This is a story about a journey through sixty-five years of Jane Goodall’s life. Almost nothing was known about the chimpanzees until Jane conducted her field studies in East Africa. Her study of the chimpanzees in the wild forests has revealed that they are very similar to human beings. They are our closest relatives in the animal world, having 98 percent of the same genes. From her earliest childhood, as a toddler, she was given a large, stuffed chimpanzee toy named Jubilee. Her affectionate for this toy started her early love for animals. From that moment on, she was absolutely fascinated by animals of all sort and by all other living things, her favorite reading being Dr. Doolittle and Tarzan books. One of her remarkable dream was going to Africa to live with the animals, and this was encouraged by her mother, Vanne.
Later on in the years, Jane attended secretarial school, and then got a job. She earned money by working as a waitress when her friend invited her on a trip to Kenya, and this is where her life brighten considerably. Since Jane has been interested in the African continent, this invitation was a welcome opportunity for her to see and experience what she had read about for many years. Around the age of 20, Jane began her adventure, traveling to Kenya by boat. This is where she met Louis Leakey, whose a famous scientist studying paleontology and anthropology. She became Leakey’s assistant, and soon he decided that Jane was the person he has been looking for to lead a study of wild chimpanzees in East Africa. Jane’s mother agreed to company her for the first three months at Gombe National Park in Tanzania because the British authorities thought it would be unsafe for a young woman to live alone among the wild animals in Africa.
In the beginning, the chimpanzees were afraid of Jane, who silently and patiently watched them. It took nearly six months for the chimpanzees to accept her presence, allowing her to follow them on their daily travels through the forest. Later on, she named the chimpanzees and grew to love them, such as Flo, Fifi, David Greybeard, and Fanni. She made one important discovery after another. It was Jane who first learned that chimpanzees make and use tools to obtain food and to defend themselves. Previously, it was believed that only humans made tools. She also learned that chimpanzees hunt and are occasional meat eaters. She was also the first to document their complex family relationships and emotional bonds.
However, when Leakey said that the study will take months, it turned into more than 30 years of work. During this time, Jane earned a Ph.D from Cambridge University and international recognition for her fieldwork studies. She also married a Dutch photographer named Hugo van Lawick, with whom she gave birth to their son Grub, but later on they got divorced. After her divorce, she encountered a series of adventures and challenges that may strengthen her faith in god. She says, “ I remember praying for strength to do what I had to do. I believe, in retrospect, that overcoming those challenges strengthened my faith in God” (Goodall, pg. 106). Both Jane and her mother got ill because of malaria early in their stay in Gombe, but they recovered and remained to see evidence of a chimpanzee using a tool. In the next few years, Jane corrected many incorrect misunderstandings about her subjects. For instance, it was generally believed that all primates were vegetarians, but Jane observed chimpanzees in Gombe eating meat.
On the other hand, Jane witnessed aggression between the intercommunity killing of the chimpanzees at Gombe. When aggression became more serious, the first deadly attack was vividly seen and described by Jane’s headman Hilali Matama, where six Kasakela males encountered one of the young Kahama males, Godi, feeding quietly by himself. It was said, “ when he saw them he tried to flee, but he was seized and held to the ground while the Kasakela thugs beat him up, stamping on him, hitting him, and biting him for ten minutes. Then they left him lying on the ground, screaming weakly. Slowly he got up, still screaming, and gazed after them. He must have died from his wounds, for he was never seen again”(Goodall, pg. 116). This was the first attack in a series of brutal assaults.
While witnessing chimpanzee aggression, Jane also witnessed the compassion and love that the chimpanzees have for one another. For instance, Mel was about three years old when his mother died. He was adopted by a twelve year old Spindle, whose mother died as well. Even though Spindle was not closely related to Mel, nevertheless, as weeks went by, they became inseparable. Spindle took care of Mel, as a mother would took care of her baby. The connection between Spindle and Mel show us that Spindle must have experience an emotion similar to that which we call compassion.
Later on in the years, Jane got remarried to Derek, but in September of 1979, the doctor said he got a tumor in his colon and died about after 3 months. It was a hard hit for Jane going through Derek’s death and seeing him suffer, but in the forests of Gombe was where she sought healing. Jane also got involved with the orphan chimpanzees. She watched a video, which shows two chimpanzees imprisoned at SEMA in a tiny cage, far gone into depression and despair. She decided to go there and visit, and it was true: two infant chimpanzees, one or two years old, were crammed together into tiny cages. Jane says, “ I believe one of the greatest challenges of the future- a challenge to young researchers in human and veterinary medicine- is to find alternatives to the use of living animals of all species in experimentation, with the goal of eliminating them altogether” (Goodall, pg. 221). A little later, changes are made because of Jane opening a workshop, which allows the scientists to discuss the matter, but before that, Jane told them all she knows about the chimpanzees. Now, in the old SEMA lab, the chimpanzees have quite large cages, and they remain in pairs for all experiments.
Towards the end of the novel, Jane starts telling us her reasons for hope. One of the reason is the human brain, which enable our earliest ancestors to survive in a cruel and harsh world. Her second reason for hope lies in the outstanding resilience of nature if we give nature a chance and a helping hand. Her third reason for hope lies in the new understanding, commitment, and energy of young people around the world. Jane finds this extremely important so she developed a program for youth called Roots & Shoots. The message of this program is to tell young people that “every single one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference” (Goodall, pg. 242). This program demonstrates care and concern for the environment, animals, and the local community. Her fourth reason for hope lies in the unconquerable human spirit. She says, “I truly believe that more and more people are seeing the appeal in the eyes around them, feeling it in their hearts, and throwing themselves into the battle” (Goodall, pg. 251).
