A unique on-off switch for hormone production

Summary:

Here comes another one of those stories where you sit there and read it and start to scratch your head by the end. So scientist are now telling us that we can actually turn ON and OFF your Hormone production. They first wanted to test this Theory out on the "Zebra fish" "The team found that a protein called Otp is involved in several stages of CRH production. As well as directly activating the genes encoding CRH, it also regulates the production of two different receptors on the neurons' surface for receiving and relaying CRH production signals – in effect, ON and OFF switches" says the Levkowitz's lab team.


Critque:

I think this is just cool and would be crazy if it worked on humans


Impact:

The one zebra fish that got it tested on was not hurt so no impact.

Heavy metal pollution causes severe declines in wild bees

Summary:

The irony in this story makes me want to laugh! So you know how bees are attracted to flowers and pollen? Well now that the saw mills are being put up everywhere so bees are allergic to the heavy metal. Meanwhile us humans are getting sick over in the U.S. because the flowers are being populated way to much. The population of wild bees are becoming less and less as the saw mills are building up.


Critque:

I think that if the saw mills where being put up, they shold've put up away from the wild bees habitat.


Impact:

It impacts the wild bees mostly due to the fact that they cant polinate the flowers because of the heavy metal pollution.

Evidence for Biggest Penguin Ever?

Evidence for Biggest Penguin Ever?

Reference- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120227152546.htm

Summary- a completely constructed body of the Kairuku penguin was finally put together after 35 years, with bones collected from 1977 in New Zealand. This penguin’s name translates from Maori language into “diver who returns with food”. The species lived during the Oligocene period in New Zealand about 25 million years ago, when most of the land was underwater, leaving protruding rocky landmasses that kept the penguins safe with a plentiful food supply. Being one of the 5 types of penguins in New Zealand at the time, reconstruction of the fossils was very difficult, also due to the unique body shape of the penguin. It had a slender body with short, thick legs and long flippers, averaging at about 4 feet and 2 inches tall.

Critique- I think that this is very cool and proves that even today, we can discover something new. Using the skeleton of an existing king penguin as a model, the largest penguin was reconstructed after 25 million years.

Impact- New Zealand has had a history of producing fossils that give interesting insights to the history of marine creatures. Also, the Kairuku penguin could give other paleontologists more information about other fossils in the area and giant penguins species.

T-rex’s Bite Is The Most Powerful Ever?!

Summary: I suppose this isn’t news to anyone, but at least they’ve got some form of proof now. After using computer models to remake the jaw of the monster, they have concluded the power is within certain ranges. The minimum amount of power is suspected to be 20,000 Newtons. The most power they believed it could have been is 57,000 Newtons. That’s a lot of power, for those of you who have no idea what a Newton is.

Critique: I never did like T-rex’s. Even when I was a small-ish person, it was always my least favorite dinosaur. (I guess even I had common sense at 6 years old.) Now that I am older – sort of – I am able to understand better the reason why nobody really wants dinosaurs back. I mean, they’re dead, and bringing them back would change the way everyone is living right now. I mean, what would they eat? People? Although I seriously doubt it will happen anytime soon, it is possible nonetheless. Those risks don’t even include the possibility that it might disrupt the food chain and that the population of dinosaurs may end up bringing a different species to extinction.

Impact: Well, dinosaurs are dead, so this doesn’t impact us at all. I mean, there is pretty much zero chance they’ll come back on their own – and if anyone tries to recreate them, then everyone on earth will most likely try to kill them back into oblivion where they belong. I mean, remember what happened in Jurassic Park? If it were me in that scenario, I would be like, ‘I don’t care how strong your gates are, you are not creating a dinosaur! Ever!’ That might sound harsh, but who wants to be eaten in the middle of the night? Not me. So if dinosaurs do come back, I’ll be the first to crawl under a rock and pray they don’t find me.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120228203847.htm

Why Mondays Suck

Reference: cnn.com

Summary: A lot of the reasons mondays are horrible for people is because of the stress they experience. Sometimes it even leaks into our weekends and we become cranky. There are a couple reasons for this. One is our ability to "catch" other people's emotions. When negativity or stress is all around you tend to feel that way too. Another factor at play is that our bosses, teachers, parents, tend to pass on knowledge in negativity.

