is put on the rocket. This happened at around 13km, as this was when it was travelling the fastest before the atmosphere becomes thinner and less force is imposed on the rocket. About 90 seconds after launch, ¼ of the engines were off, which made it exceedingly difficult for the rocket to remain flying and the backup fluid for the gimballing system had run out, which meant the rocket couldn’t keep itself stable or be steered anymore. This is why the rocket started to spin out of control and did many flips before exploding. The spin should not have happened at all because the Flight Termination System (FTS) was activated as soon as the rocket started its first flip. The FTS works by exploding holes into the side of the

fuel tanks with explosive charges, however, this didn’t happen with Starship as could be seen by the jets of gas coming out of the side of the rocket while it didn’t explode. It took between 30 seconds and 1 minute for the booster to explode and the upper stage followed shortly afterwards.

When the rocket was put to full throttle at launch, the engines started digging a hole through the reinforced concrete, which caused excessive amounts of pressure to build up and caused a large quantity of debris to be launched outward. The effects of the launch could be seen 10km away in Port Isabel and the problems with the launch caused great damage to the equipment at the launch site. This was not expected as a static fire test at half throttle did very little damage to the launch pad, so they thought it would be able to withstand the launch. It is likely that the flying debris during the launch caused damage to the rocket which could be a reason as to why the hydraulics failed, and the engines started to burn themselves out, though, this has not been confirmed.

For most launches there is a combination of high-pressure water and a flame diverter which allows the exhaust to go out of the side of the launch pad. The water cools the exhaust and reduces sonic vibrations which in turn reduces damage to the delicate cargo going to space. However, this would be hard to do at the Texas location as it as at sea level so a flame diverter would fill with water. SpaceX is developing a water-cooled steel plate which would launch high pressured jets of water out of holes in the plate to reduce vibrations for the next launch, and which should be able to withstand the Starship booster. For the next launch of Starship there will also be a newer booster which has an electric gimbal system instead of the hydraulic one so it shouldn’t break next time.

This launch failure shows just how important the minute details are and, I hope, has been a lesson for SpaceX to learn from, because as important as the successes are in science, advancement comes from the mistakes as well, and what we learn from them!

Reference List:

Amos, J. (2023). SpaceX Starship: Elon Musk’s big rocket explodes on test flight. BBC News. [online] 20 Apr. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scienceenvironment-65334810

SpaceX (2021). Starship. [online] SpaceX. Available at: https://www.spacex.com/ vehicles/starship/

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Starship Flight Test. [online] Available at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1wcilQ58hI

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). The 2023 Starship Orbital Launch Update Is Here! [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V20JZkxKZrA [Accessed 5 Jun. 2023].

A SERIOUS EPIDEMIC -VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

Why is Vitamin D important for the body?

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. Its main role is to promote the fortification of bones and teeth by helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from your diet. Vitamin D also supports immune system function, contributes to muscle strength, and plays a role in cell growth and division. Sufficient levels of vitamin D have been linked to a reduced risk of certain diseases, including osteoporosis, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

What are good sources of Vitamin D?

There are lots of good sources of vitamin D, but the very best is sunlight. This is because your body can naturally produce vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Certain foods can be high in vitamin D, such as fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as dairy products like milk and yogurt. Other sources include egg yolks, fortified cereals, and some variants of mushrooms.

How much vitamin D do you need?

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D varies by age. For infants, being 0-12 months, it is recommended to have 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day. For children, ages1-18 years, the recommended intake is also 400 IU. Adults aged 19-70 require 600-800 IU, while adults above 70 years should aim for around 800 IU. Individual needs may vary, and it's always best to consult a healthcare professional for personalised advice on specific dosage.

Why is Vitamin D Deficiency a serious epidemic in the UK?

Vitamin D deficiency has become a serious epidemic in the UK given its geographical location and limited sunlight exposure, especially during the winter months, make it challenging for people to naturally produce adequate amounts of vitamin D. Additionally, modern lifestyles featuring increased indoor activities and more time spent indoors in general, contribute to reduced sunlight exposure. Furthermore, cultural practices such as wearing clothing that covers most of the body and the widespread use of sunscreen further hinder the body's ability to produce vitamin D. These factors col-

lectively result in the serious epidemic the UK is experiencing with Vitamin D Deficiency.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?

Common symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, and frequent infections. People with low levels of vitamin D may also have a depressed mood, experience hair loss, or have difficulty in wound healing. In severe cases, individuals may develop soft and brittle bones, leading to an increased risk of fractures.