Years later, Jane met Henri Landwirth, who survived the horrors of the Nazi death camps and eventually created Give Kids the World, a place of joy for terminally ill children. She was inspired by his love for desperately sick children. At the end of the novel, Jane reflects and sums up her whole journey of experience. She also tells us that she have many definite goals for the future such as putting more effort into spreading Roots & Shoots around the world, encouraging and inspiring the youths to make a difference, and work some more on the Gombe chimpanzee data.
Overall, this novel relates to science concepts. It talks about ethology, the study of the behavior of animals in their natural habitat. Throughout 30 years of Jane’s life, she has been studying the behavior of the Gombe chimpanzees in East Africa. She witnessed many events happening from aggression between the chimpanzees to compassion and love. She spends a great amount of time each day with them, recording down their daily routines and their behaviors by following them throughout the forest. It is a difficult job to do because the chimpanzees, especially the mother chimps, would think she is here to do harm to them and their infants. It is only until they know that she meant no harm to them that they start to allow and accept her presence. During this study, Jane learned a lot about the chimpanzees and their family relationships and bonds. Jane Goodall is consider to be the world’s most famous chimpanzee expert. Not only is she studying the chimpanzees’ behavior and their family’s relationships and bonds, she is also developing ways to help the lab chimpanzees, such as the two infant chimps imprisoned at SEMA.
Throughout the novel, Jane Goodall did affect science and society. She tried her best to help the orphan chimpanzees in the lab by opening a workshop, a meeting at which scientists and veterinarians and technicians from the labs could discuss with field scientists and ethologists about ways to improve conditions for the lab chimpanzees. The workshop was useful in their fight for improvement in the lives of the lab chimpanzees after Jane talked about the lives of the chimpanzees in the wild, their close family ties, their long and carefree childhood, described their use of tools, their love of comfort, and the rich variety of their diet. Jane is convinced that it should be mandatory for all the scientists who make use of the living bodies of animals to learn something about the natural behavior of those animals, and to see for themselves how their research affects the animals.
Her lecture tours are an important part of sharing her beliefs and encouraging people to help their environment and also the people around them. This is where anthropology comes in, the study of humankind. She influenced the society by these lectures and also by making the youth program, Roots & Shoots. She believes that youths today are the ones that determine the future, so she made this program to show them how they can make a difference in the world, caring for the environment, animals, and the local community. Jane is determined that encouraging and empowering young people, or in general giving them hope, is a great way to motivate them to do their best for their future. Jane says, “ Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other” (Goodall, pg. 266-267). In conclusion, Jane Goodall contributed a lot to science and to our society. She has taught hundred of thousands of people about chimpanzees.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
New Study Finds New Connection Between Yoga and Mood
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100819112124.htm
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefit-of-Yoga&id=27952
According to this article, “researchers have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety.” Research results show an association between yoga postures, increased GABA levels, and decreased anxiety. GABA levels are said to be associated with depression and other widespread anxiety disorders. In order to test that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise, researchers decided to follow two groups, which they picked randomly consisting of healthy individuals, over a 12-week period. One group practiced yoga three times a week for an hour, while the other group walked for the same period of time. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, each individual’s brain was scanned before the study begins. At the end of the 12 week, the researchers compared the GABA levels before and after their final 60-minute session of both groups. Each individual was also asked to judge his or her psychological state throughout the study. The researchers concluded that those people who practiced yoga reported a more significant reduction in anxiety and a greater improvement in their mood than those people who walked. After this study, researchers suggest that practicing yoga can be considered as a potential therapy for certain mental disorders.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it's about psychology and talks about how yoga can have a more positive effect on mood and anxiety than any other forms of exercise. A major benefit of yoga is physical. It helps to improve your flexibility and balance, reduce pain, tone your muscles, increase your energy level, and promote a sense of relaxation. Another major benefit of yoga is mental. It clears your mind off everything and helps you focus your attention. It also helps reduce stress, release stuck emotions, and gain a sense of peace and tranquility. All of these beneficial factors are healthy for your body and mind because it promotes your health through physical and mental exercise and deep relaxation.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about our health and want to know new ways that can help us exercise physically and mentally. Yoga is the perfect choice because it has so many beneficial factors for your body and mind that can help improve your health. Yoga also teaches you the practice of breathing, which is very beneficial for improving sports performance and reducing allergy and asthma symptoms. This article is basically encouraging people to take yoga and experience it themselves.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefit-of-Yoga&id=27952
According to this article, “researchers have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety.” Research results show an association between yoga postures, increased GABA levels, and decreased anxiety. GABA levels are said to be associated with depression and other widespread anxiety disorders. In order to test that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise, researchers decided to follow two groups, which they picked randomly consisting of healthy individuals, over a 12-week period. One group practiced yoga three times a week for an hour, while the other group walked for the same period of time. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, each individual’s brain was scanned before the study begins. At the end of the 12 week, the researchers compared the GABA levels before and after their final 60-minute session of both groups. Each individual was also asked to judge his or her psychological state throughout the study. The researchers concluded that those people who practiced yoga reported a more significant reduction in anxiety and a greater improvement in their mood than those people who walked. After this study, researchers suggest that practicing yoga can be considered as a potential therapy for certain mental disorders.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it's about psychology and talks about how yoga can have a more positive effect on mood and anxiety than any other forms of exercise. A major benefit of yoga is physical. It helps to improve your flexibility and balance, reduce pain, tone your muscles, increase your energy level, and promote a sense of relaxation. Another major benefit of yoga is mental. It clears your mind off everything and helps you focus your attention. It also helps reduce stress, release stuck emotions, and gain a sense of peace and tranquility. All of these beneficial factors are healthy for your body and mind because it promotes your health through physical and mental exercise and deep relaxation.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about our health and want to know new ways that can help us exercise physically and mentally. Yoga is the perfect choice because it has so many beneficial factors for your body and mind that can help improve your health. Yoga also teaches you the practice of breathing, which is very beneficial for improving sports performance and reducing allergy and asthma symptoms. This article is basically encouraging people to take yoga and experience it themselves.
