We’re sleepwalking into a mass extinction

Isabella Dibbini

Mr. Ippolito

AP Bio

March 25, 2018

“'We're Sleepwalking into a Mass Extinction' Say Scientists.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 21 Mar. 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180321121558.htm.

The article “We’re sleepwalking into a mass extinction,” from the online source Science Daily, talks about diverse aquatic communities, and how they could be the most vulnerable to extinction. Researches from various well known Universities in the United Kingdom have published a study in Communication Biology, where they examined the patterns of diversity change across the evolutionary tree of the caridean shrimps. These crustaceans are a crucial component of the marine food chain, but also make up an vital important contribution to the fisheries worldwide. This allowed scientists to explore where rates of diversification sped up and slowed down over the past 200 million years. Their data showed that shrimp have independently transitioned from marine to freshwater habitats repeated, creating more diversity. A professor of Evolutionary Paleobiology at the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, Matthew Wills said “We are sleepwalking into a mass extinction of magnitude unparalleled since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.” He continues to talk about how diversity takes millions of years to evolve, but it can also be damaged in an instant. Wills believes that we are losing diversity that has never been documented, and that is is absolutely necessary to understand the mechanisms that drive evolution into new species.

Although this investigation was conducted on animals, it does have a crucial effect on our society today. The research they are doing is important for predicting the effects of ongoing, human-made environmental change. Dr Katie Davis, the lead author of the paper, supported this fact when she stated “... the responses of groups in the geological past can predict their likely responses in the future.” She continued to state “We hope our work will help us to learn lessons from the last 200 million of years -- a different scale to that of most ecological studies.”

Throughout this article, the author makes statements and supports them with concrete evidence. In addition, the structure of this article is well planned out. The author begins by introducing his main argument and then goes into depth about the studies conducted by researchers from the University of York, the University of Bath and Oxford University. While this article was well written, there are a few things that the author could have done to make their story more compelling. One suggestion that can be made to improve this article would be to incorporate additional plans on how scientists would further this study. Overall, this article was interesting and very well written.

Mice Change Their Appearance as a Result of Frequent Exposure to Humans

Hannah Beldotti

AP Biology

Current Event #19

March 18, 2018

“Mice Change Their Appearance as a Result of Frequent Exposure to Humans.” ScienceDaily,

ScienceDaily, 16 Mar. 2018,www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180316113053.htm.

This week I read the article, “Mice Change Their Appearance as a result of Frequent Exposure to Humans,” which discusses how domesticated animals have different appearances than those in the wild. Throughout time, animals have been domesticated to be farm animals or pets and have shown certain differences than those in the wild. The author of the article states, “For example, domestic rabbits, dogs, and pigs all have white patches, floppy ears, smaller brains, and shorter snouts,” to introduce the topic of domestication syndrome. Scientists’ knowledge of this came from an experiment by soviet geneticist Dmitry Belyaev in Siberia in 1959. In this experiment, Belyaev tamed wild foxes to investigate their, “evolutionary changes”. He found that over time, their behavior towards people became friends and their fur developed white patches along with their snouts shortening, ears dropping, and tails turning curly. To explore the phenomenon further, researchers conducted an investigation led by Anna Lindholm, a researcher from the Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies at UZH, on wild mice that live in a barn near Zurich, Switzerland. The researchers observed that in over a decade, the mice developed white patch in their brown fur and shorter snouts. Anna Lindholm then continued to explain their observation by stating, “The mice gradually lost their fear and developed signs of domestication. This happened without any human selection, solely as a result of being exposed to us (humans) regularly.” Scientists eventually found that a small group of stem cells in the early embryo are responsible for these behavioral and physical changes.

Overall, I think the authors wrote a well-written article, however, their are some improvements that can be made. One aspect of the article that I thought was well done, was the introduction paragraph which provided details to help the reader understand the topic at-hand. On the other hand, I thought the rest of the article could have included more specific details. For example, when the authors are discussing the, “Neural crest cells provide link,” they did not go into much detail about the small group of stem cells. Additionally, there was no point at which the authors related the topic in the article to society. The writers could have said that animals play an important role in sculpting human societies. For example, in our history, domesticated animals, such as horses, were used to help farmers plow.

I learned a lot while reading this article. I was initially intrigued by the title because I wondered how human exposure could affect animals appearance. I thought this article was well written and simple to follow along with.

