Category: Weekly News Profile

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Power of the Sun: Nuclear Fusion’s Future as Clean Energy

Kaylee Tseng December 21, 2022

A recent achievement in the field of nuclear fusion has propelled the long-researched energy source into the spotlight. Until now, nuclear fusion was only a theoretical way to generate clean energy, but nuclear fusion has passed an important energetic threshold that offers early hope for the technology. However, this technology will likely take decades to implement, and it may come too late if currently available clean energy methods are not rapidly adopted.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Spotify Wrapped and the Use of Personal Data

Sabrina Sy December 7, 2022

For users of the music streaming giant, the end of the year is a time of great anticipation. Spotify Wrapped, the platform’s year-in-review experience for users, summarizes each individual’s listening history, including top songs and artists. While Wrapped’s interactive and shareable elements are a fan favorite, it is important to remember that its reliance on tracking users and storing data is not as harmless as many believe it to be.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Impact of STEM From Childhood Toys to Adult Careers

Jennah Saqib November 28, 2022

In recent years there has been an increased interest in toys that are designed to enhance children’s cognitive development. The goal of these toys is to encourage scientific curiosity outside of the classroom; however, the benefits of STEM toys over other forms of play are debatable. Additionally, the increased pressure from parents to push their children into STEM fields may do them more harm than good in the long run.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Political Power of Gen-Z and Social Media

Jackie Finnemeyer November 22, 2022

Despite midterms historically having mediocre turnouts, the number of votes cast by young voters in the 2022 midterm elections was the second highest in 30 years. As technology becomes more deeply woven throughout our culture, politicians are discovering that social media provides a genuine way to connect with new voters.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Running Low on Gas: Technologies Affected by the Helium Shortage

Kaylee Tseng November 14, 2022

Advanced technologies such as MRI scans and quantum computing are at risk of losing one of their most important elements: liquid helium. The unique properties of helium lend it to a wide array of scientific uses, but these properties also make helium difficult to capture and reuse. The ongoing shortage of helium has prompted researchers to find ways to recycle or replace helium to conserve this dwindling resource.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

FDA Advisory Panel Asks for Improvements in Pulse Oximeters

Sabrina Sy November 7, 2022

An FDA Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices advisory panel met this week to discuss racial and skin-pigmentation bias in pulse oximeter devices. This comes in the wake of research demonstrating that inaccurate blood oxygen readings may have contributed to the greater number of Covid-19 deaths in minority patients compared to white patients.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

War and Progress: The Invasion of Ukraine and Its Impact on Renewable Energy

Jennah Saqib October 31, 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to an energy crisis in much of the world. As a result, Western leaders are pushing for increased interest and investment in renewable energy. This introduces an ethical dilemma of the impacts of war on technological progress, and what it says about humanity that such motivations are required for change to be made.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Quitting Trends Persist Despite Tech Industry Layoffs

Jackie Finnemeyer October 24, 2022

Recent layoffs in the tech industry have many employees wondering if their jobs are in danger. Despite these concerns, job resignations are still trending. With company culture a top employee priority, the tech industry may need to make efforts to meet employee expectations.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

How Telehealth Contributed to the Adderall Shortage and Reignited Concerns

Kaylee Tseng October 17, 2022

A recent shortage in Adderall comes after a large spike in demand for the prescription drug, with many prescriptions being issued from telehealth startups earlier this year. These platforms that emerged during the pandemic have raised concerns regarding the overprescription of controlled substances. However, the high amount of prescriptions coming from these newer companies follows a longstanding trend of potential ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in the US.

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Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

Why Ethical Free-to-Play Game Design Matters

Sabrina Sy October 9, 2022

The recent release of Blizzard Entertainment’s “Overwatch 2” has sparked many conversations in the gaming community centered around the ethics behind free-to-play video games and the duty that developers have to their consumers. As the game industry continues to shift away from a traditional one-time purchase model, developers must continue to consider what they can do to keep games as fair as possible for all players.

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