Reference: http://www.shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/20-ways-to-prevent-cancer-2535233
Summary: Dr. Thomas A. Sellers, PhD has done some research on cancer prevention in small, but effective ways. You can easily fit them into your everyday life. One of the strategies you can use to prevent cancer is to drink caffeine everyday. According to a couple of researchers, "A 5-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces the risks of oral and throat cancer. Another important way to prevent cancer is to reduce cell phone use. Apparently, cell phones emit radio frequency energy which can possibly go to your brain, but the evidence that cell phones increase brain cancer risk is not consistent or conclusive. The 20th way to prevent cancer is to drop 10 pounds. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of getting cancer.
Critique: In my opinion, many people who have cell phones (mostly teenagers) have a high risk of getting cancer. Like, especially teens because most of us can't really be away from our phones for more than 2 minutes. Not even 2 minutes. I don't really understand how drinking caffeine can help reduce your risk of getting cancer. Doesn't coffee stunt your growth? Imagine a lot of people being really hyper because they drink 5 cups of coffee every single day. But, overall I think that the ways to prevent cancer is helpful.
Impact: These ways can help people prevent cancer. If they use these ways in their everyday lives, maybe not that many people will have cancer, which could possibly lower the death rate. Then, everyone will be all happy and healthy.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Feds urge wider use of heart test on newborns
Resource: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/22/earlyshow/living/parenting/main20095411.shtml?tag=cbsnewsSectionsArea;cbsnewsSectionsArea.5
Summary: There are lots of newborn babies that are dying because of congenital heart defects. Heart defects in 1999-2006 have caused over 28,000 deaths. 40,000 babies are born each year with congenital heart defects. But there is a test that can make sure that a newborn doesn’t have these heart defects. This machine is called pulse oximetry. This machine shows how much oxygen a newborn is getting. This test is inexpensive costing only $1.00 and only takes 45 seconds to run the test. That $1.00 could help save thousands of newborn babies lives. The test is as simple as the doctor putting a little tape sensor on the foot. It will scan to see how much oxygen the newborn is getting. Depending on where the levels are that gives doctors the wisdom on what to do next. Here is a mom that went through this problem. Her name is Jodi Koravos. She thought that she was going to have a good and healthy baby. But a couple hours later, after the baby was born, the doctor came to her and told her that her baby was turning blue. Jodi’s baby had a 50 percent of oxygen level. So the doctor had to do surgery on the baby. Jodi’s baby is now fine but still has to have two more surgeries. Had the baby been monitored after being born they could’ve diagnosed this problem sooner.
Critique: I have learned so much from this article about what happens to a lot of newborns. Many babies die because they don’t have enough oxygen. Now they have a machine to make sure that the newborns can be checked for how low their oxygen is before they go home. Why if it only costs so little would hospitals not use this monitoring system on a regular basis? Why even begin to parents of a newborn through traumatic experience when it could so easily be helped.
Impact: This is an amazing article for people that are pregnant because they can see what they should do before they bring their newborn baby home. I believe that if an expecting mom new this was available to them for the help of the baby it would give them wisdom to ask the doctor to make sure this test was run. I believe it is a wise decision to have this test run because if a newborn was taken home and the baby starts having a hard time breathing, which affects the heart, the baby could die. This simple test could save the baby’s life.
Hawaiian Folk Music
Resources: Wikipedia, Hawaiian Music Store.com and Hawaiian Song Lyrics.
Hawaiian music ranges between native Hawaiian music to modern rock and hip hop. Places around the world are known for their slack-key guitar while Hawaii likes Hollywood soundtracks. They also have a contribution to country music and like the steel guitar. Hawaiian folk music is a big part in their musical heritage. It is also very religious in nature to them. They chant and dance to their music. Hawaii also has music festivals with hula dancers that come from all around the world. They also have hotels with music shows in the morning and evening. Also there is a place called the University Theater that has 600 hundred seats in the largest venue of Hawaii. In Hawaii they have many more places you can go to enjoy the nice sound of Hawaiian folk songs and seeing hula dancers dance. An important part of Hawaii’s music history is the Honululu Symphony Orchestra.
Folk music has many different chants. Also is not really considered music but their vocabulary describes rhythm, instruments, styles and voice production. The music is simple but also rich and complex. The music is usually accompanied by a double gourd and sharkskin covered drum. During the chants they also have hula dancers, dancing a certain number for a certain song. Some songs are about flowers or other things and one is…Protea By Keith Haugen
Protea, pua nani o Maui
Flower of Heaven
Protea, lovely queen of the flowers
Your name, for a god it was given
And you are soft as the morning mist on the mountains
Silky as a baby's hair
Like tails of precious mink and ermine
Your beauty is so rare
Like rays of golden summer sunshine
Graceful as a bird in flight
Red like the fire of volcanoes
And fireworks in the night
Protea, pretty flower of Maui
Flower of Heaven
Protea, most exotic of blossoms
Your name, for a god it was given
And you are soft as feathers, pink and white
With shimmering silver hair
Ageless, endless, everlasting
Your beauty is so rare
Exotic shapes in many sizes
Colors of every hue
Your beauty doesn't fade
Like the other flowers do
Protea, pua nani o Maui
Flower of Heaven
Protea, ever-changing beauty
Your name, for a god it was given
Protea, protea, protea
I want to touch you.
Copyright 1986, C. Keith Haugen There is also other music that refers to specific names, prayer, surfing and others such as maybe plants or animals. Another song about a flower would be…Crown Flower
(Pua Karauna)
Composed by Keith Haugen
Crown flower
Favorite of Lili`uokalani
Flower of Hawai`i
Strung into a lei
Lei of Hawai`i
Crown flower
You are a beautiful lei
My favorite (plaything)
You're my favorite
Beautiful encircling lei
Crown flower
Favorite of Lili`uokalani
Tell the refrain
Little flower
Lei of Lili`uokalani
Crown flower
Copyright 1978, C. Keith Haugen
Some more information about Hawaiian music would be later in the years Hawaii introduced different styles of music. Such as European music, Spanish speaking music and let string instruments, like the guitar come in to play. Also falsetto singing while Portuguese people brought the ukulele. They also had a certain period for European music and it quickly spread across the islands. Later Hawaiian music integrated into the American bored and became popular there as well. In 1930 to 1960 was an era that was called the “Golden Age of Hawaiian music.” Hawaii had their last queen named Lili’uokalani and she was also a song writer and professional musician. Hawaii is technically known for their music so I would like to share another song…`O Ka Lei La`i
(the Ti Leaf Lei)
Translation
By Keith Haugen
The ti leaf lei is entwined
With a variety of pretty flowers
The ti leaf lei is entwined
With the beautiful flowers of Hawai`i
A common lei today
Given with love
A long lasting green lei
Like true love
Let' you and I select some flowers
And weave them with moist leaves
A sign of our love
Like a ti leaf lei forever.
Copyright 1999, C. Keith Haugen
Critique: Hawaii is the perfect place to go if you want to listen to beautiful music and be entertained by hula dancers. So personally I think people that want to listen to gorgeous music and have a great time, they need to go to Hawaii.
Impact: Hawaiian has done a great deal to the world. It showed the uniqueness of Hawaii and showed others their way of life and how diverse their culture is from others.
Antarctic krill population stable
Summary: Krill are small shrimp like animals that are part of the Southern Ocean food chain. They are important to other animals such as, penguins, seals, and other animals that eat them. Also they are impotant for people to eat in their diets. Not to long ago people noticed that the population of krill has gone up near the shores of the ocean instead of out at sea. Since people cant safely travel in shallow water people became restricted to do offshore sampling. So Joseph Warren an assistant professor and a few other people conducted six surveys from small boats near the shallow water north of Livingston Island, Antartica. They have also examined the abundance and distribution of krill in the coastal waters within several miles of the shore. They were ranging in the water from 500 to 2 m in depth. Then they compared their observations in the near-shore waters to the offshore waters. Warren said,"Although the spatial area of our near-shore survey is quite small when compared with that of the entire Scotia Sea, the high and stable densities of kril in the shallow water may be more impotant ecologically than the offshore krill." 
Critique: I think that we people should leave the krill alone and let the ocean animals have them so they dont also go extinct.
Impact: The impact this has is that since the krill live so close to shore it may be dangerous for people to swim in the water because of the animals that will be after the krill to eat. Also could be dangerous for the animals if people use their boats to go out and get krill.
Critique: I think that we people should leave the krill alone and let the ocean animals have them so they dont also go extinct.
Impact: The impact this has is that since the krill live so close to shore it may be dangerous for people to swim in the water because of the animals that will be after the krill to eat. Also could be dangerous for the animals if people use their boats to go out and get krill.
