By Dev Surender

1. My first recommendation is the “Alarm Clock & 3 in 1 Charging Station & Night Light, iPhone iWatch wireless charging dock, MagSafe phone watch Airpod charger stand, travel charger combo for Apple & Samsung multiple devices.” This is great for Apple iPhone users because, for only $10, you get an alarm clock, iPhone charger, iWatch charger, Airpod charger, and a night light. This can be a huge game changer for Apple users. For me, I charge my iPhone every night. However, I never charge my AirPods. Now that there is a dedicated spot for my Airpods, I can finally bring freshly charged Airpods to school.

2.  I also wanted this one for a long time. It is the “MageGee 75% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Red Switch, LED Blue Backlit Keyboard, 87 Keys Compact TKL Wired Computer Keyboard for Windows Laptop PC Gamer – Black/Grey.” This one is a mechanical keyboard for someone on a budget. It has lots of options for colors and switches. For those who don’t know, switches mean how it sounds. I prefer tactile switches because they sound good, in my opinion. The red switches are the tactile switches. This one is only $30 which is good for a mechanical keyboard.

3. The Logitech G502 Hero is one of my favorite mouses. It has an infinite scroll. What infinite scroll really means is that once you activate it, it uses magnets to scroll super fast for a long time. This one is good for long documents. It also has adjustable weights so it can fit your hand. I use it to play games, but it is super comfortable enough to study, long work or study sessions.

4. Jbl Tune Beam. This is an amazing product for people with Android or people who don’t want to spend $250 on Airpods. Let me tell you why this is a better buy than airpods. First off, price: Apple Airpods Pro go for $250, while the Jbl Tune Beam goes for $40 – $50. This is 5 times less expensive than the Airpods Pro. You see, I have small ears. When I tried the Basic Model Airpods they didn’t fit me. Every second I felt like it was going to fall off. But by using earpods with silicone eartips, it felt like it was going to stay in place. The Jbl Tune can also connect  to 2 devices at once. Because of this, you can connect your earbuds to your Macbook and your iPhone at the same time.

5. The Amazon Echo Dot is another product I recommend. Now this product is quite controversial, and the reason isn’t that Jeff Bezos is secretly listening to you. Before I talk about why it might not be good, let me tell you why Jeff Bezos isn’t spying on you. Amazon uses a strategy called “razors and blades.” Think about the Xbox Series X. It costs Microsoft $600 to make these consoles, but they sell them for $500. So they lose money, right? Not quite. Even though they first lose money by creating these consoles, they make 10 times as much by selling game passes, games, controllers, and headsets. Amazon uses this concept, but a bit differently. After you buy an Alexa, you get offered Amazon Music Premium, Amazon deals, adding other Alexas around your home, smart plugs to control your stuff, and smart thermostats. This gives them much more money than they started. Even though it is nice sometimes, Alexa is a bit… stupid. You can find yourself getting mad, but once you get the app, setup routines, alarms, and whatever else you want to add, it can be a nice addition to your room.

By Mariam Abd-Elhamid

From snail mucin to glass skin, Korean skincare has been increasingly popular for the past couple of months. But why is it so good? What makes their skincare stand out among the thousands of “essential” products?

For starters, Korean products use primarily natural ingredients and emphasize the importance of layering to promote long-term skin health. Korean skincare serves to prevent problems rather than correct them.

One ingredient has been popular on social media for quite some time: snail mucin. Some were disgusted by it, while others were excited to try it. The truth is that uses of the mucin date back to ancient Greece to treat wounds, and, later, snail handlers reported softer hands and cuts that healed quicker. 

Now, Korean skincare utilizes those same beneficial properties, and has discovered many others. For instance, the mucin contains hyaluronic acid, which plays a key role in retaining moisture, reducing fine lines, and lessening scarring. It also contains antimicrobial properties, which can protect your skin barrier and prevent infections. Furthermore, some studies indicate that the mucin can even help in skin regeneration. 

Another popular Korean skincare ingredient is Centella Asiatica, which contains properties ideal for soothing irritated and sensitive skin. One study found that propolis, a substance created by bees, blocks collagen degradation and exhibits protective effects against UV-induced skin aging. In other words, it can give you plump and youthful skin! 

Lastly, commonly used acids in Korean skincare work to chemically exfoliate your skin. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), such as glycolic acid, improve skin evenness and texture by gently removing dead skin cells. Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs), such as salicylic acid, penetrate deep into pores, cleaning them out. Consequently, they help prevent acne breakouts. Together, they aid the path to clear skin and promote absorption of other skincare products.

