Flying Squirrels that glow pink in the dark

Sunday Ladas

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology C-EVEN

4 February 2019

Greenwood, Veronique. “Flying Squirrels That Glow Pink in the

Dark.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Feb. 2019,

www.nytimes.com/2019/02/01/science/pink-squirrels-glow.html.

Flying Squirrels that glow pink in the dark

By: Veronique Greenwood

Scientists have recently discovered that their are flying squirrels that can glow in the dark. After recent studies, there have been discoveries of having three different types of flying squirrels- the southern, northern and Humboldt squirrel. The Humboldt squirrel is the one turned colors under ultraviolet illumination. Scientists are still researching if squirrels are even capable of seeing in ultraviolet wavelengths themselves. Believe it or not, this is not the first time scientists have seen ultraviolet markings on animals. Scientists have found that birds and butterflies have many markings that are usually invisible to humans, who can’t see ultraviolet wavelengths except under special lighting, but that are easily spotted by other members of their species. Fluorescence is not just common in mammals but it is also common in aquatic animals and oceans. Although scientists don’t know much about the glowing squirrels, they have hypothesized that since ultraviolet rays are abundant during the dawn and dusk periods when the squirrels are moving around, they expect that the fluorescence is visible to other organisms even when there are no biologists with UV flashlights in the vicinity.

Discovering the glowing flying squirrels and how they have evolved over time is a major discovery that still has a long way to develop with many unanswered questions. We already have little bits and pieces of the puzzle and are close to figuring out what causes people to be able to see the glowing flying squirrels and how their are three different types that we could continue to discover- the southern, northern and Humboldt squirrel. From the squirrels that scientists have discovered that have evolved they have been shocking discoveries, and the continuous discovered is just a reminder of the evolution in the world. Everything evolve, maybe humans will evolve even more, what will the glowing squirrels look like in 400 million years from now?

I thought that this article was constructed in a exceptional manor, I feel that the author made very good points and the authors tone showed the point of view she favoured. It was evident that the author was interested and really liked the topic he was writing about. However, I felt that Veronique Greenwood (the author) could have done a better job looking out the other side of this topic, I felt that he just continued to state how amazing the discovery was and there was nothing to refute it the point or a lot more evidence to back up her argument. Lastly, I thought that he could have included more information about how the new pieces of evidence that has been discovered rather than just touching on a few pieces with not explanation.  Overall, I felt this piece was very well written, however, it could have been looking at the other side of the argument.

Seeking Superpowers in the Axolotl Genome

Jordan Hoang

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology C Even

2/4/19

Yin, Steph. “Seeking Superpowers in the Axolotl Genome.” The New York Times, The New York

Times, 29 Jan. 2019,  

www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/science/axolotl-dna-genome-sequence.html.

The creature axolotl- which resides in only a few select lakes in Mexico- is quite an fascinating organism. It is also commonly known as the “Mexican walking fish”, resembling a tadpole even after complete development. Unfortunately, due to their small habitat being invaded by invasive species of fish, axolotls are facing an “uncertain future”. However, scientists have taken this opportunity to study axolotls and their one extremely unique characteristic- the ability to regenerate their body parts. Examining the DNA of these intriguing organisms, scientists were able to find that axolotls have a genome that is almost 10 times the size of humans by “mapping over “100,000 pieces of DNA into chromosomes”. This allows them to rebuild their libs, heads, and even parts of their brain. By also comparing axolotls to their closely related tiger salamander cousins, they found what specific DNA allowed for these “walking fish” to regenerate their body parts so efficiently. From this, they infer what DNA allowed for certain genomes to be turned on or off. In the future, scientists hope to use the study of axolotls to figure out how DNA affects other creatures genomes as well, and hopefully one day apply their outstanding regenerative ability to humans as well.