Virus attacks childhood cancers
Reference:
Summary:
Recently researchers found a virus from the same family as the rabies virus to fight a form of cancer found in children and young adults. They reported finding this virus in September 2011 issue of the journal of virology.
Cancer that develops in soft tissues called sarcomas. It connects, supports, or surrounds other structures and organs of the body. Other types of tissues are Muscles, tendons, fibrous tissues, fat, blood vessels, nerves, and synovial tissues. Recent research has found a rhabdovirus, which is the same family as rabies, researchers found that it seeks out and destroys cancerous tumors. Overall researchers find that this virus may be able to fight a form of cancer found in children or young adults.
Critique:
Researchers should study this virus more and see if after destroying the cancerous tumors would affect anything else in the body. Having everyone with this cancer and knowing of this treatment would want it to work so they could live a much longer healthy life. If they say it is going to work they would need more information on this virus to comfort the patient whos getting the treatment.
Impact:
I feel this virus could save the lives of many children or young adults. This virus could help with future research on curing cancer in many people of all ages. Having this treatment could affect the lives of many families, and even the world population of keeping people alive for a longer time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Young Elephant Struck By Idea
Young Elephant Struck By Idea
Summary: A young Asian Elephant at the age of 7 surprised scientists as he moved a cube to be used as a step stool so he could reach fruit that was dangling above his exhibit. It is not possible to know what really goes on in an animal’s mind but this is the first demonstration of knowledgeable problem solving from an elephant. Elephants do have great long-term memory and some skills, but the mammals have not done well on previous tests of problem solving. They will normally find a resolution through trial and error. Previous tests have been done by using fruit pieces outside of the exhibits. The scientists provided the elephants with sticks and they used them for many things, but not to reach the food. After many attempts, the youngest elephant, used a cube that was there for him to play with and moved it under the fruit and used it as a stool to reach the fruit. This however isn’t enough to prove that elephant’s brains can solve their problems by insight. This was a quote mentioned in the article by Sara Shettleworth of the University of Toronto, who studies animal cognition. “Even people who study human problem solving do not agree there is a special mechanism of insight,” she says. “Humans and other animals may all be using simpler processes.”
Critique: I think this was a very interesting article. It makes me think about how animals think. I wonder if animals look at how we do things and try to accomplish things based on what we have done.
Impact: I think this has an impact in the scientific world. This just makes us one step closer to understanding the minds of animals and how they think.
Reference: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/333634/title/Young_elephant_struck_by_idea
Bird Flu could be Returning
Summery: Is the bird flu returning? The U.N. is warning the world that the deadly influenza virus is coming back. They say that wild birds are migrating and spreading the virus in countries that have been virus free. Some of those places are Israel, the Palestinian territories, Bulgaria, Romania, Nepal and Mongolia. When that happened, it brought H5N1 to the countries. On August 14, a six year old Cambodian girl died by this influenza virus. When the first bird flu started, there were over 331 human deaths of this bird flu around the world. That was detected in 2003. In most of the sixty-three countries, the virus was eliminated in 2006. But it still remains in Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. In 2008, the bird population shrank from 4,000 to 302. Influenza infects a lot of birds like ducks, chicken, gulls, and turkey. People that live in an environment where there are lots of birds have a higher chance of getting the virus. If a human gets this disease, they can get eye infections and even severe respiratory problems.
Critique: This article is very interesting. If the virus came back to this country, I would be scared. This article is telling us that there is a virus that can harm people. What would happen if this country had an outbreak of this virus? I think our country would have a big problem trying to control the spread of the virus and the panic of the population.
Impact: This article is telling us that we need to be on the lookout for a new outbreak of this virus in the U.S. Hopefully scientists will have a cure to save people from getting really sick and to prevent the spread of the virus.
Animal Dissection
Animal Dissection
Animal dissection is now becoming a problem for schools because more
and more students are saying no to the dissection. There are many alternatives to
dissection, there are websites that offer “on-line” dissection. Online dissection is a
good way for students, who are against animal cruelty to learn what they need to
learn about the animal. Teachers also benefit by this because they get to do their
job with out the fuss. Another alternative is rubber replicas of the animals. Rubber
replicas are a good “Hands-on” way to teach the student and can be reused and
reused again, compared to a real animal that you can only use once. It saves
money that can be used elsewhere and keeps students and parents happy.
There are many reasons why animal dissection is wrong. Taking animals
from their habitat and then killing them is a waste of life and it hurts the
environment. Eliminating species hurts their habitat because it allows other
species to take over, when otherwise they would not be able to do, due to the
competition. No competition means that the species taking over would over
populate killing all other species and in return dying out themselves. Allowing this
to happen would wipe out millions of habitats that the world needs to survive.
Animal dissection not only hurts the students education, but also hurts the
environment.
SAY NO HELP EARTH!
Animal dissection is now becoming a problem for schools because more
and more students are saying no to the dissection. There are many alternatives to
dissection, there are websites that offer “on-line” dissection. Online dissection is a
good way for students, who are against animal cruelty to learn what they need to
learn about the animal. Teachers also benefit by this because they get to do their
job with out the fuss. Another alternative is rubber replicas of the animals. Rubber
replicas are a good “Hands-on” way to teach the student and can be reused and
reused again, compared to a real animal that you can only use once. It saves
money that can be used elsewhere and keeps students and parents happy.
There are many reasons why animal dissection is wrong. Taking animals
from their habitat and then killing them is a waste of life and it hurts the
environment. Eliminating species hurts their habitat because it allows other
species to take over, when otherwise they would not be able to do, due to the
competition. No competition means that the species taking over would over
populate killing all other species and in return dying out themselves. Allowing this
to happen would wipe out millions of habitats that the world needs to survive.
Animal dissection not only hurts the students education, but also hurts the
environment.
SAY NO HELP EARTH!
Animal Dissection
Animal Dissection
Animal dissection is now becoming a problem for schools because more
and more students are saying no to the dissection. There are many alternatives to
dissection, there are websites that offer “on-line” dissection. Online dissection is a
good way for students, who are against animal cruelty to learn what they need to
learn about the animal. Teachers also benefit by this because they get to do their
job with out the fuss. Another alternative is rubber replicas of the animals. Rubber
replicas are a good “Hands-on” way to teach the student and can be reused and
reused again, compared to a real animal that you can only use once. It saves
money that can be used elsewhere and keeps students and parents happy.
There are many reasons why animal dissection is wrong. Taking animals
from their habitat and then killing them is a waste of life and it hurts the
environment. Eliminating species hurts their habitat because it allows other
species to take over, when otherwise they would not be able to do, due to the
competition. No competition means that the species taking over would over
populate killing all other species and in return dying out themselves. Allowing this
to happen would wipe out millions of habitats that the world needs to survive.
Animal dissection not only hurts the students education, but also hurts the
environment.
SAY NO HELP EARTH!
Animal dissection is now becoming a problem for schools because more
and more students are saying no to the dissection. There are many alternatives to
dissection, there are websites that offer “on-line” dissection. Online dissection is a
good way for students, who are against animal cruelty to learn what they need to
learn about the animal. Teachers also benefit by this because they get to do their
job with out the fuss. Another alternative is rubber replicas of the animals. Rubber
replicas are a good “Hands-on” way to teach the student and can be reused and
reused again, compared to a real animal that you can only use once. It saves
money that can be used elsewhere and keeps students and parents happy.
There are many reasons why animal dissection is wrong. Taking animals
from their habitat and then killing them is a waste of life and it hurts the
environment. Eliminating species hurts their habitat because it allows other
species to take over, when otherwise they would not be able to do, due to the
competition. No competition means that the species taking over would over
populate killing all other species and in return dying out themselves. Allowing this
to happen would wipe out millions of habitats that the world needs to survive.
Animal dissection not only hurts the students education, but also hurts the
environment.
SAY NO HELP EARTH!
Is There Another Earth Out There?
By Kathryn Miller
Summary: Pop Quiz: Why are we on Earth? Well, the most likely reason is because we don’t have anywhere else to go. If left to our own devices, like having an endless amount of money in the government – Ha. That’ll happen – and possibly more reincarnated Einstein’s, we would be building houses on Mars already. However, we don’t have this much power. Not yet. But someday, we will find a way to get to the other planets and eventually begin to use them – either for more space or resources – and make the world even more advanced. Though scientists aren’t entirely sure they can prove the theory that there is another planet like earth, they know there are other galaxies besides ours. So, naturally, this other galaxy will have a power source – something like the sun – with planets/moons revolving around it. If this theory is correct, we’re going to need more astronauts.
