Eco-STEM

By Olivia O'Donnell, Sidwell Friends School Over the past few decades, scientists have begun to understand the dangers of synthetic chemicals. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring alerted the world to the ramifications of pesticide use in 1962 and since then, there has been increased research into man-made chemicals and their harmful effects on our environment. One group of these chemicals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have made their way into local waterways and pose a major threat to many aquatic ecosystems. EDCs are chemicals that affect the body’s endocrine system, which controls reproduction, growth, and development. EDCs mimic the hormones used by the endocrine system, leading to abnormal processes and side effects in the body such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, learning di...

By Michael Yao, Sidwell Friends School Artificial Intelligence is an incredibly powerful tool that has garnered a somewhat infamous reputation for its role in the targeted ads and eerily specific content recommendations of the modern world. However, AI’s aptitude at solving complex problems and rapid adaptation can also be used in more positive and impactful ways as well. One area that has attracted particular interest is its potential role to help resolve the climate crisis. In fact, research into how AI can be harnessed to address climate change has already begun.  Dr. David Rolnick (Assistant Professor of Computer Science at McGill University) and his work have been at the forefront of this push. Together with several other researchers, Rolnick co-authored a paper investigati...

By Kiran Mahurkar, Sidwell Friends School What is Hydroelectric Energy? Hydroelectric energy is any method that uses the movement of water to generate electricity for use. It can also be referred to as hydropower, hydroelectric power, and hydroelectricity.  How Does it Work? The most common method of generating hydroelectricity is by placing turbines, devices that turn rotational energy into electricity through the use of magnets, in a place where water is flowing quickly, usually accompanied by rotors. There are three main methods that use this process to generate hydroelectricity. In the simplest method, known as “run-of-the-river,” turbines are placed in a river, usually on a dam that only partially confines water. As the water flows through the turbines, electricity is...