What can you do to avoid vitamin D Deficiency?

You can avoid Vitamin D deficiency by spending time outdoors in sunlight, this can help our bodies produce vitamin D naturally. You should aim for around 10-30 minutes of sun exposure on your face, arms, and legs a few times a week. Also, eating foods rich in vitamin D, such as fatty fish, egg yolks and dairy products, can contribute to meeting the recommended daily intake. For those at a higher risk of deficiency, like people with limited sun exposure or darker skin, considering vitamin D supplements under medical supervision is often beneficial in helping raise Vitamin D levels to the regular levels. Monitoring Vitamin D levels regularly through blood tests can also help ensure adequate levels of Vitamin D.

References:

Gullinka, P. (2023). Vitamin D deficiency: 5 warning signals that your body is deficient in vitamin D. [online] ILLUMINATION. Available at: https://medium.com/ illumination/vitamin-d-deficiency-5-warning-signals-thatyour-body-is-deficient-in-vitamin-d-fba65f3da4a3 [Accessed 1 Jul. 2023].

Mayo Clinic. (2021). Vitamin D. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamind/art-20363792#:~:text=The%20recommended% 20daily%20amount%20of [Accessed 1 Jul. 2023].

ods.od.nih.gov. (n.d.). Office of Dietary SupplementsVitamin D. [online] Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/ factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/ #:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20promotes%20calcium% 20absorption [Accessed 1 Jul. 2023].

MADISAN N - 10SCA

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy, also called atomic energy, as defined by Encyclopaedia Brittanica, is “energy that is released in significant amounts in processes that affect atomic nuclei, the dense cores of atoms.” But what is it really, and why is it important?

Nuclear energy is the energy found in the nucleus of an atom. Atoms are the smallest component of a chemical element that can exist in the universe. These atoms make up all mater in the universe and the nucleus is held together using this energy. The energy in an atom’s nucleus is exceptionally large compared to other energy sources. So large in fact, that it is officially called a “strong force.” In rough figures, if you had 1 kilogram of nuclear fuel, it would produce about 9 million times more energy than 1 kilogram of coal would. Pretty substantial, right?

Nuclear energy’s primary use is in the creation of electricity. However, it first must be released from the atom. This is why in the process of nuclear fission; atoms are split to release their energy.

A power plant consists of a series of machines that control a nuclear fission to produce electricity. For the nuclear reactors to produce nuclear fission, pellets of uranium are needed as fuel. In the power plant, uranium atoms are forced to break part causing them to release many tiny particles called fission particles. Fission particles cause surrounding atoms of uranium to split, causing a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain reaction creates a great amount of heat.

Heat created by the fission is used to warm up the reactor’s cooling agent. A cooling agent consists of water, but certain reactors use liquid metal or molten salt. The cooling agent, which is created from the fission, produces steam. This steam is used to turn turbines or wheels which is used to drive the generators or engines that create the electricity.

Rods of material known as nuclear poison can adjust the level of electricity produced. These nuclear poisons are materials like xenon, which absorbs the products from nuclear fission. The greater number of rods of nuclear poison that are present during the chain reaction, the slower and more controlled the reaction will be. The smaller number of rods, mean a stronger chain and will retain more electricity.

According to The World Nuclear Association, 10% of the world’s power is generated by nuclear power plants, and nuclear power is the world’s second largest source of low-carbon power, being nearly 30%. The United States has over one hundred reactors, even though it creates a vast proportion of its electricity from fossil fuels and hydroelectricity. Nations such as Lithuania, France and Slovakia create 95% of their electricity from nuclear power plants.

So, what is the future of nuclear energy? Nuclear reactors use fission to produce energy. However, nuclear energy can also be produced through fusion, which is the joining of atoms together. For example, the sun is constantly undergoing nuclear fusion as hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium. Power plants do not have the capacity to produce energy safely and efficiently from nuclear fusion. It isn’t even clear whether this process will be an option to produce electricity. So what do you think, what is the future of nuclear energy?

References: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2020). Nuclear Energy. [online] Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/ nuclear-energy.

World Nuclear Association (2023). Nuclear Power Today | Nuclear EnergyWorld Nuclear Association. [online] world-nuclear.org. Available at: https://worldnuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-power-in-theworld-today.aspx#:~:text=Nuclear%20energy%20now%20provides%20about% 2010%25%20of%20the.