What's Behind Many Mystery Ailments? Genetic Mutations, Study Finds

Olivia Doyle

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology

18 March 2018

Zimmer, Carl. “What's Behind Many Mystery Ailments? Genetic Mutations, Study Finds.” The New

York Times, The New York Times, 15 Mar. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/health/genetic-mutations-diagnosis.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&

This week, I read the New York Times article entitled “What’s beyond mystery ailments? Genetic mutations, study finds”. The article discussed a study that examined DNA of a group of patients to look for mutations responsible for certain diseases. Scientists have begun to realize that the genetic causes of many inherited diseases are overlooked, which can be dangerous for patients. The study found that it may be possible to identify these dangerous mutations with computer programs, but that much larger databases are needed before we can start sequencing entire genomes of patients. In the experiment, scientists, including Dr. Joshua C. Denny, found 807 undiagnosed patients “carrying mutations in genes linked to 17 different diseases…. Only 8 of these patients had gotten a test that revealed the mutation”. The test revealed that there are hundreds and hundreds of mutations that go unidentified in a patient’s genome.

This study is highly important to the field of genetics, but also to humanity as a whole. With improved technology that can “flag suspicious clusters of symptoms in groups of patients”, scientists now can identify potential causes of disease in an effort to treat or even cure them. According to the article, “It’s possible that as many as 4.5 percent of cases of apparently nongenetic diseases, from infertility to kidney failure, are the result of such mutations”, meaning that gene sequencing identifying mutations could be highly effective in diagnosing genetic diseases. In diagnosing early on, we are increasing each and every patient’s chance of survival. Dr. Denny and Dr. Rehm forsee the best solution as sequencing the entire genome of every patient even before birth, but that this solution does not seem to be in the near future.

In my opinion, the author did an excellent job of presenting the details of the study and explaining their importance. He provided a thorough analysis of the results of the study, leaving the reader highly informed. He included the opinions of the scientists who conducted the experiment, as well as both the failures and successes of the study. However, I think the author should have ended on a more positive note--he ends with a mere quote from Dr. Denny that does not sound too hopeful about future research. I would have liked for him to tie up the article in a more satisfying way. Overall, though, I found this article very interesting and informative and am eager to see the other undiagnosed diseases that scientists have found.

A Quiet Drug Problem Among the Elderly

Ava Austi

AP Biology

Current Event  #19

March 18, 2018

“A Quiet Drug Problem Among the Elderly.”

Span, Paula. “A Quiet Drug Problem Among the Elderly.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Mar. 2018.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/health/elderly-drugs-addiction.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

In the article, “A Quiet Drug Problem Among the Elderly” by Paula Span from The New York Times, it discusses how geriatricians and researchers have sounded the alarm about the use of benzodiazepines among older adults. Often called “benzos,” the problem drugs include Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Ativan (lorazepam).The cautions have had scant effect: Use of the drugs has risen among older people, even though they are particularly vulnerable to the drugs’ ill effects. Many patients take them for years, though they’re recommended only for short periods. Now the opioid epidemic has generated fresh warnings, because pain relievers like Vicodin (hydrocodone with Tylenol) and OxyContin (oxycodone) are also frequently prescribed for older people. When patients take both, they’re at risk for overdosing. “Why are opioids dangerous? They stop you from breathing, and they have more power to do that when you’re also taking a benzo,” said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University researcher and co-author of a disturbing editorial about overuse and misuse of benzodiazepines last month in the New England Journal of Medicine. Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell the story: In 1999, it tallied just 63 benzodiazepine-related deaths among those aged 65 and older. Almost 29 percent also involved an opioid. By 2015, benzo deaths in that age group had jumped to 431, with more than two-thirds involving an opioid. (Benzo-related deaths in all age groups totaled 8,791.) Persuading older people that benzos can hurt them — and that alternative treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and improved sleep hygiene can be as effective for insomnia, though they take longer — has proved an uphill fight.

Without a doubt, this issue among the elderly affect societies. These drugs cause a range of symptoms to those who take it. Symptoms that include nausea, chills, anxiety, even delirium. “You taper down very gradually,” says Dr. Maust. Scientists and researchers need to emphasize the risk of these drugs to allow doctors to understand what they are actually handing to their clients. This quiet problem needs to be stopped. Significant declines in benzo use among older people in Ontario, Canada, in Australia and in the Veterans Administration health care system in the United States show that it can be done, with more cautious prescribing and programs to help users become ex-users.

