By Vivienne Couris, C2ST Intern, DePaul University
AI chatbots have taken the world by storm. ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot are just a few examples of chatbots that are already changing how we work and learn. However, despite their sharp increase in popularity, software like this has been around for quite some time. The natural language processing program ELIZA, which finished development in 1966, is classified as the first AI software. ELIZA could analyze simple conversational inputs and output human-like responses. Computer scientists and engineers have come a long way since then, creating the impressive language models we have access to now. In this blog, we’ll discover the fascinating technology that powers modern AI chatbots.
Continue reading “Inside the Brain of an AI Chatbot”
By Danielle Rodriguez, C2ST Intern, Waubonsee Community College
In the media, we hear stories of football or hockey players who are constantly colliding with one another. The concern around the safety of these two sports has sparked a conversation about the significant head injuries that can be sustained while playing. But what if I told you there was a third sport that accounts for nearly 25% of all reported concussions? Soccer, one of the most popular sports in the world, maybe the most dangerous. How do these concussions occur, and why is it not talked about more?
What exactly is a concussion? A concussion is not just a bump to the head. It is a brain injury in which the brain moves back and forth between the inner walls of the skull. Concussions cause a wide variety of symptoms. Common physical symptoms of concussion include headache, ringing in the ears, and vomiting. Lesser known symptoms include trouble sleeping, increased irritability, issues with concentration and memory, and sensitivity to light and sound. These symptoms can last days, weeks, or even months. In severe cases, a concussion can lead to bleeding in the brain which can result in death. Concussions are an invisible injury that is often downplayed, but they can have a tremendous impact on the future athletic careers of affected players.
By Bianca Longlisci, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
What if humans could fly? It’s a question almost every person has asked themselves, but it seems like the answer to it may no longer be something left for science fiction to decide. After a recent visit to the Museum of Science and Industry’s new 007 Science exhibit, I became fascinated by a unique technology that theoretically allows humans to soar through the air– jet packs. Jetpacks appear in several blockbusters like Star Wars and Asteroid City, but what is unique about the jetpack in the 1965 Bond film Thunderball is that it is fully functional in real life. How do jetpacks work, and are they still only free to be used by fictional super spies?
The jet pack used in Thunderball is known as the Bell Rocket Belt and is considered to be the first functional jetpack. It uses nitrogen to push hydrogen peroxide into a small chamber. Inside, a reaction occurs that produces a burst of steam, propelling the wearer into the air. It sounds simple, but the Rocket Belt cost roughly $200,000 to create (almost $2 million in today’s money) and could only keep a person in the air for 20 seconds before running out of fuel. The high input cost combined with such a short flight time are the main reasons why the Rocket Belt never really “took off” as a product.
By Bianca Loglisci, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
Even though the ocean makes up 70% of our planet’s surface, most of it remains unexplored. With depths of up to 12,000 feet and a total surface area of 139 million square miles, the global ocean is truly enormous and may hold mysteries beyond human comprehension. I have always been fascinated by the mysteries of the ocean, but after a recent visit to the Field Museum’s new Unseen Oceans exhibit, I started to wonder what methods scientists are using to uncover these mysteries. Thanks to satellite imaging, we have a rough idea of what the ocean floor looks like, however, specific objects like shipwrecks and certain geographic formations are unable to be detected in this way. Scientists have precisely mapped the ocean floor with a scientific technique that utilizes sonar technology, which can help to create a much clearer picture of what lies beneath the surface.
By Danielle Rodriguez, C2ST Intern, Waubonsee Community College
On a warm February night not too long ago, tornado storms swept through my college campus and hit surrounding towns. It was unusual to experience such a storm during a usually calm winter month. When I arrived at class the day after the storm, I saw uprooted trees, light poles completely knocked down, and traffic signs scattered. I began to wonder about how tornadoes form and why the United States experiences so many of them.
Continue reading “Tornado Terrain: Why is the US a Twister Hotspot?”
By Bianca Loglisci, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
If you live in the Midwest, you may have noticed that the weather has been all over the place lately. From 70-degree days in mid-February to 20-degree days at the end of March, the fluctuating seasons may seem frustratingly unexplainable. Part of an explanation for this wacky weather falls to a natural phenomenon called El Niño.
