Cassini Seeks Insights to Life in Plumes of Enceladus, Saturn’s Icy Moon

Ellie Briskin AP Bio C Even

October 30, 2015 Current Event 6

Overbye, Dennis. "Cassini Seeks Insights to Life in Plumes of Enceladus, Saturn’s Icy Moon." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/science/space/in-icy-breath-of-saturns-moon-enceladus-cassini-hunts-for-life.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront>

This article tells of Nasa’s most recent discoveries in terms of trying to detect life on other planets, for now that space has been fully geographically mapped, the era of biological mapping is just beginning. It focuses on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, which is being studied by the Cassini spacecraft, for we are operating on the assumption that water means possibility of life. Just last Wednesday, the spacecraft “plunged through an icy spray” erupting from Enceladus to study it, for in 2005, NASA was able to detect an underground ocean kept warm and liquid beneath the surface. Although Cassini was not designed to study life, it has still been able to pick up on various molecules associated with life on the moon, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, molecular nitrogen, propane, acetylene, formaldehyde and traces of ammonia. Scientists are fairly optimistic, hoping to follow up with a return mission with a spacecraft specially designed to deal with life. The article then went on to discuss various other possible hosts of life in outer space, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa, Mars, or Saturn’s moon Titan. The article also touches on how ridiculously difficult it would be to confidently detect a single piece of life in outer space, saying that, “Finding that microbe will involve launching big, complicated chunks of hardware to various corners of the solar system, and that means work for engineers, scientists, accountants, welders, machinists, electricians, programmers and practitioners of other crafts yet to be invented.”

I was initially drawn in with this article because I find the topic of space exploration extremely intriguing. I think it is beyond impressive that we are able to study these constructs millions of miles away, and even imagine what it’s like beyond our planet. But more than that, this discovery is definitely still relevant to people today. For starters, the fact that we are just now discovering a moon which could hold life proves that no progress in any field is ever truly completed, and that development in all areas is always possible. But more than that, this is the possibility of discovering new forms of life in outer space! This is incredible, and would most definitely affect everyone on earth’s lives. It would open up an entire new enormous field of study, for we would of course need to try to communicate with them, or possibly defend against them if they are a threat, or many other things.

Overall, I was impressed by the presentation of this article. Its paragraphs flowed and were ordered in a way that made sense, making it extremely easy for me to follow along. I also felt that it was strengthened by the substantial number of expert quotes, which legitimized the arguments. I also enjoyed the fun, conversational tone that the author used; this was not only easy to understand but also kept me, the reader, captive. However, the one criticism I have of the article is that it gave an extremely large amount of information, to a point of being extraneous. The latter third of the article only discussed celestial beings outside of Enceladus. Although some find this fascinating, it really is not the focus of the article and just confuses many readers. I would suggest that the author synthesises his information better, not just condensing what he has but really sifting through what is important and what is not, while still maintaining a logical flow. But overall, I thought this article was very well put together, and maintained my interest throughout.

This article discusses a new study of chickens overturns the popular assumption that evolution is only visible over long time scales. By studying individual chickens that were part of a long-term pedigree, the scientists led by Professor Greger Larson at Oxford University's Research Laboratory for Archaeology, found two mutations that had occurred in the mitochondrial genomes of the birds in only 50 years. Scientists have believed that the rate of change in the mitochondrial genome was never faster than about 2% per million years. The identification of these mutations shows that the rate of evolution in this pedigree is in fact 15 times faster. In addition, by determining the genetic sequences along the pedigree, the team also discovered a single instance of mitochondrial DNA being passed down from a father. The study lead author Dr. Michelle Alexander, from the University of York, said: 'The one thing everyone knew about mitochondria is that it is almost exclusively passed down the maternal line, but we identified chicks who inherited their mitochondria from their father, meaning so-called 'paternal leakage' can happen in avian populations. Both of these findings demonstrate the speed and dynamism of evolution when observed over short time periods.

This article is relevant because of the expansive research being conducted on the process of evolution. Evolution is one of the most revolutionary concepts in modern biology through the idea of preferable genes in nature that explains the types of animals that thrive in different environments. This also opens a new door for first hand studies that can be conducted over a much shorter time frame than decades of time in between. This will allow for more controlled data with less confounding variables that could corrupt the results of the experiments. The fact that many people still refuse to believe in evolution also displays the importance of collecting more data and putting up a more convincing argument with factual data from a controlled experiment.

