Shielding Humanity Mitigating Solar Wind Risks for Mars Exploration
Due to the radiation exposure, getting trapped in the solar wind can result in long- term health problems, including cataracts, cancer, and immunological inadequacy. Space weathering, carried on by prolonged contact to the solar wind, can cause harm to satellites and other technological marvels. Any crew on a Mars trip will be extremely concerned about the solar wind since it might have detrimental impacts on human health. One of the greatest risks is radiation exposure, since it raises the risk of cancer, cataracts, and the body's immune deficiencies in later life. Another way that spacecraft and other devices could sustain damage is through space weathering, which is a result of the solar wind. Radiation sickness can occur in animals like humans when they are exposed to exceptionally larger particles, such as those given by CMEs. sAstronauts who aren't shielded, like those on a moon trip, would be at risk. Taking too much of it might be harmful. However, we are not concerned about the effects of solar storms here on Earth.
The spaceship may be protected from these dangers by using metals like aluminium, lead, and boron. One cutting-edge technology that could be utilized to reduce people's radiation exposure is active shielding, which uses the earth's magnetic field to deflect high- energy particles. On the spaceship, radiation sensors can be mounted to monitor radiation levels and alert the crew when they get too high. Finally, astronauts can be given radiation- blocking gear and protective clothing. Utilizing more advanced technology, such as active shielding, which uses magnetic fields to intercept high-energy particles, can enhance radiation protection. On the spaceship, radiation detectors can be mounted to monitor radiation levels and alert the crew when they go too high. Finally, astronauts can be given radiation-blocking gear and protective clothing. These safety measures will increase the crew's protection while traveling to and from Mars. In conclusion, while planning a trip to Mars, one must take into account the risks of exposure to the solar wind. By utilizing cutting- edge technology, shielding materials, and protective gear and clothing, crew members may minimize their radiation exposure. This will increase the possibility that the procedure is successful and the team may safely return home.
References
Acker, J. G. (2022). Using the NASA Giovanni system to assess and evaluate remotely- sensed and model data variables relevant to public health issues. In Geospatial Technology for Human Well-being and Health (pp. 127-149). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Branduardi-Raymont, G., Berthomier, M., Bogdanova, Y., Carter, J. C., Collier, M., Dimmock, A., ... & Yamauchi, M. (2019). Exploring Solar-Terrestrial Interactions via Multiple Observers (A White Paper for the Voyage 2050 long-term plan in the ESA Science Programme). arXiv preprint arXiv:1908.04730.
Ancient Greek Sculpture Depicting the Human Form
Greek sculpture is perhaps the most iconic and identifiable type of sculpture in the art world as it is seen today. When a person hears the word "sculpture," their mind most likely immediately pictures sculptures that were created by the ancient Greeks. Greek sculptors were among the first people to capture the human form accurately, from muscle placement to facial expression. This essay will cover three different time periods of ancient Greek sculpture: The Archaic Period (c.650-500 BCE), The Classical Period (c.500-323 BCE), and The Hellenistic Period (c.323-27 BCE).
Before breaking down the periods of ancient Greek sculpture, here is a basic introduction to the art form. In the earliest of its days, "according to literary sources, Greeks created wooden sculptures of their Gods, but none of them survived" (Janson, H. W., et al 84). Because of the wear and tear that wooden art forms suffered from, much like the architects of the time, Greek artists and sculptors made the transition to working with stone around 650 BCE. The sculptors also began to experiment with nudity, which was rare for its time. Many works from Greece during this time featured nude men and women, which were somewhat controversial. In ancient Greece, considered public nudity to be perfectly acceptable for men, but not for women; therefore the nude sculpture featuring women were a fairly new concept of the location.
The Greeks gave sculptures of men and women different categorical names; Kore and Kouros. A Kore is a type of archaic statue of a young woman, who is typically depicted standing up with long, loose robes. A Kouros is an archaic statue of a young man, who is also standing but is often nude. This alludes back to the society of the Greeks, and how it was acceptable for men to be publically nude. Sometimes, though, sculptors would push back against this societal rule and created works featuring nude women as well.
