Blue Growth is currently one of the hot topics in the economy at the moment. This is due to the fact that the seas are constantly being polluted and over fished, and therefore a solution needs to be found. Various entities such as the EU have started initiatives due to the fact that a large percentage of European
populations live close to the sea, so there is a huge opportunity missed. Because of this, a number of
objectives and targets have been set to improve the situation. A number of benefits which blue growth may have includes improvements of coastal economies, improving the quality of life of the people involved which ranges benefits from the business owners to ordinary working class families, and also a boost of the local economy due to eco-tourism and tourism in general. There are also a number of concerns when It comes to the blue economy. Climate change for instance is a huge problem, since its effects may range from the deep sea, to the coastal regions. It is also known that climate change may effect sea temperature, which may in turn effect certain commercially important species. Growing populations and overfishing are also very concerning factors which need to be addressed if blue growth is to flourish. It Is concluded therefore that blue growth is worthy of investing in. Although there are multiple challenges, in this review it is seen that it has multiple benefits, now and also for future generations.

So…What is Blue growth?

It is considered to be economic expansion which includes developments made which are based on the potential of coasts, seas and oceans. This includes the creation of new infrastructure and jobs which are coexisting successfully with components of the marine environment. This involves the implementation of a long-term framework in order to invest in marine projects with the aims to convert these investments into monetary and socioeconomic yields. Blue growth boosts initiatives which have to do with the growth of marine sectors as the sea is seen to be as “engines of the global economy”. It is estimated that that the blue economy strategy alone creates around 5.4 million job opportunities and in the European zones alone, it generates an astonishing 500 billion euro gross. In the U.S, the blue initiative contributed to around 350 million U.S dollars to the annual GDP and has supported around 3.1 million jobs to citizens. This has possibly helped a significant number of people in coming out of poverty due to new job opportunities created by the Blue Growth. The European Union therefore currently considers the seas in having great potential in order to boost countries’ economies. It is in fact considered to be a long term strategy. It is safe to say therefore that the Blue Growth is showing to be a very significant strategy and initiative to a number of stakeholders across the globe.

The stakeholders which are involved in blue growth include:

• Business owners and entrepreneurs
• Scientists
• Policy makers
• Society as a whole

By time, there has been an increase in awareness due to studies and also articles published regarding the blue economy. Undoubtedly, blue growth has faced a number of challenges but also a lot of positives have resulted from the initiatives.

Challenges and Concerns of Blue Growth

Blue Growth initiatives and activities have been growing in popularity, especially in certain countries in the
EU. However, Blue Growth has faced a number of challenges and drawbacks throughout the years. One
particular challenge is that there needs to be a common infrastructure of institutions for multiple countries. If countries work together in this case, there would be more efficient profits while also safeguarding fish stocks and marine ecosystems for future generations. One of the main limitations in the management of blue growth initiatives is the fact that there might be a lack of data and it is known to be very problematic when it comes to planning of blue growth strategies. It is known that, the more complex the system which needs to be managed is, the more data needs to be available. It is also important to consider that to obtain new data, it is extremely expensive, and so, it is vital to learn new ways on how this existing data can be better analysed to obtain more efficient measures on how blue growth can be exploited. Due to recent advances in data sciences, it has been evident that a significant amount of data could literally be “squeezed out” from the already present and existing data.

Threatened Species, Overfishing and ever-growing populations.

Another main challenge which has effected blue growth initiatives is the presence of threatened and
endangered species. These species may be threatened primarily due to certain fishing activities, which catch these species as bycatch. Bycatch is the capture of an organism which has not been intended to catch. It is important to mention that a healthy and thriving ecosystem can ensure fish stocks for the coming years, which will put in place a positive cascade effect, especially in the blue growth economy. Improved economy, besides improving the quality of life of the population working in the blue growth sector may also influence future policy makers to invest more in this prospective area. It is therefore important to work on the challenge of safeguarding stocks of endangered and threatened species.
New methods of fishing are proving to be very destructive to the natural ecosystems. In fact, due to
overfishing activities, for instance, over one third of rays and shark species are being pushed towards
extinction and it has been due to the fact that us humans, we are facing a shortage of food due to ever-growing populations. It is said that overfishing indeed has a cascading effect on marine systems, and it goes far beyond such as damages to the stocks of fish. Besides the fact that yearly subsidies (around $150 million per year) are given to trawlers (which are constantly damaging deep sea ecosystems and biota), large subsidies are given to these trawlers for fuel, which is usually diesel. Illegal catches are also proving to be problematic. Unfortunately, when fishing vessels are around 200 miles out at sea, it is very difficult for law enforcement to intervene. More-over, unsustainable fishing may cause the loss of billions due to the fact that there would be a shortage of fish stocks.

