Week 7 [25-31.01.21] Sweeteners - are they really unhealthy?

Sweeteners or sugar substitutes are commonly used in diet drinks, desserts, chewing gums and many more products. What makes them useful is the fact that they are usually much sweeter than sugar while containing zero or really low amount of calories. Many of them are plant-derived, but the most common ones are artificial (sucralose or aspartame). Considering this fact people often wonder – are they healthy? Is drinking coke zero bad for my health? Can sweeteners help me lose weight? I’ll try to dispel doubts with this article.

 

https://naturalnieozdrowiu.pl/wp-content/uploads/cukier-i-slodziki-768x512.jpg

To answer these questions we need to comprehend some facts about sugar substitutes. Because of the facts that they are much sweeter than sucrose (sugar) we can use very small amount of them. Most of artificial sweeteners (also called intense sweeteners) are hundreds times more sweet than sugar. For example aspartame is about 180 times sweeter, sucralose is 660 times sweeter. This fact doesn’t only apply to artificial sweeteners, stevia is about 250 times sweeter than sugar. These sweeteners that I mentioned above are all non-nutritive – it means they are not completely absorbed by your digestive system, they don’t any calories.

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Vm4Rzpnozmcoh23CXxtDxT-970-80.jpg.webp

We already know that we don’t need to use big amount of sugar substitutes, to make product sweeter. Now let’s review some concerns about the effect of sweeteners on our health. We often hear the myth that drinking diet sodas can cause cancer. The research from the 1970s based on saccharin showed that the high dosage of this substance caused bladder cancer in laboratory rats. It might me concerning, however this mechanism wasn’t confirmed in humans. The same goes with other sweeteners, they are constantly tested, numerous studies confirms that they are safe in limited quantities (which are much greater than the quantities we can consume every day). As for the connection between sweeteners and body weight, the studies’ results vary. If we just look at observational studies (nothing is under control of researchers, they just observe) shows that there is a correlation between consumption of sweeteners and obesity. But correlation does not imply causation. If the scientists have more control over the investigated groups (in a randomized controlled trial), the results are opposite. For example if we drank a can of Zero Coke instead of regular one, we would reduce the caloric balance by 130 calories.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81tRZkxI5cL._SL1500_.jpg

“All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; but the dose makes it clear that a thing is not a poison.” – this Paracelsus quote describes sweeteners well. When it comes to sweeteners moderation is very important. If you want more detailed information on how sweeteners affect our health, here’s a video.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtLtPgYc0mk

I’d like to hear what you think about this subject:

1. Do you consider products with sweeteners as unhealthy?
2. How often do you drink diet / zero calories sodas? Do you like the taste of any of them more than the regular ones?
3. Do you know any more facts or myths about sweeteners?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_substitute

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936

https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/nutritive-and-nonnutritive-sweetener-resources

Is e-sport really a sport?

Week 7 [ 25-31.01.21]

Is e-sport really a sport?

The world is moving faster and faster. We are developing at an alarming pace.

Almost all areas of life change with us.
Our environment, technologies and principles on which our world operates.
No wonder that today we are dealing with a new form of entertainment or sport.
In recent years, a new variety of players' struggles in various types of tournaments has emerged, namely, e-sport.
Electronic sport is the struggle of computer or console players. Everyone will find something for themselves here.
We have shootings, strategies, team games or single player options among others.
In addition, the best of the best compete to repair high prizes at tournaments organized around the world.

The numbers show that e-sport is becoming an increasingly popular field in Poland.
Poland is one of the leading markets in the international arena in terms of the development of e-sport.
Krzysztof Stypułkowski confirmed in an interview with the Forbes.pl portal,
President of Fantasy Expo, a company dealing with the organization of e-sports events.

Where does this interest in esports come from?
This is certainly due to, among others:
The first factor is the growing interest in technology, the internet, and the entire virtual world.
Increasingly younger people have access to this type of equipment.
Today, new generations are almost 100% digital.
Their grandparents cheered on their favorite football team by watching the match on TV,
Young generations cheer for their favorites who struggle in virtual battles on the monitor 

screen.

Esports tournaments are not only entertainment and earning money by gaming players.
Also fans of the best esports teams, computer fans
and viewers have the opportunity to earn while playing DOTA, CS: GO or LoL.

There are even special bookmaking promotions for 2019.
This is a fun option for new players. Certainly when we place bets and watch the match in progress,
it gives us a lot of strong emotions and makes us feel good.

