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Year-End Review: Our Science Articles
According to this review, PhDSciNet published nine original science posts in 2020, covering biochemistry, materials science, and physics. We would never stop exploring science!
01
Targeted Killing: The Application of International Humanitarian Law
This article focused on the Soleimani event of 3 January 2020 and offered a framework for discussing the legality of targeted killing under international humanitarian law.
1. “Targeted killing” is a descriptive term, rather than an independent legal authorization.
2. Does international humanitarian law apply to targeted killing? Its application depends on whether the relevant armed conflict exists and on the specific facts; the role of territorial boundaries remains debated and cannot be dismissed as unimportant.
3. Deciding whether a conflict involving an armed group and a state falls under international or non-international armed-conflict rules can raise difficulties in practice and deserves further study.
Article: Targeted Killing: The Application of International Humanitarian Law
02
The Development and Applications of Nanozymes
This article explored nanozymes: artificial enzyme-like materials developed in the search for stable systems that can be synthesized at relatively low cost.
1. A 1997 study investigated fullerene derivatives as radical scavengers and neuroprotective agents. This finding alone does not establish that they were the first inorganic nanozymes.
2. Nanozymes combine enzyme-like catalytic activity with distinctive physical and chemical properties.
3. Nanozymes are being studied for drug delivery and targeted-treatment applications, among other uses. Potential roles in health, energy, and environmental protection do not mean every proposed system is an approved medical treatment.
Article: The Development and Applications of Nanozymes
03
The Principles and Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy
This article explored how atomic force microscopes work and the world they can image.
1. An atomic force microscope characterizes surface topography and mechanical properties through a probe interacting with a sample.
2. Atomic force microscopy has helped biologists investigate fine details of living systems.
Article: The Principles and Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy
04
A Remarkable Material: Cellulose
This article explored the interesting and remarkable material cellulose.
1. As nutrition research developed, the important physiological roles of dietary fiber became better understood. The popular expression “the seventh nutrient” is not a universal official nutrient classification.
2. Cellulose is a polymer; a fiber describes a physical form. They are different concepts.
Article: A Remarkable Material: Cellulose
05
Talking About Cancer, Part 1: What Is Cancer?
This article focused on the definition of cancer.
1. The US National Cancer Institute defines cancer as a group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues or spread elsewhere.
2. Uncontrolled growth and the ability to invade or spread are important characteristics. Spread can contribute to severe illness, but not every cancer has already spread when diagnosed.
Article: Talking About Cancer, Part 1: What Is Cancer?
06
Talking About Cancer, Part 2: The Causes of Cancer
This article focused on the causes of cancer.
1. The emergence of a cancer cell can involve multiple changes, including sustained growth signals, the ability to keep proliferating, and escape from immune control.
2. Causes and molecular changes can differ among patients, and new changes can arise as disease progresses. Much remains to be understood.
Article: Talking About Cancer, Part 2: The Causes of Cancer
07
The Science of Color, Part 1: Perception and Reproduction
This article explored the perception of color from a scientific perspective.
1. Color perception arises as the brain processes the light received by the eyes and produces a visual experience.
2. Different light stimulates the three cone types differently. Reproducing the relevant cone responses can reproduce the perceived color, even without an identical spectrum.
Article: The Science of Color, Part 1: Perception and Reproduction
08
The Science of Color, Part 2: What Kind of White Do You Mean?
This article explored different kinds of white light and different meanings of black.
1. In ordinary discussions of lighting, blackbody radiation around 3,000–6,000 K and other mixtures producing a similar color sensation may be called white light. White light is everywhere, but its spectra can differ.
2. What looks black need not be devoid of electromagnetic radiation; radiation outside the visible range may still be present.
Article: The Science of Color, Part 2: What Kind of White Do You Mean?
09
City University of Hong Kong: MSc Admissions
This post shared historical information on City University of Hong Kong’s MSc programs: aims, structure, study modes, and research prospects.
Article: City University of Hong Kong: MSc Admissions
Editorial revision: The annual summary’s descriptions of targeted killing, fullerene research, clinical applications of nanozymes, nutrient classifications, the definition of cancer, and metamerism have been given necessary qualifications. The complete original manuscript and revision record are retained.
Original 1997 fullerene study · NCI definition of cancer · Full targeted-killing article and legal sources · Full color-science article and sources
Sources and editorial history
Restored from a complete historical article exported from the PhDSciNet Official Account.