Climate Change

Climate change is another issue which blue growth initiatives are having to face currently. Changing water
and atmospheric temperatures have lead to certain commercially important species to migrate in different times of the year, when compared to previously thought yearly migration patterns. Changing water temperatures may serve as cues in order for marine organisms such as pelagic species to pass from certain areas. In Malta for instance, Coryphaena hippurus, known locally as lampuki has a particular time in which it comes to the vicinity of the islands. This fish is very much sought after commercially and the profits from catches may effect the livelihoods of fishermen, who rely on the yearly migrations of these fish to make money. If these fish do not pass during this time of the season, which happens to start on the 15th of August yearly, the families of these fishermen may struggle financially due to lack of catches. If few of the fish stock would be present, this would drastically inflate the prices, which would create a drastic cascade effect on the population of consumers or of the fishermen as well. For instance, according to the Maltese newspaper “maltatoday”, it was stated that in the end of September, when prices are usually €4 per kilo, consumers were charged up to a staggering €11.50 per kilo!

Advantages of Blue Growth

• Due to the stabilisation of the blue economy, many sectors can be affected positively. A blue economy contributes to global climate change mitigation measures. This is due to the fact that more renewable energy sources which are found offshore, such as offshore wind turbines are built, in the hopes of reducing fossil fuel usage. This measure also aims to reduce emmissions of ships and other maritime vessels. A more sustainable blue economy also entails the recycling of equipment and also materials which go into ship building.

• Due to blue growth initiatives, conservation of economically important marine species has been very important. Sea side economies may sometimes only thrive from fishing activities. If certain stocks of certain fish species are not, local and global economies may suffer. Increasing the numbers of economically important marine species ensures food security for many future generations. This is widely needed due to the fact that the global population is not decreasing and therefore there needs to be a large food supply to feed the populations.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that Blue Growth is a new and exciting sector which is worthy of investment, planning
and initiation. In addition to the added benefits which it provides, it adds more reasons on why we should
preserve the natural environment and also more reasons why we should try to reduce climate change. This is due to the fact that mitigation of climate change ensures reduced changes to sea temperatures, which may improve the chances of more ‘regular’ fish stocks. The benefits and limitations which are mentioned all have proposed cascade effects, if not in the short run, in the long run.

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Recently, there has been an increase of interest in thrifting, particularly to make an effort in curbing detrimental damage to our environment. But how can buying someone else’s unused items benefit the world? Unfortunately, the resources put into the production of garments make a significant and direct impact on our environment in ways which have been completely disregarded. Currently, more than 400 gallons of water are used to produce the cotton of just one t-shirt. On top of that, it can take 200 years or more for a piece of clothing to fully disintegrate in a landfill. In the process, greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals are released into the air and ground, further diminishing the quality of our air and soil.

Down the rabbit hole of fast fashion
After discovering the awful impacts fashion can have on the earth, it is natural to ask yourselves
why does this keep happening?
Fast fashion describes the mass-production of clothing items where most commonly, these are replicas of high in demand pieces which are set to become the trend for the coming season. This way, customers can have the pleasure of wearing in-vogue garments, but at what price? As attractive the low prices and trendy designs may be, there are several consequences for succumbing to fast fashion. Here is a brief overview:

1. Supporting inhumane working conditions: workers have little to no rights, are not
   paid a living wage (that is the bare minimum to sustain a family) whilst they suffer
   through 16 hours of labour with no proper ventilation and unstable buildings. In addition,
   child labour is also common with around 160 million children coming from poor families
   are forced to work.
2. Allowing the usage of toxic substances: about 11 chemicals used to make clothes
   can be harmful to our body and about 63% of items tested from fashion brands
   contained hazardous chemicals. Some studies have also shown that chemicals found in
   a child’s pyjamas can be traced in their urine for up to 5 days after wearing the pyjamas
   for one night.
3. Detrimental environmental impact: 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile treatment and dyes, 1.5 trillion litres of water are used by the fashion industry every year, 190,000 tons of textile microplastic fibres are released into the ocean each year making their way into our food chain. Clothing is not made to last which leads to about 1 garbage truck of textiles being wasted per second. As mentioned previously, synthetic fibres can take up to 200 years to decompose. Furthermore, fossil fuels are used to produce synthetic fibres which are now used in the majority of our clothes. Overall, this industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions.

There are further consequences that are harming our environment and ourselves in the process. The above is simply a taste of what fast fashion is capable of and will surely encourage you to dig deeper into this topic.

How you can help
Now that you are aware of the problem, it is time to be introduced to one of the solutions: thrifting! As explained briefly above, thrifting has numerous benefits which not only benefit the environment, but it goes against the concepts fast fashion stands for. By choosing to buy more clothes from thrift stores, you are choosing to:

• Give garments a second chance: one of the downsides of fast fashion is that as soon as certain pieces are out of style, they are discarded and never worn again. Instead, if they are donated to a thrift shop, someone else might come along and decide to style it in their own way. It can also give rise to custom pieces of clothing as alterations are made to items bought according to an individual’s liking.
• Avoid buying mass-produced items: by doing so, you are actively encouraging fast fashion giants to move away from their unsustainable practices and start applying changes to their business in such a way which safeguards their workers’ wellbeing and the environment.