There are so many different types of research are being done on creatures that are not just growing our understanding of animals, but humans as well. By studying creatures such as axolotls, we could eventually find properties from them that could benefit humans. Although this wasn’t necessarily elaborated on in the article, researching their regenerative abilities could eventually lead us to discovering methods to increase immunity to diseases or injury. Additionally, it could possibly heighten human longevity. It is also amazing and eye-opening to discover the complex characteristics and genotypes of other organisms. This shows that we are not the only creatures that feature a complex genetic makeup, and that future research on their genotype could eventually become applicable to us in the near future.

As for the article itself, I appreciated how the author organized her words and how she incorporated a more informal style of writing that made the article more interesting. In addition, I like how she gave an informative introduction of the axolotl and what makes this creature really unique. Unfortunately however, she failed to elaborate and explain more on the scientific studies being done on this animal and what they are actually doing to apply their studies to humans. Despite this faults, it was very interesting to learn about the amazing healing properties and complex genotype of this ornamented animal.

Alyssa Lee

Mr. Ippolito

Current Event #15

2/4/18

Glaser, Linda. “Psychologists Solve Mystery of Songbird Learning.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 31 Jan. 2019, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190131125921.htm.

Scientists and researchers have long used animal behavior as a template for understanding how human behavior and their corresponding cognitive pathways function.  Prior to this particular experiment, it was believed that zebra finches learned their song through imitation of their mother or father’s song; however, with the findings derived from this new experiment, this may in fact not be the case at all.  “Psychologists Solve Mystery of Songbird Learning” written by Linda Glaser explores a study performed by Cornell University’s Institute for the Social Sciences on how zebra finches learn their song and what possible implications this could have on examining human behavior.  The leading researchers, Michael Goldstein and Samantha Carouso-Peck, set up an experiment to test what factors influenced the development of successful birdsong. They took nine pairs of zebra finch brothers, whom had been raised and nursed by the same parents for 35 days, and split them into two groups after they had reached the age where they would begin to produce song: the “contingent” and “yoked” groups.  In the “contingent” group, the zebra finches were exposed to a video of an adult female zebra finch “fluffing up”, a certain type of arousal behavior exhibited by female finches, each time they performed the song to match their father’s original song. In the “yoked” group, finches were shown the same video, but at random times unrelated to the success of their song. The results were conclusive. At the end of the experiment, Goldstein and Carouso-Peck compared the finches’ songs to their original father’s.  The “contingent” finches learned songs that were “significantly more accurate” than their “yoked” counterparts (i.e., the “contingent” group’s songs closely resembled their father’s song). This suggested that zebra finch males learn their courtship songs through social learning and the “carrot and stick” method from their mothers rather than through pure imitation; the mother raises her young to perform the song to her liking in order to increase reproductive success. As Goldstein comments, “Had the traditional model of song learning as pure imitation been correct, both birds would have learned the same song, because they had the same opportunity to memorize it early and practice it.”  The reasoning behind this behavior could be related to the fact that the purpose of their song is to attract mates rather than to defend territory. Thus, it would increase “fitness” and chance of survival for zebra finches to raise their young in this way. Ultimately, what Goldstein and Carouso-Peck took away from their experiment was that by studying animals in isolation (as is most commonplace in laboratory and social science/cognitive experiments) we miss many key components of behavior that could enable us to explain a number of the choices that organisms make- be them choices made by finch or human.

The results of this experiment have plenty of implications on the examination of human behavior.  Just as zebra finches learn their song from their mother’s response to said song, this may also suggest that human children also learn certain behaviors from their parents reactions rather than mere imitation.  It also makes the case for a greater number of behavioral studies into social learning rather than isolated experimentation; examining human interaction could provide much more insight into cognitive function than experiments performed on individuals (though this is not to say that the latter are unimportant; they are simply performed far more frequently than social experiments performed on groups of human beings).  The information gleaned from this experiment could also be used to study vocal learning and learning disabilities in children diagnosed with “Parkinson’s disease, autism, stuttering and genetic disorders of speech.” By examining the effect of parental guidance on behavioral development in young children, we could potentially develop methods to ameliorate the condition of those suffering from these disorders from their youth.  It opens up the avenue for exploration into how behavior can be affected by environmental factors rather than genetic ones, something that is becoming increasingly more relevant in light of the moral debate of genetic modification and how it should be used. This would not only advance the findings and knowledge of scientific community as well as our understanding of these illnesses, but it would also largely improve the ways of life of these individuals and lead them to pursue healthier, and ultimately happier, lives.

