3D Printing Technology in Various Fields

Have you ever heard about 3D printing? The 3D printing which is also known as additive manufacturing was invented in 1981 by Hideo Kodama of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute. According to Wikipedia, the 3D printing refers to processes used to synthesize a three-dimensional object in which successive layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object. The 3D printing technology has been developed and emergence of 3D printing technology is challenging the way many products have been traditionally made. The 3D printing technology has been used in various fields especially in the manufacturing, healthcare, and cosmetics industries.

The first field that the 3D printing is making a huge impact on is the manufacturing industry. Alome Galjaard, a senior designer at engineering consultancy Arup, said “The 3D printing can have a huge impact on everything from the design process to production, storage, installation and recycling.” It could allow engineers to make things that are not able to produce before by using amazing techniques. Storage and transport can become cheaper as products can be created on site and even installation could be easier if the function of multiple products is integrated in one.

The second field that the 3D printing is giving a big influence on is the healthcare industry. Researchers at Princeton University have successfully printed a prototype outer ear from hydrogel which are human cells and silver nanoparticles. In addition, there is a story that a two years old girl born with a serious heart defect who needed a life-saving operation to patch a hole between her ventricles. The patch had to be constructed with the uppermost precision, so doctors at St. Thomas Hospital in London turned to 3D printing to ensure that the operation was a successful. In fact, the ability to produce personalized medical solutions is one of the main advantages of 3D printing.

The third field that the 3D printing is making a large effect on is the beauty industry. In 2014, Grace Choi who is a Harvard Business School student first presented her new invention, the Mink 3D makeup printer, at Tech Crunch. She showed how to pull a color from any image online. Using Adobe Photoshop, Chio chose to copy the exact eye shadow shade then printed it directly onto a cosmetic substrate using a printer. The ink-jet printer went to work dyeing a colorless powder and in less than 30 seconds she had the same eye shadow. Furthermore, L’Oreal which is a global cosmetics firm announced a partnership with Organovo last year to 3D print human skin.

             Research by CCS Insight suggests the 3D-printing industry will grow from $1.15 billion in 2013 to $4.8 billion in 2018. In conjunction with the 3D printing technology, the manufacturing, healthcare, and cosmetics industries are growing together. The 3D printing technology is helping not only suppliers but also consumers to enrich their lives in various fields. As always did before, valuable and great invention changes the future.

The Brown Revolution: Making Healthy Soil

             Could you imagine that you live on devastated soil? In fact, the soil has been more complicated and damaged since there are humans on the earth. Therefore, people need to change soil healthier in order to ensure a sustainable future and there is a way to do: the Brown Revolution. According to unofficial leader, Jim Howell who first named it, the brown revolution is a modern spin on the green revolution of the mid-twentieth century to make soil healthier. Impacts of the healthy soil are wide-ranging that it improves human health, halts soil erosion and has potential to slow down the climate change.

             First influence of the brown revolution is that it enhances human health through food. By using cover crops which are also called green manure, it helps to enrich soil and to make healthy food. For example, a farmer may decide to plant a fast-growing cover crop after a harvest rather than keeping the land empty. Having a cover crop is better than leaving the land barren and unused, because cover crops interact with the soil by exchanging nutrients through the roots and building richer soils. Plus, it makes fewer pesticides are needed to keep the land free of weeds. Even better, cover crops such like buckwheat are also healthy.

             Second effect of the brown revolution is that it can be a solution to soil erosion. Healthy bacterial activity acts as glue and helps soil clump together. However, excessive pesticides and herbicides destroy soil’s complex and delicate bacterial activity. Also, those create soil that is loose and does not hold together. When there is a soaking rainfall, rich soil can clump and hold onto the water to store it for plants. On the other hands, unhealthy soil gets washed away with the rain bringing dirt and pesticides into the waterways and eroding the earth. Once a soil’s nutrients have been depleted, a vicious cycle of soil loss begins.

             Third implication of the brown revolution is that healthy soil can give benefit to climate change by using cover crops and pasture. If there are more cover crops and pasture, there will be more plants and roots to transfer carbon dioxide out of the air and into our soil. Taking carbon dioxide out of the air will reduce the impact of humans’ carbon creating activities. According to a report which is released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, planting cover crops on half the corn and soybean acres in the top agricultural states in U.S.A could sequester more than 19 million metric tons of carbon annually – the equivalent of taking more than 4 million cars off the road.

             The brown revolution is a good way to confirm a sustainable future because it helps to make people healthier by having healthy foods, it interrupts soil erosion by healthy bacterial activity, and it prevents climate change by decreasing carbon dioxide. There is a famous saying that Franklin D. Roosevelt gave. “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” As the saying, soil is fundamental to living and should be protected for the sustainable future.