• Reduce pollution altogether: as mentioned previously, donating unwanted clothes to thrift shops will spare the sea and air from further pollution since a piece of clothing will be reused for generations. Also, even if a piece of clothing seems to be ‘out of style’ or might be deteriorating, it can be repurposed using basic sewing skills! Help out local businesses and charities: during the pandemic, our local businesses and charities have seen a decline in donations. One way in which this financial burden can be relieved is to frequently visit thrift shops around Malta that also support your favourite charities. In addition, buying handmade items from local tailors is another great initiative one can take towards a greener way of living.

Finally, items on display at thrift shops are in magnificent condition and sometimes, you may even find popular branded items. They usually come at much cheaper prices compared to their original value and unlike fast fashion, you will not harm the environment. Not to mention, donating your clothes to thrift shops also helps the environment and is completely free!

If you would like to start thrifting but have no clue where to start from, may I invite you to a Thrift Shop at KSU Salott organised by SCubed! It is going to be held on the 8th of April from 11am to 5pm. Come and have a look to take your first steps in aid of the environment!

The post Thrifting: Saving the planet and your wallet | S-Cubed appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Michela Aquilina

Our primitive ancestors made use of a variety of animals in order to suit their day-to-day needs. As times evolved, humans developed the ability to dedicate more time for themselves.

They needed to fill up their time with alternate means. And thus, the concept of entertainment was born. This was all well and good, until we started to involve animals in our need for entertainment.

“Animals that Amaze!”

Back in 1831, Henri Martin in Germany entered a cage with a tiger and changed the entertainment industry forever. Wild animals became a prop for amusement. An American trainer, Isaac Van Amburgh followed in his footsteps by introducing trained animals including tigers, leopards, lambs, and lions to the stage.

More light has been shed on the welfare of these animals in recent years. We now know how they are being treated behind the curtains, as well as during their own acts. For instance, animals such as tigers naturally fear fire, but they are still forced to jump through fire hoops in some circuses. They regularly suffer from burns while doing so. Moreover, trainers still use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bull hooks and other painful tools of the trade to force animals to perform.

Travelling Amusements

Behind closed doors, the situation obviously worsens. Animals starring in circuses are housed in small traveling crates. Such confinement has harmful psychological effects on them. You can notices these effects by unnatural behaviour such as repeated swaying, and pacing. The lack of exercise and long hours standing on hard surfaces are major contributors to foot infections and arthritis; a leading causes of death among captive elephants.

The introduction of animal-free circuses became a growing public demand, which promote the thrills, chills, and excitement of the circus minus the exploitation of wildlife. There is an animal-free circus to suit every taste, which consist of acts done by professional, talented humans. You can catch a show in old-fashioned big tops, in parks, and thoroughly modern productions in large venues.

“Conservation not Deprivation”

According to the National Geographic Society, zoos are places where wild animals are kept for public display. Zoos claim to save and conserve wildlife and they are often referred to as sophisticated breeding centres, where endangered species may be protected and studied. However, despite this, according to an article written by Zoe Rosenberger back in 2019 for Sentiment Media, animals which are held in captivity – in zoos in particular – have reduced commodities and are found in inadequate conditions.

Zoos engage in animal exploitation by earning off the attention and conservation donations they receive from visitors while providing a low quality of life for the caged animals. Due to these stressful conditions, animals even die prematurely in zoos, rather than being left running free in their natural environment. It was even estimated that African elephants in the wild live more than three times as long as those kept in zoos. Moreover, 40% of lion cubs die before one month of age in zoos, while in the wild, only 30% of cubs are thought to die before they are six months old and at least a third of those deaths are due to factors which are absent in zoos, like predation.

“Happy Fish, Happy People”

Like zoos, aquaria and marine parks are also a growing concern for the wellbeing of captive marine animals. Places like SeaWorld are part of a growing entertainment industry which feeds off the maltreatment of intelligent and extraordinary animals. They are living in ponds of water, when they were made to live in the open sea, making up more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. Orcas and other dolphins in the wild live in enormous, complicated social groupings and travel vast miles in the open ocean every day. They are only allowed to swim in endless loops inside tanks that are the equivalent of bathtubs in captivity, depriving them of almost any natural behaviour. What happens then?

This forced change of habitat and natural instincts can result in serious physiological problems such as attacking other orcas or dolphins, or even humans. When trainers impose learning and performance of meaningless tricks to entertain a clueless crowd, there’s bound to be a reaction! It stems from a lack of understanding of the pain and suffering these animals go through on a daily basis.