The Archaic Period, which took place from around 650 BCE to 500 BCE, is the time in which the earliest Greek attempts at sculpture were made. The sculptures made during this time frame were much less realistic than the sculptures that were to come of the Greeks. Often, the pieces were made with either clay, different types of stone or bronze. A common type of stone that they used is limestone, because it is soft and did not require a difficult technique carve.
However, Greek sculptors began to use marble as a means of creating art; marble is a difficult medium and the technique for carving it is very tedious. Most sculptures, no matter what the medium, were created using a subtractive method. A subtractive method means to strip away pieces of the material to create the desired design.
The most common subjects that were depicted through art were men, gods, and animals. This report, however, is focusing on the human shape, form, and detail of ancient greek sculpture (this includes gods, as they have human anatomy). Often times, the human head and body was exaggerated. For example, a common characteristic of the earliest of Greek sculpture were large eyes, long eyebrows, and a small nose and mouth. As for the bodies, they were typically very angular, having broad shoulders and a rigid and stylized body. A great example of an Archaic Period Greek Sculpture is labeled "Cretan Limestone Female Figure" also known as, "The Auxerre Figure." She is a sculpture of a woman that is made out of limestone. She is is very stylized (large hands and eyes, rigid rectilinear body). She is a yellow shade and made out of porns, as Casson puts it, “The particular stone which is indicated by this term is in fact dark yellowish limestone which is the natural formation of many parts of the Athens district. .." (73). She was assigned to Crete because of the nature of her costume, gesture, and face, limestone, and clay that have been discovered on the island. While yellow limestone was used to make this statue, it is easy to distinguish the wear and tear that was common with statues of this same material. Looking at this figure, it would be easy to notice the damage and the signs of wear and tear that was common when using Limestone to create a statue. Due to certain materials in the stone, weathering occurs quicker which what is caused a lot of the smaller indents along this figure, as well as the bigger portion of the face of the figure. When comparing figures like this to marble statues, it is easy to see why sculptors opted to start using marble over Limestone. Marble generally did not weather as quickly, which allowed for statues to be displayed outside without undergoing damage as quickly.
The Classical period, which took place from around 500 BCE to 323 BCE in which Greek sculptors decided to take in more information about the human body and recreate it in stone. Their sculptures began to become much more realistic than those before. They also began to resemble real humans that lived at the time instead of just generalized designs that did not have much of a link back to the real world that the Greeks were living in. For example, the Greeks started to examine how the human body's mechanics work. They began to realize that a human 's stance is not always strictly frontal, and that there is a distribution of fat and muscles that shift and sometimes look asymmetrical or uneven.
Though they studied human anatomy, they did not succeed in making hyper realistic replications of the human body through sculpture yet. The art was much less stylized than it was in the Archaic period, but it still was not a perfect representation of a real human. The sculptures, however, were usually idolized perceptions of the human body. What that means is that the muscle to body fat ratio was, in their eyes, ideal. The same applies for the proportions of the body parts. The hair is also idealized, as it is typically flat and rests perfectly on the head. Since this style of sculpture was set out to be the perfect image of humans, there was often little fat or creases in the work's skin.
A wonderful example of a statue that fits this criteria and was made in the Classical period is Praxiteles's "Aphrodite of Knidos." She is a nude sculpture of the Goddess Aphrodite, pictured preparing to take a bath indoors. Greek art researcher John Barron suggests that "ancient opinion especially praised the hair and forehead and delicately pencilled eyebrows ... the melting look in the eyes with their bright and joyful expression" (120). This adds to the historical suggestion that the Greek's valued perfection of the human form and not so much about the true accuracy of what a human truly looks like.
Another aspect that sculptors started to become concerned with in the classical period was the way in which the sculptures fit into the atmosphere around them; "sculptors concentrated on making figures that were seen as moving through space, rather than merely standing in it" ("Greek Sculpture Made Simple). This means that the sculptures put more attention into the way that gravity and physics affect a body. Often times, artists would create sculptures that depict a human that is shifting most of his or her weight onto one foot. This was a crucial skill that impacted the way that sculptors depicted the illusion of movement and energy into their works.