Critique: Man I can relate. I totally hate Mondays, and I usually get headaches by the end of the day.

Impact: People like me can get rid of their stress and monday headaches. :)

Nowhere to Hide: Tigers Threatened by Human Destruction of Groundcover

Reference:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120228140502.htm

Summary: Due to deforestation and the loss of tick groundcover, the Sumatran tiger, native to Indonesia, could disappear from the wild. Thick ground-level vegetation is an environmental necessity for tiger habitat, and much of it has been disappearing recently. Today the tigers occupy only about 7 percent of their historic range. The current wild tiger populations have been estimated to be about 3,200 tigers, and only 400 of those being Sumatran tigers.

Critique: I think that tigers are awesome and I don't want them to go anywhere! I really hope that their natural habitats can be restored (if not fully at least somewhat) and that all the deforestation stops.

Impact: If something isn't done the Sumatran tiger could be the fourth kind of tiger to disappear from the wild. I think that's pretty major.

Sleeping Pills Linked to Increased Death

Reference: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Sleep/sleeping-pills-linked-times-increased-death-risk/story?id=15803687

Summary: According to this article, people who take sleeping pills may be nearly four times more likely to die earlier compared to those who are not prescribed sleeping pills. But those prescribed sleeping pills may also be more likely to be diagnosed with cancer. Even those who took fewer than 18 pills a year were at greater risk of death, compared to those who were not prescribed sleeping pills.

Critique: I think this is kind of surprising since a lot of people do have trouble sleeping sometimes.

Impact: There should be less harmful treatments for people with insomnia than just sleeping pills

How Exercise Fuels the Brain

Reference: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/how-exercise-fuels-the-brain/?ref=health

Summary: When you picture your brain, you would normally think you have to be learning something to fuel your brain. Did you know that when you exercise,your brain is being used and fueled? In fact, scientists describe the brain as a very hungry organ and in order to use it you need to fuel it. Exercising gives your brain the nutrients it needs and it increases brain activity. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly actually have a better memory.

Critique: I found this article interesting. When I think about exercising, I think about keeping you healthy physically not mentally. I love exercising, so its awesome that it benefits my brain also.

Impact: For those don't care about a physically fit body, maybe they would care about being mentally healthy.

Resurrected mammoth blood

Summary

Studies conducted by an elite group of international scientists brought back to life the primary component of mammoth blood by examining ancient DNA preserved in bones from the Siberian specimens about 25,000 to 43,000 years old. The Siberian mammoth was able to adapt to cool and extreme conditions in the harsh Arctic to minimize heat loose."It has been remarkable to bring a complex protein from an extinct species, such as the mammoth, back to life," says Professor Alan Cooper, Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA. Scientists have now been able to uncover physiological attributes of this animal that lived over thousands of years ago. Though it look seven years to accomplish the final result was worth it. 

Impact

Because of this amazing discovery scientists are now able to study and measure how these animals operated if they were still alive today."We can now apply similar approaches to other extinct species, such as Australian marsupials," says team member Dr Jeremy Austin. Dr. Austin is now conducting an experiment that uses ancient DNA to study the evolution of the Thylacine and Tasmanian Devil. 

Critique

I thought this article was factual and interesting, but was not an article that would interest me into reading more. The article was interesting to the point where it explained how this discovery would help scientists find more information on this mammal. Overall I thought that the article was a interesting. 

References

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2010/05/03/resurrected_mammoth_blood_very_cool.html

Fish Oil Is a Healthy Source Of Good Fat

Reference: http://www.vitaminstuff.com/blog/2008/03/fish-oil-is-healthy-source-of-good-fat_30.html

Summary: A lot of people know that fish oil has good fat.  Researchers say that it can reduce fatty substances in people that have type to diabetes.  This has been tested on 40 different people.  They had 4 grams of fish oil.  And they did this for about 8 weeks long.  At the end, scientists got their answers.  It seems that fish oil reduced traicylglycerol in heart diseases.  They also saw that good cholesterol, also called HDL, went higher for those who had fish oil.  This is good for diabetics because they reduce fat in their cells.  The most natural way to get fish oil is by eating fish like mackerel and salmon. 