The reason we don’t just go find an uninhabited planet right now, stick the American flag there and begin another community is because of things that could affect the way we live. Firstly, it may be too hot or cold – or may change rapidly at any given moment, causing heart failures and/or death – to sustain human life. Secondly, we would have no atmosphere, meaning no protection from the Sun’s rays and no resistance to meteors. Going up there now is risky, and even with all of our technology, even with all of our brain cells put together, there is always a risk of something going wrong. But enough with the negatives. If we end up finding something out of the ordinary, it may be the biggest discovery since wall painting.
Impact: Though it may be a few centuries before we even discover this new planet, this could be huge for society. We are worried about over-population today as it is, so another planet would definitely be good news. I don’t suppose it’s possible right now to begin a search, but the more scientists paying attention to outer space for new findings, the better. All of this is just a theory, meaning it can’t be proved, but let’s say, in an epic epiphany, we find a way to travel between galaxies. This could be really helpful to us. And with everyone worried about overpopulation, and running out of renewable resources, people really want to believe we won’t crash and burn in the foreseeable future because of the above said. Since going to other planets and collecting information from other planets is not the same thing, people are pretty skeptical. “Prove it”, they say. But nobody can prove it. We just have to pray that it’s real, I suppose.
Critique: I honestly don’t know how we’ll be able to transport everything we have to another galaxy. We can’t even get what we have right now to the moon. BUT. I am not saying I could do better. And I am not degrading the work of many scientists all over the world trying to figure this stuff out so I won’t have to. I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast this morning, so I am in no position to be joking about scientists’ studies. But someday, this will be either a really giant step for man or a really big red mark on our record. I guess the world will just have to wait another millennia before we find out. (With how much I say we will have to wait for it, you can tell I mean it will take a while before we even have a name for this planet. I apologize for the repetition, dear reader.)
http://www.livescience.com/10369-science-breakthroughs-2011-bring.html
Summary: Pop Quiz: Why are we on Earth? Well, the most likely reason is because we don’t have anywhere else to go. If left to our own devices, like having an endless amount of money in the government – Ha. That’ll happen – and possibly more reincarnated Einstein’s, we would be building houses on Mars already. However, we don’t have this much power. Not yet. But someday, we will find a way to get to the other planets and eventually begin to use them – either for more space or resources – and make the world even more advanced. Though scientists aren’t entirely sure they can prove the theory that there is another planet like earth, they know there are other galaxies besides ours. So, naturally, this other galaxy will have a power source – something like the sun – with planets/moons revolving around it. If this theory is correct, we’re going to need more astronauts.
The reason we don’t just go find an uninhabited planet right now, stick the American flag there and begin another community is because of things that could affect the way we live. Firstly, it may be too hot or cold – or may change rapidly at any given moment, causing heart failures and/or death – to sustain human life. Secondly, we would have no atmosphere, meaning no protection from the Sun’s rays and no resistance to meteors. Going up there now is risky, and even with all of our technology, even with all of our brain cells put together, there is always a risk of something going wrong. But enough with the negatives. If we end up finding something out of the ordinary, it may be the biggest discovery since wall painting.
Impact: Though it may be a few centuries before we even discover this new planet, this could be huge for society. We are worried about over-population today as it is, so another planet would definitely be good news. I don’t suppose it’s possible right now to begin a search, but the more scientists paying attention to outer space for new findings, the better. All of this is just a theory, meaning it can’t be proved, but let’s say, in an epic epiphany, we find a way to travel between galaxies. This could be really helpful to us. And with everyone worried about overpopulation, and running out of renewable resources, people really want to believe we won’t crash and burn in the foreseeable future because of the above said. Since going to other planets and collecting information from other planets is not the same thing, people are pretty skeptical. “Prove it”, they say. But nobody can prove it. We just have to pray that it’s real, I suppose.
Critique: I honestly don’t know how we’ll be able to transport everything we have to another galaxy. We can’t even get what we have right now to the moon. BUT. I am not saying I could do better. And I am not degrading the work of many scientists all over the world trying to figure this stuff out so I won’t have to. I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast this morning, so I am in no position to be joking about scientists’ studies. But someday, this will be either a really giant step for man or a really big red mark on our record. I guess the world will just have to wait another millennia before we find out. (With how much I say we will have to wait for it, you can tell I mean it will take a while before we even have a name for this planet. I apologize for the repetition, dear reader.)
http://www.livescience.com/10369-science-breakthroughs-2011-bring.html
Virginia quake may have exceeded nuclear plant design
Virginia quake may have
Exceeded nuclear plant design
Reference- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/29/us-usa-dominion-quake-idUSTRE77S66I20110829
Summary- A special inspection has been sent to the plant rocked by the 5.8 magnitude quake. The plant cannot be restarted till operator show that no damage occurred to the equipment at the plant for safe reasons. It will probably take three or four weeks till the team preliminary findings are released.
Critique- This means that the plant won’t be able to get back up till they inspect the plant to see if anything was damaged by the quake. So this isn’t good so the plant can’t get back up and running till they inspect it.
Impact- Nothing will be able to get going till it is back up and running. So the plant design has been delay till the operator inspects it first before putting it back on.
Exceeded nuclear plant design
Reference- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/29/us-usa-dominion-quake-idUSTRE77S66I20110829
Summary- A special inspection has been sent to the plant rocked by the 5.8 magnitude quake. The plant cannot be restarted till operator show that no damage occurred to the equipment at the plant for safe reasons. It will probably take three or four weeks till the team preliminary findings are released.
Critique- This means that the plant won’t be able to get back up till they inspect the plant to see if anything was damaged by the quake. So this isn’t good so the plant can’t get back up and running till they inspect it.
Impact- Nothing will be able to get going till it is back up and running. So the plant design has been delay till the operator inspects it first before putting it back on.
Professor eyes breeding a four-eared cat
Professor eyes breeding four-eared cat
A biology professor happens to own a 4-eared cat. Other than having 4 ears, this cat is perfectly normal. The professor, Vladimir Obryvkov and the cat, Luntya, live in an apartment in south-western Russia. Luntya was born with a few deformities including very large paws and smaller ears that are faced backwards. According to the professor, there is another cat in Russia who has extra ears named Luntik. “He’s about the same age as our Luntya. I wish Luntya and Luntik could meet one day and give birth to four-eared kittens,” he said, as reported by RIA Novosti. The offsprimg would be interesting for biologists to study. Professor Vladmimir Obryvkv is still hoping to breed these two cats someday.
Monday, August 29, 2011
A Look at Creation
Have you ever looked at nature and were just astounded at what you saw? Maybe it was the feeling you got when you first stepped foot on a beach or when you hiked to the top of Mt. Everest to see the breath-taking view. It’s those silent and speechless moments that have me convinced that there has to be a Creator who loved me enough to make something that He knew would take my breath away.
One of God’s many creations is the Amazon Rainforest, also known as the Amazon River Basin. The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest on Earth. Covering about 40 percent of the South American continent, I think it is safe to say that this rainforest is huge. It gets about 9 feet of rainfall every year. Over 500 mammals, 175 lizards and over 300 other reptiles’ species and one third of the world's birds live in the Amazon Rainforest. Competition for survival is extremely fierce.
The Amazon Rainforest consists of 4 layers, each with unique ecosystem, animals and plants. The first layer is the emergent layer. This layer may have trees rising up to 200 feet tall. The emergent layer is exposed to the most harsh weather conditions such as rainfall, winds and fluctuation of temperature. The trees in this layer have small waxy leaves that hold water and leaves that are able to disperse seeds to other parts of the rain forest.
The second layer is the canopy. This layer contains trees that are very dense and block out about 80 percent of the sunlight. The leaves are oval-shaped with a drip tip shaped for easy flow of water and prevention of growing fungus. Lots of flowers and fruit grow in the canopy layer.
The third layer is the understory. This layer consists of trees that are only about 12 feet tall with solar-collecting leaves that are dark green. The understory only gets about 5 percent of sunlight. Plants rely on insects for pollination because of little air movement.
The lowest layer is the forest floor. Barely any plants grow in this layer because of only 2 percent of sunlight being seen. Lots of decomposition takes place on the forest layer. This provides food and nutrients for many plants and animals.
The Amazon rainforest has a very warm and humid. The average temperature ranges at about 79 degrees Fahrenheit. About 20 percent of this rainforest has been destroyed for the use of humans.
This example of the Amazon Rainforest is a living, breathing example of how much God cares for his people. One of the most common verses in the bibles that demonstrates this love is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This undying, inarguable, sacrificial love is shown to us by simply looking at God’s creation. To think that God, the Creator of all the universe, loves you and I with this amazing love, is one of the most mind-blowing thing I could ever think of.
New 'Bionic' Leg Gives Amputees a Natural Gait
The Vanderbilt leg in action.