I thought this article was very interesting but at the same time, very straightforward. I didn’t choose this article for a specific reason but I am happy that I did. I found it very intriguing how this large problem within elderly communities is not talked about more. I was able to understand the main idea of the article due to the strengths of the author. Paula Span did a great job of providing the reader with the perfect amount of detail. Because of this, I was able to grasp the perfect idea of this ‘quiet problem.’ There was never a point where I was confused because she told it like a story. Although Paula did things well, I wish she included more quotes from researchers because this would have allowed me to get an idea of what other researchers opinions were on this problem. Overall, I believe the author did a excellent job of addressing the quiet drug problems among elderly.

How Stephen Hawking Defied ALS To Become the Physicist of Our Time

Mia Gradelski

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology: Current Event #20 Review

March 18, 2018

Associated Press. “How Stephen Hawking Defied ALS To Become the Physicist of Our Time.”

Popular Mechanics, Popular Mechanics, 14 Mar. 2018, <www.popularmechanics.com/science/a19430581/how-stephen-hawking-defied-als-to-become-the-physicist-of-our-time/.>

Known to be one of the greatest physicists of all time, Stephen Hawking has not only shaped the world of science but has proven that ALS is able to be defeated. He defined ALS “as a degenerative disease that eats away at the nervous system” He died this week at the age of 76, never imagining that he would survive this long. When he was diagnosed at the age of 21 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis also known as ALS, he was traumatized. Not only his effort to stay alive fascinated the world but his contribution to the world of science. In the beginning of the article, his credits were listed as being, “a masterwork of popular science, one that guided a generation of enthusiasts through the esoteric world of anti-particles, quarks,and quantum theory.” Primarily, the article goes in depth with Hawking’s struggle and surprisingly long life with ALS. It was fascinating to read that “Hawking defied the normally fatal illness for more than 50 years, pursuing a brilliant career that stunned doctors and thrilled his fans.” Although readers are impressed upon Hawking’s incredible life span, the writer also focuses on the daily experiences that all ALS patients have to endure and misconceptions that patients have with believing that “their perfect minds are trapped in an imperfect body” as a scientist. Hawking’s incredible advancements and achievements in science were most credited in the article. The writer states, “Hawking first gained prominence for his theoretical work on black holes. Disproving the belief that black holes are so dense that nothing could escape their gravitational pull, he showed that black holes leak a tiny bit of light and other types of radiation, now known as ‘Hawking radiation.’” Hawking has made a prolific impact on the way the next generation hypothesizes about physics and cosmology along with the next leading doctors on ALS.

Over the past decades, Hawking has met with prominent world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and President Obama that lead a lasting impact on the world. The article goes in detail about Hawking’s success and how he is compared to Einstein and Newton. In the science world, he has made a prolific achievement in cosmology as well as in physics, discovering the universe’s origin and evolution. The article mentions the work he has done with Jim Hartle of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The writer states, “Hawking proposed in 1983 that space and time might have no beginning and no end. ‘Asking what happens before the Big ang is like asking for a point one mile north of the North Pole.’” Furthermore, the article specifies on the revised rejections that Hawking made upon his previous work on the idea that “objects sucked into black holes simply disappeared, perhaps to enter an alternate universe. Instead, he said he believed objects could be spit out of black holes in a mangled form.” This lead to further theories to be made regarding the paradox in scientific thinking. Overall, this article demonstrates the key impact and legacy that Stephen Hawking has presented upon the scientific world that is demonstrated in his perseverance with ALS and his theoretical theories in physics and cosmology.

After reading this article, I certainly think that writer did an excellent job describing the work Hawking has done over his career and how it has lead the new generation of thinkers to further advance his theories in cosmology and physics. In addition, I like how the writer describes specific events when Hawking met with world leaders such as President Obama and Nelson Mandela to illustrate the impact he has lead in his life. Some weaknesses that I had observed were the lack of information on ALS. It would of been interesting to learn more about his struggle and lifestyle dealing with ALS Lastly, at the end of the article, I thought it was a bit boring how the writer gave the readers a timeline format of Hawking’s life rather than discussing his battle with ALS. To improve upon these weaknesses, I would recommend finding more evidence from his family or doctors that described Hawking’s experiences with this deadly disease and how he is one of very few patients in the world to have lived up to 76.

Rewilding' Missing Carnivores May Help Restore Some Landscapes

Timothy Cushman

AP Biology

Current Event #19

March 18, 2018

Klein, Joanna. “'Rewilding' Missing Carnivores May Help Restore Some Landscapes.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Mar. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/science/rewilding-carnivores-wolves.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.