A Call for Action

A famous orca, named Tilikum, was experiencing physiological problems that developed during its time in captivity. Tilikum lashed out and killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau and two other people. The death of Tilikum made a significant impact on the world of animal captivity, with organisations like PETA urging SeaWorld to ban breeding and in turn send animals to wildlife sanctuaries.

As the poet and author, Alice Walker once said; “The animals of this world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans.” Animals were not put on this earth to live in a cage, suffer, and be torn from their families and habitat. Whether they be in movies, zoos, circuses, or bullfighting rings, we continue to use animals as sources of entertainment. Through appropriate management and care provided by NGOs and governments all over the world, this urgent problem can be addressed to give these animals the life they were meant to have, a life which is wild and free.

Is there place for zoos in Malta? Read here to find out.

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Written by Julia Balzan

Have you ever heard of the World Space Party? Had it not been for the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent pandemic, space enthusiasts would have been preparing for Yuri’s Night – an annual project celebrating the feats of space exploration. Yuri’s Night celebrations range from raves and parties to Q&A sessions and symposia. Spread across 30 countries, this event commemorates Yuri Gagarin, the first human to journey to space on April 12, 1981. Also, the launch of STS-1, the first space shuttle on April 12, 1981.

Every year, this worldwide event showcases all the ways that the pursuit of the final frontier unites all of humanity.

Mars 2020 Mission

Perhaps the latest scientific endeavour which has seen the world come together in anticipation is the ongoing Mars 2020 mission. The mission, which is being carried out by NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, consists of the Perseverance Rover and, most notably, the Ingenuity helicopter drone. They were launched on the 30th of July, 2020 and landed on Mars 18th of February, 2021. The major objective of the Perseverance Rover is to investigate the astrobiology on Mars and hopefully answer the question of whether life has ever existed on the Red Planet. 

The Perseverance Rover

The landing site for the Perseverance rover, the Jezero Crater, is the perfect candidate to carry out this mission’s main target goals. The Jezero Crater refers to a specific depression on Mars’ surface which once hosted a lake, marked by two clear inflow and outflow channels on either side of the crater, indicating that it was once filled with water. The crater also hosts one of the most immaculately preserved deltaic deposits found on Mars. This, along with the diverse mineralogy present at the site, create the ideal environment for finding traces of ancient microbial life on Mars, billions of years after their extinction.

The Perseverance Rover is similar to the Curiosity Rover (MSL mission, 2011) in many ways, but it has a number of important engineering and instrumental differences which set it apart and help it to search for specific biosignatures on Mars which Curiosity and other previous rovers could not identify. Notably, Perseverance will be the first rover that will collect and cache Martian rock and dust samples to be sent back to Earth. Additionally, Perseverance carries microphone technology, therefore equipping researchers working on the project with auditory perception. Previously, cameras have supplied sight, robotic hands and feet have given us touch, and chemical sensors have replicated smell and taste, thus making hearing the last of the five external human senses yet to be employed on Mars.

Ingenuity

Perseverance carried on her belly a helicopter drone, Ingenuity, which is by far the greatest and most exciting experiment of the mission. In the coming days, it is scheduled to attempt the first powered flight on another planet, possibly achieving what has been described as a “Wright Brothers moment” in planet exploration. On April 3rd, Perseverance arrived at the “airfield” where Ingenuity will attempt its first flight and has since deployed the rotorcraft to the surface of Mars. Should its test flight campaign, which will last 30 Martian days (31 Earth days), be successful, Ingenuity could pave the way for human exploration on Mars.

Engineering Ingenuity in such a way that it could perform its fundamental objective (flight) was no easy task, as engineers had to account for the fact that the atmosphere on Mars is 1% that on Earth, and as such, a helicopter drone that would lift off on Earth would most likely not have enough power to do so on Mars. Hence, all test flights on Earth had to be conducted in a controlled environment to match conditions on Mars as closely as possible. The result is an extremely lightweight drone with four carbon-fiber blades, constructed into two rotors which spin in opposite directions at about 2,400 rpm, and carries with it no additional scientific instruments to support Perseverance.

Trip to Mars

Ingenuity is scheduled to lift off at 12:30pm local Mars solar time (roughly 4:54am Malta time, 14th April), with NASA set to livestream the test flight and data at 9:30am on the same day, coincidentally the day that Yuri’s Night is celebrated. Ingenuity’s flight will only last 90 seconds, as it flies to a height of 10 feet, hover, and then land. However, the outcome will determine the fate of the entire mission, bringing us a step closer to understanding our place in the universe. Will you be watching?

More articles from S-Cubed here!

