PRESENTED BY

WOMEN IN STEM
SUZHOU

2022
SC I E N C E
J o u r nal
@wistem.suzhou on Instagram

Wo r ki n g towar d s b r i d g i n g t h e
g e n d e r gap i n ST E M F i e l d s
Cover by Yijing Wang
Compiled by Maggie Yang and Annie Park

Written by WiSTEM Suzhou Members

Special Thanks to Chaeeun Lee and Jimin Lim
 Sleep
by Jimin Lim

Sleep is one of the most easily neglected activities by many people – especially, high
school students. Test tomorrow, maybe pull an all-nighter to study for it. Most of us do
realize the negative impacts of sleep deprivation. The aim of this is not to persuade
people into sleeping more. However, I do want to provide a scientific perspective on
how sleep deprivation may impact ourselves and sugar metabolism.

About glucose metabolism

Glucose tolerance refers to the “ability of the body to metabolize exogenous glucose
and return to a baseline level of blood glucose.” (Knutson). Put simply, it is how our
body prevents the blood glucose level from spiking. To maintain the normal blood
glucose level, insulin is released into the bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone secreted by
the pancreas that plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism. Insulin regulates blood
sugar levels by storing excess glucose in the liver in a form of glycogen (Mayo Clinic).
When the blood glucose level is high for an extended period, the pancreas secretes
more insulin in response. Over time, this may lead to insulin resistance, which is when
cells no longer respond to insulin, thus blood glucose level is not controlled. This may

2Sleep 1
 be associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by
pancreatic β-cell failure, which synthesizes, stores, and secretes insulin (Tomlinson).

Effect of sleep on glucose metabolism

When we sleep, many hormones undergo a cycle of activity. Under normal conditions,
glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity begin to improve during the later part of the
night. This reflects the effect of low cortisol levels during the evening and early part of
the night. Therefore, we naturally lower our blood glucose level when we sleep.

However, when there is a lack of sleep, different hormones play a role, thus affecting
glucose metabolism:

1. During sleep loss, different hormones, including counter-regulatory hormones,

growth hormone(GH), and cortisol may partially contribute to the alterations in
glucose regulation. Extended duration of sleep deprivation is associated with
elevated nighttime, GH concentrations and an increase in evening cortisol levels.
When peripheral tissues are exposed to higher GH levels for an extended period, it
may lead to a rapid decrease in muscular glucose uptake.

2. When you don’t get enough sleep, the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, may
increase. Cortisol can significantly impact blood glucose level by acutely impairing
insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cell, insulin-mediated glucose uptake, and
disrupting insulin signaling cascade in skeletal muscle (Adam et al.).

So...
Now that I’ve introduced some ways in which sleep or lack of sleep can influence
glucose metabolism, and how it may increase the risk of type-2 diabetes. Whether or
not to stay up all night is still your choice to make. If you want to learn more about this,
refer to the works cited page below.

Works Cited
Adam, Tanja C., et al. “Cortisol Is Negatively Associated with Insulin Sensitivity in
Overweight Latino Youth.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vol.
95, no. 10, 2010, pp. 4729–4735., doi:10.1210/jc.2010-0322.

Sleep 32
 Bush, About the Authors Bradley, et al. “The Role of Cortisol in Sleep.” Natural
Medicine Journal, 2010, www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2010-06/role-
cortisol-sleep.

Cirelli, Chiara. “Invited Review: How Sleep Deprivation Affects Gene Expression in
the Brain: a Review of Recent Findings.” Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 92, no. 1,
2002, pp. 394–400., doi:10.1152/jappl.2002.92.1.394.

“Diabetes Treatment: Using Insulin to Manage Blood Sugar.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo
Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 24 July 2019,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-treatment/art-20044084.

Hirotsu, Camila, et al. “Interactions between Sleep, Stress, and Metabolism: From
Physiological to Pathological Conditions.” Sleep Science, vol. 8, no. 3, 2015, pp.
143–152.,
doi:10.1016/j.slsci.2015.09.002.

Leproult, Rachel, and Eve Van Cauter. “Role of Sleep and Sleep Loss in Hormonal
Release and Metabolism.” Endocrine Development, U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 2010,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065172/.

Tomlinson, Jeremy W., et al. “Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Insulin Resistance
Are Associated With Increased Adipose 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1
Expression and Elevated Hepatic 5α-Reductase Activity.” Diabetes, American
Diabetes Association, 1 Oct. 2008,
diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/57/10/2652.

4Sleep 4 3
 How to Make Transparent Wood
by Annie Park & Maggie Yang

Introduction
What comes to your mind first when you hear the word ‘wood’, or ‘tree’? For many, I’m
sure it’s something along the lines of: sturdy, rigid and brown. But are trees always
sturdy and rigid? Do they always have to be a shade of brown? Never yellow, white, or
even translucent? This experiment will take a closer look at how a material so familiar
to us can be transformed into an entirely new substance.

Hypothesis
If and when the procedure in Attempting to make transparent wood video published
on YouTube by NileRed is correctly followed, small width-wise cut basswood pieces will
become mostly transparent, to the extent that letters can be read clearly through the
piece of wood.

Equipment List

Chemical/Equipment Quantity Concentration/Volume

How to Make Transparent Wood 5 1

 Chemical/Equipment Quantity Concentration/Volume
Basswood from Walnut Hollow Company 3 Blocks
Sodium Hydroxide (N aOH ) 55g N/A
Sodium Sulfite (N aSO3 ) 30g N/A
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2 O2 ) 50mL 35%
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2 O2 ) 100mL 3%
Distilled Water 2L N/A
AeroMarine Epoxy Resin #300 1.5L N/A

AeroMarine Epoxy Resin #21 0.8L N/A

Ethanol (C2 H6 O ) 1L 90%
Beaker 3 250mL
Vacuum Chamber 1 N/A
Plastic Disposable Bowl 2 300mL
Sandpapers 2 N/A
Stir Bar 1 N/A
Stir Bar Retriever 1 N/A

Stirring Rod 1 N/A

Hot Plate 2 N/A

Procedure
1. Slice the basswood from Walnut Hollow Company so that they are around 2mm to
3mm thick. Clean the surfaces with sandpaper.

Fig. 1. Basswood from Walnut Hollow Company

6How to Make Transparent Wood

4 2
 2. Mix 2.5M of sodium hydroxide with 0.4M of sodium sulfite in deionized water to
prepare around 500mL of lignin removal solution. Use a stir bar to stir the mixture
as the solutes are being dissolved. (You should end up with a translucent solution.)

3. Place the lignin removal solution on a hot plate and turn the hot plate on. When it
starts to boil, drop in the wood pieces.

Fig. 2. Wood piece inside the solution

4. Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes just below or around the boiling point, so that
too much water won’t be lost.

