The internationally renowned “EMU Radio Galaxy Zoo” citizen science project has now expanded its reach to three new languages: Urdu, Chinese, and Greek. This initiative aims to allow non-English speaking citizen scientists worldwide to participate in the project, helping to identify and research galaxies and celestial objects using advanced radio data.
EMU RGZ is an international collaboration of radio astronomers and science educators led by Eleni Verdoulaki from Greece’s IAASARS National Observatory of Athens and Hongming Tang from China’s Tsinghua University.
EMU (Evolutionary Map of the Universe) is a large-scale astronomical survey that utilizes cutting-edge radio data, to understand the structure of galaxies and the universe. With this expansion, Urdu, Chinese, and Greek speakers can join the global research effort and contribute to significant scientific discoveries.
Project Scientist Syed Faisal ur Rahman, a member of EMU RGZ collaboration from Pakistan and is affiliated with LUMS as a Resident Scientist, provided the Urdu translation for the project. Dr Faisal ur Rehman is Scientia’s advisory board member and often writes for the magazine.
“I strongly encourage our educational institutions, particularly universities, and schools, to motivate students to join this unique citizen science project. It will not only ignite their interest in science and astronomy but, also, introduce them to large-scale international astronomy initiatives. Projects like these are highly beneficial for nurturing scientific curiosity and enhancing students’ understanding of complex scientific concepts, preparing them for future scientific achievements.“
This project provides a unique platform for citizen scientists to coordinate in international scientific research, allowing them to directly engage in advanced scientific analysis and discovery.
The internationally renowned EMU Radio Galaxy Zoo citizen science project has expanded its reach to three new languages: Urdu, Chinese, and Greek.
About EMU Radio Galaxy Zoo
Radio Galaxy Zoo EMU, is the newest in a series of citizen science projects to study galaxies with strong radio emission. Since 2013, it has been working with over 12,000 citizen scientists to learn about fascinating celestial objects and to dive deep into some of the most interesting ones.
RGZ EMU uses images from the new Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey, which started in December 2022 on the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope array. Eventually, it will detect over 40 million objects, so there’s a lot of work to do!
Dissecting the fundamentals of new technologies, and their implications, is one of the important needs of society, the general public; for further association, exploration, and being a part of the user base, as Mr. Boone Bergsma mentions the phrase, “Technology doesn’t wait for anyone”, while talking to us, in his recent conversation, where he helps us to decipher and highlighting the developments, and applications that the “Blockchain Technology” brings for the world.
Here are some excerpts from Scientia’s recent conversation with Boone Bergsma. He is the CEO/Founder of Blockchain Laboratories and WeThinkItMatters Inc. Blockchain Laboratories, a Web3 Venture Studio developing Impactful Use Cases of Tokenization and Digital Assets. Boone has led several projects in the past related to blockchain technology; cause-integrated marketing, ESGs, and so on.
Fouz: Hello, Boone Bergsma! Thank you for joining us at “Scientia Pakistan” and accepting our invitation to the interview for our bi-monthly edition of “Blockchain Technology”. We should just get into it. Importantly, firstly please just introduce your work, background, entire venture- “Blockchain Laboratories”-, and the work you guys are doing.
Boone: We started Blockchain Laboratories in April 2021, primarily to be a Web3 Venture Studio and focus on creating real-world tokenization use cases. We were focused on how blockchain and tokenization can be used for social and environmental impact-related use cases.
During the last two years, we have worked on making tokenization easier for small and medium-sized businesses, enterprises, and organizations to adopt. For that, we created a solution that we call W3 SaaS, which stands for “Web3 Software as a Service”. W3 SaaS offers a full suite of tokenization and digital asset management infrastructure. Using W3 SaaS our clients can have all the tools they need to take part in the Web3 era.
Fouz: Sounds, amazing! I think a lot of people are talking about Web3 these days. And, since most of our audience is the general public and people interested in science and technology, let’s discuss the basics. What is Web3? What is Blockchain Technology? In simpler terms, what is tokenization?
Boone: For me, Web3 symbolizes this next generation of the internet. With the earlier Internet, data was stored by centralized parties. Most of the networks and data servers, you know, are usually controlled by one party and if that party happens to have a failure or go out of business or a hack or whatever that might be, everyone’s data is at risk. Also, there could be problems with trust and transparency if one central control over the data. There’s no way to know if things have been changed or what’s happened to that data when you’re not looking.
On the contrary, with blockchain/DLT technology, data is replicated and stored on multiple ledgers. We are talking about storing data on different nodes operated by many different parties that aren’t associated with each other. And tokenization of data makes it immutable, and transparent. Especially, if you’re using public ledgers. To your question, what is tokenization? A token is just a representation of data. It’s a wrapper that goes around something that could be ‘anything’, it could also be a real-world asset like real estate, or it could be a digital asset like an in-game asset.
There are two types of tokens. First, there’s a fungible token, which means all the tokens represent the same thing, which could be carbon credits from the same ecological project. So, all of the tokenized carbon credits from one ecological project, would all, be fungible tokens representing the same issuance. There are non-fungible tokens, NFTs, which represent data of a unique individual item, like a house or car, for example.
Mr. Boone at ReFi Summit in Seattle WA, with leaders from GBBC and BxC. Photo Credit: Blockchain Laboratories.
Fouz: Great! For the last few years, the cryptocurrency market has been massively booming! Additionally, the NFT market also had some major gains. And everyone was talking about tokens. But, the market seems to be going down lately! How do you see the overall future of Web3 and blockchain? I mean, how do you perceive this?
Boone: I think, everything within the market has cycles. One of the things that drive every industry is regulations. Most industries will not scale at their fullest until there are clear regulations on how that industry can operate.
Additionally, I think, what we’ve seen in the past is, people got excited about Web3 and tokenization. Because of that, it caused markets to climb, and then as we can see, there is a decay of economic conditions worldwide, the rise in the cost of living. The tough circumstances in a lot of places in the world, you’ve got wars going on, all those kinds of things will, will scare people and, depress the markets. So I think that’s kind of what we’re seeing today.
But in my optimistic opinion, I think we are probably a few years away from mass adoption, maybe a little bit more, maybe a little bit less, who knows for sure. But, I think we’re very close to when blockchain and tokenization do become mainstream like other aspects of the internet.
We are going to be driven largely by regulations globally becoming more clear. As the regulations become more clear, we will see a massive adoption worldwide!
Who knows for sure, what the markets will do? But, I estimate the prices that we’re seeing on utility-based tokens of leading DLT networks are probably the lowest. In the future, people will look back and say, “Man, I wish I would have paid more attention and invested”.
Photo Credit: MANLY INTERLININGS
Fouz: Exactly, yes! When the technology was in the earlier phases, only a few pioneers and a few people understood what was happening, and what the utility of the tech was. As you mentioned, regulations will become more common. And I think it’s just a matter of time before this becomes mainstream. Related to the work you guys are doing at the Blockchain Laboratories, let’s discuss the ESG use cases.
