The Downsides of Video Game Addiction

People get addicted to video games especially in their youth when time is plenty and there is nothing much to do. Young kids can spend hours and hours in front of the screen playing arcade to role play games that soon become an addiction. While it is a great past time and can save one’s sanity from boredom, both the experts and parents are strongly against too much video game use for good reason.

Not only does it take time away from doing important school work or helping with household chores, playing video games can also impact one’s health and well-being. Many times a player loses track of their priorities and get so immersed in the games they are playing or even end up fighting with other players they have disagreements with. But have we really looked at playing video games as an addiction or is it just an innocent hobby for those who are kids at heart?

 Some of the cons of video games come from bad parenting in my opinion. The most common complaint about video games is that they are too violent. The "too violent" games are rated M and to buy it, you have to be 17 years of age with an ID or older. So, if a parent buys their 10-year-old a rated M game that wasn't meant for someone his or her age, the game isn't at fault the bad parenting is.

Personally, I believe one of the worst cons that can come with video games is the addiction. It is really easy to get addicted to video games (speaking from experience) due to how fun they are. Children might develop the habit of caring about video games more than school. That could also be bad parenting, however.

If you want your child to be exposed to the benefits gaming could offer them, but are afraid of the cons, the answer is simple: monitor how long they play games. Not only do you monitor how long they play, but also watch the type of games they play to see if anything you don't think is appropriate is in the game.

(Via: http://www.chicagonow.com/code-purple-gold/2017/04/the-positive-and-negative-effects-of-growing-up-with-video-games/)

While playing with video games can be a great stress-buster for many, its biggest downfall is that it prevents people from dealing with real problems head on. It serves as a means of escape from real life that is not always a good thing to do.

Video games keep getting more complex and visually appealing, so it’s no wonder more people are drawn to them nowadays. But this new era of compelling digital entertainment could have a dark side for unemployed young men.

It might sound like something an old man shouts from his rocking chair, but kids these days appear to be more interested in escapism than diving into the job market. A preliminary report from economists at Princeton, the University of Rochester and the University of Chicago, suggests a strong link between electronic leisure activities and unemployment rates for men in their 20s.

And technological advancements are mainly to blame her because the more sophisticated and life-like video games have become, the more people want to play with it, even sacrifice time for work, school, or relationships just to indulge themselves in a game or two.

 For starters, the study points to video games getting more and more sophisticated as time goes on. Gaming is now a multi-billion dollar industry filled with beautiful, engaging games that can take upwards of 100 hours to complete. It’s much easier to get lost in an immersive, virtual world than it used to be. But it’s not just about how amazing video games are now. As Erik Hurst, one of the report’s lead authors, explained in an interview with Econ Focus, living a leisure lifestyle is also a little easier than it was before.

(Via: https://lifehacker.com/are-video-games-keeping-young-men-unemployed-1794268772)

Video games can be an addiction that affects many of today’s youth and even young adults who have a hard time looking for work or the elderly who are too bored at home or in nursing homes and want to relax and have fun without necessarily going out. But because we all acknowledge it is an addiction, we know that it can affect your health and life negatively.

There are other more useful things to do rather than sit in front of the screen and play games that do not make a difference in your life. While it is fine to play video games when you have literally nothing important to do, it becomes a bad influence in your life once it takes your time away from important life pursuits. Aside from becoming an additional expense, it’s also a waste of precious resources like electricity or energy and a hindrance in building and maintaining

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The Fascinating World Outside Our Planet

We know that our planet is an awesome place for the mere fact that it can support different life forms. And it’s also a blessing that we manage to co-exist despite our diversity. As the more superior species, mankind continues to explore the peaks of the mountains and the depths of the oceans but still some mysteries remain. Despite all these mysteries that the world has in store for us, nothing piques our curiosity more than the vast space outside our planet.

Do other forms of life exist? Can we survive in the harsh environment of the space? These are just some of the questions that fill our minds but still answers seem to elude us. For centuries, great minds tried their best to seek for answers and gain more understanding about our solar system and other galaxies farther from us. But are we really close to finding the answers with the help of modern technology or are we just barely scratching the surface of even stranger things to come.

 The skies above the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory resemble oil on water, as greens, yellows, and blues blend to create an iridescent skyscape.

The rocky, barren landscape below evokes an image of an alien world, perfectly complementing the shimmering cosmic display occurring above. The main feature is our beautiful home galaxy, the Milky Way, arching across the Chilean night sky and framing the awestruck observer on the left. The light from billions of stars combines to create the Milky Way’s glow, with huge clouds of dark dust blocking the light here and there and creating the dark and mottled pattern we observe. A natural effect known as airglow is responsible for the swathes of green and orange light that appear to be emanating from the horizon.

ESO’s Very Large Telescope can be seen as a speck in the distant background to the right atop Cerro Paranal. Its neighbour, slightly lower down, is the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA).

