Infectious Diseases
Despite advances in technology,one of the biggest threats to human survival comes from primitive life forms.
Infectious diseases are caused by micro-organisms, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites.
These organisms have no access to education or technology, but they present a huge challenge to humanity.
That’s because they are adaptable.
Just as adaptability has helped humans survive, it makes it more difficult to control infectious diseases.
As conditions change, the organism which cause these diseases adapt and become stronger.
One of the biggest threats to human survival comes from primitive life forms.
There are several kinds of infectious diseases.
Bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, are caused by bacteria.
These infections can be treated by antibiotics, which kill the bacteria.
Viral infections are caused by viruses, such as the influenza virus.
These can sometimes be prevented by vaccines, such as the flu vaccine.
An example of parasitic infection is malaria.
Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes.
Once inside the body, the parasites can be difficult to kill or control.
And of course these parasites are also adaptable.
Antibiotics attack and kill bacteria.
How serious are infectious diseases?
Consider what happened in 1918, the influenza pandemic.
It started in the fall of 1918 with what seemed to be something no more serious than the common cold.
In the next two years however, it infected a fifth of the world’s population.
In fact, it turned out to be the most deadly epidemic in history, killing between 20 and 40 million people.
The influenza virus that caused it was much stronger than previous influenza viruses.
Its mortality rate was two and a half percent compared to a point one percent in previous influenza epidemics.
It struck quickly and without mercy, sometimes killing people within hours.
Schools and businesses closed in many places, and people wore masks to prevent transmission of the virus through the air.
What was unusual about this pandemic was that it was most deadly for people aged 20 to 40, rather than the elderly and young children.
Now, a century later, we have flu vaccines that have reduced the severity of epidemics.
These vaccines need to be updated every year because of the virus changes and new strains emerge.
What researchers fear is that a new strain of the virus will develop and cause another pandemic.
Once an outbreak occurs, transmission of the disease will be even faster than before.
An unintended consequence of our improved transportation system will be the speed at which an epidemic can spread.
Experts predict that the public health systems will be overwhelmed and unable to react quickly enough.
A new strain of a virus is a mutated form of the virus.
A new strain of a virus is one that has mutated from the original.
So the best defense will be to prevent an outbreak from occurring.
This will require global cooperation and the sharing of data.
It may also require changes in how humans interact with animals.
Animals, such as birds and pigs, carry viruses that may mutate into a strain that can infect humans.
Such a new strain could lead to another pandemic well before a new vaccine could be developed.
Since diseases and epidemics don’t stop at national borders, this is a global issue requiring global action.
The threat of a global epidemic is another example of why we must learn to live together.
It allows epidemics to spread more quickly.
Epidemics don't stop at national borders.
One danger is that an animal virus may mutate into a strain that can infect humans.
An improved transportation system allows epidemics to spread more quickly.
Animals, such as birds and pigs carry viruses that may mutate into a strain that can infect humans.
Experts predict that public health systems will be overwhelmed and unable to react quickly enough.
Raising Kids
You know, my husband and I are having a terrific fight over how to raise our son.
What about?
He’s only 4 years old.
My husband thinks I’m putting too much pressure on him.
He thinks it’s the wrong thing to do.
I wouldn’t know.
I’m not even married yet!
That’s my problem.
I wish I had a husband to disagree with.
Her husband thinks they should put less pressure on their son.
Well, he thinks it’s important for kids to have time to be bored.
Bored?
Yes, he really said that.
Can you believe it?
Why does he think so?
Did he have time to be bored when he was a boy?
Well, he grew up in the country side.
He said he had to find things for himself to do.
He says he feels sorry for kids these days because their days are so structured.
From this conversation, her husband probably has good memories of his childhood.
Her husband thinks she should put less pressure on their son.
Hmm, I see his point.
But things have changed a lot since he was a boy.
That’s exactly what I told him.
Then he started getting angry.
That doesn’t sound like him.
He’s usually so calm and reserved.
In fact, I can’t ever remember hearing him express an opinion.
Well, the other day our boy said he didn’t like one of his teachers.
It’s an English teacher.
And that got my husband’s attention.
What happened?
He got angry and said he wasn’t happy with all the emphasis on English and math.
He said I should find someplace for our boy to do more of what he wants to do.
He said to find the class or teacher who encourages kids to explore things.
That sounds a bit idealistic.
That’s what I told him.
Then he said it’s important to learn how to be independent and not always dependent on being told what to do.
He said that can develop creativity and the love of learning.
Certainly.
But what happens when he is behind of other kids in school?
Won’t he be discouraged?
He said to let the boy deal with it and see what happens.