Boone: ESG stands for Environmental Social Governance; It’s a principle that came out of an earlier kind of “corporate social responsibility” the CSR initiative. The goal was for businesses to analyze how they were doing business and see if there were ways that they could make better choices, whether that’s in manufacturing, supply chain, or even their marketing.
So most of the time consumers will make the buying decisions with their dollars. And generally, consumers over the years have become more concerned with how those dollars will impact the world when they buy a product from a business. In my opinion, ESG is the way for consumers to monitor how businesses are using their profits to make the world a better place.
We all have choices every day where we shop and buy and what companies we support. The way that companies choose or don’t choose to use ESG principles in their business really should be a way that consumers decide on who they want to support and shop with.
Fouz: I have heard a lot about the financial opportunities of blockchain, and about having more real-world applications with this technology. So what types of applications are possibilities?
Boone: Yeah, some of the things that we’re working on at Blockchain Laboratories, is using tokenization and smart contracts and different tools of Web3 for the social impact, and environmental use cases. For example, one of our first clients was a company called Intrinsic Methods.
Intrinsic Methods is a startup, that came from a much older 20-year-old tech company called RootMaker. RootMaker has a scientifically proven patented technology that no matter what tree species you grow in a RootMaker container system, that tree will have a 95% survival rate when it’s planted, and it will grow two to three times faster than the same tree not grown using RootMaker tech.
Intrinsic Methods came to us, and they wanted to create a DLT carbon removal credit registry for reforestation projects that were using RootMaker-certified trees. In this use case, Intrinsic Methods uses NFTs, the non-fungible tokens, to mint decentralized identities (DID) for ecological projects. They’re using NFTs to make the project records permanent and immutable. And all the DMRV (Digital Measuring, Reporting, and Verification) records are also tokenized.
Once the trees have been verified that they’ve been planted on these projects via high-resolution satellite images, the carbon removal credits are issued as fungible tokens. And tokenization of the carbon removal credits brings transparency into the whole lifecycle of the credit history.
Using tokenization and blockchain technology, Intrinsic Methods is helping more landowners and smaller eco projects that would have never been able to take part in the voluntary carbon market because the expenses and barriers to entry are too high for smaller projects.
There’s the other side of things too, another project that we’re working on in the real estate space is a client called DeRE, which stands for Decentralized Reality, and they’re using tokenization to make investing in rental properties more accessible for more people. So right now, most of the time, if you were to try to invest in real estate, you need a lot of money upfront, or just a lot of things have to align for you to be able to get into a real estate investment.
But by using DLT technology and working with DeRE, you can become a fractional owner of rental properties. And for a much lower price point, maybe around a hundred dollars, you can now have partial ownership of a rental property and have a share of rental income and appreciation of the property’s value.
And not to spend too much time, but another example of an in-house venture of Blockchain Laboratories that we’re working on in the real estate industry is called StiffMoney. A lot of people worldwide are paying more money for rent than they would pay for a mortgage if they could qualify for a mortgage, but for some reason or another, they cannot qualify for a mortgage. And so we’re building a platform that’s using crowdfunding principles, and peer-to-peer lending to help people realize the dream of homeownership.
Imagine, you host a crowd-lending campaign to fund buying a house to live in, and 100 or 10,000 or any amount of people could all lend to you in a secure and trustworthy manner. Maybe some of them put in ten dollars, some of them put in thousands, who knows, they could all put in different amounts. In the same way that things like Kickstarter and GoFundMe and other platforms work to crowd-fund different things, we’re building this for the same type of thing for homeownership.
Fouz: You talked about two things: decentralization and regulations. If you could discuss them further. Most experts think that we need stronger regulations. In your opinion, how do you balance these two for your industry? I mean, what should we aim for?
Boone: It’s tough because every country has different priorities and different leadership. And every leader has their own opinions. That’s been one of the reasons for the adoption of DLT and tokenization taking so long. Every industry has good and bad actors, but what has happened though is in tokenization and DLT technology, the media only tried to highlight the bad actors most of the time.
Because a lot of people get their opinions and they make a decision based on what the news tells them instead of doing their research, that I think, a lot of just people were kind of like, well I guess that is what crypto is for. But again, if we go back to what tokenization is, it’s just a better way to store data, in a way that makes it more trustworthy and opens up new ways of moving and transferring value.
I think what is going to happen, the news and media narrative will start to change for the more positive aspects of web3. Not too long ago, Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, one of the world’s largest wealth managers, shared a very pro-tokenization stance. And, they now have one of the largest, fastest-growing tokenized funds. I think that has started to create a little bit more trust in the industry, which was very helpful.
The early days of Web3 were scary for most people because of things that they weren’t used to doing, like having to remember their seed phase for different wallets. People felt somehow something terrible was going to happen and they were going to lose all their money.
What’s happened now is, that the technologies and services built on top of the blockchain have just improved so that now we have things like Multi-Party Computation (MPC) wallets and social logins where now you can come to sites and just use like your Gmail, Twitter, or Facebook account to create a blockchain account and have a smart wallet in the application.
Tokenization is going to be integrated into all the Apps people are already using. One day they’re just going to sign into Twitter or Facebook or Instagram and there’s just going to be a pop-up with new terms and conditions that will say, you now have a wallet, please agree. You’ll click agree and all of a sudden you’ll now plugged into Web3. I think that’s kind of what’s going to spur DLT adoption, in the past you had to make an effort to be part of Web3 but it will be made super easy for you.
In the past, if you wanted to get tokens or use DeFi, you’d have to do your research and figure out how to do it. And now we’re getting to the place where it’s just going to become integrated into all the things that you’re already doing and you won’t even care or know that you’re using tokenization, it will just be part of the internet experience.
Fouz: Well, Since you mentioned the trust part about how Black Rock and I just heard that European MasterCard started having debit cards for cryptocurrencies if I’m not wrong.
Boone: Yes, and PayPal has its own Stablecoin, many legacy brands are integrating web3 services into their businesses now. You are going to see that the transition is starting to happen more and more. And I think just like when the internet kind of had its dot com boom and went from this many users to this many users kind of overnight, that’s where we’re heading in the Web3 era too.
Pretty soon without most people even knowing it, the applications that they’re using today will start adopting blockchain technology and they will just be new terms and conditions and they’ll click the button to agree to, and now they’ll be using Web3.
The prompt development of blockchain technology can transform financial reporting in the banking sector by improving transparency, accuracy, and efficiency.
Pakistan’s banking sector has stepped out in a new era and embrace the novel blockchain technology in financial management. The blockchain is gradually gaining momentum to revolutionize banking operations worldwide. With the promise of advanced security measures, blockchain offers a tamper-proof system for transactions, making it a first-class choice for safeguarding sensitive financial data.