Novel Diabetes Hope Comes from Chinese Herbs
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817211054.htm
According to this article, Emodin is a natural product that can be obtained from many different Chinese herbs such as Rheum palmatum and Polygonum cuspidatum. This natural product shows promise as an agent to help reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes. Research results show that “giving Emodin to mice with diet-induced obesity lowered blood glucose and serum insulin, improved insulin resistance and lead to more healthy levels of lipid in the blood.” It also helps to reduce body weight central fat mass. Dr Ying Leng says that all of these changes would be good effects for people with type 2 diabetes or other metabolic diseases connected with insulin resistance. Research shows that an enzyme, 11-HSD1, plays a role in the body’s reaction to sugar contained in a person’s diet. When a person eats sugar-containing food, a lot of the glucose floods into the blood stream. In response to that, the body releases insulin and this hormone initiates various actions that helps to clear extra glucose from the blood. However, another set of hormones know as glucocorticoids have the opposite effect to insulin, and this is when the enzyme 11-HSD1 helps to increase their ability to act. Overall, the research reveals that Emodin is a strong and effective selective inhibitor of the enzyme 11-HSD1. As a result, it limit’s the effect of the glucocorticoids and improves diabetes and insulin resistance.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how Emodin can help reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes. It also talks about what happen when a person eat sugar-containing food and how the body reacts to that. The enzyme 11-HSD1 and the hormones glucocorticoids are also mentioned. This article is basically suggesting that Emodin could be a new way of helping people with type 2 diabetes even though further research can be done.
This information was put in the newspaper because people with type 2 diabetes are concern about different treatments that can help them. After reading this article with all the beneficial factors of Emodin, they actually care to try it. However, according to the article, researchers will need to develop chemicals that have similar effects to Emodin, so that they can see if any of these chemicals could be used as a therapeutic drug. Although further research may be done, people with type 2 diabetes are happy to hear that a new type of treatment will be coming along the way.
According to this article, Emodin is a natural product that can be obtained from many different Chinese herbs such as Rheum palmatum and Polygonum cuspidatum. This natural product shows promise as an agent to help reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes. Research results show that “giving Emodin to mice with diet-induced obesity lowered blood glucose and serum insulin, improved insulin resistance and lead to more healthy levels of lipid in the blood.” It also helps to reduce body weight central fat mass. Dr Ying Leng says that all of these changes would be good effects for people with type 2 diabetes or other metabolic diseases connected with insulin resistance. Research shows that an enzyme, 11-HSD1, plays a role in the body’s reaction to sugar contained in a person’s diet. When a person eats sugar-containing food, a lot of the glucose floods into the blood stream. In response to that, the body releases insulin and this hormone initiates various actions that helps to clear extra glucose from the blood. However, another set of hormones know as glucocorticoids have the opposite effect to insulin, and this is when the enzyme 11-HSD1 helps to increase their ability to act. Overall, the research reveals that Emodin is a strong and effective selective inhibitor of the enzyme 11-HSD1. As a result, it limit’s the effect of the glucocorticoids and improves diabetes and insulin resistance.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how Emodin can help reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes. It also talks about what happen when a person eat sugar-containing food and how the body reacts to that. The enzyme 11-HSD1 and the hormones glucocorticoids are also mentioned. This article is basically suggesting that Emodin could be a new way of helping people with type 2 diabetes even though further research can be done.
This information was put in the newspaper because people with type 2 diabetes are concern about different treatments that can help them. After reading this article with all the beneficial factors of Emodin, they actually care to try it. However, according to the article, researchers will need to develop chemicals that have similar effects to Emodin, so that they can see if any of these chemicals could be used as a therapeutic drug. Although further research may be done, people with type 2 diabetes are happy to hear that a new type of treatment will be coming along the way.
Dolphins Use Diplomacy in Their Communication, Biologists Find
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609094355.htm
According to this article, new research reveals the complexity and our lack of understanding about the communication of dolphins. At first, the scientific community has always thought that whistles were the main sounds that the dolphins make and were unaware of the important and significant use of the burst-pulsed sounds. Researchers have shown that these sounds are crucial to their social life and mirror their behavior. Burst-pulsed sounds are used to socialize and maintain their position in the social hierarchy in order to stop the physical conflict in the life of the bottlenose dolphins. According to the experts, the most tonal, melodious whistle sounds allow the dolphins to stay in contact with each other and to organize hunting strategies. On the other hand, the burst-pulsed sounds are more complex and varied. It is used to avoid physical aggression of high excitement in situations such as when they are competing for the same piece of food, which they both want. Bottlenose dolphins are said to make longer burst-pulsed sounds when they are hunting and during the times of high aggression.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how the bottlenose dolphins communicate with each other not only through whistles but also burst-pulsed sounds. The whistles keep the dolphins in contact with each other. The burst-pulsed sounds keep the dolphins away from physical aggression, so that they won’t hurt each other fighting over food. These sounds are what the dolphins make and are vital to their social life and behavior.
