Regular Exercise May Keep Your Body 30 Years 'Younger'

Jordan Hoang

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology C Even

12/2/18

Reynolds, Gretchen. “Regular Exercise May Keep Your Body 30 Years 'Younger'.” The New

York Times, The New York Times, 21 Nov. 2018,  

www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/well/move/regular-exercise-may-keep-your-body-30-year

s-younger.html.

Research throughout the years have found that exercise can have amazing benefits for our physical and mental health. However, many previous studies have failed to test those of an older age that yield an average, recreational athletic ability. Ball State University in Muncie intended on focusing on this group and found that those "who have exercised for decades are indistinguishable in many ways from those of healthy 25- years olds". Specifically, the experimental study compared active, elderly individuals and equally active 20 year olds through a series of enzyme, tissue, capillary and "aerobic capacity" tests to measure muscular strength. The study defined active, elderly individuals as those who regularly performed activities such as cycling or swimming throughout the past 50 years or so. In addition, the experiment involved a control group of inactive, older people to compare the results to. While the older, active group inevitably achieved lower results than the younger individuals, it was found that "their capacities were about 40 percent higher than those of their inactive peers". What was even more astonishing was that the results of the active, elderly group achieved the same numbers as those almost 30 years younger then them who were perceived to have "normal" health. In general, although these older people may have not been performing high intensity, vigorous activity, their consistency with exercise may have been the reason for their commendable results in these health studies.

The applications of this study is what I found to be especially important. Like the article mentioned, many scientists in the past have failed to study those who are not of amazing athletic capacity. With this study however, they were able to make information about exercise accessible to a much larger range of people. This experiment is also very significant to the study of human health because it helps scientists discover factors behind longevity.  It further exemplifies that strenuous activity is not the only method to maximizing your health. With continuous, moderate or leisurely exercise, you can live a healthier life while looking and feeling much younger than you actually are.  

I enjoyed how the author highlighted faults in the experiment, including how other factors such as diet, environment, or genetics might have affected the results. In addition, I liked how he mentioned how the scientists failed to include how "exercising late in life" would affect the conclusion to this study.As a minor critique, I feel as though the author should have included more specifics on the amount and type of exercise the elderly group were performing. In other words, what exactly classified them as being "active"? This would have made the results of the study even more strong and applicable to the general audience. 

Szilvia Szabó

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology

November 21st, 2018

“Scientists Develop Blood Test That Spots Tumor-Derived DNA in People With Early-Stage

Cancers - 08/16/2017.” Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins?, 16 Aug. 2017,

www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/scientists_develop_blood_test_that_spots_tumor_derived_dna_in_people_with_early_stage_cancers.

Doctors have been trying to find the cure for cancer for as long as anyone could remember. Part of the problem is that there is no one cause, no one determining factor or characteristic of cancer that we can use to find a cure. However, scientists at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a relatively accurate test to find out early whether or not someone has cancer. “Overall, the scientists were able to detect 86 of 138 (62 percent) stage I and II cancers.” This test specifically is able to distinguish between abnormal, cancer mutated DNA and regular non threatening, altered DNA. Sometimes, cells divide and something goes wrong resulting in a mutated cell to form. Unless this cell starts to rapidly divide, there is no reason for it to be threatening. However, it does interfere with cancer tests because the DNA from altered, but not cancerous, cells looks like DNA from cancerous cells. But, by combing through all of the possibly cancerous mutations in the affected individuals’ genes, these scientists were able to come up with this blood test that brings us one step closer to saving more lives.

Almost any advancement made in the medical field should be deemed important by everyone, especially advances in cancer detecting technology. Cancer continues to be one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. After decades, even centuries of research, not a single scientist has been able to come up with a definitive cure for cancer. So, a blood test such as this one is a great progression towards finding a cure. At the very least, this test has the potential to save and preserve many lives.

I think that this article was really well written and gave a really informative summary of the scientific research done at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. I think that the author did a really nice job of making this kind of information understandable to a larger audience. However, I feel like the author could have added more specific facts in his article and maybe given some context or background information about cancer screening tests such as this one. It would have been helpful to be given a better sense of where we stand with our cancer screening blood tests and see how this one compares. Overall, this article was really well written and informative on a fairly important and interesting topic.

“Climate Change Will Have Dire Consequences for US, Federal Report Concludes.”

Caitlin Mooney

Mr. Ippolito

Current Event 9

11/25/18

Christensen, Jen, and Michael Nedelman. “Climate Change Will Have Dire Consequences for

US, Federal Report Concludes.” CNN, Cable News Network, 23 Nov. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/11/23/health/climate-change-report-bn/index.html.