5. When the mixture has turned a brown translucent color, add 10mL of distilled
water and place a bowl on top of the beaker to help cool and re-condense the water
vapors.

6. Leave the mixture on the hot plate set at a low temperature, overnight.

7. When the mixture turns a dark brown color, take it off the hot plate and pour out
the solution into another beaker, only leaving the wood behind.

8. Heat distilled water on a separate hot plate so it starts to boil.

9. Pour hot distilled water into the beaker with treated pieces of wood and wait for 5
minutes before pouring the water out. (The water should be yellowish at this point.)
Repeat the process 3 times. This is to get rid of any leftover sodium hydroxide and
sodium sulfite, or any byproducts of the reaction. The wood at this point should be
brown and able to be bent in all directions.

How to Make Transparent Wood 73

 Fig. 3. Bendable and brown colour wood

10. Add 50mL of 35% hydrogen peroxide into a large beaker with the treated wood
pieces and slowly heat it on a hot plate while stirring with a rod. Repeat the process
2 times.

11. Add 20mL of fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide into the beaker and stir it with a rod. Add
3% hydrogen peroxide at 10-minute intervals until the wood turns a white color.
This process can take up to 5 hours.

Fig. 4. Hydrogen peroxide makes the wood to be white

12. Take the beaker off of the hot plate and pour out the hydrogen peroxide solution.

13. Pour in 30mL of distilled water into the beaker and let it sit for 2 minutes before
washing it out. Repeat the process 3 times.

8How to Make Transparent Wood 4

 14. Fill up the beaker with 95% ethanol and cover the top.

15. Leave the beaker inside the fridge for about 24 hours to get rid of as much water
inside the wood as possible.

16. Mix AeroMarine Epoxy Resin #300 and #21 with a 2:1 ratio in a disposable plastic
cup and stir it for about a minute.

Fig. 5. The AeroMarine Epoxy Resins

17. Then, transfer the resin mixture into another disposable plastic cup and stir well.
This is to ensure that the mixture on the sides gets mixed as well.

18. Place wood pieces on a paper towel to absorb some of the ethanol.

19. Place the wood pieces in a vacuum chamber and turn on the pump until the wood
pieces turn completely white.

20. Transfer the wood pieces into a bowl and pour in the epoxy mixture until all wood
pieces are completely submerged under the epoxy.

How to Make Transparent Wood 95

 Fig. 6. Wood in the bowl with the epoxy mixture

21. Place the bowl inside a vacuum chamber and turn on the pump for 5 minutes.

22. Turn off the pressure and re-pressurize the chamber.

23. Repeat the steps 20-22 about 3 times, or until the wood pieces sink to the bottom of
the epoxy.

24. Take the wood pieces out of the epoxy resin and let them rest on an even surface for
around 12 hours.

Fig. 7. Transparent wood

25. Using a razor blade, cut off any excess epoxy resin around the wooden piece.

Final product

How to Make Transparent Wood

10 6
 Fig. 8. Final product

Science
Wood naturally contains a system of narrow tubes which allows the tree to move water
and nutrients. The exact anatomy and structure changes between soft and hardwood,
and between species. In general, wood is made up of 3 components: cellulose,
hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose is an unbranched polymer made up of glucose that
forms long chains, usually between 7000 and 15,000 units long. Hemicellulose is a
much shorter, branched polymer, usually between 500 and 3000 units long.
Hemicellulose is made from a mixture of glucose and other sugars. These two
biopolymers form the framework of wood, but by themselves, they are not very strong.
And so, the tree uses another biopolymer called lignin to increase the strength. Lignin
is even more branched than hemicellulose, and it also has no real defined structure. It is
simply a random network of phenolic units. It serves to cross-link and hold in place all
of the heavy cellulose and hemicellulose fibers and fill up any space. In the presence of
sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite, lignin and a small amount of hemicellulose get
chopped up and removed from the wood. By removing the lignin, wood will only be left
with the porous network of cellulose and hemicellulose. Vacuuming the wood pieces
gets rid of most excess ethanol and air, and when they are re-pressurized in the
presence of epoxy resin, the resin rushes to fill up any space left by lignin.

How to Make Transparent Wood 117

 Implication
Attempting to make transparent wood has only been discovered recently, and being
able to do so has proved both astounding and meaningful for many. Although there are
many impediments such as the specificity of the required equipment, incomplete
transparency, the cost, the method’s complexity, this attempt shows a promising
future. The applications of transparent wood include eco-friendly buildings with no
windows, LED lighting equipment, and even solar panels. Wood is just one of the
countless resources and materials yet to show their full potential. As scientific
technologies improve, it is truly amazing to see how the human race and nature evolve
collectively.

Works Cited
Androff, Amy. “Transparent Wood Could Be the Window of the Future”. U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 5 January 2021,
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/10/01/transparent-wood-could-be-
window-future. Accessed April 24, 2021.

Eichhorn, Steve. “Transparent wood is coming, and it could make an energy-

efficient alternative to glass”. The Conversation, 10 February 2021,
https://theconversation.com/transparent-wood-is-coming-and-it-could-make-an-
energy-efficient-alternative-to-glass-154981. Accessed May 1, 2021.

George, Helga. “What is Delignification?”. InfoBloom, 23 January 2021,

https://www.infobloom.com/what-is-delignification.htm Accessed April 23, 2021.

NileRed. “Attempting to make transparent wood”. YouTube, 21 November 2018,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1H-323d838&t=657s. Accessed April 18, 2021.

“Hemicellulose”. Science Direct, Elsevier B.V., Date unknown,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/hemicellulose. Accessed April 23,
2021.

How to Make Transparent Wood

12 8
 The Science behind Citrus
Batteries!
by Praveena Sekar & Anni Yao

A man once said “When life gives you lemons, generate free electricity
out of it!”

Fig. 1. Lemon circuit

The Science behind Citrus Batteries! 131

 The acidic nature of citrus fruits, namely lemons and oranges, are the fundamental
basis for how citrus batteries are made. When acids come into contact with metals,
the metals give up their electrons. “The aqueous environment of the fruit, to a certain
extent, mimics the conducting chemical of the battery” which thereby allows these
electrons to start flowing through the attached circuit. Easy!

You may be wondering, how can I make a citrus battery of my own? The answer is quite
simple.

Fig. 2. Citrus battery

Batteries are comprised of two different metals suspended in an acidic solution,

forming what is known as an “electrolyte” liquid. Zinc and copper are the two metals
used in fruit-powered batteries. Galvanized nails as well as copper-plated zinc
pennies are all that are needed to fulfill this requirement. The acid component comes
from the citric acid inside the fruit. Citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, limes, and
grapefruit can all act as electrolytes.
In addition, two electrodes must be inserted into the fruit, to react in different ways to
the lemon juice. One acts as a positive polarity anode, while the other acts as a
negative polarity cathode. The charges generate a current that travels through the
wires and to a connected LED light. If there is enough voltage, this will turn on your
LED light.
How could this possibly work? Electrodes allow the electrical current to enter and exit
and, through the use of the fruit’s citric acid, the electrons can travel from the penny
(copper) to the nail (zinc) in what is called a “zinc-and-copper setup”. Copper accepts

The Science behind Citrus Batteries!

