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Breaking the surface: On the redefinition of SI units, its impact on the STEM field

The human race is attuned to experiencing the ordinary on a day-to-day basis, but the world, at times, has other plans. More notable days, such as November 16 of last year, break this monotony by introducing groundbreaking discoveries, debunking outdated claims, or overcoming world standards and records. On that day at Versailles, France, 60 countries…

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Crabifier and BioMon Launch: Mobile applications for biodiversity, industry, and community dev’t.

July 8 marked the official public release of two mobile applications, Crabifier and BioMon, developed by research groups from the University’s Technologies for Biodiversity Use and Conservation Unit. The launch event, which took place at Br. Andrew Gonzalez Multipurpose Hall, featured a panel discussion as well as demonstrations of the new technologies. Describing the applications…

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Dried out: Investigating the Metro Manila water crisis

Since March, several districts in Metro Manila have been experiencing daily water interruptions and rotational interruptions implemented by the two sole water concessionaires in the metropolis—Manila Water and Maynilad. However, it was not until June that the severity of the issue at hand was emphasized.  Last June 8, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services…

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RTS,S/AS01: Vaccine spurs hope for a “malaria-free” PH

Earlier this year, three countries were chosen to pilot-test the first ever malaria vaccine. In a joint project with the World Health Organization (WHO) and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK), the program sought to immunize 120,000 children below the age of two. The initiative comes after the vaccine RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), also known as Mosquirix, was found to…

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From the experts: On the buildup of Philippine archaeology

The discovery of a third metatarsal from a then unknown hominin, a primate regarded as human, directly ancestral to humans, was just the beginning of the journey that would take place for three excavation years in Callao Cave. Discovered by University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Archaeological Studies Program (ASP) graduate student Archie Tiauzon, an…

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Senate approves PH Space Agency, NASA sets eyes on 2024 Moon expedition

The Philippine Senate has recently approved the bill creating the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). Senate Bill 1983, otherwise known as the Act of Establishing the Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy and Creating the Philippine Agency, was passed last Monday, May 20. Outgoing Senator Bam Aquino, one of the principal authors of the bill, reasoned…