Henry Min

March 23, 2021

Mr. Ippolito

Einhorn, Catrin. “The U.S. to Remove Wolves From Protected Species List.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/3/23/climate/wolves-endangered-species-list.html?login=email.

       In her article "US to Remove Wolves From Protected Species List", author Catrin Einhorn discusses the US government's recent decision to no longer provide gray wolves with federal protection. For the past 45 years gray wolves have been protected by the Endangered Species Act, however, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt claims that the gray wolves have "exceeded all conservation goals for recovery" and no longer require protection. Einhorn proceeds to explain the controversy surrounding this decision. Firstly, after reading the proposal to delist the gray wolves, Carlos Carroll, an independent biologist with the Klamath Center for Conservation Research, stated that it disregarded possible genetic variation in the species (as it adapts to climate change); instead, the proposal based its decision on the low risk of extinction the wolves are experiencing now. In addition, Adrian Treves, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison explains that the proposal is flawed because it does not formulate an accurate estimate of how many wolves will end up being killed by people. In contrast, some researchers, such as Ya-Wei Li of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center believe that since wolves are not in immediate danger, the federal government should use its resources to protect the other species that are at a far greater risk of extinction. This controversial topic then forces researchers and officials to ask the question: What is the extent of the Endangered Species Act? Should it just save animals from extinction, or should it restore them until these species are able to assume an important role in their ecosystem? 

        I chose to read this article because I wanted to learn more about this controversial topic and the importance of gray wolves in ecosystems. I learned that the preservation of gray wolves is extremely important because these species help to enhance the growth of trees and other vegetation by eating deer and elk. Thus, the discontinuation of federal protection on the gray wolves could end up hurting ecosystems as well as cause the wolves to decrease in population and become at risk of extinction.

      This article was extremely informative and well-written. Einhorn offered opinions from both sides of the controversy as well as quotes from reliable researchers. I also liked how this author provided an explanation on the importance of gray wolves in the environment and illustrated their discussed their growth in population both prior to to the introduction of Europeans in North America and after they were placed under federal protection. This background information was necessary in order for the reader to understand the large impact of being federally protected. The only improvement I would make would be to have the author give her own opinion of the matter. Overall, this article was extremely well written and engaging. 

 

Archaea microbes fold, twist and contort their DNA in extreme ways

 Erin Foley
AP Bio C Block Odd
Current Event 16
March 15th, 2021

Mega, Emiliano. “Archaea microbes fold, twist and contort their DNA in extreme ways”. 

ScienceNews, ScienceNews.com. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/archaea-microbes-fold-twist-contort-dna-extreme-ways, Mar 11, 2021. 

Recently, archaea were discovered that twist in a manner that has never been seen before. These single-celled archaea microbes pack their DNA into flexible coils that expand and stretch like a slinky, suggesting that they can access their own genetic material very easily. Although Karolin Luger, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the University of Colorado Boulder, describes the DNA as resembling a slinky that’s been “forced open like a book”, this unsettling description is offset by the fact that the DNA “actually flows very naturally”. These archaea can spool their DNA around small proteins called histones, just as animals and fungi bend and fold their own genomes into compact, disk-shaped units known as nucleosomes. This information has been known since 2017, but only now do researchers understand what these structures look like in archaea and how the microbes gain access to their spooled DNA. Using computer simulations and electron microscopy experiments on the DNA of archaea, scientists discovered that the DNA of archaea “[open] and [close] in a clamshell motion”. In us humans and all complex organisms, there is sophisticated machinery needed to “unwrap/loosen” our nucleosomes and gain access to specific genes, whereas the archaea simply need to contort their DNA to turn genes on and off. When the DNA is in the “open clamshell” state, genes can be read, otherwise, they cannot be read and are thus turned off. Researchers like Luger now wish to see if these slinky-DNA archaea occur frequently within nature, or if archaea generally use other methods to package and unpack DNA.