For this scientific article review, I read the article, “Climate change will shrink US economy and kill thousands, government report warns” by Jen Christensen and Michael Nedelman. This article describes a recent US government report that delivers a warning about the severity of climate change. This article emphasizes the fact that climate change will hurt our global economy by causing it to lose billions of dollars. Christensen and Nedelman prove this point when they cited the report when they wrote, “In parts of the Midwest, farms will be able to produce less than 75% of the corn they produce today, and the southern part of the region could lose more than 25% of its soybean yield.”. With production rates in decline due to temperature variability, it is very obvious that there will be a heavy hit to the economy. Christensen and Nedelman also reference that climate change increases natural disasters such as wildfires and flooding, and how extreme temperatures can affect health.

This article can be easily related to the world today, as California is experiencing deadly wildfires right now. Although the death toll for the California wildfire is currently 63, and 600 others are missing, it is predicted in 2050 wildfires will burn up to six times the area, possibly causing much more death. Another way this article relates to current times is that the economic decline caused by climate change will correlate to a heavy hit to the economy, that has the potential to destroy many lives and create troubles for the lives of others. Another way that climate change can impact society is that it increases disease. The report that was done by the US predicts that premature deaths will increase by 2,000 between now and 2090. The report also predicts an increase in mosquito and tick-borne diseases (like Zika), in allergies, and in asthma.

I feel that Christensen and Nedelman did a good job with there article, one reason I think this is because they were able to incorporate many quotes into their article, I found this very helpful as a reader because it made it easier to understand the problem at hand. Another thing I thought that the authors did well was that they gave the reader a good background on climate change and were able to shock the reader with many facts. One thing I think the authors could have done to make this article better is that they could have listed the studies that found certain information that they talked about instead of only using the recent report done by the US. Also, I think that the authors could have told the reader more specifics about possible solutions to the problem. Besides those issues, I think that this article was easy to follow and I learned a lot about this nationwide problem. Hopefully, articles like these will be able to raise awareness about the dangers of global warming so we can work together to protect the world and its people from there decline.

Charlotte Cagliostro

Ippolito

C Even AP Biology / Current Event #9

11/24/18

Borenstein, Seth. “Government Climate Report Warns of Worsening US Disasters.” U.S. News & World Report, The Associated Press, 24 Nov. 2018, www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2018-11-23/government-climate-report-warns-of-worsening-us-disasters.

In his U.S. News & World Report, “Government Climate Report Warns of Worsening US Disasters,” Seth Borenstein analyzes the National Climate Assessment, a report released by the White House on Black Friday. The annual report combines over 1,000 research studies to construct a comprehensive review of climate change and its effects in the United States. The assessment contains many alarming statistics about the repercussions of climate change, claiming that “the last few years have smashed U.S. records for damaging weather, costing nearly $400 billion since 2015” and “in some areas, such as parts of Alaska and Louisiana, coastal flooding will likely force people to relocate.” Borenstein points out that the report contradicts many of Trump’s tweets and press statements that denounce and reject climate change. He also points out the peculiar timing of the publication. Why did the White House publish such a significant report assessing the severity of climate change on Black Friday? Many speculate that it hoped to draw little attention to the report through its publication date as most Americans would be focused on shopping.

The subject of Borenstein’s article, climate change, is extremely important as it plays a crucial role in the future of our planet. As mentioned in his article, in just a few decades, parts of the country will be submerged in water, forcing millions to move inland, and environmental disasters like wildfires and hurricanes will become more frequent and severe. It is clear the climate change, especially under the current Administration, will continue to harm states across the U.S. and even the globe. Additionally, Borenstein’s article is significant since many Americans are not aware of the White House’s assessment; citizens need to become aware of the threats that jeopardize their way of life and the survival of future generations in order to make more informed, eco-friendly decisions.

Borenstein wrote a fantastic article that was able to explain a very complex, controversial topic in a straightforward manner. He summarized the long, detailed National Climate Assessment in a few sentences, allowing him to maintain the reader’s attention. Additionally, Borenstein cited both relevant and frightening statistics from the assessment that serve to emotionally connect with the reader. On the negative side, Borenstein could have further investigated Trump’s impact on climate change in future years as his discussion on that matter seemed rather light. Through his article, Borenstein will no doubt raise awareness for climate change and the Administration’s effects on it.

Christopher Hutchins

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology - Current Event 8

11/13/18

Plumer, Brad. “Clean Energy Is Surging, but Not Fast Enough to Solve Global Warming.” The

New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Nov. 2018,

www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/climate/global-energy-forecast.html.