You should also bear in mind that esports struggles are usually very fast and dynamic.
This is completely new to many traditional sports.
Often one match is about 20 minutes, while e.g. a marathon run
It's over 2 hours of waiting for someone to get close to the finish line.

1) Is it a "sport" that actually benefits its players as much as "classic sport"
2) Should esports really be put in the same drawer as sports?
3) Are you a fan of esports?

Week 7 [ 25-31.01.21] Internet of Things

With the Internet we made a technological leap in almost every aspect of our lives. For example, we started using online banking instead of going to banks offices, writing e-mails instead of sending letters, and we even started to work remotely.

Figure 1 What the IoT is? (source: https://smartrak.com/what-is-iot/)

All things mentioned above have one thing in common – all of them were made for our convenience, but what will be next? In my opinion the Internet of Things (IoT) will be the future trend in technology. But exactly what is an Internet of Things?

In short, IoT is a system of electronic devices that can automatically communicate and exchange data over a network without human intervention. This is a very broad concept, which includes an increasing number of smart home devices.

Devices connected to the Internet already exist, and they become more and more popular every year. Everyone at least heard about “smart” something – TV, fridges or washing machines, but it is just a beginning, because most “smart” things are just normal devices with the connection to the Internet and a few applications.

With technological progress companies are trying to improve existing solutions (by connecting all devices in one ecosystem) or develop new ones. For example, they allow giving remote access to your home or a car to your friend or relative while you are away. Another example is a smoke detector which can automatically notify you in many ways (text messages, emails, app notifications) about fire and call for help.

Figure 2 Growing number of IoT devices (source: https://dzone.com/articles/5-iot-trends-to-watch-for-in-2018)

Recently Samsung presented on CES (Consumer Electronics Show) their vision of one of the future ways where IoT can be used. You can check it below:

IoT is not limited to consumer products only. Basically, it can be used in every aspect of our lives. For example, in healthcare IoT can be used for real-time monitoring of health condition during recovery after surgery.  The help for people with pacemakers during a heart attack may be delivered immediately.  IoT combined with 5G (which allows to have a connection with almost no latency) enables a doctor, who is a specialist in rare conditions but is in another country, to do surgeries remotely.

IoT also drew attention of the military companies, which saw opportunities in that technology. Soon, we will see things, that we have already watched in sci-fi movies, in real life. Nowadays, the military is doing research on advanced identification technology to be able to quickly recognize an enemy. They use IoT devices to monitor soldiers’ physical and mental state, or even to sync a soldier (using his biometric data) with a weapon in the way that only he can use it.

More examples of IoT usage you can find below:

https://blog.westerndigital.com/top-9-iot-use-cases/

As you can see, there are many ways to use the Internet of Things and it can be applied in various areas. This is just the beginning of interesting technology that will have a great impact on our lives.

Questions:

1.       What do you think about IoT?

2.       Do you have any “smart” devices?

3.       What kind of “smart” things that is not available now, would be useful to you?

 

 

Sources:

https://www.army.mil/article/224610/automatic_identification_technology_improves_speed_and_accuracy

https://www.experfy.com/blog/iot/internet-of-everything-the-iot-market-is-projected-to-expand-12x-from-2017-2023/

https://dzone.com/articles/5-iot-trends-to-watch-for-in-2018 

Week 7 [ 25-31.01.21] Brief introduction into squash

    Squash is a racket and ball sport played by two players in a four-walled court. The ball is small and rubber and the rackets are much lighter than tennis rackets. When someone talks about a game where people strike the ball off the wall with rackets, it's mostly squash. 

https://polski-sport.pl/rakiety-do-squasha-dla-poczatkujacych-jak-wybrac-najlepszy-model/

    The first version of the game similar to squash was created at the beginning of the 18th century in a prison. Later in 1830, it began to spread to London schools. An interesting fact is that the squash court was available on titanic on the premium deck. 

The players play on a special, closed court by hitting the ball with a racket from the front wall following the rules. Very important are serves, front and rear strikes, and appropriate strike tactics. Squash is often compared to tennis, but it differs from it in terms of court size and structure, racket structure, and ball size. A squash match lasts up to three sets won. Each set lasts up to eleven points, except where both players score ten points. In this case, the winner is the one with the advantage of 2 points. Below is a link to a short video describing the rules of the game.

What are the advantages of playing squash?

First of all, it strengthens the body and improves its overall condition. It is a very dynamic and demanding activity that allows you to burn up to 800 calories in an hour.

