Today people are dazzled by the rapid technological development. Such great achievements tremendously enhance our life. However, they bring a series of problems as well, especially ethical issues. How to balance between science and ethics becomes a puzzle faced by scientists.
Researchers now can decode some brain activities through brain image scan. Though the ability to analyze and predict the brain information is limited now, its potential capability, maybe in the near future, can be very powerful. This technique can be applied in the criminal investigation, study of brain disorders and even education. Yet the abuses of this technology are a huge concern because of the ethical issues along with it. The technology may be used for intrusions on people’s privacy. It can retrieve the information from someone’s brain without his/her willingness or permission. The technology is also likely to be used to test children’s potential. Obviously this will cause discrimination if the child is found not talented.
To minimize these negative effects, an explicit regulation should be set up. First, the access needs to be restricted. Only people having specialization in the brain scan can access the technology. It will guarantee the prediction of brain scan accurate and reliable. Second, the application of the brain scan should be limited. It can only be operated under close supervision. This ensures only the information legally permitted will be retrieved from the brain image.
The technology is developing every day. However, how to utilize the technology wisely is more important than make it more powerful. After all, the human beings ourselves are the ultimate concern.
2008年11月9日星期日
2008年10月11日星期六
The difficulties in writing in engineering classes
Writing in engineering classes is very different from writing individual journals or other personal reflections. When writing an essay or a laboratory report, I have two problems, namely the vocabulary and the tone.
First, since the essay is for academic purpose, it requires a series of academic vocabulary to build up this sense. For instance, it is better to use “procedure” rather than “step” in a lab report. When I write an academic essay, sometimes I forgot to focus on the selection of vocabulary. The essay becomes informal. Though it does not affect readers to get the meaning, it shows less professionalism in engineering. To resolve this problem, I need to read more academic essays and other reading material to extend the vocabulary. At the same time, I have to apply these words consciously in writing process.
Second, it is important to notice the tone in writing an essay. Academic essay usually requires an objective tone to state the fact. In other words, emotional and personal words are discouraged in writing an academic essay. In addition, the passive voice also has a more objective sense than active voice. When I am doing my laboratory report, at a few times I use “I”, ”me”. These words are showing a strong subjective feeling to the readers. The report will be less objective and professional. To avoid this problem, I need to revise the essay or the laboratory report after finishing it, to check if these words appear in the essay.
All in all, writing a good academic essay in engineering class is not easy; it needs a lot of reading as well as frequent practice.
First, since the essay is for academic purpose, it requires a series of academic vocabulary to build up this sense. For instance, it is better to use “procedure” rather than “step” in a lab report. When I write an academic essay, sometimes I forgot to focus on the selection of vocabulary. The essay becomes informal. Though it does not affect readers to get the meaning, it shows less professionalism in engineering. To resolve this problem, I need to read more academic essays and other reading material to extend the vocabulary. At the same time, I have to apply these words consciously in writing process.
Second, it is important to notice the tone in writing an essay. Academic essay usually requires an objective tone to state the fact. In other words, emotional and personal words are discouraged in writing an academic essay. In addition, the passive voice also has a more objective sense than active voice. When I am doing my laboratory report, at a few times I use “I”, ”me”. These words are showing a strong subjective feeling to the readers. The report will be less objective and professional. To avoid this problem, I need to revise the essay or the laboratory report after finishing it, to check if these words appear in the essay.
All in all, writing a good academic essay in engineering class is not easy; it needs a lot of reading as well as frequent practice.
2008年9月28日星期日
China forging ahead with carbon capture
It is considered as a great accomplishment for china’s first carbon capture. Huaneng, the company running it, sells its carbon dioxide to beverage firms. This carbon dioxide is subsequently added into drinks for creating more bubbles.
Huaneng’s method to capture carbon is utilizing solvents to resolve the carbon dioxide emitted from coal combustion. This methodology can be applied to the most power stations, which are coal-fired. Excluding the expense on constructions, this technology enables the companies cover the operation cost by earning profit from sales to beverage supplier.
However, ascribed to high cost of the carbon capture and storage, this technology for globally reducing carbon dioxide emission is still restricted. China now is catching up for its late coming for carbon capture and storage and playing an important part. Facilities for carbon capture and storage are set up quickly, because of Olympics coming. Besides, Huaneng receives technical support from other countries but refuses the financial offer because researchers think the independence is crucial for further development of this project.
There are still some challenges countered during the project. The Solvent can be improved to prevent itself evaporating away when it is heated in order to release the carbon dioxide. Besides, when other power stations emit fuel gases which contain more impurities, the technology of this carbon capture and storage need to be modified. It is essential to join the post-combustion capture and integrated gasification combined cycle these two processing technology together. China has spent considerable money on it, but till now there is no this kind of facilities introduced in China.
Huaneng now is seeking for potential partner for future carbon storage, but no exact result is released. Due to large carbon dioxide emission, low-cost facilities and latest technology embraced, China is now expected to be the world leader in carbon capture and storage.
Source: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/September/11090801.asp
Huaneng’s method to capture carbon is utilizing solvents to resolve the carbon dioxide emitted from coal combustion. This methodology can be applied to the most power stations, which are coal-fired. Excluding the expense on constructions, this technology enables the companies cover the operation cost by earning profit from sales to beverage supplier.