Critique: It is pretty amazing that scientists have found many different things in animals or in foods that help mankind get better when sick.  And for those diabetics out there, you may not like fish oil but it is good for you. 

Impact: I have never had fish before.  They look disgusting but they are actually good for us.  I don’t have diabetes, but if this stuff is good for me, I guess I should try it.  You should try it to.             

Organic Food Really Is Healthier

Reference: http://www.vitaminstuff.com/blog/2008/02/organic-food-really-is-healthier.html

Summary: People say that organic food is an advertisement.  But they are wrong, organic food cleaner and richer in soil.  It does not have that much modified chemicals in it.  People say that organic foods taste better.  And the truth is is that organic food has a lot of nutrition.  That is why it is healthy for people.  A couple of groups studied on this and found out that organic food has a lot of flavonoids and antioxidants and doesn’t have that many bad fats.  Another good thing about organic food is that it has high amounts of minerals.  These groups also found out that organic milk has from 50 to 80 percent of antioxidants. 

Critique: Organic food sounds disgusting just by hearing the word organic.  But after all, it is a lot healthier than usual foods. 

Impact: Organic foods may sound nasty but are really healthy for everyone.  I never really had organic food before, but I guess I can give a try.  I do want to stay healthy, so eating organic food is on my to-do-list.          

Learning disability

Resource: http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/l/learning_disability.htm Summary: in the U.S. and Canada learning disabilitie means that the person comunicative compacities and doesnt have the potential to be taught effectivly. Such as Dislexia (reading disability), dysgraphia (writing disorder), and dyscalculia (mathematics disorder). They also state that someone with a learning disability is someone that isnt less smart or smarter, it is just someone needing a little more attention and someone needing to work a littler harder to succeed. Impact: This article doesnt really have an impact on anything most people already know what a disabled person is and means. Critique: This article would have been better with more information on why people get these disabilities and how they learn to over come their disabilities.

Newt's which regrow their hearts

Many reptiles have the ability to regrow limbs. like the leopard gecko can regrow its tail. there is on special animal can regrow heart tissue. the red spotted newt has the regenerating ability to heal its heart after it has a heart attack.when the newts heart has damages its heart cells that were not damaged will divide rapidly, and rebuilt the damaged heart. regenerating heart tissue is different than regrowing a limb. the heart is complicated and has to be repaired faster than a leg. the newt may be one of many animals that has the unique talent of regrowing heart tissue.

I think this article was interesting. i didn't know animals had the ability to regrow heart cells. this was fascinating i only thought lizards could regrow tails. i personally wish humans could regrow heart cells so that after the had a heart attack they could heal themselves. maybe the newts heart cells could help with people and cure heart disease and help with other related heart issues.

the impact this will have on the world is that it will help doctors and scientist help people. this could be the answer to ending cancer for all i know. newts are amazing animals and are the first to be recognized for regenerating heart cells.

http://www.theallineed.com/biology/06122001.htm

European Neanderthals Were On the Verge of Extinction Even Before the Arrival of Modern Humans

Resource: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120225110942.htm Summmary: Researchers have recently been looking at how the Neanderthals were on the verge of becoming extint before the humans, about 50,000 years ago when most of them had died. Though they recolinized and lasted 10,000 years before the humans came in. “The fact that Neanderthals in Europe were nearly extinct, but then recovered, and that all this took place long before they came into contact with modern humans came as a complete surprise to us. This indicates that the Neanderthals may have been more sensitive to the dramatic climate changes that took place in the last Ice Age than was previously thought”, says Love Dalén, associate professor at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. Then they found in the DNA in the genetic variation that they were very limited. All of this information is said to help people figure out more information on the evolution theory. Impact: This article doesnt really have a huge impact on a lot of people but if it helps with knowing more about the evolution theory then it does have some impact. Critique: This was a good interesting article, i would recommend it to anyone that wants more information about the evolution theory.

