The Curse of the Weak Passport

I’ve been cursed. Cursed with a weak passport. Or so I thought.

Prior to packing my bags and being ready to go, I usually browse the net to check if the country I’m going to requires a visa. I see the map below and wonder why the grey areas won’t allow me to enter their countries – free of paying visa fees and tedious arrangements. I’m not a criminal. :) Do they hate us?

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Genetic Enhancement - Yay or Nay?

Would you want to alter your future children’s genes to make them smarter, stronger, or better looking? This is the question that visits us at least once in our lives. I can still remember my science teacher in high school telling us what future people will look like – grotesque, big-headed, small arms and legs, small torso – generally a small body, wide eyes, and somewhat telepathic. At least, that was based on a predetermined conclusion by early scientists, and during that time, gene editing was in its nascent stage. However, gene editing is now finally realised.

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How Can I Remember What I've Learned?

This is a totally mindf&cking question that has plagued me for ages. A lot of my students, and at times, colleagues ask me this unavoidable query.  It is quite difficult to acquire new knowledge, but it is proven to be more challenging retaining it. This is actually a subject I have researched a couple of years ago which I shall share my findings with you now.

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What If the Universe Has a Delete Button?

There are many doomsday scenarios to go around nowadays. For instance, the show called No Tomorrow has a main character, Xavier, who believes that the world will end in eight months and twelve days due to an asteroid hit. He then makes an “apocalyst” – a bucket list of things he needs to do before he dies. Needless to say, it’s a very unlikely scenario from happening in reality, or is it?

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Is a Totalitarian Government Good for the World?

There has been a massive shift in the dynamics of the foreign policy of the Philippines. Leaning towards China and Russia, a surge of anti-U.S. sentiments have sprouted and are initiated by no less than the president of this island nation. Looking for better ways to advance the quality of life, the Philippine government is seeking mutual benefit deals with neighbouring nations to develop infrastructure and eventually boost economic significance. This is because sovereignty doesn’t only equate to subjective freedom, but it also means we are responsible for taking care of ourselves. Hence, what would it be like if we weren’t? What would it be like for everyone if we have a totalitarian government instead?

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Are You Talking to a Real Person Online?

Have you ever wondered if the person you’ve been chatting to online is real? I have some bad news for you, but a tad good news for science. The good news is that artificial intelligence has gone one level up that opens numerous possibilities for positive scientific advancement. The bad news, however, is that you may have been talking to a bot online.

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Would You Upload Your Consciousness to the Cloud?

In my line of interests, futurism has always had a soft place in my heart. I’m eternally curious about what the future holds for all of us. If we’re experiencing only a fraction of technological transcendences, what wonders do we behold a few years or decades from now? I get flashes. Sometimes I dream of places I have never been to. There are, of course, multiple scientific and medical explanations for such a predicament, but bear with me. Given the chance, if you’re given the ability to upload yourself to a computer, would you do it?

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