In 1964 a very clever engineer, called Douglas Engelbart, invented a tiny device that changed the whole concept of how we interact with machines. By moving the device, a pointer on a screen moved, while tapping a button with your finger would cause an action. I’m talking about the mouse—a device now taken for granted—but back in its inception it had revolutionised the way we instructed machines. Instead of giving commands through a keyboard, the mouse made it possible to work in 2D.Continue reading
Unlocking the mysteries of the brain with MRI. Everything we think, say, or do depends on our brain. It is the most vital organ of our body but one of the least understood. Recent advances are changing things. With magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scientists and researchers are getting an inside look into what makes us tick. Cassi Camilleri speaks to Dr Sonia Waiczies Chetcuti, Dr Helmar Waiczies and Prof. Kenneth Camilleri about their vision for experimental MRI in Malta. Illustrations by Sonya Hallett.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have increased dramatically in the last few decades. Famous for causing global warming, CO2 is also resulting in the acidification of seas and oceans. This disturbs the rich life of the marine ecosystem, which affects human communities dependent on this environment for their livelihood. For islands like Malta and Gozo, this problem is particularly important. This ‘silent crisis’ has attracted the X-prize Competition organisers who have set a $2 million dollar prize to be awarded to anyone that can develop stable, inexpensive, and precise acidity (pH) sensors to help understand the acidification of marine environments. At the same time, a European COST initiative (Supramolecular Chemistry in Water) is encouraging the design of water-soluble molecules which can recognise analytes. Most chemical sensors do not perform well in water.Continue reading
Indie games have allowed a new generation of creative developers to experiment. Nostalgia is a leading trope: defunct genres are being resurrected, and the 8-bit aesthetic is a stylistic trademark. Adhering to this practice, the first episode of Hotline Miami chewed-up old-school arcade games and nineties ultraviolence, mixing it up with a contemporary, psychedelic audiovisual blend.
Hotline Miami 2 keeps all of that with a set of new mechanics: players can now shoot sideways, roll under enemy fire, and brandish katanas. The game’s greatest merit is to carefully balance unabashed mayhem with careful strategy. You will need to memorise patterns and act quickly at the right time. And then, do it again and again.
As a sequel, Hotline Miami 2 feels rather conventional. As expected, every part of the game has been expanded and the game mechanics have been completely exploited. Its narrative has been exhausted and lost sequential logic. It now serves as a backdrop for yet another suicide assault.
Hotline Miami 2 is undoubtedly a joy: a well-crafted, ultrafast ride, with a fantastic, inspired soundtrack. The game is designed to satisfy its fanbase. The struggle continues between innovation and conservatism.
‘Release the Kraken’ is a very famous quote from Clash of the Titans. In the movie scene, a monstrous being, with characteristics of both squid and octopus, is summoned from the sea to smash a city to the ground. The Kraken is clearly a mythological creature, but the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) is very real. The monstrously large squid grows to an estimated 12–14 m in length and has sharp swivelling or three-pointed hooks on its limbs. The bloated carcasses of this organism could have inspired the ancients. Large adults have never been caught since it is thought to live around 2.2 km beneath the water’s surface when it develops. Like the Kraken it is a very elusive creature that is rarely seen.
My 100 word idea to change Malta
By Dr James Corby
The University of Malta is central to our knowledge economy, and yet it is chronically underfunded. The University performs well despite underfunding, so imagine the heights that could be scaled with more adequate support.
My idea? Scrap the scandalously outmoded stipends system. Instead, make student financial support entirely elective (students decide whether they want support); money is then given to students as an interest-free loan, which they only start to repay once they have graduated and are earning more than a minimum threshold salary. The money saved would be directed into research, postgraduate and postdoctoral initiatives, and infrastructure and technology.
Please accept my apologies for reviewing a well-known book by a renowned, and late, atheist almost ten years after publication. My reasons for doing so are threefold. Firstly, the book and author have both lost some of their notoriety with younger students. Secondly, the book should appeal to both to humanities and science students and will, with luck, generate conversation across disciplines. And finally, the book is brilliantly written, cleverly argued, and deserves to be read particularly after the dust of the New-Atheist movement has started (perhaps) to settle.Continue reading
Dr Maria Galea writes about her journey into the world of Maltese Sign Language and bringing a logical framework to the written form of the language. This work has the potential to empower the approximately 400 deaf people in Malta.
