TIT

5{tEl\i([
& TECI-I
5 THINGS TO ltitl(}\,\J i'.i1i{illl lliini.L[
ISSUE llotlerhnologies for the 2lst (enlury Whol Afroid of Big Bod Srienre?

which technologies will I lorv profiis, prophets and power ar.e

come to dominate olu lives? changjng the face of modern sciencc.

ON 2ND THOUGHT ESSAY MAKT{)VER ,{ MAT]IR OF OPINION

Rethink Srience How lo Present Your ldeos (leorly The Amish ilder vs. The (orporole Scienlist

Smash those stereomcs Confused essays? lrst lou| thlead of OLLI writcrs squarc oft: IIas Science
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Whot Winning the lethnologicol Rore? Spotlight: Srience-[irtion vs. Reolity Murh Ado oboutTerh

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on wlto's sprinting ahead ir the race. teach us about Science and society? your clirssroon discussion on tcch

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L:rFcr., '?;F.?&"
$i w Eia
m ffi
#..-.,
ffiffi #.$ffiffi
THT LIGHTBULB. PENICIl- LIN. ATBERT EINSIEIN,
THE SIEAM ENGINE. TtlE PRINTING PRESS. POOR
DEAD DOLLY. FRANl(ENFO ODS. TTOl\lING HITLER.
l(ILLtR R0B0TS.wnaT Do Ar.r THEST HAVI IN ((}MM()N?
They are all clich6s that featrre time and trme
again in General Paper essays all over
Siogapore.
It's nol that thcsc examples of sc;ence are
irrelevant or unworthy of ntention.
It's just that they reflect a prolrensity to
stereotlpe Science. Many students are either
stuck in the imaginary good old days of
genllcmnn scicnlisls ur drir\rr r,,,i"lnl,i rrr
visions of a llture minedbykiller viruses, evil
clones and Terminators.
!i ii i.fi. lr l1!,\,"i ilR,\ tli, ;;i: .., iLrll i
"
TUday s Srience r. shapeJ by politicians.
prcphets and profit-minded shareholders and
- iike everl.thing eise it is inevitably shaped
b1' thc forces ofpolitical, ecoromic and cultural
globalisation.
scientists and historians of science dse the
term "Big Science" to descdbe how science has
, hanged inlo r rrsll) di(erent cr.slurc.ince
world war'I\vo.
1it, utiilat-itli i'ir;\tiiftti\ li ri,,
Editor in chief Shiao Yin Kuik
Subscriptions & Circulation M:rnager Lorain€ Thanr / Sales Manager
Contributing Wtiters (hi WeD Loong, Wong May l-.e
&il
BIU S{lt}i\*t il[il!-[AJtii IIAliY i ! i'!\l:ri,
Big budgets that have led governrrents
to bc the nain patrons of scierce.
Big staff where many scjentists have
to work togcther on one ploject as opposcd
to oDe scienlist flying solo oD hrs pel
proje, r. this lcads lo Jitli, ultt rr
ascertaiDing credit or responsiblility
for scientific cliscoveries loday.
Bi8 machincs rnd Big l borat'rrics
that have become the mainstay ol basic
scientific research like the sequeDcers
used duling the lluman Genone
Project. These {actors forcc scientific
research to be more ceDtraliscd for
cost effectiveness sake and thus becor'ne
less accessible to independent research
scientists.
Today's Science can l)e intensely competitive,
remarkably powerful, ter bly clitist and not
alualo a. objcctire:rs ue vrorrld beliere.
Delnand a Broader Perspe<tive. It
Yee Tong
 H()T
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR THE
2IST CENTURY
by JOSEL|N BAU

A hiqhla er?crienceJ feld ntarshall'

JoseLitl pfluotda th nki ihe E the
hottest thing in lhe 21st GtlturA'

02 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVES the science & tech issue

#I
NUCLEAR
ENERGY
Nuclear energy is
a good guy again.
And this is despitc the power politics of nuclear
weaponry practiced by Iran and North Korea.
Governments and citizens, NGOS and evei certain
Green groups are rethinking the political and economic
benefits ofnuclear cnergr. The impefus lbr this renewed
intercst in nuclear power is a combiDation of concems
like the rising cost ofdwindling fossil fuels, a volatile
energy supply and the impact ofglobal warming. As
such, many third generation nuclear reacLors are being
built in countries likc China, India, Japan, Eg)'pt and
Turkey. Bitain and America have also cut down
regulatory barrieN to building nuclear plants and offer'
interested companies economic incentives. Expect to
see nuclear encrgy issues continue to manifest
themselves in the fllLure as expressions of national
independence and belligerence. It
#2
MODERN
NEUROSCIENTE
WhoAm I?
'l'hc perenDial question posed by French philosophers
and angsty teenagers is now more sur-prisingly being
asked by scientists in white coats. Modern
neuroscience's urore recent intdguing resealch turns
on not just how the brain wolks brlt on more
philosophical issues like free will and human
coDsciousness. Since the invention of the IMRI
(functional magnetic-resonance ilnaging) in 199o, iL
has been possible for scientists to finally watch brain
activity, not just anatomy, in actioD. BeinI! able to
record which areas ofthe brain function duing certain
tasks, behavrour and thoughts is raising questions of
what it means to be human. Cuffent research ranges
from how ernotion affects reasonilg and petsonality,
how humans mate memory and for $4rat purpose, how
humans ideitifywith one anothcr (deterDriDin!, social
relations) and our sense of self- I!
5 THINGS T0 l(N0W 5 HoTTrrHNoloctts FoRTHt 2lsItrNTURy

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GE.AAL
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===\=
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#3 #4
NAN OTECHNOLOGY BIOTECHNOLOGY
Think less of self-replicating Ready or not, this millemum
evil nanobots that will will be the age of biotechnology
take over the world
Research and applications are increasing in its th
divisions: rcd (medical), gleen [agricultural) and $'hite
... and instead, more broad applications like solar cell
(industrial). we may in our lifetirnes reap the benefits
paint, the tailored delivery of rnedicine and more
of cures for diseases, more nutritious food, and dare
powerful computer chips. Nanotechnology isn't just
we even say, better humaDs? Biotechnology may reaiise
about making things snallerbut exploiting the novel
most of hllmankind's hopes for a bettet life and yet
properties that manifest at the nanoscale. For example,
raises heated and troubled ethical debates. Stem cell
silver has antimicrcbial prcperties as a nanoparticle.
research rnay lead to scientists being able to repair'
Re.crr(h into thesc qualilics will dllur .rientisls lo
damaged tissue, grow organs and tl-eat life threatening
come up with better ways of improving current
genetic diseases but can also clone animals and maybe
applicatioDs and making new materials and devices.
humans even Hitler would be proud of. Biotechnology
Proponents argue nanotechnology's exciting future
can produce biodegradable plastics or tansfonn PLLnts
developments jnclude clean and more efficient use of
and animals into producing vaccines and medicine but
"nergJ. dcto\iF.in'l agents, manulaclLlring pro.esstss can also lead to an ecological or humaD health disaster'
that produce less waste, and sensors that car! identily
While these debates may play out in etrcmes for now,
and detect iiny amounts of infection ald even biological
(l make no mlslake, uncomfortable decisions will have
rveapons.
to be made sooner or later. lt

04 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVIS the st:ience & tech issue

 r l,: L: * !* i: S$fx
The Nobel Prize is
commoniy recognised as
the highest honou one
can attain in tlre fields of
Physics, Chenistry,
l,itelature, Peace,
Medicine or Physiology
ard Economics.
Out ofthe 781
Nobel Prizes that
have been awarded.
18 prizes went to
organisations,
73o prizes to men
and only 33 prizes
went to women! l!