While older figures were often more static and stiff, Classical statues started to experiment more with poses in a way that depicted either action in different ways. Certain statues made during the Classical age focused on more drastic movements, such as a Greek discus thrower preparing to launch his discus at an Olympic game. Statues such as these helped to exaggerate the strength and complexity of the male human body and really portrayed the figure of the body with such grace, putting detail into each and every muscle. Other forms of action portrayed by Classical era statues often came off as casual, more laid back in form. One way to describe this would be the lack of movement in the arms or legs as they would often be stationed closer to the body and would often not be portrayed doing any specific action other than pointing or rather the fingers and thumb openly resting. These forms of action easily describe the mood of the statues created during the classical period.
The Hellenistic Period which took place from around 323 BCE to 27 BCE begins with the death of Alexander the Great. His empire was divided into three separate empires which became wonders of the ancient world. During this time, Greek sculpture was on the path to becoming more realistic than ever before. Instead of sculptures that were mostly perfect and ideal body depictions, they started to more closely resemble real humans. For example, skin and muscles began to have a more realistic and "softer" look; "In the late fourth and early third centuries the followers of Praxiteles achieved an even softer modelling of flesh, which continued to be a favourite technique where sensuous or sentimental effects were wanted-- for instance, in female nudes, hermaphrodites and small children" (Stewart). This did not come naturally, however. Hellenistic sculptors often stuck to the classical formula, considering that they still closely resembled nature and the human form. They did not make a drastic change to the male body, but they did make some clear changes to the female figure. These changes included narrower shoulders, broader hips and a higher waist. The marble began to more closely resemble flesh, nearly like the statues could use their muscles to reach out and shake one's hand.
Something that did not change, however, was the how Greek's worshiped gods and often created artist tributes to them. Aphrodite is a common subject among Hellenistic Greek sculpture, as her form began to become smoother and more natural as techniques advanced.
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, passion, pleasure and procreation. She conceived many children, however, the child who is most depicted with her is Eros. He is portrayed as a winged boy who served as Aphrodite's constant companion. He, much like his mother, is a god of love. More commonly, especially in more recent times, he is referred to as "Cupid," which is a Romanian term. Cupid is also closely related to mischief and chaos according to some renditions of Greek mythology.
One of the most well-known Hellenistic sculptures that portrays Aphrodite and Eros together is "Group of Aphrodite, Pan and Eros." I would like to take an in depth look at this work, and break its components and style down. This piece of art was made around 100 BC by an unknown artist. It was found on the island of Delos, in the House of the Poseidoniasts of Beirut. The statue is made of parian marble and stands approximately 19 feet tall. The sculpture features (from left to right) Aphrodite, Eros, and Pan. Pan is the mischievous, deviant, goat legged god of the wild. One reason that I find this work so incredible, is that it hyper-realistic, natural looking, soft, and features each character involved reacting to one another in a real and human way.
The subject matter of the sculpture introduces the god of love, Aphrodite, being pestered by the god of wild, Pan. In between the two, presumably trying to protect his mother, is the winged boy, Aphrodite's son, Eros. Aphrodites position is a bit tense, but also looks quite natural. She has most of her weight leaning on her right leg, while her left leg is pulling away from Pan. One arm is raised, her hand holding the sandal that belongs on her left foot (presumably to strike Pon with). Her other arm is positioned in front of her pelvic area in an attempt to cover her pudendum, which is greek terminology for external genitalia. Her waist and hips are leaning towards the right, giving her a sense of movement and creating energy in her figure. Her hair has much volume, which makes it appear to have its own free movement. Unlike in the Archaic and Classical periods, this Hellenistic piece puts fine, articulate detailing into the texture of human and animal hair. Therefore, Aphrodite has beautiful, flowing hair instead of something that looks reminiscent of a cap.