This article did a very good job of explaining how these results were important. It also moved through the facts in a logical order. The one thing the article could have done better was explain the significance of these findings. The only reason I was able to connect this to the world was because of my own knowledge and inferences based on my knowledge of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. The purpose of sharing all this information is to actually make use of it and come to a conclusion. The fact that the actual practical use of this information is missing is a major pieces missing from this article. 

Cod’s Continuing Decline Linked to Warming Gulf of Maine Waters

The article describes the effect that climate change has had on the cod population of Maine. The cod population has been devastated by rapid warming in the Gulf of Maine that resulted from the combination of atmospheric warming and warm water pushed into the gulf. As a result, the cod fishing industry has almost entirely collapsed, and even though most fishing has ceased, the population of cod hasn’t recovered like originally thought it would. Researchers have concluded, in this recent study, that the rising temperatures led to the reduced reproduction by the cod and also an increased mortality rate. Any regulations that were placed to manage the dying population were based on inaccurate population figures that didn’t take into account the rising temperatures, so when fishermen were fishing within the set quotas, they were still overfishing because of these inaccuracies. According to the lead author of the study, few ocean ecosystems have undergone this severe a climate change. However, some species, like lobster, are thriving in this changing water, polar opposite to the cold-blooded cod that are suffering.

This article really opened my eyes to yet another aspect of the widespread issue of climate change. It is such a layered topic, with so many different levels, and the article calls attention to Maine specifically, in an issue I had heard nothing about before. It is important because we need to become more aware of all aspects of climate change and do what we can to stop them from worsening and try to reverse them, if possible.

The New York Times is a highly respectable newspaper with a reputation for delivering the best news in a professional fashion. This article furthered that reputation, as I found excellent research and couldn’t find any grammatical errors. Erica Goode, the author of this piece, has written several articles for the Times, most about climate or endangered species. The one thing she could have included in her writing was a possible solution to this issue, because it is left rather open-ended. Other than that, the article was well-written and an interesting read.

Goode, Erica. "Cod’s Continuing Decline Linked to Warming Gulf of Maine Waters." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/30/science/cods-continuing-decline-traced-to-warming-gulf-of-maine-waters.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0>.

2015 Likely to Be Hottest Year Ever Recorded

James Swartz                                                                                                                       10/21/15

Biology       Current Event

2015 Likely to Be Hottest Year Ever Recorded

“The bottom line is that the world is warming,” said Jessica Blunden, a climate scientist with NOAA, in Asheville, N.C. NOAA, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the American agency that tracks world wide temperatures. This past wednesday, the agency released a statement which said that this September has been the hottest September known to date since the worldwide temperatures began to be monitored in 1880. The immediate cause of the record-breaking warmth is a strong El Niño weather pattern which gives off great amounts of heat into the atmosphere. However, the temperature is much greater than the last strong El Niño, between 1997 and 1998, showing that the temperature increase is partially contributed to the unlying effects of the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Evidence for the rise in temperature can be seen in measurements of the surface temperature of major bodies of water worldwide where surface temperatures are as much as three degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average. The record setting year contradicts the theory which several Washington politician are preaching, that the emissions issue is not a real problem.  Climate scientists have not wavered in their view that the long-term temperature increase poses profound risks and that emissions must be brought under control.

The rise in temperature combined with the strong El Niño has had a devastating effect on the planet and only threatens to become worse. The combined efforts are likely contributing to dry weather and forest fires in Indonesia, to an incipient drought in Australia and to a developing food emergency across parts of Africa. On top of this, the heat epidemic is responsible for a heat wave in India and Pakistan earlier in the year, with temperatures reaching 118 degrees fahrenheit, which killed thousands. In response to this delegates to a global climate conference scheduled to meet in Paris in early December will almost certainly be convening to discuss ways in which emission can be lowered to quell this epidemic.

The author of the article, Justin Gillis, is a very well respected New York Times writer who has already written several article concerning the increasing trend in the climate. Not only did Gillis provide a thorough description of the issue and the causes and effects which came along with it, but he even included graphs which depicted the trend and showed the severity of this year’s increase as well as a video which explained the causes and effects of EL Niño. The only addition to this article that Gillis could have made would be possible solution to the problem which the convention in early December  may reach so that the reader may know what the convention may do. Still, this article was very well written and unbelievably helpful in understanding the issue of climate change.