South Korean culture also emphasizes self-care for the external and internal aspects of a person, which contributes to the dedication of quality skincare products. After all, if you look good, you feel good. What’s more, the country’s large investment into research and development in skincare has truly paid off and satisfied millions wanting a long-term solution. The science objectively shows that whether it’s a face wash, serum, or cream, Korean skincare doesn’t disappoint.

By Sophia Byl

In one of last year’s ESN issues, we explored together the fascinating methods of a deep-sea creature known as the leaf sheep sea slug. It’s a fluffy, fairly cute slug, having been affectionately nicknamed “Shaun the Sheep” by marine biologists. 

What makes the leaf sheep special is its ability of kleptoplasty, or “stealing” chloroplasts from the algae it eats. Those chloroplasts stay in the slug’s skin, allowing it to perform photosynthesis as well as eat regularly. It’s like a reverse carnivorous plant – instead of evolving to eat bugs when photosynthesis wasn’t enough, it added photosynthesis to its energy-fusing repertoire as a tool to keep in its back pocket.

But we aren’t going to talk about the leaf sheep sea slug today (Shaun the Sheep’s article is, however, on the ESN website, should you be so inclined to check it out). Rather, we’ll be diving into the survival tactics of one of its similarly vibrant cousins, known colloquially as the blue dragon. 

The blue dragon is one of those creatures that fulfills the badass archetype of preying on animals multiple times larger than itself. It looks like a blue shark gummy, yet is quite a bit more dangerous. Take a look at those lovely, feather-like tentacles on the end of the slug’s appendages – known as cerata, it’s where the blue dragon stores potent venom. And how exactly does this nifty nudibranch obtain said venom? From munching on some of the ocean’s most toxic invertebrates, from the well-known Portuguese man o’ war to the oddly charming Velella velella, a floating creature commonly known as the by-the-wind sailor. 

Since the dragon isn’t able to produce venom on its own, it is imperative that it receives a steady diet of these venomous animals. Finding them isn’t a difficult task, though – it’s what comes after that sets this sea slug apart from others. While floating upside down near the ocean’s surface, the blue dragon will produce a copious amount of venom-neutralizing mucus to protect itself from its prey’s toxins. Then, it makes a move with its large, serrated jaws.

 The venom cells of whatever invertebrate the dragon was eating make their way through its stomach (also fortified to minimize chances of poisoning) and out into the cerata, where they’ll aid the dragon in catching its next little snack. What makes this feat twice as impressive is that the blue dragon is able to concentrate this venom within its cerata even more than its prey did. The result? The blue dragon has the potential to be even more toxic than the deadly animals it eats.

It’s all pretty incredible, especially when you consider how delicate the blue dragon looks on the outside. By a glance, you’d have no idea that it might be packing a venomous punch many times more powerful than that of a jellyfish. Thankfully, bright colors and patterns like the blue stripes on the slug’s back are the animal kingdom’s universal signal for “Stay back, I’m dangerous!” The trouble arises when humans fail to recognize that signal.

Blue dragons washing up on beach shores has become increasingly more common, likely due to rising sea levels. When beachgoers don’t leave wild animals alone or get the proper type of help, it can have harrowing consequences. So far, the dragons have been seen washing up mostly near the Gulf of Mexico and on Southeast Asian coasts, but there’s no telling where the ocean might take them next. 

If you happen to see a blue dragon – or a marine animal you can’t identify – washed up on a shore where it can’t survive, it’s important to do something. You’re not only saving the animal, you might be stopping other people from getting hurt if they try to touch the animal, as well as raising awareness about the important issue of preserving the diversity of our biosphere.

By Snigdha Chakravarti

In 2022, the bird flu virus broke out to more than 165 million birds, later spreading to over 970 herds of cattle and dairy cows. Since then, bird flu has infected 70 people in the US, one of whom has died. This has provoked fears of another large virus outbreak in humans in the future. Dr. Jacon Lemieux, the assistant professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital believes “we are living next to a volcano, and it may erupt or it may not. But we need to be prepared for the possibility of a pandemic.” 

The  avian influenza had come to the US in 2014, but soon disappeared. However, it re-emerged in 2022. The strain of this virus is called the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus, and a pathogenic subunit of this virus first appeared in birds in China in 1996. Over time, multiple subunits have arisen as a result of mutations. In a typical virus, it accumulates genetic mutations over time as it spreads from host to host, thus resulting in a variety of strains, as seen by the various  subunits of H5N1. The mutation in this particular strain of H5N1, in the gene encoding for the PB2 (polymerase base 2) proteins, results in more efficient virus replication in hosts. Although there are vaccines for the H5N1 virus, they are outdated as they are pre-pandemic, so to make a vaccine with the current strain, investment in national clinical trial infrastructure is imperative. Therefore, humans currently do not have immunity to the H5N1 strain since no effective vaccine has been developed as yet.