Summary: Developed at Vanderbilt University for the past seven years, a new leg prosthetic has been made. It allows amputees to have a more regular walk. Unlike the artificial legs of the past, amputees do not walk with their leg dragging. This is the first prosthetic to have powered knee and ankle joints. These operate in unison. The prosthetic employs the newest advances in computers, sensors, electric motors, and batteries. Sensors monitor the user's motion while microprocessors predict what the user is doing. It also tries to make movements easier, such as walking, sitting, standing, going up and down stairs, and going up ramps. The Vanderbilt prosthesis allows its users to walk 25% faster on level surfaces than when they use regular prostheses. It also weighs about nine pounds, which is lighter than most human legs.
Critique: This is going to make so many people's lives easier. They are going to be able to walk normally and do tasks more easily. I would really like to see this technology go to disabled veterans.
Impact: This technology is going to change lives. It's going to make people and their families happier because they will be able to do more things together.
References: http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2011/08/bionic-leg/ http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2011/08/18/new_bionic_leg_gives_amputees_a_natural_gait_.html
Dogs
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog
Summary: Dogs can come in many shapes and sizes. It is part of the Canidae family. The word dog can mean the male of a canine species. They we tamed from the gray wolves over 15,000 years ago. It is very common for dogs to shed their coat, or fur. Their fur can be can be short, long, curly, or smooth. There is an estimated 400 million dogs in the world.
Critique: I honestly love dogs, well the friendly kind.
Impact: The impact they have on the Earth is not as big as the one they have on humans. They can help the blind out by being their eyes. They make good police dogs when trying to find people and suspicious items.
Artificial Spider Silk from Transgenic Silkworms
Summary: The universities of Notre Dame, Wyoming, and Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. have accomplished a magnificent feat. They have successfully made transgenic silkworms that can spin artificial spider silk. Natural spider silks have higher tensile strength and elasticity than normal silkworms. The imitation spider silk has very similar characteristics to the real thing. Until now scientists have only been able to make small quantities of imitation spider silk with no commercially feasible way to produce and spin the artificial silk.
Critique: This is incredible because they have genetically engineered silkworms to produce imitation spider silk. There are many uses for the silk, especially in the medical industry. I think that this could be the next big thing for the textile industry. I can see Nike, Reebok, and Under Armour picking it up and making new athletic clothes.
Impact: The scientists have found a way to bring spider silk to the mass market. It can be used in the medical field for suturing. When made into bandages, its fibers will heal wounds faster than normal bandages. The silk may also be used as natural scaffolds for tendon and ligament repair or replacement. It can be made into super strong fabrics, maybe even stronger than Kevlar. There is talk of making it into bulletproof vests, athletic clothing, and a new generation of airbags for cars.
Reference: http://www.macroevolution.net/artificial-spider-silk.html
Summary:
So how is this to keep you thinking for a while. A small bacteria in your belly to keep you digesting your food can also make you feel less anxious then you really are without it? Now that’s just science fiction if ask me. They experimented on mice by giving them to different types of broths. One with the bacteria and another without it. So I guess this would be a good for it to control your mind too. You wont be anxious for a text or maybe a spelling bee. Its like a kind of calm yourself down bacteria.
Critique: Hopefully This type of bacteria does not start getting into everybody because then well have a ever carefree world!
Impact: If this gets into many people it could impact the world but so far this is just a study. Hopefully they can turn in into a medicine of some sort.
Refrence:http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/333870/title/Belly_bacteria_boss_the_brain
pumpkins
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkins
Summary: Pumpkins a type of fruit, they have an orangey/yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp. They are grown all around the world, but the biggest international producers are in the United States, Mexico, China, and India. They usually weigh about 9-18 pounds but can get as big as over 75. They can have both female and male flowers on the same plant.
Critique: Pumpkins are very delicious when you make them into pumpkin pie.
Impact: The impact on pumpkins, I think, is not a very big one. If pumpkins were to never be grown again I think we would be fine.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Muscles and Skeleton of Boa Constrictors
The skeleton of a Boa Constrictor is not complex because they have no limbs. Boa Constrictors have vestigial structures just like pelvic bones. They have vertebrae, ribs, and a skull. Their skulls allow Boa’s to eat animals larger than themselves. Elastic ligaments connect the bones allowing the Boa to stretch its jaw. The upper and lower parts of the jaw are in the back of the skull so that the Boa Constrictor can open its mouth very wide. The lower part of the jaw can move around when they are eating their prey. The Boa also has an extra loose bone called the quadrate on each side of the jaw. It gives the snake a double hinge that helps it move its food into the Boa’s mouth. The Boa also has backwards curve teeth that also help eat its food. They act like hooks and angle toward the throat and prevent the prey from wiggling out of the Boa’s mouth. The snakes teeth are attached to the bone and when they lose their teeth, they are able to grow back. There are separate sets of teeth that a Boa has through its lifetime. Their teeth usually come out when their eating. A Boa Constrictor has a skull, hyoid, vertebral column, and ribs. The skull of a Boa Constrictor has a braincase. A Boa’s vertebral column has two hundred to four hundred vertebrae. About twenty percent Boa’s have tail vertebrae. A vertebrae gives a Boa strong muscle attachments allowing the snake to move faster. A lot of Boa’s have vestiges of the hind limbs that make pelvic spurs.
The muscles of boa constrictors are very strong. They have as many as 24 muscles attached to each vertebra and rib. Their muscles are also used to move they prey internally as they eat it. Boa constrictors move by using its muscles. There are many different ways in which they move such as slithering, rectilinear, sidewinding, and concertina. The slithering motion is the most common form of movement. It allows them to reach top speeds. In the rectilinear movement, they use a caterpillar like movement to travel in a straight line. Moving the skin of the belly forward allows them to pull the rest of their body along. In sidewinding, the snake thrusts their body in a curling motion. Concertina is a technique that they use when climbing trees. Their body bunches up in horizontal loops, their head moves forward, and then they straighten out their body, very similar to an accordion or a spring. All this movement requires their muscle strength. This shows that the muscular systems of these snakes are very strong.
Reference: http://animal.discovery.com/guides/reptiles/snakes/anatomy_02.html
Malaria Disappearing? Know Anybody Who'd Miss It?
Reference: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/233471.php
Summary: It would appear we have an unanswered question. Why are all the Mosquitoes disappearing in Africa? To be specific, several parts of the sub-Saharan Africa. Seems like not many people are getting malaria as often, that's what Danisih reisearchers said in the Malaria Journal. Some think this disease is slowly fading away, while just think its resting so it can come back twice as strong. Dan Meyrowitsch says that this is a good sign and that it means that the control programmes are doing there job, especially the nets that catch the mosquitos. Many malaria researcher happen to agree with Dan Meyrowitsch.
Critique: This can only be explained as a good thing, and I hope that the malaria diminishes eveb further than it already is as of now.
Impact: This can put hope into all the people living there and encourage those researchers to keep fighting.
Cecilia the boa constrictor
Cecilia was a strange boa constrictor not like the others. Cecilia didn’t like to eat what the other boa constrictors ate. Cecilia didn’t like to live where the other boa constrictors lived. Cecilia didn’t like to look like what the other boa constrictors looked like. Cecilia seemed to be a breed of her own. Cecelia needs to understand that she is a boa constrictor and that’s what she will always be.
Cecelia did not be any means like to eat what the other boa constrictors ate. The other boas were eating large lizards, small birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats, and squirrels. Not Cecelia though she only ate the finest caviar at the finest rainforest café’s. Even though the other boas hunted during the night using their scales which are heat sensitive to locate their prey. Cecilia made reservations at restaurants; she was not at all like the others.
Cecilia did not like to live where the other boa constrictors lived. Boa constrictors live in wet tropical rainforest as well as the open savannah. Cecilia much prefers the beaches of Hawaii. Boa constrictors prefer 70-80 degree weather and high humidity. Although, Cecelia prefers it much colder than 70 degrees and low humidity. Boa constrictors prefer the warmth they obtain this warmth by sun bathing or burrowing under the rainforest floor. Cecelia is not like the others.
Cecelia does not like to look like the other boa constrictors either. She likes to where a pink feather boa designed by only the top rainforest designers. The other boas are typically pinkish or tan with dark patterns. Boas can range from about 2 feet to 13 ft. The largest boa ever reported was 18 feet long. Cecelia is a small 1 foot and she works to stay that way she believes that smaller is better. Boas have heat sensitive scales that they use for hunting at night. Cecelia is not like the other boas.
Cecelia is not like the other boas she is different, higher maintenance. She does not like to eat what the other boa constrictors like to eat. She does not like to live where the other boa constrictors live. Cecelia does not even like to look like what the other constrictors look like. Cecelia is different but is different such a bad thing. Maybe standing out is better than being normal. Maybe we all should learn something from Cecelia and not be afraid to be different.
