Isabel H. y Laura G. representan a España en el Certamen Europeo de Jóvenes Investigadores

Isabel H. y Laura G. representaron a España en el 30th European Union Contest for Young Scientists, celebrado en Tallín del 22 al 27 de septiembre. Este es un prestigioso certamen en el que 89 proyectos científicos fueron presentados por 146 estudiantes de 43 países de todo el mundo.

Isabel y Laura, que finalizaron el pasado curso 2016-2017 segundo curso de Bachillerato, participaron en este concurso con su proyecto de química “En búsqueda del cocktail ideal para la descontaminación de las aguas”, llevado a cabo con los profesores del área de Biología y Química del centro y con la colaboración de personal investigador de la Universitat de València. El proyecto de las alumnas fue uno de los dos elegidos para representar a nuestro país en este concurso de ámbito internacional tras recibir tres primeros premios en el XXIX Certamen Nacional de Jóvenes Investigadores, celebrado en Málaga en septiembre de 2016.

Durante el certamen europeo Isabel y Laura presentaron el trabajo realizado a lo largo de dos años y los resultados obtenidos ante un jurado especializado formado por expertos científicos a nivel europeo. Las jóvenes tuvieron oportunidad de compartir esta experiencia con estudiantes de países como Suecia, Chipre, Bélgica, Reino Unico, China, Corea del Sur, Egipto o Estados Unidos, entre otros.

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Entrevista en RTVE a las alumnas participantes en EUCYS 2017

Las alumnas de Gençana participantes en el Certamen Europeo de Jóvenes Investigadores (EUCYS 2017), Isabel H. y Laura G., fueron entrevistadas durante la celebración del concurso en Tallín (Estonia) por el programa de RadioTelevisión Española “Europa 2017″, que se emite en el Canal 24h.

El pasado viernes 29 de septiembre se pudo ver en este programa la entrevista, en la que las estudiantes del centro hablaron sobre el proyecto de química con el que representaron a España en el certamen internacional: “En búsqueda del cocktail ideal para la descontaminación de las aguas”.

En el siguiente vídeo se puede ver a partir del minuto 25:36 el reportaje con la entrevista a Laura e Isabel:

Europa 2017 – Programa 29/09/2017

RECORDAR: DEL LATÍN RE-CORDIS, VOLVER A PASAR POR EL CORAZÓN

Discurso de despedida de los alumnos de 2º de Bachillerato, pronunciado por Laura G. 

Can replicants be considered humans?

Definition of “Replicant” (source: New American Dictionary, 2016)

In the future represented in the film “Blade Runner” humanity has been capable of creating human-like beings to work as slaves in the Off-World (colonies in outer space), and to have them under control they have a lifespan of only four years and implanted memories in their brains. The name of these creatures is ‘replicants’. But are they really humans?

On one hand, they are physically identical to us humans. They have the same organs, tissues and bones. Because of that, from a biological point of view, they are humans. On the other hand, a replicant doesn´t have memories or a past either, so that´s why their emotional reactions are different to a human’s. However, I think that, with the time, they could react as we do.

To sum up, replicants are humans for me. Although they have different ways of observing the world, biologically they are like us.

Guillem P.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) artwork

Can replicants be considered humans? This is the question that the film “Blade Runner” makes you think about. In my opinion, humans and replicants are two different species for many reasons.

Humans and replicants are difficult to distinguish at first sight, but replicants are created in a laboratory and they’re characterized with different features. For example, their lifespan is only four years long. At their inception point, they have memories implanted so they think they’re normal but they aren’t able to develop complex emotions. In my opinion, what makes a human being human is the ability to feel. Feel pain, happiness, sadness… feel anything.

In a nearby future scientists will create real replicants for sure but they’ll not be the next step in human evolution. What actually makes the world in peace everyday is the fact that we have feelings and we can feel empathy for one another. Without that, everyone would kill and commit crimes every day.

In conclusion, replicants are very different from human beings and they could never be considered humans for all the multiple reasons mentioned above.

Lidia Ll.

The challenges of overpopulation

Tokyo subway during rush hours

Overpopulation… A serious problem that needs to be resolved. This concept is an issue in the post-apocalyptic world represented in the movie Blade Runner (1982). Even though it is a movie, it is very possible to happen in the real world.

First of all, if there are too many people it is very likely that there will be a lack of resources, which means there won’t be enough food to maintain all the people. One of the effects would be poverty or hunger.

Moreover, there are leaders in charge of controlling the society and the cohabitation among everyone. But the more people on the planet, the harder it gets to control the situation. Not everybody agrees with the rules or the decisions made, which can lead to wars. The loss of control and the multicultural environment can play a role in the beginnings of a war.

Also, if there is overpopulation, the government will have to make room for everyone, so that means the destruction of nature in order to build houses or buildings.

To sum up, wars, lack of resources and the destruction of nature are problems associated with overpopulation. So to prevent or solve it we have to keep in mind those problems too.

Isabel H.

Outer space colonization

Source: University of Puerto Rico, 2014

What would happen if we suddenly conquered another planet? Is it even possible to conquer a planet? Scientists have been trying to discover if there is life in other planets of the Milky Way but they haven’t found anything. However, they are also exploring the possibility to live in other planets like Mars.

Living in another planet could be a beautiful experience if it was possible. We could discover more about the galaxy that we live in and we could learn about new materials or compounds from other planets. We would also have a totally different perspective of the Earth and the universe. If we were further away from the Earth it could also mean to be closer to other lifeforms.

However, this could also turn against us. The movie “Passengers” shows how a group of people are sent to another planet to live but the trip lasts for 90 years so they are kept asleep in machines until the trip ends. The problem is that some machines fail and they’re are awakened before the right time so they die before arriving at their destination.

So, in my opinion, a lot of things like this could go wrong when moving to another planet. Also, we would have to start a life from zero which would mean that humans would have to put a lot of effort to live in it. Another negative consequence is that we would all be very far away from our friends, families and everything we used to know.

In conclusion, outer space colonization could mean the beginning of a new era for the planet Earth. This event would have many positive and negative consequences as mentioned above.

Lidia Ll.

/Artificial/Intelligence?

Cut from the movie I, Robot (2004) starring Will Smith, based on Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi novel.

The current development of artificial intelligence and robots is making them capable of performing complex tasks that only human could do before. This advance might enable them to substitute humans at work.

  The replacement of humans with machines or robots might seem like a huge benefit because in that case less people will need to work to produce the same amount of products. The downside of this replacement in that less people are being paid and less job offers will be available, resulting in a massive increase of poverty and unemployment.

This replacement can be looked in a different way. Imagine that humanity manages to make intelligent robots for every task needed, placing them at the spot of every working human, making disappear the need for workers. Achieving a world without compulsory tasks.

  The problem of this possible future system lies in the distribution of the wealth generated by robots, but the solution is simple. As no one works no one deserves more than anyone else, ending in an equal distribution of everything by autonomous machines.

  The development of technology is unstoppable but the uses we give it is completely up to us.

Jacobo F.