Project Seeks to Map and Reduce Ocean Noise Pollution

Broad, William J. "Project Seeks to Map and Reduce Ocean Noise Pollution." The New York

Times. The New York Times, 11 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/science/project-seeks-to-map-and-reduce-ocean-noise-pollution.html?ref=science

           I read the article, “Project Seeks to Map and Reduce Ocean Noise Pollution, ” by William J. Broad. The article details the change that has occurred in the depths of the ocean in the past decades. This change, is known as “noise pollution,” and involves the new loud and present sounds that are infiltrating the once quiet ocean ecosystems. This ocean noises are caused by humans, and more importantly technological advancements. Sonar blasts of military exercises, commercial ships horns, and air guns for oil and gas exploration are just a few of the noises penetrating the deep ocean waters. This change, unfortunately, is having detrimental effects on the marine populations, particularly whales, who depend on their hearing to locate food and each other. Many sea mammals evolved to have very good hearing to make up for the poor visibility in the dark ocean. Marine biologists have noticed a recent decrease in mammal “talk”, or the voices whales and dolphins use to communicate, as human noises have increased. This inability to communicate could mean a decline in hunting and breeding, and therefore possible extinction for certain mammals in the ocean, but particularly whales.

           Fortunately, society is recognizing the importance of solving this problem. Certain solutions are being presented and enforced to protect sea animals and control ocean noise pollution. Mr. Bahtiarian of Noise Control Engineering has provided extensive measures to quiet ships. This includes adding layers of sound-absorbing tiles to the walls of noisy rooms and mounting engines, pumps, air compressors, and other types of machinery on vibration isolators. Furthermore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designed maps that use bright colors to symbolize the sounds in the oceanic depths. These maps will raise awareness of our generation’s contribution to ocean noise and build a better way to reduce it. Lastly, legal experts are figuring out ways to create laws, regulations and treaties through United Nations bodies like the International Maritime Organization that will work to achieve voluntary noise reductions. It is clear that it is important to further expand these efforts and become aware of this problem. It is also beneficial to note the repercussions our technological society can have. Fortunately, the advancements in science are making it more possible to solve these problems.

           I thought this article was well written and presented the seriousness of the situation in a comprehensible and factual manner. However, this article frequently mentioned different organizations and people, making it slightly difficult to follow at certain points. Yet, the main points and goals were there, and I was left with an aware yet optimistic attitude for solving this problem.

Zebra Shark Surprises Scientists by Giving Birth without Male.

Evelyn Kluemper

1/30/17

AP Biology

Cummins, Anna. "Zebra Shark Surprises Scientists by Giving Birth without Male." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Jan. 2017. Web.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/zebra-shark-reproduction/index.html

Anna Cummins’ article, “Zebra Shark Surprises Scientists by Giving Birth without Male” was an interesting case of an animal changing its reproductive strategy.  In an aquarium in Queensland, Australia, zebra shark Leonie was separated with her male mate and was soon joined by Lolly, one of her female pups.  Nearly two years after being separated from zebra sharks, both laid eggs, which according to experts, is not uncommon.  Biologist Christine Dudgeon said that “It’s much like a chicken-- they lay eggs whether they are fertilized or not, if the conditions are good” (Cummins).  However, despite efforts made by the aquarium, the embryos in several eggs were unable to survive.  The following year, subsequent to laying eggs, Leonie produced three hatchlings and Lolly two.  It is not uncommon for vertebrates to be able to reproduce without fertilization, an advantageous characteristic that is believed to have been acquired evolutionarily through years of isolation.  However, this is the third known case of a vertebrate to switch its reproductive strategy.  The first two instances were an eagle ray and a boa constrictor.  Scientists have observed that the genes of the hatchlings have a great frequency of homozygosity and little to no genetic variation, which is a great disadvantage, as they are unable to adapt to their environment as well.

Biologists will be observing the hatchlings to see if they are able to reproduce sexually, since asexually produced offspring in the past have been unable to do so.  This birth will help biologists discover if it is possible for more species to reproduce without males.  Additionally, zebra sharks are considered an endangered species, so an alternative way to reproduce could greatly impact population numbers.

The article was very interesting to read and included an informative video.  It described the circumstances in which the zebra sharks reproduced asexually.  The author included a statement given by an expert.