Even in Winter, Life Persists in Arctic Seas

Even in Winter, Life Persists in Arctic Seas

Reference- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222154637.htm

Summary- Life in the frigid waters off Alaska does not grind to a halt in the winter as scientists previously suspected. According to preliminary results from a National Science Foundation funded research cruise, microscopic creatures at the base of the Arctic food chain are not dormant as expected. In waters where winds sometimes topped 70 knots wind chills fell to 40 degrees. Samples often had to be hustled safely inside before seawater froze to the deck.

Critique- Researchers didn’t get that much information to show accurate results.

Impact- Waters where the wind sometimes topped to 70 knots the samples weren’t accurate because of the samples to be transported right away because the weather was 40 degrees.

Storm of the Century' May Become 'Storm of the Decade

Storm of the Century' May Become 'Storm of the Decade

Reference- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223133216.htm

Summary- As Earth’s climate changes the worst inundations from hurricanes and tropical storms could be far more common in low lying coastal areas, a new study suggests. Researchers found regions such as New York City metropolitan area that currently experience a disastrous flood every century could instead become submerged every one or two decades. Researchers see that projected increases in sea level and storm intensity brought on by climate change would make devastating storm surges. The deadly and destructive mass of water pushed inland by large storms. The researchers used New York City as a test, and found that with fiercer storms and a 3 foot rise in sea level due to climate change.

Critique- A test found that with fiercer storms the foot rise is 3 foot in sea level due to the climate change.

Impact- With the climate changing New York City’s “500 year floods” or waters that reach more than 9 feet deep could with climate change occur every 25 to 240 years.

Two New Blood Types Identified

Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223183819.htm

Summary:
You probably know your blood type: A, B, AB or O. You may even know if you're Rhesus positive or negative. But how about the Langereis blood type? Or the Junior blood type? Positive or negative? Most people have never even heard of these.

Critique:
would this affect any blood reasearch or surgeries?

Impact:
if it did affect anything such as surgery or reasearch there could be further learning.

In the Genes, but Which Ones? Studies That Linked Specific Genes to Intelligence Were Largely Wrong, Experts Say

Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120224140506.htm

Summary:
For decades, scientists have understood that there is a genetic component to intelligence, but a new Harvard study has found both that most of the genes thought to be linked to the trait are probably not in fact related to it, and identifying intelligence's specific genetic roots may still be a long way off.

Critique:
will this affect the learning of past students that studied the brain? and in specific the intelligence gene.

Impact:
this could affect future learning and how we learn.

Prehistoric Bird

There used to be a very dangerous bird alive on the earth we live on, it was chicken like and had some pretty dangerous wings, they were club like and this bird and they were used for weapons. This birds wings were used for a self defense technique or to pummel animals to death if they were a potential threats. Of course with wings that were shaped how they were that completely disabled them of there flying abilities. The size of this bird was about the same size as a large chicken. The tip of their feet were hinged at the joint and used as another weapon.
Impact: Back when this thing lived it probably placed a big impact on tall the other birds and animals that got in its way and it impacts the scientists that discovered its bone structure and reported the strange wings.
Critique:I think this would make a cool animal to catch as a baby and raise to be nice and fight for good and never for evil by teaching it good morals.

Micro Machine

Doctors and scientists have come up with a very small implantable device that can propel through the bloodstream and perform diagnostic tests, let medicine out into the body, or perform micro surgeries. It is wirelessly powered and self-propelled so that it is easier to maneuver and wont run out of power while in the blood stream. This tiny machine could zap away blood clots within the body and blood streams with just the touch of a button. That means it is hooked up to a wireless camera built into the probe so the controller can see where their going and see where to zap away.
Impact: Doctors no longer have no way of getting rid of blood clot, even if there is a way and i don't know then i have no idea.
Critique: This is pretty cool to me because its like a video gameish thing where you control a real tiny robot and move it around the blood stream and just zap away at bad things or take different tests on different areas of the blood.

Waning a Foal

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006084028.htm

Summary:

                Weaning foals in a domesticated environment is different from a wild setting. It’s a short goodbye from milk and the mother, but it doesn’t last forever. When a foal is weaned from its mother it’s the first big step to acting like an adult horse and becoming a part of the heard in the wild circumstances. When you’re in a domesticated world it’s the start of ground work.