The post Yuri’s Night and Ingenuity: Worldwide Celebrations and the First Powered Flight on Mars | S-Cubed appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Raisa Grech

Did you know…

That some people can taste colours and shapes? That all human brains start off as female in the womb? Or that the number of synapses in the brain might either equate to or exceed the numbers of stars in the galaxy?  What about the fact that brain information can travel up to 268 miles per hour?

The human brain is considered the most complex machine in the world.  Nonetheless, as with most things, the wonders of the brain still have their downfalls.  On average, 1 in every 4 people is affected by a brain disease, in a given year.  Brain disease is a general term and can refer to various forms of diseases including, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, epilepsy, transient ischemic attack, and mental disorders.

What is PET?

In the 1950s, scientists could examine brains only after death, but new imaging procedures have enabled scientists to study the brain in living animals, including humans. One of the most extensively used techniques is the Positron Emission Tomography (PET). This technique can be used whilst the patient is awake and can thus study the relationship between the physiological alterations and behavioural ones. This is relatively safe to use in humans since it uses just a few micrograms of short-lived radioisotopes.  It functions by making use of a positron, which has a positive charge and the same mass as an electron.

Unstable isotopes are generated, which become stable again after a proton breaks down and dissipates the energy. The positron eventually meets an electron, which emits two gamma rays. Detectors then precisely record the position of these rays. Usually, PET scan results have a general colour scheme. Warm colours like red and orange indicate high activity whilst blue and violet indicate low activity.  The difference in brain activity from one location to another is a clear sign of the brain damage the patient is experiencing, with the range of damage on the brain not being the same for each disease.

PET gives better contrast and spatial resolution when compared to other techniques. For example, Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), is another technique but less expensive.  SPECT shows how organs, in this case, the brain, work. Other techniques that may be used for investigating the brain are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This examines structural changes in the brain. There is also Electroencephalography (EEG) which is used to record the electrical activity of the brain. 

With the help of these imaging procedures, scientists have just begun to understand what a mental illness is. 

One common misconception is that mental illness is not actually a disease. This is because spotting the symptoms is not always an easy task. The truth, however, is that mental illness has a biological basis, just like every other disease. In fact, early detection and early intervention are the best way to go. Mental health professionals can diagnose a patient with the help of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association. Some examples include mood disorders such as depression, psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, eating disorders like anorexia, personality and anxiety disorders as well as addiction disorders such as substance abuse.

Since the gravity of the illness may vary from one person to another, treatment is not a “one size fits all”, but rather needs to be tailored to individual brains, instead of ticking off a list of symptoms.  The road to understanding patients suffering from mental illness is still a work in progress.

Celebrating Brain Awareness Week

Such advancements related to brain research and treatment are celebrated yearly and globally during Brain Awareness Week (BAW), usually held around mid-March.  In 2021 BAW will be celebrated from the 15^th to the 21^st of March. The initial BAW dates back to 1996, where 160 organisations from the United States were brought together by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (DABI) to discuss current research improvements.  

A webinar with the theme of “The Human Brain on Film” will still be held on the 16th of March at 7pm by ĊineXjenza, which is run by S-Cubed, the Malta Chamber of Scientists, with the support of Spazju Kreattiv and Tiskopri.  ĊineXjenza has invited three speakers, each of whom will be giving a short virtual presentation followed by an open discussion, where member audiences will be allowed to voice their opinions or even ask neuroscience-related questions to the expert panel. 

For more information, you can access the event page here. Tickets for this event are free of charge and can be booked here!

Check out S-Cubed’s previous article here!

The post Brain Awareness: The Science Behind Detecting Brain Diseases | S-Cubed appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Rachel Attard Chase

The annual Nobel prizes celebrate, in part, the very best of the latest research and discoveries in physics and chemistry. With previous winners, including household names Albert Einstein and Marie Curie, there is no doubt about the prestige which comes with winning such an award. This year saw 5 laureates across the two fields, with three winning the physics prize and two claiming the chemistry one.

Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel, and Andrea Ghez were this year’s winners in physics. Penrose claimed half the prize for his discovery that the formation of black holes is a “robust prediction of the general theory of relativity”. Genzel and Ghez split the remaining half for their discovery of a “supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy.” It also worthy of mention that Ghez is the fourth woman to have won this award.

Bringing Einstein’s Theories to Life

Einstein himself, the man whose theories of relativity Roger Penrose worked on, did not believe in the existence of black holes. However, a decade after Einstein’s death Penrose was able to show that black holes can indeed form and even described their properties. For many years, solutions to Einstein’s theory were considered to be speculative, but Penrose was the first to find a realistic one.

It is not possible to see into a black hole. But one can still discover its properties, by studying the huge gravity and how it effects surrounding stars. Since the 1990s both Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez were leading a team of astronomers. Their focus? An area in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. Using stars and their orbits to guide them, the two uncovered an invisible, astoundingly heavy and condensed mass that is making these stars swing around rapidly. This is the most persuasive evidence that such an object exists. It’s the one solution to what the object could be is indeed a supermassive black hole. Both teams developed and built special equipment in order to pierce through all the cosmic dust and see the centre of the Milky Way.