"Mouse Cells Grown in Rats Cure Diabetes in Mice"

Saey, Tina Hesman. "Mouse Cells Grown in Rats Cure Diabetes in Mice." Science

News. Science News, 26 Jan. 2017. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

The idea of growing new organs, by way of using other animal’s embryos is no longer a far-off ludicrous idea. In fact on January 26th researchers stated in an article in Cell that “Injecting human stem cells into pig and cattle embryos created embryos that incorporate a small number of human cells.” Although a seemingly small improvement we are one step closer to the momentous yet quite controversial idea of using hybrid, or chimeric, animals to produce human organs for transplant. However, Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a stem cell biologist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif warns that, “Farm animals incubating human organs won’t appear anytime soon.”  Even though Belmonte led the team of researchers and they have accomplished a major goal of proving that human cells can indeed integrate into a pig he feels “we’re still far away from that.” It is essential even with such fascinating new findings to remain reasonable and logical. There continues to be much work to do, but this work is a step in the right direction. Due to both ethical and funding hurdles human-animal chimera work is in its infancy and is likely to be slow in future growth. However, hybrids of rats and mice are already hinting that growing an organ from one species in another is a viable strategy for curing some diseases and perhaps enthusiasm for such research will follow. Another team of researchers reported in Nature that they “grew mouse pancreases in rats” which resulted in mouse insulin-producing cells from rat grown organs.  These xenograft cells were then transferred from the rats to diabetic mice, curing their diabetes without any use of immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection. This finding raises hope that animal-grown organs tailored to individual patients could be transplanted without fear of rejection.  Another issue facing organ development from other animals is the effect of a host environment on the respective stem cells. Researchers used the gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 and disabled Pdx-1 and genes involved in heart and eye development so that mice couldn’t grow functioning versions of those organs. Rat stem cells injected into mouse embryos filled in, growing functional organs, including one the researchers didn’t expect. Rats don’t have gallbladders, but “rat stem cells introduced into mice embryos are able to form gallbladders,” the researchers reported. The result  indicates that it may not be possible to re-create in lab dishes the mechanical forces, chemical signals and other conditions an organ needs to develop properly. In the context of human-pig chimeras the results were not as promising and many agrees “more work is needed to improve growth of human cells in pig embryos.”

This article and its premise of the development of both successfully accomplished mice-rat chimeras and the more science-fiction human-pig chimeras has an integral role in our society. Stem cells are an important resource and as we learn how to capitalize on their diversity and ease with which they are manipulated, many diseases and disorders may possibly be remedied. It is important to use new CRISPR technology in order to devise ways to cultivate new organs and consequently save lives. These recent studies are transformative to our society as well as to the field of regenerative medicine. Although seemingly inconsequential this research and all succeeding research will transform science for many  years to come.

The author of this article, Tina Hesman Saey, overall wrote a wonderful piece. I particularly enjoyed her use of quotes as well as her evident in-depth research about the topic. By including the ideas and point of views of many leading researchers on the topic Saey asserts a sense of authority and intellectual exploration of the complex issue. Additionally, by including previous work in just the past decade readers realize how the current mouse cells in a rat is such a step forward. We realize this is not a new occurrence but a study based on a culmination of other works. However, Saey did err a little with her organization of her article. For example, I felt that defining chimeric animals, although important to do, was done in the wrong place. The definition of chimeric animals are good information located in a bad place. Sequentially it made no sense to go from discussing organ rejection to defining chimeric animals to discussing research by Hiromitsu Nakauchi on mouse pancreases. The information seems random and adds to the confusion. In order to improve this Saey should simply re-read her work and/or enlist an editor and read her piece for overall coherence and logical placement of ideas. Writing, especially about science, can be difficult: where to include data or a definition where etc. Essentially, although well intentioned defining chimeric where she did led to a slightly less effective article by Saey even though everything else is nearly impossible to mess up.

A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

Chang, Kenneth. "A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes." New York Times. N.p., n.d.

Web.

Over time, tomatoes in today’s supermarkets are less and less tasteful. Now, Harry J. Klee believes that he can make it come back. “Dr. Klee and his colleagues describe flavor chemicals that are deficient in most modern varieties of tomatoes.” They tracked different genes in each tomato that produced these genes and as a result found tomatoes that possess better versions of these genes. “Now we know exactly what needs to be done to make it right,” Dr. Klee said. “We just have to turn the crank”. Even though genetic engineering would be easier and faster, they are using traditional breeding to make the taste improve. “Think of the tomato flavor as a symphony with lots of notes,” Dr. Klee said. “Over the last 50 years, they’ve removed one instrument at a time”. Since the tomato plants produce small quantities of these genes, restoring the good versions of the genes should not greatly affect the other traits that growers demand. People have been put to the test to see which tomato they preferred and some said the supermarket brand with less flavor.

