19 Features The RGS Gazette Issue 12 July 2024 Storm Turbulence and Lightning A Faraday cage structure on the aeroplane’s surface has insulation between the cage and the aluminium body. This is an extra precaution as most of the aeroplane’s electronics are contained in these Faraday cage boxes. Lightning rods can be placed decisively around the aeroplane’s body to attract the strike away from any vulnerable areas into the cage, resisting any damage lightning may cause on the fuselage. Another improvement could be installing vibrationabsorbing materials around the cabin or shockabsorbing mechanisms to reduce turbulence in the cabin to increase both safety and comfort. Loss of Thrust Gliding is the final option in case of an engine malfunction. Creating a wing with a high surface area and high lift increases the gliding time as it counteracts the weight. This can be affected by plane flaps such as blown flaps, which use air nozzles to blow air in a controlled manner to manipulate the air to flow downward, creating more lift and less drag due to a closer flow of air and so a smaller pocket of low pressure. Extendable wings allow for an increased lift due to a higher surface area; however, this can pose a risk to the aeroplane’s structural integrity. As such, it is important to use a fixed length of wings that is small enough to fit in hangars if needed, but large enough to maximise area should strength and reduced weight be the target. Additional air brakes can be added to increase drag when deceleration is required, although extra mechanisms are expensive and increase weight thus requiring more fuel to accelerate. Overall, there are many ways to improve aircraft performance. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, with their use dependent on the target of the airlines and their budget to integrate such modifications into aircraft designs. Criminal Responsiblity and Biology Keiron Pedrola (Year 12) discusses the link between the brain and criminal behaviour On the 18th of June, I participated in ‘Brain Day’ where Guy Sutton a university professor wellversed in the studies of genetics and neuroscience informed us on the inner workings of the brain and its implications. The complexity of the brain strikes serious issues revolving around the law since the biological approach in the understanding of humans suggests that our behavioural disposition is greatly due to our genetics. It could therefore be argued that those who commit crimes simply ‘cannot control themselves’. Thus, where does the responsibility lie? Do we truly have the capacity of ‘freewill’ if we have an underlying genetic disposition for behavioural characteristics? What would courts have to retrospectively alter when charging criminals and is there any novel technology to act as a deterrent? "It could be argued therefore that those who commit crimes simply 'cannot control themselves.'" While advances are made in neuroscience and technology, these questions must be examined to ensure the law is maintained as a proprietor for enacting justice. Despite being incredibly complex, we do have some understanding of the brain and the functions of its different regions. The frontal lobe is notably the largest region of the brain and is located behind the forehead. The frontal lobe is extremely important due to its performance in a great many cognitive functions. In fact, it is so significant that the region continues to develop until your midtwenties. Decisionmaking is just one of these important cognitive functions that the frontal lobe is involved with, so how is this relevant? A commerical plane over Heathrow (2024) An MRI scan of a brain, including the frontal lobe (2012) Faraday Cage demonstration (2012)
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