(Via: https://astronomynow.com/2017/04/16/within-reach/)

We try to develop technologies that will allow us to see the world outside in a different light and find out once and for all whether living outside our planet is actually possible. Our planet is aging and the threat of global warming and climate change has caused some people to panic but experts are doing their best to find out as much as they can the soonest time possible.

 Do you believe there’s life to be found on these other planets?

First, let me correct you. “Believe” is not a scientific term, as a scientist you don’t need to “believe,” you have to experiment. You can try and search for suitable planets that could sustain life, if you have enough money and technology. NASA had the idea for the TPF, Terrestrial Planet Finder, which was a satellite that was considered to difficult and expensive to develop. Eventually, it will be done because this is a question we need to answer. It could take 10 or 20 years and won’t be easy, but I believe we will get there.

When you have all the good conditions, chemistry and physics could explain how life forms. In the lab it’s not possible to test the existence if life exists out there, like in the ice layer of Europa, one of Jupiter’s four moons, the only way to do it is to observe.   

(Via: http://www.newsweek.com/eve-online-video-games-michael-mayor-gamers-gamer-extraterrestrial-life-space-584746)

And it seems as if all their hard work are paying off with the discovery of an exoplanet (a planet orbiting another star outside our own solar system) with evidence of an atmosphere raises the hope of experts that it may possibly support human life.

 For the first time, scientists have detected an atmosphere around a planet beyond our solar system that's just a little bit larger than Earth.

The exoplanet GJ 1132b, which orbits the dwarf star GJ 1132, is located about 39 light-years away from Earth. It has a radius about 1.4 times that of Earth and is 1.6 times Earth's mass, according to the new study. When the planet was first discovered, researchers called it a potential Venus twin because it's a rocky world with a very high surface temperature — and now, they've found that the planet and Venus might have a thick atmosphere in common, too (although it would have a different composition).

While observers have pinpointed atmospheres around much larger, Jupiter-like gas giants orbiting other stars — and a larger super-Earth, about eight times Earth's mass — this is the first evidence of an atmosphere around an exoplanet that's near Earth's size, the study's researchers said. Researchers can use planets' atmospheres to try and determine if these worlds are suitable for life as we know it on Earth, or even to identify potential traces of life recorded there.

(Via: http://www.space.com/36368-atmosphere-found-on-nearly-earth-size-planet.html)

There is still much that we need to know about life outside our planet. Despite our best efforts over the past few decades, there are still a lot of mysteries clouding the vast space and we are unsure whether we will be able to uncover all the answers in our lifetime.

Many are desperate to find out whether the human race can survive in another planet once Earth can no longer support existing life forms. However, it is still us to blame for the planet’s gradual destruction because of our abuse and misuse of Earth’s resources for our comfort and convenience. Nevertheless, it would be great if man can overcome the challenges of astronomical studies and make it possible for us to finally leave Earth for good, if worst comes to worst.

The Fascinating World Outside Our Planet Read more on: The New Influencers

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Developing Eco-friendly Technologies

We are all used to having technology being the focal point of our lives by now but tech innovators are gradually changing the landscape. Even young kids are adept at using the computer and most smart gadgets. Sadly, though, the environment suffers as we live a life of comfort and convenience. Pollution is a major issue as well as climate change and global warming. And we are not just talking about one type of pollution but on every form possible. And with an exploding population, our carbon footprint further increases as our demand for technology and resources continue to grow.

However, innovation is still possible without endangering the environment in the process with the help of a clean and safe green technology. We can continue to embrace the many wonders of technology and at the same time protect Mother Nature. Green tech is energy-efficient and generates less harmful wastes than when using regular technology. Although it is not yet available to the masses, there have been significant developments in this field that addresses waste management, water purification, and alternative sources of renewable energy.

A nasal filter that can ease breathing problems, a three-wheeler running on hydrogen, and cement that has a lower polluting effect, all have a common target: protect our precarious environment from further degradation. Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi are experimenting with new technologies, ecosensitive devices and mapping pollutants to make our environment and ecological habitats sustainable. The experiments, besides weaving a multi-disciplinary apparatus, have also boo sted the industry-academic collaborations.

“We have seen a drastic change in the environment in the last few years and, if not checked, this can be detrimental. While policy formulation will be done at the government level, there is an urgent need for academic institutions to scientifically analyse the data emanating from the atmosphere and provide the right unbiased inputs to the government,” IIT-Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao says.

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/how-iit-delhi-is-coming-up-with-eco-friendly-technologies-to-boost-a-sustainable-environment/articleshow/58980160.cms)

Green tech is still a new technology but you can see it being used in both small and large-scale industries. The tech industry is undoubtedly the biggest industry today with all the technologies running our lives and society in general. Unfortunately, we can all feel the strain of climate change and our fast depleting natural resources that encouraged concerned individuals to harness green technology for the betterment of everyone.