14 2
 two electrons from zinc during the electron exchange between zinc and copper over the
acid bridge, which accounts for the current. The electrical current then passes through
the LED and powers it, and then passes through all of the fruit again before returning to
the LED in a circuit.
This creates a lemon battery that can function just like any other battery! Fascinating,
isn’t it?

Though this battery may not carry sufficient charge to power high-voltage appliances,
it’s a very fun experiment to try! Next time you have any citrus fruits lying around,
consider making a battery yourself! We can guarantee it’ll be worth your time!

Works Cited
Education.com. “How to Make a Lemon Battery: Science Project.” Science Project,
Education.com, 18 Nov. 2013, www.education.com/science-fair/article/lemon-
power/. Accessed May 18 2021.

“Lemon Battery.” Science World, 19 Aug. 2020,

www.scienceworld.ca/resource/lemon-battery/. Accessed May 18 2021.

“Science-U: Can You Get Power from a Lemon?” WPSU Penn State Can You Get
Power from a Lemon Comments, wpsu.psu.edu/digital/scienceu/can-you-get-power-
from-a-lemon/. Accessed May 18 2021.

“Why Do Citrus Fruits Conduct Electricity? The Surprising Truth.” Science Struck, 6
July 2013, sciencestruck.com/why-do-citrus-fruits-conduct-electricity. Accessed
May 18 2021.

The Science behind Citrus Batteries! 153

 Animal testing: Problems and
Alternatives
by Gayoung Lee

Humans and animal testing

How similar are humans to animals? We might think that animals have similar
genetic sequence to humans as we can commonly see medicines or cosmetics being
tested by animals. For example, to guarantee our safety, cosmetic companies tend to
test their products, especially mascara, using animals. The process of testing the
product is atrocious: people put mascaras inside rabbit’s eyes thousands of times to
see whether the product makes any negative health effects. In this process, rabbits lose
their eyesight and have bloodshot eyes.

Animal testing: Problems and Alternatives

16 1
 Fig. 1. Animal Testing (Hugethank)

However, contrary to what people believe, in reality, animals and humans do not have
the same genetic sequence, which makes the accuracy of those tests questionable.
Differences exist in the onset of diseases, process of metastasis, and treatments
between animals and humans. Only 350 diseases are shared by animals and humans in
common. This may seem huge, but it’s only 1% of all diseases that humans suffer.
Then, why are we so reliant on animal testing?
One reason might be that we have a misunderstanding that when a product goes
through animal testing, the product will not have any side effects. However, there are
some obvious cases in the past, which refute this idea. During the 1950s, thalidomide (
C13 H10 N2 O4 ) was first introduced as the treatment for morning sickness. Many
believed that it would be safe because the product had success in animal testing with a
mouse. Nevertheless, intake of thalidomide has led infants to born with deformities,
which made the government to ban the sales of thalidomide after the 1960s
(Thalidomide). Nowadays, thalidomide is only used for particular uses including

Animal testing: Problems and Alternatives 172

 myeloma and skin lesion for patients, but not for morning sickness. From this case, we
could conclude that safety is not always assured with animal testing.

Replacements for animal testing

Three Rs, first proposed by William Russell, have a relationship with animal testing
(niehs). Russell has first introduced this concept from the book <The Principles of
Humane Experimental Technique>. Each R represents the concept of reducing,
refining, and replacing. Reducing means reducing the numbers of animals used as
much as possible. Refining means using an elaborated and sophisticated machine to
lessen their pain. Lastly, replacing means finding other methods to test the product.
When we follow this principle, we can respect the animal’s right and live harmoniously
with them. Scientists are continuing their experiments and studies to make safer and
more reliable alternatives for animal testing, which can be regarded as the action of
“replacing” in 3Rs.
First, computer modelling is replicating some aspects of the human body for virtual
experiments. It is already possible to conduct a virtual experiment on the heart, lung,
skin and other organs. Computer modelling can show higher correlation and relevance
against human test subjects because it is based on a human body. Second, a little device
called organs-on-chips can also act as one of the alternatives. These are used for
biological studies of human organs, as the technology functions similarly to real
organs. Organs-on-chips are transparent chips with a size similar to our finger, and
the biggest advantage of organs-on-chips is transparency, which allows the scientists
to see how the device reacts and functions very easily. Currently, this device can be
applied to the lung, liver and brain as well (Cruelty Free).

Animal testing: Problems and Alternatives

18 3
 Fig. 2. Organs-on-chips (Wyss Institute)

Conclusion
There is a continuous development of technology to make a safer and more ethical
test environment for both humans and animals. Since animals and humans are
biologically distinct to each other, we should step further away from an animal
testing and consider how to coexist in a society.

Works Cited
“Alternatives to Animal Testing | Cruelty Free International.” Cruelty Free,
www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/alternatives-animal-testing.
Accessed 7 May 2021.

“Alternatives to Animal Testing.” National Institute of Environmental Health

Sciences, www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/sya-iccvam/index.cfm. Accessed
6 May 2021.

Chapman, Kathleen. “Organs-on-Chips May Take the Place of Animal Testing in

the Future.” The Gadgeteer, 8 Sept. 2015, the-gadgeteer.com/2015/09/08/organs-
on-chips-may-take-the-place-of-animal-testing-in-the-future.

Animal testing: Problems and Alternatives 194

 “Facts and Statistics About Animal Testing.” PETA, www.peta.org/issues/animals-
used-for-experimentation/animals-used-experimentation-factsheets/animal-
experiments-overview. Accessed 7 May 2021.

Moore, Sarah M. Sc. “The Ethics of Animal Models in Preclinical Testing.” News-
Medical.Net, 25 Feb. 2021, www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/The-Ethics-of-
Animal-Models-in-Preclinical-Testing.aspx.

Stone, Kristin. “About Animal Testing.” Humane Society International, 27 May 2020,
www.hsi.org/news-media/about.

“What Is Thalidomide? | Thalidomide.” Thalidomide, thalidomide.ca/en/what-is-

thalidomide. Accessed 7 May 2021.

Animal testing: Problems and Alternatives

20 5
 The Difference between Skate
Boots and Blades of Each Sport
by Sihyun Kwon

Figure Skate
Figure skate is a sport of artistic performance on ice. This includes many disciplines,
which requires spins and jumps. Such characteristic of figure skating is reflected in the
blade of its skate boots. Toe picks and edges allow the athletes to gain rotational
inertia by creating friction with ice.