Her head is facing towards Eros and Pan. Her head facing a different direction is also an achievement that should not go overlooked. In the periods before (Archaic and Classical), most sculptures featured strictly frontal faces. This means that the heads were typically facing the same direction as the rest of the body instead of being angled at %. Her facial expression is intricate and fleshed out. One can see the creases in her eyes and lips, and neck. Continuing on the theme of creases, her breast, arm, naval, and leg muscles are soft, natural, and accurate. She is not overwhelmingly "perfect", as she has plenty of creases where her body folds and bends.
Pan is depicted grasping Aphrodite's left arm, which appears to be in an attempt to remove her hand from in front of her pudendum. His right arm is positioned around the annoyed Aphrodite, resting on the middle of her back. Additionally, Pan's arms have much more muscle in them than Aphrodite's. They appear to be modeled after a real male human’s arm, as the muscle placement is extremely accurate. The muscles and tendons all work together to make an extremely realistic form of the arm, and this is a great improvement from the Archaic and Classical periods, where there was not much attention to muscular detailing in human sculpture. The rest of his body is also more muscular than Aphrodite's, giving him a more characterized and masculine look.
His head is articulately angled so that he appears to be looking at both Aphrodite and Eros. Since he has goat characteristics, his face is modeled a bit differently than a normal human 's. He appears to be a mixture of a human and a goat, as he has goat horns and a mouth and nose that resembles a goat's. He has a bushy face, consisting of a large beard and tattered hair. He appears to have a smug/playful smile on his face as he is looking up at Aphrodite, who is about to swing at him with her sandal. He is standing at a % angle compared to Aphrodite, who is frontal when viewed from the front of the piece.
He is balancing on a stone, which was most likely strategic to the artist so that he could give Pan movement while also making sure that the sculpture could stand upright. This balance was also needed because Pan's legs are in too awkward of a position for him to stand upright by himself, considering he is leaning backwards slightly. His legs have the anatomy of a goat, because they are covered in fur and his feet are actually hooves. The fur on his legs have the illusion of flowing freely, as they have depth, dimension, and each strand has its own detail and placement.
Eros is placed over Aphrodite's right shoulder, connected to it so that he can appear to be suspended in the air. His left arm is grasping Pan's horn, while his right arm is damaged (it is missing entirely). He is much smaller than his mother Aphrodite and her aggressor, Pan. he is a small child with wings, depicted as flying in the air and corning between his mother and Pan. It is obvious that he is trying to help fend the deviant off of Aphrodite, but he has an interesting expression for somebody who is trying to defend his mother. He has a bit of a childish smile on his face, almost like he finds the situation to be humorous. This is rather fitting, considering that Eros is only a child. He seems as though he is just happy to be involved in the situation, and that is something that I find very interesting about this specific Hellenistic sculpture; the emotions are nearly readable. No other Greek sculptures before had so much attention to fine detail quite like the sculptures during this period of time. Not only is the anatomy natural and realistic, but the facial expression of each character depicted is articulately shaped. This sculpture in its entirety is truly incredible.
In conclusion, Greek sculpture from 650-27 BCE went through many changes and alterations. It went from unrealistic, stylised structures of the human form with wood and sandstones, to massive, bigger than lifesize hyper realistic portrayals of the human body sculpted out of marble. The Greeks started with depictions of humans that would only pass as just s depiction, but as time moved forward they began to make sculptures that were almost an illusion of a real human. They were among the first to create such realistic and life-like statues, which is extremely important to the art world as it is today. The Greeks set the bar for realistic statues in today 's society. Their advancements in sculpture as an art form are not overlooked, as Greek sculpture still serves as an aesthetic in design, decoration, and fashion.
Works Cited
Barron, John. Greek Sculpture. Studio Vista, 1970, pp. 120-122.
Casson, Stanley. The Technique of Early Greek Sculpture. Isha Books, 2013, pp. 72-73.
Janson, H. W., et al. Janson's Basic History of Western Art. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009 pp. 84- 86.