Gillis, Justin. "2015 Likely to Be Hottest Year Ever Recorded." The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/science/2015-likely-to-be-hottest-year-ever-recorded.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0>.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/science/2015-likely-to-be-hottest-year-ever-recorded.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Grave of ‘Griffin Warrior’ at Pylos Could Be a Gateway to Civilizations

Grave of ‘Griffin Warrior’ at Pylos Could Be a Gateway to Civilizations

by Nicholas Wade, October 26, 2015

This article discusses an archaeological find at the site of the city of Pylos that could possibly lead to new discoveries about the link between ancient civilizations. The author describes the find—the grave of a warrior buried with a yard-long bronze sword and a collection of gold rings—and discusses its potential for shedding light on the emergence of the Mycenaean civilization. The author goes on to describe the significance of the grave: the warrior was buried around 1500 BC next to the site on Pylos which, many years later, arose the palace of Nestor (a large administrative center during the Mycenaean civilization that was destroyed in 1180 BC). Similar palaces were found all over the Greek mainland, and all borrowed heavily from the Minoan civilization that arose on the island of Crete, southeast of Pylos. The Minoans were culturally dominant to the Mycenaeans but were later overrun by them. One of the largest questions about these blended cultures was how the Minoan culture passed to the Mycenaeans, and this new archaeological find might possess answers. James C. Wright, the director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens believes the grave lives “at the date at the heart of the relationship of the mainland culture to the higher culture of Crete” and will help scholars understand how the state cultures that developed in Crete were adopted into what became the Mycenaean palace culture on the mainland. The warrior, he believes, whose grave objects are culturally Minoan but whose place of burial is Mycenaean, lies at the center of the cultural transfer between the two states.

This discovery helps uncover the link between Minoan and Mycenaean cultures, which will lead to a more detailed account of Greece’s past. Because of this find, archaeologists are now looking into studying the tomb with modern techniques such as DNA analysis, which may shed light on the warrior’s origin. This and other techniques will allow far more information to be extracted from this grave site than was possible with more primitive technology used in the past. The way archaeologists uncover the past is advancing, and will help to gain a deeper understanding about our past.

This article was informative and interesting, but lacked structure. The author jumps from point to point without much detail or explanation, and does not define the technical archaeological and historical terms unknown to most readers. The author also ends the article abruptly, which was disappointing because I would have liked a final summary or reflection on the piece to tie it together. Though these pieces were lacking, I ultimately enjoyed reading and analyzing this article — it was informative and interesting, and helped me to gain an understanding of a topic that I had yet to learn about.

Wade, Nicholas. "Grave of ‘Griffin Warrior’ at Pylos Could Be a Gateway to Civilizations." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/27/science/a-warriors-grave-at-pylos-greece-could-be-a-gateway-to-civilizations.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront>.

TB ‘joins HIV as the most deadly infection’

Ever heard of tuberculosis? Well the answer to that seemingly rhetorical question should be a flat “no” but unfortunately this disease is not extinct. The article TB ‘joins HIV as the most deadly infection’ by James Gallagher, discusses how the infamous tuberculosis, or TB, is making a comeback on the global population in countries like India, China, Nigeria.  WHO, the world health organization, states that both tuberculosis and HIV “accounted for 1.1  to 1.2 million deaths in 2014 alone. The question rises: why should a disease that has been tackled in the 90s with success, impact the human mortality rate so heavily? Yes, doctors have cut down the cases of tuberculosis related deaths greatly in the 1990s but it still exists and currently is a main threat to us all. The article quotes WHO director general, Margaret Chan, who has the following response: “if the world is to end this epidemic, it needs to scale up services and, critically, invest in research.” However the problem with tackling this old foe is harder than expected as cases indicate that this tuberculosis is somewhat drug resistant. This resistance to antibiotics is a fearful factor to consider.

After all what happens after the body can’t defend itself from viruses even after all these vaccinations? We have the calm mentality that we’ll be fine, that we’re immune to certain viruses like tuberculosis because we’re vaccinated. However this article creates a dent in that belief. Yes, we knew that viruses can become drug resistant, but it is a completely different story after understanding that same virus is a prominent mortality factor in the world today. We have faith that once we hold the cure in our hands then everything is magically all better, but this article proves that we can’t be 100% safe from a virus until we tackle it properly.

This article is an interesting read; it is inciteful and presents its data and expert quotation eloquently. Another strength about this piece lies in its succinct nature to make the subject an easy matter to read. However I think discussing what exactly tuberculosis is would make the article stronger. Although it’s a fair assumption to think a majority of the audience knows what the tuberculosis is, it is better to introduce the term that is being talked about throughout the entire article. I would also have liked if the article could expand more as to why the virus, after being drastically cut down, has risen to the point that it and HIV are the most infectious viruses. It also would have been great to see the data in each individual country of how widespread tuberculosis is. Another minor improvement may have been just to label the pictures that the article included.