#5 ';rbcnlegeFrd?
::

.1

:i

RCIBOTICS Saddarn Hussein bought

ll
,l
,i
PlayStation z consoles i]
Who would have guessed for Iraq's weapons
that Tickle Me Elmo Extreme proSrarnme.
1
'l
contained cutting edge robotics? Probably false. In Decernbcr
it
!l
1 2ooo, worldNetDaily.conl repodcd l
Robotics in recent decades has moved awa-v from the reason why there was a PS2
:l

passive industlial Iobots that can only repetitively ii

perform a pre-programmed function to Dobile,
autonomous, intelligent and aclaptable robots.
Innovative advances in robotics are rcvolutionising
man], diveEc industries and impacting hunlalr life for
the better. Such robols can perfon activities that llee
hurnans from dangerous and healy work, increasing
prodrctivity, safety ancl ellicienry. Industry applications
include robots that can help fight fires, clean up toxic
spills, sDifT out bornbs and mines, make lepairs in
space arrd explore and monitor ma ne eDvironments.
Appliecl biomorphic robots, which act more like hurnaurs
'l shortag,e was because late dictator
,l Saddam bought 4,ooo Sony PS2
l consoles to creale a cmde
I supercomputer for calculating
ballistic missile data and designing
t nuclear warheads.It is true that the
{
I'S2's mainprocessor is so advanced
3
that it is classifed as a supercomputer
d
i and expets feared that a clcver
! hacker could use it to mn advanced
3 mathem:rtical calculations necessary !
{ to control a guided missile system.
E

1 a
like the HondaASIMO, can assist the elderly or people The USA'S Defense Intelligence
confiDed to beds and rvheelchails. There are robots
I i
I Agen(y illvestigated but no deli nitive 't
that can help paraiysed humans walk, r-obotic I conchsion was reached. l! I
wheelchairs that can climb stairs and even robotic l )
prostheses that caD automatically adjust theil stiffness : I
based or sensor r-eadings. (l
lulu 1S45 - ong rnonth [efsre lasatn was hrnusftt E$ fter
finees hythc desttuction ol llirssftima an$ liaSasa&i.
The norrnally nlacid sfties ouer filarnugordo, l{ew
Itlexico was rinrcd asunder by a massiue lilestorm 0f
a[ocaly0tic [ro[ollions, "as if tns radianee 0l a
tn0usans suns lurst at 0ncc into thG slty".
The world's firsl nucleat ex[losiolt ffind talen [laee.

tarIding amongst the
awestruck witnesses at the
military test site was
Amedcan physicist, J Robefi
Oppenheimer, scientific
director of the Manhattan
Project that built the bomb.
The Manhattan Project was ajoint
efforl betweel world War II a]lies
- the United States. the United
Kingdom and Canada to develop
nuclear weaponry. The allies feared
that their Nazi German counterparts
were developing nuclear weapons
rftheir own-
In his memoirs, Oppenheimer
recalled, "we knew the world would
not be the same. A few people
laughed, a few people cried, most
people were silent.
I remembered
the line from
the Hindu scripture,
thc Bhagavad-Gita.
Now, I arn becorne
L)eath, the ciestroyer
of lvorlds."
Oppenheimer was prophetic. The
world would indeed be changed
forever for the success of the
Manhattan Project itself marked the
beginning of"Big Science": a term
used by scientific historians in
reference to how the bigger
questions in today's Science require
bigger staff, bigger machines and
biggerlaboratoies in other words,
bigger budgets beyond the means
of most individual scientists and
small organisations.
Before World War II, aside from
agricultural and medical studies,
almost no public money was
available in the United States for
scientific research. only after
recognising that technological
advantage could make or brcak the
war effort did governments begin
to contra ct research and
developmeDt services from
university scientists and private
industry. Beyond nuclear teseatch,
tlre first flush of public tunding also
went into the development of rudar
and sonar, the perfection ofsulphur-
based drugs and penicillin, the
invention of insecticides such as
DDT etc.
Thrcughout history, the systems of
economic support for scientists have
been impotant determinants ofthe
character and pace of scientific
research. From the Middle Ages till
the r8tl century, scientific researcl
was smaller in scale. It was possible
for scientists to finance their
research independeDtly via
inheited wealth or other forms of
salaried work. Today, witi budgets
running easily into the millions
or billions, the average scientist
would Iind it almost impossible to
independently sustain his own
research. While profits made ftom
patents are significant, most
scientists must draw ftom a variety
of affluent sources: government
bodies, multinational corpomtions,
private philanthropists and even
religious organisations.
T'his marriage of Big
Scicnce and Big
Mnney is necessatT
but disturbing4 on
:*anv levels,

shido yin teaches af schoc'l of Thouqht. She fearc Big Bad Scietrce bLIt loues her Big Bad Gs Apple desktop.
I"il$,I il iii llilIiI!-i: WllO'S AFRAID OF BIG BAD STIENTE?

Fir$ti1'" ial a gl*rbaliserl Eq',;rtil." Secorldl"r', huge anr*r r l !s lrl'

scierltisis I :rr:e: incrt:i*,; i :i gl 1
heat*:rl alld e",'erl tin d r: i" il '.uI <{ i: t'i
ineerllritii.-lnal *tlulpr.li.i :,:r.a*,{"lrt'
research lirnelir"lg,
With billion dollar stakes at h;rnd, anl scientist would
be sorely tcn4)ted to resotl to fia d to ensur-e he can
lay clairr to thc first scieDtific brealith.o gh in his fielcl
and thrs the flrst llllsh of ftnding. Scientists are not
nobler than aDy of us they can bcjust as greedy and
caleer rnindcd as any other persolr.
funtli*g resually c{*r{it:
r'sith strings {lf
&rultiFle ftlieneiRs ,i i i it,. !?€{1.
Anyonc who has ever depended on the generclsity ofa
patron knows ihat their work will ine-vitably be govemed
by the agendas and egos oftheir sponsots. A scientist
night sinply secure his ftrnding by playing along with
the beliefs his sponsoring politician, propiret or investor
espouses - no matter how bizatre or questionable
Worse, tbe scicntist mi€iht actually cnd up being
convincetl of these beliet-s himselL

I
I

.__ l
Consider Hwang \,ly'oo suk, South Korea's most
infamous fallen scientisl. Until November 2oo5, Ilwang
Think about Hideo Mur'ai, chief scientist ofAum
Shinrikyo, the infamous Japanese doomsday ctrlt With
was lauded as a cutting edge pionccr for his work in
a team of ex-Soviet military scientists, Murai ovetsaw
stem cell research. In 2()(]6, after llercc dcbate alld
the prcduction ofchemical and biological weapons that
olficial probes, Hwalg was indicted for faldng data and
wele eveDtually used in the 1995 sain gas attack on
lyirgthalhehad succeeded at using cloning technolog/
the Tokyo subway. After meeti g Asahara (,{um's
to oreate humaD embryos. Hwang's onlv explanation
charismatic plophet leader), the b lliant astrophysicist
was that he was "blinded" by career pressures and the
channeled his life's work towarcls lirifilling the crlt's
paLriotic need to make Korea "stand in the centre of
apoca\ptic vision.
the world".'fhe stakes were high: lbrhis claims, he was
named Supremc Scientist of South Korea - a title
crcated for hinr that was worth a cool $r5 nillion in
resoerch firnds rlone.

