Things I Want to Learn More About

Physics

I never studied physics seriously beyond freshman year of high school, but I had an amazing teacher who used extremely structured worksheets to teach the scientific method and basic mathematical reasoning. That experience stuck with me far more than the actual formulas did. It made science feel logical, methodical, and approachable in a way that I still appreciate.

Since then, I've become increasingly interested in learning more about physics and mathematics in general. I don't have a deep technical background yet, but I find the subject fascinating and would genuinely like to build a stronger foundation over time.

Chemistry

The only formal chemistry class I ever took was while I was living in Germany during the CBYX program, where I had to learn the chemical elements in German. Even though I never developed a strong technical background in chemistry, I always found the subject interesting — especially because it felt like a different philosophical way of explaining the world compared to physics.

In 8th grade SSR, I obsessively read a book covering every element on the periodic table, which probably says a lot about the kind of things I naturally gravitated toward as a kid. I wish I had more hands-on lab experience because chemistry feels like one of those disciplines that becomes much more meaningful when you can physically experiment with materials and reactions yourself.

I'm also fascinated by how broad the field becomes once you look deeper into it: physical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, and more. Physics and chemistry often feel almost like intellectual counterparts to each other — different lenses for understanding reality that constantly overlap and reinforce one another.

Biology

Biology fascinates me because it sits at the intersection of life, evolution, behavior, ecology, and consciousness. I'm especially interested in evolutionary biology and the ways humans try to understand themselves through biological explanations. Questions about life, intelligence, adaptation, and consciousness are deeply compelling to me.

I'm also very interested in environmental systems, ecology, zoology, sustainable ecosystems, and aquatic life. One thing I'd genuinely love to do someday is get a projector microscope and collect aquatic microbes from kayaking trips and water samples just to observe and study them. The idea of exploring entire microscopic ecosystems hidden in ordinary ponds and rivers feels incredibly exciting to me.

Beyond that, I find conservation biology, sustainable environmental systems, and the complexity of interconnected ecosystems fascinating. Biology feels endless in scope — from microorganisms all the way to global ecological systems — and that's part of why I find it so compelling.

Mathematics

I've always struggled with mathematics, and it's probably the academic subject that has intimidated me the most throughout my life. At the same time, I also recognize that mathematics is fundamentally the language of the universe. It's rigid, difficult, unforgiving, and unapologetic — but also incredibly beautiful.

Even when math frustrates me, I still deeply respect it. There is something fascinating about the precision and consistency of mathematical systems and the way they underpin physics, computing, engineering, and almost every scientific discipline.

I would especially like to strengthen my mathematical abilities in order to become a better computer scientist and problem solver. Improving my comfort with mathematics feels less like memorizing formulas and more like developing a new way of thinking.

Psychology

I've never formally taken a psychology course, which I honestly regret because the subject fascinates me. I'm especially interested in consciousness, cognition, animal intelligence, sociology, and the way biological systems create subjective experience and behavior.

I find the psychology of both humans and animals incredibly interesting — how brains process information, how personalities develop, how social structures form, and how emotion, memory, and identity emerge from biological systems. Questions about consciousness itself are particularly compelling to me because they sit somewhere between biology, philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology.

I'm also very interested in sociology and how people influence one another collectively: culture, group identity, communication, belief systems, and the social dynamics that shape societies over time. Psychology feels like one of those subjects where the deeper you go, the more questions you uncover.

Sustainable Energy

Recently I've become increasingly interested in sustainable energy systems, backup power infrastructure, and alternative fuel technologies. One area I've been especially curious about is LPG/propane as a hybrid generator or drive system for electric vehicles and home backup power systems. I find the engineering trade-offs behind different energy systems genuinely fascinating.

I'm also very interested in aquaponics and the idea of building sustainable food-growing systems powered by renewable or hybrid energy infrastructure. The combination of biology, engineering, automation, and sustainability all intersect in ways I find extremely compelling.

Politically and technologically, I'm strongly pro-nuclear and very skeptical of efforts to ban or phase it out entirely. Nuclear energy seems like one of the few scalable low-carbon energy sources capable of supporting modern industrial civilization reliably, and I think many public discussions about it lack nuance.

I'd also like to build more electrical and automation systems using microcontrollers and embedded computing hardware. Raspberry Pi originally interested me a lot, although today it's become expensive relative to other boards that often provide better functionality for specialized projects. Long term, I'd love to learn more about designing practical systems involving sensors, microprocessors, automation, batteries, generators, and energy management.