This information was put in the newspaper because it’s interesting to know that the dolphins make other sounds rather than just whistles. It is also interesting to know that those sounds allow the dolphins to do certain things like keeping in contact, organizing hunting strategies, and avoiding physical aggression. According to this article, many people probably think the way dolphins communicate are simple, just whistling and making sounds. This study reveals our lack of understanding about the communication of these marine mammals.
According to this article, new research reveals the complexity and our lack of understanding about the communication of dolphins. At first, the scientific community has always thought that whistles were the main sounds that the dolphins make and were unaware of the important and significant use of the burst-pulsed sounds. Researchers have shown that these sounds are crucial to their social life and mirror their behavior. Burst-pulsed sounds are used to socialize and maintain their position in the social hierarchy in order to stop the physical conflict in the life of the bottlenose dolphins. According to the experts, the most tonal, melodious whistle sounds allow the dolphins to stay in contact with each other and to organize hunting strategies. On the other hand, the burst-pulsed sounds are more complex and varied. It is used to avoid physical aggression of high excitement in situations such as when they are competing for the same piece of food, which they both want. Bottlenose dolphins are said to make longer burst-pulsed sounds when they are hunting and during the times of high aggression.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how the bottlenose dolphins communicate with each other not only through whistles but also burst-pulsed sounds. The whistles keep the dolphins in contact with each other. The burst-pulsed sounds keep the dolphins away from physical aggression, so that they won’t hurt each other fighting over food. These sounds are what the dolphins make and are vital to their social life and behavior.
This information was put in the newspaper because it’s interesting to know that the dolphins make other sounds rather than just whistles. It is also interesting to know that those sounds allow the dolphins to do certain things like keeping in contact, organizing hunting strategies, and avoiding physical aggression. According to this article, many people probably think the way dolphins communicate are simple, just whistling and making sounds. This study reveals our lack of understanding about the communication of these marine mammals.
When Flowers Turn Up the Heat
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728092631.htm
According to this article, many flowering plants produce nectar and pollen in exchange for pollination services by mostly insects and other animals. However, interesting to know but also strange to hear, some plants have flowers that also produce heat metabolically. Renner says that a few flowers that are usually pollinated by beetles or flies produce heat to help scent emission or to attract their pollinators by creating attractive egg laying sites. She also says that such heating only occurs during flowering. She discovered that in an Asian Illicium species, during early fruit development, flowers reach their highest temperatures, which is for the selective benefit of the pollinator’s larvae. The pollinator’s larvae develop in the spent flowers. She made a surprising discovery that “the key stage of thermal warming was well after the flowers’ sexual function is over.” Experiments revealed that heated tissues are necessary for the development of the pollinator’s larvae, but “ when the tepal tips were trimmed, larvae in the nurseries died, presumably because of the temperature drop”, yet seed development was not affect by it. The authors concluded that flower heating is an ancestral trait, and that it was first evolved to attract flies through increased odor emission.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how some flowers are able to produce heat n how it attracts the pollinators. It also talks about how it is a benefit for the pollinator’s larvae when the flowers reach their highest temperature. (Thermal Warming= heat producing) Thermal warming benefits the flowers and the pollinators. For the flowers, they are able to get pollination services from the pollinators, and for the pollinators, they are able to lay their eggs and it also benefits their larvae. However, the temperature drop can cause the death of the larvae.
This information was put in the newspaper because it is an interesting topic for us to read and learn about it. One interesting fact is that the decrease of the temperature can presumably kill the larvae. Not all plants that have flowers are able to produce heat metabolically, but only some. It’s interesting to know that usually only the flowers pollinated by beetles or flies produce heat. It’s not something that we necessarily need to care about, but it arouses our curiosity and leaves us thinking about the questions we have in mind.
According to this article, many flowering plants produce nectar and pollen in exchange for pollination services by mostly insects and other animals. However, interesting to know but also strange to hear, some plants have flowers that also produce heat metabolically. Renner says that a few flowers that are usually pollinated by beetles or flies produce heat to help scent emission or to attract their pollinators by creating attractive egg laying sites. She also says that such heating only occurs during flowering. She discovered that in an Asian Illicium species, during early fruit development, flowers reach their highest temperatures, which is for the selective benefit of the pollinator’s larvae. The pollinator’s larvae develop in the spent flowers. She made a surprising discovery that “the key stage of thermal warming was well after the flowers’ sexual function is over.” Experiments revealed that heated tissues are necessary for the development of the pollinator’s larvae, but “ when the tepal tips were trimmed, larvae in the nurseries died, presumably because of the temperature drop”, yet seed development was not affect by it. The authors concluded that flower heating is an ancestral trait, and that it was first evolved to attract flies through increased odor emission.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how some flowers are able to produce heat n how it attracts the pollinators. It also talks about how it is a benefit for the pollinator’s larvae when the flowers reach their highest temperature. (Thermal Warming= heat producing) Thermal warming benefits the flowers and the pollinators. For the flowers, they are able to get pollination services from the pollinators, and for the pollinators, they are able to lay their eggs and it also benefits their larvae. However, the temperature drop can cause the death of the larvae.
