SCIENCE

Artificial Intelligence, AI, challenges conventional learning

What doors will open and where can we go from here?

By Anna Hansard

Over the course of the last several decades, the introduction of newer technologies into a classroom setting, from the calculator to the chromebook, has irreversibly changed the school system. While access to these resources has benefitted students and teachers in many ways, this technology has also had some negative impacts. Though the internet can facilitate learning by providing expansive information about nearly every subject imaginable, it can also make students less involved in their learning process. Students can copy and paste information from a website and claim it as their own without actually learning anything. This type of plagiarism is easy to identify and expose, but through recent advancements in technology, determining such instances of academic dishonesty has become much more challenging.

Students now have access to artificial intelligence capable of doing all of their writing for them in a matter of seconds, needing only a quick prompt to begin writing. Using probability algorithms and information from a carefully-designed, extensive database, AI can write a grammatically and factually impeccable essay in a fraction of the time it would take a human to do by hand. There are still indications of this type of plagiarism, but noticing them takes a considerably larger amount of time, skill, and careful observation. One of the most popular artificial intelligence systems used today is ChatGPT.

Although this technology has existed for several years, the latest model of ChatGPT has only recently become so widely known. Gaining 100 million users within two months of its launch, the ChatGPT app is recorded as the fastest-growing app in the world, and the website gets over 25 million daily visits. To put ChatGPT’s immediate success into perspective, ChatGPT reached 1 million users five days after its release, while larger platforms such as Facebook, Spotify, and Netflix only hit 1 million users after 1-3 years. ChatGPT’s success is an impressive step in terms of artificial intelligence technologies, but it can be used for both good and bad. While artificial intelligence is often used to make work easier in a way that impedes learning, ChatGPT can be used in an educational context in ways that are not academically dishonest.

Students can use AI to brainstorm ideas, receive feedback, or think from another perspective, which could actually help students learn rather than allowing them to cheat. Artificial intelligence generates original responses, meaning that its outputs are not plagiarized. However, users still have to be cautious in order to avoid plagiarism themselves.

It is also important to fact-check the information artificial intelligence produces. Often, natural language processing AI such as ChatGPT produces incorrect information despite presenting it as fact. Only being semi-reliable, ChatGPT can only do so much to help students learn. While many countries have already created legislation to regulate the use of such AI, some countries have been working to develop their own form of the AI, and actually intend to use it as an educational resource for students. While the accessibility of this new technology to students is controversial, it is undeniable that artificial intelligence has a future of progress ahead of it, whether or not it will influence the world of education.

Should Daylight Savings Time Still Be Observed or Has it Become Obsolete?

Controversy continues as some propose change to accommodate modern times

By Ilana Blumenthal

Daylight saving was invented in 1918 for the purpose of saving fuel costs, from the longer daylight, during World War I. European countries started the trend and reported less coal consumption so the United States followed their lead. Furthermore, daylight saving was invented to make time more valuable and useful during the summer months. In 1918 The Standard Time Act was presented to Woodrow Wilson in order to create time zones. That led to Daylight saving becoming implemented in 1966 because of the Uniform Time Act. During this time, states were given the option to abide by daylight saving or choose not to. Only Arizona and parts of Hawaii chose to remain on standard time all year round. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, over 22 states want permanent daylight saving time.

Studies show that daylight savings time, and adjusting the clocks throughout the year, negatively affects people's health. Foremost, the changing of clocks makes people more tired because of the disruption of sleep schedules. During standard time the sun has a diurnal temperature path with its peak at 12. In contrast, daylight savings time skews the sun's peak. The sun rises later and sets later. This leads people to be unable to wake up in the morning because of the darkness and incapable of falling asleep because of the bright sky at night. It takes almost a full week for some to adapt to the new times. Over and above that, the lack of sleep directly affects human’s daily performance. The University of Southern California News explains that daylight saving increases the number of accidents on the road. Additionally, daylight savings time increases the likelihood of a heart attack, especially those who experience heart issues. Ransdell Pierson, a pharmaceutical reporter, conducted a study that proves daylight saving time correlates to a higher risk of a heart attack by 25%.

If there are so many negative effects because of daylight savings time, why do states want it all year round? Making daylight savings time permanent somewhat guarantees lower crime rates. Since the sunlight will seep into the night, some say, people are less likely to commit crimes during the brightness and light of the day. The streets are likely to be active later at night if the sun is still shining. Later daylight can positively affect the economy. If the day is longer people will be more productive even after their workday is done. People go shopping and tend to go out when the days are longer and the night feels young. Can these few pros of daylight savings outweigh the cons?

Overall scientists believe making standard time permanent is more beneficial rather than making daylight savings time all year round.

Rate of Respiratory Illnesses in Children Increases

Hospital beds full up as sickness rates skyrocket

By Alison Palmieri

Throughout the past months, hospitals are seeing a surge in respiratory illnesses in children. Multiple regions of the countries are nearing peak seasonal levels, and hospitals are strained with an influx of patients. Doctors and experts are studying the latest reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to discover the reason behind this rise.

Data collected shows a significant rise in respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV. This is often referred to as a common cold, but it can become a severe disease for children and adults. Detected by PCR tests, RSV cases have more than tripled this fall and winter. With an increase in cases, hospital admissions are skyrocketing. Monica M. Buchanan, senior director of strategic and enterprise communications for Connecticut Children’s Hospital spoke to CNN last October about the rising numbers. She reported that “October has been like never before for this virus.” Hospital leaders met with public health officials to discuss solutions, and create a logistical plan to accommodate extra patients.