08 BR0ADIR PERSPIOIVES tirc scicnce & tccrl rs.srrt:

.\um's particular obsession was with the secret works
of eccent c electromagnetic genius Nikola Tesla
especially the much talked about "deatll ray", the
"superweapon that would put an end to all war"
Also consider: Brigifte Boisselier - chief scientist
and biqhop ol lhe Rirplian cull as \4cll as rnanc8ing
director of lhc \^ orld's only htrrnan ,loning companl,
clonaid.
Jevoted to Rael, the FrencI race car driver turned New
Age prophet, Boisselier believes that humans are
descended from aliens and the key to etetnal life is
cloning. Right now, many dismiss Boisselier and the
RaeliaDs as fairly harmless conmen because nobody
believes the Raelians have actually succeeded at human
cloning- However, should their claims prove to be true,
the implications would be shattering.
Look at Di. Jeff:ey Wigand, Science's Drost famous
whistle blower- once the head of research and
development for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.
(B&W), America's thi.d-largest tobacco company
Wigand broke the vow of secreey amongst many
scientists recruited by tobacco companies to mislead
consumers about the highly addictive nature of nicotine.
B & W even suppressed rcsearch that chernical additives
used to improve flavor in cigareLtes causecl cancer.
wigand and scientists like him bring media attention
and public action against companies usuallytobacco
or petroleum corporations who would fund scientific
research work as long as the results were skewed to
present the effects oftheir by products (e.g. second
hald smoke, environmental pollution) more favourably.
Boisselier, Murai alcl Hwang may be the most dramatic
and ertreme examples that alefi us to the problems of
Big Science. But Wigand shows us that therc are
scientists who stdve to preserve lhc integrity of their
prcfession and will not hesitate to blow the whistle on
manipulative patrons or poor scientific practice.
English arlthor an{t thinker
Sir Thomzrs Brort ne sitid.
"No one shoukl appr'{}ach
the temple of sciencc lvith
the soul of a money changer."
To forge ahead with research undelened, scientists
must maintain the continued tlust ofthe people and
firmly oppose the commercialisation and conuption
of Science. l!
 by YEE TONG

Scientific development is notjust atrout wealthy and developed countries

designing newfangled kitchen appliances and offering life-saving
MRI scans. Nor is it about fundarnentalists building hornemade chemical
bombs intending to obliterate mankind. We wish things were so
straightforward, Surely one of the most powerful agents of change the
world offers today warrants a second look...

l0 BR0ADIR PTRSPIfiIVIS t,rre science & tech &sue

 W
b

limb without the funding or expensrvc

Not anymore. cone arc the days
iDfrastruclure necessary for any kind of
where Ne$'ton could while away ir his gerden,
Iesearch today.
observe the falling of an apple and oontemplate
the int cate mechanics of gravitr_ in relaiion
Companies like Human GenoDe Scicnces and
to our univetsc. 'llhoulih still possessing lhilt
lncytc have inveslcd extensiveiy in gcne
sarne curiosity in understanding, our tuliletse
research, but arc also notorious for trying to
and dcsirc to advance the progress ol mankind,
coner the m arket by patenl ing as memy human
scientisLs today find themselves rlired in a
genes as possiblc, attemPtiDg Lo make profit
u.eb of corporate agendas and polilical
from what is given to all man. Pfizer and
interests,
ClaxoSmithKline have similarly bccn
researching a cure for Aids but paradoxically
Ever since the Industtial Revolution, sPeedy
are also accused of monopolizing the
scientilic discovery has become irtinratcllr
distribution of Aids mediurtiol for the sake of
linked with succcssful industr) and prolil.
profit. l'his is a noral dilcmma many mr-rdcrn
Scientists find then,lsc-lves lacing to hcb their
scientists lacc, that doing rcsearch these days
rpon\oring rrn i\ crsilie. or coIl'Urrrtiorrs Batn
necessarily means that scieDtjsts have to accept
first movea advantage. Sadly, should scienlists
thc commercialisation of their work in order
to ad indepcndently, lblloh the ideals
d rcject the commercialisation of scieDce,
lo ststain its funding.It
ey could find themselves stranded o!t on a

I
T
Ever sinee {rre lndusfii*! Revoluticn" T

5p*eCy si:if; r-ilifi,l: rj!9i::{:}!'*iy hss bec*,"}* I

I
intirn sf *iy iin ke*'.rr ii'. :jirr: i:* -qsf iJ I ind ustry e:ft d prnf i*. I
I
0N 2ND THOUGHT RETHTNK sctENtt

Probably. Eve,since
Ceriainly, very supportiYe state
lcgislation and coDsequent
the Tn dustrial Revolution.
Westem powers have enjoyed !!overnment funding, cheap
labour and a lack of cultural
dominaDce in the area of
resistalce to biotechnology all
science and technology
bode well for these dsian states.
especially the United states oI
Yet, deeper analysis reveals
America, the United KingcloDr
morc sobering revelations. Asia
and Germany. The west stiil
continues to lack comrection to
stands shoulders ahead of the
established research netlvorks
competition in the most
and has a shortage ol p vate
significant areas of space
funding due to weak investor
techDology, material science,
telecommunicalions, confiderlce in Asia's past
biotechnology and artificial
scienti{ic track record.
witl t]le exception
intelligence,
Unfocused research and
sometimes bizarre research
of Japan as the only Asian
objectives as well as ne
contender. Yet, Asia's foray into
biotechnology, recent trcnds
internatioDal pressure to
adhere to existing restrictions
of rising labour cost and
on research may also become
restrictive legislation on cloning
Asia's undoing. Havin€i enjoyed
and stem ceJl engineering
over a cen Lury of technological
engendered by the religious
dominance, both Europe and
right in the West have made
developmCnl any question whetheI the
Amcrica will certainly find wals
around their cunent struggles
nited States and European
with conflicting ethics and
will ulwoys he powers can retain their
technological advantage for
utlfavo u rabl e market
conditions. Their overall
dominoled by long. Alrcady, China, SiDgapore
and South Korea are gaining
headstart may be too huge an
adlantage {or Asian competitors
ground in the technological
wesrern"Wffi race and pose new sizeable
tl eats to Westerr technological
to overcome. (!

Hafdly. one ofthe most fascinating entertainment genres

of our time is science fiction. Popular- movies like
The Mcrtr*, Terninator and Steven SpeilbeB's ,4'f have delighted
f.len( e Fidion audiences the world over, leaving us to question whether the
-i'b3l scenados depicted should ever be taken seriously. When Jules
Vernes first publisbe d Around the world in 80 dals in a872' it
fonlusy! was quickly labeled as 'boys' literature' a fli8ht of fancy that was
possible but hardly probable. Yet, Vernes was inspired bytrends
of a growing possibility of inter continental travel via newly
connected railways.