This information was put in the newspaper because it is an interesting topic for us to read and learn about it. One interesting fact is that the decrease of the temperature can presumably kill the larvae. Not all plants that have flowers are able to produce heat metabolically, but only some. It’s interesting to know that usually only the flowers pollinated by beetles or flies produce heat. It’s not something that we necessarily need to care about, but it arouses our curiosity and leaves us thinking about the questions we have in mind.
Remembering to Forget: The Amnesic Effect of Daydreaming
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100726124424.htm
According to this article, when you are daydreaming or mind-wandering, it’s hard to remember what was going on just before you stopped paying attention. Now psychologists have found that the effect is stronger when your mind drifts farther, such as memories of a trip u went to when you are in kindergarten instead of a trip u went to just last summer. Previous studies have also discovered that daydreaming or mind-wandering about something else blocks your access to memories of the recent past. Psychological scientists did experiments to confirm it. For one of the experiments, each participant looked at a list of words, then they were told to either recall about where they’ve been this morning or about where they haven’t been in several weeks. Finally, they were shown to a second list of words, and at the end of the test, they were told to recall as many of the words they can remember from the two lists as possible. Participants who had thought about the place they’ve been just a few hours ago remembered more of the words from the first list than participants who had thought back several weeks ago. A second experiment was test, and the same was true for memories about place. Those who thought about a vacation within the United States remembered more words than those who thought about a vacation in another country.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about psychology, and how daydreaming and mind-wandering about memory in the more distant past have a stronger effect to forgetting about what was just going on. This article is basically about the study of the human mind and how it works when you recall memories. For example: when you are in class and suddenly you start daydreaming about the cruise trip you had a few years ago, then you’ll probably have a lot of trouble thinking about what the teacher was just saying before you started daydreaming. This topic is proven by the experiments the psychological scientists did.
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about the effect of daydreaming and mind-wandering, especially when we are in a boring class. We might already know the effect of daydreaming without noticing because everyone has at least daydreamed or mind-wandered once or twice in class. We care because we wouldn’t want to do that on an important event, such as a lecture or during your graduation. In the article, it also says that it might be for people who want to forget about something, like maybe a bad experience or memory, and try to put it out of your mind for awhile by recalling a more distant event than a close event.
According to this article, when you are daydreaming or mind-wandering, it’s hard to remember what was going on just before you stopped paying attention. Now psychologists have found that the effect is stronger when your mind drifts farther, such as memories of a trip u went to when you are in kindergarten instead of a trip u went to just last summer. Previous studies have also discovered that daydreaming or mind-wandering about something else blocks your access to memories of the recent past. Psychological scientists did experiments to confirm it. For one of the experiments, each participant looked at a list of words, then they were told to either recall about where they’ve been this morning or about where they haven’t been in several weeks. Finally, they were shown to a second list of words, and at the end of the test, they were told to recall as many of the words they can remember from the two lists as possible. Participants who had thought about the place they’ve been just a few hours ago remembered more of the words from the first list than participants who had thought back several weeks ago. A second experiment was test, and the same was true for memories about place. Those who thought about a vacation within the United States remembered more words than those who thought about a vacation in another country.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about psychology, and how daydreaming and mind-wandering about memory in the more distant past have a stronger effect to forgetting about what was just going on. This article is basically about the study of the human mind and how it works when you recall memories. For example: when you are in class and suddenly you start daydreaming about the cruise trip you had a few years ago, then you’ll probably have a lot of trouble thinking about what the teacher was just saying before you started daydreaming. This topic is proven by the experiments the psychological scientists did.
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about the effect of daydreaming and mind-wandering, especially when we are in a boring class. We might already know the effect of daydreaming without noticing because everyone has at least daydreamed or mind-wandered once or twice in class. We care because we wouldn’t want to do that on an important event, such as a lecture or during your graduation. In the article, it also says that it might be for people who want to forget about something, like maybe a bad experience or memory, and try to put it out of your mind for awhile by recalling a more distant event than a close event.
Bacteria Can Have a ‘Sense of Smell’
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100816095719.htm
According to this article, scientists have now revealed that bacteria actually has a sense of smell of its own. For the first time, marine microbiologists discovered that bacteria have a molecular “nose”, which is able “to detect airborne, smell-producing chemicals such as ammonia.” Bacteria are capable of this sense of smell that they are able to sense ammonia produced by rival bacteria present in the environment. Research also shows that bacteria respond to this smell by producing a biofilm, which is when individual bacteria joins together to establish an area to push out any potential competitors. “Biofilm is a major cause of infection medical implants such as heart halves, artificial hips, and even breast implants”, yet it also has it’s advantages such as when certain biofilm grows well on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up an oil spill. The fact that cells form slime in contact with ammonia has important implications to understanding how biofilm are formed. A later on discovery shows that bacteria are capable of four of the five sense: sight, touch, taste, or smell. “ The sense of smell has been observed in many creatures, even yeast and slime mould, but our work shows for the first time that a sense of smell even exists in lowly bacteria,” says Professor Grant Burgess.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how bacteria can have a sense of smell, and explains how it‘s possible. We learn the concept “biofilm” in this article, and it is basically a thin layer of cells of a bacterium held together by the material it produces. It also tells us the disadvantages and advantages of biofilm. The article also shows how complex bacteria are and their ways to communicate with each other.