In this article, “Clean Energy Is Surging, but Not Fast Enough to Solve Global Warming”, Brad Plumer
discusses the newly popular renewable forms of energy that are predicted to become the world's leading
energy sources in a near future. The traditional fuels such as coal and oil are dangerous as they emit CO2
into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Plumer adds that the world is nowhere near fixed.
There is an estimated 25 years before the interest in oil begins to drop. “But don’t expect coal to disappear
altogether. While the era of rapid coal growth is fading, the agency projects that global coal consumption
could stay flat for decades.” Coal is beginning to plateau and within 2-3 years, its relevance may also
begin to drop. Although the current use of wind and solar energy is beginning to increase, it is not
replacing the consistent sources for energy that come with coal and oil.

The current situation with climate change is extremely important to take note of. Without everyone
doing their part, the world may cross the point of no return. Humans may find themselves with an
Earth that will never be the same. Therefore, the importance of spreading word of these events is very
important. The more funding for similar projects, the quicker we may find solutions to our impending
problems. By reading this article, the audience may see the power and influence of investing in wind
and solar power, which will benefit and help close the gap between fossil fuels and natural gas.

The author does a very good job separating his evidence and making his argument clear. Plumer groups
the topics into understandable categories that can be compared. The first is the increase of wind and
solar energy. Then he mentions the decline of coal, followed by the decline of fossil fuels, concluding
with how each affects global warming. These sections make it very simple for the reader to understand.
On the contrary, the writing only discusses the predictions of the future; it never mentions the current
situations of the wind and solar systems. Some context about the present would have greatly added to
the article.

“The Wheels on These Buses Go Round and Round With Zero Emissions.”

Ella Stupart

Mr. Ippolito

November 15, 2018

Current Event #8

Plumer, Brad. “The Wheels on These Buses Go Round and Round With Zero Emissions.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/climate/electric-school-buses.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/climate&action=click&contentCollection=climate®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.

In his article “The Wheels on These Buses Go Round and Round With Zero Emissions”, Brad Plumer discusses a new environmentally friendly alternative to diesel fueled school buses. Traditional school buses expose children to dangerous exhaust and emit CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. According to the article, White Plains School District recently invested in five electric powered school buses which cost a whopping $365,000 each. White Plains was able to obtain the funds through a deal with Consolidated Edison. While many schools across the United States are trying to make a similar switch, many districts don’t have the funds. In attempt to make a change, many states are setting aside money to fund new electric powered school buses. The article mentions that some are against setting aside this money, arguing that the buses are too expensive to set aside enough money to fund enough buses to make a significant difference. The article introduces the refute that if more buses are purchased, production rates will go up and therefore price will go down. Despite these economic drawbacks, according to the article, these buses are 75% less expensive to fuel and 60% less expensive to maintain than traditional buses are. Some states still do not have the funds to provide schools with enough of these buses to make a difference in CO2 emission, but they are still working to introduce more environmentally friendly methods of fuel. For example, Arizona is working to switch to propane fuel, which is better for the environment than diesel fuel. Some are concerned with the safety and reliability of electric powered buses.While in 2016, schools in Massachusetts experienced issues with electric powered buses, White Plains has no complaints and the company which provides the buses, Lion Electric, says they have learned from their mistakes and are setting up a service center in New Jersey in case of issues. Additionally, White Plains school district claims that their new buses have led to educational opportunities and environmental awareness among their students. In this article, Plumer argues that electric buses are beneficial to the environment.  

Global warming has been a prominent issue in our society for a long time. Because it is such a lasting issue, I believe it often gets disregarded or forgotten by many, so it is important that we are coming together as a nation to make a change in our environment. While it may seem insignificant that one school district in the country now uses five electric powered buses, it is a big step towards a more sustainable future. Surrounding districts and states are using White Plains as an example for their own schools and coming up with new ways to fund this project. Like most movements, it starts with one group of people and creates a ripple effect until a huge change is created. Another important factor in this project is the educational factor. When students see that their district is switching to electric school buses, it draws curiosity and passion about the issue. Students will want to find out what else they can do to help with climate change which will create an even greater impact. I believe that the switch to electric powered school buses is a small, but significant piece to a huge movement that has the power to change the world.

