Global Engineering

Category: Ideas

Should We Be Concerned about the Progress of Artificial Intelligence?

Posted on by Ronna Landau

When you hear the term artificial intelligence, often the first thing people think of is sci-fi movies depicting robots taking over the world and other horrifying situations of the sort. While this is, admittedly, a rather terrifying prospect, is it really something we need to be afraid of or have we simply been watching too many movies?

What Exactly is Artificial Intelligence?

Essentially, artificial intelligence, commonly abbreviated to AI, refers to the idea of technology and computer systems being able to perform tasks that normally require specific types of human intelligence. That is, being able to replicate human intelligence – that special quality that we can’t quite explain.

This includes things like being able to translate between languages, decision making, recognition and understanding of speech as well as visual perception. In other words, it is the ability to perceive, synthesize and infer information.

What are the Risks of Artificial Intelligence?

Discussing the risks of artificial intelligence is very much a subjective discussion, based completely on opinions. However, that doesn’t mean these risks should be ignored.

Image of Artificial Intelligence Control

  • We Lose Control Over What They Can Do and Learn

Sure, this is the plot from loads of early-2000’s sci-fi flicks, but it’s still something to be aware of. AI is all about enabling systems and programs to develop human-like intelligence, but what if humans, as their creators, lose control over what they’re able to learn?

Well, in theory, they could potentially have ability to ability to learn whatever they need to gain control. And that leads us to our next point.

  • They Become Smarter Than Us

This certainly is the ultimate fear – that machines and computer systems are able to develop in such a way that they actually end up being more intelligent than humans. If they can do that, humans would, in theory, lose control and we’d be at the mercy of robots, which is a rather frightening thought.

  • They’re Used for Nefarious Purposes

Of course, something to consider is always the potential of humans taking advantage and using computers to achieve their own goals. This could involve political issues and so on – for instance, getting involved in elections and even wars.

From a practical standpoint – with regards to things control and even legal issues – who knows where we’d even start!

  • Humans Become Lazy

Unfortunately, a very real concern is that machines and robots becoming highly intelligent and capable will mean that they’re able to do things that only humans were capable of before. That being jobs and other important tasks.

The natural progression seems to be that it’s very likely that humans would simply stop working and putting in the effort, and just leave it to the machines. Nobody really knows how this would end, but it seems fair to hypothesise that this wouldn’t have great repercussions for human intelligence and the progressions and development thereof.

So Should We be Concerned about AI?

Unlike getting offers in Microgaming pokies, it’s a bit harder to predict what will happen in the future. However, although these things don’t necessarily seem to be happening anytime soon, we should probably maintain awareness. With controls in place, hopefully we’d be able to prevent anything crazy from happening.

Aging Clocks – Can Technology Predict How Long You’ll Live?

Posted on by Ronna Landau

Age has a lot more to it than the number of years you’ve been alive. Factors such as stress, diet, illness, sleep, and a whole host of other aspects, all influence your health, and inevitably how long you’re around for.

It’s All in the DNA

The basic idea behind aging clocks is that, because the DNA contains the entirety of person’s genetic information, it can be used to analyse, track, and predict age. It can also be used to detect external factors that damage or alter cells and DNA and contribute to aging.

With the help of AI, predictions can then be made about potential outcomes, as well as the factors leading to them, and perhaps even suggesting possible interventions.

Otherwise, the general aim of the clocks are to act as a sort of speedometer, giving people a much better idea of their ‘biological youth’.

Tracking Time & Age

Generally, aging clocks estimate a person’s biological age based on patterns in certain chemical tags, called methyl groups, layered onto DNA. Known as ‘epigenetic markers’, these patterns change as we age, and with the help of computers and AI, their progress can be accurately mapped and predicted.

Predicting Organ Failure

Though predicting a person’s overall age can be tricky, what aging clocks have proved highly accurate and useful for already, is predicting organ age. When it comes to the health and deterioration of tissue and cells, epigenetic markers and patterns generally tend to be very consistent and predictable. Scientists have successfully applied aging clocks to accurately predict the organ age of both human and animal subjects in wide range of studies and experiments.

Image of Organ Failure

A Decade of Experiment

The first epigenetic aging clock was developed in 2011 by Steve Horvath at the University of California. In 2013 he developed the Horvath clock, which is still amongst the best-known clocks today. Since then, Horvath, and his colleagues, have developed several other aging clocks for specific uses.

Daniel Belsky of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has developed a different type of clock that involves blood samples.

Working out the Bugs

Although the idea of aging clocks has been around for some time, practically implementing it, however, has not been an easy task. Only now, with the help of AI, and computers with faster and more powerful processing, are scientists and engineers able to make the idea a viable reality. However, while aging clocks are getting closer by the day, accurately predicting a person’s eventual lifespan is yet to be achieved.

For the time being, the clinical markers supplied by a person’s medical history remains the most reliable means of prediction. Soon though, aging clocks will likely be used to significantly enhance clinical data.

The Tick Tock Don’t Stop

Over time, technology has changed everything to the way we think about time even the methods to playing real money pokies. Now, tech is steadily being produced that helps predict and protect us from a growing number of risks and hazards in daily life. Though much of what contributes to aging, and death, is unavoidable, technology such as aging clocks could lead to many people living longer, healthier, and happier lives.

The Internet Of The Future Explained

Posted on by Ronna Landau

The Internet is considered by many to be the greatest achievement of the human race. Not only does it give us access to the collective information of the human race, but it allows us to communicate instantly, consume any media of our choosing, keep up to date with all the latest news in the world, and to continually grow a powerful network of computers and servers from across the globe.

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Effectively Filtering Water At Home

Posted on by Ronna Landau

Proper water treatment and filtration is a service that most governments around the world offer to their citizens, and some countries even make clean, potable water a human right that everyone should have access to.

But over the years, we’ve seen more and more stories of people battling to get enough clean water from their taps, which is causing more people to turn to home-based filtering systems instead.

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Sustainable Building Materials Of The Future

Posted on by Ronna Landau

The way we build most of today’s buildings is not sustainable in almost every way. In fact, experts believe that the production of conventional cement is among the worst emitters of greenhouse gases, and as cities grow larger with every passing year, it’s become more necessary than ever to find ways of cutting down on how many emissions are being released into the atmosphere.

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Unusual Sources Of Renewable Energy

Posted on by Ronna Landau

With the oil and coal industry making unprecedented losses, there’s never been a better time for renewable energy to take over and begin providing electricity to the masses.

There are a lot of different projects on the go across the world, including hydroelectricity, solar farms, wind turbines, and even ocean wind generation. But scientists have long speculated that there are a number of unique and unusual methods that can be utilised to start producing power.

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How To Remove Carbon From The Atmosphere

Posted on by Ronna Landau

In terms of climate change, one of the biggest problems that the human race faces right now is the amount of carbon dioxide that’s in the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide release is a natural part of the earth’s cycle; there are thousands of processes occurring every year that release carbon, and for the most part, the planet has plenty of ways of scrubbing it back down.

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The Oil Industry’s Global Decline

Posted on by Ronna Landau

Many around the world, including scientists, economists, and engineers, believe that the global oil and gas industry is in a terminal decline. 2020 proved to be one of the worst years on record for the industry, combining the blocking of most forms of travel, as well as more people than ever staying at home to work rather than going out and travelling in their vehicles.

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