Ir) BR0ADIR PERSPEfiI\/IS the science & teclt

 Scientific reseorch is boring
qnd too difficult for
lhe loymon lo underslond
t lst otll- leada$ to make decisions
PreciselY" studeDls anal the
ovei matters that woulcl r,ery rvcl
avcngc lalnren oflen shY auay from
redefine our ever-ydirv lires and the
hl,ing lo uncl(rI staDd Lhc conplelities
iives of futurc generatjons to come.
of modcn s(:icnce as theY fiDd thc 'lhankftrlly, many elIrineDl scicutists
r-esearcir and ensuing debate
havc takeD on the dual rolc of
so letinrcs intirniclating and nost of
'rc time inco]l]prchensiblc. Yet, the educaiors and leadcrs, shedding liP,ht
on conplicated issues in wavs that
rear to en!,age scit:nce has led to a
people ca,r bcgin to undemtand antl
clistLlrbing apathl' .lnd ignoran<t of
thcrefore contribute to ilte dcbate-
the unplecedented devL'lopmetlts ;n
Richard Dalvltins, fu chard Feylurzrn,
science tod:lv, so much so that mitn
Sle pllen Hirwkings and Jar'cd
is cleariy rLnpr-eparcd for the
Diamond are somc indi\iduals lhal
phcnornenal charge thaL looms over
have enabled the comrnuniil- at lurgc)
bis future.'l'his is uDacceDtable as
to get pasL science's aiienatingjargon
everl' citizer ol the rvorld loday
and be ablc Lo grasp cornplicated
shorld be prrt of the collectivc
issues in a meaninghrl u'ay. 'I'be
ilc.ision to detdrninc \^'here mankind
nrovcs ftorn this signillcant juncturc
avaiiability of popular scicnce
literature and oulrcach pr-ogramnrcs
in human developrrrent. Ihe debate
like the world famo s Cfiri.stDr(ls
over a widcning cligital dividc, the
lectrrres held in London's Royel
alleged nisusc o1 Dewinventior$ and
the disturbilg, changes to onr human
Institution evcry year, thercl ore
lervcs the literafu lawran little excLtsc
-xperience shoLrlcl not be left iD the
for' rcmaining ignorant. at
,,ands ofiust our-!,overnnlcnts or an
intellectual elite. we oanllot blindiv

Soon, rTral couLcl see the $orld that
way, a privilelie that was reserved lbr
only the most rich or adventruous.
lodaywe scc sinrilar trends iD space
touism, opcring a similar possibility
that we ntay one day lulch ol] thc
moon. Flight of fancy? Histor-y
has shown us other.rl,ise. Orwell's
Jlig tsi'other, Huxlev's Soma, Shelley's
i'ronliensteil a1l have rnot'lern day
c(iuivalents iD srLcllilt: survcillancc,
Prozac and stcm cell aDd cloning
tcchnologies rcsprrtivelv.
Perhaps, we should think trvice belirre
brushing olf the work of the
Wachowsld broLhers as an excitinli
but ridiculous worh of fiction. l he
{ascinaLing works of Philip K Dick
have beer picked up and adapted by
scveral major film studios and
adapted iDto popular m<-rvies likc A .frnL tn11( ontpute| ltanlitltl
Blo(le RlnY]/Jt, Total llecall, Mirtctrittl {rddicl. ke oc.rsionll/1! rrriles
Report irnd 'l-he TerntitnLor. The to dcbulk con1n1at1 pcrt\\)tiltI
I lolll-wood dcpictions ofthcsc works that hc is .qaod Jor nathin!t.
officii{)n have stark resoDancc Lo oul He tul('l1cs hllppilrl et
incleasingly technoIogica1J! Sdr,Jtl 0[ tlnuqht.
rl(nni nated li first\lcs toda\'.
 HOWTO
PRESENT

14 BR0ADIR PERSPIOIVIS th.,s.ilr.r & r.r'i ?sl;rr.

il, I : r 'ii: i'.:-i

i,: tl;t &fiAfi{*{?tr't If

THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS OF THUNXIJ'S TSSAY LOOI(ED

LIl(E THIS! CAN YOU SPOT HIS MISTAI(ES BEFORE YOU

READ THE TEAM'S ANALYSIS?

.;,ir'',.
.'Aie you optimistic about recent
#developmen[s in science and technology?
4i;i:,.,

been appallingly obvious that our techrology has excceded our

'itra has
filmanity'a quote by Albert Einstein.Indeed as human beings progressed
ifi(im the Industrial Revolution into the Information Revolution, humans
-har"e witness*J how
powerlul science and te, hnologl ' an bc. \4 ilh more
fadvan, emcnl in <cien.t. and technology. humans are b"ing expu*ed to
more unprecedented changes that would inevitably change their lives'
Thloughout the cou$e of history, humans have maDaged to come to terms
with these changes. But, there are still some ethical issues that we leed
to consialea before humans can embrace science and technology with
open arms.

Truly, humans have tried to adapt to these chtmges. However, by accepting

these technological breakhroughs, there is always a price to pay Global
warming has become increasingly evident, with more erratic \a'eather
pattems, rising tempemtures, rapidly melting glaciers and many others'
With the aid of science ald technology, global warming is further
exacerbated by man's thirst for a better quality of life. Gases released by
transporlation, buming of gasoline for heat and electricity are fuelling the
effects ofglobal warming. Although measures are being takcn to combat
s[ch problems, they are still not efficient enough in the long lun.
The effects ofglobal warming could be diminished if new advancements
in science and technology are meant to tackle global warming
 HOW TO PRESTNT YOUR IDIAS IIIARIY

"lt has bcen appallingly obvious that orrl' technology has exceeded our humanity" a quote by Albert EinsteiD.

Indecd as hurnan beings progressed from the IDdustdal RevohltioD ilto the InformatioD RevolutioD, humans

L
h"u"*it'.""."d@withmoteadvancementinscienceandtechnology'

hlmans are being exposed to more unprecedented chaDges that would iDevilably chane,e their lives.

'lhrolghott the corrse of history, humans have managed to come to ter--nls with these chaDges. ut, there are still

some ethical issues that to considel belore humans can embrace science ar1d techno]ogywith open arms.