Going green does not necessarily have to cost you a fortune. It can start with a simple gesture like turning off the lights and air-conditioner when they are not in use. According to Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (Cetdem) executive director Anthony Tan Kee Huat, not all green initiatives or technologies are costly. “One of the most powerful tools are our fingers. With our fingers, we have the power to switch off the lights or any electrical appliances not being used. “It does not cost anything. In fact, you gain more by saving and cutting your electricity bills,” Tan told FMT after attending the European Climate Diplomacy Week forum at Taylor’s University yesterday.

Tan said the current thinking is that people are not motivated or educated enough to go green. “Their knowledge about going green is limited,” he said, adding that people mostly thought of hybrid and electric cars when it comes to being environment-friendly. “They are unaware of the fact that there are plenty of ways to go green without having to spend so much money.”

(Via: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/06/20/simple-and-inexpensive-ways-to-go-green/)

Others often think of alternative energy as the ones used in electric or hybrid cars. Well, they aren’t entirely mistaken but there is still a long list of ways of going green without putting a dent on your finances or going the extra mile. No need to totally revamp your home and your way of life because of your desire to do your part in saving the world. Let us all be friends with the environment because it has given so much to us over the years. It’s the least we can do for all the irreversible damage we have done.

It would also help if the government takes an active part in promoting green technology. They can start by passing legislations that address green technology and forcing the public to embrace it in their lives. We need to take this initiative seriously because we are running out of time. The planet is in a terrible shape right now and we should all do our part in protecting what’s left of it before it leads us to our ultimate doom.

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source https://www.newinfluencers.com/developing-eco-friendly-technologies/

The Need To Fund Scientific Research

Money makes the world go round that is without a doubt. Some even worship it because of the many things you can do with ease. You can buy beautiful clothes, jewelry, homes, cars, and all the luxuries in the world and no longer have to worry about what the future holds. However, having too much money isn’t the answer to all your problems because greed can do you a lot of harm. Money can make a world of difference where everyone can benefit when used right. For your information, about 1/3 to ½ of the economic prosperity we are now reaping is the product of the numerous developments since the end of the Second World War. Everything we take for granted today all started as an idea that became a reality with the help of scientific research.

Scientific developments fuel prosperity. Most progressive countries have spent a great deal of effort and money in discovering and developing many scientific innovations from scratch that not only propelled the economy upwards but also uplifted the lives of many. We all know scientific researches take time and require a lot of money. The government funds many of these researches in the name of science to also get ahead of other nations. Some of these researches can drag on and take years before something fruitful comes out of it but others deliver the results we are looking for in a short span of time. Many of these researches won’t even happen if the government did not believe in the vision of scientists in realizing the ideas circling in their heads.

For decades, Chicago has had a backyard view of science at its most sublime. At Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, physicists hone our understanding of the universe by trailblazing the frontier of the subatomic. At Argonne National Laboratory, scientists probe ways to make lighter, cheaper batteries for electric cars and smartphones, and tackle global water scarcity with membranes fine enough to filter out viruses and nanoscale pollutants.

That's practical research that recognizes how finite the planet's resources are. Advancing battery technology helps ensure a reliable power source for tomorrow's driverless cars and taxi drones. How bad are the world's water troubles? Water scarcity affects at least 700 million people in 43 countries, according to the United Nations. By 2025, the number of people living in areas without enough water will rise to 1.8 billion, the U.N. projects.

It's disturbing to see where that research fits into President Donald Trump's federal spending priorities. Under Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which oversees Fermi, Argonne and eight other national laboratories, would take a $900 million budget cut.

(Via: http://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/the-importance-of-funding-science-research/article_bf807855-f53f-5738-8adb-5444a19131f4.html)

No matter how much scientific research has contributed to the betterment of society, not everyone is a fan of it. We all heard about President Donald Trump’s budget cuts on various sectors like the arts and education. Science isn’t exempted either. These are just some of the things he doesn’t personally believe in like how we consider climate change as merely a hoax.

As Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt defended massive proposed budget cuts to a House subcommittee Thursday, experts from the nation’s top science organization voiced their support for one of the programs slated for elimination.

A report released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences — and prepared at the request of the EPA — argues that the agency’s Science to Achieve Results, or STAR, program, which provides millions of dollars in funding for scientific research each year, has contributed to important benefits for the environment and the public health. And it recommends that the agency continue to use it.

“This report shows that through STAR, EPA has created a vehicle that fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing, which have produced research that has supported interventions that may reduce the cost of regulations, protect public health, and save lives,” the document states.

(Via: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/06/16/this-epa-research-program-just-got-a-rave-scientific-review-trump-wants-to-eliminate-it/?utm_term=.22742e61cc9f)

Trump’s proposed 2018 budget will hurt various industries a lot and it is a major cause of concern for both environmentalists and scientists. Federal funding that supported scientific researches has initiated innovations on health and science that are desperately needed by the public. They wouldn’t all be possible without the government’s help. In reality, many of these programs that would be badly hit by the budget cut have produced lifesaving and practical results. Losing them would mean a certain harm for all Americans who would rather see their taxes go to much-needed scientific developments than border walls even if they are solar-powered.

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