An organism’s ability to access DNA is significant in its own right, but the fact that archaea do it in the same way that humans do - by bending and folding - demonstrates that they are more like us than previously thought. For a long time, archaea, single-celled organisms that are found in every environment on Earth - including the human body - have not been understood on the same level that we understand bacteria and eukaryotes. With this new information, we can conclude that archaea are more similar to eukaryotes than they are to bacteria, though one’s instinct may be to believe the opposite. As a result of their similarities, we can use these simple-celled organisms to study human-cell processes such as gene expression, as opposed to studying the extremely complex human cells. Understanding gene expression is key to understanding how genetic disorders and cancers come to be, as well as to understanding all processes as life. Without understanding how proteins are made, we cannot understand life at all, as the differentiability of cells (and the subsequent makeup/function of all organisms) depends on the production of proteins. By studying these simple-celled archaea rather than complex eukaryotes, we are one step closer to understanding these extremely complex processes.

This article was sufficient in illustrating the experiment at hand and describing the results. The author is very descriptive of archaea and how they package their DNA, using visuals to help the reader understand extremely complex topics. For instance, he describes their bending as “molecular gymnastics” and uses an analogy to cassette tapes to explain gene expression/transcription. “Similar to... cassette tapes... DNA stores information in a very thin and fragile filament of nucleic acids... But unlike the tapes, which often tangled and tore, rendering them useless, the genetic material can be read, split into two like a zipper and replicated without tangles and breaks –– all while remaining confined in an incredibly small compartment.” Her figurative language made it easier for me to understand both the topics described in the article as well as concepts we are learning about in class. However, she could have done a better job explaining the significance of the results/archaea DNA packaging. After describing the experiment and the observed results, she ended the article with no explanation of how the DNA packaging methods of archaea are relevant to research. I had to complete additional research in order to write about the significance to society. By highlighting the relevance of these findings, maybe merely saying that gene expression/DNA packaging is a point of interest for researchers, Mega would have made a much more engaging article that left a lasting impression on the reacher.

Some COVID-19 Survivors Face Another Foe: PTSD

 Caroline Hulbert     3.15.21

AP Bio C Even Current Event 16

Sanders, Laura. “Some COVID-19 Survivors Face Another Foe: PTSD.” Science News, 12 Mar. 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-covid-19-survivors-ptsd- mental-health.  

For this current event, I decided to review Laura Sanders’ article, “Some COVID-19 Survivors Face Another Foe: PTSD.” The author begins her review with a description of what COVID-19 patients have endured since the start of the pandemic last year. She describes patients struggling to breathe and “facing a disease new to science” while isolated from their loved ones. According to a small study in Italy, nearly a third of people with severe cases of COVID-19 have developed post-traumatic stress disorder after infection. The study was performed by psychiatrist Delfina Janiri of Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic in Rome and her colleagues. Patients with a history of psychiatric disorders and those who suffered from delusions while battling the disease were the most susceptible to PTSD. This rate is comparable to that of survivors of other disasters, like SARS and Hurricane Katrina. 

This article is extremely relevant to society as the COVID-19 pandemic passes the one year mark of its start. The virus has killed millions around the world, but it has also left survivors, and this study indicates that its impact is not limited to physical symptoms. The article highlights the importance of focusing on mental health in survivors of COVID-19, and continuing research on their mental health, as the study discussed in the article took place in Italy.

This article was very well-written and informative about current issues. The author included opening details that hook the reader in and display the conditions COVID-19 patients find themselves in. She also sourced the study and specific information from it to support her points. I thought that the author could have included more information in the article as it was quite short. It would have been interesting to hear more about the science behind why survivors are experiencing PTSD and whether similar studies are taking place in the US. This would have made it more relevant to readers outside of Italy and provided readers with more information about the study, including whether it is a cause for concern. 

People fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can socialize without masks, CDC says

 Annabelle Krause

AP Bio

Current Event 16

3/16/21

Jesus, Erin Garcia de, and Tina Hesman Saey. “People Fully Vaccinated against COVID-19 Can Socialize without Masks, CDC Says.” Science News, 9 Mar. 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-19-cdc-fully-vaccinated-people-guidelines-social-distancing. 