Galindo, A. (2022). What Is Nuclear Energy? the Science of Nuclear Power. [online] International Atomic Energy Agency. Available at: https://www.iaea.org/ newscenter/news/what-is-nuclear-energy-the-science-of-nuclear-power.

National Geographic (2023). Nuclear energy | National Geographic Society. [online] education.nationalgeographic.org. Available at: https:// education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nuclear-energy/.

Nuclear Energy Institute (2000). What Is Nuclear Energy? [online] Nuclear Energy Institute. Available at: https://www.nei.org/fundamentals/what-is-nuclearenergy.

The National Grid (n.d.). What is nuclear energy? | Why is nuclear considered a clean energy? | National Grid Group. [online] www.nationalgrid.com. Available at: https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-nuclear-energy-and-whyit-considered-clean-energy.

JANUSHAN S - 10RMC

Solar energy is, simply put, withdrawing the radiant energy from the sun, and converting the radiant energy into other useful forms of energy like electrical energy or mechanical energy.

At the moment, solar energy is expensive, hard to install, and requires a lot of maintenance. The average price to install solar panels in a 4kw system, being the average system size of a home, is around £5000. For most people this is rather costly and after installations there are high maintenance costs which can absolutely drain money out of people’s pockets. So, what can we do to resolve this problem?

In this article, I will discuss how we can transform planet earth into a more sustainable and greener place by using Solar energy.

Who is For Renewable energy?

Many campaigns around the world are working towards implementing a greener living space. As we see a rise in the effects climate change, we begin to wonder if everything we do is correct. Using petrol and diesel cars is one of the biggest concerns globally. As we transition from combustion engine cars to electric cars, our world begins to get more sustainable. The question on many people’s minds is, can we have a world fully powered by renewable energy resources.

Numerous famous figures like Elon Musk, Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough are for a sustainable planet. Elon Musk, like myself, believes that the planet can be powered by Solar panels. We can use this enormous fusion generator in the sky that is lobbying out vast amounts of energy. Elon musk believes that Solar Energy can power the world many times over, and that all we need is some land and lots of solar panels.

Elon Musk has said that “If you take a nuclear plant and you took its current output and compare that to just taking solar panels and putting solar panels on the area used by the nuclear power plant, the solar panels put on that area would typically generate more power than the nuclear power plant.” After doing some research, I decided to ask myself; can solar panels get more efficient and more powerful? Unfortunately, I don’t think they can. The solar incidents get to a maximum of about 1000 watts per square meter. In basic terms, the photons from the sun hit the electrons, and the electrons

get excited and jump over a gap in the semiconductor and race around to the other side. That is what creates an electric circuit. According to Elon musk, you cannot get solar panels more efficient, and it tops out at around 30% efficiency.

According to a British gas survey, these are the averages for energy usage in households of varied sizes:

Gas and electricity usage Average annual consumption

Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people)

Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people)

High (5-bedroom house / 45 people)

Gas: 8,000 kWh Elec: 1,800 kWh

Gas: 12,000 kWh

Elec: 2,900 kWh

Gas: 17,000 kWh Elec: 4,300 kWh

How many batteries do we need to store the energy?

Taking into consideration the use of batteries, it is important to note that batteries involve the use of nonrenewable energy production. According to data and statistics, we need around 1 square mile of batteries, which isn’t anything compared to the land on earth. This would mean that we would be able to store all of the United States’ energy in these batteries with around 1 square mile’s worth of batteries.

I believe that the use of solar panels will become more prominent in powering the earth and transitioning it to a more renewable and sustainable place, so expect fast development in this field!

References: British Gas Website Gas Usage In The UK www.britishgas.co.uk. (n.d.). What is the average annual gas and electricity bill – British Gas. [online] Available at: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/guides/averagebill.html#:~:text=What%E2%80%99s%20the% 20average%20energy%20bill%20by%20house%20size% 3F.