Critique:

                When you wean a foal off in a domesticated situation, it’s the start of training: ground work. It’s also the beginning process of halter breaking. The foals certainly do go through a lifestyle change from being separated from their mothers and now they have a halter on and learning ground work. Usually when you wean it’s good to do it with another foal so that they have someone to lean on. In the wild, the foal starts to learn its position in the heard.

Impact:

                When I have to wean my foals, we always do it with a buddy, and weaning is actually pretty easy, for both the mother and baby.

An 'off' switch for pain

Summary: The notion of a pain switch is an alluring idea, but is it realistic? Well, chemists at LMU Munich, in collaboration with colleagues in Berkeley and Bordeaux, have now shown in laboratory experiments that it is possible to inhibit the activity of pain-sensitive neurons using an agent that acts as a photosensitive switch. For the LMU researchers, the method primarily represents a valuable tool for probing the neurobiology of pain. (Nature Methods, 19.02.2012)

Critic: Interesting

Impact: Less pain

Reference: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2012/02/22/an_off_switch_for_pain.html

Disarming the botulinum neurotoxin

Summary: Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) and the Medical School of Hannover in Germany recently discovered how the botulinum neurotoxin, a potential bioterrorism agent, survives the hostile environment in the stomach on its journey through the human body. Their study, published February 24 in Science, reveals the first 3D structure of a neurotoxin together with its bodyguard, a protein made simultaneously in the same bacterium. The bodyguard keeps the toxin safe through the gut, then lets go as the toxin enters the bloodstream. This new information also reveals the toxin's weak spot—a point in the process that can be targeted with new therapeutics.

Critic: People will think twice about doing botox

Impact: More wrinkles

Reference: http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2012/02/23/disarming_the_botulinum_neurotoxin.html

Charge your cell phone by the touch of your hand?

Charge your cell phone by the touch of your hand?

Reference- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222092916.htm

Summary- New technology called Power Felt is a thermoelectric device that converts body heat into electrical current. This was developed by researchers in the Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials at Wake Forest University and consists of small carbon nanotubes locked up in flexible plastic fibers to make it feel like fabric. Temperature differences are used to produce a charge.

Critique- I think that this is a major breakthrough in science because it is something that can be used in everyday life. Especially with more advanced technologies coming out into society, this could help fuel them and produce even more energy for the discovery of more technologies. Though it is underdeveloped in harvesting energy, this technology could save a lot of energy from heat, which will only rise in an amount of time due to global warming.

Impact- Uses for Power Felt technology include lining automobile seats to boost battery power and electrical needs, lining clothing or sports equipment for monitored boosts of energy, insulating pipes or collecting heat from underneath floor tiles to save money on gas or electric bills, or even to wrap around an IV or wound site in a patient to better track their medical needs. Plus, it’s affordability at a dollar added to your phone bill means that it is a work in progress, definitely in the future.

Ice Age Squirrel’s Treasure Chamber

Russian Scientists have found a 30,000 old squirrels den with an assortment of seeds and have successfully resurrected a plant from those seeds. This plant is healthy and is growing and reproducing seeds successfully. Scientists are looking for more organisms coated in perm a-frost. They think that if they find anything in a genetic gene pool they will be able to recreate some lost species and maybe possibly find cures for modern day illnesses. In the burrows they found they are hoping to find some old squirrel tissue that will lead them eventually to the resurrection of the mammoth.

Eating Disorders for Males

Did you know that there are about one million males suffering from eating disorders in America? That’s one out of every four people that have a eating disorder. This disorder can be caused by many things: sports, “perfection”, society, and the way media treats us. When you say the word anorexia, girls are normally the first thing that pops into ones head, and that is a huge problem because boys suffer from it too. Most people don’t know that boys suffer from this and they can’t get help because mostly all the help that is offered is directed for females. Due to the fact that there is so little help offered to males, they feel that their condition is to girly and takes away their sense of manhood and so when they come to terms that they need help it is either after they are to sick to function in a normal life or it is to late. Males are just has pressured about being “perfect” has females are. They are obsessed with looking good. They have to look good so society will recognize them has “the perfect guy” and they feel that they have to look good to get a girlfriend or even friends for that matter, because their mindset is who wants to know someone ugly? Schools also play a big part in this. There are programs that talk about teens eating healthy. This is interpreted has what they are eating currently isn’t good enough and that they need to eat less. This is so bad. Schools should take better care in the way they give their message. Eating healthy doesn’t mean eat less.