"Greek Sculpture Made Simple (650-27 BCE)." Greek Sculpture: History, Timeline, Characteristics, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/antiquity/greek-sculpture.htm#timeline.
Stewart, Andrew, "Hellenistic Free-Standing Sculpture from the Athenian Agora, Part 3." Hesperia, vol. 86, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 83-127. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2972/hesperia.86. l.0083.
Stewart, Peter, et al. "The Classical Period (5th - 4th Century BC)." The Classical Period Styles and Period s - Sculpture - The Classical Art Research Centre and The Beazley Archive, https://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/sculpture/styles/classical.htrn.
Does Myth Matter?
Introduction
Mythology has been an essential component of human civilization ever since ancient times. It has been used to give answers for the enigmas of the universe as well as to provide moral instruction and to represent universal human experiences (Mccarter, 2017). This essay introduces three works that highlight the significance of myth: "Extract from Hesiod's Theogony" which was translated by Evelyn-White; "Metamorphoses," which was written by Ovid; and "A New Retelling Greek Myths" which was written by Charlotte Higgins. All three of these works were written in Greek. Each piece focuses on the significance of myth in terms of its ability to impart a sense of identity provide insights into the human condition, and inspire creativity and imagination. Because of their continuing value as a method of connecting us to our common humanity and comprehending the world around us myths continue to have a place in today's culture, which is a witness to the fact that they are still relevant.
Extract from Hesiod's Theogony
Myths have been an integral part of human culture for centuries providing people with a means of understanding the world around them, exploring universal themes and values and offering guidance on ethical behavior. The extract from Hesiod's Theogony, translated by Evelyn-White, highlights the importance of myth as a means of understanding the nature of the world and the gods (Evelyn-White, 1914). This section will argue that myth matters because it provides us with a means of understanding the world, offers a shared cultural identity and reflects universal human experiences and values.
Firstly, myth provides us with a means of understanding the world. Hesiod's Theogony explores the origins of the world, providing a creation story that explains the nature of the universe and the gods. The mythic narrative offers a framework for understanding natural phenomena, human behavior, and the relationship between the gods and humans (Evelyn-White, 1914). Through myth, people can make sense of their place in the world and understand the forces that shape their lives.
Secondly, myth offers a shared cultural identity. As Evelyn-White notes, Hesiod's Theogony was an important part of Greek culture, serving as a foundation for their religious beliefs, values, and social practices (Evelyn-White, 1914). The myths provided a shared language and a sense of continuity across generations, creating a sense of cultural identity that connected people across time and space. By offering a shared cultural identity, myths foster a sense of belonging and connection among people. Finally, myths reflect universal human experiences and values. Hesiod's Theogony explores themes such as power, jealousy, love, and betrayal, reflecting the complexities of human relationships and emotions (Evelyn-White, 1914). The myths offer insights into the human condition, exploring universal experiences and values that are relevant to people across time and cultures. By reflecting universal human experiences and values myths provide a means of connecting with others and understanding ourselves. I believe that myth matters because it provides a means of understanding the world, offers a shared cultural identity and reflects universal human experiences and values. The extract from Hesiod's Theogony, translated by Evelyn-White highlights the importance of myth as a means of making sense of the world and our place in it. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern world, myths offer a way to connect with our shared humanity and understand the forces that shape our lives.
Stephanie Mccarter, Metamorphoses by Ovid
The interpretation of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" offered by Stephanie Mccarter sheds light on the value of myth as a method of gaining a knowledge of the universe as well as of ourselves (Mccarter, 2017). In this article, this section argues that myth is important because it gives us a sense of identity provides insights into the experience of being human, and acts as a guide for ethical action.
To begin, myths instill in us a strong feeling of personal identity. Mccarter explains that "Metamorphoses" investigates the concept of transformation which reflects the concept that people and things are in a continuous state of change (Mccarter, 2017). The book "Metamorphoses" gives a common past that unites people across time and place via the tales of gods and heroes. This helps to create a feeling of continuity and belonging in its readers. Myths assist us to connect with our history and have a better understanding of where we tit in the world because they give us a feeling of identity.