Several leading Banks across the country are exploring this cutting-edge technology to streamline their banking operations and minimizing the risks of fraud simultaneously. 1
Know Your Customer (KYC) Platform
The State Bank of Pakistan has allowed all the commercial banks and other financial institutions to develop a platform for heightened security requisites by introducing electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) platform. 2
To address the security requirements, State Bank of Pakistan has officially approved the e-KYC based on blockchain technology which is peculiarly designed to offer heightened privacy and efficiency. 2
This technology (e-KYC) also has the capacity to streamline customer data reducing redundant data verification.
Several renowned Pakistani banks have begun exploring blockchain applications. For example, UBL (United Bank Limited) and HBL (Habib Bank Limited) have shown interest in blockchain solutions for remittances and trade finance on preferable basis.
Cross Border Payments
In view of cross-borders payments, Pakistan is one of the major recipients of remittances from Pakistani community working and living abroad. In this scenario, blockchain technology can help reduce the time as well as the cost involved in processing of payments.
In a recent business report, Pakistan has deployed blockchain technology for the first time in banking sector to divert worker remittances from Malaysia. This initiative has been devised by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which might help combat the monetary frauds, money laundering and terror financing.
With the promise of advanced security measures, blockchain offers a tamper-proof system for transactions, making it a first-class choice for safeguarding sensitive financial data.
Moreover, blockchain will be able to document each and every step of the remittance taken by the receiver and the sender. This will help fight the illegal Hawala and Hundi system at the international level.
Convenient Remittances in under-developed areas
Blockchain in banking sector allows them to easily bypass the conventional and traditional financial intermediaries, which further allow faster and cheaper remittances. This helps in the rural and sub-urban areas where the banking infrastructure is less developed.
Banks have plans to embed blockchain primarily to secure customer data and speeding up the onboarding process keeping the reliable assurance of regulatory compliance.
Security solutions
In Pakistan, financial sector is defenseless to combat ever increasing cases of cybercrime, financial fraud, online fraud-tracking and data hacking. The blockchain technology can help improve the secure banking transactions. Moreover, it works on the principles with high level security mechanisms and has made the fraudulent motives much more difficult to achieve. 4
Microfinance
By providing a transparency in asset tokenization, cost-effective platform for peer-to-peer lending, and smart contracts on Pakistan, blockchain has the potential to support microfinance systems and financial inclusion initiatives in Pakistan. Since Pakistan’s economy is highly dependent on trade, blockchain can simplify and expedite the imports, exports and overall trade related finance processes.
In developing and under developed countries, blockchain needs some time to get enrooted. Countries with unstable political and financial situation, are facing challenges like regulatory uncertainty, lack of awareness and expertise, and infrastructure challenges to adopt blockchain conveniently.
Cleo Abram is a video journalist who makes explainers about technology once explained in a compelling analogy: if the first computers were like old model cars from the early 2000s, then supercomputers are like today’s supercars. However, quantum computing isn’t like a supercar that surpasses the speed of old model cars; instead, it’s more like a boat designed for an entirely different terrain. While the boat may not be faster than a car, it excels in a completely different environment.
Quantum Computing, a term when heard gives an impression of faster computers with ultimate speed and power. A realm where the impossible becomes possible! Imagine solving problems in seconds that would take classical computers a millennium. This groundbreaking technology harnesses the power of quantum bits, or qubits, to revolutionize everything from cryptography to drug discovery, unlocking a new era of innovation and discovery.
To understand quantum computing, it’s essential to differentiate it from classical computing, which encompasses our everyday devices like laptops and smartphones. Quantum computers operate based on the principles of quantum mechanics, allowing them to perform calculations in fundamentally different ways.
Now, that we are clear that quantum computing has nothing to do with the conventional computers that we use today, let’s begin “Lesson 101”.
Quantum Computers vs. Conventional Computers
It starts with “bits”. Today’s classical computers operate via maintaining a state of data electronically in binary form i.e. either in ‘1’ or ‘0’. These are called bits. A bit is the smallest unit of data that a computer processes and stores. These bits are electronically stored in silicon-made CPUs and/or memories (hard disks, SSDs, etc.) of the computers that we use today.
Bits, when stored or loaded in the hardware, can be either in an ‘excited state’ (i.e. 1) or ‘ground state’ (i.e. 0). Everything in classical computers gets translated into computer speech, which combines ones and zeros known as ‘binary language’.
Today’s classical computers operate via maintaining a state of data electronically in binary form i.e. either in ‘1’ or ‘0’. Image Credit: Data In The Computer
These strings of bits together form data e.g. “a” in a binary language is “01100001” and the number “ten” in binary language is “1010”. Later these bits are processed through logic gates (i.e. OR, AND, XOR, etc.) to compute whatever is required.
In quantum computing, a bit is known as “Qubit”. A qubit is the basic unit of quantum information, often represented by an atomic particle such as an electron or a photon. Each atomic particle, including electrons and photons, has angular momentum, which can be thought of as a way to represent information.
In quantum mechanics, the direction of this angular momentum can denote binary states, with an upward momentum representing ‘1’ and a downward momentum representing ‘0’. A qubit with angular momentum in a direction between ‘1’ and ‘0’ is said to be in a “state of superposition”, meaning it can represent both states simultaneously. Yes, you heard that right! A state where a qubit maintains the state of ‘1’ and ‘0’ and both at the same time.
This is the major difference between a classical bit and a qubit- a qubit can be ‘1’ and ‘0’ and both at the same time.
You might wonder what happens if the angular momentum is close to ‘0’ or ‘1’. This question led to the development of quantum logic gates, which manage the probabilities of a qubit being in the state of ‘1’ or ‘0’ after it exits the state of superposition.
State of Superposition
Maintaining superposition is possible but requires sophisticated techniques. For instance, qubits are kept in a vacuum and at extremely low temperatures, around 15 millikelvins, colder than outer space to preserve their quantum state.
Why is maintaining superposition so crucial? The answer lies in the power of quantum computation. If a computer can maintain multiple states simultaneously, it can explore various solutions to a problem at once, potentially finding the optimal outcome more efficiently. Thus, while each qubit can be in multiple states, a combination of qubits interacting in superposition can solve problems in parallel and arrive at the most likely answer.
Entanglement: A key feature of Quantum Computing
Einstein called entanglement a “Spooky action at a distance”. A key concept to understanding the power of quantum computing is known as entanglement. Entanglement occurs when a group of atomic particles become interconnected in such a way that the state of one particle instantaneously affects the state of the others, regardless of the distance between them.