References
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Boaconstrictor.cfm
http://www.kingsnake.com/boapage/caresheets/boaconstrictorcare.html
Cecelia did not be any means like to eat what the other boa constrictors ate. The other boas were eating large lizards, small birds, opossums, bats, mongooses, rats, and squirrels. Not Cecelia though she only ate the finest caviar at the finest rainforest café’s. Even though the other boas hunted during the night using their scales which are heat sensitive to locate their prey. Cecilia made reservations at restaurants; she was not at all like the others.
Cecilia did not like to live where the other boa constrictors lived. Boa constrictors live in wet tropical rainforest as well as the open savannah. Cecilia much prefers the beaches of Hawaii. Boa constrictors prefer 70-80 degree weather and high humidity. Although, Cecelia prefers it much colder than 70 degrees and low humidity. Boa constrictors prefer the warmth they obtain this warmth by sun bathing or burrowing under the rainforest floor. Cecelia is not like the others.
Cecelia does not like to look like the other boa constrictors either. She likes to where a pink feather boa designed by only the top rainforest designers. The other boas are typically pinkish or tan with dark patterns. Boas can range from about 2 feet to 13 ft. The largest boa ever reported was 18 feet long. Cecelia is a small 1 foot and she works to stay that way she believes that smaller is better. Boas have heat sensitive scales that they use for hunting at night. Cecelia is not like the other boas.
Cecelia is not like the other boas she is different, higher maintenance. She does not like to eat what the other boa constrictors like to eat. She does not like to live where the other boa constrictors live. Cecelia does not even like to look like what the other constrictors look like. Cecelia is different but is different such a bad thing. Maybe standing out is better than being normal. Maybe we all should learn something from Cecelia and not be afraid to be different.
References
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Boaconstrictor.cfm
http://www.kingsnake.com/boapage/caresheets/boaconstrictorcare.html
Study: How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?
Reference
http://video.foxnews.com/v/1113088265001/study-how-much-exercise-do-you-really-need/?playlist_id=86903
Summary
This study done by doctor McCarry suggests that you only need 15 minutes of exercise a day. Whether this is walking, running, or even doing jumping jacks. As long as it is something that gets your heart pumping it is good. For this study they went to a wide range of people and ask them how long they exercised a day. They then broke them down into categories and the one with the most health benefit was the ones that only did 15 minutes a day. It’s not only how much time you spend exercising but also what you eat. The bottom line is that you actually don’t need 30 minutes a day but 15 minutes is an optimal amount.
Critique
I think this study is actually really amazing and worth the time. Many people say that they don’t have enough time in a day to exercise but in the time it takes me to write this report I could have gotten a good days exercise. Everybody thinks to be able to be healthy they have to go to the gym for an hour a day. Not everybody has an hour to spend exercising but everyone has fifteen minutes. Another benefit to this is that you do not have to do straight suicides for fifteen but walking or jumping jacks are good enough. Everyone wants to be healthy but not everyone has the time this is a study worthwhile.
Impact
I believe this helps our world a lot everyday people die from health related reasons this is a way to end that. Everyone can do fifteen minutes and everyone can walk so why not? Finding this information out is really helpful to the people today. I think everybody can do this and with this information a lot more people can be healthier. So using this information we can walk or bike to school and be able to get in our daily exercise. Now if only someone could figure out a way to get all our homework done in fifteen minutes.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Astronomer discovers star made out of diamond
Astronomer discovers star made out of diamond
Reference - http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/08/26/3302280.htm
Summary – This was a discovery of a small but fast spinning star called Pulsar. It has led astronomers to believe that this star is made out of diamond. Further information about pulsar was collected from to other radio telescopes. A team of scientists has calculated that the star (pulsar) is about 600,000 kilometers away from the closet planer, which is about 1.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Critique- This is amazing that people found a star made out of diamond. But who knows for all we know they could be interested about this diamond star just because diamonds are worth a lot of money on Earth. I think that if they had the technology to somehow mine this star they would and then bring it back and sell it like everyone else probably would. But the thing is we will probably never be able to mine out of this star so there is nothing to worry about anyone trying to take over this star at all.
Impact- Knowing that it is made of a diamond which is carbon based is interesting, since everything on earth is carbon based. It shows that other carbon based life forms could be out there.
Reference - http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/08/26/3302280.htm
Summary – This was a discovery of a small but fast spinning star called Pulsar. It has led astronomers to believe that this star is made out of diamond. Further information about pulsar was collected from to other radio telescopes. A team of scientists has calculated that the star (pulsar) is about 600,000 kilometers away from the closet planer, which is about 1.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Critique- This is amazing that people found a star made out of diamond. But who knows for all we know they could be interested about this diamond star just because diamonds are worth a lot of money on Earth. I think that if they had the technology to somehow mine this star they would and then bring it back and sell it like everyone else probably would. But the thing is we will probably never be able to mine out of this star so there is nothing to worry about anyone trying to take over this star at all.
Impact- Knowing that it is made of a diamond which is carbon based is interesting, since everything on earth is carbon based. It shows that other carbon based life forms could be out there.
The Circulatory and respiratory System of a Boa Constrictor
The boa constrictor’s respiratory system is quite interesting. Boa constrictors have a small opening just behind their tongue called the glottis, which opens into the trachea, or more commonly known as the windpipe. The glottis, unlike mammals, is always closed forming a vertical slit, unless the boa takes a breath. Inside the glottis a small piece of cartilage vibrates when the boa forcefully expels air from its lungs, producing the boa constrictor’s famous, loud hissing sound. Boa constrictors are capable of extending their glottis out the side of their mouths while they eat, which allows for respiration while they consume larger prey items. Supported by cartilaginous rings, the trachea is a long, straw like structure. These rings are incomplete they look more like a C shape then an O shape, inside the snake. A thin membrane completes the C shape of the rings. Just in front of the heart is where the trachea usually terminates, and at this point the trachea splits into the two primaries bronchi, airways that direct air into either the left or right lung. Boa constrictors breathe simply by contracting the muscles between their ribs. Boa constrictors, unlike mammals, do not have a diaphragm. A portion of a boa constrictors lung nearest to its head has a respiratory function; this is where oxygen exchange occurs. The portion of the lung that is closest to the tail is more of an air sac. The inside of this air sac looks more like an expanded balloon than actual lung. There is no exchange of breath in the air sac by the tail.
The circulatory system or more commonly known as the cardiovascular system. The boa constrictors heart is encased in a sac, called the pericardium, which is located at the bifurcation of the bronchi. Considering that a boa has no diaphragm, the heart is able to move around. This adjustment protects the heart from potential damage when large prey is ingested and passed through the esophagus. The spleen is attached to the pancreas and the gall bladder and filters the blood. The thymus gland of the boa is located in the fatty tissue above the heart and is responsible for the generation of immune cells in the blood. The cardiovascular system of a snake is different because of the presence of a renal portal system in which the blood from the snake’s tail passes through the kidneys before returning to the heart. As snakes tubular bodies require all of their organs to be long and thin the vestigial left lung is often small or nonexistent.
The Sun Concern You Don't Know About
Reference- www.myfoxphoenix.com
Summary- Primarily in the Arizona we know about heat stroke, heat exhaustion. But what about a condition that could negatively impact the vision of a person? The ultraviolet rays of the sun can't just do serious damage to the skin, but to your eyes too. It's called pterygium, it looks like a small red spot or red wedge or a triangular piece of tissue usually on the inner corner of the white if the eye. if left unchecked, pterygia can grow across the entire surface of the eye causing serious vision problems. They say not to leave the house without sunglasses on. The only way to get rid of the pterygia and that's to cut it away. After the benign mass is cut away, it has to be repaired by transplanting tissue from under the eyelid. There's one more thing about this procedure, your awake the whole time. For many with this condition it might be too late, as extensive sxposure to the sun during childhood can result in pterygium growth later in life.
Critique- I wonder why this was just recently announced the world especially the people that live here in Arizona. This may effect a lot of people later in life because you never really think of what the sun does to your eyes when your outside for an excessive amount of time. I definitely am going to think about my eyes when i go outside now. The procedure for this condition sounds very painful to go through. I will be more cautious when I'm outside.
Impact- This condition could possibly effect a lot of people that live in states that are sunny all the time. I guess this means that people will start buying sunglasses, which will make the people that produce the sunglasses very rich.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Does TV make you die faster?
Reference:http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/17/want-to-live-longer-try-turning-off-your-tv/
Summary: A study conducted in Australia compares the life span of those who watch 6 hours of TV every day and those who don't. The research shows that Austrailian adults over the age of 25 who watched no TV live 4.8 years more than those who watch an average of 6 hours of televison a day. Given this, it is believed that every hour of TV you watch takes 22 minutes off your life span. If we did not watch TV, it is being said that men would live 1.8 years longer and women 1.5 years longer.
