A COVER PAGE STORY

People on the Moon

Half a century ago, on July 20, 1969, the man walked the surface of the Moon for the first time. It was a small step for a man and huge one for humanity, said the astronaut Nil Armstrong as he walked on the only Earth's natural satellite. Not long afterwards, the astronaut Edwin Oldrin came out of the module. There, in the conditions of a very inhospitable universe, the astronauts stayed only for a full day. However, it was the beginning of the era of conquering the planetary world in the very presence of people. It was a date for a different history of the conquest of the universe, an event that humanity dreamed of for thousands of years. Although even now, half a century later, there are no technical conditions for interstellar travel, the first steps of man on the Moon have encouraged mankind to hope for further expansion in the universe.What is done since then and what is waiting for us in the near future?

CERN

The future of particle physics
has already begun

In March this year, Serbia became the twenty-third member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). The decision of the CERN Council on the admission of our country into full membership was unanimous. Serbian researchers have always been highly appreciated and welcomed to this great scientific family. It should not be forgotten that FNR Yugoslavia, whose successor was Serbia, was a signatory to the Convention on its establishment on September 29, 1954. When Israel became a full member after two years of associate membership, the Israeli state delegation rated this act as one of the most important events in the recent history of the country. This example best speaks of the importance of permanent membership, says for Planet magazine prof. DrPetarAdžić, President of the State Commission for Cooperation with CERN and a representative of Serbia in the Council of this largest scientific center in the world.

SOFTWARE AND PHYSIOGNOMY

Pseudo-science in science

Two researchers from Stanford University, Yilun Wang and MichalKosinski, presented in a reputable scientific journal in 2017, a software that, based on the appearance of someone's face, recognizes sexual orientation. This software system quickly became more famous under the pejorative language gaydar, derived from the word "gay" and "radar").The article caused negative public reactions. The authors are accused that insight into one's sexual orientation jeopardize the privacy and security of people, and Kozinski, with more visible professor's position in this authorial duo, justified his engagement by pointing out the dangers posed by modern technologies.What it is? Just like in a joke, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that this system is not capable for advertised actions, and the bad news is that there are "scientists" who believe that sexual orientation can be read from the face. Wong and Kozinsky are guilty twofold: for failing to understand the popular methods of artificial intelligence, and for dealing with a dangerous pseudo-science.

ENERGY

Rivers in pipelines

Mini hydropower plants are harmful because they create unimaginable consequences for the living world; besides, the energy produced is insignificant - these are two key conclusions of the symposium "The Influence of Small Hydro Power Plants on the Environment" held at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.Out of 850 small hydropower plants planned, 90 is already completed. The analysis of these plants and projects shows that this project id approached contrary to the expertise, knowledge, regulations and goals of energy policy. These plants can cause severe environmental consequences for the watercourses; they produce negligible amounts of energy, and are opposed to environmental protection and in discrepancy with vital national interests. Most small hydropower plants is built on the watercourses that should be protected, and new pipes, dams and other objects destroy everything around them: fish stock, forests, roads, and often houses of local residents.

MEDICINE

Nutritional support as an
important part of treatment

Nutrition is of crucial importance both to life and to treatment. Ancient physician Hippocrates expressed this in a sentence: "Let food be your medicine, and your medicine should be your food." In line with this principle, healthy people who care about themselves attach great importance not only to natural foods, but also to numerous supplements offered by the pharmaceutical industry. But when a disease occurs, especially when it comes to severe illness or conditions requiring more severe surgery - health problems that in themselves psycho-physically weaken the organism of the diseased - to such a very important fact as if it is forgotten, and all attention is directed to medical or surgical treatment of a diagnosed disease. A holistic approach, however, should mean that a patient who cannot normally feed is provided with nutritional support as an integral part of the treatment, in order to cope with the disease more easily, endure the intended operation, recover faster ...Primarius Dr. Marina PanišićŠekeljić, consultant of the Belgrade General Hospital Bel Medic and a pioneer in the field of clinical nutrition in Serbia, points out that measures of clinical nutrition can help all nutritionally endangered and / or malnourished patients, but that these measures are primarily focused on those most vulnerable, who are not at all able or unable to enter a sufficient amount of nutritional elements. Two methods, parenteral and enteral clinical nutrition, are the backbone of the work of the European Association for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), in which DrPanišićŠekeljić is one of the members of the Supreme Board, and an authorized lecturer for all European and, most recently, all countries of the world .
 

MEDICINE

Surgery of esophageal disease

Heartburn is one of the most common disorders in the digestive tract. It is characterized by an unpleasant feeling of burning or annealing behind the lower part of the pectoral bone, which gradually spreads through the esophagus even to the throat. According to the statistics, about 25 percent of Europeans and the US population appear to have sense of heartburn at least once a month and about seven percent of them at least once a week. However, when this common symptom turns into a problem that hinders or limits everyday life activities, it can also be described as a condition in which damage to the esophagus caused by gastric acid causes constant symptoms or complications. In addition to the medical treatment of persistent "heartburn", this disease may be treated with minimal invasive surgical procedures. In some of the more difficult cases, the only permanent solution to the problem is laparoscopic antireflux surgery, says one of its pioneers in our country, prof. Dr Aleksandar P. Simic, a surgeon, Bel Medic consultant

CLIMATE

Flooding in prediction

Children who were born recently could experience an increase in ocean level over 1 m by 2100. Earlier forecasts regarding the rise in sea levels by 2100 are not positive in the case of large gas emission scenarios.In the latest report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) in 2013, concluded that the sea level could rise from 0.3 to 1.0 m by 2100, depending on the level of carbon dioxide emission. Now, the Tamsin Edwards (Kings College) study added 0.2 m to this level. This is not the only study that has reached the same conclusion. In fact, according to the "leaked" IPCC report, the sea level will increase by as much as 1.3 m by 2100. In the United States alone, an increase in population will mean resettling for up to 4 million people. The global average sea level has already risen by 0.3 m since 1880.