Ethics in science has long been an essential aspect to the scientific community. This was the topic of this morning’s lecture. Whether scientific knowledge and discoveries are used for better or for worse, scientists must take into consideration the possible outcomes of their findings. Nuclear fission, for example, can be used either for destruction (as in the case of the atomic bomb) or as a clean energy source in nuclear power plants. There is so much more to science than simply making a new discovery. Today, stem cell research stands as an example of clashing ideals. Is it wrong to use an embryo to save a life? Is it ethical? These are the questions scientists must ask themselves.
We also paid a visit to the anechoic chamber. It was an impressive room with a suspended mesh wire floor. The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered with what appeared to be cardboard lining. The room was sealed off and complete darkness followed. With complete darkness and silence one could see the blood flow in their eyes and hear the ringing of their ears. The anechoic chamber is probably the only place and the only time I will ever be in complete silence and darkness. On top of that, the room was enclosed in a Faraday Cage that cut off all external interference. I felt as if I were completely lost in an infinite amount of dark space.
the anechoic chamber
After we had given our eyes time to adjust to light, we were given rolls of tape that in complete darkness produce a light fluorescent glow when pulled. No one really understands this phenomenon. How would anybody ever go about and discover this in the first place? Maybe there are other everyday household materials that produce light. Under these controlled conditions we were also able to listen to interference patterns in sound waves. Walking around the room with two sources of sound, sound waves collided with each other and specific spots within the room became quieter than others canceling each other out.