Train: the Most Important Element in Snowpiercer

   If new ice age starts again, what could you do to be survived? There is a place that you can live: a train. The movie named Snowpiercer, directed by Joon-ho Bong in 2013, is a science fiction thriller film that deals with living in the ice age. And the train is a very important element in the movie because it is the only place to be survived and reflects our real society.
   The train is influential in the movie because it is the only place to be survived in the ice age. The nations release the substance CW-7 with the intention of controlling the global warming, but accidentally it results in another ice age which is destroying the Earth. Then the transportation magnate, Wilford, creates a massive train named Snowpiercer which is driven by perpetual motion engine. The train travels a circumnavigation track and the survivors only can live in the train. The train is the key as the background device to make progress in the story.
   In addition, the train plays a role to reflect our real society. For 17years, the train has been hurtled around the globe creating its own economy and class system. The elite live in the front section of the train which is luxurious and extravagant having enough foods and drinks. On the other hand, a group of lower-class citizens live in squalor at the back of the train. And they are brought only gelatinous protein bars to eat and kept in their place in the social order under watch by Wilford’s guards. Those show a gap between the rich and the poor well which really exists in our society.
   The movie, Snowpiercer, could not go along without the setting train as the important place because main characters only can live in the train and reflects irrationalities of the society. And through those setting, the movie has been considered by many viewers that the subject of the movie is fresh and also it reminds people the seriousness of global warming and the problem of wealth gap.

Advantages of Gangwon-do DMZ Geo-park

DMZ (demilitarized zone) of Gangwon province in Korea was designated as a geo-park by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2012. The geo-park is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there. This geo-park cooperates with Gangwon-do, and five local autonomous entities such as Cheolwon-gun, Hwacheon-gun, Yanggu-gun, Inje-gun, and Goseong-gun. The Gangwon-do DMZ geo-park can cause positive effects that it contributes to the securing of DMZ, revival of the local economy, and enhancement of tourists’ satisfaction as a geo-tourism.

One merit of the Gangwon-do DMZ geo-park is that it assists to the securing of international competitiveness of DMZ. The demilitarized zone of Gangwon-do was stuck in tension previously because of the war in Korea. After the ceasefire, residence and development were banned or restricted in the area for 60 years. Because of that reason, people tended to be reluctant to visit the area and even if they want to visit there they needed strong confirmation process. However, through the designation as a geo-park, the demilitarized zone was recreated as zone of peace symbolically.

The Gangwon-do DMZ geo-park has the other benefit that it helps the regional economy of the bordering districts to grow maintaining their environment and culture at the same time. As DMZ of Gangwon-do was designated as the geo-park, new local jobs were stimulated such as tour guide using human resources. Also, residents develop and sell local specialty such as liquor made with nature pine mushrooms and Hwangtae which is dried pollack. Then local people can get more money than before.

In addition, the Gangwon-do DMZ geo-park can enhance the tourists’ satisfaction. The DMZ of Gangwon-do has diverse heritages as landform, geology, culture, ecology and history. Local guides teach tourists about their nature and ecological system such as red-crowned crane which is natural monument. And the tourists can learn their history such as Korean War and their local culture such as making rice cake. The travelers can experience firsthand local culture, and it helps them promote understanding of the nature and culture of the place they visit.

The advantages of Gangwon-do DMZ geo-park are contribution to the securing of DMZ, revival of the local economy, and promotion of tourists’ satisfaction as a geo-tourism. DMZ in Gangwon-do has been formed in history of Korea, and possesses cultures unique to DMZ. By using that, this geo-tourism aims to promote the sustainable development of its bordering districts while maintaining the history, culture, and eco-resources unique to this district.

SELF-INTRODUCTION

Hello! Welcome to Eunji's World! :) My name is Eunji Pak. I am 23 years old in Korean age. I was born in Haenam which is located in South Jeolla Province. But my family moved to Ilsan since when I was 3 years old. I have one older brother and we live with our parents. So there are 4 people in my family. I’m studying political science and diplomacy in Sungshin Women’s University. And I decided to double major in international trade because I want to work in international trade field after I graduate. When it comes to my personality, I’m extroverted and optimistic. Actually, I used to be an introverted person when I was young. However, ever since I lived in Canada for a year, I have been extroverted. So I love to meet new people and hang out with my friends. I am also optimistic. I always try to remind myself to be open-minded and positive no matter what happens. Additionally, I like to listen to music in my free time. I especially enjoy listening to fast songs such as dance music. And I love traveling abroad and learn other cultures. I have been Japan, U.S.A, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong, Macao and I am planning to go Europe trip next summer. Anyways, I guess that’s all. I look forward to getting to know you. So feel free to talk to me anytime!