Are Self‑Driving Cars Safe Enough for Public Roads?

 Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are no longer a future fantasy in 2025, but a real-world phenomenon on roads in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Shanghai. They promise to transform transportation by mitigating human error, optimizing traffic flow, and opening doors for the disabled. But their increasing presence raises a question: Are these vehicles safe enough for use on public roads? High-profile accidents, such as the 2018 Uber fatality that happened to a pedestrian in Arizona, and more recent ones involving Waymo and Cruise cars, have led to public mistrust. This post explores the safety of autonomous cars, analyzing the scientific research into their behavior, the problems they face, and why it is necessary to know about them to determine the future of transportation.

Is Nuclear Energy the Answer to Our Climate Crisis— or a Risk We Can’t Afford?

Countries around the world are trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without hurting their economies. As a result, more people are talking about a possible “nuclear comeback.” Supporters say nuclear power is reliable and produces almost no carbon emissions. Critics, however, worry about past disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima, as well as the high cost of building new plants. With opinions divided, the big question is: could new nuclear reactors help fight climate change, or are they a costly and risky distraction from safer options?

Can Nuclear Energy Solve the Climate Crisis?

 As the energy demand rises, the world heats up, and nonrenewable energy sources appear less fruitful in the eyes of society, nuclear power has been explored by many countries as an option to expand their energy network. The world is divided on this topic though, mainly due to some concerning challenges with implementation of nuclear facilities [1]. This sparks the debate, can nuclear energy solve the climate crisis?

Is 3D Printing Overhyped in Engineering and the Public?

  Imagine a technology that could literally create something out of nothing. This is exactly how people viewed 3D printers when they burst onto the scene 15 years ago. People were amazed by 3D printers and they became extremely popular. Since then, they have become increasingly attainable and affordable [1], with many schools and universities having 3D printers for their students to use (Fig. 1). More technically sophisticated 3D printers have also made their way into niche sectors, such as the production of airplane parts and even the construction of houses [2], [3]. 

Are Visual Effects Getting Too Real for Comfort?

In a hyper-realist cinematic universe of AI-generated faces, digital clones, and simulated reality, the binary between reality and simulation has never been less in focus. From the deserts of Dune that scorch to the digital re-emergence of the stars in Star Wars, today's visual effects (VFX) now replicate reality so well that amateur audiences can no longer tell what's real and what's not. That goggle-eyed leap is inspiring, though it also poses an unsettling question: have we passed the point beyond which VFX is too real to be reassuring?

The human interest to dominate and colonize should end at Earth, and not expand to the cosmos

In recent years space exploration and space colonization have been used interchangeably and treated as synonymous. Space exploration is a simple endeavor with a complicated mission to understand the universe we occupy. Space colonization is the project to expand humanity beyond the planet we now call home. That humans should and could expand beyond the earth and settle all possible planets throughout the cosmos has been a desire for decades. This desire does not seem to discriminate and can be found nestled in the hearts of many, from the average worker to the richest people on the planet. The first ambition for space colonization can be attributed to the Moon. The space race between the USA and USSR basically boiled down to who could reach the Moon first to assert a colonial claim. The current fever around space tourism has similar patterns, although its modern permutation has greater ambition than the Moon. The new goal, Mars, is a mostly American obsession and project. 

Are the Microplastics Inside Us a Ticking Health Bomb?

It used to sound like dystopian fiction that pieces of commonplace packaging may be passing through our arteries. Then, in 2022, 80% of the blood samples analyzed by Dutch researchers included polymer fragments [1]. "Microplastics in humans" went from being a minor concern to the front page of the news overnight.

Is Active Aero on Street Cars an Engineering Breakthrough or High-Speed Hype?

You’re cruising down the interstate when the rear wing on the sports sedan ahead of you twitches upward, almost like a bird adjusting its feathers. Moments later, the grille shutters on the family SUV in the next lane snap shut to slice through the air. New cars move even when they’re just driving in a straight line, thanks to active aerodynamics, body panels that change shape to cut drag, save fuel, or glue tires to pavement. Engineers hail these gizmos as the next leap in road-car safety and efficiency. Skeptics smell over-engineered gadgetry that breaks more often than it helps. Who’s right? Let’s dig in.

Can Stem Cells Heal Without Harming Ethics?

In the age of incredible medical advancements, stem cell research has become one of the most controversial yet potentially beneficial fields in medicine. From the promise of repairing nerve damage to the potential to cure currently incurable diseases like Parkinson’s, stem cells have inspired a strong sense of hope for the future of healthcare and medicine. However, that same hope has been met with hesitation and controversy, particularly around how stem cells are sourced. Back in 2001, President George W. Bush restricted federal funding for stem cell research, only allowing cell lines that already existed and had been created prior to his policy [1]. Later, in 2009, President Barack Obama established an executive order that revoked Bush’s policy and allowed federal funding for stem cell research[2]. 

Are We Trading Oil Wars for Lithium Wars?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are often celebrated as the clean alternative to gasoline-powered cars—but behind every shiny battery lies a complex nexus of resource extraction, geopolitics, and environmental justice. As we shift from oil-powered transportation to EVs, a vital question emerges: Are we simply replacing one set of global harms with another? [1]

Can Engineering Help Cities Choose the Right Kind of Green?

The pressure of climate change and population increase is growing and is becoming a threat to urban infrastructure constantly. Urban water management has had the backbone of traditional “gray” infrastructure for decades. These engineered networks of sewers and pipes have been a solution but have often come with high costs, environmental trade-offs, and little to no flexibility. On the more recent side there is “green” infrastructure consisting of rain gardens, green roofs, and even parks which can offer multi-purpose land use, along with multiple benefits. The improvements to public health, and air quality have driven cities to invest more but eventually these benefits plateau and costs increase or are difficult to implement and maintain (Zhou 2014). Luckily researchers have begun to look into more options than just the two. Enter “blue-green” infrastructure, a new approach to managing stormwater that is hybrid, blending both engineering and natural elements to get the best of both worlds. The hybrid model allows for the environmental and even social benefits while managing stormwater more effectively. 

Can Geoengineering Really Save Us From Climate Disaster?

In 2015, the nations of the world resolved in the Paris Agreement to keep the increase in the global average temperature to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels’ and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Despite this goal, it is unlikely that the increase will remain below 2°C celsius, and it is almost certain that it won’t stay below 1.5 [1]. In order to help reach these long-term temperature goals, global action must be accelerated far beyond the current level, which will only be possible with a new type of technology, that is, geoengineering.

Does Internet Censorship Protect Society—or Control It?

Imagine waking up and checking your feed, only to find that your favorite creator has disappeared overnight.

Should We Be Scared of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes?

In 2023, nearly 263 million people across 83 countries were infected with malaria—a staggering 11 million more than in the previous year [1]. Despite decades of dedicated efforts, the disease continues to disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations. Over 90% of malaria-related deaths occur in African children, who often succumb to complications such as severe anemia, cerebral malaria, or respiratory distress [2].