Mining Byproduct

Simplot's Smokey Canyon Mine in southern Idaho the company reported that selenium (a mining byproduct) would be safe to dump into the river but after a small period of time the locals started to notice deformities in the local animals. The first thing they noticed was a two-headed trout and then they started to notice other trout with two heads, or facial, fin, and egg deformities. The metal can also affect human health with symptoms such as hair and fingernail loss. But usually affects aquatic egg bearing animals more than anything else, a fact revealed in the early 1980's when excessive selenium from agricultural runoff resulted in fatal deformities in waterfowl at the Kesterson Reservoir in California included missing eyes and feet, deformed beaks, legs, and wings and protruding brains.

I believe this could impact us by killing off a certain species in an area and having a population die off or if their predators die off they could rapidly multiply.

Injectable gel could repair tissue damaged by heart attack

Summary:

Well this can save millions of lives if they figure how to put this into a human."It helps to promote a positive remodeling-type response, not a pro-inflammatory one in the damaged heart," Christman said. There are few injectable cardiac therapies in development designed to be used in large animals such as pigs, which have a heart that is similar in size and anatomy to the human heart, Christman explained. Chirstman is the lead scientist that is trying to devolp this wonderful operation.

Critque:

Nothing


Impact:

It can save millions of life!

An off switch to pain?

Summary:

Well at first glance this may seem to be a little bit fictional, But there is a way to do this.chemists at LMU Munich, in collaboration with colleagues in Berkeley and Bordeaux, have now shown in laboratory experiments that it is possible to inhibit the activity of pain-sensitive neurons using an agent that acts as a photosensitive switch.In their experiments, the researchers exploited the fact that QAQ can percolate through endogenous ion channels to get the molecule into nerve cells. All this is acording to biology news dot com.


Critque:

I thin if we can master that no one would be hurt.


Impact:

It could impact emo people when they cut themselves.

World of Warcraft Boosts Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222132255.htm

Studies show that older adult who played 14 hours of WoW through the course of the week improved in there cognitive focus tests compared to those who did not play WoW. The Researchers from NC state tested individuals ages 60-77 and found that those who scored a low baseline on there tests, that focused on focus, spatial ability and memory, had an increased score on heir post score test. Throughout the week the played World of Warcraft on there home computers for approximately 14 hours. WoW is a cognitivily challenging game And is in a social inviorment that presents novel situations which challenges the players cognitive skill. Although subjects who scored a high baseline it there was no change.

Impact: I believe this study could help people with early to moderate Alzheimer's.

Women more at risk than men from deadly, 'silent' heart attacks

reference: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/22/women-more-at-risk-than-men-from-deadly-silent-heart-attacks/

summary: Younger women are hospitalized with heart attacks are more likely to die than men of the same age. The study had 1.4 million patients who have a heart attack between 1994-2006. that they found out that 42% of women arrived at the hospital without chest pain, compared to 30.7 percent of men.

Scientists describe the deepest terrestrial arthropod ever found

       Scientists have recently described the deepest terrestrial animal ever found, together with 4 new species for science. These animals are springtails. These animals were collected from the University of Aveiro. The World's deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja, reaching the depth of -2.191 meters below ground level, is located in Abkhazia, an area near the Black Sea in the mountains of Western Caucasus, being the only cave in the World, more than 2 kilometres deep. 
       The discovery of life in such deep systems begins new discoveries about the way we look at life on Earth. with no light and limited food, unique cave animals have adapted to the conditions. They lack body pigmentation, they have no eyes and have been developing morpho-physological strategies for survival at such depth. One of the species has, for example, chemoreceptor, a highly specialised type of the habitual post-antennal organ of the springtails.

