Harnessing Topology: The Low-Error Breakthrough of Microsoft’s Majorana 1

Harnessing Topology: The Low-Error Breakthrough of Microsoft’s Majorana 1

Aidan O'Leary
Science & Nature, Technology

A few months ago, on February 19th, 2025, Microsoft launched its Majorana 1 quantum computing chip. This is a significant milestone and breakthrough on several levels for both the computing and physics fields. Majorana 1 is “the world’s first quantum chip powered by a new Topological Core architecture” (Bolgar, 2025). The Topological Core architecture is the first of its kind in quantum computing. This article will not be going into detail about the nitty-gritty of quantum computing – for more on that, check out my article, “Quantum Computing and Climate Modeling” – rather, it discusses quantum computing as it relates to foundational principles of topology, computing with topoconductors, minimizing error, and what lies ahead. 

Rubrik's Financial Evolution: From Startup to Cybersecurity Powerhouse

Rubrik's Financial Evolution: From Startup to Cybersecurity Powerhouse

Ryan Gilligan
Business Current Events

Rubrik was founded in 2014 by Bipul Sinha and industry veterans Arvind Nithrakashyap, Arvind Jain, and Soham Mazumdar. What began as a cloud data backup company quickly attracted significant venture capital, raising over $1 billion from prestigious firms including Lightspeed, Bain Capital, and Greylock Partners. The company's strategic transformation from data backup to an elite cybersecurity solution provider has proven pivotal. By 2023, Rubrik had secured over 5,000 enterprise customers, including more than 40% of the Fortune 500. This transition, marked by the development of AI-powered ransomware protection and Zero Trust security offerings, has established Rubrik as a formidable player in the $200 billion cybersecurity market, with particularly strong growth in the enterprise segment. Rubrik went public on April 25, 2024, greatly improving its position in the market.

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and its Role in Sustainable Urban Planning

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and its Role in Sustainable Urban Planning

Aidan O'Leary
Public Policy

Urban areas are home to a great number of people, all living within close proximity to one another. In 2022, “the world’s population reached 8 billion… with over half (55 percent) living in urban areas, a figure projected to rise to 70 percent by 2050” (United Nations). With that said, it is crucial that individuals have access to clean air, water, public transportation, green spaces, etc., to ensure happy and healthy lives. Sustainable urban planning aims to accomplish this by balancing social, economic, and environmental needs. How? With Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). In this sense, it is a method for evaluating several options or objectives, where each objective's importance is weighted against others. This article will discuss how this technique works along with other algorithms used for sustainable urban planning.

 ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua Forests and ROD

 ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua Forests and ROD

Grace Klein
Environmental Policy, Science & Nature

 ‘Ōhi‘a trees are the bedrock of Hawaiian forests. Not only do they provide watershed protection and are a specific critical habitat for many biota, but they are also a critical food source for endemic birds (Friday and Herbert). ‘Ōhi‘a forests grow on the six largest Hawaiian islands: the Big Island, Maui, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Oahu, and Kaua`i. They are a resilient species, tolerant of various conditions such as frost, volcanic gases, and extreme changes in moisture (Friday and Herbert). “ ‘Ōhi‘a trees seed prolifically but grow slowly. They survive by colonizing lava flows or fallen logs in forest gaps where other vegetation cannot compete” (Friday and Herbert). This article explores endemic and endangered Hawaiian plants by examining the ‘Ōhi‘a lehua tree, and its history and importance in Hawaiian culture.  

Hereditary Diseases: How Do They Work?

Hereditary Diseases: How Do They Work?

Siddharth I Sharma
Science & Nature

In 1819, Queen Victoria was born with what scientists currently believe was a spontaneous mutation in her genome. Though unaffected herself, some of her children and then her grandchildren began to show signs of a bleeding disease. Her great-grandson, Alexei Romanov, would go on to seek the consultation of Grigori Rasputin to treat this condition. In time, the “royal disease” would go on to become one of the most famous examples of a hereditary disease, known more commonly today as hemophilia. However, it wasn’t until 1902 when Archibald Garrod’s observations of alkaptoneuria, highlighted the relevance of Mendel’s principles in the study of hereditary diseases (Urban, 1999). With today’s advancements in medicine, the focus naturally turns to conditions that are inherited, and whether or not a cure could ever be possible.

Are Non-State Actors Disrupting the Power Dynamics of International Relations and Diplomacy?

Are Non-State Actors Disrupting the Power Dynamics of International Relations and Diplomacy?

Benjamin Kwasi Akompi
Current Events, International Affairs

State actors have typically dominated bilateral and multilateral relations. Meanwhile, the dynamics and complexities of globalization, internationalization of domestic policy, and increase in global connections have extended the focus of governance beyond the state to incorporate global governance interests. The growing impact of non-state actors (NSAs) in international relations and diplomatic activities underscores the crucial contributions that NSAs make to reduce the perceived legitimacy deficit in global governance at both the international and subnational levels. Conceptually, a state actor is an entity that represents a recognized government, such as a nation-state or its institutions, exercising authority and sovereignty. On the other hand, a non-state actor refers to organizations or individuals not affiliated with or controlled by any government, such as NGOs, corporations, or insurgent groups. Both play roles in domestic and international affairs. On many policy issues and thematic areas of national and global interest, non-state actors play a significant role at the societal, state, and international levels. Given that democratic governance is fundamentally participatory, it allows civil society organizations, as well as non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, to provide input and constructive policy alternatives into both international and government apparatus and other areas of global concern. Respect for and acknowledgment of the legitimacy of quasi-governmental entities driven by specific goals across multiple global economic and political sectors are critical to international relations.

The Significance of Earth’s Carbon Cycle

The Significance of Earth’s Carbon Cycle

KaraLeigh Eva Loya
Science & Nature

The carbon atom is recognized as “the building block” of life, not only for its abundance but also for its unique chemical structure, which allows the formation of numerous and diverse stable bonds.  It takes many forms and is found in all of Earth’s spheres – from nucleic acid within the DNA of all living things, to the inorganic compounds essential to all ecosystems.

Removing Carbon From Our Atmosphere With Carbon Capture Technology

Removing Carbon From Our Atmosphere With Carbon Capture Technology

Aidan O'Leary
Environmental Policy, Science & Nature

Climate change is a topic gaining more and more relevance as time goes on. This is because we have measured an increase in carbon within our atmosphere because of burning fossil fuels. Worldwide emissions of carbon dioxide “total about 34 billion tonnes per year. About 45% of this is from coal, about 35% from oil, and about 20% from gas” (World Nuclear Association). A way to mitigate this is by carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

Cuteness III: Cuteness and Dark Subject Matter

Cuteness III: Cuteness and Dark Subject Matter

Valeria Li
Uncategorized

We’ve previously established that cuteness is an aesthetic that is often associated with traits that communicate purity, wholesomeness, vulnerability, innocence, beauty, and generally warm, fuzzy feelings in the last article. Cuteness has also been seen to hold psychological and biological influence over behavior and cognition, and socially has been seen interwoven with gender and expressions of the self. 

This article will explore the particular employment of cuteness in dark subject matter. We will briefly discuss how and why these subjects attract or combine with a cute aesthetic and what this means socioculturally.

Load More