When particles are entangled, they share specific properties. It means that the state of one particle provides immediate information about the state of the other entangled particles. For example, if an entangled group of particles is in a superposition, a state where particles can exist in multiple states. Simultaneously, measuring the state of the first particle allows you to infer the states of the remaining particles in the chain. This interconnectedness enables quantum computers to process complex calculations far more efficiently than classical computers.
When particles are entangled, they share specific properties. Image Credit: quantumatlas
Understanding superposition and entanglement in a non-technical language
After establishing a technical understanding of common quantum concepts, let’s use an example that a non-technical person can grasp to explain superposition and entanglement.
Imagine there’s a pair of shoes, with each shoe placed in an identical box. These boxes are then randomly distributed between Person A and Person B. Both individuals are now in a situation where they know they have either the right or the left shoe, but they won’t know which one until they open the box. This uncertainty, where each person could have either shoe, represents superposition. It’s like how an atomic particle in quantum physics is understood to be in a state of ‘1’ or ‘0’ until it leaves the state of superposition.
Now, imagine Person A opens their box and discovers they have the right shoe. Instantly, without even opening their box, Person A knows that Person B must have the left shoe. This instant knowledge of the other shoe’s state, based on the first reveal, demonstrates the concept of entanglement. In quantum entanglement, the state of one atomic particle is directly related to the state of another connected particle. So, when the state of one particle is determined, the state of the other is immediately known, no matter how far apart they are.
Is Quantum Technology meant to help mankind?
Technology has long been seen as a positive force, often regarded as the savior of mankind and in many ways, it is. However, the recent surge in disruptive technologies has sparked difficult questions about their potential downsides. For instance, while artificial intelligence (AI) offers incredible opportunities, its ability to automate tasks could lead to widespread job loss. Moreover, AI could be weaponized for malicious purposes. Autonomous drones and AI-driven cyber-attacks pose significant risks, including warfare and digital sabotage.
Similarly, quantum computing, with its immense power to crack complex codes, could undermine global cybersecurity, exposing sensitive data and financial systems to unprecedented threats. As these technologies evolve, their future impact remains uncertain, raising concerns about what may lie ahead.
Virtual event—The Science Journalism Forum (SJF) has announced that its upcoming SJF25 will be held in a hybrid format, a decision that promises to enhance accessibility for participants worldwide. This pivotal change comes as SJF celebrates five years of fostering collaboration among science journalists worldwide.
Since its establishment in 2020, SJF has rapidly evolved into a premier international platform, attracting over 5,000 attendees from 180 countries and featuring contributions from more than 500 experts. As the forum looks ahead to SJF25, it aims to further its mission of inclusivity by allowing participants to engage both in-person and online.
Co-founder Bothina Osama remarked, “This transition to a hybrid format directly responds to our community’s request for more flexible ways to connect. We are dedicated to ensuring that every voice in the science journalism community is heard and valued.”
Saad Lotfy, also a Co-Founder of SJF, highlighted the significance of this development: “By adopting a hybrid model, we are not just leveraging technology; we are breaking down barriers and expanding our reach. This format will enable us to engage a diverse audience, ensuring that all science journalists, regardless of their geographical location or background, can participate fully.”
SJF25 will feature a robust agenda of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to equip journalists with the tools needed to navigate the rapidly changing media landscape. Attendees can expect a rich exchange of ideas on critical issues facing science journalism today.
Ahead of SJF25, the forum will host SJF24 virtually from October 28 to 31, 2024, under the theme “Transforming Narratives: Reshaping the Landscape of Science Journalism.” This event is anticipated to draw over 500 participants, facilitating discussions in five languages and promoting a truly global dialogue.
As SJF prepares for this exciting next chapter, the organization invites the science journalism community to stay tuned for registration details and further announcements athttps://sciencejf.com.
Scientia Pakistan is an official community partner for Science Journalism Forum 2024. We served as the only community partner from Pakistan for the events in 2022 and 2023. We hope to extend this collaboration for SJF25 as well.
About Science Journalism Forum: The Science Journalism Forum is the world’s largest international gathering dedicated to advancing science journalism through collaboration and education. SJF empowers journalists to effectively communicate complex scientific topics to diverse audiences.
In the rapidly evolving world of healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative power. AI technologies are revolutionizing how medical professionals diagnose diseases, develop personalized treatment plans, and manage patient care. Predictive analytics that forecast patient outcomes and natural language processing that assists in documentation are being introduced as well [1].
As Dr. Eric Topol, a leading figure in digital medicine, states, “AI can help us analyze data and make decisions at a speed and scale that humans alone cannot.”
However, as reliance on AI increases, so do data privacy, security, and integrity concerns. The healthcare industry generates massive amounts of sensitive patient data, making it a prime target for cyberattacks. This is where blockchain technology comes into play.
With its decentralized and immutable ledger, blockchain offers a solution to many of the challenges faced by AI in healthcare [2]. By securely storing patient records, blockchain ensures that the data used by AI algorithms is accurate and protected from unauthorized access [3]. Each transaction whether a health record update or an AI-driven diagnosis, is transparently recorded, providing a traceable history that enhances accountability.
AI and blockchain can create a more secure and efficient healthcare ecosystem. For instance, blockchain can facilitate the seamless sharing of patient data across different healthcare providers while preserving patient consent and privacy. Moreover, AI can analyze this comprehensive dataset, uncovering insights that lead to better patient outcomes.
The healthcare industry generates massive amounts of sensitive patient data, making it a prime target for cyberattacks.
The intersection of AI and blockchain has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, making it more efficient, transparent, and patient-centered
Meanwhile, the rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare offers an equally exciting promise. AI, powered by advanced algorithms and machine learning can sift through massive amounts of medical data, detecting patterns and insights that might elude even the most experienced human eyes. Today, AI is already employed in the early detection of diseases like cancer, analyzing medical images with a speed and precision that significantly outpaces traditional methods.
AI refines diagnostic rather than just augmenting human judgment. A radiologist reviewing an MRI scan can use AI to highlight anomalies that might have otherwise, gone unnoticed. Similarly, AI can compare patient’s data to millions of other records, offering predictive insights into their future health risks [4]. This blend of human expertise and machine precision represents a powerful shift towards more personalized, accurate medical care.
In this constantly evolving new world, the doctor and the machine will work hand in hand, guided by data that is secure and intelligent, paving the way for a healthier tomorrow.
References:
Ahuja, A.S., The impact of artificial intelligence in medicine on the future role of the physician. PeerJ, 2019. 7: p. e7702.
Ghosh, P.K., et al., Blockchain Application in Healthcare Systems: A Review. 2023. 11(1): p. 38.
Abid, H., et al., Blockchain technology applications in healthcare: An overview. International Journal of Intelligent Networks, 2021. 2: p. 130-139.
Alowais, S.A., et al., Revolutionizing healthcare: the role of artificial intelligence in clinical practice. BMC Med Educ, 2023. 23(1): p. 689.