Squash is a game for two people, which makes it a great way to spend time with family or friends, and available all year round, regardless of the weather.

https://squashmad.com/breaking-news/creating-a-pathway-for-change-and-improvement-to-help-coaches-and-players/

Squash and the Olympics

This is a controversial topic in the world of this sport. WSF - The world squash federation has been trying for years to add squash to the Olympic sports list. Karate, baseball + softball, surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and breakdance are sports that got to the Olympics before squash. Many athletes and sports journalists are shocked by the committee's decisions every year and express their indignation on social media. Many professional squash players declare that they would not play in the Olympics due to years of ignorance. Below is the cover of the 1975 Squash Player magazine. It shows how long this battle lasts.

https://squash7dni.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/squash-nie-jedzie-na-igrzyska-2020-przegral-m-in-ze-wspinaczka/

    Moreover, squash is a very spectacular and dynamic sport for the spectator. In conclusion, I recommend watching the attached video from the game of professionals.

1. Have you ever played squash or are you planning? If so, what are your impressions?

2. What do you think about squash at the Olympics?

3. Do you enjoy watching squash as a spectator?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squash_(sport)

https://thesquashcompany.com/rules-of-squash/

https://www.worldsquash.org/

https://psaworldtour.com/news/view/6186/psa-players-react-with-frustration-to-paris-olympics-exclusion

https://titanic.fandom.com/wiki/Squash_Racquet_Court

Week 7 [25-31.01.21] We burn trees all over the planet - our involuntary contribution to global deforestation

 

                    source: https://pixabay.com/pl/photos/ma%C5%82pa-baby-po%C5%BCar-lasu-strach-4273153/

Almost every one of us have been at McDonald’s restaurant at least once. Some people even claim this restaurant as their favorite one. Let me now assume something and put you in a very probable situation: you are at the Macdonald's restaurant eating your favorite hamburger - or taking into consideration our current coronavirus situation - you've ordered McDouble with delivery. Some thoughts of how much unhealthy McDonald’s food is are coming to your head. But has it ever occurred to you that besides being unhealthy this burger also contributes to global deforestation? Yes, that is true. To provide meat for customers McDonalds’ needs plenty of space for crops and cattle. It is rare when we take a moment to wonder about the origin of the meat we buy in supermarkets or the meat we eat in restaurants. As it turns out, soybeans are the main crop that is used to feed animals intended for such meat. Many wooded areas on Earth are for this reason being burned and used as farmland. Of course, we need to meet the demand of people not suffering from hunger, but the sad reality is the fact that a huge part of the produced food is actually being wasted.

                  Source: https://pixabay.com/pl/photos/ogo%C5%82acenie-z-las%C3%B3w-las-drewno-405749/

When we hear from time to time or occasionally think about global deforestation it primarily induces within us the feeling of consternation and helplessness. But the thought of global deforestation never provokes within us the feeling of guilt. Why would it even? If the actions we take are connected with our planet, it is rather something good like helping the environment by planting new trees in our yards or neighborhoods. Unfortunately, besides this fact, each of us involuntarily contribute to global deforestation every single day. Massive consumption and our constant need for something new are the main causes of our planet suffering from global warming. Hence, global warming is mainly caused by our ongoing harmful activities. One of the most effective ways to deal with global warming is to plant new trees. Trees absorb CO2 and release the oxygen that the Earth needs. Instead, the trees all around the planet are being cut down or burned on a large scale, causing massive carbon emissions.

                         Source: https://pixabay.com/pl/photos/po%C5%BCar-lasu-drzewa-palenie-las-432870/

The question now is, what actions can we take to help our planet? Of course, we must continue planting new trees as much as possible. But most of all, we need to make a stop at least to some point. We need to stop at this massive consumption we create every single day. Also, we should also encourage our friends and families to do so. I obviously cannot order anyone to try to live modestly, but I can recommend trying taking control of the greediness, overeating and gluttony if we at least a little bit care about maintaining the world so gorgeously beautiful and healthy.