It is sad that over time, the taste of fruits such as tomatoes has changed over the years. This is not normal. Today organic foods should have the most flavor possible no matter what year. It is important for labs to keep on testing these tomatoes and to try to get them to regain full taste level. Today, too many chemicals are put into foods and pesticides that are not organic and can be dangerous to one's health. If this is changed and maybe all foods can be organic and today’s generation can experience what taste buds once felt. 

This article was very well written. I thought that the author did a really good job and clearly explaining the problem with the tomatoes and the opinions that professionals had on this issue.  I cannot pinpoint an area in which the author could have improved the article since I think it was pretty good overall. I was able to learn a lot from it.  

"Running May Be Good for Your Knees." by Gretchen Reynolds

Sarah Billings

AP Biology D even

Mr. Ippolito

January 18, 2017

Reynolds, Gretchen. "Running May Be Good for Your Knees." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Jan. 2017. Web. 18 Jan. 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/well/move/running-may-be-good-for-your-knees.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront>.

In the New York Times article called “Running May Be Good for Your Knees," by Gretchen Reynolds, the debated theory of whether or not running causes knee pain is examined. The article focuses on one experiment, which was conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In this experiment, they took fifteen male and female runners, who were all under thirty and had healthy knees (meaning no history of arthritis or injury). The researchers then drew blood from each of their arms, as well as a little bit of synovial fluid from their knees, which is “a lubricating fluid that reduces friction inside joints” (Reynolds 2017). The author describes how “Healthy knees contain only a soupçon of the stuff; arthritic and otherwise unhealthy knees tend to contain much more.” The participants were then taken to a biomechanics lab, where they either ran on a treadmill (at their preferred pace) or sat in a chair for thirty minutes. Another sample of blood and and fluid was taken after these tests. After analysis, the researchers found many different points of interest. Firstly, the results showed that, in almost every case, runners had a lower level of inflammation in the synovial fluid in their knees than in their baseline level. Additionally, it seems that after a run, the levels of a substance called cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, or COMP are higher in the person’s blood than in the synovial fluid. COMP is a substance that has expressed higher levels in diseased knees, meaning that running causes this substance to move out of the knees and into the blood. On the other hand, sitting for thirty minutes caused the levels to increase within the fluid in the knees. Overall, this experiments suggests that running could actually lower the risk of arthritis, however the scientists explain that this is only a “very small and short-term study.” In the future, they would like to use larger numbers and include more variables to ascertain a better theory.

The findings in this article are extremely relevant to modern society. According to the Arthritis Foundation, 1 in 5 adults are diagnosed with arthritis, and it is the nation’s number 1 cause of disability. Therefore, if scientists could learn more about factors that induce it, such as sitting for prolonged periods of time, then they could help decrease the chances of it happening significantly. This article can also help encourage people to go running more, if it will help prevent disability. I find this article particularly interesting because I run a lot, so I think it’s important for me to know if there are possibly harmful effects in running too much or for too long.

While this article was really well written, there were some aspects the author could have done better. For example, it’s important to include statements and opinions from multiple sources so there’s more credibility to the issue, and the viewer can observe other perspectives and make their own assumptions. This article only provided a quote from one man, who was a professor at the university and lead author in the study. While his opinions will definitely be well informed, he’s only one voice that we’re hearing on the subject. In terms of positive aspects, the author provided a really good description of the experiment itself, as well as a thorough explanation of the scientific terms discussed. Overall, it was really interesting to read about this topic.