Critique: Ok, I see how this could be true. I mean, if you're watching TV you're not really having any physical activity. I mean, at least I don't. Maybe other people do crunches while watching TV, I don't really know. But if we exercize one hour for every hour of TV we watch, I think we would be fine. I just don't think a lot of us are disciplined enough to do it.
Impact: Maybe this information will inspire America to get some exercize. It is being said that the world is getting fatter, so maybe people will start listening to the scientists and turn off the tube. Or maybe they will just ignore it and finish watching that episode of Nanny 911 because that show is soooooo addicting. (It really is. Be careful! Haha.)
Summary: A study conducted in Australia compares the life span of those who watch 6 hours of TV every day and those who don't. The research shows that Austrailian adults over the age of 25 who watched no TV live 4.8 years more than those who watch an average of 6 hours of televison a day. Given this, it is believed that every hour of TV you watch takes 22 minutes off your life span. If we did not watch TV, it is being said that men would live 1.8 years longer and women 1.5 years longer.
Critique: Ok, I see how this could be true. I mean, if you're watching TV you're not really having any physical activity. I mean, at least I don't. Maybe other people do crunches while watching TV, I don't really know. But if we exercize one hour for every hour of TV we watch, I think we would be fine. I just don't think a lot of us are disciplined enough to do it.
Impact: Maybe this information will inspire America to get some exercize. It is being said that the world is getting fatter, so maybe people will start listening to the scientists and turn off the tube. Or maybe they will just ignore it and finish watching that episode of Nanny 911 because that show is soooooo addicting. (It really is. Be careful! Haha.)
The Dangers Of Child Anorexia
Reference: http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/08/tweens.anorexia.parenting/index.html
Summary: Anorexia, a serious eating disorder, is no longer limited to teenagers and adults. In fact there have been reports of patients as young as 7 years old coming in and being diagnosed with anorexia. It's a serious problem. And it's no longer only girls. Boys are developing anorexia more than ever before. Some of the problem can be in their genetic makeup. Kids with high levels of anxiety or OCD can be vulnerable to anorexia. Also, our culture revolves around the way we look. Kids are bombarded with this every day. We need to take the initiative and warn this kids before it's too late.
Critique: This is a serious problem. Anorexia is serious even at an adult level, but in kids it even worse. If we don't recognize the symptoms right away, it could be too late for these kids.
Impact: All of us need to step up. We can't protect these kids from the culture, but we can teach them to react healthily to it.
Summary: Anorexia, a serious eating disorder, is no longer limited to teenagers and adults. In fact there have been reports of patients as young as 7 years old coming in and being diagnosed with anorexia. It's a serious problem. And it's no longer only girls. Boys are developing anorexia more than ever before. Some of the problem can be in their genetic makeup. Kids with high levels of anxiety or OCD can be vulnerable to anorexia. Also, our culture revolves around the way we look. Kids are bombarded with this every day. We need to take the initiative and warn this kids before it's too late.
Critique: This is a serious problem. Anorexia is serious even at an adult level, but in kids it even worse. If we don't recognize the symptoms right away, it could be too late for these kids.
Impact: All of us need to step up. We can't protect these kids from the culture, but we can teach them to react healthily to it.
Volcanoes:
From the outside, a volcano just looks like a mountain with an opening on the top, but there is so much more to learn that you can’t see from just looking at it from the outside. This includes what happens inside and below the volcano and what type of organisms live around the volcano itself. To learn about the creation of a volcano and what is created in a volcano is something you have to look at from a closer perspective.
There are several different ways a volcano can form because there are several different types of volcanoes. The first one is called shield volcanoes. These types of volcanoes can grow to be extremely large. Some of the oldest volcano remains are believed to be shield volcano remains. These volcanoes are tall and wide, with flat and rounded sides. Mauna Loa, one of the largest of the shield volcanoes, rises over 13,000 feet above sea.
Another type of a volcano is called a cinder cone. This particular type runs very small, about the size of a hill. They are usually made from piles of lava being shot out by one single opening and landing in a large pile. Cinder cones are a lot smaller than shield volcanoes and don’t cause as much damage. Famous cinder cones include Paricutin in Mexico and one located in the middle of Crater Lake.
The last type of volcano is a composite volcano, also known as a strato volcano. Unlike shield volcanoes, which are flat and wide, composite volcanoes are tall and steep. These volcanoes can rise up to 10,000 feet high. They are created by lava, ash and cinders. They are also described to be the most majestic kind of volcano. Some famous composite volcanoes are located in Italy and Japan as well as several in the United States.
There are advantages and disadvantages of living near a volcano. You have to live with the danger of the volcano erupting at any moment. Vacationers are taken away at the sight of volcanoes, but are also scared to stay around it too long. After a volcano erupts, the soil becomes rich and able to produce crops. This is why many farmers grow plants on these grounds near the volcano. It also creates a living area for plants to grow around the volcano that are not crops.
There is so much more to volcanoes than what you can see on the outside. Composite, cinder cone, and shield volcanoes can don't evem mean anything to you until you look at them in a different way and learn about them. Sometimes you have to look at something from a different perspective to see its value.
From the outside, a volcano just looks like a mountain with an opening on the top, but there is so much more to learn that you can’t see from just looking at it from the outside. This includes what happens inside and below the volcano and what type of organisms live around the volcano itself. To learn about the creation of a volcano and what is created in a volcano is something you have to look at from a closer perspective.
There are several different ways a volcano can form because there are several different types of volcanoes. The first one is called shield volcanoes. These types of volcanoes can grow to be extremely large. Some of the oldest volcano remains are believed to be shield volcano remains. These volcanoes are tall and wide, with flat and rounded sides. Mauna Loa, one of the largest of the shield volcanoes, rises over 13,000 feet above sea.
Another type of a volcano is called a cinder cone. This particular type runs very small, about the size of a hill. They are usually made from piles of lava being shot out by one single opening and landing in a large pile. Cinder cones are a lot smaller than shield volcanoes and don’t cause as much damage. Famous cinder cones include Paricutin in Mexico and one located in the middle of Crater Lake.
The last type of volcano is a composite volcano, also known as a strato volcano. Unlike shield volcanoes, which are flat and wide, composite volcanoes are tall and steep. These volcanoes can rise up to 10,000 feet high. They are created by lava, ash and cinders. They are also described to be the most majestic kind of volcano. Some famous composite volcanoes are located in Italy and Japan as well as several in the United States.
There are advantages and disadvantages of living near a volcano. You have to live with the danger of the volcano erupting at any moment. Vacationers are taken away at the sight of volcanoes, but are also scared to stay around it too long. After a volcano erupts, the soil becomes rich and able to produce crops. This is why many farmers grow plants on these grounds near the volcano. It also creates a living area for plants to grow around the volcano that are not crops.
There is so much more to volcanoes than what you can see on the outside. Composite, cinder cone, and shield volcanoes can don't evem mean anything to you until you look at them in a different way and learn about them. Sometimes you have to look at something from a different perspective to see its value.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Grasslands
Grasslands, there a variety of different grasslands all throughout the world. Grasslands consist of what one would expect, grass, but there all different kinds of grass that make up a grassland. These fields of grass range around almost every environment that spans around the world, except places much too cold, such as Antarctica. These areas gained dominance over the forest biome, because of the mountains rising in height in North America, creating an continental climate that leaned toward the growth of grasslands. This occurred during the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs, supposedly dating back to twenty-five million years ago. The Pleistocene Ice Age passed and grasslands began to adapt to and spread to hotter an drier climates. Slowly, forests began to be less and less, while the grassland biome began to become more and more.
Many different forms of grasslands inhabit the planet, the usual being Temperate Grasslands, which contain no woody plants, the soil is much to thin to even support trees or shrubs, unlike the savannas, which have many, this is for another topic though. Temperate Grasslands is usually in a warm climate and gets maybe ten to thirty -five inches in rain a year. The amount of rain a temperate grassland gets determines how tall the grass will be, which consists of simply tall or short. Droughts also have a big part in keeping the trees from growing, because unlike the trees, grasses don't require as much water, so this results in the grass maintaining dominance. Much of grasslands goal, is to keep trees and shrubs from growing, because if they flourish, it would become more of a forest like place and the grasses would die, so fire also prevents trees from growing by burning them all down, usually caused by a strike of lightning that spreads a wildfire. Many animals live in the grasslands, but because there are not too many places to hide in the grasslands, most animals stay in large herds. Because of the drought, most of these animals aren't around during this time, instead they come out during the time of rain. Some of the animals that are included in the grasslands are, Giraffes, Black Rhinoceros, Ostriches, Lions, Bison, Prairie Dog, Warthog, Black Hyena and many more. All of these animals are in different regions of the world, all of which cannot be bought in any store I'm sorry to say.