   Questions:

1.         Did you know about the scale of deforestation that is happening all around the world?

2.         Have you ever planted any trees?

3.         Do you feel the need to change something in your life in order to make the planet a nice     place to live?

    Sources:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-55086977

    https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-54652094

    https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54408544

    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53438680

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55130304

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/55644082

    https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-53907739

Week 6 [11-17.01.21] The intelligence of magpies and crows

 The intelligence of magpies and crows

If you ask yourself „What the smartest bird in the world is?” – owl would be the first thing that will probably pop up to your mind. In Greek mythology an owl traditionally accompanies Athena – the goddess of wisdom. Because of such association, the bird  is used as a symbol of  knowledge, perspicacity and erudition throughout the Western culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Athena_owl_Met_09.221.43.jpg

In my post I want to introduce the real birds geniuses – crows and European magpies (also called the common magpie) . Both of them represents Corvids – birds family including crows, ravens, magpies, nutcrackers and more. A family with remarkable intelligence for animals of their size. Some of the spacies demostrated self-awerness by passing cognitive experiment called the „mirror test” and tool making ability.

Magpie is known by its black and white feathers and blueish/greenish (sometimes purple) accents on their wings. Their brain-to-body mass ratio equals that of aquatic mammals and great apes. Outmatch only by that of humans.

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Korean_magpie_in_Daejeon_facing_away.jpg

 What’s more intresting, corvids are very social birds with strong sense of community and great teamwork. Male and female usually bond for whole life, building nests and taking care of young chicks together. Young crows can play social games and magpies can use tools to portion food for their young. When one of them dies, they will group around the body for a „funeral” and squawk in grieve. 

As I mentioned before, magpies demostrated their ability to recognize themself in the mirror. In the video below we can see that the feeling of the mark on the magpies’ neck does not alarm them. When the bird catches a glimpes of itself in the mirror – that’s when the bird starts to scratch neck to get rid off the mark. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRVGA9zxXzk

Another fascinating experiment shows that crows can see difference between water and sand, decide wich objects are light/ heavy, hollow/solid, wide/narrow and even determine the water level. In every case crows easliy figured out what to do to get the treat and how achieve the goal in the simplest way possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=ZerUbHmuY04&feature=emb_logo

For sure corvids are mesmerizing birds and after gaining knowledge about them, some people starts to dream about getting/breeding one. Unfortunately most people fail to recognise the amount of hard work and self discipline it takes to be able to train such creatures fully disregarding their wild nature. 

 

1. Did you know that magpies were that intelligent? 
   
   
2. Are you a cat, dog or maybe bird person? Have you ever consider keeping parrot as a pet?
   
   
3. Do you know any story/situation in which magpies or crows showed their cleverness?

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/story/eurasian-magpie-a-true-bird-brain

https://earthfireinstitute.org/story/the-intelligence-of-magpies/

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/uoe-llb020518.php

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14552-mirror-test-shows-magpies-arent-so-bird-brained/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl_of_Athena

1.       

Week 6 [11-17.01.21] What would life on Earth be like if there was no Moon?

 

What would life on Earth be like if there was no Moon?

 

    Have you ever wondered what the role of our planet's natural satellite really is? The Moon is needed by mankind more than you might think. It doesn’t only serve as an ornament of the evening sky. It helps to direct the currents and tides of the ocean, the movement of the Earth's atmosphere, influences the climate and even the tilt of the planet's axis. What if it disappeared?

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2a/fd/71/2afd71746dd442af8b3e13e00fbe3e6d.jpg

    First and foremost, the Moon stabilizes our planet's movement. Currently, the deviation of the Earth from the vertical is about 23 degrees and doesn’t deviate too much from this value. The disappearance of the Moon would’ve several consequences here. During periods when the planet would be perfectly vertical, there would be no seasons, while at times when the deviation was very large, the variation in the seasons would be extreme. Additionally, the Earth would rotate much faster, which would make the day last for about 6 hours. In such a case, the centrifugal force would also be greater, which would in effect weaken the force of gravity. Without the Moon, the tilt of our Earth would’ve changed much more, and probably much faster, and Ice Ages would’ve been more frequent and stronger as a result.

    With such changes, there would be far fewer species of plants and animals left on Earth because they would’ve trouble surviving these sudden differences throughout history. Only the fittest would survive: naturally resistant to climate change, rapidly adapting to change, or rapidly migrating - so species diversity would be much smaller. Nights would also be completely dark, which also affects the activity of animals that without the glow of the Moon, would probably not be able to hunt at night.

https://i.insider.com/5d07bb6e6fc9202e196da1f6?width=1200&format=jpeg

    The Moon is a shield that protects the Earth from meteorites - very large, with strong gravity, it captures a large part of the incoming objects from space that hit it instead of us. You can see it well if you look at the "dark" side of the Moon - always facing away from the Earth, and thus exposed to bombardment, has many more holes than the one facing the Earth.