Woman Who Eats Only Pizza At Risk For Health Problems

Reference: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4124624/Pizza-only-diet-could-kill-me-says-scared-Claire.html

Summary: Claire Simmons, from Notting Hill, West London, has eaten only cheese pizza for 31 years. She has recently been told that she could die unless she quits. She gags if she puts anything else in her mouth and shakes when presented with any other type of food. Her doctors have diagnosed her with selective eating disorder, a psychological problem. She lacks many vitamins and minerals, which could lead to a stroke or a heart attack in the future.She says that keeps herself "healthy with exercise and... a lot of water." She also said, "I'm actually scared of fruit and veg. I get so angry when people think I'm being faddy- this is a real medical condition."

Critique: Seriously? Seriously? Of course she'll have health problems if she eats the same thing for more than three decades, no matter what it is! I love pizza. I dream about it all the time. I can't eat it much anymore due to my dietary restriction but I can't get enough of the gluten-free pizza at Streets of New York. However, eating pizza and only pizza for more than three decades is crazy. Does she even like it anymore? I don't know much about selective eating disorder, but from the quote given I feel like she's just using it as an excuse. In order to live, we need to have the proper vitamins and minerals. I really hope she can get over her this before it's too late, for her sake and that of those close to her.

Impact: Hopefully this will stop people from eating the same food so much. It's great to have favorites, but if you eat to much of anything (including eating lettuce for 31 years), you're bound to have health problems. Balance is everything!

Irish Mammals Under Serious Threat from 'Invasional Meltdown'

Summary: Researchers from Queen University on February 21^st, 2012, explain that in Ireland, some long time inhabitants the Red Squirrel, the Irish Hair, and the Red Deer, are on the brink of going extinct from a foreign species.  In a study for the past two years, the researchers have found that the foreign species are the bank vole and greater white toothed shrew -- on two native small mammals, the wood mouse and the pygmy shrew. This means the bank vole and the white toothed shrew are now endangering the wood mouse and pygmy shrew.  If this keeps happening, than in the future, the small mammals of Ireland will die out by 80%! So far, the wood mouse population has decrease by 50% in places where the white toothed shrew migrated into Ireland.  Researchers now are trying to figure out how to get the species out of Ireland and how to deal if the future negative affects of the rest of the food chain.

Impact:   In the article, it already explains how the new species have been killing small mammal species causing even more turmoil and extinction of other species that eat the small extinct mammals. In Southern Ireland, biologists are stressing on how to fix the food chain and the habitat that are now also destroyed from the lack of certain animals, and the new animals that took Ireland over. This could also lead to economic and sceneral problems in Ireland.

Critique: I believe this to be devastating because I really want to visit Ireland and see the scenery and the animals! If they’re all gone, than I can’t go to Ireland thus, causing me to be unable to fallow my dreams, and hate all those famous people who told me so many times that I could fallow my dreams! Also I hate any kind of nut and a shrew sounds like a type of nut to me so I want the evil white toothed shrew to leave Ireland! Maybe we can higher animal bounty hunters to go and kill all the foreign animals who invaded Ireland!! I wonder if a foreign animal that invades a different country with the same species already living on it, do you think they have accents to the homeland species? 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221124821.htm

What Can Animals' Survival Instincts Tell Us About Understanding Human Emotion?

Summary: Human emotions are very much like animal instincts, a new study says. Joseph LeDoux, a neuroscientist from the University New York, has concluded in his new journal that many things can be deducted from animal instincts. “The neurological common ground between humans and animals includes brain functions used for survival. It is here,” LeDoux contends, “that researchers may gain new insights into both humans' and animals' emotions.” This may or may not be news to anyone, but it has been said for a while that human instincts came from animal instincts. (We used to be animals.) Like, when we smile, it makes us relaxed and happy of what we’re doing at the moment. This is the equivalent of a feline purring or a dog wagging its tail.

Impact: I know about the whole fight or flight thing is an animal reflex/instinct and it refers to fear in humans because that’s the way evolution is. And too bad to the people who say I’m not allowed to talk about evolution. (There’s no other way to explain a lot of things other than the evolution theory.) We descended from animals, and natural selection must have had something to do with the evolution of humans and animals, right?