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about how bacteria are able to communicate with each other by their sense of smell. It is interesting to read about it. We care about this topic because it says that bacterial infections have killed millions of people every year. Since bacterium is a single-celled organism, not a multi-cellular organism like us, we didn’t expect bacteria to be complex.
According to this article, scientists have now revealed that bacteria actually has a sense of smell of its own. For the first time, marine microbiologists discovered that bacteria have a molecular “nose”, which is able “to detect airborne, smell-producing chemicals such as ammonia.” Bacteria are capable of this sense of smell that they are able to sense ammonia produced by rival bacteria present in the environment. Research also shows that bacteria respond to this smell by producing a biofilm, which is when individual bacteria joins together to establish an area to push out any potential competitors. “Biofilm is a major cause of infection medical implants such as heart halves, artificial hips, and even breast implants”, yet it also has it’s advantages such as when certain biofilm grows well on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up an oil spill. The fact that cells form slime in contact with ammonia has important implications to understanding how biofilm are formed. A later on discovery shows that bacteria are capable of four of the five sense: sight, touch, taste, or smell. “ The sense of smell has been observed in many creatures, even yeast and slime mould, but our work shows for the first time that a sense of smell even exists in lowly bacteria,” says Professor Grant Burgess.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how bacteria can have a sense of smell, and explains how it‘s possible. We learn the concept “biofilm” in this article, and it is basically a thin layer of cells of a bacterium held together by the material it produces. It also tells us the disadvantages and advantages of biofilm. The article also shows how complex bacteria are and their ways to communicate with each other.
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about how bacteria are able to communicate with each other by their sense of smell. It is interesting to read about it. We care about this topic because it says that bacterial infections have killed millions of people every year. Since bacterium is a single-celled organism, not a multi-cellular organism like us, we didn’t expect bacteria to be complex.
Hips Don’t Lie: Researchers Find More Accurate Technique to Determine Sex of Skeletal Remains
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706112601.htm
According to this article, Research from North Carolina State University offers a new technique for determining the sex of skeletal human remains. It is said to be significantly more accurate than visually evaluating the size and shape of the pelvis because when you are faced with fragmentary remains of the pelvis, it can be difficult to determine the dead person’s sex just by visual inspection. Now, Ross and Bytheway have used “a three-dimensional imaging technology to effectively quantify the specific characteristics of the os coxa that differentiate males from females.” Researchers discovered more than 20 anatomical “landmarks” on the pelvis that can be used for determining the sex. This is important because it means that you can determine the sex of the body even with a small fragment of the pelvis. At least a few of the landmarks should be found on the fragment. Now a forensic scientist can use a digitizer to create a three-dimension map of the pelvic fragment and measure the relevant anatomical landmarks, then compare these measurements to the measurements discovered by Ross and Bytheway.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since determining the sex of skeletal remains has to do with the pelvis in the human body. It tells us how the process works, by creating a 3D map of the small pelvis fragment then comparing the measurements to the measurements discovered by Ross and Bytheway. It also tells us why this way is more accurate than just visually evaluating it. This article basically has to do with the fragments of the pelvis from disasters such as plane crashes or “degraded remains in mass burials.”
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about how they would determine the sex of skeletal remains by the fragments of the pelvis. Like they said, it is difficult to determine the sex just by evaluating the size and shape of the pelvis, and it is not as accurate, only 90%. This new technique is said to be at least 98% accurate, and it can be useful to many of the archeologists who are interested in determining the sex of the skeletal remains that they have found.
According to this article, Research from North Carolina State University offers a new technique for determining the sex of skeletal human remains. It is said to be significantly more accurate than visually evaluating the size and shape of the pelvis because when you are faced with fragmentary remains of the pelvis, it can be difficult to determine the dead person’s sex just by visual inspection. Now, Ross and Bytheway have used “a three-dimensional imaging technology to effectively quantify the specific characteristics of the os coxa that differentiate males from females.” Researchers discovered more than 20 anatomical “landmarks” on the pelvis that can be used for determining the sex. This is important because it means that you can determine the sex of the body even with a small fragment of the pelvis. At least a few of the landmarks should be found on the fragment. Now a forensic scientist can use a digitizer to create a three-dimension map of the pelvic fragment and measure the relevant anatomical landmarks, then compare these measurements to the measurements discovered by Ross and Bytheway.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since determining the sex of skeletal remains has to do with the pelvis in the human body. It tells us how the process works, by creating a 3D map of the small pelvis fragment then comparing the measurements to the measurements discovered by Ross and Bytheway. It also tells us why this way is more accurate than just visually evaluating it. This article basically has to do with the fragments of the pelvis from disasters such as plane crashes or “degraded remains in mass burials.”
This information was put in the newspaper because we are concerned about how they would determine the sex of skeletal remains by the fragments of the pelvis. Like they said, it is difficult to determine the sex just by evaluating the size and shape of the pelvis, and it is not as accurate, only 90%. This new technique is said to be at least 98% accurate, and it can be useful to many of the archeologists who are interested in determining the sex of the skeletal remains that they have found.
