“In the 21st century, a single genius is not enough. If geniuses like Einstein, Marie Curie and Max Planck changed the world in the twentieth century, we need to work together now to solve global challenges.”
At the ‘2020 Korea Science and Technology Exhibition-Winter Night Science Walk’ held at ScienceAll (www.scienceall.com) on the 26th, Taek-Hwan Hyun, Chair Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Seoul National University and head of the Nanoparticle Research Center at IBS Emphasized the importance of.
Director Hyun is a world-renowned scholar in the field of nanoscience who is considered a promising candidate for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He showed the potential of the Korean nanotechnology field by sharing the results of research in various nanotechnology fields currently being promoted non-face-to-face with citizens.
Hyeon Taek-hwan, head of the Nanoparticle Research Center at the Institute of Basic Sciences (IBS), who is considered a prominent candidate for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, gave a lecture on a science walk on a winter night in the 2020 Korea Science and Technology Fair. Ⓒ ScienceAll
Uniform nanoparticle synthesis, Solved by heating method
Nano-technology is a science technology that synthesizes and controls substances in small units of atomic and molecular units. Nano is a unit representing the level of one billionth. The reason nanotechnology that identifies and controls materials in such a small unit is important is that it is a’helper technology’ applied to the fields of IT (Information Technology), BT (Bio Technology), and ET (Environment Technology), which are essential for modern life. .
It is important to uniformly synthesize nanoparticle technology in large quantities. Director Hyun, who synthesized uniform nanoparticles by a heating method, received great attention from the academic world. He cited Samsung’s’QLED TV’ as the greatest achievement obtained by using the standard synthesis method for synthesizing uniform nanoparticles in industrial sites. The QLED TV or laptop screen we see is the result of mass synthesis of quantum dots properly and evenly.
Nano research is rapidly evolving not only in industrial fields, but also in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Director Hyun explained about high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast media using iron oxide nanoparticles under research and development.
Conventional MRI contrast agents were made of gadolinium. Gadolinium is toxic and can cause fatal problems when used by patients with renal failure. Director Hyun emphasized the need to develop a safe contrast agent, saying, “If you repeatedly use gadolinium contrast agents, the problem of hardening of the skin may occur. It may especially affect degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.”
Director Taekhwan Hyun predicted the present and future of nanotechnology. Ⓒ ScienceAll
MRI contrast agents based on iron oxide nanoparticles were found to have lower toxicity and higher contrast effects than conventional contrast agents. Director Hyun said, “Following experiments with mice, dogs, and pigs, we are currently promoting monkey experiments through joint research with China. It was applied to all levels of people.”
Ceria nanoparticles are also making an outstanding performance in the medical field. Director Hyun introduced the results of research on ceria nanoparticles for the treatment of incurable and incurable diseases. “We discovered nanoparticles that behave similar to enzymes in our body. It is ceria nanoparticles.” Ceria nanoparticles are expected to be of great effect in treating stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and sepsis.
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The beauty of real-time non-face-to-face confrontation, Exciting Science Battle Quiz
On the other hand, the science battle quiz of’Find the people of science virtues’ was held live on this day. For the science battle quiz asking about common sense of science, 100 pre-applicants threw out votes. Each player can participate in the game 4 times. As for the questions, a total of 60 questions were prepared, with 15 questions per round.
The Science Battle Quiz held on this day was exciting, showing unpredictable results until the end. Ⓒ ScienceAll
The first round started with a question of asking the’singularities’ claimed by Ray Kurzweil, an engineer and futurist at Google. Problems in various fields of science, such as black hole, penicillin, Stephen Hawking, and Higgs particles, were presented.
There were many problems that made it difficult for participants to choose. Why does the electrostatic induction phenomenon occur so well in a conductor? It is because of’this’ in the conductor. What is’this’? The answer is’free electronics’. The question of how to adjust the orbit using the gravity of the planet as one of the navigation of the space probe also made participants wonder. The correct answer is’swing by’.
There has also been a problem with the novel coronavirus infection-19 (Covid-19). The question was asked about the type of vaccine developed by Pfizer, a US pharmaceutical company that recently came out as a corona vaccine. The answer is’RNA vaccine’. The Pfizer vaccine is the first mRNA vaccine to be vaccinated. There were three dropouts in this matter.
A science battle quiz with various questions in general science. Ⓒ ScienceAll
The third round was more difficult. When asked about the theorem about the topological features of a three-dimensional sphere, which was one of the seven major mathematics problems in the Millennium, the Poincaré guess was all incorrect. All 3 people who had all the wrong problems were again the losers and resurrected and solved the 9th problem. In quantum mechanics, it was a question asking an experiment to distinguish between the wave and particle properties of the subject. The correct answer is’double slit experiment’.
Until the quiz was over, the situation where I could not relax the tension continued, and the atmosphere was heightened. The winners of each round of the exciting game exclaimed in one voice, saying, “I feel like I was participating in a meaningful event on Christmas.” The prize money received by the winners will be donated to the underprivileged children in the name of the winner.
Science communicator Mok Jeong-wan, who played the battle quiz game, said, “Everyone who took the quiz together until the end is the winner.” “I hope you will always meet science closer and more fun in your daily life.”
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