Citation:

Gallagher, James. "TB 'joins HIV as Most Deadly Infection' - BBC News." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34658015>.

"Hot Dogs, Bacon and Other Processed Meats Cause Cancer, World Health Organization Declares" By Peter Whoriskey

There is sad news for bacon lovers, as a recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO) points out that bacon, sausage, processed meats, and possibly red meats cause cancer. "After a decade of analyzing various studies that tested the correlation between processed meats and cancer, a panel of 22 international scientists decided that there is a link between the two. Eating meat itself has a small risk, but “this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” states Kurt Straif, an official at WHO. In fact, there are studies suggesting that “an additional 3.5 ounces of red meat everyday raises the risk of colorectal cancer by 17 percent; eating an additional 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily raises the risk by 18 percent”; nearly 34,000 cancer related deaths are connected to high meat consumption. That being said, the exact details are still unclear. How much meat can we eat? How much of it will actually cause cancer? There are no answers to these questions as of yet, but strong epidemiological evidence has been found to support the connection between meat and cancer. The public’s reaction to this study has been ambivalent, and in some cases downright dismissive especially when it comes to the fast-food industry and the $95 billion beef-industry we have here in the U.S. Not surprisingly, the North American Meat Institute, called the report “dramatic and alarmist overreach.” Others like Caroline Rouke, an energy policy analyst, have shrugged it off: “Everything causes cancer...Life causes cancer. Who cares what food does? Life is terminal, isn’t it?" The accuracy of the report continues to be debated by scientists and the public, but this study is a step forward in better understanding the relationship between what we eat and how it affects us.

In my independent study two years ago, I did a research paper about the correlation between diet and cancer. This included red and processed meats, and I had actually contacted WHO for information on this study. So for me in particular, reading about this was very interesting, and it’s impact on science and health is huge. This study can help us learn more about what a healthy diet looks like and what foods to avoid, encouraging us to eat healthier. In a scientific standpoint, it reveals more about cancer and what may cause it to occur. For example, there may be chemicals in the processed meats that make our body to react a certain way, thus causing mutations and cancer. This study also brings up more questions about other foods in our diet and their impact on cancer, whether they help to decrease or increase the risk.

I really liked this article, but I would have loved to learn more about the specific research that took place in order to come up with this study. The article does touch upon how a panel of 22 scientists looked at and reviewed various studies, but it would have been nice if we could learn about the process they took to come up with their results and what criteria was required to draw a conclusion. I also think the article could have talked more about the controversy regarding the study, or shown other critics and papers that show no correlation between processed meats and cancer. I think that would have provided us with a better understanding about the accuracy of the study and given us a better point of view on this topic.


Whoriskey, Peter. "Hot Dogs, Bacon and Other Processed Meats Cause Cancer, World Health Organization Declares." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 28 Oct. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/26/hot-dogs-bacon-and-other-processed-meats-cause-cancer-world-health-organization-declares/>

AP Biology Students examine the Rate of Photosynthesis.

In their study of photosynthesis, the AP Biology students are carrying out the "leaf disc assay" in which they cut disks out of plant leaves and use a syringe to force the air in the leaves' sponge spongy mesophyll out replacing it with sodium bicarbonate. They then expose the leaves to light and measure the rate of "leaf floatage" as photosynthesis releases oxygen into the spongy mesophyll causing the disks to float. The students count how many disks are floating at 30 second intervals until all the disks are floating or 10 minutes has elapsed. Their baseline experiment involved comparing the rates of photosynthesis in five different type of leaves: spinach, kale, Acuba japonicum, ivy and a red Coleus.

Mallory gets ready with the "fish bowl" heat sink, while Beth uses the hole punch to produce their leaf disks

Lindsay cuts leaf disk from her sample.

Samantha is loading her syringe with the leaf disks.

Ansley is looking for "leaf floation" in her setup.

Neal cuts disks for the next run, while Thomas watches for successful floataion.

Indira pumps the leaf disks in the syringe to get the air out and sodium bicarb into the disks.

......meanwhile Lindsay is still cutting disks......

Meagan smiles while waiting for her disks to float.

Kaitlin is forcing the air out of her disks as Audrey prepares a new leaf for "disking".