Like there are animals there also many different kinds of grasses and plants that grow in the grasslands. Woody-plants are not present which would include, trees, shrubs, or llianas. If there are, they are very scarce. Sometimes people will go ahead and try to physically keep the grasses short, so that they may be easier to pass through or for whatever reasoning there may be for them to do that. This is much like what the people do with their lawns. Then there is the grass that keeps itself under control with fires and grazing like the Temperate grasses. The savanna grasslands which is more like Africa and such. These places have woody plants in them more regularly than the temperate grasslands, they have the
Elephants, the Lions, Hyenas and even the meerkats. This kind of place gets more rain than a temperate grassland to support the trees and shrubs along with all the other woody plants. Most woody plants are perennial and last out more than one season.
A few of the animals found in the forest, the grasslands are usually on the forest floor while some of the animals live on the floor and feed on the floor dwellers., Eastern Cottontail, Red Fox Coyote, Voles, Meadow Jumping Mouse, Red-Tailed Hawk, American Kestral Short-Eared Owl, Barn Owl, Rabbits, Eastern Fox Snakes and even the Red Locust. These animals can all be found in more of an area where the grass is below the trees and sometimes in open fields.
Talking about the animals that live in grasslands, some information should be given about them, the Barn Owl also known as Tyto alba pratincola.
As it can be seen, much of the world has grasslands around on almost every regions and it houses a numerous amount of animals. There are two main grasslands, temperate and savanna grasslands, each having their own individual characteristics. Grasslands has been around since the beginning of time, and it's only growing in numbers.
Many different forms of grasslands inhabit the planet, the usual being Temperate Grasslands, which contain no woody plants, the soil is much to thin to even support trees or shrubs, unlike the savannas, which have many, this is for another topic though. Temperate Grasslands is usually in a warm climate and gets maybe ten to thirty -five inches in rain a year. The amount of rain a temperate grassland gets determines how tall the grass will be, which consists of simply tall or short. Droughts also have a big part in keeping the trees from growing, because unlike the trees, grasses don't require as much water, so this results in the grass maintaining dominance. Much of grasslands goal, is to keep trees and shrubs from growing, because if they flourish, it would become more of a forest like place and the grasses would die, so fire also prevents trees from growing by burning them all down, usually caused by a strike of lightning that spreads a wildfire. Many animals live in the grasslands, but because there are not too many places to hide in the grasslands, most animals stay in large herds. Because of the drought, most of these animals aren't around during this time, instead they come out during the time of rain. Some of the animals that are included in the grasslands are, Giraffes, Black Rhinoceros, Ostriches, Lions, Bison, Prairie Dog, Warthog, Black Hyena and many more. All of these animals are in different regions of the world, all of which cannot be bought in any store I'm sorry to say.
Like there are animals there also many different kinds of grasses and plants that grow in the grasslands. Woody-plants are not present which would include, trees, shrubs, or llianas. If there are, they are very scarce. Sometimes people will go ahead and try to physically keep the grasses short, so that they may be easier to pass through or for whatever reasoning there may be for them to do that. This is much like what the people do with their lawns. Then there is the grass that keeps itself under control with fires and grazing like the Temperate grasses. The savanna grasslands which is more like Africa and such. These places have woody plants in them more regularly than the temperate grasslands, they have the
Elephants, the Lions, Hyenas and even the meerkats. This kind of place gets more rain than a temperate grassland to support the trees and shrubs along with all the other woody plants. Most woody plants are perennial and last out more than one season.
A few of the animals found in the forest, the grasslands are usually on the forest floor while some of the animals live on the floor and feed on the floor dwellers., Eastern Cottontail, Red Fox Coyote, Voles, Meadow Jumping Mouse, Red-Tailed Hawk, American Kestral Short-Eared Owl, Barn Owl, Rabbits, Eastern Fox Snakes and even the Red Locust. These animals can all be found in more of an area where the grass is below the trees and sometimes in open fields.
Talking about the animals that live in grasslands, some information should be given about them, the Barn Owl also known as Tyto alba pratincola.
As it can be seen, much of the world has grasslands around on almost every regions and it houses a numerous amount of animals. There are two main grasslands, temperate and savanna grasslands, each having their own individual characteristics. Grasslands has been around since the beginning of time, and it's only growing in numbers.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The flight of the bumble bee: why are they dissapearing?
Reference:
Summary:
The A.U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is trying to figure out what is causing the decrease in bumble bee populations. Bumble bees, like honey bees, are special pollinators of native plants and are used to pollinate green house crops like peppers and tomatoes.
In the late 1990s greenhouse pollination began to suffer from disease problems and companies stopped rearing them. Bumble bee species of other populations are decreasing as well. Many greenhouse growers use commercially produced Bombus impatiens a generalist pollinator native to the Midwest. Impatiens escaped though and formed wild colonies in the Western United States. They have not figured out why they are decreasing yet but are still researching.
Critique:
I feel the researchers should ask the greenhouse owners how they think the bumble bees got out or why they went and created their own wild colony. The researchers should find more ways to detect the patterns of the bumble bees and where they traveled and why they think they did.
Impact:
Loosing bumble bees that pollinate the greenhouses could be a big loss to us. These bumble bees that pollinate our greenhouses are a very important part of how the plants grow. We could see a decrease in peppers and tomatoes if the population of bumble keeps decreasing.
Scientits copy the way viruses deliver genes
Reference: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2011/08/11/scientists_copy_the_ways_viruses_deliver_genes.html
Summary:
Scientists at the national physical laboratory (NPL) have copied the ways viruses infect human cells and give their genetic material. The research hopes to apply a therapeutic strategy to correct defective genes that could cause cancer.
Gene therapy has challenges finding damaged cells and correcting them. This research describes a model peptide sequence, dubbed GeT (Gene Transporter). This wraps around genes, and transports them through cell membranes and helps their escape.
Critique:
I feel this is a very effective treatment for people who would need it. This treatment should be analyzed more for trying to figure out how to not have as much trouble finding the damaged cells and being able t correct them.
Impact:
This treatment could impact the lives of millions of people who depend on this treatment to help them get better. This treatment could also help not cause cancer for many people. Having this treatment could make a big difference in the medical world.
Should Evolution be Taught in High School?
Resources: http://www.science20.com/dna_and_diversity/should_evolution_be_taught_in_high_school
We all have heard of the word evolution. Yes, people in our society have questioned it due to religious beliefs. But, would you ever think that someone would have different ideas concerning the Tree of Life? Biologist Carl Woese sure does! The Tree of Life has two major categories, prokaryotes, where each organism lacks a cell nucleus. While the eukaryotes includes each organism that has a complete nucleus complex like plants, fungi, and all animals. But Carl suggested that the prokaryotes should be divided into two groups because of the lack of classification. He divided it into bacteria and archaea. Archaea includes similar organisms that live in extreme environments. But what is very interesting is that studies show that the archaea category has more similarities with the eukaryotes than it does with bacteria. This too rocked the science world! Not only has Carl voiced his opinion concerning the tree of life, but has even more thoughts about evolution being taught in school.
“My feeling is that evolution shouldn't be taught at the lower grades. You don't teach quantum mechanics in the grade schools. One has to be quite educated to work with these concepts; what they pass on as evolution in high schools is nothing but repetitious tripe that teachers don't understand.” - Carl Woses
The author of the article that I’m writing this summary on, T. Ryan Gregory, strongly disagrees with Woses. Woses thinks that the subject is just too complex for teens and thinks it would be better taught in college only. T. Ryan Gregory is a university teacher who teaches a class on evolution which is made up of biology majors. Because of this, he expects all his students to process the topics of evolution and biology easier than others. The majority of his class actually goes to clearing up any misunderstandings the students might have about evolution. For instance, many people think humans are descended from chimpanzees, I know I did! Gregory takes the time to do this because the misunderstandings a student might have effects how well he/she will retain the new information. Carl Woses thinks all the misunderstandings come from evolution being taught incorrectly in high school. To fix this problem he thinks evolution should not be taught until college. Now you may think this is a good idea but actually there are many complications with this answer. Not everyone is even going to go to college, and an even smaller amount is not going to be taking a class on evolution. What to do about this issue is still debatable.
In my opinion, I think teens can understand the information regarding evolution pretty well. Some teachers may think they are teaching the topic right when they’re really not. I think we should have teachers undergo a special course to teach the topic of evolution right and make sure the students have a better understanding. If we take the topic out of the high school curriculum there is going to be an even lower percentage of people who don’t understand anything about evolution. One day will almost the whole population not fully understand evolution? Will it be a theory of the past and only the theory of God exists? Maybe that would be a good thing, there would not be so much evil around and sins being committed as there is today.