Hospital beds were filled to capacity, which Buchanan called an “unprecedented” level. Many of these patients also require more intensive care, and sometimes even oxygen therapy. Many doctors express that there used to be a seasonality to these viruses. They would appear predictably during one season, but begin to fade out as the seasons change. However, researchers are finding that these viruses have become less predictable with the emergence of Covid-19. Dr. Thomas Murray, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Yale, told reporters “What seemed to happen with Covid is that now they’re all circulating at the same time.”

Multiple respiratory viruses are raising concern. These include the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, rhinoviruses, enteroviruses and flu. One potential explanation for this surge in sickness is the effect of Covid-19. After being isolated, some doctors hypothesize that children had low exposure to viruses, which weakened their immune system. The impact of this lack of exposure is being seen now.

Doctors are now advising vaccinations, especially the influenza vaccine for children. The CDC recommends that everyone over 6 months receives the flu vaccine. It is also advised that individuals take the typical steps to avoiding illness, including washing and sanitizing the hands, and getting medical care when symptoms arise. The hope is that this surge in illness is not continuous, and will decrease eventually as people build up immunization. This trend has been seen before, and based on data from past years, it is predicted to go back down. Until then, hospitals and specialists are working hard to accommodate the larger numbers and give patients the best care possible.

Horrific Turkey-Syria Earthquake Kills 60,000

A deadly natural disaster impacts 1.7 million

By Lily Coish

On February 6, 2023 a devastating earthquake struck near the Turkey-Syria border. In the early hours of the morning, residents were awakened by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake. After the largest quake in a century shook the two countries, a series of aftershocks were recorded throughout the day. The largest aftershock, measured 7.5 in magnitude, hit Turkey about nine hours after the initial quake. Tremors were detected in other countries as far away as Lebanon and Israel. This earthquake only complicated matters for Turkey and Syria. It left civilians exposed to the harsh winter conditions, unable to seek shelter. According to the United Nations, “The earthquakes struck as the humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria was already at the highest level since the conflict began, with 4.1 million people relying on humanitarian assistance to subsist.”

After the world heard news of the powerful earthquake, the United Nations reported to the scene immediately. They deployed disaster assessment experts, coordinated search and rescue teams, provided emergency relief, food, medical supplies, thermal blankets, and other life-saving items. The UN also set up shelters throughout Turkey and Syria. Alongside the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO) sent health supplies to reach 400,000 people impacted by the earthquake. Food was delivered to almost 1.7 million people in both countries by the UN World Food Program.

Unfortunately, the death toll quickly climbed to 59,259, 50,783 in Turkey and 8,476 in Syria. Even with the immediate response of 1,000 search and rescue volunteers, it took weeks to comb through the rubble for survivors. According to CNN, “Photos showing the true scale of the disaster emerged as day broke in Turkey. Entire buildings have been flattened, with metal rods scattered across the streets. Cars have toppled over, while bulldozers work to clear the debris.” The Syrian American Medical Society, a medical relief organization, attempted to provide support and aid to civilians. However, many hospitals were destroyed, significantly slowing down their efforts.

Why was this earthquake so powerful and extensive? The region affected by the quake sits on a boundary between multiple tectonic plates. That is where the East Anatolian Fault line is located. After many decades of the plates slowly pulling away in opposing directions, the energy built-up was finally released. According to Live Science, “Once the fault ruptured, the earthquake’s catastrophic impact was magnified by several factors. The East Anatolian Fault snakes under a heavily populated region and Monday’s (Feb. 6th) quake was shallow, at just 11 miles below Earth’s surface. This meant the energy of the quake’s seismic waves hadn’t dissipated much before it began to shake people’s homes.”

As relief efforts continue, it will be difficult for civilians of Turkey and Syria to return to normal life. It will take years of clean-up and rehabilitation before the towns and cities affected are rebuilt. Many residents are urging for their homes and community buildings to be constructed using proactive safety measures to withstand future earthquakes. Unfortunately, this was a learning experience not only for Turkey and Syria, but for the world as well.

New Treatment For Alzheimer's Disease Gives Hope to Millions

Can this treatment save memory going forward?

By Lily Coish

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Lecanemab medication for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease on January 6, 2023. Lecanemab is the second of a new set of medications approved for the disease. The medication targets the fundamental pathophysiology of the disease - an important advancement for victims of Alzheimers.

According to Billy Dunn, M.D., director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, “Alzheimer’s disease immeasurably incapacitates the lives of those who suffer from it and has devastating effects on their loved ones. This treatment option is the latest therapy to target and affect the underlying disease process of Alzheimer’s, instead of only treating the symptoms of the disease.”

The Lecanemab medication was approved via the Accelerated Approval pathway, a program created to allow for earlier approval of drugs that treat serious conditions. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys memory and thinking, causing an individual to forget how to perform simple tasks. The fast progression of this disease proved it was critical for the FDA to approve this medication as soon as possible.

According to Yale Medicine, “Lecanemab works by removing a sticky protein from the brain that is believed to cause Alzheimer’s disease to advance.” Completed studies confirmed the effectiveness of this medication. Yale Medicine reports, “Study participants who received the treatment had a significant reduction in amyloid (protein) burden in imaging tests, usually reaching normal levels by the end of the trial. Participants also showed a 26% slowing of decline in a key secondary measure of cognitive function and a 37% slowing of decline in a measure of daily living compared to the placebo group.”

With the use of this medication, individuals will receive treatment for the cause of Alzheimers rather than for the symptoms.

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