For Better Vision, Let the Sunshine In

For Better Vision, Let the Sunshine In

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/well/live/for-better-vision-let-the-sunshine-in.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fwell&action=click&contentCollection=well&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Reynolds, Gretchen. "For Better Vision, Let the Sunshine In." New York Times. N.p., 19 Jan. 2017. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

I read the article “For Better Vision, Let the Sunshine In,” by Gretchen Reynolds, I thought that the article was very interesting and I was able to learn a lot. The article talks about how being nearsighted is a lot more common that it used to be. The medical name for nearsightedness is myopia. Myopia results when eyeballs are longer than normal, which changes the angle at which light enters the eye and therefore the ability to focus on distant objects. According to a study done in 2009 by the National Eye Institute, myopia in Americans has “soared by 66 percent since the early 1970s.” Some experts connect the elevated rate of myopia to the hours that young people stare at computers and other screens. But a recent study was done by JAMA Ophthalmology, which is the study and treatment of disorders and diseases in the eyes,  suggests that a great factor may be a side effect of looking at screens for hours, it's keeping children inside for most of the day. This new study is looking at if the lack of direct sunlight reshapes the human eye and impairs vision. Researches gave vision exams to 3,100 older European men and women and interviewed them at length about their education, careers and how much they remember being outside during different stages of their lives. Strong correlations were found between current eyesight and the lifetime exposure to sunlight. People who had gotten the most sun between the ages of 14 and 19, were 25% less likely to have developed myopia by middle age. Exposure to sunlight up to age 30 also showed positive results.

This article is very relevant for today, because many children are home for most of the day on some sort of technology device. Many children do not go outside and play as much as they did a few years ago, and the lack of time outside certainly appears to be contributing to the rise in myopia rates. By spending more time outside you can decrease your chances of developing myopia or other eye conditions. Sunlight is also associated with harmful impacts too, such as exposure increases the risk of developing skin cancer. But by wearing sunscreen young people should be able to reduce the risks while potentially strengthening their vision.

This article taught me a lot about eyesight in general. I was attracted to the article because I am nearsighted in one eye, so I wanted to know more about what is happening today and why there is a increase in the number of myopia cases. I did not know that sunlight had such a big part is shaping the eye. Overall the article was well written, the author made a good job summarizing all of the information and making it easy to understand but the order and some of the sentences were a little confusing. I wish that the author had included some ways to help this condition other than going outside, and if it is reversible.

Study Maps "Uniquely Devastating" Genital Injuries Among Troops

Grady, Denise. "Study Maps 'Uniquely Devastating' Genital Injuries Among Troops." The New York Times 13 Jan. 2017.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/health/genital-injuries-among-us-troops.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront

Denise Grady’s article “Study Maps ‘Uniquely Devastating’ Genital Injuries Among Troops” discusses a recently released report by military researchers that focuses on genitourinary injuries in veterans. The report describes how 1,367 men in the United States military suffered injuries to their urinary tract or their genitals when they were serving in Iraq or Afghanistan between 2001 and 2013. The author describes the injuries as “ ‘uniquely devastating’ because they can impair a man’s ability to have sex, father children or urinate normally.” Grady also includes that the number of genital injuries has increased compared to previous wars because of improvements in body armor and battlefield medicine. She also explains that the terrain in Afghanistan forced many of the men to patrol on foot, leaving their groin areas vulnerable to explosions, which is the leading cause of the wound. Doctors at several medical centers hope to provide some of these men with penis transplants with deceased organ donors, but the operation has only been performed once in the United States and it was only last year. A new discovery in the report revealed that the blast injuries could have a delayed effect that destroys fertility even if the testicles seem unharmed. The Defense Department recognized that some members of the military were losing their ability to father children, so it created a pilot program to pay for freezing sperm or eggs before deployment. Congress also passed a law in September that allows fertility treatments with service-related fertility.

This New York Times published article is significant because it describes the serious injury that a large number of enlisted American men have been facing. A surgeon and lieutenant colonel at Brooke Army Medical Center, Dr. Steven J. Hudak explained that, “The amount of resiliency and inner and outer strength and personal courage the patients I’ve been asked to care for is quite inspiring, the courage they display when they face these things that 20-year-olds otherwise would not have to face.” These men fought for our freedom and our country in the Middle East and are facing substantial consequences when they return home because of the damage to fertility and the ability to have sex. Researchers even say that these men are at high risk for suicide, so it is important that this issue is acknowledged and respected. In addition, the planned penis transplantation for these men is a major medical breakthrough that could shape the way that transplants are conducted and could allow many men to regain what they have lost.

Denise Grady wrote a thoughtful and succinct article regarding the genital injuries among troops. She included relevant facts and statistics that allowed the reader to understand the scope of the issue and was able to cover the topic from both sides: the emotional one and the medical one. She explained the emotional devastation that these injuries have on the men and the medical breakthrough that their injuries could result in. Her article briefly mentioned genitourinary injuries to women, but she did not provide a thorough analysis of them at all. I think that she should have included more information on the medical approach to their injuries so that her entire article could have been more thorough and well-rounded.