DYLAN N - 9AHJ

CHATGPT IN THE WORLD OF EDUCATION

AMEYA B - 9AHJ

We all have our opinions on ChatGPT. It’s a massive language model built by Open AI, a research and development company, setup in 2015 with the goal of promoting and developing friendly Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a way that benefits humanity as a whole. Open AI are known for creating DALL-E, a tool that generates realistic or abstract images from text and arguably it’s most famous tool to date is ChatGPT, being one of the leading AI language models in the world, with the ability to generate almost human-like text, perform a wide range of natural language processing tasks, and even generate code. The acronym GPT stands for Generative Pretrained Transformer, which is a method of training an AI. ChatGPT has been hitting the headlines since its launch for its seemingly human-like ability to generate extremely convincing responses to requests such as critiquing and summarising articles, generating convincing sequels for fiction and non-fiction stories, automatically creating social media posts based on criteria you provide and much more. ChatGPT has a seemingly infinite number of uses. Inevitably, headline grabbing articles predicting the demise of various jobs replaced by AI have been splurged across newspapers around the world and educational institutions are contemplating what ChatGPT and its many competitors mean for education in general.

Chat GPT was considered an unprecedented technological revolution when it launched on November 30, 2022. The chatbot model attracted over one million users in under a week, generating widespread interest around the world and sparking a frenzied development of rivals to Chat GPT.

Recently, Google also announced Bard, a chatbot service, and collaborated with the AI startup Anthropic to develop an AI assistant, Claude, to enhance user experience. Microsoft launched a new search engine and Edge browser is incorporating the principles of Chat GPT and plans to integrate it into all its business sectors. In March 2023, Chinese internet giant Baidu completed the internal testing of its product, the ERNIE Bot, and opened it to some users. There is no denying that there is widespread interest in the technology and its wide-ranging uses within the education sector.

The extensive use of ChatGPT and its competitors in education has attracted its fair share of controversy and fierce criticism.

ChatGPT can prove to be a beneficial tool for improving learning outcomes, setting up personalized learning plans and improving efficiency. Professor Bhaskar Vira at the University of Cambridge believes that university students should fully utilize artificial intelligence technology, such as Chat GPT and other new tools, to enhance their learning and better master knowledge of new topics because ChatGPT can analyse students' learning styles to provide them with a personalized learning experience. Student are also able to tailor their lessons to suit their pace of learning in order to understand complex concepts. ChatGPT has also been proven to support students with exam revision and refine their understanding of key concepts. It has also proven to be a good tutor when learning to code or indeed, learn a new language.

Students resorting to Chat GPT to complete assignments will be deemed to be dishonest with problematic outcomes for them in their educational settings. The misuse of ChatGPT in scientific research has also led to widespread concern in the academic community. It is important to note that Chat GPT and its ilk are like a genie in a bottle, the prolific spread of ChatGPT and its rivals and their use in the education sector will continue to increase unchecked. There is no going back. It is tricky to ban it in its entirety in a school or university setting; though an approach considered by many institutions. It is difficult to police and does not face up to the arms race amongst providers of similar AI based tools. However, educators are able to harness its immense power as a learning tool in their classrooms and beyond, though they would need to advise their pupils on encouraging its safe use and the dangers associated with using it.

A recent survey revealed that nearly 90% of American college students use Chat GPT to complete homework tasks, with over half using

the tool for writing papers. Additionally, nearly a quarter of pupils use Chat GPT to generate paper outlines (McGee, 2023).

One view is that instead of restricting students from using AI based tools, it is a far better choice to integrate these tools into the education system, allowing students to learn with and use them in a correct and responsible fashion.

Scientists predict that AI technology will continue to evolve at a rapid pace and be widely applied in fields like personalized learning and virtual classrooms as well as science and technology education, providing students with an efficient, personalized, and comprehensive learning resource. This comprehensive integration of education with technology will change the traditional mode of education forever but may serve to support educators to deliver more effective lessons and help them save time in identifying class resources whilst supporting their students to better adapt to the needs of the future society. It’s important to note that whilst AI based tools may have many advantages, society also needs to adopt self-regulatory mechanisms for technologies such as Chat GPT in order to further improve their safety and future application. At the same time, educators should continue to evolve their evaluation mechanisms to ensure fairness and help them to accurately assess their students’ knowledge levels and abilities (Gordijn and Have, 2023). Another barrier is the divide between those with access to a reliable and fast internet versus those who do not have access to a fast broadband connection. This widens the disadvantage gap even further. Only when we start addressing these areas that further exacerbate the learning gaps on account of financial or location-based disadvantages can we ensure that Chat GPT has a fair, equitable and positive impact on education.

