The Looking Glass

  Nature’s Lesson: How Termites Inspire Sustainable Buildings As temperatures climb, we are faced with the increasingly challenging task of cooling our cities - and the solution might be right beneath our feet. In the soil, reside mound-building termites. Termites are the engineers of their ecosystem, crafting what appear to be simple nests on the surface, but conceal complex systems designed to meticulously regulate temperature, humidity and gas exchange. Let’s explore how these miniscule designers inspire modern engineering and architecture; how we can harness their natural adaptability to address our own challenges. Structure of Termite Mounds These ‘super-organisms’ construct towering mounds from a type of ‘cement’ that hardens into a durable material. It is made from a mixture of the termite’s saliva, faeces and soil. The interior houses the main living area in an organised network of chambers and tunnels which serve various purposes. Lower chambers are used for cultivating fu...

by Kai Gohil U6P   Abstract Societal systematic problems represent all challenges and issues entrenched in modern society, spanning a vast course from racism to homelessness. This essay aims to tackle the pervasive issue of addiction, delving beneath the veneer of a pitch-perfect civilisation and intending to burrow through the ubiquitous haze of addiction rooted in our psychology, physiology, and population. With a large concentration of the essay delves into the biological origins of addiction. Specifically, outlining the problem of addiction within anthropology, baselining the issues of addictive behaviours as an upcoming global apocalypse. Furthermore, this dissertation examines the rising problem of addiction among youth, honing into the pattern of addictive behaviours emerging within our future generation. Additionally, the biopsychological explanation of psychological dependence is explored as an elucidation of how addictive behaviours develop and progress. This is followed ...