I especially enjoyed reading this article; I felt as though it offered much insight into how animal behavior relates to human behavior, and how the two are never mutually exclusive.  It also put this experiment in perspective with the study of evolution and emphasized the implications that the results of this experiment could have on society and the scientific community in general.  I was left with a lasting impression of optimism upon reading it and am excited to see where this finding could take our understanding of human behavior. However, there are also a few areas in which the author could have improved her article; for instance, she could have condensed the information concerning the specifics of the experiment as well as the quotes, as most of it was unnecessary to gaining a complete understanding of the experiment and its implications.  She could have taken out the portion of her article concerning the fast perception of zebra finches due to the fact that it did not add anything in particular to the success of the article. Additionally, Glaser does not provide any possible drawbacks or sources of error of the experiment, nor does she explain why most human experiments have been done in isolation rather than groups, as one would expect most social behavior experiments to be done. She could improve her article in this area by adding this necessary information and performing further research to provide the reader with a better understanding of this experiment as a whole.

Yes, Earth's Magnetic Poles Can Flip. But They Probably Won't Anytime Soon - Luke Freeman

Luke Freeman

Mr. Ippolito

AP Biology - Review #14

1/28/19

Patel, Neel V. “Yes, Earth's Magnetic Poles Can Flip. But They Probably Won't Anytime Soon.”

Popular Science, PopSci, 1 May 2018, www.popsci.com/earth-magnetic-pole-flip.

Neel Patel’s article, published by PopSci, is a great explanation of the magnetic poles of the planet, their potential to flip, and the significance on life. In it, Patel first goes into the brief history of magnetic pole fluctuations and reversals. This serves as the hook and introductory paragraph. Then, Patel touches on the value of the poles’ existence, shielding us from harmful solar radiation. As Patel puts it, “The magnetic field is essentially the reason why Earth is a nice and cozy home to life. Generated by the slow churning of the planet’s liquid core, it shields the world from cosmic radiation and nasty solar storms that would otherwise bludgeon us with charged particles from the sun” (Patel, 1). After that, Patel dives into a more in-depth look at the probability of the poles completely “flipping”, as well as analysis of the modern day fluctuations of the magnetic field surrounding our planet. Finally, Patel concludes that it is unlikely that a complete flip were to happen, and goes on to assure us that even if it did, humanity would still survive.

This article is truly valuable and impactul as it covers quite a pertinent issue, as we are in the midst of serious fluctuations in our magnetic poles. Naturally, questions arise in society regarding the probability of a pole reversal, as well as our planets safety. Patel’s article sheds light on this pressing topic, and puts most fears to rest. This is incredibly important as by educating people on the topic, Patel can spread awareness and reassure the public that the likelihood of an apocalyptic era to develop, due to the pole reversal, is very low.

While Patel’s article is on an important topic in relation to society, it would not have been nearly as impactful if he had written in poorly. Through a confident, yet calm tone, Patel is able to assure the reader of their safety in a collected manner. Phrases such as, “We might have to figure out a replacement for GPS, but we’d be able to survive,” make the issue seem almost trivial (Patel, 2). Also, I found that Patel integrated statistics seamlessly, which established ethos (credibility) with the reader. The only flaw with Patel’s article is that it could have gone deeper on the issue. I understand that the article is only meant to educate the reader at the ground level, but more info would have been appreciated. This issue is something we all worry about, so Patels article truly put some of my fears to bed.