Truly, humans have tried to adapL Lo lhese cha ovrevcr, by accepting these technological brcakthrougl

there is al\\,ays a price to pay. Global warming has become increasingly evident, with more erraticweather pattenr,

rising temperatures, r'apidly melting glaciers and many others. With the aid ofscience and technology, global

i,varming is further exacerbated by man's ihi$t tor a better quality of life. Gases released by tralsportation,

burniDg o{ gasoliDe for heat aird electricity arc flelling the elfects of global warming. Although measures are

being taken to combat such problerns, they are still not ellicicnt enough iD tlle long e effects of global

ncements rn s(ien(:e a--e

m.ant to tackle gJobal warmirrg'

t6 BR0A0[R PERSPECTIVTS fhe scien(\. & t.al7issue

 Ihunxu's problem il shored by many students. l.here is o heiiei thut lhe tea:ott why essoys {oii
is becouse of weol eonlent. 5o sludenls s(rumble l0 pock fteir esserys with
quoles, nunrbers ond

(urrenf 0ffgirs. !n pcit ihis shouid lielp. Bul only a bil. \rVhot is m0re !mF0rl0nl ihon tonlent is
lhe preseniolion cl tonlenl. The reoder of any piete o{ writing needs l0 be led. No one likes
recding 0n nrlirle wilhoul direclion betouse it lusl feels like a b;g mish'mosh oi words ond
numben. Sc we ,:ire goino lo help
(hunxu be a LEADER I0 il15 READERi.

t startirrg olf uitlr en irtonlplete stanLl. in this introducturv of the.paragraph laints a

erltcnre qive\ r fuol tr rst
impression. Th is incomplete
presentation ofquotcs is a common
mistake that strrdcnts make.
t Vague statemenl. )ike ihis hrve no
rcaL nleiruLu iin(l Llu nol lrel0 \oLrr
reacler u ncl eistan d tl,e sigDificance
of what you are trying to say.
A sinrjlar case L'i rlut eicborrting
3 on wnat \ull \rint to s:r\ rnd
tr-usting that vague statements are
sufficient.'fhis ambiBuily confuses
'our readcrs , 7
/l Uf Lo tiis puint. nu realcollnection
' tuthequestion ha'been made Tbe
reader is probably lost or bored by
now as he has no ditection or
argument to follow.
5The SMost
paragrapn rs unclear Jno rner-erore pessrmrstrc prfture Drouglrt aDout
dir-ection of the essay rernains by science and technologr and the
uncertain. Nothing has been said last sentence is probably an attempt
so far in this introduction lhat to balance the content delivered.
addresses the question. Is ChunxLl lI so, it has more of a confusing
optirnistic or Ilot? cllect as it seems like an ineflectual
conclrrding statement. The
paragraph dlso nakes no link to the
/f This oncning sentence is agxin strnd made in tle introdrrction.
v,',rclea. an,l thc re.rdcr m:r! not hc
sure what 'changes' the writcr is
leferlin€i to. This problen is of
course compounded by Chunxu's
\,ague introduction-
This whole secti,,n ,loes not follow
t irom the introahction. It is theretore
hard to pinpoint what is the exact
point Chunxu is trying to make.
That is why the content, although
relevaDt, does not always add to
meaning. This is a very common
ploblem for students who have
content but get feedback that what
they write is irrelevant.

f;fi tr oNE LrKrs READTNG AN

\,VIIHOUT DIREITION BECAUSI
ARTTTLE

IIJUST FEELS LIl(E T

A BIG MISH MASH
OFWORD5ANDNUMBIRS #
ili{ir; J\,{JI|{['JuIiI HowTo PRISINIYOUR IDEAS CIEARLY

&FTH ffi fddqfr{ E:t + di; H{;

Thl fr TffiAP-4'S lat$A$"Y5$ 5

i:ftul\lXU'5 tiili,v Ai'{il il!1Pi{l1ii} i'}1i{.llfi I{A{,|{5

ous that our technologr has exceeded our

Indeed as human beings prcgressed from the Industrial Revolution into Lhe Inform'tion Revolutit

we have witnessed on several occasions h owerful technology brought self-serving and rnalicious harm upon
3
nfortunately with nore advancements in science and technology, humans are now beilg exposed

unprecedented changes that will add to our potential to cause ha.m to oDrselvPs Tt is

aging to note that tlroughout the cou$e of history, humans have maDaged to ultimately circumvent

or even curb the negative effects of these chang Recent developments in science and technology give us reason

to be pessimistic but optimism is not unwarranted as long as we keep tEry {ilg!

5
Take for instance how global wanning, ided by industrialization, has been further exacerbated by man's thi$t

for a better life. cases rcleased by transpofiation and the buming ofgasoline for heat and electricity are fuellilrg

the effects of global walrning. [o"gilco;on"[ have been taken to combat such problems,
^"d;otitlcat -e^sures
they have proven to be inefficient and unsustainable as the signs ofglobal warming have become increasilslY

evident, with more eratic weather patterns, dsing temperat[r'esand rapidly melting glaciers. Humans have

al ays tded to adapt to make our expanding economies work. H"rlre-v;)r' th". chnological
""*ptt"g
breakthroughs we also realise tlat there is a price to pay. Despite this rcality, the effects of global walming can

be alleviated if new advancements in science and like cleaner fuel sources and recycling technologl

ta th"*f.t"-ptt-tt" in many scientific circles that new environnertal technologies can

"*
help us recover from the mistakes we made in the past

l8 BR0ADtR PIRSPKTIVIS rhe science & teci issue

 THT TEAM'5 fili',4M[NTs

I This is a nlore clegcn I prescnlalion tf Notice the reanargement olconlenl 8

I ta quote. Thc ideas in lhe re"l ol in lhis paragraph The lasl lcr lT.:::",',1 #Ji;:,iii""TJ.l
your paragraph must link to the sentences were brought fotuard in sentence of each paragraph. Using
quote thorgh. tt would otherwise ordertobe in line wit]l the stand we synonyms ofthe key words in the
be meaningless to use it. had established in the introduction question help keep it interesting
We start off with discussing how but still meet the requircments of
science is a cause for wolly as the question.
t compare tlib witb Chunxu s initial benefits almost always come with
xlteration helPs us
'writing. Thjb quote rcsultant probl(]ms.
connect to the mentionedfor
a more meaningfui flow o{ ideas.
After using the studenl's examlles
I,!. and elaboiation \,!e rounal up bis
s
Wl.lAT IS MORE IMPORTANT
tc...
Thc use of connectors like illustrations with a clear topic
THAN (ONTENT IS
unrortunalety ) cven more allo sentence. This topic sentence ls an
"howevcr" all help the logical altemtion of what was previously
progression of the introduction writteD but made clearer so as to TI.II PRESTNTATION
lead the reader better.
instead of the disjointed seDtences
.reviously presented. OF(0NTTN'"
t This \4a. thc inlormation lhe wriler
4' A clear stand llra I addrerse\ the I tried to end his previour paragraph
queslion.Donl bealrridtousethe $ith. We"laboraledon il tomake
key words in the question to draw it clearer and then ended with a
a more explicit lirk. We have more suitable concluding statement.
established an argument that
although developments in science
are a cause for worty we can
however overcome obstacles and
should stay optimistic. paragraphs
that follow from here should enforce
this line ofargument.
 tlOW Ii] PRISINT YOUl{ ID[As ILEARLY
Tl{}5 CI!'i',ift ir;riliif,;i;
You necd lo kno$ thc stand you lvilllt to
algue for bclole Yotr \\'tjtc lllthing.
Whcn I'ou have clcci{led, cxprcss yolu stand
clearll. in -vour- intrcx1Lrctiort u'ith a blief
r',r'i.,r.'1,,,i rrlrr rort l' ",1- trri..tltrr-1.
'lhe flow ol informatjolr in )oLlr next 1c1'/
paragraphs should follorv votrr'ljne of
ar'!!Loncnt.
?0 9ROADFR Pil{5P[[TiV[5 ilr.',., n'rrr:,'& tr:rlt isstrr
Deviati[g lron l]ris lirte of argruDerlI too
earl]' can contirse r'orlr rcadcr.
Rcnembcr-: It is N()'l hou'tluch vou write
(nrorc meaninglcss irlfbllrraLion does Dot
help), it is irorv tlearll you plcsert it
(inake info rmal io n trreaninglui by
r urrrr,, tirrS il t,-r r ortr te rttt,.ttll.
,
'
 Tltt THt
AMISH
IIDIR
WHAT WOULD
(OMPLETELY OPPOSING VIEWS OF TECHNOLOGY
THINK OF SCIENCE'S CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY?
AB0UT A MAillli {li t?il.liiit'l In sinsapore, we have a
diversity of views about issues but the range oflocal
views will not be as wide as thc range of global views
available. BarriDg our ability to convince a Wisconsin
soccer mom or firndamentalist anti irbortionisl to write
lor us. \^e Lhought Ure npxl bpqt lhinC $ a\ io get ralented
wrlter. to mtsthod \rrile - similar lu method acting
actors who do lesearch to gel illto chamcter for a film.
iORPORATE
SCIENTIST
2 PEOPLE WITH
RUtt #l: []0 Ll0l tARl{ATtiRt our w tels were asked
to frame their answers in a way that reflected the
background, content and belief system oftleir adopted
persona as fairly as possible.
RUI[#?] iliI r,lli'1l''liJi'i iXAldFl"l' writers had to choose
from a pool ofcommon examples chosen by our team
to demorstrale that the same exarnples can be used by
individuals to form rather dilfcrent percpectives. These
exarnples are highlighted throughouL Lhe afticles.
A MATTER OF OPINIOhI THE AMISH ELDER vs. THE TORPORATI SIIENTISI

