In this blog post, we will examine the basic concepts and limitations of the theory of kin selection presented in Richard Dawkins’ ‘The Selfish Gene’, and explore how environmental and historical factors can be used to supplement animal behaviors that are difficult to explain solely through kinship ties. How Is the Theory of Kin Selection Explained? The book ‘The Selfish...
What kind of technology is reverse engineering, and how does it analyze and handle information?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the meaning and characteristics of reverse engineering—a field within computer science—the basic knowledge needed to understand it, and how it’s applied in various fields such as hacking and security. What is reverse engineering? You’ve probably seen recent news stories about the Nonghyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation) being hacked, NateOn...
How did League of Legends grow into a global esports title?
In this blog post, we’ll explore everything from League of Legends’ game genre and features to its launch in South Korea and the process of becoming an esports title, the growth and limitations of its early leagues, and how LOL has established itself as a global esports title as of 2026. What kind of game is League of Legends? “League of Legends” (LoL) is a 5v5 Multiplayer Online Battle...
What is ALS, and what do we know about its causes and treatments?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the definition, symptoms, causes, and treatments of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease—and explore what has been discovered to date. When people hear terms like “incurable disease,” “intractable disease,” or “rare disease,” the number of illnesses that come to mind is likely very limited. Even I, who dreamed of...
How Does Lotte World Tower’s Mega-Column Structure Support a Supertall Building?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the concepts of lateral loads and moment of inertia acting on supertall buildings, and explore how Lotte World Tower resists strong winds and earthquakes through its mega-column structure. Generally, when constructing a building, design considerations for vertical loads caused by gravity are important. However, for super-tall buildings, structural design to...
How do robot aliens analyze the nervous systems of humans?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the structure of the human nervous system and the principles of neural signal transmission from the perspective of the robot race known as the Decepticons, and explore the similarities and differences between the nervous systems of robots and humans. How is the human nervous system structured? The Autobots, a race of robots coexisting with humans on Earth...
How does the small intelligence inside a robot vacuum cleaner clean the house on its own?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the evolution of robot vacuum cleaners and examine how the artificial intelligence technologies incorporated into them—such as obstacle detection, user interaction, indoor positioning, and map-building—enable them to plan and perform cleaning tasks autonomously. Xiaomi, a Chinese company sometimes referred to as “the continent’s mistake,” began selling its...
What conditions must a robot meet to be called human?
In this blog post, we’ll imagine a future where robots are virtually indistinguishable from humans and reflect on the physical, mental, and social conditions necessary for recognizing robots as human, as well as the concept of human dignity. How can we distinguish between humans and robots? About 300,000 years ago, Homo sapiens—the ancestors of modern humans—appeared on Earth. Since then...
To what extent can robots mimic human mental processes?
In this blog post, I’d like to explore the limits of human mental processes and artificial intelligence, and consider whether robots can possess intelligence and emotions similar to those of humans. Humankind has always imagined beings resembling ourselves and sought to create them. This can be seen in various murals and sculptures, and in many stories, imaginary beings are depicted as...
Can robots surpass humans and become the new norm?
In this blog post, I’ll compare human fallibility with robots’ decision-making capabilities and explore whether artificial intelligence and robotics technology have the potential to surpass humans. Not long ago, while conducting a tutoring session on the number of chromosomes in animals, one of my students asked me this question: “Teacher, humans are superior and smarter than any other...