Genetic Tests for Autism Can Sometimes Change Lives

Alisa Kanganis

AP Biology

January 31, 2019

Current Event 15

Wright, Jessica. “Genetic Tests for Autism Can Sometimes Change Lives.” Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2019,

www.scientificamerican.com/article/genetic-tests-for-autism-can-sometimes-change-lives/.

For years, Angela questioned if her son was developing normally. Her son, James, was not able to sit up on his own until he was 1 or crawl until he was 18 months old. He was also struggling to breath and could not sleep for periods longer than 20 minutes, but doctors assured her that he was fine. However, when James was four, he was finally diagnosed with autism. Up to this point, James had had five nasal surgeries, the first of which resulted in a complication due to his abnormally low platelet count. He had to be rushed back to the hospital in an ambulance after having a nosebleed that his mother referred to as looking like “someone had been killed in his bed”. This all could have been avoided if genetic testing for autism was available at the time that James was born. Years later, when this testing surfaced, Angela discovered that James had a mutation in the TAF1 gene, which explains his autism and developmental delay; and one in the gene GP9 that causes his low platelet count and led to the complications after surgery. While this screening is expensive, it is slowly becoming more and more affordable, hopefully to the point where it is accessible to all children who appear to be experiencing developmental delays or autism. Clearly, as with James’ case, receiving testing can prevent unexpected complications and have extremely beneficial effects on a child’s development as a whole since the physiological areas impacted by the mutation(s) can be identified.

These recent advancements in genetic screening have a monumental impact on society. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 children have developmental delays and 1 in 59 have autism, so there is obviously a large amount of people who could benefit from this. While it is not a cure, it can help people identify the treatments needed to manage their issues.

This article was not only informative, but very impactful. By following James early life, I was able to understand just how much this genetic testing could have influenced him. Furthermore,the author is very detailed and gives a good description of the accessibility and results of the screening. However, the article does lack an explanation as to how exactly genetic screening works. If the author included this, the article would be very well-rounded and include all the information a person with no background in biology would need to fully understand it.

Orca Calf Offers Hope for a Fading Group in the Pacific Northwest

Clara DeMagalhaes Current Event #14

Fortin, Jacey. “Orca Calf Offers Hope for a Fading Group in the Pacific Northwest.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Jan. 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/science/orca-calf-seattle.html

In the Pacific Northwest, there is a pod of orcas that, ever since 2015, has never sired an orca calf that survives to maturity. The population has also been shrinking drastically, now with only 75 members in contrast to having 100 in the mid-90s. This is mostly due to pollution, boat traffic, and depletion of their main food source. Recently, a healthy calf named L124 has been born in that group, discovered by the marine biologist Melisa Pinnow. Although it’s unclear if its a male or a female, researchers who traveled with Pinnow are hoping for the latter because more reproductive-age females are necessary for the group’s survival. Orca groups reside all over the world, and while some are thriving, others are suffering, particularly those near industrial areas. One group near those areas is the Southern Residents, who have to deal with pollution and environmental crises. This group is divided into the J, K, and L pods, and the calf L124 was born to pod L. Recently, the pods seem to be in an upbeat mood, and all three pods even gathered in one area, which is a rare occurrence. Despite this, the festive mood was dull compared to how playful and interactive the orcas were many years ago. However, L124’s birth gives new hope to the researchers and they are waiting to see if this small phenomenon could make a difference. Pinnow advices for people to do several things to help the Southern Residents, such as banning net pens of farmed salmon or simply reducing the amount of salmon consumed.

Orcas are some of the most powerful predators in the world and are incredibly important to the ecosystems where they reside, which is all of the oceans. However, problems such as overfishing and pollution have threatened the survival of many groups. A large reason why every birth in pod L has been either a miscarriage or had the calf die shortly after birth is because of a variety of biochemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These tend to linger in the blubber of female whales, which get onto their offspring and lead to early death. Drastic results can occur if their numbers fall any further, which is why it’s important to act now before the balance of the oceanic ecosystems get disturbed.