Currently, there are efforts to make a vaccine for this strain of H5N1, but the Trump administration has seemed to deter such efforts by cutting federal medical research funding and firing federal workers. The US Department of Agriculture, for instance, fired employees who were researching the bird flu. Additionally, in the  Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a hub for public health and communication, workers have been fired. The CDC has played a role in surveillance of H5N1 by using targeted surveillance of people exposed to infected animals and testing dairy workers, and it has also made concerted efforts with the US Influenza Surveillance, which analyzes influenza specimens. Such efforts to develop a vaccine and maintain surveillance are at stake with little support from the current Trump administration. 

Fortunately, however, the H5N1 virus are mild, though historically, they have been quite severe. Most of the people affected with bird flu have conjunctivitis (pink eye) and influenza-like symptoms. Hospitalization is rare, and no human-to-human transmission has been reported as yet. Although the public risk for bird flu is low right now, those who are exposed to poultry and dairy cows are considered to be at a higher risk. 

A pressing question regarding bird flu concerns the consumption of poultry and dairy products.  There is no safety hazard posed by eating products like poultry, eggs, and milk, as these products are thoroughly monitored for viruses, including H5N1. Pasteurization in milk, for instance,  inactivates the virus, but consuming milk raw is dangerous since the virus undergoes replication in the mammary glands of cows. Additionally, most eggs in grocery stores are not from chickens with bird flu since the production of eggs in affected chickens are greatly hindered. Even if viruses do somehow get into consumer products, they are killed by the heat from cooking. 

The overall risk for bird flu is meager at the moment, but this may change as experts warn of the virus’s evolution. As research investigates further, a possible pandemic may be there in the future, though for now, there is no need to worry about one. 

By: Saanvi Sharma

Artificial intelligence has become a useful tool for personal growth, offering valuable insights to help you better understand yourself, your goals, and your habits. With the right questions, you can use AI to boost your productivity, improve your mental well-being, and refine your daily routines. Whether you’re looking to set goals, manage emotions, or make meaningful changes in your life, AI can offer guidance. Here are some prompts to help unlock your potential and create positive change.

One of the most effective ways to use AI is for self-reflection. By asking questions like, “What are some things I can do to improve my self-esteem?” or “What themes keep showing up in my thoughts or behaviors?” you can gain a deeper understanding of your emotions and mindset. AI can suggest strategies to boost your confidence, highlight patterns in your thinking, and help you identify areas for growth. This kind of introspection helps you discover your strengths and work on areas that may need improvement, leading to greater self-awareness.

When it comes to managing mental health, AI can provide practical advice. For example, you could ask, “How can I better manage stress and anxiety?” or “What are the signs that I may be experiencing burnout?” In response, AI could offer stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness exercises, breathing techniques, or time-management strategies. It might also recommend activities such as journaling, regular physical exercise, or meditation to help maintain your emotional well-being. Recognizing the early signs of burnout or stress can enable you to take steps toward recovery before it becomes overwhelming.

AI can also help you stay focused on your goals and improve productivity. Questions like, “What are some strategies to help me achieve my goals?” or “What habits can I adopt to be more productive?” can provide helpful guidance on breaking large projects into manageable tasks. AI can suggest techniques such as time-blocking, setting clear priorities, and tracking your progress to stay on course. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask, “How can I balance work, personal life, and self-care?” can offer ways to create a more balanced and sustainable routine that supports both your ambitions and your well-being.

Understanding your core values and purpose is another important area where AI can be helpful. By asking, “What are my core values, and how can I live by them more consistently?” or “How can I contribute more to my community?” AI can guide you to reflect on what truly matters to you. This can help you align your decisions and actions with your deeper sense of purpose, leading to more fulfilling work and relationships. Recognizing your values and using them as a compass for life choices can bring greater clarity and satisfaction.

Improving relationships is another area where AI can make a difference. You might ask, “How can I improve my communication skills with others?” or “What are some ways I can better understand and support my friends or family?” AI can provide tips on active listening, expressing emotions more clearly, and resolving conflicts in healthier ways. These insights can help you build stronger, more meaningful connections with those around you.

Finally, AI can assist in optimizing your daily routines. Simple prompts like, “What morning habits can help me start my day with more energy?” or “How can I make time for creativity and relaxation in my schedule?” can offer suggestions on how to structure your day. Whether it’s incorporating exercise, mindfulness, or creative activities, AI can help you design a routine that nurtures both your productivity and well-being.

In summary, AI offers a variety of ways to improve your life by providing insights into your goals, emotions, and habits. By asking thoughtful questions, you can use AI to boost your self-awareness, manage stress, stay focused on your goals, and improve relationships. The key is to use AI as a tool for reflection and growth, helping you create a life that aligns with your values and aspirations.