In this blog post, I’d like to reflect on my life-changing immersion experience and share some of the values and accomplishments I’ve gained along the way. In life, many of our values, or what we think we want to be, are shaped by how we see others living their lives. We learn from the way people around us deal with the world, and sometimes we use them as role models to find...
Electricity is a key energy source for modern society. We explore how our lives and industries would change if we lost electricity. Imagine that one day your home suddenly loses power. First, it’s very dark because the lights don’t turn on. Your refrigerator is no longer working and can no longer keep the food inside cold. You’d have to hurry to eat your food or move it...
This blog post explores the issues of safety, ethical dilemmas, and accident liability as self-driving cars become commercially available from different perspectives. Introduction If you look at car commercials these days, you’re likely to see some form of artificial intelligence. Self-driving cars are already on the verge of commercialization, so much so that the U.S. Department of...
This blog post explores the complex relationship between science, religion, and evolutionary theory by exploring how Darwin’s theory of evolution challenges the conventional wisdom of creationism and genetic selection. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness!” says the Bible (Genesis 1:26). Before Darwin’s theory of evolution, people believed that humans were created...
BioMEMS technology enables human-machine interaction, with the potential to revolutionize future healthcare and industry. Surrounded by hundreds of Smith agents, Nio summons all his strength. After soaring through the agents, Nio breathes a sigh of relief and enters a secluded alleyway. The sound of a phone ringing echoes through the alley. Picking up the receiver, Nio feels dizzy and...
This blog post explains the altruistic behavior of bees through the kin selection hypothesis, exploring how they seek genetic advantage within their colony. Readers may have seen TV documentaries or read about bee colonies and the life cycle of bees in books. Bees do not lay eggs themselves, but spend their lives doing chores to help the queen lay eggs. How do we explain this highly...
This blog post presents a tipping point for a sustainable future through new energy systems and technological innovation. It is often said that the world is in an “economic crisis”. The evidence is that many companies are failing, unemployment is rising, and many people and even countries are drowning in debt. However, there is another economic crisis that we should be concerned about...
This blog post explores altruistic behavior in humans and animals through the relationship between favors and reciprocity. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is a proverb that probably everyone in South Korea has heard at least once. We’ve all encountered situations in our daily lives that fit this adage. For example, taking a friend’s eraser when they lose theirs is an...
The P-NP problem is a challenge in math and computer science, but could it hold the key to solving complex real-world problems? The Backpack Problem and the P-NP Conundrum A thief enters a jewelry store, looks around, and briefly ponders. “As much as I’d like to take all the jewelry with me, there’s a limit to how much weight my bag can hold. What gems should I fill the bag...
Explores the ethical, social, and ecological implications of the development and commercialization of positive genetic engineering on humanity, discussing its potential risks and side effects. Genetic engineering is a term we hear often, but it’s difficult to define exactly what it is. Genetic engineering is the science of manipulating an individual’s genetic makeup or genotype...