It’s all relative…

While these advances have proved very important in understanding our universe, there is still a way to go. Despite Penrose revealing that the general theory of relativity proves the existence of black holes, the theory does not hold when considering an ‘infinitely strong gravity of singularity’. Genzel and Ghez’s work will now greatly aid in the future understanding of more strange predictions of the general theory of relativity.

New Ways of Doing Science

The two winners of chemistry were Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna. They made history by being the first two women to win the prize together for their revolutionary new method in genome editing. This discovery is said to be one of the ‘sharpest tools’ in gene technology’s toolbox and is called the CRISPR or Cas9 genetic scissors.

What does this new method mean for science? Gene functions can now be studied more easily. Plants can now be given specific qualities that will help them survive better in their changing climates. Its medicinal value is very high , with contributions to not only immunotherapies for cancer but even the potential to cure inherited diseases. Trials are in fact taking place. New techniques for fixing genes in organs such as the brain are also in development.

Keeping Ethics in Mind

However, as with all technology, there is the opportunity for abuse. Ethical issues come hand in hand with many advances in science, and anything involving genes is no exception. The genetic scissors could be used to genetically modify embryos.

Although there are laws and rules which are in place to control the use of genetic engineering, any experiment that will involve humans or animals has to be allowed by ethical committees first. Nonetheless, this is still certainly a tool which could help in solving several problems that humanity faces.

The post The 2020 Nobel Prizes in Physics & Chemistry | S-Cubed appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Benjamin Grech

Ever since Malta went into partial lockdown, animals such as dolphins, turtles, and birds have been spotted more frequently than in previous years.

Different theories have been put forward to try and explain these observations and the factors which may be at play, with some suggestions being more credible. The habitats in which these animals thrive form part of highly complex ecosystems, thus not just one definite answer exists, with reasons changing according to the animal in question.

Pods of the Mediterranean species of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) have been increasingly noticed in Sliema, Zurrieq, Delimara and Marsamxett Harbour swimming alongside boats and close to the shore. Also, both individuals and pairs have been observed wondering inside Mgarr Harbour and Valetta Grand Harbour. What is abnormal is that these cetaceans (marine mammals) have been regularly spotted swimming just meters away from the shore. When interviewed by Times of Malta and maltatoday, marine biologist Prof. Alan Deidun stated that dolphins normally avoid going close to the shore since it is a common site for activities that generate underwater noise, something which they are highly sensitive to as it serves as an indication of marine vessels that frequently hit them. Such activities include operating marine vessels, construction, acoustic surveys, and underwater excavations that have all been significantly reduced due to the COVID-19 partial lockdown.

Another possible reason for such an occurrence is predation, which is the preying of an animal on another. Dolphins were noticeably drawn to the shores and harbours in which pelagic fish such as tuna and mackerel congregate. They were also seen venturing in pods close to areas with fish farms. In 2014, the population density of the Bottlenose dolphins found in Maltese waters was estimated to range from 79 to 229, with the lower figure considered more realistic. Since then, no cetaceans have been reported to have been accidentally caught by fisheries (cetacean bycatch). Although there are seven known species of toothed whales and dolphins which thrive in the Mediterranean Sea, the increase in sightings only concerns the Bottlenose species since all photographic evidence from locals has shown just them.

The other three dolphin species that also frequent Maltese waters are the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus). Other toothed whales found in the Mediterranean sea are the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas), the Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and the Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).

The turtles are at bay

This summer there has been four confirmed Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests. On the 29^th of May, the first nesting occurred at Ramla Bay in Gozo, an event that has not been witnessed in over 70 years. Thanks to Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) officials and Nature Trust – FEE Malta (NTM) officers and volunteers, between the 2^nd and 3^rd August, a wholesome 84 hatchlings emerged out of 105 eggs, resulting in a hatching rate of 80%. On the 4^th of July, a turtle was seen making its way between rows of sunbeds at Golden bay, where the second nest was laid. The third nest was deposited at Ghadira bay on the 29^th of July and the fourth nesting turtle was recorded on the 9^th of August also at Ghadira bay.  The remaining three nests are similarly being safeguarded by NTM’s officers and volunteers as well as ERA officials.

Loggerhead turtles have been spotted nesting on Maltese shores in 2012, 2014, and 2018. The last recorded nest occurred at Gnejna Bay, from which 111 out of 112 eggs hatched. The increase of nesting turtles on Maltese shores is following a trend that is occurring throughout the Mediterranean, where turtles are opting to nest on busier and more disturbed beaches. Scientists have still not deduced the cause for such a phenomenon. Thus far, the most reasonable theory attributes their behaviour to the overdevelopment of sacred turtle nesting sites into tourism zones.