Among many emerging fields in current’s sociated with the implementation of information technologies, cyber security has been recognized as one of the most crucial for organizations of different types and sizes. But as firms depend on computer systems to store their information and data, and to run their operations, the risks remain unresolved.
External threats like malware, ransomware, phishing, or hacking are today’s common dangers— internal threats and poor user control are even worse. While insiders include people within an organization who either maliciously or inadvertently threaten the organization’s security, human mistakes are accidental actions that could lead to vulnerabilities.
Such risks threaten to lead to massive data leaks, substantial monetary losses, and chronic reputational damage. Leaders must employ a range of approaches in order to seek out and counter insider threats, as well as minimize human mistakes. This blog focuses on the ways to improve the existing and planning proper measures to prevent the threat of cyber threats that may be within the organization or outside it.
Understanding Insider Threats and Human Error
Insider Threats may therefore be defined simply as an intentional or accidental abuse of the organizational policies by the insiders on the use of the computers owned by their organization. Such persons may be employers, sub-contractors, or other associates who the organization has close relations with.
Compared to external attackers, insiders can easily bypass conventional security procedures since they have prior and lawful permission to access an organization’s business information systems. Insider threats generally fall into three categories:
Malicious Insiders: People with intent to harm the organization or with malicious intent towards the organization. It could mean hacking into computer systems to steal information, to support a fraudulent scheme, or to disrupt activity.
Negligent Insiders: These are other human factors that make employees a threat to cyber security; employees who create security breaches inadvertently because maybe they are not aware of the correct ways, they did not receive training on cyber security measures or perhaps they are not paying adequate attention on the security of their organization’s computers and networks.
Examples of negligent behavior are failing to use reasonable passwords on the accounts or falling prey to fake username/password emails.
Compromised Insiders: Users who have been attacked from outside by malicious people who have stolen their accounts or their credentials. Such persons can inadvertently enable the attacks, which will not show any signs of malicious behavior in real-time.
There is so much that goes wrong in human decisions and actions that pose a threat to cyber security. Carelessness notably results from mistakes that people are not purposely making; these mistakes include misconfiguring systems, forgetting to install a security patch, or using the wrong channels for sharing sensitive information.
• Flaw in password policy where clients create and reuse their passwords often without many changes.
• Succession to phishing scams by getting wanted to click negative links or acquire negative attachment documents.
• Allowing a SIP port to be used for other applications rather than closing it to prevent exploitation. While most people do not intend to cause harm, errors such as misconfiguring systems, failing to apply security patches, or sharing sensitive information inappropriately can lead to vulnerabilities.
Some common examples of human errors are:
Using weak or reused passwords across multiple systems.
Falling victim to phishing scams by clicking malicious links or downloading infected attachments.
Misconfiguring security settings on devices, leaving them open to attacks.
Strategies to Mitigate Insider Threats and Human Errors include:
Comprehensive Security Training Programs
It also captures the fact that training staff is one of the most powerful weapons against insider risks and human mistakes. Informed employees make few mistakes that would endanger security and are well-armed to identify any malicious activities on the sites. Consider the following approaches:
Regular Training: Schedule regular training to reveal new cyber threats and security measures to the company’s employees. There are instances in real-life scenarios that can used to explain the effects or ramifications of breaches linked to internal threats and blunders.
Interactive Learning: Use simulations, and other engaging training tools to take employees through a typical working environment. For instance, they help the employees know the different types of phishing attempts out there, thus helping them avoid getting preyed on.
Role-Based Training: Cyber security training has therefore to be personalized according to one’s responsibilities in the company. Thus, specific subdivisions, such as IT personnel, will need more sophisticated security training, while others that deal with financial or personnel data may need more pointers in that area.
Security training programs are important. There are instances in real-life scenarios that can used to explain the effects or ramifications of breaches linked to internal threats and blunders.
Implement Strong Access Controls
Controlling and monitoring who has access to critical systems and data is a key strategy in reducing insider threats.
Least Privilege Principle: Limit the exposure of employees to only what requirements their positions entail them to deal with. Ensure access permissions are checked and changed as frequently as roles of various employees are changed.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enhance security at the client’s end through the use of MFA, which checks that a person using a computer to access a critical system is indeed the right person by requesting him or her to give at least two proofs of identity, for instance, a password and others.
Access Reviews: Periodically audit the spectrum of users’ access rights to eliminate the permissions that are no longer needed. Notably from this process, it becomes possible to control access to data with specific individuals who should access the information.
Promote a Culture of Security Awareness
Creating a security-conscious workplace culture is essential for reducing insider threats and human errors. Employees should feel empowered to prioritize security in their daily tasks.
Encourage Reporting: Set an anonymous whistle-blowing program whereby employees can report any suspicious practices or acts of insecurity without being fired from their workplace. Minimizing the number of breaches is essential, and early identification of possible problems is crucial for that purpose.
Recognize Good Practices: Encourage and incentivize those employees who adhere to the corporate best practices in security. People will indeed step up and take this cybersecurity thing as seriously as they should when the right incentives are put in place.
Regular Communication: Send newsletters, post on internal blogs, or share with the team during meetings on the new threats, policies, or security prompts. This makes cybersecurity a priority in the minds of the employees.
Implement Robust Security Policies and Procedures
Explicit security policies and objectives give the workforce directions on how to perform their tasks; this minimizes human factors and insider risks.
Clear Policies: Have a clear security policy for the usage of technologies, protecting and handling data, and dealing with possible incidents. They should be aware of the company’s expectations and what a course of action should be in regard to security breaches.
Incident Response Plan: Develop an incident handling plan that will be followed if an organization has already been breached. Make sure that all and every employee learns about the plan and conforms to the laid down response procedures.
Regular Audits: Always perform security scans at least once to see where your security may be lacking. Budget cutbacks should never be a reason for failing to protect an organization, and vulnerability assessments should be conducted at least periodically to ensure there are no gaps in an organization’s level of protection.
Controlling and monitoring who has access to critical systems and data is a key strategy in reducing insider threats.
Leverage Technology for Enhanced Security
Advanced technologies can help monitor and prevent both insider threats and human errors.
Behavioural Analytics: They should include tools that can monitor the behavior of users on the computing systems in order to identify suspicious activities such as logging in at untraditional times and accessing restricted information and documents. This can also be useful for detecting those insiders who have become bad or malicious in their employment domain.
Endpoint Protection: Deploy solutions at the endpoint, which observes and safeguards individual laptops, mobile phones, or any other end-user devices from threats such as malware and unauthorized access as well as against data shedding.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Use DLP to monitor and control the leakage or use of a firm’s sensitive information that is confidential. Insider menace can also be addressed through DLP solutions when employees are processing essential information.
Foster Strong Leadership and Accountability
Senior management has a critical influence and is primarily responsible for organizing a security-oriented corporate culture as well as security team role modeling.