Can Carbon Capture Technology Prosper under Trump

Schwartz, John. "Can Carbon Capture Technology Prosper under Trump." Nytimes. Ny times, 2 Jan. 2017. Web. 10 Jan. 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/science/donald-trump-carbon-capture-clean-coal.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fearth&action=click&contentCollection=earth®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront>.

John Schwartz’s article about Carbon Capture technology prospering under Trump was very interesting to read. He first begins by discussing what carbon capture technology is. He describes carbon capture technology as the technology that can remove CO2 from the air and use it to power other types of things. The article is mainly focused on the Petra Nova plant in Houston, Texas where this plant is doing exactly that. This plant is one of the most modern of its kind. It is funded by two oil companies and the federal government. This process of carbon dioxide recovery works by using various chemicals to extract the CO2 from the air. Firstly, the air is sucked into the plant using giant turbines. Then amines are added to the CO2 and the gas is snaked through the plant via a series of plants where the CO2 along with the amines are removed from the air and sent into a pipeline which the oil companies plan to use  to make new oil via a process called Enhanced Oil Recovery. This process is expected to increase oil production by nearly 14000 barrels per day.

This technology will directly impact us in our lives. Trump is one who believes that climate change is a hoax and he plans to revoke many policies that were put to help to environment. Trump’s plan will increase the CO2 production by a lot and we have to do anything we can to help prevent that and this technology is a very good way to do so.

Overall, this article was well written and provided very good details on what this new technology was and what it can do. Although, one thing that I did not like was the idea that Mr. Schwartz only included the worse case scenario outcomes and not what the best case could be; this gave the article a very pessimistic tone. But, by reading this article I learned a lot about a topic that I had had no knowledge on before.

Keep Your Eye on the Balls to Become a Better Athlete

Schonbrun, Zach. "Keep Your Eye on the Balls to Become a Better Athlete." The New York Times. The New York

Times, 04 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Jan. 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/sports/neurotracker-athletic-performance.html?ribbon-ad-id%2Bx=4&rref=science&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Science&pgtype=article>.

Zack Schonbrun’s article,”Keep Your Eye on the Balls to Become a better athlete” was a piece based around the correlation between science and sports. Schonbrun explains how Jocelyn Faubert created a device called the NeuroTracker, which allows athletes to prepare themselves in no other way they have before: through neurological science. The video game allows athletes to improve their agility “the way lifting dumbbells develops muscles.” This game is so significant as it is like nothing seen before.” Just by asking the eyes to track spheres as they bound around a 3D screen, athletes can prepare their brains to perform in a way that no other film room could replicate.” Although the basis of the video game was to enhance agility and vision in athletes, the invention is also useful to people who suffer from ADHD. Skeptics have questioned NeuroTracker, yet facts have proven that it does enhance gameplay as Matt Ryan, NFL quarterback, says that he uses it 3 times a week and he is in contention to winning the NFL MVP award. He states,”I use it all year-round” as Ryan is looking to lead the Atlanta Falcons to the upcoming super bowl. Being an athlete myself and seeing the results and comments from professional athletes that the author incorporates allows me to understand the productivity of this invention and how it does in fact help people improve on and off the field.

NeuroTracker is a new and upcoming piece of technology that has the ability to enhance humans on and off the sports fields. Its use of neurological sciences allows people to reach their maximum potential in society. As stated before this new technology exercises the brain in a way not seen before that allows athletes and people with attention disorders such as ADHD to prosper and accel in their everyday lives.

Zack Schonbrun’s article, “Keep Your Eye on the Balls to Become a better athlete” obtained both good and bad things throughout the piece. Schonbrun did a good job including specific statements made by athletes and scientists that flowed well with the information. His use of pictures to break up the text and to give a visual sense of the topic was good as well. I would critique his repetition as I believe the article was much longer than necessary. To improve this I would state the necessary information and move on. Overall this was a well written piece as it was full of information that was broken up well by pictures which overall allowed the writing to flow smoothly and present the information.