    The Moon's gravity is not as strong as Earth's, but it’s sufficient to pull our oceans to different directions creating ebb and flow. If this force suddenly disappeared, the waters would begin to flow much slower, slower by about 2/3 of their current fluctuation. After a certain period of reduced tides, the effects would be dire. Coastal ecosystems would be practically destroyed, disrupting the flow of energy, water, minerals and other resources. These spaces are home to thousands of species of fauna that would either become extinct or have to adapt to new conditions.

https://images.theconversation.com/files/244956/original/file-20181111-116841-1euc09g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip

 

    As you can see, everything changes without the Moon. The Earth is shaking incessantly, fauna and flora are poorer, the climate is harsher and the nights are completely dark. It's a pity Mars doesn't have such a cool Moon.

What do you guys think about it? Let me know in the comments!

Guiding questions:

1. Do you think life on Earth without the Moon would be totally extinct, or would it have to adapt to the new reality? What would this reality be?

2. What curiosities or facts do you know about the Moon? Do you know any other advantages of our natural satellite?

3. What is your favorite planet or star and why?

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/03/02/7-ways-earth-would-change-if-our-moon-were-destroyed/?sh=2d830e693852

https://nineplanets.org/questions/what-would-happen-if-there-was-no-moon/

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/what-if-the-moon-disappeared-tomorrow

 

Week 6 [11-17.01.21] Space Elevators

 Space Elevators

For many years people have been directing their eyes to the stars, wondering what life may await us in their embrace.

 

Space travel has been fascinating our species for a very long time, we are constantly trying to develop new and better methods of sending our ships / satellites and other devices into space. One of the biggest obstacles that makes it difficult for us to conquer stars is our planet, and more specifically its gravity and atmosphere.

SpaceX Falcon-9 Demo-2 launch

(https://science.thewire.in/spaceflight/space-x-demo-2-successful-bob-behnken-doug-hurley-nasa-iss-docking-science/)

 

Due to these two factors, we are forced to use a huge amount of raw materials to be able to send the ship itself into the orbit of our planet. It is also in this phase (apart from returning to Earth) that the greatest amount of damage and threats may occur.

SpaceX rocket and Israeli satellite destroyed in launch pad explosion

(https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/01/spacex-rocket-and-israeli-satellite-destroyed-in-launch-pad-explosion/)

 

And here comes the space elevator to the rescue, what is a space elevator you might ask? Space Elevator is a structure used to lift objects from the surface of the planet into space. Also referred to in the literature as a tethered satellite, space bridge or orbital tower. There are several concepts for the operation of such an elevator. The most common one involves dropping a rope or ribbon from a satellite in geostationary orbit all the way to the surface of the planet. Properly designed vehicles could climb this line, reaching orbit much cheaper than using rockets, which would allow us to give up huge cargo holds holding large amounts of fuel and allocate them for completely different purposes. However, building such an elevator on Earth would require a rope that would not break under its own weight over a length of 36,000 kilometers. None of the materials produced today meet this requirement. Potentially, however, fibers made of carbon nanotubes or giant carbon tubes could be used in the future. Additionally, in the case of planets with a much lower force of gravity and a thinner atmosphere, the construction of such an elevator would probably be possible now due to the requirement of much less durable materials.

(https://hackaday.com/2018/09/14/one-small-step-for-a-space-elevator/)

 

A ray of hope appeared for the space elevator project. All thanks to scientists from the Chinese Tsinghua University. For several years, they have been conducting intensive research on a special fiber of the future, which would be characterized by extraordinary abilities. All indications are that they finally managed to create something that is ideal for building a space elevator.

 

According to NASA's concept from over 10 years ago, the fiber required to build a space elevator must have a tensile strength of 7 gigapascals. Meanwhile, the material developed by the Chinese from Tsinghua University reaches as much as 80 gigapascals, and the theoretical strength is up to 300 gigapascals. The fiber is to be constantly improved, so we can expect even better performance in the future.

 

Here is short a video about Space Elevator:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPQQwqGWktE

 

Questions:

1. What do you think about the space elevator concept, is it achievable?

2. Have you heard of other ideas similar to space elevator?

3. This might sound a little grim but, do you think our civilization will survive long enough to have any chances for a more advanced space journey?

4. Would you like to take a space elevator if you had an opportunity?

Sources:

https://pl.qaz.wiki/wiki/Space_elevator

https://hackaday.com/2018/09/14/one-small-step-for-a-space-elevator/

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2018/11/23/chinese-scientists-say-they-have-the-key-to-building-a-space-elevator-a-what