Reference List:

McGee, R. W. (2023). Is Chat Gpt biased against conservatives? An empirical study. doi: 10.2139/ ssrn.4359405

Strowel, A. M. (2023). ChatGPT and generative ai tools: theft of intellectual labour? IIC Int. Rev. Intellect. Prop. Compet. Law 54, 491–494. doi: 10.1007/s40319-023-01321-y

Villasenor, J. (2023). How ChatGPT Can Improve Education, Not Threaten it. [EB/OL] [2023-0514]. Available online at: https:// www.scientficamerican.com/article/ how-chatgptcan~improve-education-not-threaten-it/ (accessed February 10, 2023).

THE ETHICS & MORAL DILEMMA IN TREATING BIPOLAR DISORDER

ASAN A - L6QAC

Neuroethics is, according to Nathan Emmerich, Visiting Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, “The study of the moral case for using medicine to make changes to our personalities, feelings and beliefs.” 1 It’s become an increasingly prevalent topic in relation to treatments of neurological problems and disorders and whether a treatment is ethical or not, whether any treatments have any adverse effects on the patient experiencing treatment. With the significant increase in research activity in neuroscience, driven forward mainly be the success of high-resolution techniques for imaging neural activity. Given this, a rather thought-provoking disorder to explore is bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manicdepressive illness, is, “a mental disorder characterised by recurrent depression or mania with abrupt or gradual onsets and recoveries.” 2 There are several types of bipolar disorder where its manifestations can alternate cyclically between mania and depression, where one mood predominates over the other, or are combined in more severe cases of the disorder. Some examples of the disorder, which encompass the bipolar spectrum, include bipolar I, bipolar II, mixed bipolar and cyclothymia3. It is fairly common, and around 1 in every 100 people will be diagnosed with it at some point in their life4. Bipolar disorder can last for several years in a person, but is more often a lifelong condition, and is most common in ages between 18-35 and its likelihood can be heightened if there is a family history.

It presents itself with a variety of symptoms, which occur in the two phases of the disorder: the manic and depressive phases. In the depressive phase the person can be sad, despondent, fatigued, listless, have a poor appetite and disturbed sleep. In the manic phase the person can be intensely excited, elated, boisterous, distracted, irritable and overly talkative. The most extreme manifestations of these two mood disturbances are, in the manic phase, violence against others and, in the depressive, suicide. In some, bipolar disorder can feature psychotic symptoms like delusions and hallucinations. In most, there is never a genuine manic phase but short bursts of overoptimism and euphoria when recovering from a depression.

The treatments for bipolar disorder involve long-term therapy and regular consultation with medical professionals. The treatment options available are; medicine to prevent episodes of mania and depression – these are known as mood stabilisers, taken every day on a long-term basis, medicine to treat the main symptoms of depression and mania when they happen, learning to recognise the triggers and signs of an episode of depression or mania, psychological treatment – such as talking therapy, which can help deal with depression, and provides advice about how to improve relationships -, lifestyle advice – such as doing regular exercise, planning activities you enjoy that give you a sense of achievement, as well as advice on improving your diet and getting more sleep.5 The neuroethical side of these treatments are more ubiquitous in the medicines given and the psychological treatment.

As Michael J. Ostacher, M.D., M.P.H. puts it, “The complexity of treating bipolar disorder is well known.”6. The most common medicine for treatment is lithium carbonate. It is highly effective in dissipating a manic episode and calming the individual, though its action in this regard can last several weeks and can, in some cases, incapacitate the patient completely while also having possible side-effects like tremors,

nausea, drowsiness and, at higher concentrations, hypothyroidism, convulsions, coma, and death. This is a particular issue because it is unknown how the drug goes about its action. It is unknown how exactly lithium carbonate effects the brain, or indeed how it makes its way there, whether through the endocrine system or the central nervous system, as both are evidently possible routes of access to the brain.

Another form of treatment is psychotherapy, being “any form of treatment for psychological, emotional, or behaviour disorders in which a trained person establishes a relationship with one or several patients for the purpose of modifying or removing existing symptoms and promoting personality growth.” 7 Psychotherapy can be useful for some while being ineffective for others, as observed by MJ Ostacher, which can be ethically problematic for patients who are incapable of making the decisions for their treatment. Ostacher writes in his article, “Ethical Issues in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorders” that “A number of psychotherapies are reasonably well studied in bipolar disorder (and in bipolar II disorder), with high acceptability, but these manualized therapies are limited in their general use, in part because few clinicians are familiar with or trained in their implementation”. This is in part, a failiure from the health services for not being able to train professionals to treat individuals who suffer from the disorder, thus calling into question whether in all cases medication, which as we know often incapacitates patients, is necessary for patients, rather than it being a quick solution to a difficult problem. One may argue that this is part of a deeper rooted and institutionalised problem within health services like the NHS in their hasty and often statistically incorrect judgements and diagnoses, caused mainly due to overwork and the sheer backlog of patients to be seen, thus causing further ethical problems for those who require thorough and systematic treatment.