This article was very effective in introducing the audience to the benefits of electric buses, but there are also a few areas in which it can be improved. The most important strength in this article is the variety of subjects that Plumer discussed, for example, the economic aspect, convenience, the environmental aspect, alternatives, and opposing views were all mentioned. The wide range of subtopics allowed for the author to answer the audience’s questions as they read the article. Even though he had many topics to discuss, Plumer introduced his ideas in a clear and logical manner; the article flows well and is easy to understand. He also does a sufficient job at introducing and refuting opposition without forming a bias. Instead of stating his own opinion, he refutes claims using the opinions of electric-bus companies and supporting statistics from reliable sources including Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Although this was a strong article, I wish that Plumer elaborated more on how bad current diesel fuel school buses are for the environment in contrast with the new electric buses. He should have included statistics and further information on how much gas is emitted from current school buses and how it affects the health of children and the environment. He also could have included the projected long term effects if more schools transition to using environmentally friendly methods of transportation. This would create context for the magnitude of the issue and would inspire the audience to make a difference if they were informed on how it may affect them personally.

Alyssa Lee

Mr. Ippolito

Current Event #8

11/13/18

Temming, Maria. “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil.” Science News, 8 Nov. 2018, www.sciencenews.org/article/these-fragile-futuristic-batteries-run-longer-little-oil?tgt=nr.  

One of the problems that will inevitably characterize our generation’s exploration in science is the seemingly distant problem of global warming and environmental conservation. Although eco-awareness has become more of a significant issue for scientists in the past decade, there are still many deficiencies in finding viable sources of energy and energy efficiency that must be solved. According to the article “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil” by Maria Temming, mechanical engineer Brandon Hopkins and his colleagues were successful in developing a new type of battery- one that produces an abundance of energy over a longer span of time without the input of so much oil. Composed of “two electrodes, an aluminum anode and a cathode, separated by a liquid called an electrolyte”, the battery is unique in that it is an aluminum-air battery. Aluminum-air batteries need only aluminum and oxygen to run, and besides this favorable aspect, they are usually rather “lightweight and compact”. However, this type of sustainable battery is not a viable alternative for replacing typical batteries due to the rapid degradation of its components (since the metal rusts and oxidizes too quickly to be considered sustainable; the electrolyte also contributes to this process). The typical aluminum-air battery can lose up to 80% of its energy “sitting on a shelf for a month”. To combat this flaw, Hopkins altered the original design by adding a polymer membrane. This membrane is essentially a filtering device- by enabling the transport of electrolyte into the chamber when electricity is being generated and draining the chamber when the battery is no longer producing energy (replacing it with oil that acts as a buffer). This improvement added weeks to the battery’s lifespan (while in constant use). The article also discusses alternative ways in which the batteries could be altered to generate greater power, such as stacking many batteries together or increasing the size of the battery. This battery could be used in drone operation and electric cars; additionally, large-scale batteries could be used to supply power and electricity to both military personnel and average families in remote regions of the world that are separated from the technological hub of large urban cities. This design, if successful, could contribute to a decrease in our heavy reliance on fossil fuels and other unsustainable forms of energy.

There are innumerable benefits to discovering alternate forms of sustainable energy. One of the most intriguing facts concerning this particular battery is that it may be possible to replace standard oil with oils derived through organic and natural pathways, such as corn. With the abundance of corn that exists in our market today (since corn is largely overproduced), we could direct some of this excess produce towards creating economically and environmentally viable sources of energy to power our devices and our technology as a whole. This, in turn, would decrease our over-dependence on unsustainable energy sources. More than reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, developments in this area of energy production also greatly contribute to the lessening of human impact on our environment. It is impossible for humanity to subsist and survive without the use of electrical power and energy- we have built entire societies and countries that are more interconnected than ever before with the advent of electrical and chemical energy. While this fact is indisputable, we as human beings have the power to change the ways in which we obtain energy; we are currently rather inefficient with allocating our energy resources, and it is precisely due to this inefficiency that we have reached an impasse, a sort of turning point in our lives when our unsustainable energy sources are being depleted at an alarmingly rapid rate. Innovations similar to Hopkins’ battery prototype have the potential to revolutionize the ways in which we produce energy. With a minimum reliance on oil, these types of batteries could be the segway that we need in order to transition to a world that is more ecologically and environmentally independent.

The article itself is well-written and exceptionally comprehensive, though it certainly has its flaws just as any piece of journalism does. The description of the process through which the battery generates energy was detailed but written in plain terms, the author defining certain terms such as “electrolyte” and “electrode” where necessary. Additionally, the article explored multiple facets of the experiment, including the specifics of the battery’s operations, opportunities to experiment further, and the possible uses that could be derived from such a product being released to the general public. However, the article lacks in describing the possible faults and errors in the experiment- it fails to acknowledge and/or refute the opposition. What is it that makes this battery so much more likely to succeed than other aluminum-air batteries? What avenues are left for the researchers to take before releasing these batteries for widespread use? Are there possible health detriments? It would be beneficial if the author could include some of the drawbacks of using this battery, such as, perhaps, the price of production or the shortcomings concerning the amount power produced.