The article that I read, Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Shows, discusses how a recent study has hinted that males’ experiences may alter their sperm, which then changes their offspring. In one experiment that was completed, male rats were fed a high-fat diet and were mated with females. The results of this were that compared to the male rats fed a regular diet, those on the high-fat one were more likely to father offspring that gained weight. This idea suggests that the experiences in a male’s life can change their genes in such a way that affects their children. Though it may seem that this is true with the rat experiment, this may differ in humans. The latest challenge is to determine if a human’s life sways the genetic makeup passed to their offspring. In 2013, an obese man went to have his stomach stapled, but a week before the operation, a week after the operation, and a year after the operation, the man provided sperm to see whether or not there was a genetic difference. The entire idea that scientists are trying to prove contradicts the standard thinking about heredity: that parents only pass down their genes to their children. These inherited genes may predispose them to obesity or cancer but whether or not the parent actually experienced these traits in their life does not change the genes. Scientists are not completely sure if their idea is correct but they do have hope that they are partially correct. Dr. Romain Barres of the University of Copenhagen said, “I don’t want to speculate whether it’s positive or negative in the following generation...We’re going to try to see if there’s something transmitted all the way down.”
This article is very important to the scientific world because of its understanding or goal to understanding the human body and our genetic makeup. With technology becoming more advanced, the knowledge and ingenuity of science is changing and expanding in many different directions very quickly. These types of studies are beneficial because they can help the medical and scientific field to understand how specific traits such as obesity and stress are more common in the offspring of parents who experienced the trait in their life, not just carrying the gene. Knowing and understanding how this works allows us to be one step closer to grasping how we can prevent diseases such as cancer and improve the lives of humans everywhere.
In my opinion, I feel that this article was written very well. The author gave a great summary of the experiment that was completed and gave great detail on DNA and how it transfers from parent to offspring. There was no time in which I was confused content-wise, nor was it repetitive or wordy. For this reason, I believe that the author was very clear and concise in his research and writing. Also, because there were some quotes that were included from experts on the subject of genes and the passing of them, it allowed me to be comfortable and trust the information that was presented in the article. Overall, the author seemed to know a lot about what he was talking about, definitely a sign of good research, and knew how to correctly portray the information in an understandable way to the reader.
Zimmer, Carl. "Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
ReplyDeleteHadley,
Your review on the article Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests is eye opening. In other words, something we wouldn’t generically think about as all our life we’ve been taught that genes are our sole inheritance, where all our traits come from. Also as a side note, good job on choosing an article that tangents what we were talking about class with the passing of genes and Mendelian chart. Here we are in class learning how are characteristics are determined by probability, and in your article emphasizes that on a different light the chance for more randomness and probability based on a particular action. I thought three things you did well in this article was remaining concise and focused throughout your review, including expert quotation from Dr. Barres, and having a nice length for your review so that effectively articulate your point and not overburden the reader.
My only suggestions for improvements may only be mention what was the sperm results of the three different samples taken from that one obese man in 2013 and provide more data. The information you gave us was good, but if you could expand on these points, I feel your review would be stronger because the results and data give a better overview of the scientific hypothesis being tested here.
The beauty of science is that there is always a new idea to be tested and something new to be learned as well. In this case the question is whether specific habits or actions and not the gene itself are being passed down from parent to child. If there truly exists a link beyond genetics this can open up the question if particular actions can prevent cancer or other maladies being passed on from generation.
Citation:
Zimmer, Carl. "Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
I read Hadley’s review on the article, Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests. She did a good job of summarizing main points of how a man's experiences in life, especially with eating, can affect their sperm and thus their offspring. She also included a quote from Dr. Romain Barres of the University of Copenhagen, enhancing her review and the authenticity of the hypothesis they were testing. Lastly, Hadley did a great job of explaining how this type of discovery can make parents more cognizant of what they put in their body since not only their genes are passed down to the next generation.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Hadley did a good job of presenting the summary, she could have put in more about the experiment with the three different types of sperm. She also could have mentioned what the results were and how the operation on the man’s stomach could have affected the sperm. Finally, she could have mentioned other factors that affect a child other than the parent’s eating. In addition, only men were mentioned in the review, not women.
This discovery is very important to many around the world, especially those who are thinking of becoming pregnant. By knowing that the way one eats can affect one’s egg or sperm, people may be more conscious of what they put in their body, leading to healthier parents and healthier offspring. Particular diseases and cancer may also be able to be prevented with this kind of knowledge and technology.
