I Think Therefore IB

New Element to Be Included on Periodic Table: A good example of new knowledge in the sciences. It might work for the question on “provisional conclusions in the sciences”, but also the “discovered/invented” question. The article states:

Scientists at the Helmholtz Center have discovered six chemical elements, numbered 107-112, since 1981.The remaining five elements have already been recognized and named.

In 1925, scientists discovered the last naturally occurring element on the periodic table. Since then researchers have sought to create new, heavier elements.

This is rather interesting – because the suggestion here is that the elements that have been added since 1925 are essentially created (they don’t naturally exist, but have to be made), but also discovered (even if they are made they have to found). If using this example, I’d probably do a bit of research on the elements and exact distinction between natural and not natural.

China’s Version of the Tianmen Square Massacre: We have, on occasion, discussed how history is in many ways rather subjective, and that different sides exist for every historical event. We heard about the Rape of Nanking, which is – to the anger of the Chinese – not officially recognised in Japan. Here is an example of a piece of history the Chinese are ‘rewriting’ in their favour, or rather, pretending it essentially did not happen.