Some people are competitive and some aren’t.
What does she think might happen to a child with falling behind others in school? She worries that the child might be discouraged.
She worries that the child might be discouraged.
People who are reserved don't usually show their feelings.
To be idealistic means to be a bit unrealistic.
Anyway, it’s an interesting point of view.
It may work for some kids and not for others.
What about your boy?
What do you think?
He has a good imagination.
Sometimes he talks to himself that he really likes music and dancing.
He has a lot of energy.
Sometimes it’s exhausting to be around him.
I guess if I were you I'd just give him a lot of choices and see where his interest take him.
And he needs a place where he can use all that energy.
Yes, that’s what my husband wants to do.
I just get nervous because all his friends are taking classes.
I don’t want him to fall behind.
What this conversation mostly about ? It's about how to develop a child's imagination and creativity.
She doesn't want their son to fall behind and get discouraged.
I don’t know what to say.
Maybe you can do some research and see what others advise.
I’m sure you're not the only one facing this problem.
At least your husband is taking an interest.
If I ever get married, I hope my husband will be as involved as yours is.
But he has to help you with this and not just complain.
Yes, that’s what we are fighting about.
I can’t be expected to do this on my own.
We have to do this together.
Good luck.
And wish me luck in finding a husband, okay.
They both think her husband should help more and not just complain.
I guess if I were you I'd just give him a lot of choices and see where his interest take him.
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Naria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna, Austria. By the time she was a teenager, she had decided to drop out of school and seek fame as an actress. She first appeared in a German film in 1930. She was attractive and talented enough to be in three more films in 1931, but it was her controversial film 'Ecstasy' that brought her worldwide fame as an actress.
In 1937 she fled from her country and secretly moved to Hollywood, where she reinvented herself. She changed her name to Hedy Lamarr, with the nick name 'the most beautiful woman in films'. However, Lamarrdefiedthe leading-lady stereotype by also pursuing an interest in mathematics and engineering. She soon took up inventing. Her earliest inventions included an improved traffic stoplight and a tablet that would dissolve in water to create a carbonated drink.
With the ongoing World War, Lamarr was inspired to contribute the war effort. She designed a radio guidance system for torpedoes. With the help of composer George Antheil, whom she met in 1940, she discovered a way to break up signals and transmit them over different frequencies. Using a method similar to the way player piano work, they designed a frequency-hopping system that would continually change the radio signals sent to a torpedo. While others, including Nikola Tesla, had explored similar ideas of frequency hopping, Lamarr and Antheil obtained a patent for their invention in 1942 for what would become known as spread-spectrum technology.
Although the US Navy did not adopt the technology during the war, it was used during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. For decades Lamarr’s technology remained behind the scenes, but ultimately it led to the creation of today’s spread-spectrum communication technology, such as Wi-Fi networks, mobile phones, GPS and Bluetooth technologies.
Lamarr and Antheil eventually received several awards for their lifetime creative achievements that contributed so much to society. They were inducted into the national investors Hall of Fame in 2014, after her death in 2000.
the unusual career of a famous actress
She was known as "the most beautiful woman in films".
Frequency hopping means to rapidly switch frequencies to avoid interception of messages.
She first appeared in a German film in 1930.
She designed a radio guidance system for torpedoes.
The Challenge of AI
The internet and smartphones have changed the world and how we relate to each other. Instead of meeting in person, we increasingly interface through handheld devices. In a sense, real people are being removed, replaced by technology and virtual friends. Some people even say that they prefer to confide in their virtual friends rather than their real friends!
AI, or artificial intelligence, is another technology that is highly disruptive. With AI, smartphone and other devices will have even more capabilities. They will be able to converse with us and tell us jokes. They may even become personal tutors, and replace our online human tutors. They will be able to do this because they will have access to our life histories. They will know what kind of problems we have, our preferences, and any content we want to learn or practice, they will be able to adapt to our needs and be available at any time. And all this will be at less cost than using a human.
In fact, the substitution of AIs for human labor has the potential to transform our world. Experts warn that smart machines may cause widespread unemployment. Many works will become redundant, replaced by machines that can perform cognitive tasks better than people. An even greater danger is that they will develop personalities and become more interesting than people. Already work is underway to produce AI companions for lonely people.
Are these development something to worry about or something to welcome? How are they different than developments in the past, such as the industrial revolution? Cars replaced horses; machines and industrial robots replaced factory workers.
Since the shift to AI is inevitable, the challenge for policymakers will be to help existing workers acquire new skills. Future generations must be prepared for a workplace populated by AIs that will continue to develop and take on new tasks. Are we up to the task?