Leadership Involvement: Strengthen the leadership’s support of truths related to cyber security and its commitment to security strategies. This can be realized by attending more security briefings and also by making sure that there are enough funds provided for cyber security features.
Accountability Mechanisms: Hold all employees accountable for their cyber security responsibilities. This includes clear consequences for non-compliance with security policies and a focus on transparency in all security matters.
Conclusion
Cyber security is a constantly changing sector and insider threats as well as errors made by employees remain vital issues. However, such risks can be reduced by following several measures that are part of a proactive strategy Involving training, access control, robust policies, new technology, and a culture of awareness.
Consequently, as technology advances and becomes vital to performing work, comprehending and managing threats change and so must the approaches used to prevent adverse impact on significant data and systems. Let me remind you that cyber security is not the preserve of IT alone, but should be treated as a regime that involves commitment from everybody in the company.
It was a hot morning in May 2024. I quickly gulped down my tea and rushed to the cab. I had a scheduled interview with Mehreen Raza, the founder of “She Guard.” The startup has introduced biodegradable, eco-friendly, and herbal-treated sanitary napkins for women.
She Guard is one of the few companies in Pakistan taking an innovative approach to solid waste management.
Talking with Mehreen was an incredible experience. A postgraduate from the US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Water, Sanitation, and Health Sciences (Hygiene) discipline and with a multitalented team of experts, Raza is dealing with the increasing problems of solid waste management, health concerns, and environmental issues. She aims to provide a sustainable and healthier solution for feminine hygiene.
While covering her story, I came across some mind-blowing facts and was curious to dig deep into Pakistan’s solid waste management scenario.
According to government estimates, around 87,000 tons of solid waste are produced weekly, mostly from big cities. Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan with an estimated population of 20 million people, generates over 16,500 tons of municipal waste daily.
In Pakistan, local and municipal governments are responsible for collecting waste. In big cities, nearly 60 to 70 percent of solid waste is collected daily. The garbage collection fleet comprises open trucks, tractor-trolley systems, and arm roll trucks for secondary collection and transfer.
Traditional methods such as handcarts and donkey pull-carts are used for primary waste collection in remote areas. Some municipalities hire street sweepers and sanitary workers to augment other poor collection methods. They use wheelbarrows and brooms to collect solid waste from small heaps and dustbins and store it in formal and informal depots.
This traditional waste management system struggles to keep up with increasing waste volumes. Innovative solutions are needed to address this pressing issue.
In Pakistan, local and municipal governments are responsible for collecting waste. Credit: Lahore Waste Management Company
According to the International Trade Administration, Pakistan faces multiple challenges in waste management infrastructure, resulting in significant environmental issues. The huge municipal waste is disposed of through burning, dumping, or burying in empty areas, posing risks to the overall health and well-being of the local population.
Waste Management Practices Worldwide
An efficient waste management system has become a pressing global concern in an era of increasing urbanization and rapid population growth. Over the past decade, cities worldwide have produced enormous waste, posing adverse threats to human health and the environment.
According to an estimation, the annual amount of solid waste generated worldwide will increase to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. Each individual generates 0.11 to 4.54 kg of solid waste each day.
Alarmingly, various reports show that only 33 percent of solid waste generated in urban areas is not disposed of in an environmentally friendly and safe manner.
Amid this global crisis, several countries are introducing innovative solutions for waste management. An example is Germany, which has a successful dual system for packaging waste. Here, manufacturers are responsible for collecting and recycling their packaging materials. Yellow bins are provided for packaging waste, and citizens are actively involved in sorting.
Blockchain in waste management
In the era of big data, technologies like sensors, AI, blockchain, and deep learning prove invaluable in effective waste tracking, rapidly and accurately analyzing data, and facilitating the transition to a circular economy.
Katarzyna Bułkowska is a Professor at the Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. She says Blockchain technology provides a secure and transparent platform for recording every step in the waste management lifecycle, from waste generation to collection, transportation, recycling, or disposal.
Bułkowska’s research, published in MDPI, highlighted emerging technologies associated with Industry 4.0, like blockchain. It can play a potentially transformative role in revolutionizing waste management practices.
Furthermore, this research unveiled the benefits of integrating blockchain within the circular economy. Automated systems powered by the blockchain and connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) can significantly enhance the efficiency and transparency of waste management systems worldwide.
Blockchain Application Environment Sector
Many developing countries are utilizing blockchain technology in the waste management sector. Current applications of blockchain focus on payment or reward facilitation and monitoring and tracking waste. In the first case, an entity depositing waste is rewarded or paid with a blockchain-secured digital token, which can be redeemed for goods or exchanged for other currencies.
In European countries, Plastic Bank uses blockchain rewards to incentivize individuals to become plastic waste collectors. This initiative aims to reduce the amount of industrial plastic waste in oceans. This gathered waste is then brought to collection points and weighed before the payment is made to the collector through a blockchain-based banking application.
The blockchain’s immutability and transparency prevent fraudulent and corrupt practices, but the process needs a legal framework and strict monitoring policies. Likewise, reverse vending machines can help with waste checking instead of human workers.
Several developing countries are utilizing blockchain technology in the waste management sector.
In the second case, data on the type of waste collected and waste transfers is recorded on the blockchain. AREP, a subsidiary of the National Railway Company France, uses blockchain technology to monitor the amount, type, and frequency of waste collected in train station waste bins to optimize waste collection.
Moreover, NRCF recorded waste data and transfers in blockchain transactions using the digital identities of bins on train platforms. The incentive for this was primarily financial; there was insufficient data to produce precise invoices from the waste collector. However, it poses a risk of station overcharging, which was overcome using blockchain and bin sensors.
The practice benefited the environmental sector in the long term. However, it is no longer in use as waste management was not a priority for the station management. Initiatives with similar intentions of collecting waste type and amount of data to inform more effective and efficient waste management are in process.
Blockchain technology can improve waste management by automating tasks such as waste collection scheduling and payment processing, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings. Consequently, it provides more resources to improve waste management infrastructure and services.
Currently, blockchain technology faces several challenges, including but not limited to the need for legislative frameworks to support blockchain implementation and the energy consumption associated with blockchain operations.
Nevertheless, ongoing technological advancements and an increasing understanding of blockchain’s capabilities provide optimism for overcoming these challenges.
The intersection of blockchain technology and philanthropy is a rapidly evolving field with immense potential to revolutionize the way philanthropic organizations operate. Blockchain, a decentralized and immutable ledger system, offers a unique set of advantages that can enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in charitable giving.
Some of the key benefits of blockchain in charity are:
Enhanced Transparency and Accountability
Blockchain records are tamper-proof, ensuring that donations and their usage are transparent and verifiable.