With the increase in the number of endangered and threatened species, researchers are looking into how to successfully rewild large carnivores. Rewilding not only helps animals that are threatened, it helps whole ecosystems. In cases where wolves have been reintroduced, “wolves tidied up explosive deer and elk populations … ate coyotes, freeing up their prey for others.” The reintroduction of animals is seen as beneficial to many species and areas. Dr. William Ripple and Christofer Wolf analyzed hundreds of areas, where large carnivores have disappeared, where rewilding could succeed. When planning to rewild a species, researchers look for areas that have had a small human impact and are large and have available prey. Despite finding over 130 potential spots for rewilding, their paper included only two specific areas where they believe rewilding would work out as planned. Putting grey wolves in Olympic National Park in Washington and red wolves into the Everglades National Park. They felt that these areas had sufficient “space for reproduction and development, prey and humans who may tolerate them.” The problem with the other locations is humans who still hunt for animals or humans who compete for carnivores prey. In their research, they found that their largest problem was finding areas where humans are willing to live with large carnivores nearby and are willing to stop the activities that caused a decline in their population in the first place.

This article is very important to everyone because as humans we need to live alongside other species. The author quotes an anthropologist, Layla AbdelRahim, who stated: “Perhaps the solution is rethinking what it means to be humans in a natural world.” Humans have to realize the damage we have done to certain species and be willing work alongside relief efforts to increase the populations of certain endangered species. This article is an important step in bringing awareness to relief efforts and human impact on the environment.

Overall, I feel that the author, Joanna Klein, wrote a wonderful article. She laid it out in a way that was easy to follow. Klein also included quotes from researchers that added to specific ideas. These quotes also added credibility to her article by proving there was research backing up her claims. Despite being overall wonderful, there were two ideas that could be improved upon. Firstly, she mentions how two specific areas were selected for rewilding, however, she never goes into details on what those areas have that others do not. She mentions how they have ample space and prey, but never specifically says what separates it from many other areas. The inclusion of this information would allow the reader to gain an even better understanding of how hard it is to find a suitable site for rewilding. Another improvement to the article would be to spend more time talking about how rewilding works. It would be interesting and informative if she had included information on where the animals came from and what was done to help their populations grow. The inclusion of these two pieces of information would allow for a better understanding of how rewilding works and why it is so hard to do.

Hotter, Drier, Hungrier: How Global Warming Punishes the World's Poorest

AP Bio

Olivia Scotti

Current Event 19

Sengupta, Somini. “Hotter, Drier, Hungrier: How Global Warming Punishes the World's Poorest.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Mar. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/climate/kenya-drought.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.

The article I read “Hotter, Drier, Hungrier: How Global Warming Punishes the World’s Poorest”  by Somini Sengupta discussed how climate change is have a greater effect on people living in northern Kenya and  Ethiopia. They have found that as a result of drier an arid climate there has been more famine. Also this has lead to drought causing people to harvest less food and herd less animals. This has lead 12 million people to rely on food aid. Chris Funk a climatologist, “linked recent drought to the long-term warming of the western Pacific Ocean as well as higher land temperatures in East Africa, both products of human-induced climate change.” Also he found how global warming causes more severe weather deviations and la nina and el nino. The article also discusses how bad the conditions have become in Somalia. They found that “In Somalia, after decades of war and displacement, 2.7 million people face what the United Nations calls “severe food insecurity.” luckily because of international aid famine was prevented.

This article effects are society because we are causing a large part of this famine. As a country we have caused lots of global warming and although we are not experiencing the  immediate effects of global warming other countries are and we must compensate for are actions. Although this does not seem something affects your daily life we need to help with this problem because ““You wake up one morning and five are dead, then 10,” said David Letmaya, at a clinic in Isiolo County where his family had come to collect sacks of soy and cornmeal.” This demonstrates how we need to make a change to help with these people life. Overall everyone needs to help with this problem because many people are dying and becoming malnourished.

Overall this article had many strengths and weakness. One strength of this article was the incorporation of quotes which allowed people to see the research that has been done to understood this problem. Also this article showed many places affected by this problem which allows people to understand how many people are being affected by this issue. Although there were many strengths this article did have some weakness. One thing that hurt this article was their inability to smoothly from section to section. Also they could have added a better description of the effects this problem is having on the rest of world. The article could be improved by adding more information about each country be affected. Overall this article was well written and got its point across.