Investigating the Effects of Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Levels on Nannochloropsis oceanica Using a Hemocytometer Counting Method
Climate changes that include ocean acidification and global warming are serious problems in the ecosystem, affecting marine phytoplankton, including Nannochloropsis oceanica. In the effort to further explore the impact of rising temperature and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations on oceanic ecosystems, the phytoplankton Nannochloropsis oceanica was used as a model organism. This study explored the effect of temperature change and CO₂ concentration on the growth of Nannochloropsis oceanica, achieving 243 samples that were tested with three different temperatures (24 degrees Celsius (°C), 28°C, 32°C) and CO₂ concentrations (0 milliliter (ml)/min, 0.4 ml/min, 0.6 ml/min), utilizing a hemocytometer counting method. Results indicate that the CO₂ concentration has a significant effect on the population of Nannochloropsis oceanica. But the temperature doesn't affect a lot. The Nannochloropsis oceanica in the lowest temperature and highest concentration of CO₂ in its environment had the highest population growth, and in the highest temperature and lowest concentration of CO₂, it had the lowest population growth. Results show the serious negative effect of climate change on the cosystem and the importance of environmental protection. Population blooms due to excess CO₂ taking up ocean resources causing dangerous ecological imbalances.
THIRD-LIFE: Real Life Accident Alerting, Live Locations and Notifications to Emergency Service
The country of Nepal, although beautiful, is facing many challenges due to its geography, lying between the towering Himalayas and the vast plains of Terai. The narrow mountain roads, prone to landslides and poor infrastructure, often result in frequent accidents. This situation is worsened by the delayed emergency response, as accidents are often reported much later than the time they occur. In the past ten years, over 15 major bus accidents have killed hundreds of people, and in 2024 alone, more than 80 deaths were reported. In response, the "Third Life" project was developed to improve emergency response time and save lives.The project has two main components: first, a device equipped with GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), a GPS module (Global Positioning System), a gyroscopic sensor, and a microcontroller to detect accidents in real-time within seconds of the incident. Second, once an accident is detected, live coordinates are sent directly to emergency services and police stations for immediate assistance.This project is not only vital for Nepal but also for countries with similar terrain and infrastructure challenges. The "Third Life" project aims to save many lives that are lost due to delayed reporting, ensuring quicker emergency responses.A tragic example of this was the 2024 Trishuli bus accident, where many lives were lost when the bus plunged into the river. To date, the bus has not been recovered. Our project aims to create a waterproof device that, when connected to a satellite, will send live coordinates to emergency services, ensuring 100% reliability. This device could help locate the bus, which is still missing, within seconds.Ultimately, this initiative offers more than just safety it restores peace of mind and hope for the families of victims, providing them with a chance for a better future despite the tragedy.
PiezoPioggia: Energy Harvesting with Raindrops
MAGALH˜AES, Eduardo De Mˆonaco. PiezoPioggia: Energy Harvesting with Raindrops. 2024. 24 p. Research report – Scientific Apprentice Program, Col´egio Dante Alighieri, S˜ao Paulo, 2024. This project wishes to study and analyze the possibility of generating clean and accessible energy with the plain impact of droplets in the ground. Therefore, it was necessary to use piezoelectric devices in order to convert the kinetic energy of each droplet into electric energy throughout piezoelectric energy harvesting processes, (PEH). Piezoelectricity is a method of clean and sustainable energy generation, developed and explored by several scientists worldwide. Thus, while studying the proprieties of those devices, the project evaluates the present situation of electricity harvesting in Brazil, the benefits of piezoelectric technology and the possibilities it presents to economy and society. Throughout the development the project builds itself upon mathematical equations and experimental results, analyzing the deformation and generated tensions of piezos. Brand new data on the behavior of rain, as well as about the potential it presents for PEH are highlighted throughout the research, reinforcing the value of such process as a sustainable energy generation method alongside with its investment potential, both from governmental and private institutions. The project also deeply characterizes the piezoelectric device studied, diving deeply in its characteristics and evaluating the deformation of the device and treating the data sets with statistical analysis methods, in order to improve the precision of the data presented. All in all, the opportunities of piezoelectric energy harvesting in the rain, nella pioggia, shall be discussed profoundly throughout the project.