Human Noise Pollution in Ocean Can Lead Fish Away from Good Habitats and Off to Their Death
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100803212015.htm
According to this article, “ the growing amount of human noise pollution in the ocean could lead fish away from good habitat and off to their death.” It says that starting from the time the fish are born and after weeks of developing in the sea, the baby reef fish rely on natural noises made by fish, shrimps, and sea urchins as a cue to find the coral reefs. This is where they can survive and be able to grow well. With the human noise pollution, it makes the fish become attracted to inappropriate noises with “small boats, shipping, drilling, pile driving, and seismic testing” which sometimes drown out the natural noises of the fish, shrimps, and sea urchins. Researchers are now worried that this crucial behavior is causing harm and possibly high death rates for the baby reef fish if they get attracted towards the wrong sounds, which can lead them into danger. The researchers also tried an experiment which shows that the baby reef fish can learn a new sound and remember it within a few hours. The human noise pollution can really mess up their recognition on natural noises on the most important night of their lives. After that night, it will be able to know what sound it is suppose to follow and if it’s the wrong sound, which they wouldn’t know, then it’s off to their death since “they could end up stuck next to a construction site or follow a ship back out to sea.” Over the years, these noisy environments have increased drastically, which “could have devastating impacts on success of populations and the replenishment of future fish stocks.”
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how the baby reef fish in the sea are getting affected by the human noise pollution. It tells us how it can lead to their death if they recognize the human noise pollution instead of the natural noises from fish, shrimps, and sea urchin. If only the human noise pollution can be reduce as time goes on, then it wouldn’t be such a big problem to the population of baby reef fish. Since over the years, these noisy environments have increased dramatically, it means that their death rates are increasing as well.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about the survival of the baby reef fish. We are the one who are causing this devastating affect on them. Since they are baby fish, they can’t tell between the right and wrong sounds. With our human noise pollution going on, it’s making it harder for them to distinguish. We feel horrible about this situation, but hopefully the human noise pollution can be reduced.
According to this article, “ the growing amount of human noise pollution in the ocean could lead fish away from good habitat and off to their death.” It says that starting from the time the fish are born and after weeks of developing in the sea, the baby reef fish rely on natural noises made by fish, shrimps, and sea urchins as a cue to find the coral reefs. This is where they can survive and be able to grow well. With the human noise pollution, it makes the fish become attracted to inappropriate noises with “small boats, shipping, drilling, pile driving, and seismic testing” which sometimes drown out the natural noises of the fish, shrimps, and sea urchins. Researchers are now worried that this crucial behavior is causing harm and possibly high death rates for the baby reef fish if they get attracted towards the wrong sounds, which can lead them into danger. The researchers also tried an experiment which shows that the baby reef fish can learn a new sound and remember it within a few hours. The human noise pollution can really mess up their recognition on natural noises on the most important night of their lives. After that night, it will be able to know what sound it is suppose to follow and if it’s the wrong sound, which they wouldn’t know, then it’s off to their death since “they could end up stuck next to a construction site or follow a ship back out to sea.” Over the years, these noisy environments have increased drastically, which “could have devastating impacts on success of populations and the replenishment of future fish stocks.”
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it talks about how the baby reef fish in the sea are getting affected by the human noise pollution. It tells us how it can lead to their death if they recognize the human noise pollution instead of the natural noises from fish, shrimps, and sea urchin. If only the human noise pollution can be reduce as time goes on, then it wouldn’t be such a big problem to the population of baby reef fish. Since over the years, these noisy environments have increased dramatically, it means that their death rates are increasing as well.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about the survival of the baby reef fish. We are the one who are causing this devastating affect on them. Since they are baby fish, they can’t tell between the right and wrong sounds. With our human noise pollution going on, it’s making it harder for them to distinguish. We feel horrible about this situation, but hopefully the human noise pollution can be reduced.
Bats Facing Regional Extinction in Northeastern US from Rapidly Spreading White-Nose Syndrome
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100805142945.htm
According to this article, a new infectious disease known as white-nose syndrome has rapidly been spreading across the northeastern US. This disease has killed millions of bats, and researchers predict that it may cause a regional extinction of the bat species that was once so common. This disease was first discovered in 2006. Now it is spreading quickly and is affecting 7 bat species. It is one of the most common species in North America, and if the disease continues to spread and death rates are high as they have been over the past 4 years, a regional extinction will most likely occur. Researchers have said that “bats perform valuable ecosystem services that matter for both the environments they live in and have tangible benefits to humans as well.” These bats have been insect-eating species, and they can “consume their body weight in insects every night including some consumption of pest insects.” These bats matter for insect control or else our environment will be full of insects that may be harmful to us but not to the bats. Later on, they found out that this disease is associated white fungus that grows on the bats’ noses, ears, and arms. It disrupts the bats’ hibernation, causing them to awaken early and lose fat reserves, which leads to early death. The researchers are 99% sure of the regional extinction if this continues to happen within the next 16 years. They also said it is possible that this deadly fungus came from Europe through human trade or travel. The same fungus has been found on the hibernating bat species in Europe.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how this white-nose syndrome disease affects the bat species and will cause them to regional extinction. It shows that researchers need to find a solution as soon as possible before the bats really go into extinction. Not only is the disease causing high death rates for the bates, it will also affect us in the future. They are insect controllers to us, meaning we depend on them in a way, so that our environment won’t be filled with harmful insects.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about the extinction of the bat species that was once so common and healthy. It was also a population of an abundant and widely distributed species. Also, without them, we could be having trouble in the future with the insects, and many of them may be harmful to us. Yet, it is so sad to see that they are about to face regional extinction by this newly infectious disease. Researchers aren’t even positively sure that the white fungus came from Europe, but they are working on it, so hopefully they can find a solution to this disaster. This is affecting the bat species, but could be affecting us in the future too; we wouldn’t no until it happens.
