Top 10: What are the greatest scientific or technological advances?
- From artificial intelligence to self-driving cars and Google’s quantum computer ‘Sycamore’, here are the discoveries that leave us in awe
- Things like robotic surgery and translation technology have can have a huge impact on our lives
Technology is growing at a rapid speed - can you keep up?I find the rapid development of translation technology simply amazing. It has made it even easier for language to be a bridge that helps people from different countries to talk to each other.
What’s more, because there are so many types of translation technology, it is more convenient than ever to read books, watch films, and listen to music in other languages. This helps to spread different cultures and knowledge around the world.
Akari Yu, 15, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College
Google has invented a quantum computer called Sycamore, which is 1.5 billion times faster than the fastest supercomputer. To put it simply, Sycamore completed in about 200 seconds a calculation that would keep the fastest computer on Earth busy for 10,000 years, according to tech company.
I think this technology is really cool. This “quantum supremacy” could revolutionise the future of computing and help us become even more advanced.
Fiona Woo, 14, King Ling College
What question would you ask your future self?
It’s got to be artificial intelligence. Currently, AI machines can understand human speech, drive themselves, recognise faces, and play chess.
AI is also used to improve websites or phone apps by analysing viewer, customer or user data. I am amazed by what AI machines can do. They can certainly help us a lot.
I’m thinking about pursuing a career as an AI programmer or developer.
Ice Chow Sze-lok, 13, St Mary’s Canossian College
Virtual reality is a wonderful experience. Using a VR headset or helmet, people can do things they would love to do in real life, or enter a fantasy world.
You have to be careful, though, because your brain will convince you that the things around you are real, and you could lose your balance and fall when trying to interact with the objects.
Lee Cheuk-lam, 12, Maryknoll Fathers’ School
Can you tell what's real and what's not in virtual reality?
Robotic surgery is a new technology which can really help patients.
Traditional surgery usually creates a big wound, so it can take a long time to recover from an operation. But robotic surgery causes only a very small wound. There is less pain and a smaller risk of infection and blood loss. This means you can leave the hospital earlier.
Also, the cameras on the robots have much better vision than the human eye, so the system is safer, too!
Angela Chung, 16, Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School
The most remarkable technology is the smartphone. Besides making phone calls, taking pictures and playing music, smartphones can help us get out of difficult situations. For example, I got lost one day in an unfamiliar place with nobody around. Fortunately, I had my mobile phone and could call my parents for help immediately.
I am very grateful for the person who invented smartphones.
Katie Wong, 13, Pope Paul VI College
American scientists recently announced the first cloning of an endangered animal native to the United States.
A black-footed ferret, named Elizabeth Ann, was created in December from the cells of an animal that died more than 30 years ago.
It’s great news that scientists are using this technology to save endangered animals, but if bad people get their hands on it, we would all be in big trouble.
Felix Shaw Hin-tik, 15, Ho Yu College and Primary School
What would happen if a vampire bit a zombie?
I’m really excited about self-driving cars, which we could see on our roads in a few years time. They are much safer than cars driven by humans.
Data shows that more than 1.35 million people are killed in traffic accidents around the world.
Self-driving cars can prevent accidents caused by human error.
Lisa Jian, 15, Fung Kai No 1 Secondary School
Rockets. Since humans developed rockets, many countries have been able to send satellites of all shapes and sizes into space.
The satellites can be used to predict weather and natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes.
All these things can be discovered because of the rockets.
Isaac Fok,15, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
The innovation of machine learning. When the artificial intelligence program AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol, the 18-time champion of the board game, Go, the world was stunned because the game requires creative and strategic thinking.
Machine learning has improved immensely over the past few years. It can also be used with communication apps.
For instance, GazeSpeak is an AI mobile app that converts eye movements into speech. It enables people who suffer from ALS (or motor neurone disease) to communicate with their families. It is an impressive achievement.
Vila Chung Sing-shing, 14, Hong Kong and Kowloon Chiu Chow Public Association Secondary School
Our question for next week is: Who is a woman that inspires you, and why?
If you’d like to take part, please send your response, along with your full name, age and school, to [email protected] by Friday 12 March!