The Origin of Philosophy and its Connection to Tyranny

The Origin of Philosophy and its Connection to Tyranny

Ryan Dulaney
Ethics, Political Theory

Philosophy is the framework of modern law and morality. It is the software that governs our minds. In its practice, we question the nature of our existence and glean timeless wisdom that is passed on through the ages. Classical Athens has been in ruins for millennia, but because of philosophy, Socrates lives forever.

This article will investigate the origin of philosophy and the conditions which surround its unique conception. First, it will cover the cultural preconditions necessary to allow for philosophy to have come into existence. Then, it will focus on how those preconditions manifested in early Europe. Finally, it will expand on how these preconditions allowed for the origin of philosophy in classical Greece and its various consequences. 

Quantum Finance: How Quantum Computers Will Change The World of Quantitative Finance

Quantum Finance: How Quantum Computers Will Change The World of Quantitative Finance

Ishan Gupta
Business Current Events

Quantitative Analysts, or “quants”, use complex algorithms and mathematical models to analyze data and predict outcomes, critical skills in the world of stock trading. Before the 1970s and 80s, successful traders sat down with CEOs and economists to gain exclusive information that, when combined with their intuition, allowed them to hedge educated bets on stocks. As market news became digitized, people with a background in math began to realize that stock markets displayed patterns, and complex models could be used to predict whether a stock was going up or down. They started using computers to analyze vast amounts of data, putting information through algorithms designed by mathematicians and computer scientists that returned instructions on buying or selling a particular stock. As computer technology advanced, algorithms became more complex, and the field of quantitative finance grew. Today, almost every trader, from day traders to massive hedge funds, uses research done by quants to help them decide which stocks to buy and sell. 

Quantum Computing: The New Paradigm

Quantum Computing: The New Paradigm

Zoha Imran
Science & Nature

A quantum computer is a computing device that uses quantum bits (qubits), which can exist in multiple states simultaneously due to superposition and be correlated through entanglement, enabling it to solve certain complex problems much faster than classical computers. 

The journey to quantum computing began with the early developments in quantum mechanics. Max Planck's pioneering work revealed the concept of discreteness at sub-atomic levels. J.J. Thomson's discovery of electrons in the cathode ray tube, followed by Rutherford's description of electrons orbiting the nucleus, laid crucial foundations. An unexpected source of insight came from a bad cigar, which played a role in uncovering the concept of spin as intrinsic angular momentum in electrons (Friedrich & Herschbach, 2003).

Preserving History Amid Climate Change: Heritage Site Conservation

Preserving History Amid Climate Change: Heritage Site Conservation

Ankita Nandi
Public Policy, Science & Nature

The ever-pervasive nature of climate change has impacted all facets of society and spurred scientific research into alternative energy sources, developing carbon-negative materials, and designing sustainable infrastructure, amongst many other research topics. These research directions seek to develop new technologies to tackle climate change consequences before they happen. However, along with looking towards the future, it is just as important to understand how we can preserve the past as climate change impacts historical items, materials, and architecture. Focusing on the impact of climate change on historical sites, cultural conservation research has evolved to include understanding how climate change impacts cultural heritage sites, and how we can continue to preserve these sites.

Gene Editing: What You Need to Know 

Gene Editing: What You Need to Know 

Siddharth I Sharma
Science & Nature

Beginning in the 19th century, the field of genetics saw significant growth in thought. Though concepts of heredity were postulated long before the term entered the scientific lexicon, it wasn’t until Gregor Mendel’s work on pea plants in 1865 that the concept of heredity was fully understood. By 1944, Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty discovered that DNA was the “transforming principle,” the fundamental chemical component of genes (“1944: DNA Is \"Transforming Principle\,"” n.d.).

Understanding the Rise of Dictatorship: History, Tactics, and Citizen Awareness

Understanding the Rise of Dictatorship: History, Tactics, and Citizen Awareness

Jordan Armando Navarro
Current Events, Political Theory

Throughout human history, tyranny is always a constant threat that rears its ugly head from Hitler and the Nazis to Mussolini and his Brownshirts, to the plethora of dictators of the Roman Empire that fill the history books. With how often a dictator rises, it's good to know the warning signs of a dictatorship rising and what the average citizen in any country can do to prevent them from ever reaching power.

Are We Ready for “Peak Oil”?

Are We Ready for “Peak Oil”?

KaraLeigh Eva Loya
Science & Nature

The roads we drive on daily, the technologies that run our world, the food we eat, and the products we purchase all rely upon fossil-based resources.  Our extensive use of fossils makes them necessary for a functioning society as we know it. The raw materials and all relevant supply chains are subject to government regulation and often centralized in international affairs.  The matter is highly politicized, with heavy debate surrounding climate change, energy independence, and a myriad of related topics.

There is, however, one incontrovertible truth underneath each discussion – the reality of peak oil. 

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning in DNA Sequencing for Tree Phylogenetics

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning in DNA Sequencing for Tree Phylogenetics

Aidan O'Leary
Science & Nature

Scientists have been able to uncover evolutionary relationships between different plant species utilizing DNA sequencing. Studying these relationships is beneficial for our understanding of biodiversity and conservation biology. Additionally, we can improve our conservation efforts, detect invasive species, and understand the effects of climate change. Today, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role. It helps monitor read alignment, variant detection and analysis, and Genome assembly. In addition, it serves other functions that we will further explore throughout the article.

Load More