Rachael removes the air from this team's disks, while Liv and Allegra cut addition disks, apparently all of this work is under the watchful eyes of their supervisor, Emily

Maddie and Hadley ca not belief how difficult is is to get the leaf disk to discharge their oxygen, uptake the sodium bicarb which is heavier and SINK!!!

Florida’s Bears Go From Near Extinction to Cross Hairs.

Alvarez, Lizette. "Florida’s Bears Go From Near Extinction to Cross Hairs."The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Only a few years ago, the Florida black bear was on a list of threatened species. Recently, a court ruling in Florida has allowed the hunt of these bears to be legal, for the first time in 21 years. After making an amazing comeback in terms of numbers, these bears have moved closer and closer to suburbs and caused, “annoying, and disturbing” chaos in these Florida areas. Many members of these areas are excited for this new prospect to rid the communities of bears, “So far, nearly 2,400 people have bought permits, a number that is expected to grow” (Alvarez). Others, however, are not as excited. Conservation groups and even regular community members think this is not safe for people, as well as for the bears, especially after their history as a threatened species. The hunt will last about a week, or until 320 bears maximum have been killed. Although there are some restrictions on the hunt, (ie no mothers or cubs) this could still be a dangerous practice and harm the bear population.

The black bear’s amazing recovery in terms of population is something very related to the scientific community. By studying this species and their recovery efforts, things can be learned about how to help raise threatened populations. These ideas can be applied to populations of other more endangered species. This is also relevant in political aspects, as hunts like these cause court appeals, and conservation groups to protest. The rights conservation groups have to protect these animals has been a long debated topic in our country, with things such as the ESA, or Endangered Species Act.  

I really enjoyed this article, the information was clear, concise, and educational. The article was not too long, with no extra information just what was needed. One critique I would have for the article is in terms of textual evidence. The article provided many facts and statistics that were great, however it provided barely any quotes or evidence to support those conservationists that are protesting this behavior. This article seemed biased in this way.

How to Build the Machine That Will Find Another Living Earth

The vastness of space makes one wonder, is anybody (or anything) else out there? Scientists have been looking for years to find a planets like earth. The standard search technique, the Doppler method, measures the back-and-forth motion of a star caused by the gravity of its planet. And the alternative method, the transit method, measures the slight shadow created when a planet passes in front of its star as seen from Earth. Together with these techniques scientists have been able to find 5,400 exoplanets. However, these current techniques only give us information about the orbital periods and their sizes or masses. To find a planet like Earth we need to know about the planet's atmosphere and their surface composition. Finding this information is not easy since the earthlike exoplanet is about ten billion times fainter than its star. There are two new ideas to find these planets. The first method, from John Trauger, is to make a chronograph telescope. This telescope basically builds a light-blocking mask into the telescope so that it creates an artificial eclipse of the star. Chronographs have been used in the past, however Trauger needs to improve the contrast on the telescope by 1,000 to be able to see the planets. In the early 2020s they will be testing this telescope on NASA’s WFIRST space telescope and it should be able to distinguish exoplanets. The only problem would be that creating a chronograph inside a telescope would limit the field of view and light going into the telescope. The next method, from Jeremy Kasdin, is to limit the light of the star. This would be done by flying a petal-shaped disk about a 1,000 km in front of your telescope. Aligning it in front of your desired star you should be able to only see the planet. This plan is the most efficient way to collect the data. Unfortunately, you would need a rocket to move the starshade from star to star which would eventually run out of gas and money to fund it. Kasdin says that the ideal procedure would be to put this on the space telescope with the chronograph. This would allow the chronograph to look for specific candidates so the rocket would not collect the data from as many planets.

It is likely that in the next 20 years we are going to find a planet just like ours if there is one. There is a great possibility that there is other life out there. Finding other planets like ours is the first step into seeing if other life forms exist. Unfortunately, the discoveries from the telescopes will most likely not prove there are other life forms. However, they will gives us a better understanding of the galaxy around us and will lead to more discoveries.

I thought that this article did a very good job of summarizing about what the news is about our search for exoplanets. I also enjoyed that they were able to clearly give me a summary about everything but it was not too long and boring. I think that this article would have been better if they went into more detail on how the new methods worked. A way that they could have done this is by making a diagram of the telescope.  

"How to Build the Machine That Will Find Another Living Earth - Out There." Out There. N.p., 07 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.

