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Insights from the frontline: Medical teleconference on COVID-19 in Asia

The global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has shown as of yet little signs of slowing down—infecting over 200,000 recorded cases and claiming almost 9,000 lives worldwide as of press time. As scientists and governments alike race against the clock to understand the disease and devise effective solutions, some nations have been faring better than others…

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Surging forward: Trends, developments in Analytical Chemistry

Last March 9, a seminar titled Trends and Approaches in Analytical Science, a joint event hosted by the Chemistry Department and the Central Instrumentation Facility of the University, was held at rooms Y407 to Y409, fourth floor of Yuchengco Hall.   The event was composed of a series of lectures that were presented by Dr. Leonel…

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HOMe: Treating health deficiencies at the cellular level

Fatigue, tiredness, colds, and any other incurable illness despite medication—these are just some examples of symptoms that many people go to the doctor’s office for. It is possible, however, that there are underlying issues that standard medical tests may not accurately detect. To address this, Filipino physician Dr. Theodore Achacoso pioneered the establishment of a…

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More than the bottle: Debunking suspected health implications of liquor intake

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…

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Will they take over?: Reimagining the technological future with AI, robots

Revolutionizing almost every industry—from retail to healthcare to public transportation—and changing how humans live and work, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots into workplaces and homes only point to one thing: the future. Yet as these machines permeate various sectors of society, uncertainty and fear similarly pervade over the possibility that these machines,…

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For want of β-carotene: DA, BPI greenlight Golden Rice

Last December 10, the Philippines became the first country in Asia to achieve government approval for Golden Rice. This came after two years of rigorous research and vetting by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) of the Department of Agriculture, as initiated by an application jointly submitted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and…

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Untapped potential: Renewable energy through material design

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…

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For future generations: Underlining 50th Earth Day, Filipino youth environmentalists

Youth and student activism have been heavily criticized by the public and media. Further, some elders tend to look down on adolescents who choose to speak out, often touted as being too young to know the real weight of the world. Yet with 2020 marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the push continues for…

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Hades’ Kingdom: Opportunities beyond explored depths of Earth’s oceans

Despite comprising more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface, the majority of the planet’s oceans remain unexplored. From undiscovered species, and undersea geology such as subduction zones and brine pools, to unexplainable mysteries such as the sunken city of Pavlopetri, and the 52 hertz blue whale, the opportunities for discovery are missed as long as…

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Securing privacy: Browsing the interconnected world with VPNs

From government offices to companies to anonymous hackers, the internet has become a nest of prying eyes. Data has become a commodity—from companies engaging in data sharing deals to government surveillance of online activity and data harvesting. With the public becoming more aware of the importance of data privacy, the Virtual Private Network (VPN) industry…