In this blog post, we’ll explore from a scientific and philosophical perspective whether genes determine human behavior, or whether we can reject them with our free will.   Many science and engineering students have read or heard of the world-famous book The Selfish Gene by Clinton Richard Dawkins. In this book, the author explains evolution from the perspective of genes rather than...

In this blog post, we explore whether we can control the forces of nature with the technology we develop out of curiosity.   Humans have wielded the powerful weapon of curiosity to create countless new technologies, and as a result, human technological progress has been the fastest in recent hundreds of years in human history. From this perspective, curiosity is the most influential emotion...

In this blog post, we explore whether AI will replace human creativity or collaborate with it to build a better future.   An AI system that made headlines March 2016 was a hot month for Go and artificial intelligence, thanks to AlphaGo, an AI system developed by Google DeepMind. AlphaGo won four out of five matches against Lee Sedol 9, a result that many professional Go players predicted...

In this blog post, we’ll demystify the science behind the spiral bubbles you see in the ocean in the summer.   September is halfway over, but the midday weather in South Korea is still as hot as it was in the summer. With temperatures in the low 30s for days on end, office workers and students may be taking solace in the fact that their minds are reminiscing about their vacations last...

In this blog post, we take a look at the current state of gene editing technology and the ethical and social challenges it poses.   Since the discovery of the existence of genes, attempts to edit them have been ongoing. The first conceptualization of genes occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and scientific efforts to understand their role and how they work have been ongoing...

In this blog post, we’ll explore the various studies and debates about whether human intelligence is determined by genetics or shaped by environment and learning.   Introduction With the mapping of the human genome and advances in biotechnology, it seems that the secrets of our genes have been somewhat unlocked. With the growing interest in biotechnology, there is a view that the quest...

In this blog post, we consider whether we are blindly trusting medical technology, and whether the trust between patients and doctors can sometimes be dangerous.   It’s a convenient and safe world these days. If you’re sick, you can walk into your local doctor’s office and get a diagnosis and prescription in no time. You only have to walk down the street to realize that...

In this blog post, we’ll explain in simple terms why a fan breeze makes ice cream melt faster and the heat transfer principle behind it.   It’s a hot summer day, and your sister takes an ice cream cone out of the freezer that she bought at the convenience store in front of your house. It’s a blissful chunk that makes you forget about the heat for a while. As you sit in...

In this blog post, we’ll explore why APs are a key component in electronics and continue to evolve to increase computational performance and power efficiency.   AP stands for Application Processor and is literally the “brain” of an electronic device, where all logic operations are based. It’s a key component that can have a big impact on a device’s performance, power...

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the causes of the Sewol ferry disaster, safety issues, and how we can improve to prevent similar tragedies in the future.   The Sewol ferry disaster happened a long time ago and left many Koreans grieving. It was not just a disaster, but a tragedy that left deep scars on Korean society. Since the accident, the truth has been slow to emerge, and...