The Difference between Skate Boots and Blades of Each Sport 1

21
 Stiff leather of figure skate boots is not only flexible, but also strong enough to endure
the twisting forces from techniques. Leather also provides extra support around the
ankles, preventing injuries. Figure skate’s blades are about 4mm (0.157 inches) wide
and slightly longer than boots. Also, steel blades are flat towards the back end and have
teeth at front which are called toe picks. Toe picks dig into the ice, which reduces
sliding and increases the force exerted on the floor, thus increasing the jumping power
by the Newton’s third law of motion. Blades also have hollow down center and slight
concave curve, making it easy to change directions to allow figure skaters to perform
various tricks.

Hockey Skate
Hockey skate requires the strong power to hit a ball. If the center of gravity is moved
from the hind leg to the stick, players can swing a stick strongly. Made of leather,
hockey skate’s boots are stiff, allowing more control when accelerating while
changing directions. Hockey boots cover ankles for protection from injuries. Their
blades are 3mm (0.118 inches) thick and shorter than other blades for maneuverability
which is the ability for a good control. Also, the blades are made of steel. They are flat
in middle and curved at ends. This feature helps a player move faster and change
directions smoothly as well.

The Difference between Skate Boots and Blades of Each Sport

22 2
 Short- Track Speed Skating Skate
Short-track speed skating is a competitive form of ice speed skating. Its players make
their bodies low and put a hand on the ice to keep their balance when they turn the
corner. This is done to maximize the speed while skating through curved route by
minimizing centrifugal force. Short track skate’s boots are cut slightly high to provide
extra support to ankles. Short track skate’s blades are 1.22mm thick and long. What’s
also done to reduce centrifugal force is both blades being located at left sides of the
sole of boots and curved inward. Also, round edges of blades reduce friction between
the blades and the ice reduces. Moreover, for safety reasons, the back of the blades is
rounded by more than 5mm.

The Difference between Skate Boots and Blades of Each Sport 233
 Speed Skate
Speed skaters should reduce friction and air resistance. Thus, this is a sport in which
players can maintain their speed while reducing their physical burden. Speed skate’s
boots are made of leather. Speed skate’s blades are long thin carbon steel blades,
which are about 38 to 45cm and 1mm (0.039 inches) thick. Since boots are hinged at the
toes, the blades are able to stay on the ice longer and the force can be dispersed not to
make a player’s body lean forward. Also, since they are flat and longer than the boots,
the blades slide well smoothly under even pressure. Moreover, the reason why skating
blades can be attached to the ice even if a skater takes of his or her heels is that the
blades can stick to the ice to increase friction and maintain speed. In addition, the
boots return on its own to save energy.

The Difference between Skate Boots and Blades of Each Sport

24 4
 Works Cited
“Hockey Skates Vs Figure Skates.” SportSpring, Blogger, 22 Sept. 2019,
sportspring.blogspot.com/1980/03/hockey-skates-vs-figure-skates.html.

“Ice Skating.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.,

www.britannica.com/sports/ice-skating.

Lg .“ > > : LG
: IQEX2010020003.” LG , , 3 Feb. 2010,
www.lgsl.kr/story/detail/sto/sto/76/IQEX2010020003.

“Skating: Figure Skating (Pairs).” BBC News, BBC, 11 Nov. 2009,

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/4460124.stm.

“' ' ... .”  -1 ,

, 27 May 2021,
www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2017/12/25/2017122500054.html.

. “[ ] ' '... · .”  , ,

17 Feb. 2018, www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20180214185800017.

. “[ ] ...' · · '.” 
, , 24 Oct. 2017, www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20171023023100007.

The Difference between Skate Boots and Blades of Each Sport 255
 Vaccines
by Julie Jeongyeon Kim, Lina Seongyeon Son, Jaeah Lee, Dahyun Lee and Jack Jongeun Lee

What are vaccines?

A vaccine is a biological substance designed to protect humans from infections caused by bacteria and viruses. They are also called
immunizations because they increase our natural immune system’s ability to prevent infectious illnesses.

Vaccines contain the same genes that cause diseases, but the genes are either killed or weakened to be not harmful. When vaccines
enter our body, it stimulates our immune system to produce antibodies which can be used when exposed to the diseases. Hence,
after getting vaccinated, our body develops immunity to that virus preventing getting the disease in the future.

Figure 1. COVID19 Vaccine (Pexels)

How are vaccines produced?

On average, it takes between 12-36 months to manufacture a vaccine.
✻ In case of COIVD-19 Vaccine, it has been produced quicker.

Here are some steps explaining how does the vaccine manufacture:

1. Generating antigen that are used to induce an immune response. This step includes the growth and harvest of the pathogen or
generation of a recombinant protein derived from that pathogen.

2Vaccines
4 6 1
 2. Releasing the antigen from the cells and isolate it from the material used in its growth.
Goal: Release as much as virus or bacteria as possible.

3. Purifying the antigen.

4. Adding adjuvant and stabilizers into the antigen, and mixing them in a single vessel to produce the vaccine.

5. Filling the final vaccine into a vial or syringe package.

DNA vaccines vs. RNA vaccines

Conventional vaccines contain inactivated disease-causing organisms or proteins made by the pathogen (called antigens), that
work by mimicking the infectious agents (‘University of Cambridge’). Vaccines stimulate the body’s immune response, so it is
primed to respond more rapidly and effectively if it is exposed to the infectious agent in the future (‘University of Cambridge’).
Besides, DNA vaccine uses a specific gene from a bacteria/virus so that its accuracy in targeting improves (Science media center).
RNA vaccines use a different approach, utilizing the cell's process of making proteins. In its protein making process, cells use DNA
as the template to make messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, which are then translated to build proteins. A RNA vaccine is consists
of a mRNA strand that codes for a disease-specific antigen (University of Cambridge). Once the mRNA strand in the vaccine goes
inside the cells, the cells use the genetic information to produce the antigen. This antigen is then displayed on the cell surface,
recognized by the immune system (University of Cambridge).

Which is more suitable?

DNA is consisting of two complementary strands that form the double helix, while RNA is single-stranded. DNA is twice as thick as
RNA, hence, it is harder for DNA to be squeezed through tiny pores in the cell’s membrane. Consequently, vaccination with DNA
requires a unique tool that applies an electric field to widen the pores, which is less practical than using standard equipment like a
syringe.

Currently, for COVID19, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna uses mRNA method to produce vaccines. On November 18, Pfizer has
announced that their vaccines are 95% effective.

Conclusion
Infectious diseases are significantly reduced due to the use of vaccinations. The benefits of vaccination extend beyond the
prevention of specific conditions in individuals. The organization Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 419
million illnesses were prevented via the vaccination of children between 1994 and 2018, and the vaccine helped to avoid 936,000
deaths. Overall, this gives us the lesson that it is essential for humankind to continuously develop vaccines.