Hadley’s review of the article on the effects of differences in daily experiences and actions on potential offspring was interesting and informative, and helped me to gain insight into the specificity of genetics. She presented her information clearly, examining different areas of the experiment conducted. She did a good job of pointing out parts of the study that she found misleading, and voiced her opinion multiple times throughout her review. The quote included in the first paragraph made the review more interesting, and offered firsthand information from the source of the study.
ReplyDeleteThough Hadley’s summary of this article was clear, some areas could have been explained more thoroughly. It would have been helpful to include background information on the scientists conducting the study and other possible conditions that could contribute to genetic differences in offspring. Also, I think that it would have been better if Hadley had included a more in-depth reflection on her experience with the article.
Before reading this article, I did not think that the experiences in a person’s life could affect the genetics of offspring. This is a very interesting topic, and I am glad to have read it.
ReplyDeleteHadley, you did a great job in your review of this article. In your explanation paragraph, I really liked how you clearly explained how scientists are doing tests on both humans and rats to explore the relation between weight gain and genetics. I also liked how you incorporated a quote into the first paragraph because it established a voice of reason and authority in your reflection. Lastly, I enjoyed how your concluding paragraph where you explained your personal concerns with the article and expressed your appreciation for the author’s writing craft.
Although your review was sound, there is room for improvement. I think you could have explained how the genetics of obesity are not related to our DNA or how if a male eats excessively is alters his DNA. I was a little confused about how that worked and the specifics of the experiment. I also think you could have included some more statistical data to make your review more analytical and reliable.
Overall, I think you did a great job. I was intrigued by your topic and was pleasantly surprised to find that the title related to the article and I learned how genetics might evolve instead of originate from birth. It is a very interesting topic that I hope to investigate further. Great job!
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/08/science/parents-may-pass-down-more-than-just-genes-study-suggests.html?_r=0
Zimmer, Carl. "Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
I thought that this review was very well done and that the Hadley chose a very interesting article. I thought that Hadley’s summary was very well presented because she explained how the tests were performed on rats and also showed how scientists were trying to connect the findings to humans by explaining the tests on the man who was getting his stomach stapled. I also thought that Hedley did a very good job of relating previous scientific knowledge to the results found in this study. In comparing our knowledge that only genes are passed on with the information that weight gain and depression may also be passed on helped show the link between old and new information. Finally I liked how Hadley explained flaws in the study saying that scientists are still unsure; it makes sure that her review isn’t misleading. It is important to show that although these studies show very interesting results, there need to be more extensive studies to reach a conclusive explanation.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this review was very well presented, I felt that many of the ideas were briefly mentioned, but weren’t explained completely. For example, the results of the man’s sperm test weren’t provided. Also, there was a part that mentioned that some of this hereditary material being passed down could cause people to be predisposed to cancer, but I felt that there wasn’t much explanation on how this was concluded or what could cause this to happen.
I chose to read this review because the title was very interesting and this topic is very appropriate for the unit that we are currently studying. I learned that there is a lot that we still have to learn about genes, and how the process of passing down hereditary information is still being learned and added to. I think that this shows the impact of one’s life decisions on their children; what you do could affect the hereditary material passed on. If this is true, and more studies support this, people may make better decisions, such as eating healthier.
Hadley’s summary of Parent May Pass Down More Than Just Genes was very interesting and well written. She did a good job of summarizing the experiments that were done and the affects that they might have. Particularly explaining that the experiment on the rats may not affect people the same way and that scientists are trying to see if it could. I thought that Hadley did a good job explaining how these studies can benefit us, by making sure that parents are conscious of their life choices and how they can affect their future offspring. I thought it was nice to read an article about something that is similar to what we are learning in class now.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that was confusing was that the conclusion on the study done on a man in 2013 was not included in the review. I would have liked to know what the outcome of the experiment was and if it supported the findings of the previous one. I would have liked to have known if it is possible for a woman’s DNA in their eggs to be altered during their lifetime or if this only happens to men.
I chose to read this article because it pertains to what we are learning about in class. I learned that scientists still have a lot to learn about genetics and how one's choices in life can later affect their offspring. Because of the study people might be more conscious about what they do to their body if they know that it could affect their baby. Overall I thought it was an interesting article.
Hadley,
ReplyDeleteI think you did an excellent job in reviewing this article. Specifically, I feel it was organized very well and I liked how you explained the average daily activities for men and how they could potentially have an effect on a man’s sperm. I also think you did a very good job explaining the specifics of the experiment and its procedure, being done on both humans and rats. One final thing I thought was good about this review was the way you voiced your own opinion and explained your questioning of the experiment itself, that the scientists were still unsure of it.
