MANILA — Filipino Physicist Caesar Saloma and Singaporean virologist Lisa F.P. Ng didn’t see themselves as heroes when they were younger.
They were only interested in pursuing their interests. Saloma liked how light works while Ng had a keen sense on biology. Their work bordered on laboratory science that very few knew would have an impact on industries and society.
By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net
THE REMOTELY Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV), better known as a submersible, has become the stuff of movies, ever since it was used in some scenes in “Titanic.” It found a lot of applications in the underwater research, mining and salvaging sectors. One Filipino company aims to be a player in this industry.
Pobletech Inc. recently released the Roboteknik i100, country’s first commercial ROV, a robotic machine that can submerge to a depth of up to 100 meters and be guided via a remote control box. The ROV and control box are all connected via an umbilical cord that serves as both the power and data cable for the ROV, which transmits live streaming videos to a monitor on the control box.
Here’s a video I took of Michael Poblete, CEO of Pobletech, shows off the Roboteknik.
By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net
THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology is set to receive a total of $83, 859 or P3.6 million, with an optional contingency fund of another $5,000 to organize the first Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Science Summit.
The amount will come from the ASEAN Foundation (AF), a funding agency focusing on social development, science and technology, environment and culture and information technology.
The ASEAN Youth Science Summit will be part of the upcoming 8th ASEAN Science and Technology Week, which also coincides with the National Science and Technology Week from July 1 to 11.
By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net
FOR some people, the prospect of visiting an active mine isn’t that thrilling, especially at the thought of getting stuck in a dark and damp underground shaft. However, it isn’t as boring as it seems. In fact, an active mine is as busy as any industry on the surface. Incidentally, it’s not as dangerous.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) brought a few reporters to Philex Mines in Tuba, Benguet, one of the country’s busiest active mines. This is one of the few times that outsiders were allowed to go to Philex Mines, situated about an hour and a half away from Baguio City. Only government officials and some geology-related engineering students and experts are allowed into the mine. It should be because the mine produces billions of pesos in copper, as well as silver and gold.
History
Philex Mines was incorporated in 1956 and mining operations started in 1958. It was the first cave operation in the Far East. From the start, the owners of Philex Mines hired locals for the mining operations. During the early years, the area of Tuba was sparsely populated, so the investors looked for laborers from the outer regions. As depicted in Hollywood films, miners used traditional pick axes and trolley trains to transport ore deposits from inside the mountain to the surface where the precious metals are extracted. The ores are actually blasted from solid rock deep within the mountain using dynamite.
INQUIRER.NET executive editor Leo Magno visits The Field Museum for a close encounter with “Sue,” the world’s most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. Sue was named after Sue Hendrickson, the American paleontologist who discovered the skeleton.