Works Cited
Hensley, Laura. “What's the Difference Between a DNA and RNA Vaccine?” Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2020,
www.verywellhealth.com/rna-vs-dna-vaccine-
5082285#:~:text=The%20Difference%20Between%20DNA%20and%20RNA%20Vaccines&text=With%20a%20DNA%20vaccine%2

“How Are Vaccines Produced?” Vaccines Europe, 31 Aug. 2020, www.vaccineseurope.eu/about-vaccines/how-are-vaccines-

produced.

“How Vaccines Are Made: History of Vaccines.” How Vaccines Are Made | History of Vaccines,
www.historyofvaccines.org/content/how-vaccines-are-made.

Leitner, W W, et al. “DNA and RNA-Based Vaccines: Principles, Progress and Prospects.” Vaccine, U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 10 Dec. 1999, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1986720/.

“RNA Vaccines: an Introduction.” PHG Foundation, www.phgfoundation.org/briefing/rna vaccines.

Science Media Centre. “DNA Vaccines.” Science Media Centre Fact Sheet, www.sciencemediacentre.org/uploads/2013/04/DNA-
vaccines.pdf.

Vaccines 272
 The Inevitable Demise of
Semiconductor Industries
by Joseph Yeonjun Jeon

I can guarantee that intel, AMD and Nvidia will halt the production of
semiconductors in the next 50 years. How? Simple. The Moore’s Law.

Since the advent of transistors, processor chips’ computational power has been
growing at an exponential rate. Moore’s Law describes this relationship. The law, in
professor Kaku’s words, states that “computer power doubles about every eighteen
months.” If this law holds true for the next fifty years, computers will surpass the
computational power of the human brain. However, as George Harrison once said, “All
things must pass.” Moore’s law must end.

We buy new computer products every year, knowing that they are more powerful than
before. But if Moore’s law collapses, every computer product will eventually have the
same power and speed of the previous generation, and there will be no competition.

The Inevitable Demise of Semiconductor Industries

28 1
 So why bother to buy new computers? This poses a great threat to semiconductor
industries, with trillions of dollars at stake. Yet, since 2000 when numerous physicists
pointed out this issue, many people did not believe it.

But not anymore. Even I—as a grade 9 amateur writer—know it. To know how this is
true, it is important to realize the principles of physics behind the process of
manufacturing them.

Fig. 1. A simplified diagram of the wafer etching program (Michio)

The computer chip contains millions of transistors on a fingernail-sized silicon wafer.

They are made in the same way the designs on a T-shirt are made. These are mass-

The Inevitable Demise of Semiconductor Industries 292

 manufactured by first creating a stencil with the design, hanging it over the T-shirt
and applying spray paint over it. The spray paint only penetrates where there are gaps
in the stencil. Likewise, a stencil for a processor is made with a microscopic outline of
millions of transistors. A pattern gets etched on the light-sensitive silicon wafer as UV
light is shot through the stencil. Then the wafer is bathed in acid, which cuts the
wafer at different depth and patterns, so one can create circuits of enormous
complexity. The reason why the Moore’s Law held true was because the UV light can be
tuned to have smaller wavelengths. But this cannot go on forever.

When transistors become the size of atoms, quirky quantum mechanics come to
play— that is not very significant in the large-scale world—that mess up the wafer. At
the atomic scale, electrons literally leak out of the wires, because of Heisenberg’s
Uncertainty Principle. It states that you cannot know for sure the position and
velocity of an electron, even theoretically. As we decrease the size of the wires this
becomes increasingly significant. The law makes it inevitable that electrons will
literally “leak” out of the wires and make contact with other electrons, creating a short
circuit that fries the board. This sets a limit to how small transistors can become.

With this in mind, semiconductor industries must prepare for the end of computer
advancements.

Works Cited
Kaku, Michio. Physics of the Future. Penguin Books, 2010.

The Inevitable Demise of Semiconductor Industries

30 3
 A Solution to Biodiversity Loss
by Minyoung Kim & Terry Taekyung Kim

Nowadays, people are likely to consume food products that are made with genetically
modified ingredients. Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are one of the new
trending industries in the world. There are already a number of existing genetically
modified (GM) vegetables and fruits, including potatoes, summer squash, apples, and
papayas. Also, many GM crops are used to make groceries, such as cornstarch, corn
syrup, corn oil or soybean oil.

A Solution to Biodiversity Loss 311

 Figure 1. Genetically modified organisms (Marxist.com)

GM crops have been developed to improve yield through the production of crops that
have resistance to diseases. Furthermore, interests towards GM crops have recently
increased as they are more productive, cheaper, and more nutritionally abundant than
original crops. However, GM crops pose a serious threat to biodiversity. The GM crops
reduce the biodiversity of organic crops because the majority of farmers prefer to grow
the new dominant crops, which lack in variety. The reduced biodiversity occurs
because the DNA, which codes for proteins in an organism, is modified and the crops
with the modified DNA become more similar between individuals of a species. Genetic
diversity is directly related to biodiversity, the variability in the traits of organisms that
make up an ecosystem, because the characteristics of the organisms are expressed by
their DNA. The reduced genetic diversity is a problem since, unlike the limited DNA of
GMOs, increased variety in DNA provides better opportunities for organisms to adapt
to a changing environment, which ultimately causes increase in biodiversity.
Biodiversity loss causes problems, such as reduced food security, limited nutrient
supply, and loss of livelihoods. Nonetheless, it is not feasible to completely prohibit
growing GM crops as they have already become a huge business. Therefore, a
compromised proposal is required to balance between restoring biodiversity and

A Solution to Biodiversity Loss

32 2
 having no significant impact on the industry. Hence, the best solution for this problem
would be production of various kinds of GM crops.
This article proposes to research and produce more kinds of GM crops. Variety of GM
crops is limited, which means that if farmers decide to farm GM crops, they only have a
few options of the crops. Besides its limited variety, farmers opt for GM crops as they
are prevalent and more productive than organic crops. When more and more farmers
start to farm a limited variety of crops, it will diminish biodiversity in the farming
business. At this point, producing more types of GM crops is the best solution. By
producing various kinds of GM crops, biodiversity in the farming business will increase
as farmers will have more choices for GM crops. Moreover, through further research,
scientists may produce various sorts of GM crops that contain nutrients that are better
for human health. For example, an African corn was the one type of GM crops modified
by researchers from a Spanish university, and it contains 169 times more beta-
carotene, six times more vitamin C, and twice as much folate than the organic African
corn. Nutrients, essential compounds that the body cannot make or cannot produce a
sufficient amount, come from food and attribute to transformation of body tissues and
energy replenishment for all physical and mental activities that make up human life.
GM crops often contain richer nutrients than organic crops like the African corn.
Therefore, people who consume food products made with GM crops may become
healthier since they are more nutritionally abundant.