Secondly, myths offer insights into the human experience. As Mccarter notes, the characters in "Metamorphoses" are often flawed and complex reflecting the realities of the human condition. The stories explore universal themes such as love, loss and the search for meaning providing valuable lessons about the complexities of life (Mccarter, 2017). By offering insights into the human experience myths provide a framework for understanding ourselves and the world around us.
Finally, myths serve as a guide for ethical behavior. Mccarter notes that "Metamorphoses" explores the consequences of moral transgressions, offering a warning about the dangers of hubris and the importance of humility (Mccarter, 2017). The stories provide examples of ethical behavior, showing the importance of virtues such as courage, compassion, and justice. By serving as a guide for ethical behavior, myths offer a means of navigating the complexities of the world and living a meaningful life.
After reading the work of Stephanie Mccarter, I have come to the conclusion that myth is significant because it gives people a sense of identity, provides insights into the human experience and acts as a moral compass for how people should behave. The interpretation of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" offered by Stephanie Mccarter exemplifies how myths continue to have an impact on contemporary culture. Myths provide a means of connecting with our common humanity, serving as a source of wisdom and inspiration for future generations even while we continue to struggle with the difficulties posed by the contemporary world.
A New Retelling Greek Myths, Charlotte Higgins
Charlotte Higgins examines the significance of Greek myths and the ways in which these stories continue to have an impact on contemporary culture in her book titled "A New Retelling of Greek Mythology." In this section, I will argue that myths are significant because they provide people a sense of identity they offer insights into the human condition, and they encourage creativity and imagination.
Higgins argues that Greek myths are essential to our cultural identity, providing a shared language and history that connects us to our past (Higgins, 2019). She notes that the stories of the Greek gods and heroes have been passed down for generations and continue to be retold today. In this way, myths provide a sense of continuity and belonging creating a cultural legacy that can be shared across time and space.
Furthermore, myths offer insights into the human condition, exploring universal themes such as love, loss, and the search for meaning. As Higgins notes, the characters in Greek myths are often flawed and complex reflecting the human experience (Higgins, 2019).
The stories can offer valuable lessons about morality and ethics, helping us to navigate the complexities of the world.
Finally, myths inspire creativity and imagination, providing a rich source of inspiration for artists, writers, and filmmakers. Higgins notes that Greek myths have been reinterpreted countless times, from ancient plays to modern superhero movies (Higgins, 2019). By reimagining these stories, artists can explore new ideas and perspectives, while also tapping into a shared cultural heritage. After reading the work of Charlotte Higgins, I have come to the conclusion that myths are significant for the following reasons: they create a feeling of identity they offer insights into the human condition, and they encourage creativity and imagination. The book "A Modern Retelling of Greek Myths," written by Charlotte Higgins, sheds light on the enduring importance of Greek myths in contemporary culture by illustrating how these tales continue to motivate us and make our lives more meaningful. Myths provide a means of connecting with our common humanity serving as a source of wisdom and inspiration for future generations even while we continue to struggle with the difficulties posed by the contemporary world.
Conclusion
In summary, this article has discussed three works that bring attention to the importance of myth in human society. The excerpt from Hesiod's Theogony, which was translated by Evelyn-White, Metamorphoses by Ovid, and A New Retelling Greek Myths by Charlotte Higgins all demonstrate the enduring significance of myth as a means of imparting a sense of identity, providing insights into the human condition, and inspiring creativity and imagination. All three of these works can be found in Charlotte Higgins' A New Retelling Greek Myths. Myths have been an important component of human civilization for many millennia since they provide a common cultural identity, serve as a way of understanding the world, and represent human experiences and ideals that are shared by all people. Myths provide a means for us to connect with our common humanity and get an understanding of the forces that impact our lives, underscoring the fact that they continue to have a place in today's society despite the increasing challenges we face in navigating the intricacies of the modern world.
References
Evelyn-White, H. G. (1914). Hesiod, Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica. Harvard University Press.