In the article, People fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can socialize without masks, CDC says, the authors, Erin Garcia de Jesus and Tina Hesman Saey, present the recent news that it is safe for those who have been vaccinated to socialize and interact with others who have been vaccinated.  This is a very new finding, though an expected one, and it may represent us finally moving past the COVID-19 pandemic.  However, it is important that even those who are vaccinated take precautions and wear masks around those who are unvaccinated, since they could still carry the virus.  Citing CDC director Rochelle Walensky, they write that “[t]hese guidelines are a first step toward letting people know what aspects of normal life can resume, … but could change as new data become available.”  This is all quite new, as the COVID-19 pandemic has been, and as more information is discovered, guidelines may change.  It is likely, however, that things will become more permissive rather than more restrictive, but the looming COVID-19 variations could impact that.  These new guidelines are in light of the fact that “59 million adults in the United States have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine[, and,] [o]f those, 31 million people — 9.2 percent of the U.S. population — are fully vaccinated.”  This is a great step forward for the United States.  And, “Those numbers are “putting us on a strong path to eventually ending this pandemic,” Walensky said.”  It is important to remember, and the authors remind us, that being fully vaccinated does not guarantee that one will not get sick or be infected, it only prevents severe illness and death.  There are ongoing studies on the efficacy of the different vaccines.  But, regardless of this, it is still safe, according to CDC guidelines, for vaccinated groups to partake in “indoor gatherings sans masks or social distancing,” and they “don’t need to quarantine if exposed to the coronavirus, as long as they don’t have any COVID-19 symptoms.”  Socializing with unvaccinated people in these settings is still not recommended because it is a high risk activity.  In general, people must continue to wear masks, regardless of if they are vaccinated or not, and social distance in order to protect those who are still unvaccinated.

This article is extremely relevant right now, especially to Westchester, as we experience a spike in COVID-19 cases.  It is important for us as citizens to stay informed about the status of the vaccine and the guidelines surrounding seeing people.  Our lives have been irrevocably impacted by COVID-19 for the last eleven months, and as things begin to look normal, it is important to stay appraised and optimistic.  The ending to the pandemic is (hopefully) nearing, and it is important that people continue to follow guidelines to allow the vaccine to be administered and work effectively.

This article was quite easy to understand and succinct in explaining the science.  I appreciated that they explained all of the different guidelines and different ways in which things have changed and will change.  It emphasized to me that things are improving, which is a very nice and positive message.  I personally would have appreciated it if the author had given more of their own commentary on the relevance of these findings and guidelines rather than leaving it for the reader to reason out.  I understand that there really is no conclusion to be drawn as of yet, so it may be difficult for the author to extrapolate, but it would have been more clear and had a stronger message if the author had done so.  It also would have been interesting for the author to discuss the vaccine roll out and guidelines in other countries, since the United States does not exist in a vacuum, and it is important to consider the conditions of the world at large.  Overall, it was a very interesting piece that explained a complicated set of issues very well.

Current Event 16: Japanese Murder Hornets

 Casey McKhann

Mr. Ippolito 

March 9th, 2020 

AP Biology EF Even

Segarra, Curtis. "A new map shows where ‘murder hornets’ could spread in the U.S." Science 

News, 1 Oct. 2020, https://www.sciencenews.org/article/asian-giant-murder-hornets-new-map-habitat-united-states

In this article by Curtis Segarra, the potential dangers of the invasive Asian giant hornets is described in detail. The author discusses the presence of the murder hornents in the Pacific United States, stating, that on the North American continent, the hornets only reside in British Columbia and northern Washington state. These hornets which are renowned for invading and destroying honeybee hives. These malicious attacks on honeybees have earned the giant hornet the nickname “Murder Hornet.” The author then continues to discuss the possible habitats of the hornets and the conditions which the invasive species finds suitable. These “murder hornets,” (Vespa mandarinia), tend to reside in warm and moist environments. The article states that the most suitable habitats for the Hornets can be found along the West Coast of the United States, with other suitable areas being found on areas of the East Coast. According to the article, the current dangers of the hornets are quite low because there are only a few nests within the United States; however, if these hornets are not stopped soon there is a large potential for future inhabitants along the entire West Coast. This would be detrimental to the survival of Honeybees. Currently, scientists are attempting to track these hornets back towards their nests to eliminate the young population, but attempts have been unsuccessful. The dangers are presented through the fact that researchers do not know that much about the hornets. For example, these murder hornets nest underground, this raises questions to scientists about their ability to spread. The good news currently is that it is predicted that it will take the hornets 10 years to reach Oregon from their current location, so there is time to find a solution. 