GM crop farming is an uprising and notable business these days since it can alleviate
world hunger because of GM crops’ biological advantages. About 800 million people are
currently suffering from hunger in the world, and more than 2 million people are
suffering from deficiency of some type of important nutrients. It is important for them
to take food products that are healthier and nutritionally abundant because there are
countless unhealthy food products frequently consumed by people. Due to several
problems of global warming, including climate change, it becomes difficult to grow
organic crops in fields. However, GM crops have more resistance to diseases and
inclement weather. Therefore, crop yields increase, and people can purchase
nutritionally abundant crops at a lower price. Despite the great advantage of GM crops,
people still argue about using them because of the aftermath - reduction in
biodiversity. The best solution for the problem is researching and producing various
kinds of GM crops. The solution is viable, economically efficient, and socially
acceptable; hopefully it will resolve the reduction in biodiversity caused by GM crops
and become accepted in society.

A Solution to Biodiversity Loss 333

 Works Cited
“Biodiversity and Health.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 3
June 2015, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/biodiversity-and-health.

“Do GM Crops Damage the Environment?: Royal Society.” Do GM Crops Damage the
Environment? | Royal Society, May 2016, royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/gm-
plants/have-gm-crops-caused-damage-to-the-environment/.

“How Do GMOs Affect Biodiversity?: Living Non-GMO : The Non-GMO Project.”

GMO, 14 Apr. 2021, livingnongmo.org/2021/04/13/how-do-gmos-affect-
biodiversity/.

“How Do GMOs Affect Biodiversity?: Living Non-GMO : The Non-GMO Project.”

GMO, 14 Apr. 2021, livingnongmo.org/2021/04/13/how-do-gmos-affect-
biodiversity/.

Jones, Douglas W. Kent. “Human Nutrition.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia

Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/science/human-nutrition.

Lamb, Anna, et al. “Challenging Evolution: How GMOs Can Influence Genetic
Diversity.” Science in the News, 12 Aug. 2015,
sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/challenging-evolution-how-gmos-can-influence-
genetic-diversity/.

Norero, Daniel. “Unfairly Demonized GMO Crops Can Help Fight Malnutrition.”
Alliance for Science, 20 June 2018,
allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/06/unfairly-demonized-gmo-crops-can-
help-fight-malnutrition/.

A Solution to Biodiversity Loss

34 4
 The World’s Coral Reefs are
Dying – What is Happening
Underwater?
by Kelly Chaeeun Lee

Carbon dioxide level is rising

All of us know that mankind is emitting tremendous amount of carbon dioxide (CO2 )
every day. Since the start of the industrial revolution in 18th century, it is estimated
that over 500 billion tonnes of CO2 have been released and dissolved in the oceans due
to human activities (Allott and Midorff). The ocean absorbs about 30 percent of the
CO2 that is released in the atmosphere (NOS). How? It’s because differences in the
pressure between the air and the ocean causes carbon dioxide to be exchanged (called
molecular diffusion), while algae and other phytoplankton also absorb carbon dioxide
through photosynthesis (NOAA).

The World’s Coral Reefs are Dying – What is Happening Underwater? 351
 Figure 1. Reef-building corals (Lecoeur)

How does the ocean become more acidic?

When carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, it reacts with water to form a balance of
ionic and non-ionic chemical species, yielding aqueous CO2 (CO2(aq) ) and carbonic
acid (H2 CO3 ). Carbonic acid rapidly breaks apart to produce bicarbonate ions (
HCO3− ), and in turn, bicarbonate ions are also broken down into carbonate ions (
CO32− ) (Barker and Ridgwell).

The World’s Coral Reefs are Dying – What is Happening Underwater?

36 2
 As shown by the formulae above, these consecutive reactions produce protons (H + ).
When protons are added, water molecule changes from H2 O to become hydronium ion
H3 O + . Hence, yield of protons lowers the pH of the ocean, making the ocean water to
be more acidic (American Chemical Society). Moreover, the rate at which inorganic
carbon species and protons increase depends on factors such as seawater temperature,
pressure and salinity (known as the Revelle factor), supporting the claim that global
warming results in greater impacts on the ocean acidification (Barker and Ridgwell).
Thus, ocean acidification will become more severe if the carbon dioxide concentration
rises and as sea temperature increases.

Figure 2. Process of dissociation of carbon dioxide in seawater (Barker and Ridgwell)

The World’s Coral Reefs are Dying – What is Happening Underwater? 373
 Why acidity matters?
One of the molecules that hydrogen ions bond with is carbonate (CO32− ), a key
component of calcium carbonate (CaCO3 ) shells (NOAA). Marine organisms in the
phyla Mollusca and Cnidaria, such as oyster and reef-building corals need to absorb
carbonate ions to build their skeletons or shells. To make calcium carbonate, marine
2−
organisms combine a calcium ion (Ca+2 ) with carbonate (CO3 ) from surrounding
seawater.

However, as shown above, just like calcium ions, hydrogen ions also tend to react with
carbonate – but they have a stronger attraction to carbonate than calcium (NOAA).
When a hydrogen reacts with carbonate, a bicarbonate ion (HCO3− ) is formed (shown
in formula 2). Marine organisms cannot extract the carbonate ion they need from
bicarbonate, making it harder for organisms such as reef-building corals to build their
skeletons. Hence, in an acidic water, corals have to spend more energy to build their
skeletons, taking away nutrients and resources from other activities like reproduction
(NOAA). Moreover, if seawater is no longer saturated with hydrogen ions and
bicarbonates, it can even begin to dissociate existing calcium carbonate molecules – so
existing skeletons of reef-building corals are threatened (Allott and Midorff).

Works Cited
Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. IB Biology. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Barker, Stephen, and Andy Ridgwell. "Ocean acidification." Nature Education

Knowledge 3.10 (2012): 21.

Gibbens, Sarah, and Greg Lecoeur. “The World's Coral Reefs Are Dying-Here's How
Scientists Plan to Save Them.” Science, National Geographic, 4 May 2021,
www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/scientists-work-to-save-coral-reefs-
climate-change-marine-parks.

The Ocean Portal Team (NOAA). “Ocean Acidification.” Edited by Jennifer Bennett,
Smithsonian Ocean, 20 June 2019, ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-
acidification.

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“What Is Ocean Acidification?” NOAA's National Ocean Service, 1 Aug. 2012,
oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/acidification.html.

The World’s Coral Reefs are Dying – What is Happening Underwater?

38 4
 Actually… It’s a Little More than
Being on the Bright Side
by Jimin Lim

We’ve all seen plants turning their heads toward the Sun. Just in case you
haven’t, this (Figure 1) is what I mean. But why do plants turn toward the
light? Actually, there’s science behind this – just a little more than being on
the bright side.

