A lot has happened in the STEM world this last week. Check out the Top 5 things to get caught up on
Lauren Yang | Staff Reporter
Featured image Creative Commons image from Luc Viatour on Wikipedia
1. Microsoft is Retiring Internet Explorer
Google has Chrome, Apple has Safari, Mozilla has Firefox, and now Microsoft will have Project Spartan. Microsoft announced during the Microsoft Convergence conference that for Windows 10 the company will no longer include the browser Internet Explorer (IE). The decision to drop IE has been viewed as long overdue for some since the browser is commonly thought of as insecure and slow. This decision has also been a strategic move in the bigger plan to change Microsoft’s image.
A new browser, nicknamed Project Spartan, is planned to replace IE. Project Spartan will boast of new features, such as being able to annotate directly onto a web page and uploading those markings onto OneNote. Another feature will be integrating Cortana, Microsoft’s personal assistant, into the web page.
Creative Commons photo by Microsoft on Wikipedia
2. Liquid 3D Printer Can Print x100 Faster
A new 3D printer that uses a different approach for printing has drastically decreased the time it takes to complete prints. The new printing system is called “continuous liquid interface production,” or CLIP for short. Not only does CLIP quicken the 3D printing process, it also produces products with smoother surfaces.
The current 3D printing process is additive, meaning it creates objects by printing many layers of the desired material until the product is done. Usually it takes hours to complete making objects. The faster 3D printer boasts of a very thin screen on the bottom of the printer that allows oxygen to pass through. Essentially, when light is shone on the screen, the liquid resin behind it solidifies. The object is built in this layerless fashion. This faster 3D printer is not currently on the market for purchase, but expect to see it hit the stores sometime within a year for commercial sale.
Creative Commons image from Hodlipson on Wikipedia
3. Total Solar Eclipse
2015’s only solar eclipse occurred on March 20. People all around the world flocked to the Faroe Islands, located in the corner of the British Isles, in order to witness the complete solar eclipse. Parts of the eastern hemisphere also experienced a partial eclipse.
Creative Commons image from NASA on Wikipedia
4. Possible Ban on Altering the Human Genome
On March 19, a group of prominent scientists and ethicists called for a moratorium, or a ban, on the current method of altering the human genome. Currently, the human genome can be edited to increase characteristics like physical attractiveness or intellectual power. Processes have also been developed to alter genetic diseases. Scientists are worried that others will forge ahead and implement these genome-editing techniques without fully understanding all the repercussions and risks of genome-editing. Ethicists are more concerned about the morality and the impact on humanity if altering the human genome is allowed. Although it may not be possible to extend a global moratorium, numerous organizations such as International Society for Stem Cell Research have already supported the ban.
Creative Commons image from Webridge on Wikipedia
5. NASA Constructs 18 Propeller Plane
In an effort to develop greener and more efficient methods of travel, NASA has been working on a plane wing prototype called Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Technology project (LEAPTech). The purpose of the 18 propellers is to provide the aircraft with more lift. Traditional aircrafts have relied upon vertical motion, but with LEAPTech, the airplanes could be optimized for more efficient takeoffs, landings, and cruising modes. LEAPTech is part of NASA’s X Program and is currently still being tested. If it works, LEAPTech will be expected to travel 200 mph.
Creative Commons image from NASA on Wikipedia