The last, and perhaps most ethically questionable, method of treatment, is called Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). It is a treatment which involves sending electrical currents through the brain to cause a seizure, inducing a controlled and brief period of unconsciousness. ECT is typically used as a last resort for severe cases of bipolar disorder that have not responded to other treatments. While ECT has shown effectiveness in alleviating symptoms, its use raises significant ethical concerns due to its potential side effects and the invasive nature of the procedure.

One of the main ethical considerations surrounding ECT is the issue of informed consent. Patients undergoing ECT should have a thorough understanding of the treatment, including its potential risks and benefits, as well as alternative treatment options. However, the nature of bipolar disorder, particularly during manic or depressive episodes, can sometimes impair a patient's capacity to provide informed consent. In such cases, decisions regarding ECT may involve the input of family members or legal guardians, further complicating the ethical landscape. Additionally, the potential side effects of ECT raise ethical concerns. Common side effects include temporary memory loss, confusion, and disorientation. While these effects are usually short-term, they can still impact a patient's quality of life and raise questions about the balance between the benefits and harms of the treatment. Long-term cognitive effects of ECT are still not fully understood, and more research is needed to evaluate its safety and potential long-lasting consequences. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the appropriate use of ECT, specifically regarding its administration and dosage. The procedure requires anaesthesia and muscle relaxants to prevent injury during the seizure, and proper monitoring and expertise are essential to ensure patient safety. It is crucial to adhere to established guidelines and protocols to minimize risks and ensure the ethical application of ECT.

Overall, the use of ECT in the treatment of bipolar disorder raises complex ethical dilemmas surrounding informed consent, potential side effects, and the appropriateness of its use

as a treatment option. The decision to pursue ECT should be carefully considered, taking into account the severity of the condition, the availability of alternative treatments, and a thorough assessment of the risks and benefits for each individual patient.

In conclusion, neuroethics plays a significant role in evaluating the ethical dimensions of treatments for bipolar disorder and other neurological conditions. The complexity of bipolar disorder, coupled with the potential risks and benefits of various treatment options, necessitates a thoughtful examination of the moral implications involved. As advancements in neuroscience continue, ongoing discussions and considerations in the field of neuroethics are crucial to ensure that treatments are not only effective but also ethically sound, promoting the well-being and autonomy of individuals with bipolar disorder.

Reference list

Dana Foundation. (2022). Neuroethics: A Focus on Neuroscience Within Society. [online] Available at: https://www.dana.org/ article/what-is-neuroethics/ [Accessed 6 May 2023].

Emmerich, N. (2015). The ethical implications of neuroscience. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at: https:// www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/05/the-ethical-implications-ofneuroscience/.

NHS (2021). Bipolar Disorder. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/bipolar-disorder/ overview/.

Nih.gov. (2020). Neuroethics | Brain Initiative. [online] Available at: https://braininitiative.nih.gov/brain-programs/neuroethics.

Ostacher, M.J. (2019). Ethical Issues in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorders. FOCUS, 17(3), pp.265–268. doi:https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190010.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica (2019). Bipolar disorder. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/bipolar-disorder.

The Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics (n.d.). Neuroethics. [online] www.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk. Available at: https://www practicalethics ox ac uk/neuroethics [Accessed 6 May 2023].

Wikipedia Contributors (2019a). Lithium (medication). [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Lithium_(medication).

1. A day on Venus lasts 234 Earth days.

2. There are about 10 quintillion insects on earth.

3. 37% of the world’s population has never used the internet.

4. Every day people watch about 1 billion hours of YouTube, equivalent in time to 115,000 years.

5. Hawaiian pizza was first made in Canada.

6. Drinking alcohol increases your chance of snoring by 125%.

7. JADES-GS-Z13-0 is the oldest known galaxy, it is 33.6 billion light years away.

8. The human eye can differentiate between 10 million colours.

9. The world's first computer weighed 27 tones and was bult in 1945.

10. The largest gold nugget was found in Australia in 1869 and weighed 66 kilograms, it would be worth $4.35 million today .