Higgins, C. (2019). A New Retelling Greek Myths. Vintage.
Mccarter, S. (2017). Metamorphoses by Ovid. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Information Science and Technology
↳ Modern Technology
Learning what is Possible with an Education in Computer Science
Since the beginning of mankind, humans have always been obsessed with finding an easier way to complete the tasks they have. The invention of the computer has shown to be one of the most important ones to come out of the 20th century. There were machines that were technically considered computers that came about in the late 1800s but were barebones compared to what started popping up in the 1930s. Since then, there have been multiple iterations of computers and their respective software with the goal of making anything that could be solved by them easier to complete. Due to the fact that computers have this ability to make life’s tasks easier, they have found their way into just about everything that once was thought ridiculous. Thanks to this situation, it has sparked the need for people proficient in computers and how they work to be in the work force. A common phrase that can be heard to children in lower education that do not know what they want to go to college for is “Get a degree in computer science or anything tech related. That’s where it’s at.” That statement is helpful but rather vague as it does not tell what one can really do in that field. It is the hopes of this essay to try and answer that question and show what is possible.
The biggest area of investigation that comes with the field of computer science is research and development. That is a rather broad term but it simply applies to finding ways to invent new ideas for the general public to use or innovating on existing ideas to make them work better than what was previously set. From this want to invent easier ways to do tasks comes the grueling task of creating artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is rather self- explanatory from its name, but it is the making of a machine that can “decide” what to do for its given tasks. Developing artificial intelligences can be used for a variety of options, as shown in a Brookings.edu paper about artificial intelligence, there are AI used for transportation systems that need to utilize data collected at every running second to ensure a collision does not happen.
That same paper also explains how there are AI running to enroll students in nearby schools based on address, interests, desired schools, and so on. The most crucial part of making these machines run is something called “deep learning.” This involves writing the algorithms that allow for a machine to learn essentially as a child would. The programmers act as parents giving guidance and boundaries and the from those presets the machine takes all the data at its disposal to complete the given tasks. One such example of this deep learning comes from this paper by Gabrielli et al. where multiple uses for deep learning are discussed. Theses uses ranging from learning the different sounds that animals make to help identify them easier in an area, learning what a normal heartbeat sounds like compared to one that is abnormal for uses in the medical industry, figuring out what the best place for a person to stand at in a room to get the best quality of sounds from an audio source. Other uses that the paper went through involved using that deep learning to help musicians with finding chord progressions that sounded nice under the desired sound that was set. The developing of AI is some the most ambitious work when it comes to computer science but will also prove to be some of the most important work for improving everyday life. Those who wish to study and work with AI just need to be determined and never give up.
While development of artificial intelligences is one prospective goal for those who wish to get in the computer science field, there are also many other possible jobs to take on with this kind of education. These jobs tend to be more practical in use and where more people will see the benefits sooner. These jobs are also where many people with an education in computer science will find themselves after college. Taking all the skills of computer networking and programming they learned and finally applying it to the real world. It is worth noting that many of these jobs pay on average from ~70k USD to ~100k USD depending on what company a person ends up at.
Companies like Lockheed Martin, IBM, and Google are more likely to pay more than say working for a school system. The job list could almost be listed as endless as computers find their way into every aspect of our lives down to blenders. Due to this fact and that every wireless signal receiving computer needs some sort of protection, it brings up the need for cybersecurity specialists. People in this field are dedicated to ensuring that connections to and from websites are safe and secure. There are plenty of people in the world who use computers and the Internet for malicious intent so it is needed to be protected from them; whether they use their skills to steal private data and sell it off, finding your credit or debit card information and spending your money, or even locking you out of your own computer until you pay them an absurd amount of money. In their paper, Jang-Jaccard and Nepal explain how many of these attacks occur with the biggest being from malware. Malware is software with the intent of exploiting a system’s weakness to allow the person who created it to do whatever they want inside the victim’s system. Beyond malware, bugs (mistakes) in code are another huge reason for cybersecurity specialists. One little bug in code can allow a hacker (malicious user) to disrupt a system’s intended use. The last biggest reason for cybersecurity needs comes from the need to make sure that networks are secure. An unsecure network can let a hacker get into a plethora of private data within a company or even shutdown a website for an extended period of time. All these reasons are major concerns not just for those who work to protect but also for the users as well as these attacks can affect anyone at any time.
