AI
AI-generated videos or images designed to deceive viewers are commonly known as this.
Deepfakes
What does “accepting cookies” mean on a website?
Accepting cookies on a website refers to granting permission for the site to store small text files, known as cookies, on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet). These cookies serve various functions that enhance your browsing experience, enable website functionality, and help website owners understand user behavior.
Citizen science refers to the involvement of this group of people in scientific research.
Non-professionals or volunteers
True or False: There’s a new STEM tab on TikTok that is regularly monitored by experts in STEM fields that flag any inaccurate content to ensure the information presented in this tab is credible.
False
In chemical thermodynamics, there's a process that occurs without any external input into the system, what is this process called?
Spontaneous process
AI systems can make decisions without any human bias if trained on diverse datasets.
False
Can researchers use proprietary software in their study without disclosing information on that software in the published results since it is proprietary?
No, researchers cannot ethically omit information about proprietary software used in their study, even if it is proprietary.
Data collected by citizen scientists has been instrumental in monitoring populations of this type of migratory insect in North America.
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) or Monarch Butterfly
Can researchers use publicly available social media content to conduct studies without obtaining consent?
Yes, but only if the posts are public and no identifiable private information is used.
This process, involving the addition of a 5' cap and a 3' poly-A tail, is crucial for the stability, transport, and translation of eukaryotic mRNA, and occurs after transcription but before translation.
mRNA processing
Which AI system was discontinued by this major corporation due to bias against women in hiring decisions?
Amazon's AI hiring tool was discontinued after it was found to favor male candidates due to biases in historical hiring data.
You’re on your lab’s computer (that doesn’t have its own encrypted connection system), and you click on an ad for a new microscope. Who owns the data about this click?
Generally, the advertiser or the ad platform.
A citizen science project collects air quality data from urban neighborhoods, but the results are not shared with participants. What ethical concerns does this raise?
Lack of transparency or reciprocity, exploitation of participants, privacy and data security
Mayim Bialik (neuroscientist and actress on The Big Bang Theory) is promoting a memory-enhancing drug called Neuriva in a TV ad. What ethical considerations come into play in this situation?
Misleading expertise/exploitation of trust, misrepresenting product’s effectiveness/lack of scientific validity, conflict of interest.
What statistics test is used to determine if there's a difference between observed data and expected data due to chance or if it's due to a relationship between the studied variables?
Chi square test
Which of the following is an ethical concern in AI development? A) Lack of transparency in AI decision-making; B) Over-reliance on outdated models; C) Built on open-source frameworks
(A) Lack of transparency in AI decision-making
What are three ways a company that collects data for a certain purpose can ensure they are doing so ethically?
Fair Use: avoid exploiting data for purposes beyond the user’s intent, such as selling it to third parties without consent.
Informed Consent: Users should fully understand what they are agreeing to when they sign up for services.
Minimization: Platforms should collect only the data necessary for their operation and purpose
On Zooniverse (a common citizen science website), there are various projects for anyone to contribute to. What are three ways Zooniverse can ensure that citizens’ contributions are used ethically and do not support harmful or controversial applications?
Rigorous Review Process, Ethics committees, Public Data Usage Guidelines and restricted use agreements, regularly update contributors, third-party data audits, Ethics Training for Project Leaders
A researcher posts a summary of their soon-to-be-published findings to engage the public on LinkedIn. What ethical issues might arise?
Premature disclosure and loss of intellectual property
This type of pathogen, often spread by insects like aphids, causes diseases such as leaf curl and mosaic patterns in plants by infecting the plant's vascular system with small, non-encapsulated RNA.
Plant viruses
Transparency and accountability are two key principles to ensure AI does not harm society. What are three specific methods that AI companies use to ensure these measures are met?
Third-party AI audits, Algorithmic Accountability Act, Transparency Fact Sheet, Model cards (documents that describe an AI system’s purpose, design, performance, and limitations), LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) to interpret decisions made by complex models, Transparent consumer terms of service and privacy policies, Algorithmic Bias Testing, Ethics Training for Developers, Live Monitoring Systems and regular updates
Can researchers store anonymized research data on a cloud platform that is compliant with data protection regulations but located in a country with weaker privacy laws?
No, unless other safeguards are taken, such as ensuring that cross-border data transfers comply with ethical guidelines, institutional policies, and international agreements like the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework or equivalent standards.
Can citizens use publicly available platforms, like ChatGPT, to generate data that could be used in a scientific study?
Yes it can, which is why researchers must take further precautions to ensure the data is unbiased and authentic, that the researchers have the legal right to use it, and that it complies with their privacy policies.
Is it ethical for researchers to use their social media influence to endorse products related to their field of study?
No, unless the endorsement is disclosed and does not create a conflict of interest.
This ion channel, crucial for initiating action potentials, is specifically activated by membrane depolarization and allows the rapid influx of sodium ions into the neuron.
Voltage-gated sodium channel