The spread of these hornets is relevant to the modern day ecosystems of much of the West Coast, and potentially the East Coast as well. Murder Hornets earned their name because they destroy honeybees and their hives very easily. This is important because honeybees are very important to our ecosystems. They play a large role in the pollination of flowers and the production of goods. Many individuals rely on honey as a source of income and would be impacted greatly by the introduction of a highly invasive predator. These hornets would also be a danger to humans, as their sting is incredibly painful, and in rare cases, can cause death. The good news is that these dangers are not immediately relevant, and that there is time to stop the spread. This article is incredibly relevant because the time to act is now, while the population of these hornets is small. If the problem is handled properly right now, the dangers of these hornets could be mitigated. 

This article was very interesting, informative, and relevant. It detailed necessary information regarding an ongoing issue in the United States, and discussed how crucial it was that the problem was handled immediately. I think this article did a very good job of delivering its message and creating interest around the issue. I think this article could have done a few things better. First off, it would have been interesting to hear more about the negative effects of the spread of the murder hornets. I also wish more was detailed on how the murder hornets arrived in the United States. I think going forward, this author should provide additional background information and also focus on describing the impact of the issue more thoroughly. 

Hugh Duffy

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology

3/7/2021

Kelly ServickFeb. 22, 2021, et al. “Brain Cell Clusters, Grown in Lab for More than a Year, Mirror 

Changes in a Newborn's Brain.” Science, 22 Feb. 2021, 

www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/brain-cell-clusters-grown-lab-more-year-mirror-chan

ges-newborn-s-brain. 

An organoid is an artificially grown gathering of cells which can take on the role of fetal organs. They are most commonly made from stem cells in petri dishes, but can grow to be the size of a baseball. In this particular experiment, researchers studied the development of a brain organoid. “The researchers exposed human stem cells to a specific set of growth-promoting nutrients to create spherical organoids containing neurons and other cell types found in the outer layers of the brain.” (Servick 1) They are essentially creating a live baby brain, without a fetal body. Since their discovery nearly a decade ago, these organoids have proven to be helpful in the study of mental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. They have also been used in the study of Alzheimers, a disease to which we still have no cure. “Pașca’s team also looked at the expression of genes associated with brain disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.” (Servick 2) These organoids aren’t just clumps of cells. They display brain activity comparative to fetal brains, in some cases they can surpass the capabilities of post-birth human brains as well. As of now, scientists are still unsure as to how these organoids will help make advancements towards curing diseases of the brain, but these studies have been increasing in popularity, which shines hope for the future. 

I thought this article was well written, and there were seemingly no faults to it. The author, Kelly Servick, did a great job of summarizing the idea of what an organoid was. While she could have focused on the new studies regarding brain development and organoids, she first briefed the reader on the history of the experiments, and why they are so important. The only area to this article where I could suggest improvement was the length. It would have been exciting to read more about this topic, seeing how fascinating it was. 

Butterflies Are Vanishing in the Western U.S. But Not for the Reasons Scientists Thought.

Olivia Cevasco

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology - C Even

8 March 2021

Current Event 15

Elizabeth Pennisi. Mar. 4, 2021, et al. “Butterflies Are Vanishing in the Western U.S. But Not for the Reasons Scientists Thought.” Science, 4 Mar. 2021, www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/03/butterflies-are-vanishing-western-us-not-reasons-scientists-thought. 

Image Source: National Geographic Kids

“Earth is in the midst of an insect apocalypse, with thousands of species dwindling over the past several decades,” said Elizabeth Pennisi, a writer for Science. Until recently, scientists believed the decline in the insect population was chiefly due to the use of pesticides in farming; however, a recent study from Science suggests that insect populations, specifically the butterfly population, are also declining because of warmer fall weather due to global warming. Most notably, the monarch butterfly population has decreased 97.6%, from 1.2 million in 1997 to 29,000 in 2017, and Art Shapiro, an insect ecologist at UC Davis, noticed that butterfly populations are declining even in protected areas, such as the Sierra Nevada mountain range, prompting him to determine if this decrease is due to factors other than pesticides. Using databases, Shapiro et al tracked over 450 butterfly species from 70 locations in the US over a fifteen year period and was able to conclude that from 1997 to 2018, the overall butterfly population decreased 1.6% per year. Forister, an insect ecologist from the University of Nevada, who collaborated with Shapiro on the experiment, speculated that “The declines didn’t seem linked to human development or pesticide use—though such activities can still pose problems. Instead, the insects seemed to be disappearing in areas where fall temperatures had risen significantly more than summer temperatures over the past several decades, as in the U.S. Southwest. The warmer weather may disrupt the butterfly’s breeding cycle or negatively affect the plants they depend on.” He also noted that “some species may completely disappear from parts of their ranges in the coming decades.” 

