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Voice Recognition in Forensics

Author: Sophie Jin Editors: Fiona Cheng, Eason Gao, Hwi-On Lee Artist: Caitland So Have you ever wondered how detectives use voice recordings to identify speakers, collect evidence, and link suspects to crime? The technique they rely on is voice recognition, a powerful tool that can connect voices to people and provide valuable evidence in criminal investigations. By comparing an unknown recording to a known sample, experts can use special tools to determine if the voicepri

Nov 113 min read

The Effect of a Sand Battery on Electricity Conservation

Author: Alex Yang Editors: Jonathan Chen, Justin Tai Artist: Becky Li The global paradigm shift to focusing on renewable energy has created opportunities and challenges in electricity consumption and storage. Solar and wind are considered the cleanest forms of energy, and yet, they are intermittent. The sun is not always present, and the wind is inconsistent; therefore, these sources do not have the capacity to constantly supply power. This demand-supply synchronization dete

Nov 114 min read

Take Nothing but Trouble, Leave Nothing but DNA Footprints

Author: Joshua Payne Editors: Ethan Tai & Eason Gao Artist: Helen Gong In the dead of night, a gloved hand reaches into a pocket, producing a lockpick. Silent and precise, it unlocks the door. The gloved hand returns the pick to the cargo pants pocket and turns the knob without resistance. The intruder enters, moving deftly and quickly. One gloved hand slides open a drawer, rifling through it for cash and tucking the wads deep into his pocket. The other presses against the w

Nov 114 min read

Communication in the Brain: What Allows us to Speak?

Author: Simone Maimon Editor: Serena Tsao Artist: Francesca Huang Why can humans speak, but not apes? One main difference between us and other species is our ability to communicate complex words and ideas. Sure, other animals may be able to gesture, echolocate, and dance. But none can create coherent speech. The scientific zeitgeist explains that our development of speech comes from unique physical capabilities that make certain sounds. On the other hand, other scientists pr

Nov 112 min read

Climate Change’s Effect on American Agriculture

Author: Bryan Lin Editors: Alex Yang , Elizabeth Li Artist: Alvina Zheng Believe it or not, your breakfast table represents a story of struggle. The coffee beans that make up your morning cup of coffee are climbing up mountainsides, forcing farmers to relocate from the land their families have farmed for generations. The wheat in your toast faces increasing heatwaves that threaten to wipe out whole harvests in days. Even the orange juice in your pitcher is fighting its own

Nov 113 min read

Can you Really Rely on AI for Your Health?

Author: Vincent Guo Editors: Ethan Tai, Jonathan Chen Artist: Becky Li Many people have questioned whether AI is a reliable source to use for your health and if it is trustworthy enough to ask questions like “what could it be if I have these types of symptoms?” or “How can I treat this illness?” Well, the short answer is yes and no. You could use AI in some scenarios, but you shouldn’t rely on it exclusively. There are benefits of using AI, but it also comes with risks. The

Nov 113 min read

The History of Schizophrenia Treatment

Author: Elaine Guo Editors: Fiona Cheng, Hwi-On Lee, Serena Tsao, Alex Yang Artist: Helen Gong Schizophrenia, a chronic mental health disorder, affects less than one percent of the US population. It influences how someone thinks, feels, and behaves, producing both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms encompass experiences that are “present” which most people don’t experience, such as hallucinations, hearing voices, or seeing things that don’t exist. Negative sym

Nov 112 min read

How Pickles Help Your Gut

Author: Lillian Dong Editors: Joshua Payne, Oscar Chen Artist: Christina Chen Salty, sweet, tangy, sour, and spicy–the deliciousness of pickles lies in their complex flavor. Fermentation has long existed for thousands of years as a process to extend the shelf life of fresh vegetables. In the modern day, scientists are finding even more benefits of fermenting food. Chances are, you have already heard of pickles being great for gut health. But what does this phrase really mean

Nov 113 min read

Evidence of Martian Aliens: Ancient Microbial Life

Author: Jeffrey Chen Editor: Kacey Ye Artist: Felicia Chen Due to the extreme weather conditions and lack of an ozone layer that allows for unhindered ultraviolet radiation, there is likely no life present on Mars today. However, signs of life on ancient Mars have been present since 1996, beginning with the discovery of evidence for microscopic life from a meteorite belonging to Mars. Over the course of the past few decades, further findings have been made to suggest that an

Nov 113 min read

Hocus POCUS: Conjuring a Diagnosis of Cardiac Tamponade

Author: Christine Chen Editor: Elizabeth Li Artist: Emily Hu Imagine a patient suddenly collapsing in the emergency department with low blood pressure and muffled heart sounds—yet no obvious trauma. Hidden within the pericardium, fluid presses relentlessly against the heart, and the clock is ticking. Cardiac tamponade is this invisible predator, and modern ultrasound is our tool to catch it before catastrophe. As mentioned, Cardiac tamponade is one of those dramatic medical

Nov 113 min read