Even more practical than cybersecurity is simply setting up the infrastructure that needs the protection. A paper by the Medical Journal Armed Forces India talks about one such structuring. It goes through the need of computer techniques in the medical field as “Medical informatics is a rapidly growing discipline” (Mehta et al., ). The paper talks about how computers have become a necessary part of any medical unit, whether it is for a hospital, a research group, or a doctor’s office. There have to be people to set up these systems for patient care, to pass information, and store information. Computers make all of those tasks easier and can provide better care for patients who need it. As the paper states, “Critically ill patients require large number of therapeutic interventions to optimize their chances of survival. For this, the variables must be collected frequently and the data derived therefrom made available to the clinicians and nursing staff.” Without people who know how to set these systems up the medical world would be very different than what it is today. The use of computer science skills does not need to have such a heavy weight in this field as these skills can be simply used to create a way for one physician to send the medical information of a patient to another physician. One other use that the paper talks about is having a computer automatically disperse drugs to a patient based on body information so as to not accidently cause an overdose. The last major use brought up by Mehta et al. was the set up of medical imaging systems for like CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. Everything mentioned by that paper is so crucial in today’s world now and having the people around who know how to set up and maintain these systems is just as important as having the people who run them on a daily basis.
Another way that people who study computer science can use their education is through cloud computing. Cloud computing ties together certain aspects of the last two applications mentioned. It requires major security as very little is physical, so the system is easier to get into, but cloud computing allows for an easier than ever way of streaming data from one user to another. Cloud computing makes it easier for companies to source out data space, as when a customer needs more space the provider simply changes the code to allow for them to have more space. There is no passing of physical hard drives for that extra space, it simply just exists when it gets called into action. The movement to cloud computing ends up being more cost effective for everyone in the end as there is not a need for a whole building dedicated to that server space, it can be as small as a cereal box; however, it still requires someone with the knowledge to set it all up. An article from Computer.org found on the IEEE Digital Library talks extensively about serverless computing and even brings up some of the needs that come with maintaining these systems. The two major maintenance requirements being testing and debugging the system and keeping the performance up so as to not create a slow system that prevents the users from doing what they want in a timely manner. Cloud computing is not as ambitious a project as AI development but setting up all the systems to keep the infrastructure is still quite the task to uphold.
Computer science has many practical uses for the betterment of society, but it is also a major source of entertainment. YouTube is the biggest platform for people to put out whatever they may please in a video format for potentially hundreds of thousands to millions of people to view. Since the possibilities are endless for what one can do with their computer science skills, YouTube allows for people to show off projects they may have taken upon themselves to complete. One such person doing this is Michael Reeves. He has built robots for a number of reasons but mostly for the purpose of entertainment as many of them serve no real practical use in the real world. A popular YouTuber who has based their channel around creating robots is an individual by the name of Michael Reeves. One such project he took on was creating a robot that picked out the tomatoes in a salad. While he could have very easily just picked the tomatoes out himself, he not just wanted to create the video but also show off the idea he had and how he built it. Reeves is just one of many that proves that having these skills and a creative imagination can allow one to do anything they want with said skills.
In the same realm of the YouTube atmosphere, the platform also allows for people to upload tutorials for anything they can think of. Harrison Kinsley is the owner of the channel Sentdex and creates tutorials for people wanting to learn how to program for free. Kinsley understands that as computers become involved in about everything in our lives there is a need for people to know how to code these computers. He specializes in the very popular programming language Python and has uploaded over one thousand videos covering a variety of things to do and how to code with Python. While he is a YouTuber, he does show that having a degree in computer science does limit a person to working on data systems or web development. One can be a teacher and provide the knowledge to a new generation of programmers.