I.IA5 SCIENCE ALWAYS

BEEN BENEFICIAL
FOR MAN?
".. . I,i'rr*-,f ir:iaries of
,-i:: r, ii.i li nedir:al advernccs

:: :r) 1r:r'iirittg ctluipmcnt,

' lr !,,ir::-:1: q:;tr:nltt dcllt'ttrc
.
',, ilt:r'eli:ling ltIl1:;
I .. , ; : r ,. ;ttf ti itonr.a:t i ient'i:
, I r. i rliallu tlir: lilcs
li' .'li: iiit ililrt'
i ii.lirIt l,i'i

Yet I must continue to warn of the dangers of

divefiiDg our attentions to a pursuit of power
and luxur'1 lhat lhe enSinet ol consutn*ri'm
promote. As sell interest is valucd over the
intetests ofthe commurity in the desire to get
ahcad or satisly personal wants, morality is
conlpromised and faith in the Lord wavers.

'fhe temptations of using science to satis{y

our vainglodous natules are evemore apparent
today. Science's ability to propel an individual
to instant fame is seen in the exampie of
Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, who
r\rs L,n\iderctl one of lhe piorreering experts in
'
the field ofstem cell research after claiming to
lrarn.ucr"eded in crpalinA human etrtbnonic
stom cclls by cloning.

22 BR0ADtR PtRSPECIIVIS lfte science & t.r(ih issue

 new
diseases
livelihood
family
traditio
God's ethics
His infamous act o{ falsifying his
rcsearch results to gain rccognition
exposes the temptation to forgo
moaal pdnciples in the lace to be at
the forefront of scienlific discovery.
As the use of modem gene thempy
promises great relief lbr ailing
Amish children suffering from rare
geneiic disorders, the continual
progress in Science is uplifting rmd
welcone in our community. But
when metlical research is for fame
and rlot in the best interests ofthe
ick. the efforts of scientists like
Hwang become selfish and
abhorrent.
The coruption that Science brings
about extends beyond the use of
deception, to harming others for
increased profits. fhis was seen in
hotmone maker Monsanto
deliberately concealing the
negative side-effects of the
Bovine Growth florrnone
(BGH), a bioengineered hormone
desi8ned to cause cows to produce
more milk. The terrible results of
such perversions were rising levels
of milk contaminated with pus,
WhiLe she wos waiting Jor her 'A'lel)el resutts. Cui Wen proudla
antibiotics residues and a cancer
accelemti.rg hormone called IGF r.
As people who live off the goodness
ofthe land, we are greatly distressed
by the exploitative use of Science,
turning a simple and enriching
product fiom the land into a tool for
callous industrial gain.
ltre dangers ofScience also include
the steady poisoning ofthe mind as
false teachings change the worshjp
of cod into an admimtion of Man's
capabilities. The Raelian cult is
ole such perversion ol Scripture.
Their claims of extra-terrestrial
human beings having created the
human race are depJorable. Their
appeals to the superiority ot human
intellect ard logic are cunningly
successful in this day and age,
resulting in the corlversion of
bedazzled people led to believe in
tales not unlike those in science
fiction stodes. The consequences of
such a movement are dire, as more
people arc led away from God by thc
insidious doctrin e tied to
technology.
set oed uCH
The effects of scientilic growth have
had consequences both positive and
otherwise. The benefits of alleviating
the suffering ofthe sick as well as
sustaining our source of suwival are
undeniable, yet many dangerc still
exist. Thus, the increased
responsibilities of unprecedented
chorce made possible through
Science must be accounted for and
undertaken by each individual. For
the Anish, we have chosen to live
apart from temptation, renouncing
amenities that connect us ao the
outside world, building bolds of
trust and firm faith among our
peopie.
i;, :,,' I ,.'ir,',', 1-l( 1r': rr ',
'
,ld l, i ,t t {ljl'! I ti f ll\r
il:,1:. lrir i ricit,': : ; i ir,.'! r tu
1l:-,.r'rrr Lhi,r pctr'it a1 llind
; iii:i i';.;lgis {}tiil \r!'11i11
i',',.'. ;illi LiriiirLi
1! t.1I llti'i,l,iri- fl
at Ben and Jerry's.
hee ice cre(in
A MATTER OF OPINION IHI AMI5H ILDER vs.IHE (ORPORAIE SIIINTI5T

HAS SCIENCE ALWAYS

BEEN BENEFICIAL
FOR MAN?