However, ascribed to high cost of the carbon capture and storage, this technology for globally reducing carbon dioxide emission is still restricted. China now is catching up for its late coming for carbon capture and storage and playing an important part. Facilities for carbon capture and storage are set up quickly, because of Olympics coming. Besides, Huaneng receives technical support from other countries but refuses the financial offer because researchers think the independence is crucial for further development of this project.
There are still some challenges countered during the project. The Solvent can be improved to prevent itself evaporating away when it is heated in order to release the carbon dioxide. Besides, when other power stations emit fuel gases which contain more impurities, the technology of this carbon capture and storage need to be modified. It is essential to join the post-combustion capture and integrated gasification combined cycle these two processing technology together. China has spent considerable money on it, but till now there is no this kind of facilities introduced in China.
Huaneng now is seeking for potential partner for future carbon storage, but no exact result is released. Due to large carbon dioxide emission, low-cost facilities and latest technology embraced, China is now expected to be the world leader in carbon capture and storage.
Source: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/September/11090801.asp
2008年9月14日星期日
The use of articles
One of the most common grammar mistakes is the misuse of articles. Articles can be divided into two groups. One is definite article, the, and the other is indefinite, a and an. One type of mistake is using the wrong article. For instance, “I am the student”. The sentence is wrong because here student only refers to a general concept of job. Thus the correct one should be “I am a student”. Another type of mistake is misusing a and an. an is only used before vowel sounds. Take note that it is vowel sounds but not vowel letters. For instance, the two correct sentences should be “It is an unusual book” and “The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning”, though both articles are before letter u. The other one is omission of articles, or called zero article. Articles are not added before names of nationalities, sports and academic subjects. However, some phrases need articles. For example, when we talk about playing a specific musical instrument, the should be used before the noun.
Here is an exercise for article use.
Fill in the blanks with a, an, the or zero article.
Japan will have to prepare for its eventual destiny as ____”10-percent country” compared to China – one-tenth its size, one-tenth its economy and one-tenth its influence, says management consultant Kenichi Ohmae.
He said yesterday this could happen in just 10 to 20 years’ time, as China was now making its rise to economic dominance in _____region.
It was ____ unstoppable development, he added, given China’s new economic structure and _____inexhaustible people.
He noted, however, that most Japanese he spoke to had difficulty accepting ____ idea of Japan becoming ____ “peripheral country” to China.
What Japan risks by denying ____ trend is to lose out even to other Asian economies which have no qualms at all about utilizing ____ Chinese hinterland to maintain their economic competitiveness.
He added it was critical that ____ Japanese be able to shed their psychological baggage, such as their view of themselves as belonging to _____ world’s second largest economy, so that they can move forward.
He slammed ____ Japanese leaders for looking away from ____ crisis ____ country is facing and propping up ____ economy by keeping people in uncompetitive industries using _____ taxpayers’ money.
Here is an exercise for article use.
Fill in the blanks with a, an, the or zero article.
Japan will have to prepare for its eventual destiny as ____”10-percent country” compared to China – one-tenth its size, one-tenth its economy and one-tenth its influence, says management consultant Kenichi Ohmae.
He said yesterday this could happen in just 10 to 20 years’ time, as China was now making its rise to economic dominance in _____region.
It was ____ unstoppable development, he added, given China’s new economic structure and _____inexhaustible people.
He noted, however, that most Japanese he spoke to had difficulty accepting ____ idea of Japan becoming ____ “peripheral country” to China.
What Japan risks by denying ____ trend is to lose out even to other Asian economies which have no qualms at all about utilizing ____ Chinese hinterland to maintain their economic competitiveness.
He added it was critical that ____ Japanese be able to shed their psychological baggage, such as their view of themselves as belonging to _____ world’s second largest economy, so that they can move forward.
He slammed ____ Japanese leaders for looking away from ____ crisis ____ country is facing and propping up ____ economy by keeping people in uncompetitive industries using _____ taxpayers’ money.
2008年8月21日星期四
The Most Important Challenge for Engineering
Improving public understanding of engineering is very essential to engineers. On one hand, good public knowledge of engineering helps new technologies propagate more widely. That is what engineers expect to see. Ordinary people usually have no specific idea about what exactly a new technology is. Taking nanotechnology as an example, according to the national survey in America (Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, 2007), when asked whether people will purchase food enhanced with nanotechnology, 62 percent of respondents say they need more information before they make a decision. The lack of professional information and knowledge for public impedes the widespread adoption of new technologies among the majority of the society. On the other hand, a general public support can bring the prosperity of engineering since engineers require considerable funds for various research and development. For instance, from the latest news on Channel Newsasia (Hoe, 2008), Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University launches S$20 million for intensifying its engineering, half from Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Fund and the other from the government. This is mainly attributed to people’s understanding as well as government’s support. Full popular awareness of engineering greatly affirms people’s faith in developing engineering and its underlying science. In short, engineering needs individual’s concern and support for its popularization
References
Hoe, Yeen Nie (2008, August 19). NTU Launches S$20m Fund To Boost Engineering Expertise. Channel Newsasia. Retrieved August 20, 2008,from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/369715/1/.html
Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (2007, September 26). Public Awareness Of Nanotechnology Stuck At Low Level, According To Polls. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2007/09/070925081413.htm.
References
Hoe, Yeen Nie (2008, August 19). NTU Launches S$20m Fund To Boost Engineering Expertise. Channel Newsasia. Retrieved August 20, 2008,from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/369715/1/.html
Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (2007, September 26). Public Awareness Of Nanotechnology Stuck At Low Level, According To Polls. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2007/09/070925081413.htm.
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