How does a jargon like ‘particle physics’ affect our daily lives?

            Mr. Andre David of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) explained how particle physics benefits the society through the talk “The Higgs Boson We Cannot Unsee” held last January 29,2014. Luckily, on the 4^th of July year 2012, the elusive Higgs Boson, which was initially theorized in 1964, was observed by the said organization. As explained by CERN, their discovery is consistent with the Higgs Boson predicted by the Standard Model. This is the simplest manifestation of the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism.

            Now, for most people like me who do not understand an inkling of those physics jargon, how does this discovery affect our daily lives?

Medicine

            Particle physics gave way to the birth of imaging devices like the x-ray, CT scan, MRI, etc. With these, numerous ailments and diseases are being diagnosed precisely. Hence, treatment becomes more efficient and many years are added to people.

Electricity

            Electricity, the blood of our modern era, is carried through cables made of superconducting material. With particle physics, alternative ways of creating power and transporting power where born then which propelled our society into progress.

World Wide Web

            Information is a trade that is intangible yet so precious. Knowledge makes the impossible possible for mankind. Nowadays, internet helps the millions of people all around the world obtain some precious information.

            There are a lot more examples of how particle physics touch and alleviate our daily lives, these are just the top three that struck me the most. As a layman, I do hope that our government give enough support to our scientists and researches. Since, through diverse researches do we discover remarkable inventions.

Tide-Powered Energy

Over the years, the search for renewable and sustainable energy has inspired many scientists, engineers and creative individuals to design and create better alternatives for our energy source. Recently, M3 Wave developed a device which can be moored to the ocean floor that harnesses the energy from tidal waves into electrical energy.As the waves continue to pass through and fro, it provides a sustainable and natural movement.

According to an article in Discovery.com, the device is designed to be powered by the pressure exerted by the waves, which forces air to travel to another chamber which has a bidirectional turbine, thus creating electrical energy. 
The great thing about this product is that it provides little carbon footprint and will not disrupt the natural marine ecosystem. Its also designed to be durable, so that it can survive even the harshness of the underwater environment. However, the system is still undergoing additional testing and will likely be available for public or private use in the near future.

M3 Wave's design

The possibilities that devices like this offer are great, especially for a country like ours. Given that the Philippines is an archipelago and is literally surrounded by water, having a device like this can really help our energy industry in providing sufficient electricity for everyone. It will also create a competitive energy industry, which may result in having cheaper energy prices. It can also be just the answer to our energy crises, like to other provinces that are suffering from rotating blackouts. 

Hopefully, new technologies and discoveries will usher a new wave of scientists that can turn to nature as inspiration and find better solutions.

Marine Conversations; Ms. Anna Oposa

           The forum I attended was Ms. Anna Oposa’s Marine Conversations. It was about her journey on how she became a chief mermaid of Save Philippine Seas. She explains that sometimes not everything you plan will be as it is.

              I may not be interested in her campaign, but as living thing in this earth, I support her. As she stated, the earth without art is just eh. Her concern in this earth must reach to everyone so that our world would be a better place in the future. We need to be aware that everything we do have an effect on each of everyone. Her journey from when she was a student up to now was really inspiring. It might be very different to mine as a UP student, but I learned that everything has a purpose. She was practicing to be the next Lea Salonga and her 4-year course was related to writing, yet her passion leads her to be the chief mermaid of Save Philippine Seas. Her interest in nature started when one he professor ask them to chose either to take finals or pick trash. Well, she chose to pick trash. Maybe it was one the moment that help her realize that she was meant to be a mermaid.

             

The thing I like most in her talk beside that she sang A Whole New World was her encouragement that every one of us must come out in our shell. We should be courage to do what we think is right and we should think creatively so it will benefit each one of us including mother earth. By the way, I also love her PowerPoint presentation, it was really nice and so many cute pictures that grab my attention.  

Largest PH solar power plant to rise in Palawan

  http://ph.news.yahoo.com/largest-ph-solar-power-plant-163622060.html           

              There are many issues evolving and still existing issues about environment that are not solve and currently in process of finding solutions One of them is the necessity to find ways not to cause more pollution to our mother earth.

             

The solar power plant building in Palawan is indeed a great help. We need to find resources in nature without exploiting too much of it. And I think this project is a hell big help especially in Palawan. There will be no more power shortage and more provinces will have enough electricity for more work to done. If we look at the bright side of it, it will be a big help to Palawan as one of our tourist destination. No more foreigners will complain about no electricity. But my question is will it cost fairly to people? Especially it is a joint venture with a foreign investor; usually we have to pay for it for a higher price.

How was it made? Did it undergo the standard of building a structure like this? Are there no trees, plants or mountain destroyed when it was built? I hope so. Cause the purpose of this is to help solve nature problem and not to add more.

If only the government has the will to invest in these projects so it will be a big help to the lives of Filipino people. If only those who are in the positions to help will sincerely help and get their job well done, then Philippines will have a booming economy.

              I hope it will be indeed beneficial to the people of Palawan and also to our country.