"Facial-Processing Area of Brain Keeps Growing Throughout Childhood"

Allison Barker

Current Event Review

AP Bio

1/9/17

Hamers, Laurel. "Facial-processing Area of Brain Keeps Growing throughout Childhood." Science News. N.p., 05 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Jan. 2017. <https://www.sciencenews.org/article/facial-processing-area-brain-keeps-growing-throughout-childhood?tgt=nr>.

I read the article “Facial-Processing Area of Brain Keeps Growing Throughout Childhood” by Laurel Hamers. This article discussed new findings by a team of researchers that indicate that the part of the brain whose function is to recognize faces continues growing new tissue throughout childhood, which is contrary to what scientists previously believed. Brain development during childhood is widely believed to involve pruning back neural connections rather than growing new neural tissue, so this finding is revolutionary. Scientists such as Brad Duchaine, who was not a part of the study, are excited about the prospect of new growth techniques being discovered. Duchaine expressed his joy that “pruning isn’t the only game in town.” In order to gather this information, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to find the areas of the brain’s visual cortex that work to identify faces and compared those to the areas of the visual cortex that identify images of places. The scientists compared the structures of these two brain areas in the brains of 22 children (aged 5 to 12) and 25 young adults (aged 22 to 28). The collateral sulcus, which identifies places, did not change much between childhood and adulthood, but the fusiform gyrus, which identifies faces, changed dramatically in this time period. The tissue in the fusiform gyrus of adults contains a different composition of cells and proteins and is much denser than that of children. Although scientists cannot determine from the MRI scans the types of cells and structures that result in the increased tissue observed in the fusiform gyrus of adults, but findings from previous studies suggest that the cause could be an increase in dendrites, which are the projections of nerve cells that communicate with other nerve cells. Dendrites might branch out more while the child is growing and make more connections. Another cause could be the oligodendrocytes, which are brain cells that produce the insulating myelin coating that surrounds nerve cells. One thing is for sure, though, according to neuroscientist Jesse Gomez, who led the study: The number of nerve cells is not increasing. This study cannot determine whether brain tissue increases only in the facial recognition area or in other visual areas of the brain, as well, because this study only compared the areas of the brain that recognize faces and places. However, this study does prove that the development of different types of visual processing occurs in different ways. One reason for the development of facial recognition tissue later in life may be the time it takes for humans to develop facial recognition skills. Gomez states, “Throughout development, our social circle grows. That might be one reason why the region continues to grow - that piece of hardware in the brain itself just takes time to develop.” The researchers will continue following their subjects in order to determine the cutoff age for tissue growth, and they hope to investigate the other specialized regions of the visual cortex in later studies in order to see whether similar tissue growth occurs in these areas.

The findings of the study discussed in this article have large implications for humanity. It is a goal of scientists to try to determine how the brain forms because knowing the makeup of the brain, and how it changes over time, could be key in curing many disorders. These findings could especially help in research regarding developmental disorders, as they discovered how a key region in the brain develops. Further, the method of growth for the tissue in the facial-processing region of the visual cortex could also occur in other regions of the visual cortex, so this discovery could advance understanding in research of many parts of the brain. It is imperative to continue learning how the brain works, and it is exciting that scientists have been able to determine a new growth process in the brain.

I found this article very interesting and easy to understand. I do not know much about neurobiology, so I was intimidated when I first saw the article, as I was not sure that I would understand anything. However, the language that the author used was very accessible, and she described the methods, results, and implications of the study very well. The only thing that I would change about this article is the discussion of “pruning.” Pruning is another method of brain tissue growth, and it is the method that scientists had assumed all brain tissue used to develop. Although this is mentioned a couple of times, pruning is never explained. I feel that a discussion of pruning would aid in the understanding of the reader and would allow for greater contrast in the new method of growth that has been discovered. Overall, though, I loved that this piece taught me a great deal about a subject that I was not familiar with.

A Metal Ball the Size of Massachusetts That NASA Wants to Explore

Chang, Kenneth. "A Metal Ball the Size of Massachusetts That NASA Wants to Explore." The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Jan. 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/science/nasa-psyche-asteroid.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront>.

