From the Labs...
Lunar Research and Liquid Crystal
by Josh Desmarais

Welcome again to this small corner of the great expanse of journalistic intrigue. The time of this issue, given its short period of time intervening between the last, did not exactly allow for many terribly interesting technologies to spring forth the minds and laboratories of individuals throughout the world. Regardless, this section marches onward.
Space is often called the final frontier, though it isn’t the absolute final frontier, and it is soon becoming a rather old frontier. Plans have been confirmed to put a research base on the moon – a key step in doing much of anything of interest to the distant red planet Mars. These are most assuredly very, very distant plans – the date in mind is 2020, but at the very least this acts as a confirmation that they are more than mere rumors. The purpose of this research base is to allow for easier launches to Mars from the moon, but given that it will likely require people to manage it even while nobody is using it, the physiological aspects of moon life must be considered. Living in a low gravity zone has adverse effects on one’s body – bones and muscle deteriorate, circulatory issues arise. Even aside from internal conflicts, external issues with the moon’s lack of atmosphere, continual pelting by cosmic rays and micrometeorites as well as copious amounts of very abrasive dust all pose rather large risks to visitors to the natural satellite.
Much like apple pie and baseball, bacon might be considered by some to be a great American pastime. Like many American pastimes, though, bacon is unhealthy – until soon! Well, it will only be made relatively less unhealthy, rather, it will merely have more health benefits added to it, rather than any of the current ones detracted from it. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for human health and brain development, and everybody could stand to eat more of it. Researchers have figured out how to increase omega-3 content in pigs by adding some sections of DNA from a little tiny worm – roundworm C. elegans to regular pig DNA. This plan, as with the moon research base, is also quite far off – probably not quite so far off in the future as 2020, though. However, procession through the FDA’s rigorous approval system will likely make it so this technology doesn’t see meat lockers for quite a few years, guaranteed.
Nearly anyone can point out a liquid crystal display. Hand-held game devices, digital watches, digital clocks, flat-panel computer monitors – this technology can apparently be put into play in optometry now. A report on this application has recently been published, revealing the technology, which is this: liquid crystals placed between two glass plates are subjected to various electrical charges, which essentially change the makeup of the lens and thus its vision-fixing application. The device runs on low voltage, so there is no real danger of high voltage electrocution, and if there is no voltage, the lenses are essentially off and thus are safe for use while driving. The lenses must currently be manually adjusted, though, of course, a rangefinder is in the works for the future. Speaking of the future, like most developments mentioned in this editorial, this too is due for the future, but not a distant one! A mere few years at most, and people will then be able to have electrical impulses shooting across their eyes.