The increase in bird sightings

The partial lockdown was announced in late March, which coincided with the start of Spring, the time when bird migration occurs. During spring, birds leave their wintering grounds in Africa to migrate north to breed in Europe. On their way, numerous bird species rest on our lands where they restock their body fat to supply them with the energy required to fuel the rest of their journey. Also, being mating season, male birds are in full plumage therefore they are more easily seen.

These are only a few examples of the abundant fauna that are being observed more often than usual. Unfortunately, one can also include creatures such as rats into this group. They have been seen more frequently, scavenging for food in places they haven’t been recorded before. This was a consequence of the partial lockdown during which many establishments stopped taking out their rubbish, which used to serve as a regular source of food for the rodents.

It is evident that a decrease in anthropogenic pressures has influenced the environment for the better. Nonetheless, the most reasonable explanation appears to be that rather than the things around us have changed, it is instead of our perception that has changed. We have become more attentive to our environment, and all that thrives in it. This will, and should, hopefully, be a characteristic that remains well after the pandemic has elapsed. Giving the environment the attention it so sorely craves is what makes us not only appreciative of our beautiful home and faunal neighbours, but also aware of what needs to be done to help it.

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Written by Noelle Micallef

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of so many people around the world. The practice of self-isolation and social distancing has been implemented across various continents and has changed our professional lives as well as our social lives, overnight.

What is less obvious to most is the impact this pandemic and many people self-isolating has left on our environment, both good and bad. The situation can be compared to a balance scale, the good and the bad are in constant battle. Air quality has improved and there is less traffic, therefore, less pollution. In contrast, panic-buyers are booming and the mountains of waste are increasing.

The drastic change in emissions

The most blatant change came due to the fact that cars have drastically reduced from our roads, as well as the minimization of air travel, creating a large decrease in air pollution and an increase in overall air quality. Malta recorded a 70% decrease in air pollution in the past month, while China has seen 25% fewer emissions since the start of 2020. Six of the largest power plants in China have also recorded a decrease in coal use by around 40% since 2019. Unfortunately, the impact of this pandemic is not only positive, as some aspects are being overlooked.

Since many people are staying at home, as they rightly should, there will undoubtedly be a surge in water and electricity consumption. So if we do not think consciously our power stations would need to burn more fossil fuels, as well as contribute to higher water and electricity bills, and in difficult times like these, nobody needs.

Simple measures can be used to avoid access consumption, such as opting for showers instead of baths, making sure that all unnecessary lights are turned off, using heat only when necessary and turning off plus unplugging appliances that are not in use such as laptops and mobile chargers.

Waste, waste and more waste!

Another big contributor is the, so-called, ‘panic buying’. Since people aren’t really focused on shopping consciously but are more focused on hoarding, this results in excess food waste and plastic waste. To avoid such waste is to make small and simple changes, such as opting for bars of soap instead of liquid soap in plastic bottles. The best way is to plan your meals ahead of time, so if for example. Do your shopping once a week, Instead of buying a variety of food without a clear idea of what you will be cooking, plan out your meals for the week. This avoids shortages of certain necessary products. Not only will the environment benefit from this but your bank account will thank you as well.

When this dark period in our lives passes, we should be more conscious of our carbon footprint. As during times like these, we realise that, for example, certain tasks can be done from home, saving you from having to take your car out and add to pollution. It will teach us how to not take things for granted and let them go to waste, so do try to keep the planning ahead going. At the end of the day, our outside environment is what we will look the most forward to, once we leave our houses. But for now, we need to make sacrifices for those vulnerable in our society and stay safe, by remaining at home.

cover image: source

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Written by Stephanie Buttigieg

International Women’s Day is once again upon us and what better way to celebrate it than looking back at influential women in science?

On the 11^th of February, the scientific world celebrated its females through The International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Are these two days necessary in today’s modern world, in which supposedly feminism is obsolete and we have reached perfect gender equality?

Let’s shed some light on the role of women in science and you can come up with your own conclusions.

Statistics show that the number of women in research is drastically low compared to male researchers. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, the average percentage of women employed in research and experimental development is merely 29.3% globally. Nationally, this percentage is even less. With 28.7%, Malta is in Europe’s bottom five countries.

Are we making any progress?

Studies show that it will take another 16 years for women and men to publish the same amount of papers globally. This is an average taken over all the different fields in science.

Granted, there are a handful of fields, including nursing and midwifery, in which the papers published by women outnumber those published by men. However, in 87 out of 115 fields in this particular study, women are still lagging behind. A particular field, physics, might be the worst out of all, with another 258 years needed for the gap to close off completely.

Are women good enough to be scientists?