Critique: I thought the picture I posted with this blog was so cute! I mean, come on guys, it’s virtually impossible to look at a picture of two hugging meerkat things and have NO kind of expression at all. That would be completely heartless. It’s interesting to think about this kind of thing. I imagine I have thought this very idea already in my subconscious mind. I just can’t seem to recall where I was or what I had been doing to invoke that kind of deep thinking . . .

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222132116.htm

Love of a Dog or Cat Helps Women Cope With HIV/AIDS

Reference: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123115523.htm

Summary: To better understand how women manage their HIV/AIDS and stay on track to take their medications, follow doctors orders and live healthy lifestyles. When seeiong an effect on the pets, and what they have on womens lives, helps women better than just not having anything at all.

Critique: I didnt realize that pets can do that for women, but its really cute too.

Impact: Help women taking pills and others with a best friend beside them.

Rare Fungus Kills Endangered Rattlesnakes in Southern Illinois

reference: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221151543.htm

Summary: A small population of rattlesnakes, already is in decline in southern Illinois, faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report. In 2008, biologists studying the snake reported to Allender, that they had found three sick snakes in a park in southern Illinois, all with disfiguring lesions on their heads. Long-term population of the snakes in Illinois and elsewhere had never turned up evidence of debilitating fungal infections.

Critique: I would never think that there was a fungus the would kill rattlesnakes.

Impact: I thought it was illgeal to kill rattlesnakes but im guessing its not in Illinois.

stealthy snakes

source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2010/07/20/20100720arizona-silent-rattlesnakes.html

Rattle snakes are jumping ahead in evolution. Some are starting to not rattle, there for billy doesn't know it's there, and he doesn't shoot it with his shotgun. Its actually makes sense how they needed it before but now it is doing more harm than good.

The impact here is that instead of hearing a rattle, then running for dear life, you just get bitten. Not very fun. Most likely the number of rattle snake related deaths will rise.

Rhino horn riddle

http://www.theallineed.com/biology/06112305.htm
Many people believe that animal horns are made of bone and the truth is most are. Then there are animals like the rhino who have a more unique horn. Scientists at Ohio University have recently discovered that the rhino horn isn't bone or tooth it is made up of hair or keratin. the center of a Rhino horn is filled with calcium and melanin deposits. while the hair in the out side may be soft it has a strong core to protect the rhinos horn. like a wooden pencil has a weaker wood outside and a stronger lead inside, and it allows the pencil to be sharpened with out breaking. the rhino horn is built the same way while out side is soft the core is strong and allows it to be used for digging and fighting without damage.

The impact this will have on the world is that its show the different variations in animals horns. this also is a bad situation for the rhinos to have such special horn because poachers have a better reason to hunt and kill them for their horns. rhino populations are decreasing because of poachers killing them for their horns.

I thought this articles was interesting. i always figured that a rhinos horn was a bone or tooth growing out of their face. I found it sad that rhinos are endangered because they have such rare horns. i say save the rhinos!

Meet Plants' and Algae's Common Ancestor: Primitive Organisms Not Always So Simple, Researcher Says

Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120217115012.htm

Summary:
A University of Arkansas biologist has created a sketch of what the first common ancestor of plants and algae may have looked like. He explains that primitive organisms are not always simple.


Critique: maybe find pictures that could how the plant would look like


Impact:
could help plant experts with future plants

X-Rays Illuminate the Interior of the Moon

Reference:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120219143323.htm

Summary:
Unlike Earth, our Moon has no active volcanoes, and the traces of its past volcanic activity date from billions of years ago. This is surprising because recent Moonquake data suggest that there is plenty of liquid magma deep within the Moon and part of the rocks residing there are thought to be molten. Scientists have now identified a likely reason for this peaceful surface life: the hot, molten rock in the Moon's deep interior could be so dense that it is simply too heavy to rise to the surface like a bubble in water. 

Critique:
find out if it would affect earth in any way or if there is any life on there.


Impact:
If it did effect earth, earth would be harmed and bad things could happen