“Are we alone in the Universe?” This is a question that has, for centuries, stumped mankind. Through the efforts of scientists and engineers, the search for extraterrestrial life has seen multiple developments, mainly through the advent of cutting-edge devices. These developments have also introduced new methods of detecting technologically-advanced activity, known as technosignatures, which are…
Author: Lance Fernando
Despite their immense capacity to generate knowledge, the Sciences tend to be devalued or misunderstood; the vast array of complex concepts and unfamiliar terminologies have made these subject matters appear inaccessible to those outside the scientific community. With the overwhelming amount of information available, it is easy to be misled by hearsays, exaggerations, and even…
The world hastens toward making medical breakthroughs like vaccines to quell the COVID-19 pandemic that caused around seven million confirmed cases and 400,000 deaths as of press time. However, the reliability of every potential intervention, testing method, and treatment must be established based on proper and relevant evidence before these can be implemented in society. …
Last March 20, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared the start of the country’s dry season—not summer, the weather bureau clarified—which marked the end of the northeast monsoon or Amihan. Along with the temperatures peaking this dry season, the sun is also at its maximum elevation, reaching its peak at…
With more than four million confirmed cases and around 300,000 deaths worldwide as of early May, countries are scrambling to control the relentless spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). With only seven recorded deaths so far, Taiwan is among the most successful countries to respond to the pandemic. To learn from Taiwan’s example in combating…
Flipping through the pages of history, drinking alcohol has always been a practice of human society. Present in ancient societies all around the world, the oldest alcoholic drink comes from a Chinese village in the Henan province in 7,000 to 6,500 BC. From wine in ancient Rome to the Pulque in Pre-Columbian America, societies have…
Since the 1860s, fossil fuels have remained as the primary energy source in the world—with coal accounting for 38.5 percent of global power in 2018. Rampant usage and unyielding dependence on non-renewable energy sources have contributed to numerous harmful and irreversible effects to the environment such as the accelerated melting of glaciers. These developments have…
Outer space is home to many fascinating things; many have naturally been formed there, like the Moon, and others sent out by mankind, such as artificial satellites. Satellites are defined as objects orbiting around a larger object like a planet, with some of the most popular examples being the International Space Station and Sputnik 1—aiding…
The Philippines is the third-largest plastic waste polluter—contributing six percent of the world’s total share of mismanaged plastic waste—only behind Indonesia and China’s 10 and 28 percent, respectively. These are alarming figures, as plastic materials are unsustainable from their creation to their disposal. Marine animals can mistake plastic wastes for food, such as in the…
“The only protection [a] community can have is [through] vaccination,” pushes Assistant Regional Director III Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales, from the Department of Health’s (DOH) National Capital Region Office, referencing the last September’s poliomyelitis outbreak. The Philippines had been polio-free for 19 years—until a new case suddenly emerged in 2019. Now, with eight confirmed cases…