Every transaction can be traced back to its source, providing donors with clear visibility into how their funds are being used. Donors can receive real-time updates on the progress of projects and the impact of their contributions. The decentralized nature of blockchain makes it difficult for fraudulent activities to occur. Smart contracts can automate processes, reducing administrative overhead and ensuring that funds are used for their intended purposes.
By demonstrating transparency and accountability, blockchain can foster trust between donors and charitable organizations.
Improved Efficiency and Impact
Smart contracts can automate tasks such as donor verification, fund distribution, and reporting, reducing administrative costs. Blockchain transactions are typically faster and more cost effective than traditional methods.
Blockchain can enable more accurate and efficient tracking of project outcomes, allowing organizations to measure their impact more effectively. By eliminating intermediaries and automating processes, can reduce the overhead costs associated with charitable giving and provide donors with a more interactive and engaging experience, allowing them to feel more connected to the causes they support.
Additionally, Blockchain can facilitate cross-border donations and support international charitable initiatives. By tokenizing social impact projects, blockchain can enable fractional ownership and crowdfunding opportunities.
Moreover, Blockchain can empower communities to have a greater say in how charitable funds are allocated and managed. It can help protect the intellectual property of charitable organizations and their beneficiaries and can be used to facilitate rapid and efficient disaster relief efforts.
Blockchain can facilitate cross-border donations and support international charitable initiatives
Some of the uses of Blockchain in Charity are as follows:
Decentralized Governance
The Giving Block is a platform that allows individuals to donate cryptocurrencies to charitable organizations. They have implemented a decentralized governance model, where token holders vote on which charities to support and how funds are allocated.
Social Impact Tokenization
Impact Market is a social impact tokenization platform that creates digital tokens representing the income of individuals living in extreme poverty. These tokens can be purchased by donors, providing a sustainable source of income for the individuals and generating returns for the investors.
Intellectual Property Protection and Challenges
The Copyright Blockchain Initiative is a non-profit organization that uses blockchain technology to protect the intellectual property rights of artists and creators. As the number of transactions on a blockchain network increases, scalability can become a challenge. Ensuring a user-friendly experience for donors and beneficiaries can be complex.
At the same time, navigating the regulatory landscape for blockchain-based charitable activities can be challenging.
Conclusion
By enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency, blockchain can help to build trust, maximize impact, and ensure that donations are used for their intended purposes. As the technology continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see even more innovative applications of blockchain in the charitable sector.
All good things start with good thoughts and brilliant ideas. Imagination is a great gift bestowed upon human beings, as all innovations, progress, and positive transformations are the fruit of this innate potential. Science fiction has gained a central role in current media. We cannot ignore how it has molded our society for the betterment and how the students get inspiration for deeper insights into whatever is taught about science in the academic environment.
Whether we talk of science-based novels and movies, they all serve as catalysts to enhance creative abilities and inquisitive nature. They not only make the individuals cautious about potential future challenges but also guide them toward possible solutions. Our imagination is part of our brain processes, so at times, what seems to be an out-of-the-world idea is a bridge between the past, present, and future.
Below is an elaboration of the role various science fiction novels and movies have played over the past years. They are pioneers in themselves for any contribution in the field of science, which was once predicted along with the life lessons given adding to the quality of human nature.
Sci-Fi Novels
Dune
Dune by Frank Herbert was first released in 1965. It is a science fiction, and the plot is based on the desert planet Arrakis which is the only source of a valuable substance named mélange, a spice significant for space travel, long life, and enhanced consciousness.
Dune offers deep insights into scientific progress, especially through its exploration of ecology, the relationship between technology and society, and the limitations of human control over nature and knowledge. The prime lessons of scientific progress given in the novel are awareness of sustainability and ecology, politics and science dependency on each other, genetic engineering, human influence on nature, comparison of science and intuition, and development of cautious behavior against too much reliance on technology.
The moral lessons are very rich, touching on diverse topics like leadership roles and the consequences of the actions of others. It explains how the misuse of power can lead to destruction and the leaders need to act with wisdom and their decisions have a long-lasting impact. Moreover, it elaborates on the responsibility of humans towards world protection and the use of prophetic knowledge for good.
The novel addresses the setbacks of colonialism well and promotes the lessons of self-discipline and growth. It gives a clear insight into self-sacrifice for getting good rewards rather than for personal gains. Respecting other cultures acts as an essence for moral growth as per the lessons imparted by the novel.
The Mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve but a Reality to experience. -Frank Herbert
Neuromancer
Neuromancer by William Gibson is a novel in the cyberpunk genre that was published in 1984. The story is about Case, a hacker who used to connect to cyberspace for data stealing. His nervous system was destroyed, so he may never be able to do that again. A suspicious figure, Armitage, offers a job in exchange for repairing his nervous system.
Armitage himself is an employee of an AI named Wintermute, which expects Case to merge it with another AI called Neuromancer so that the constraints of artificial intelligence may be transcended. Case is met by a high-skilled mercenary named Molly and many other figures with exceptional talents to bring Wintermute’s goals to accomplishment.
Necromancers have both direct and indirect contributions to scientific progress. It gives a vision of cyberspace and the internet, which inspired earlier technologists towards internet development and virtual reality. The novel explores advanced artificial intelligence systems addressing issues related to AI ethics. The story beautifully integrates cybernetics humans with computerized parts. The novel addresses concerns about data privacy, Tech monopolies, identity and consciousness, and the combination of the digital and physical world.
The novel brings key moral lessons into highlights, like the price of depending on technology, corporate control leading to exploitation, the concept of dehumanization via cybernetic enhancements, the ethical limits associated with AI, and questions about identity and human nature.
The future is there…looking back at us. Trying to make sense of the fiction we will have become.- William Gibson
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin was published in 1969. This science fiction novel is set on the planet Gethen which is part of a galactic federation of planets Ekumen. The story revolves around two characters Genly Ai, an inhabitant of Earth, and Estravan, a planet native. The people of Gethen are ambisexual as they are capable of playing both parts of either male and female during kemmer-a brief period of biological activity.
Otherwise, they are neither male nor female. Genly comes to Gethen with a mission to convince the leaders of Gethen to join the Ekumen-a combination of planets based on peace and cooperation, but he faces a lot of political interventions and misunderstandings. He ultimately wins after a long journey of negotiations with the leaders.
The novel contributes to scientific progress in several ways including gender studies and challenges linked, insights into anthropology, psychology, speculative biology, sociopolitical insights, and future thinking and science fiction.
The novel presents vast moral lessons encompassing empathy, friendship, loyalty, sacrifice for a big cause, dangers associated with fear and prejudice, acceptance, the ambiguous choices of morality, and the consequences of isolation.
Light is the left hand of darkness and darkness is the right hand of light- Ursula K. Le Guin.