We all have heard of the word evolution. Yes, people in our society have questioned it due to religious beliefs. But, would you ever think that someone would have different ideas concerning the Tree of Life? Biologist Carl Woese sure does! The Tree of Life has two major categories, prokaryotes, where each organism lacks a cell nucleus. While the eukaryotes includes each organism that has a complete nucleus complex like plants, fungi, and all animals. But Carl suggested that the prokaryotes should be divided into two groups because of the lack of classification. He divided it into bacteria and archaea. Archaea includes similar organisms that live in extreme environments. But what is very interesting is that studies show that the archaea category has more similarities with the eukaryotes than it does with bacteria. This too rocked the science world! Not only has Carl voiced his opinion concerning the tree of life, but has even more thoughts about evolution being taught in school.
“My feeling is that evolution shouldn't be taught at the lower grades. You don't teach quantum mechanics in the grade schools. One has to be quite educated to work with these concepts; what they pass on as evolution in high schools is nothing but repetitious tripe that teachers don't understand.” - Carl Woses
The author of the article that I’m writing this summary on, T. Ryan Gregory, strongly disagrees with Woses. Woses thinks that the subject is just too complex for teens and thinks it would be better taught in college only. T. Ryan Gregory is a university teacher who teaches a class on evolution which is made up of biology majors. Because of this, he expects all his students to process the topics of evolution and biology easier than others. The majority of his class actually goes to clearing up any misunderstandings the students might have about evolution. For instance, many people think humans are descended from chimpanzees, I know I did! Gregory takes the time to do this because the misunderstandings a student might have effects how well he/she will retain the new information. Carl Woses thinks all the misunderstandings come from evolution being taught incorrectly in high school. To fix this problem he thinks evolution should not be taught until college. Now you may think this is a good idea but actually there are many complications with this answer. Not everyone is even going to go to college, and an even smaller amount is not going to be taking a class on evolution. What to do about this issue is still debatable.
In my opinion, I think teens can understand the information regarding evolution pretty well. Some teachers may think they are teaching the topic right when they’re really not. I think we should have teachers undergo a special course to teach the topic of evolution right and make sure the students have a better understanding. If we take the topic out of the high school curriculum there is going to be an even lower percentage of people who don’t understand anything about evolution. One day will almost the whole population not fully understand evolution? Will it be a theory of the past and only the theory of God exists? Maybe that would be a good thing, there would not be so much evil around and sins being committed as there is today.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Walking School Bus Programs Take Off
Summary: In 1969, 42% of kids rode their bikes to school rather than take a bus. In 2009, that number dropped to 13%. Now there are more than 30% of children who are overweight and 17% of them are considered obese. This article is not saying riding the bus causes people to gain weight; it is saying that people who walk or ride their bikes have more physical activity than the kids who take the school bus. Researchers say that kids who are walking and riding their bikes increased their active commuting time by 30%. This ultimately helps the kids.
Critique: I agree with the article. Kids just don’t understand how it is important to stay healthy. It is proven that when we exercise and eat healthy, we have a better chance at living a long, strong, healthy life.
Impact: According to the article, if students continue to increase their activity, it would make them healthier. This could lead to healthier generations to come. The percentage of the people that are obese would decrease if this current generation of students continues to exercise and stay healthy.
Forestry Industry of the Pacific Northwest and the old growth forest
By: Katie Miller
Summary: In 2009, the market for lumber plunged more than it has for decades. Here’s how it happened: In order to keep up with demand, the lumber mills cut as much as they could without disturbing too many laws or animal rights activists. But because they cut so many down, there was only a number of trees left to spread seeds to plant more. It does not take long for a tree to grow – maybe a year – but it must develop enough to be ready to sell, kind of like raising cows or pigs for slaughter. (I understand this is a grotesque comparison, and I don’t really like it, but it matches the production of trees very well.) By 2010, however, the tables turned. The market came back up, due to more trees emerging. This trend continued mostly throughout this year, and the level of lumber is suggested to grow even more by 2012. Many of the trees that were sacrificed for the economy were from the old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. An ‘old growth forest’ is more of a classification than a name, because it is referring to trees that are tallest and oldest in a particular region. This particular one, however, stands out from among its brethren because its trees are older and taller. To put it even more simply, the forest is more important than any other wooded area in the United States, according to some ecologists, because there is more life in this forest than anywhere else. So just imagine how much someone might pay for a house that was made from a pristine, 200-year-old tree that came from the most important woodland area in Central America.
Impact: Many of the trees were cut down in order to meet demand. We must keep in mind, however, that some of these trees may have been more than 100 years old, and how long it takes for a there’s wood to mature enough to be considered as ‘money-wood’. Not to mention that because this many trees were wiped out, many animals that made their homes in the foliage and escaped just in time may become prone to extinction. What’s worse is that we may not have to worry much about oxygen being a renewable resource now. But if we keep up this kind of attitude towards these poor tees, we may as well begin to package air and sell that too.
Critique: I’m not a hippie. Neither are many of my fellow teens who pretend they are, with all the tie-die and smiley faces, because when it gets right down to it, many of them would not risk giving up the shelter of their homes for the cause. What my point is, many of us Americans would rather sit back and enjoy the carnage between various politicians and “Save the Trees!” flower children, instead of picking a side and fighting for it. Not many of us truly appreciate the life that trees support humans and animals alike. I am in no way saying I am different from the other 7.7 billion people out of 8 billion who appreciate this kind of thing, but I do understand and am aware of the situation the human race could be in if we don’t put together our act, so to speak.
Sites used: http://www.forestnet.com/TWissues/jan_11/guest.php
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pacific+northwest&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=cEffIjsRuSYsUM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gonorthwest.com/visitor/about/map.htm&docid=4Ul1jmSECsL7gM&w=395&h=336&ei=VUJRTsXhMobTiALR3eW8Dw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=168&vpy=113&dur=250&hovh=207&hovw=243&tx=149&ty=115&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=1440&bih=710
http://www.oregonwild.org/oregon_forests/old_growth_protection/pacific-northwest-research-station-old-growth-a-unique-ecosystem
Summary: In 2009, the market for lumber plunged more than it has for decades. Here’s how it happened: In order to keep up with demand, the lumber mills cut as much as they could without disturbing too many laws or animal rights activists. But because they cut so many down, there was only a number of trees left to spread seeds to plant more. It does not take long for a tree to grow – maybe a year – but it must develop enough to be ready to sell, kind of like raising cows or pigs for slaughter. (I understand this is a grotesque comparison, and I don’t really like it, but it matches the production of trees very well.) By 2010, however, the tables turned. The market came back up, due to more trees emerging. This trend continued mostly throughout this year, and the level of lumber is suggested to grow even more by 2012. Many of the trees that were sacrificed for the economy were from the old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. An ‘old growth forest’ is more of a classification than a name, because it is referring to trees that are tallest and oldest in a particular region. This particular one, however, stands out from among its brethren because its trees are older and taller. To put it even more simply, the forest is more important than any other wooded area in the United States, according to some ecologists, because there is more life in this forest than anywhere else. So just imagine how much someone might pay for a house that was made from a pristine, 200-year-old tree that came from the most important woodland area in Central America.
Impact: Many of the trees were cut down in order to meet demand. We must keep in mind, however, that some of these trees may have been more than 100 years old, and how long it takes for a there’s wood to mature enough to be considered as ‘money-wood’. Not to mention that because this many trees were wiped out, many animals that made their homes in the foliage and escaped just in time may become prone to extinction. What’s worse is that we may not have to worry much about oxygen being a renewable resource now. But if we keep up this kind of attitude towards these poor tees, we may as well begin to package air and sell that too.
Critique: I’m not a hippie. Neither are many of my fellow teens who pretend they are, with all the tie-die and smiley faces, because when it gets right down to it, many of them would not risk giving up the shelter of their homes for the cause. What my point is, many of us Americans would rather sit back and enjoy the carnage between various politicians and “Save the Trees!” flower children, instead of picking a side and fighting for it. Not many of us truly appreciate the life that trees support humans and animals alike. I am in no way saying I am different from the other 7.7 billion people out of 8 billion who appreciate this kind of thing, but I do understand and am aware of the situation the human race could be in if we don’t put together our act, so to speak.
Sites used: http://www.forestnet.com/TWissues/jan_11/guest.php
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pacific+northwest&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=cEffIjsRuSYsUM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gonorthwest.com/visitor/about/map.htm&docid=4Ul1jmSECsL7gM&w=395&h=336&ei=VUJRTsXhMobTiALR3eW8Dw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=168&vpy=113&dur=250&hovh=207&hovw=243&tx=149&ty=115&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=1440&bih=710
http://www.oregonwild.org/oregon_forests/old_growth_protection/pacific-northwest-research-station-old-growth-a-unique-ecosystem
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