Women have shown through and through that they are just as capable as men to be a great scientist. A pioneering figure to further strengthen this statement is Marie Curie – one of the only two people to win a Nobel Prize in two different fields.

It is society’s stereotypes that serve as a major obstacle for women pursuing careers in science, not to mention the workplace environment.

“Suppose you came across a woman lying on the street with an elephant sitting on her chest. You notice she is short of breath. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart problems. In her case, the much more likely cause is the elephant on her chest. For a long time, society put obstacles in the way of women who wanted to enter the sciences. That is the elephant.”

Sally Ride, first American women in space

The effect of science on society

Science affects everyone. However, what science decides to solve and design depends a lot on who is doing the scientific inquiry.

Countless women with heart disease have been misdiagnosed in hospitals because symptoms in females can be different than those in males. The research that had been done in that time was purely based on males, most probably because the majority of the scientists involved in this field were male. No one expected the symptoms to vary from one sex to the other.

And if this did not prove to you that women are vital in science, here is another reason. Historically, we have proof that when women are involved in fields of study which were previously dominated by men, the general knowledge in that field tends to expand. Science is no exception. Women look at problems from a different angle than men thus enriching the creativity of the team in which women are a part of.

As a young women in science, here is my two cents…

For this problem to be solved a shift in mentality needs to occur and everyone needs to pull at the same rope. In order to change society’s behaviour, we need to change our own.

Men, don’t undermine women, see their potentiality as scientists. Make them feel comfortable in the workplace, especially if they form part of the minority.

Women, don’t doubt your intelligence because of your gender, you are as capable as anyone else. Support your female colleague, women empowering women is essential. Don’t fall into society’s trap and let them make you believe that she is your enemy. Stereotypes need to change. We need to become role models for all the aspiring female scientists.

This is why S-Cubed was very happy to collaborate with the Faculty of Science in organising an event for Junior College students in which many female scientists spoke about their experience and encouraged girls to join the field.

Credit: Image

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China touched down on the far side of the moon

Just 3 days into the new year, the Chinese rover Chang’e-4 touched down on the far side of the moon, making it the first mission to successfully achieve such a feat. This landing has enabled scientists to study some of the moon’s most ancient rocks.

We bid goodbye to the Mars Opportunity Rover and witnessed the first Marsquake

After losing contact with the Opportunity rover back in 2018, NASA officials declared that it has ended its mission on the red planet on the 13th of February 2019. Meanwhile, the Mars InSight lander detected its first Marsquake on the planet. Since then it has recorded over a hundred seismic events.

A planet outside of our solar system was discovered which could be our best bet for finding alien life

For the first time ever, water vapour was detected in the atmosphere of the super-Earth exoplanet, a planet outside our solar system, K2-18b, which is located in the habitable zone of its star. This means that the planet likely has clouds that rain liquid water an essential thing for life to thrive.

Scientists obtained the first-ever photograph of a black hole

A black hole is an object with such a huge mass that not even light can escape its gravitational field. This is why scientists have not been able to produce visual evidence of such objects existing in space so far. This year the Event Horizon Telescope team managed to obtain such an image that aligns perfectly with what Einstein’s theory of general relativity predicts it should look like, providing further evidence that his theory is correct.

Climate change studies were never so scary

Research shows that the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets are melting at the fastest rate ever, that of an average of 269 billion tons of ice per year. For comparison, two decades ago this was just 50 billion tons per year. Another study concerning the world’s oceans estimates that sea-level rise will reach 30-60 cm even if global warming is limited to 2C but will reach 60-110 cm if the current rate of global warming is maintained. A UN report also revealed that around 1 million plant and animal species are in danger of extinction, many within decades.

A giant squid was spotted in the Gulf of Mexico

This is the second time ever that the elusive creature, which lives up to 1000m below the surface, has been caught on camera.

A lost continent was found under Europe

Scientists have discovered the existence of an 8th continent, Greater Adria, which separated from North Africa about 240 million years ago and slid under what is now southern Europe. Although most of it is still hidden, its uppermost regions form mountain ranges in Europe such as the Alps.

The oldest skull of a human ancestor was found and a new species of human ancestor was discovered

A 3.8 million-year-old skull was discovered in Ethiopia belonging to the Australopithecus anamensis species finally allowing scientists to put a face to the oldest species that sits on the human evolutionary tree. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, a new species Homo luzonensis, which lived between 50,000 and 67,000 years ago, was discovered.

Quantum entanglement was captured on camera for the first time

Quantum entanglement is the phenomenon in which the quantum states of two or more objects have to be described with reference to each other even though the objects may be spatially separated. This year this phenomenon which Einstein described as “spooky action at a distance” was photographed for the first time.

Ebola became ‘no longer incurable’

Two new drugs have been identified which when offered to patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo in its worst-ever outbreak saved 90% of those infected making this a huge win in the fight against the disease.

cover image: source

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