Modern science is so exciting now that even religious

!i's r'::'iirll;-; ii,. rr,,r
" groups want in. Observe the rise of religions such a
lili)i-i,::i":; .., ,i'rtr I'- , Scientolog,y and cult ofRael, which are based on the
iri';ii iir' i,r:, ill,t,' . belief tlat they a.e intelligent beings {Tom outer space.
.l :i: Raelian doctrine states thal we should support
,;: : I I:Ii; '
.:, , r . i1l^ r.i:1 genetically modified food because it is the only means
,,i',1,t ii,. .,,..'i,, , of tackling world hunger, and clone humaD beings,
' because that would be fulfilling, our true destinies. we
saw the emergence of Clonaid, a Raelian linked
cornpany, deciaring that theyhad successfully cloned
r,l l;., several children. Whether Clonaid's claims are true
remains to be seen, but the amount of attenLion this
has garnered only proves the prevailing view that
Suddenly the unfathomable as envisioned by science scientific progress has become so developed that
fiction has materinlised; the impossiblc is made probable anlthing is probable, marketable and profitable.
Lhrough grorndbreaking experimentation and
construction, high powered machines and computers Such progress has not been without its controversies
and ofcourse, bigger budgets. 1he futule ofhuman 'fake for example, Monsanto, a conpany which
progress has never looked so promising. develops GM food products and which once boasted

24 BROADIR PTRSPIITIVIS rhc science & tech i.ssrze

 ethics
scientific inquiry
a Chernistry Nobel Prize winner in
its ranks. lt raised enough ire from
thep blic to lead to a banning of its
product, Posilac, a bovine groMh
hormone which produces more milk
in cows, because ofhealth concerns.
wlrere does the scientist, theperson
responsible for producing such a
breakthrough, stand in all this?
Many of you have railed agaiDst the
unethical natule and narketing of
Lhe research which res lted in this
honnone, but before you stone the
scientist, I urge you to consider our
aosition. We scientists work in latlge
,mtltinationals which dictate and
own the ki nd of research that we do.
Otlt work is the company's work.
Our profession is in many ways like
any other profession we work
because rve are good at what we do
and we waDt to be paid for it.
Clearly, the effects ofcommerce on
science gcnerate plenty of ethical
implications brt we cannotbe held
solely responsible every single
conseqrrence.
Ifl my opinion, what the scientist is
accountablc to the public for is the
methods of his expe mentation
MaU Le teeches hnguage AlLs et e locol Junior Collegc
alld research.
Recently, biotechnologist llwang
\Voo-Suk crcated a scandal in the
scientific community and the world
by proclaiming the unprecedented
creation of 11 patieDt stem cell lines,
only to be found a fraud in the end.
This blighted the image of science
and oul system of peer-r'cvie . lly
and larye, the scientific com.nunity
maintains the integdty of research
by iDstituting their own checks and
balances through inquiry and
critique. Hwang's own exploitat;o
of the system, Iin sure, is in part
prompted by the plessures of a
political agerda to raise South
Korea's profile in tbe inclustry.
Scandals like that should not faze
anyone about the integrity of
research industries, particularly iD
counties with more establishecl
scientific communities and rcsearch
regulations such as the U.K. and
the U.S.
The public should be more rcalistic
about their expectations of
scientists. Scicnce is mosl times
justlike any other prolession some
people do it because they have a
passion lbr it, other-s do it for the
money.
ll a scientist worked iD a lDiversity,
he would have to be concerned
about funding, which would
inevitably direct the focus of his
rescarch. Working fol a company
sometimes entails withholding
information or placing your name
on research which others might
object to morally.
':i ' li. . .. .t
I : I .. j:
', :.,.r.
. r, ,-, I .. t;'
,, 1:,.1..]: .IIL.,,..,.I.,,:.
As long as there are enough
regulations to ensure certain
standalds of scientific research,
there's a margio lor negotiating
between the demands ofcompanies,
governments and thc public, and
the necessary and evcr inrportant
progless of sciertific inqui4'. It
ls Singgpo[e Reody for
the Technology Roce?
Singaporeans have been forewarned by their government: Local
economic growth in the zrst century will no l.rrrge. come frorn
assembly-line manufacturing or the electronics sector as long as
the rest of Asia holds the trump card of lower lalrour costs. ihe
future is in knowledge creation and intellectual capital.
: f Singapore builds up its review and collaboration various science scholarships.
-, rcputation as a key Research among the private and public Singapore is more than willing to
: and Developnent [R & D) scientific community. It remains tap off-shore academic talent as
,' hub in the world, the payoff the clearest signal of Singapor.e's well - at least 15% of A*STAR
: to key industries Iike dogged desire to stay at the head scholarships go to naturalized
: biomedicine,electronics, of the technological pack. citizens mther than native born
chcmicals and infoconms - citizens.
will be substantial. So far., Singapore has
managed to attract a steady Thcre havc been rnufterings
To secure as many patenls as stream of some of modern both a1 lrome and abroad
possible, Singapore has been Science's super'"gtars. 1'he hope about whether Singapore can
going all out to lure the 1\'orld's is that these international achieve its technological
top scientists wiLh attractive scientific giaDts will transfer their dtearns.
salaries, cutting-edgelaboratories, knowledge, skills and experience
reliable infrastructure, a stable to oulbrightest locals - the same
Aiter all, Singapore faces unique
English speaking environmeut strategy that worked for the local
cultuml constraints:
and fairly liberal attitudes to manufacturing sector in the 197os.
controversial fields like stem cell
research. Costing an inp.essive Can a nation raised on top-doun
In addition, Singapore is out managenent s|lrle achieue a
USD$3oo million in investmeDts. to build its human capital -
Singapore's Biopolis is ahigh tech spontdneous combustion oJ
the local Agency for Science, creotiuitu o\erntght? WiIl
complex dedicated to providing Technology and Research
space for biomedical R&D Singaporeans tisk thinking
[A*STAR) aims to produce t,ooo independently and go beyon<l the
activities and promoting peer PHD holderc by 2o1o through safe zone of rigitl compliance?
 S$eq Withotrl a rnajor
ffiF paradigm slrift.
the alreadv
copious arnounts
of money and
foreign talent
poured intei
Singapore's noble
R&Darnhitions a,,,tr,
will be fbr r.raught. u?' -,1'

,'

a&
,

Arc Sinqapore's leoder.-s ond

rnlrn.I(/€r.s /heDtselues r1)illinat to
siili their mindsers ro a//.Jr;/br
el[ thal to hepp(.n?

WiihoLrl x n];1n1p3, rrligLll shift,

th. alreadr cuniuLr5 arnnu,rts ut
nonel'ancl foreign talent polD.l](l
rnto Singapore,s Doblc R&D
ambitions $,ill be lbr naug,lrt.
6l
L0mL GL0BAL I srNGApoRE RTADY FoR THE TI(HNoIoGY RAcE?

5 World-Renown Scienlisls in Singu pore

ond whol they ore currenlly reseorching

ALAN COLEMAN
The British geneticist who in 1996 was on the
team that delivered Dolly the sheep, theworld's director of the US National Cancer Institute's
first cloned mammal. He has been working for Ilivisiorl of Clinical Sciences. has headed the
Singapore's ES Cell International (ESl), Genome Instit[te of Singapore since 2oo1
a stem cell research and production company
since 2oo2.
Currently researching
Cr.rrreutly researching cancer genornics ald a cure for brcast cancer
a cure for diabetes
by engineer:ing stem cells to secrete insulin

N EAL COPEL
+ NANTY IEN KIN s
DR. JUDITH SWAIN
One of the world's leading molecular The renowned cancer geneticist husband-and-
cardiologists, has come to Singapore to run the wife team has been working for Singapore's
country's new Singapore lnstitute for Clinical lnstilrte ol Molerular and Cell liiology since
Sciences. 2OO5.