This troubling conclusion is the result of decades of global warming from byproducts of our advancing world. Although the population of insects seems irrelevant to human life, a reduction in biodiversity of this scale can impact larger climates and even affect human health, since butterflies are pollinators. The loss of butterflies will surely affect the number of plants, which might exacerbate the effects of global warming without plants’ ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. And this population decrease isn’t just affecting butterflies; the number of bees and other insects are also on the decline because of rising temperatures. In order to maintain the planet’s biodiversity and health of its ecosystems, we must “take dramatic steps to curb global warming,” said Jessica Ware, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History. We need to start fixing the problems we’ve created so entire insect populations don't go extinct and cause massive problems. 

This article provided an overview of the study, had a strong message that we need to step up to solve this problem, and discussed the process and results of the study; however, it didn’t provide much statistical data to support the conclusion. For instance, it talked about rising temperatures, but didn’t put a number on the increase. It also said that the population was declining from both pesticides and temperatures but didn’t compare the percentage of decline due to pesticides and the percentage due to temperature. To a reader trying to believe the findings, a lack of data removes credibility. I had to find extra information about the decline in monarch population, as that wasn’t provided in the main article. Pennisi’s article did a good job incorporating quotes from the lead scientists and other experts on this issue, but the lack of supporting data could be improved to bolster her argument. 

"Meet Xenobot, an Eerie New Kind of Programmable Organism"

 

Holden D’Avico 

Mr. Ippolito

AP Bio

3/8/21

Simon, Matt. “Meet Xenobot, an Eerie New Kind of Programmable Organism.” Wired, Conde Nast, 13 Jan. 2020, 3pm, www.wired.com/story/xenobot/.  

“Meet Xenobot, an Eerie New Kind of Programmable Organism” by Matt Simon is a very interesting article that contains groundbreaking information. Matt Simon begins by explaining what Xenobots are: they are engineered organisms that consist of skin cells and heart cells from Xenopus Laevis frogs. Tufts University developmental biophysicist Michael Levin has designed many different Xenobots in order to try to understand their complex behavior. The researchers are trying to understand how the shape of Xenobots affect their behavior and inclination to undergo certain changes or complete certain tasks. Matt Simon describes the unique behavior of Xenobots: “Slice a xenobot open and it’ll pull itself together again, à la T-1000 from Terminator 2. Two xenobots might join together and scoot around as a happy couple. A xenobot with a hole in it can pick up and carry things” (Simon 2). The scientists behind this project are using these programmable cells as models of human cells in order to better understand how cells communicate with one another to produce very complex behaviors. Lastly, Matt Simon explains that Xenobots are very significant and promising because they are living robots. Xenobots are real, living cells that can be programmed which is totally new. 

Xenobots are very significant and relevant for two main reasons. First, they are programmable which means that scientists can manipulate their composition in order to test many variables. This will help us understand how normal cells communicate and exhibit complex behavior. Second, they are the first step in creating “living robots.” A living robot would be on a whole new level compared to the robots such as AI that we have today. A cell or robot that can be programmed by scientists and can react to its environment in a natural and unique way sounds crazy but if made possible, could be applied in so many different ways. 

Overall, the article was easy to read and presented the relevant information. A strength of the article is that the author described Xenobots in a simple way. At first, I had trouble understanding Xenobots, however, the author described them well such as when he compares their behavior to something more familiar: “flick any blob onto its back and it’ll lie there like a flipped-over turtle” (Simon 1). One weakness of the article is that the author didn’t go on to explain the future of Xenobots. The author should’ve included a paragraph about how Xenbots impact the future of living and programmable robots such as how they can become more powerful than the current AI robots.