According to this article, a new infectious disease known as white-nose syndrome has rapidly been spreading across the northeastern US. This disease has killed millions of bats, and researchers predict that it may cause a regional extinction of the bat species that was once so common. This disease was first discovered in 2006. Now it is spreading quickly and is affecting 7 bat species. It is one of the most common species in North America, and if the disease continues to spread and death rates are high as they have been over the past 4 years, a regional extinction will most likely occur. Researchers have said that “bats perform valuable ecosystem services that matter for both the environments they live in and have tangible benefits to humans as well.” These bats have been insect-eating species, and they can “consume their body weight in insects every night including some consumption of pest insects.” These bats matter for insect control or else our environment will be full of insects that may be harmful to us but not to the bats. Later on, they found out that this disease is associated white fungus that grows on the bats’ noses, ears, and arms. It disrupts the bats’ hibernation, causing them to awaken early and lose fat reserves, which leads to early death. The researchers are 99% sure of the regional extinction if this continues to happen within the next 16 years. They also said it is possible that this deadly fungus came from Europe through human trade or travel. The same fungus has been found on the hibernating bat species in Europe.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it’s talking about how this white-nose syndrome disease affects the bat species and will cause them to regional extinction. It shows that researchers need to find a solution as soon as possible before the bats really go into extinction. Not only is the disease causing high death rates for the bates, it will also affect us in the future. They are insect controllers to us, meaning we depend on them in a way, so that our environment won’t be filled with harmful insects.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about the extinction of the bat species that was once so common and healthy. It was also a population of an abundant and widely distributed species. Also, without them, we could be having trouble in the future with the insects, and many of them may be harmful to us. Yet, it is so sad to see that they are about to face regional extinction by this newly infectious disease. Researchers aren’t even positively sure that the white fungus came from Europe, but they are working on it, so hopefully they can find a solution to this disaster. This is affecting the bat species, but could be affecting us in the future too; we wouldn’t no until it happens.
The Healing Effects of Forests
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100723161221.htm
According to this article, “ Many people feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature.” It says that the forest and other natural green environments are a great place to relax during the times when you are stressed out, in a horrible mood, angry, depressed, etc. It can help u release stress, improve your mood, reduce your anger, and basically brings up your mood to a happier level. It also says that many people recover faster and feel better in natural environments rather than urban environments because it helps decrease your blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tensions, and the level of “stress hormones” faster. Playing in natural green environments also help children decrease their hyperactivity disorder. One of the important facts is that these green settings help improve people’s working ability and reduces health care costs. It is important to keep these green settings because it can help cure diseases, and maintain health and mental stability. It says that more than half of the most commonly prescribed drugs in medicine came from nature, and examples of that are Taxol and Xylitol. This article is basically telling the reader why it’s important to preserve green settings.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it shows how natural green environments can actually help improve our health, such as reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tensions faster. It also helps you maintain a stable mind, causing you to release stress. This is important because when you are very stressed out, it may cause symptoms such as raised blood pressure or depression. Being in a natural green environment not only improves your health, but also increase your overall happiness. These environments are making a difference since it will improve your health, it also means a lesser chance of getting diseases. Green settings are basically a benefit for the human body.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about our health. All of us want to live a long life, so in order to do that, we need to keep a healthy body. Getting stress all the time and keeping it all in over such things as homework, work, and relationships aren’t a healthy thing to do. It can ruin your health and easier for you to get cancer or diseases.
According to this article, “ Many people feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature.” It says that the forest and other natural green environments are a great place to relax during the times when you are stressed out, in a horrible mood, angry, depressed, etc. It can help u release stress, improve your mood, reduce your anger, and basically brings up your mood to a happier level. It also says that many people recover faster and feel better in natural environments rather than urban environments because it helps decrease your blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tensions, and the level of “stress hormones” faster. Playing in natural green environments also help children decrease their hyperactivity disorder. One of the important facts is that these green settings help improve people’s working ability and reduces health care costs. It is important to keep these green settings because it can help cure diseases, and maintain health and mental stability. It says that more than half of the most commonly prescribed drugs in medicine came from nature, and examples of that are Taxol and Xylitol. This article is basically telling the reader why it’s important to preserve green settings.
This article relates to science/biology concepts since it shows how natural green environments can actually help improve our health, such as reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tensions faster. It also helps you maintain a stable mind, causing you to release stress. This is important because when you are very stressed out, it may cause symptoms such as raised blood pressure or depression. Being in a natural green environment not only improves your health, but also increase your overall happiness. These environments are making a difference since it will improve your health, it also means a lesser chance of getting diseases. Green settings are basically a benefit for the human body.
This information was put in the newspaper because we care about our health. All of us want to live a long life, so in order to do that, we need to keep a healthy body. Getting stress all the time and keeping it all in over such things as homework, work, and relationships aren’t a healthy thing to do. It can ruin your health and easier for you to get cancer or diseases.
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