Currently researching
Currently researching how to use the nouse genome to study
a cure for stomach cancer and the genetic basis immunity, fe ility, learning, memory and
of cardiovascular development and human diseases like cancer.
disease.
\o
o\
q
F1
c!
a
 %ffiilF fl1$ffih&G: 5flBffiffiflffi FPei
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rn*vi* ;' mcngo + cnln:e r'

TiIE PRE$T:GT
PaIt scjcnce lictio , paft th ller, this srPerb movie
is principally about a battle oi cgos bctlveen t1'{o
ambitious stage maliicians plaled by Hugh lactman
(Woh'crine in Xmen) and Christian Bale (Bd'nrdn
/tegins). Both mirke inoreasingly despcHte and dark
dccisions to o tclo erch olhcr'. troviding a backch'c)p
to lhis llctitious battlc is tLrr: rcal iife rvar for public
approval bctlveen r-i!|l scierrtists Nikolai Tesla and
'lhonas Eclison.l'hc disl rrrbing hvist in The 'i) (]s'iqe
provirles sone une;.1lccted colllnlcntary on a clrrTelrt
cortnrversial tcchnoloPl. f I
F[J tL IviETAl" f"N,*l-l EMIST
This popLrlar manga series centrcs around two
aclolcscenl brothers rvho are scientifically gifted
bcyond their age. Surprisingly dark, the manga
explores the hcllish consequences ofthc brothers'
tragic clecision to r-aise their mothcrfrom the dead'
Although it is abort thc pseudo science o{ alchemy,
A/clre]]rist highl;e,hts Ihe leal-life dangers of the
ilmoral pur-s(rit ol scientific knollledge as well
as the lack of accountltrility for thc actions
of both rogue scientists and state-sponsored
militarv scientists. It

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lit-.r.
i!L"i, ...,f [*\J Apple Computel is legendary for its ability to
tl junrpstart whole industries with onc clever
t;
;nnovatioD 1984 saw lhe pel-soniil cotnputer, 2oo1
i
! &VEttAINS saw the iPod and now zooT will see Lhe iPhone-
Its revolutiorary touch-screen user interface alone
will rvin ovcr anyone. ttest of all, it doubles up as
r a new gcneratioD, wialescreen iPod Wish you had
'i Iis i',,'irrrii:r tuchtrclogr'thal lrls
issttc.
d
a lighter, sexier, web-enabled phone free from
I '', r,ir tlart iri' ,i il lillil ltilotbll: lhitl it:rs
clumsy keyboards and stylus? Wish you had desltop
3 ' itr
{ ir ,rr'o1.;ctj gr !' , i 1 r ' li iLt)rllltii)l l. class email ancl *eb browsinS, on thc go? It's all
voru hands in:ooB. I!
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30
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clcssic llsoii ,' movie /

BRAVH NHW W0ftl"ii
A tluotc fiom Shakespeale's Tie ?'etnpe-sl "llow
beauteous rrrankind isl O brave new wcirkl, thal has
such people in'l1" ;nspired Aldous Hu\]ey to pen
his most famors novcl. written in 1932. Hlulelrs
novel pr-edicted that the 26th ccntury would be
bealthy and pernanenlly happy thanks to
developmerlts in reptoductive cloning, !,cnetic
engiDccring aDd hypnotic dNgs. honically, this
utopia is aD].thing but one: hedonistic, self-centred
and deprivecl of all things truly jovful - cultural
diversity, art, religioD and iarnily. ['
GATTACA
This 1997 cuit hit presents a disturbing portr:1it of
what happens wheD genetic ellginccring splits
socictyinto tlvo canDsr the "Valids ' who are created
genel;cally pcrfect from birth and the 'In Valids"
who are conceived by traditional means- Gr1ttdco
ceDtres on howVinccnt, an llr-valid, defies societal
discrimination and assurlres lhe idcntit-v ofJcrcnlc,
a Valid, in order to prove that hunran spiril and
willpoh'cr can tlump lienetic imperfection. It

.,r'ioin i CAMERA PHONES

'lirenagers use it to create home-made porD or
"happy slapping" moments. Peeping TonN have
discovered the joys of "upskirting" using camera
phones to shoot up women's skirts on escalatoN
and public transport. Self-righteous vigilantes
uploacl images of peoplc who park like idiots onto
the Internet in order to publicly shame them.
Now with the video of Saddam Husscin's ugly
exccution, the camela phone has clearly shown
us tbat the be:rst lies within m all. It
MUffi ADO ABOUT IECH
Technology underlines all that we do - a Macintosh G5 was used to create this magazine, a
delivery truck was used to bring the same magazine to your doorstep, contact lenses may
be enabling you to read this page right now as it is. Technologr can change our lives in many
ways - from the subtle to tlle dramatic.

WHAT DO YOU TllINK?

#1 IXAMINT #2 ANALYSE
WllAT TEIHNOI-OGY IAN YOU NOT DO HAS TIIHNOI-OOY MADI YOU MORE OR
WITHOUT? WHY? LtSS PHYSIIATIY AfiIVI?

MENTALTY AfiIVI?

TMOII ONAttY AVAI tAB TI?

VISIT A NEW WIBSITT

WWW.BOINGBOING.NET
Listed as one ofTIME magazine's bo coolest websites of2oo5, :
BOINCBOINC is)ourone-slop direclorJ of w onder{ul things ard .
curator ofall things weird, witty and fabulous. The world is more i
odd, amusing and entertaining than you think! :) at l

32 BR0ADER PIRSPIIT|VES rfir: sr:ience & tech Lssue

 Ihis page nay be rcp@dLced for non cannercial classrcoh use, in paftar h whate and lry anyn,eans
withaut charge ortunherpetnissian ftan Schaataf fhaught Leaming Centrc

DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE SUOTES?

Of coulpse, modern science iras changed

sharply since the days ofA-ristotle or even
of Ga,]i]eo... the aJnorrrlt of knowledge has
been constantly increasing...

But a,lthough humaJrs have discovered a

great dea,l about the environment, there are
stil1 no answers to the most significaJrt
questions.For lt trrns out that the most
difficult knowledge for humans to acqulre
is knoYrledge of themselves.

V.A. Sadovnichiy,
2006 Opening Address to Russian Philosophy Congress

HAS TI(HNOIOGY HtLPtD YOU

UNDERSTAND YOURSI[I A1'lY BEIIER?

Science vdthout religlon ls lame,

religion without science is blhd.

Albeft Einslein, US (German born) physicisb

1941 "Science, Philosophy ard Religion: a S1'mposium

LEARN A NEW WORD

PLACEBO I phrh-see-boh ] figurative use: a measure
designed to merely placate and appease instead ofactnally solving
aD).thing.

GM .foods retnain but nere pldcebos to the daurtinq lroblems

faced bu the hungry and poor ofthe uorkl.
d,

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T tP #2
v
d\
E l/lB RAIE

T HI t|t|EB
Living meaninglilly is about changing our little
cvervday choices. 'fhough we live in an Intemet
driven world, manyofus are still ignorant aboul
its power beyond the oocasional Google,
e-mailing and IM-ing. Resolve to know what
HTML and FITTP actually mean. Play with
Photoshop. Wikipedia the history of thc
Internet. Take one weekend to set up a Blogger
or Flickr account. It might be the beginning of
a beautiful friendship. Your weekend website
might be your doorway to a world of possibility.
An online brovmie business? ANGO dedicated
to saving coral reefs? A political commentary?
\,VHO SAYS YOU CAN"I'
CHANGl],'fHE WORi,D?