On Wednesday, NASA announced that they will be sending a spacecraft named Psyche to visit the asteroid named Psyche, one of the two new missions that will be launching into the solar system in the 2020s. The asteroid appears to be almost as wide as Massachusetts and has a larger density at about 200 to 450 pounds per cubic foot. The asteroid appears to emit large amounts of light, causing scientists to believe that it is made out of metal. As Dr. Elkins-Taton said, “Humankind has visited rocky worlds and icy worlds and worlds made of gas, but we have never seen a metal world.” Many scientists believe that Psyche is the nickel-iron core of a small planet that was destroyed in the universe’s early history. Analyze of Psyche may allow scientists to learn more about the Earth’s core. Psyche, the spacecraft, is planned to be launched in 2023 to reach Psyche, the asteroid, in 2030. The spacecraft will orbit the asteroid for 20 months. The other major mission set to begin in the 2020s is the spacecraft Lucy. Lucy is set to depart in 2021 and fly by six asteroids before completing her mission in 2033. Her targets are the Trojans, asteroids that have been captured by Jupiter’s gravity. Both of these spacecrafts are part of NASA’s Discovery Program. Lucy and Psyche are capped at a price of $450 million each.

Scientists believe that they projects, specifically Psyche, will help us to learn about the origins and the creation of Earth. As expert Harold F. Levison said, “We believe that’s telling something about how the solar system formed and evolved. The small bodies are really the fossils of planet formation.” With current knowledge about the origins of Earth remaining scarce, these missions could help scientists to understand the Earth’s history better. This knowledge could help aid scientists in their exploration into the Earth’s core and could help discover how much of the solar system was formed.

Overall, the article was very well-written, however, there were areas that could have been improved. I liked how the article identified why the Psyche asteroid is special and why we are exploring it. I also liked how the article included many quotes from experts who explained why these missions were so important. However, I wish the article had explained more what scientists could do with the knowledge of the Earth’s history. I would be interested to hear what would be done after these missions were completed. Also, I wish the article had talked about what specifically Psyche, the spacecraft, would done on the asteroid. This would have made the missions seem more important and realistic. Overall, however, I enjoyed the article and was able to learn a lot about NASA’s upcoming missions and their importance.

Year in Review: 'Three-parent Baby' Technique Raises Hope and Concern

Saey, Tina Hesman. "Year in Review: 'Three-parent Baby' Technique Raises Hope and Concern." Science News. N.p., 14 Dec. 2016. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/three-parent-baby-top-science-stories-2016

For this week’s current event I read an article by Tina Hesman Saey about the “three-parent baby” born this past April. This was the first birth to be recorded and was the result of a highly controversial and complex matter. The mother of this baby had a mitochondrial disease that would have been passed on to her child, as had happened with her previous two babies who passed away due to inherited mutations. In order to prevent this the article explains,“Fertility doctor John Zhang of the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City and colleagues performed what’s called a spindle transfer to put all the chromosomes from the mother’s egg into a donor egg that contained healthy mitochondria but had been emptied of its chromosomes. The egg was then fertilized with sperm and implanted in the mother.” The author then goes on to explain the controversy of this matter and how some view it as unethical and potentially dangerous as there is no way to predict the long term effects that may come as a result.

This issue is very relevant to society as it opens up discussion about the ethics of modifying human zygotes and the potential for genetic modification and further disease prevention. This area of science is expanding and with this trial shows either potential to continue with this sort of procedure or put an end to it all together. Genetics are an up and coming area of discovery and have unlocked endless potentials.  

I thought the other of this article did an exceptional job. They clearly explained the matter in terms and language easily interpreted by their readers, and even more impressive, providing a diagram of the process the describe. It was very intriguing to see it laid out and be able to understand more deeply how the transfer of the mitochondria occurs. The author also cited numerous experts and professionals with a wide variety of perspectives. They addressed the controversy which surrounds these procedures and  got information for both sides of the argument. They als went into further depth regarding possible risks and how we have reached the ability to perform this. She gave history on these sorts of procedures, explained the trials on animals, acknowledged the failure of similar attempts, and even recognized the possible future in the UK of this subject. I thought this was a great article and was extremely successful in addressing all points of discussion alongside clear, thorough explanation.