What happens when plants are exposed to light?

In plant leaves, photoreceptor proteins (called phototropins) absorb light. Absorption
of light in appropriate wavelength leads to conformational changes of phototropins,
and the change in shape allow phototropins to bind to receptors. Binding to receptors
allow certain genes to be expressed. Such genes are known to be involved in coding for
PIN3 proteins – a group of glycoproteins located in the plasma membrane of cells in
the stem used to transport auxin (Allot and Mindorff). Auxin is a plant hormone

Actually… It’s a Little More than Being on the Bright Side 391
 involved in many developmental stages of plants, including stimulating shoot growth
(Nature).

Figure 1. Phototropism (Wikimedia Commons)

Actually… It’s a Little More than Being on the Bright Side

40 2
 Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the cellular events related to signal transduction of phototropism
following light stimulation (Sakai and Haga).

When phototropins detect uneven intensity of light, auxin is distributed laterally to

the shady side of the stem. As mentioned earlier, auxin is transported via PIN3
proteins, and PIN3 proteins pump auxin out of the cell. As can be seen in Figure 2,
auxin is pumped out less to the side of higher light intensity and pumped out more to
the side of lower light intensity.

While there still are grey areas as to how auxin elongates cell, one hypothesis is that
it activates a proton pump in the plasma membrane, so that more protons (H + ) are
secreted into the cell wall. Since pH is simply a negative log of H+ concentration,
increased [H + ] decreases pH. Such decrease in pH results in increased elasticity in
cellulose fibers in cell wall. With increased flexibility in cell wall, with influx of water,
cell size may increase (Kotake et al.).

Actually… It’s a Little More than Being on the Bright Side 413
 Remember that such cell elongation of cells only occurs in the shady side of a stem.
This means only one side of stem grows taller. Thus, naturally, the stem turns to the
side of less auxin, which is the direction of light. This process is known as
phototropism.

Figure 3 Phototropism (Biology Dictionary)

This is the extra bit of science behind how plants turn to the direction of light – just a
little more than being on the bright side

Works Cited
Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. IB Biology. Oxford University Press, 2014.

“Auxin.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, www.nature.com/subjects/auxin.

“File:Phototropism.jpg.” Wikimedia,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phototropism.jpg.

Kotake, Toshihisa, et al. “Auxin-Induced Elongation Growth and Expressions of Cell

Wall-Bound Exo- and Endo-β-Glucanases in Barley Coleoptiles.” OUP Academic,
Oxford University Press, 15 Nov. 2000,
academic.oup.com/pcp/article/41/11/1272/1861063.

Actually… It’s a Little More than Being on the Bright Side

42 4
 Sakai, Tatsuya, et al. “Schematic Diagram of the Cellular Events Related to Signal
Transduction of Phototropism Following Light Stimulation .” ResearchGate, 2 Dec.
2020, www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-diagram-of-the-cellular-events-
related-to-signal-transduction-of-phototropism_fig1_230619537.

Actually… It’s a Little More than Being on the Bright Side 435
 Science Behind Ice Cream
by Min Jung Kim

Do you like ice cream? I do. A scorching summer day could turn into magical moment
with just one ice cream. Soft ice cream was first invented by Tom Carvel in the 1930s,
who sold melted ice cream by calling them ‘soft-serve’. Modern soft ice creams are not
melted ice creams. Instead, they are made to have the creamy texture in the first place
through the use of actual science.

Chemical Structure of Soft Ice Cream

They say it all depends on the air. So what does this have to do with science? While
regular ice cream has to contain less than 30 percent of air to maintain its shape, soft
ice cream contain up to 50% of air for its fluffy texture. When you look closely, you
could observe pores that indicate the existence of air foams within the ice cream. Soft
ice cream is a combination of two liquid types that do not mix under normal conditions.
Such chemical mixing is called ‘emulsion’.

Science Behind Ice Cream

44 1
 Figure 1. Chemical structure of ice cream (Rohrig)

In an ice cream, fat globules are combined with water, sugar, ice and air capsules that
are evenly spread across.

Where Do the Shape and Texture Come From?

Below is the chemical structure of a type of lecithin, a commonly used emulsifier.
Lecithin is a group of molecules that consist of fatty acid chains linked to a glycerol
molecule, including choline and a phosphate group. Emulsifiers are substances that
help the liquid molecules stay dispersed and not become isolated or separated from its
blended state. Since fat globules try to separate with the other ice cream components
such as water and ice through a process called coalescence, there must be substances
added to the ice cream that keeps its chemical structure stable and good to be served.

Science Behind Ice Cream 452

 Figure 2. Lecithin structure (Rohrig)

Lecithin places itself between the fat globules to help them bind together, which results
in the trapping of air capsules within tightly packed fats. This allows the soft ice cream
to maintain its somewhat firm structure. Stabilizers are crucial as they support the
emulsifier by adding the creamy texture. Stabilizers mainly serve two roles; the first
being preventing crystal formations and the second being acting similarly to a sponge
by locking liquid in the ice cream, which prevents the ice cream from melting. Some
examples of commonly used stabilizers are gelatin and egg whites. Carrageenan and
sodium alginate are unique chemicals that are derived from seaweed.

Isn’t that interesting? There is so much science involved in anything we eat. I hope this
article inspired you to look for more scientific knowledge that are closely related to our
daily lives.

Works Cited
Eschner, Kat. “The Science of Soft Serve.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian
Institution, 18 Aug. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/science-soft-
serve-180964516/.

Rohrig, Brian. “Ice, Cream... and Chemistry.” American Chemical Society, Feb.
2014,
www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-
issues/ archive-2013-2014/ice-cream-chemistry.html.

Science Behind Ice Cream

46 3
 Myopia (Nearsightedness)
by Joy Tsung-Yu Liao

Introduction
At any school day, you may look around people in the hallway and would find a good
proportion of students with glasses. According to the statistics in 2018 of National
Health Commission (NHC), over half of children and teenagers in China suffered from
myopia (Mu). This suggests that “myopia”, or nearsightedness, has become a common
issue for the younger generation. Fortunately, studies are confirming potential forms of
help in preventing myopia or precluding it from worsening, which includes preventing
further overstrain of eye muscles. The most effective tool to minimize risks of myopia is
what the studies suggest as the “vision therapy” — periodic relaxing while looking out
into the distance (New Jersey Eye Center).

Causes
Figure 1 below shows the anatomy of a myopic eyeball.