Antibiotic-Resistant Genes Found in Mummy

A mummy discovered in the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco, was found to have genes associated with antibiotic resistance in the 11th century, long before antibiotics were introduced. The genes were found in the mummy’s colon and feces which explains that gene mutations responsible for antibiotic resistance naturally occurred in over 1,000-year-old bacteria. This also explains that gene mutations are not necessarily related to the overuse of antibiotics. This particular mummy was created following funerary customs: the body was arranged in a fetal position with ropes tied around the wrists, ankles, and hips and was wrapped in baskets with only the faces of the dead showing. Researchers believe the woman who had died was between the ages of 18 and 23 and had a chronic case of the Chagas’ disease as a result of her abnormally enlarged heart, esophagus, and colon, all containing an abnormal amount of feces. This condition is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, can be life-threatening, and is spread by bloodsucking insects. About 6-7 million people are still infected by this disease worldwide, especially in Latin America. Although the parasite in the woman was more primitive than modern forms, researchers say it was 98 to 99 percent similar to today’s virus and that it was most likely treated with coca leaves. The antibiotic resistant genes found in the woman would have proven modern drugs to be ineffective such as vancomycin. Interestingly, vancomycin-resistant genes have increased with the use of the antibiotic.

This article has many practical implications in modern medicine today. The findings in the genetic coding of the mummy can lead to a better understanding of the evolution of pathogens. Scientists in modern medicine are constantly looking for antibiotics to cure many bacterial diseases and infections, and this new understanding of antibiotic-resistance genes can help further the drug creating process.

I was initially drawn to this article because I find the study of mummies and how they have evolved over time rather interesting. The author did a fine job laying out the background information, the history behind this particular mummy and why she was sitting in the position she was in the picture shown. She also did a nice job explaining the similarities between the mummy’s disease and similar diseases today. However, the author could make some improvements: I was confused when I was reading about the Chaga’s disease because she did not elaborate on what the effects of the disease was, only how it is obtained. I also think the author could have left out a paragraph she wrote on several different viruses, such as forms of HPV, found in the mummy that have no significance to the purpose of the article as a whole. Over all, I truly enjoyed reading the article and liked learning about how particular mummies in a certain region of the world are preserved.

Lorenzi, Rossella. "Antibiotic-Resistant Genes Found in Mummy : DNews." DNews. Discovery News, 20 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.

http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/antibiotic-genes-found-in-mummy-151020.htm

Teenagers and Mutant Tomatoes

            For this current event, I chose to discuss a program, founded by Wake Forest University Professors and students, aimed at teaching high schoolers the science behind genetics and genetic variation, while at the same time opening them up to the conversation surrounding GMO’s. Professors Gloria Muday and Carole Gibson lead the initiative, which is currently funded by the American Society of Plant Biology Education Foundation. The two professors pick fresh, mutant tomatoes from the University campus itself, then use them to covey the idea of genetic variation to students. With college students leading the activities, high school students learn through a problem-based learning exercise that highlights a purple (mutant) fruit to help them understand genetic inheritance. Students also learn about the dominant and recessive human genes and the influence they have on visual characteristics. The college students then teach them to use Punnet Squares to better absorb this idea, predicting gene combinations and even extracting DNA from mutant tomatoes to compare to that of regular tomatoes. Professor Muday describes the workshop by explaining, “The material we teach is integral to high school biology curriculum; they [students] just might not have gotten there yet. Our goal is to provide memorable examples, so that when the students reach their genetics unit, they can call on this experience to build a stronger understanding of these critical course concepts.” This quote summarizes the program quite well, as its sole aim is to educate students before they learn about genetics in class, and excite them about the topic by performing intriguing experiments in their presence.

            This article is obviously relevant, because although it does not highlight a serious scientific crisis or enigma, like many scientific journals do, it describes a way in which intelligent scientists and their students are educating on a high school level to get younger people more interested in the biology behind genetics. In addition, having taken APES, I am aware of the controversy behind the GMO’s that are used to produce greater amounts of food on a large scale. Unfortunately, although not alluded to in the article, many small farmers cannot afford GMO’s, so large corporations have spearheaded such endeavors. Moreover, with this information, students can form their own opinions of the subjects.

            In terms of the way the article was written, I found it was quite easy to follow. It simply enough discussed a topic, then would go into greater detail to describe the different processes the students performed to gather information. In addition, the integration of quotes made it clear from the accounts of the professors what the main goals of the program were, and clearly conveyed the ways in which the experiments performed would improve student understanding. However, one thing the article lacked was comments and opinions from the students taught by the program. With these the article would have been stronger because the program would be supported by the views of the students.

 Citation:

"Teenagers and Mutant Tomatoes." ScienceDaily. Wake Forest University, 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.

Link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151021120620.htm