Although I think you did many things very well in this review, I feel that a couple of things could have been improved. One thing I think you could have done to improve the review would have been if maybe you included more data, possibly from the three different samples on the obese man in 2013. Another thing I think you could have done to improve this review would have been if you maybe included a little more background information on the scientists in this experiment and what else could potentially serve as a factor to alter the genetic differences in offspring.
One thing I found interesting about this review was that the experiences one has during their life could really alter the genetics of offspring, and this could then be used in medicinal uses in possibly trying to avoid the continuation of genetically passed down diseases by maybe trying to see if any life experiences could stop the passing down of these diseases.
Hadley I really enjoyed reading your review of the article “Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes.” There were a few aspects of your article that stood out. One, you did a great job of summarizing the facts of the article. Your review was concise which made it easy to read. Two, I liked how you considered the relevance of this article to the scientific world. It proves that this discovery is very worthwhile but also how much scientists are still learning. Three, I liked how you quoted Dr. Romain Barres in your review. This added an extra layer to your review by him providing his own opinion on this new discovery.
ReplyDeleteAlthough your review was great, there are a few things you could do to make it even better. One, I wish you had told us what the results were from the three different sperm samples taken. Two, I wish you had gone into a little background about the scientists and the finer details of the experiment.
One thing I found interesting from your review was how much we still don’t know about genes, and how much we are still learning. Individuals might want to change what they are doing in their lives if they know it could alter the genetics of their offspring. Again, I really enjoyed reading your review.
I felt that Hadley did a great job reviewing this article. First, I enjoyed how she mentioned that the study in rats may not be reflective of what humans do. This helped me to recognize the limitations of the study and look at it from a different perspective. I also enjoyed how she mentioned that it contradicts the standard hereditary theory. This helped me to realize what this study was actually doing that we did not already know, and I found that it helped me understand the topic better. Lastly, I enjoyed how she had a very detailed explanation of why this study should be important to me. I wasn’t quite sure how this could affect my life but after reading her explanation I have a thorough understanding of why this is important.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I think could be done differently is the description of the man getting his stomach stapled. It was difficult to follow what that man was doing that was relevant to the article. I think that simply going into a little more detail about that would suffice. I also would have liked to have Dr. Barres’ quote explained more. An explanation of what the “positive” and “negative” mean in this context would be enough to make it clear.
This article really made me rethink what I thought I knew about genetics. The fact that acquired traits can be passed down completely contradicts everything we have learned about biology since 7th grade. This will really make me rethink biology as a whole, and my lifestyle before I have kids.
For my current event comment, I read Hadley’s review of the article “Parents May Pass Down More Than Just Genes, Study Suggests” by Carl Zimmer. There were several aspects of the comment that I thought Hadley did an excellent job with. First, she had a substantial summary paragraph with sufficient background information. This summary paragraph was written in simple, layman terms such that I could easily understand it, while still being incredibly informative and descriptive. The background paragraph laid the foundation on which I could understand the specific vocabulary of the article. Second, in terms of flow, the summary paragraph flowed excellently, as one idea led to the next. Specifically, in terms of the description of the experiment performed on rats, each subsequent statement came in chronological order, making the experiment’s procedure easy to follow from the reader’s perspective. It was vital to the review to execute the description of this experiment well because the experiment was central to the article itself, and Hadley did a great job with it. Finally, Hadley’s reflection paragraph was detailed and accurate. From the start, she evaluated the author from a non-biased perspective. Personally, I have read a lot of Carl Zimmer articles in the New York Times, and from my experience, all of her conclusions about his writing and the source for which he works are correct.
ReplyDeleteDespite the excellent nature of this writing, there were two main things that I thought Hadley could have done better. First, I thought that Hadley could have included more quotes in her summary paragraph. By including more quotes, she would have substantiated the arguments and points she was making, thus promoting her summary and adding a science-based direct backup to it. While she did include one, it came at the end and did nothing to relate to the experiment itself. In addition, I would suggest that Hadley include more quantitative data on the experiment. With some deeper digging, that would have been possible, and, personally, a point of substantial interest for me because we are constantly utilizing quantitative data in experiments within biology class.
Overall, this article taught me many things, but first and foremost, it taught me that this idea of heritable genetics may not be the true all-encompassing mechanism for heredity. One of the main topics in AP Biology and one that we are currently focusing on in class is heredity. If it turns out that parents can develop traits throughout their own lifespan and pass them on to their children, it would mark a tremendous revelation in the realm of genetics. If proven, it could cause an addition to the AP Biology curriculum and a biological revolution amongst biologists and ordinary people alike. Maybe then, people would finally begin taking care of their bodies and minds the way they should be so that their children could be granted the greatest chance of thriving in the world. Overall, great job Hadley!