In this blog post, we’ll explore the basic principles of fluid dynamics—the study of air and water—and examine how the airflow and pressure differences around an airplane’s wings generate lift, enabling the heavy aircraft to take flight. If we were to list the substances essential for life on Earth, what would they be? Many people would think of air and water. Air and water play an...
How do emergency evacuation slides—which save lives in plane crashes—work?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the structure and operating principles of emergency evacuation slides, which help passengers evacuate quickly in critical situations such as plane crashes, as well as the technology that rapidly inflates these massive slides using a small amount of compressed gas. Even if a car or ship breaks down while in operation, it can, depending on the situation...
How does BitTorrent share files, and why should you use it with caution?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the basic operating principles of BitTorrent, how it differs from traditional client-server and P2P models, the roles of torrent files, peers, and seeders, and the precautions you should take when using copyrighted material. When we want information, we search the internet, and when we need files, we download them for use. There are many ways to obtain...
The Debate Over the Recommended Intake of Vitamin C: How Should We View It?
In this blog post, drawing on what I’ve learned in the Department of Food and Nutrition, I’d like to examine various perspectives on the recommended intake of vitamin C and high-dose supplementation. Even outside of holidays like Chuseok, there’s one item that many people exchange as gifts these days: dietary supplements. If you have a good understanding of your body’s condition and take...
How Can Video Games Be Considered Art?
In this blog post, we’ll explore whether video games can be recognized as a form of popular art—on par with film—beyond mere entertainment, focusing on the “aesthetics of choice” unique to video games. The history of video games is relatively short. The first commercially successful video game was “Pong,” released in the past, and compared to other art forms, the history of video games is...
How have Bluetooth beacons evolved into a short-range location recognition technology?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the operating principles and features of Bluetooth beacons—which link the location of smart devices with information about their surroundings—as well as how they differ from NFC, their applications, and their limitations. Among the apps that were once popular was a service called “Syrup.” “Syrup” offered a feature that provided users with real-time...
How does blockchain ensure the security of information through decentralization?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the principles by which blockchain uses distributed ledgers, cryptography, and consensus mechanisms to record information and make it difficult to forge or alter, as well as its potential applications in various fields, including finance. Bitcoin originated as a digital currency system proposed by an individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto...
What is the relationship between the uncertainty principle, qubits, and quantum computers?
In this blog post, we’ll start with the uncertainty principle—a core principle of the microscopic world—and explore how qubits and quantum computers process information. Interest in the “small world” is growing by the day. It’s been a long time since terms like “micro” and “nano” became familiar to us through science-related news. Various fields—including chemical and biological...
Why do parents and children look alike? How does gene expression give rise to traits?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the principles behind how parental traits are passed down to children, as well as the process of gene expression—from DNA replication and transcription to the role of RNA and protein synthesis—and examine how technologies that regulate gene expression are being utilized in life sciences and medicine today. If you’ve spent time with your father or mother...
How does tetrodotoxin, the poison found in pufferfish, paralyze the human nervous system?
In this blog post, we’ll examine everything from the formation and accumulation of tetrodotoxin—the highly toxic substance found in pufferfish—to how it acts on nerve cells, the symptoms of poisoning, and how to safely consume pufferfish. In the past, there were frequent incidents where people lost their lives due to improper consumption of pufferfish. One such case was reported as...