Myopia Nearsightedness) 471

 Figure 1. Anatomy of a myopic eyeball (shettleeyecenter.com/myopia.htm)

Myopia is the result of a slight distortion in the shape of the eyeball (“Myopia and
Nearsightedness”). Due to the distortion and the thickened lens (both from the
constant state of near focus), light reflected from objects further away is focused before
the retina, which has images projected at the front of the retina, instead of directly
onto it. This still allows people with myopia to see well when they are close to the
object, but things become out of focus once they are distanced since the axis oculi
(distance between the front and the back of the eyeball) has extended due to long term
and a constant state of near focus, preventing it from adjusting itself regarding the
distance of the light reflected from the object  (“First World Report On Vision”). Glasses
and contact lenses reduce the symptoms of myopia through refocusing light so that it
reaches the retina precisely, but they do not prevent myopia from worsening (New
Jersey Eye Center).
From the brief description above on how the eye functions and the main cause of
myopia, you may already be able to give a few examples of daily scenarios that worsens

Myopia Nearsightedness)
48 2
 our sight; such as, the overuse of the eye in near focus in front of books or screens,
straining eye muscles adding pressure to the eyeball and the axis oculi. Meanwhile, the
fixed distance leading to abnormal adjustments of the axis oculi and the thickening of
lens after the constant state of near focus over a period of time. How will we minimize
harm to our eyes by technology and studying, as students?

Preventions
The Borish’s Clinical Refraction Experiment has scientifically proven a way to stop
myopia from forming or further developing: periodic relaxing + switching focus,
achieved through the “30+3 Resting Strategy”.
The strategy is to rest eyes and release tension for 3 minutes after 30 minutes of close
focus on an up-close object. This allows the eye muscles to rest and not become
strained by constant near focus on anything within 5 meters, which will prevent it from
releasing tension fully and pressure the eyeballs, contributing to the abnormality in
adjustment of the axis oculi. A factor to be mindful on, is the focus distance the eyes
are resting at. The experiment mentioned has proven this strategy to be only effective
to a noticeable extent, when the distance provided for the eyes are 5 meters and above.
Any distance within will not allow the axis oculi and the lens to adjust into the normal
form for a distanced focus. This still makes the axis oculi elongated, lens thickened, and
potentially develops myopia. The experiment also shows that closing your eyelids to
rest creates the same effect and prevents your axis oculi and eye muscles from relaxing,
as a result of eyelids being close in distance with the eyeball. Thus, the strategy can
only be utilized when looking out into the distance that’s at least 5 meter away.

Conclusion
To avoid the development of myopia or even other retina disorders, prevent your eyes
from being in near focus for too long to preclude abnormality of the axis oculi. To
initiate a healthy usage of
your eyes, try the 30+3 strategy today!

Works Cited
"First World Report On Vision”, World Health Organization, 2019.
www.who.int/news/item/08-10-2019-who-launches-first-world-report-on-vision.
Accessed 14th Jun, 2021.

Myopia Nearsightedness) 493

 Mu, Xue-Quan. “Over half of Chinese Youth Myopic”, XinHuaNet, 2019.
www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-04/29/c_138022733.htm. Accessed 14th Jun,
2021.

“Myopia and Nearsightedness”, Shettle Eye Center.

www.shettleeyecenter.com/myopia.htm. Accessed 15th Jun, 2021.

“Preventing Myopia From Getting Worse”, New Jersey Eye Center, 2018.
thenjeye.com/prevent-myopia/. Accessed 14th Jun, 2021.

Myopia Nearsightedness)
50 4
 Milk+Coca Cola=?
by Minjong Kim

Coca Cola
Coke is a popular deep red- colored sweet soda drink. Per year, Coca Cola sells around 35 billion US dollars (2017). Coca Cola is a
fun ingredient to include in various home DIY experiments with mentos and bones, because of carbonic acid in Coca Cola that
reacts with alkaline substances.

Milk
Milk is a white colored drink that is often made by cattle and does. Milk is abundant with calcium, so it is often recommended for
children who want to grow tall. Milk is also a popular experiment material for “Color Changing Milk” experiment.

Figure 1: Coca Cola experiment; result

So, what if we mix them together?

So, if we mix the two ingredients together, over time, the mixture becomes clear, rather than turbid. At the beginning of the
experiment, nothing happens except some bubbles emerging based on its hydrogen gas that is originally melted in Coke. The color
of mixture looks like hot chocolate rather than coke or milk’s original color. First day, it often shows some messy color that looks
like mixture of milk and coffee. However, it looks even more weird due to formation of some layers that we can easily see. It often
needs around two days until we can observe this chemical reaction. So, after two days, the two layers become clearer. Finally, we
can observe a very clear layer and a darker colored layer that is sunk underneath.

Figure 2: chemical equation of the reaction

Milk+Coca Cola=? 511

 Why does this reaction happen?
The main reason why this reaction takes place is because of calcium that is dissolved in milk. So, if we add milk and coke together,
in the mixture of coke and milk, acid that is dissolved in coke shows a reaction with calcium in milk and they solidified and goes to
bottom of bottle. As it sinks to the bottom of the container, some caramel pigments from coke tick into those solidified things and
sink together. Thus, on the top of the bottle, there is only clear colored mixture without calcium and caramel pigment and in our
eye, it looks to have become clear by magic.

Works Cited
Steve, Spangler. “Invisible Soda: Science Experiment.” The Lab, 27 Aug. 2020,
www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/invisible-soda/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=b4c37b5c741c97c49bae3cf5eb15fd7fbcfe7ae4-
1624147090-0-
Aaa8Ai9UtVh5ElGKmSJt5vnZlApQgzCTWXvSAbdPqzfPbK74Ecz0dT59Hsu3zSRTV9_aompcG0RmIUOFS4yHB10zThmGeDZe3jjK2awt
5t9Kr-a4CC5eIZYwevljBKNz2hkCDJA-PW-LEkKyOM6HZ40OXeVu9ZcWGJFrsj3HLbOc4tgyIxaX5VR6FVwbnRMTic1-
OalqRYTh2EsX9jZW5eFYiSBogwWPz4i1OL-Lw6RPOVXugAKhIDGQBWozeCxCFDzjxV-K_Cg7V1UkQu3QEkEcaXqLOxAhVJB-
BpoJSJP53wFe9ZFnJY7k-s3a8OwzMIZqVwCHp6WCKo8aQdAPMvQkOPNoPs2XNkr83Dgga6aVA8xK-
24q7UJEfnF4uDAwxoMwrCpzn2qAlQAjzd7KGgk7m7cPuaCi6DunefUhkcsigKrD04IjLvKYSmHXuA64MGydvYVmMCqWxtWnqoyLfgc9N
Yg.

Alexander, Saffron. “This Is What Happens When You Add Milk to Coke.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 2 Mar. 2015,
www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11444844/This-is-what-happens-when-you-add-milk-to-coke.html.

Maric, Vladimir. “What Happens When You Mix Coca Cola and Milk.” WonderHowTo, 2 July 2014,
science.wonderhowto.com/news/what-happens-when-you-mix-coca-cola-and-milk-0156017/.

Milk+Coca Cola=?
52 2