Foundation
Foundation by Isaac Asimov was published in 1954. It investigates the rise and fall of a Galactic Empire, covering the whole galaxy, and the efforts to reduce the chaos associated. A mathematician, Hari Seldon, develops psychohistory-combination of mathematics, sociology, and history to predict the future of large populations. Seldon foresees a dark age of the Empire spanning up to 30,000 years, but he believes that through knowledge foundation, this could be reduced to 1,000 years.
Two Foundations were established at opposite ends of the galaxy which were aimed at restoration and preservation of human knowledge by a group of scientists and scholars. The novel ends on a positive note with the recovery of the Empire in various aspects, including trade and politics.
The novel covers diverse topics of scientific progress like psychohistory, predictive modeling, influence of knowledge and science, technological progress, crisis management, systems thinking, future planning, resilience, ethical questions about technology and science, and artificial intelligence with good governance.
The key moral lessons from the novel include the importance of education, resilience, limits of predictability, hope, commitment, the cyclical nature of cultures and civilizations, the active role of individuals and societies, rationality, faith, and the fruits of critical thinking.
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right. -Isaac Asimov
Snow Crash
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson was published in 1992. The story revolves around Hiro Protagonist who is a hacker and a sword-wielding pizza deliveryman. He unveils a huge conspiracy about a deadly digital cum biological drug named Snow Crash. Hiro, after a failed delivery of pizza to a Mafia, joins Y.T., a teenage courier who delivers packages with the aid of a futuristic skateboard. Both of them come across the Snow Crash virus, which could infect people in the real world as a drug and in the Metaverse as a digital virus.
Hiro gains knowledge about the virus to be part of the Sumerian language and religion with the ability to rewrite the human brain. This is done through the planning of L. Bob Rife, an influential industrialist, who turned the people into thoughtless individuals. He targets to control the population by controlling their brains. Hiro and Y.T. strive successfully to hinder the evil plans of Snow Crash.
Snow Crash has several scientific and technological contributions. It gives an early concept of the Metaverse and ideas for exploring cybersecurity and digital threats. Moreover, a mixture of linguistics and technology, its impact on cyberpunk and techno-culture, social dynamics, exploration of technology, and promotion of innovation in technology are well-pronounced throughout the plot.
The novel is a collection of a vast array of moral lessons like the dangers linked to technology control, the setbacks of unchecked corporate power, language as a powerful tool, the effects of virtual realities on human identity, ethical responsibilities of power, and the vital role of critical thinking.
All information looks like noise until you break the code-Hiro Protagonist
2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke was published in 1968. The novel starts with scenes of prehistoric Africa, where a group of early hominids is striving for existence. They encounter an alien artifact (a monolith) that appears to influence their growth and development. The monolith activates a leap in their cognitive capacities which promotes the discovery of tools and weapons leading to human evolution.
2001: A Space Odyssey contributes to scientific progress in several key ways. It enhances the idea of promotion of space exploration, artificial intelligence, computer science, space travel, technology, evolutionary views, and philosophy.
2001: A Space Odyssey imparts prime lessons on the responsibilities of developing intelligence, the limitations of human understanding, ethics of technology use, adaption and human evolution, the quest for meaning, the search for purpose, the role of human agency, and the effects of isolation.
The more wonderful the means of communication, the more trivial, tawdry, or depressing its contents seemed to be. -Arthur C. Clarke
Hyperion
Hyperion by Dan Simmons was published in 1989. The story is about a group of seven pilgrims who recall their personal stories as they travel toward the distant world of Hyperion. The priest’s tale, the soldier’s tale, the Poet’s tale, the scholar’s tale, the detective’s tale, the Consul’s tale, and the Outcast’s Tale.
Hyperion indirectly contributes to scientific progress. It gives the readers inspiration for innovation, exploration of issues related to ethics and philosophy, public interest in science, and cultural reflections.
The novel offers a rich source of moral lessons like the complexity of human nature, the impact of technology, the search for meaning, the nature of sacrifice, the dual nature of good and evil, the consequences of power, the role of free will, and the reflection on responsibility.
Our survival may depend upon our talking to one another. -Dan Simmons
The Dispossessed
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin was published in 1974. The novel is based on a dual planetary system. The story begins in Anarres, where the protagonist, Shevek, lives in a society based on anarcho-syndicalism. Their private property is abolished with the collective sharing of resources. Shevek explores society as having its own set of problems, such as bureaucratic inefficiencies and ideological dogmatism.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin contributes to scientific progress in various indirect ways. It inspires scientific inquiry, exploration of ethics related to science, critique of scientific isolationism, philosophy, and thinking about various disciplines.
The novel provides wide moral lessons like the complications of Utopias, the worth of freedom, the influence of societal structures, the ethics of scientific progress, the importance of sacrifices for bigger causes, and the connection between society and individuals.
Shoot for the top always. You know you’ll never make it, but what’s the fun if you don’t shoot for the top?-Ursula K. Le Guin.
Sci-Fi Films
Blade Runner
Blade Runner was directed by Ridley Scott in 1982. It is based on Philip K. Dick’s novel-Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The story is based on the dystopian future of Los Angeles in the year 2019, and it gives the idea of synthetic humans being used for labor and entertainment.
The film explores scientific progress through several angles artificial intelligence, robotics, awareness of the misuse of technology, space explorations, and the dehumanization accompanying scientific progress.
The moral lessons given by the film are humanity, empathy, ethical responsibility, self-understanding, and responsibility linked to human evolution and artificial intelligence.
Dying for the right cause is the most human thing we can do-dialogue from Blade Runner.
The Matrix
The Matrix was directed by the Wachowskis in 1999. It pictures a dystopian future where humanity is trapped inside a simulated reality generated by intelligent machines. The protagonist, Neo, is a hacker who comes to know that his reality is an illusion. He gets introduced to the real world by a group of rebels led by Morpheus. He believes Neo to end the war between humans and machines.
The film adds to scientific progress through the exploration of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-machine relations, and innovation in technology. The moral values added by the film are the war between good and evil, hope and courage, and forgiveness.
The Matrix pictures a dystopian future where humanity is trapped inside a simulated reality generated by intelligent machines.
The Terminator
The Terminator was directed by James Cameron in 1984. Like the ones mentioned above, it is set in a dystopian future where a superintelligent artificial intelligence (Skynet) initiates a nuclear apocalypse to end humanity. In this future, the remnants of humans get involved in a desperate war, and Terminator (cyborg) is sent to ensure success.
It contributes to scientific progress through the ideas of artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, innovation, and technological dependency. The moral lessons given by the film are the dangers of unchecked technology, the value of heroism, resilience, and hope, and the complex human nature.
This is the world now. Logged on, plugged in, all the time dialogue from the terminator
To conclude, science fiction is food for our imagination and brings deeper insights futuristic possibilities, and technological progress. It challenges societal norms through creative storytelling.