One thing that the article did well was that it was simple, concise, and easy to understand. The formatting, order of topics, and non complicated language made it so that the reader did not have to have any previous knowledge on this subject in order to know what was going on. However, one thing that I think the author could have done is talk more about why L124 specifically may be a beacon of hope for the survival of this orca pod. As the reader, I was not fully convinced that this particular calf was anything special, or if it was more likely to survive than all of the other calves who died in the past four years. To improve, I suggest that the author could incorporate more information from the researchers regarding the health and wellbeing of L124 and how it was different than the other infant whales.

James Apostolatos                1/25/19

Current Event #14- Review               AP Biology

Citation:
Park, Alice. “What Happens to the CRISPR Twins? Their Lives Will Be Forever Changed.”

Time, Time, 29 Nov. 2018, time.com/5466967/crispr-twins-lives/.

Hyperlink: http://time.com/5466967/crispr-twins-lives/

The first pair of sister twins were born after their genomes were edited while they were embryos, by the genetics tool known as CRISPR.  The twin girls, born in Shenzhen, China, are the subject of scientific and public scrutiny for the use of this CRISPR method. The Chinese researcher’s university denied knowledge of his experiment and said that the lead scientist also denied some uses of CRISPR. Claims stated this was unethical and that there were violations in Chinese laws and regulations. Nearly all international genetics groups have guidelines prohibiting using CRISPR to edit human embryos and implanting them for pregnancy, as the Chinese researcher did. Experts fully support using CRISPR in cells that can’t be passed down from generation to generation, like skin cells or blood cells. Because he altered their genomes when they were embryos, those changes were picked up by every new cell that the embryos made as they continued to divide and develop, eventually forming the twins. So when the girls are ready to have children, their eggs may contain the CRISPR edits that he gave them, and they could pass on their altered genes to their children and all future generations of children in their lineage. The article concentrates more on the implications of having genetically modified twins in the world. Although the use of CRISPR was in the hopes of eliminating the gene coding for HIV, it is still too early to see if the experiments were a success and if the chinese scientists were even allowed considering the “ethics” debate explored in this article.

Having the gene itself is not necessarily a bad thing considering they protect people from getting infected with HIV, but the problem is that scientists aren’t convinced yet that the HIV protection will be the only thing the CRISPR edit did to the twins’ genomes. It’s not clear that CRISPR is as precise as researchers would like it to be. This connects to our current society because it begs the question is CRISPR safe to use, and more importantly, is it moral? Although it's true the purpose is to eliminate damaged DNA sequence prone to HIV and other illnesses, many factors need to be considered. CRISPR may make unintended changes in random parts of the genome, like an autocorrect feature that mistakenly corrects typos to produce an entirely different word. In other cases, it may not make the edits as consistently as needed, so some cells may be edited while others are not, and some cells may even be partially edited. This topic is important because it is connected to genetics and DNA. Recent experiments using CRISPR shows the potential to become a method to cure diseases such as HIV. This also changes the world by introducing genetically engineered twins in the world.

The article did a good job of showing both the pros and cons of using CRISPR on people. The CRISPR approach is relatively new and scientists are still learning about exactly how precise their edits can be, and what some of the potential negative and long term consequences of altering human DNA could be. The pro being that CRISPR might be able to disable a gene involved in helping HIV to enter healthy cells. One improvement is to give more statistical evidence and to be less opinionated. It might be nice to know the context of the use of CRISPR. The writer also could have emphasize more how the twins were treated. He can improve this by adding more details about the actual method, the researchers used to put the CRISPER in the DNA.Were there any immediate side of effects of CRISPR? Finally, they can discuss the public opinion on genetically engineered people.