Searching for the Human Factor in Deadly Avalanches

Yin, Steph. "Searching for the Human Factor in Deadly Avalanches." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Dec. 2016. Web. 02 Jan. 2017. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/29/science/avalanches-skiing-snowmobiles.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftrilobites&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection 

Every year, there are many people who die in avalanches; about 30 Americans and 110 in Canada and Europe.  Dr. Hendrikx, at Montana State University, wanted to study human behavior to prevent future avalanche accidents because most avalanches are caused by skiers and snowmobilers.  Scientists know how weather and terrain contribute to avalanches, and forecasts are about 80% accurate.  Human activity, however, is very unpredictable.  Dr. Hendrikx said that "about 90% of avalanche victims trigger the avalanche themselves."  Although, apparently people in the backcountry understand avalanches, and the avalanches are not due to ignorance.  Dr. Hendrikx thinks that what leads to the avalanches is how people make decisions based on peer pressure.  To find out more about the behavior, Jerry Johnson and Hendrikx started a project where skiers and snowmobilers around the world record slope movements and answer questions.  Some of the results were older people, or people with children would make more conscious decisions.  The risk takers were all male groups, or people wanting to go on new slopes.  Also, people traveling in a group tend to make poorer choices than people skiing alone.  This could be because people want to show off, or people just want to follow to person with authority rather than thinking of the dangers.  On the other hand, though, about 99% of people are using the terrain appropriately and even though there has been an increase of engagement in backcountry sports, the accident rate has remained steady.  Dr. Hendirx believes that if he continues to study the decision making matrix, he will make a difference in the future.  

This research can have a huge affect on society.  Avalanches are a big problem around the world, and if more people continue to study the affects of group dynamics, the problem can be fixed, or at least greatly decreased.  I was drawn to this article and thought it was interesting, because I ski on mountains that have had avalanches.  I did not know that most victims of avalanches caused them themselves.  

The article was fairly straight forward and easy to read.  The author did a good job of describing why they were conducting the experiment and also explaining the results.  For example, the researchers said that people who travel in groups tend to make riskier decisions than people who travel alone.  However, if a group has good communication, and a pre-planned route, they will also tend to make safer decisions.  One improvement that the author could make is to describe how they got the results in more detail, and also, how they will continue to try and fix the problem of avalanches once they have all the results.

Weak Federal Powers Could Limit Trump’s Climate-Policy Rollback

Alexander Plaza

Gillis, Justin. "Weak Federal Powers Could Limit Trump’s Climate-Policy Rollback." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Jan. 2017. Web. 02 Jan. 2017.

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/science/donald-trump-global-warming.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

The article I reviewed is "Weak Federal Powers Could Limit Trump’s Climate-Policy Rollback”, by Justin Gillis. In the article, Gillis explains that there may not be as bad news for the environment as most thought when Trump took the election. Gillis explains that the transition to renewable energy is becoming increasingly apparent and will continue to happen, regardless of Trump. For example, Gillis cites that the federal government recently auctioned off a piece of land in the ocean offshore of New York for a wind farm. The tract of land sold for $42 million. The author points out that this is twice the amount of money that the government got from an oil lease in the Gulf of Mexico. He also points out that wind-farm technician is projected to be the fastest growing occupation in America over the next decade. Gillis goes on to say that the federal government really has little say over American energy policy so Trump may not be able to rollback policy. Trump would have to fight state rights and a growing business that is creating jobs for Americans. The most damage that can be done by Trump is in the international effort against climate change. David G. Victor, a professor at the University of California at San Diego and a close observer of global climate politics, pointed out that the Paris agreement signed by the nations of the world only a year ago to tackle global warming is still very fragile. The obama administration pledged to take money from taxes to aid other countries devastated by climate change to adjust. Trump is likely to abandon this pledge but Dr. Victor notes, “That’s a big part of the glue that held the Paris deal together”. Gillis explains that the real problem is what Trump will not do. The transition to renewable energy is too slow and the Paris Agreement is not ambitious enough. A president who will push strong for renewable energy and reform is needed to aid the transition. Gillis argues, that president is not Donald Trump.

Gillis makes some very good points in his article. Climate change is affecting everyone and the actions taken today by Trump will affect generations after. The actions Trump take may not necessarily affect anybody directly now, but like Gillis explained, the world needs to take action collectively and quickly. Trump’s decisions can drastically slow progress that has been made on a global scale. 2016 has been the hottest year topping 2015 and then 2014. Seas will keep rising and heat waves will become more intense, not to mention the many other negative affects on wildlife if climate change continues to be affected by humans.

I thought that this article was very well written and informative. I felt that Gillis was very logical and always provided relevant examples like the example of the tract being sold off the shore of New York. I think that the author should have added more expert opinion on the subject, for example the opinion of a environmental scientist. Other than that, I enjoyed this article and was very interested.