Impact of Deforestation

We all know that deforestation is horrible. One of its consequences is Global Warming, something that affects the world as a whole. Not only is one of the problems of deforestation global warming, but it is killing numerous plants and animals as well. Apparently, in the Amazon this isn’t all that’s getting destroyed. There are many unknown species of bacteria lurking within the Amazon, say Eric Triplett and James Borneman from the Agronomy Department of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. They took soil samples from a full-grown rainforest and compared it to a pastureland created by deforestation that was right next to the rainforest. Once the soils were sampled, they took out the bacterial DNA. Comparing the two soils and the DNA in it, they recognized 100 diverse DNA sequences, none of them being duplicates. There were 18% of the sequences that could not be categorized into any known bacterial kingdom. Dr. Triplett said, "The microbial diversity found in the mature forest and pasture soils from eastern Amazonia is immense." There is a phenomenal difference between the two soil samples. He also enforces the fact that even with all the work that is being done to save the Amazon, there needs to be more. Basically, there really shouldn’t be such a huge difference in the soils of neighboring lands. One underwent deforestation while other did not. There have been endless studies of the fresh water, animal species, and plants living in the Amazon. But very few studies have been done on the soil and the microbial populations living within it. Triplett also talks about why he and Borneman did the research in the first place. He says, "It's such a rich biological resource that we decided to go and study it. In the discovery of new organisms we can find previously unknown enzymes that can help further the progress of biotechnology. In addition, there are bacteria out there producing antibiotics that we have yet to discover.” What he is trying to say is that the reason scientists and researchers should examine and compare soils, and identify the micro-populations within the soils is to help the process of sciences. To contact Dr. Triplett for more questions click here.

Personally, I agree with Dr. Triplett. Seeing what he has accomplished, and what he found, scientists and researchers should study this topic more in depth. They should take into consideration the information and realize that a rainforest is more than just animals and plants. They are about discovery and facing the unknown. Dr. Triplett is trying to tell the world that if you study this topic, small things can be discovered like locating a new bacteria, as well as big things like creating a new antibiotic, something that can treat and maybe cure diseases and infections. Deforestation is taking that away. In an indirect way he is telling us to “Go Green” and protects the earth and the nutrients it provides us with.

I got my information from:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/06/970629230930.htm

I got the picture from:

http://nksandeep.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/20070511_deforestation1.jpg

The "Snowacane" of 2010

The snowstorm that kept many schools in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, and Washington D.C. closed on February 26, 2010 is being called a snowacane. This is in reference to a snow storm and a hurricane. Many are saying that it is caused by El Niño because the storms are coming from the Pacific this year. The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration also know as the NOAA, says that “El Niño is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific having important consequences for weather and climate around the globe.” It has unusually high water temperatures in the Pacific. This is what is causing the constant snow storms in 2010, because this is an El Niño year. Basically what happens is that when the warmer waters in the Pacific evaporate, the water vapor from the evaporation is very warm. So, when it condenses the warm water vapor coming down meets the cool air making snow. The winds of El Niño push towards the United States, as well as other countries, causing massive snow storms. The warm gas from the El Niño oceans in the Pacific meets the cold, winter air of the eastern United States and a larger amount of precipitation occurs. As the air gets cooler, snow takes the place of the rain and just like a large rainfall; there is a snowstorm or a blizzard. Global warming is making these effects more severe.

The scientific name for a hurricane is a tropical cyclone. To create a tropical cyclone, it needs first warm ocean water and secondly needs wind. NASA says that “Meteorologists have divided the development of a tropical cyclone into four stages: Tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, and full-fledged tropical cyclone.” First, a tropical disturbance is mainly when water vapor from a warm ocean forms a huddle of thunderstorm clouds. Second is a tropical depression. As the thunderstorm of the tropical disturbance grow bigger and higher, the air on the top is cooling and becoming unstable. The air pressure grows higher, causing more winds to move away from the air pressure area. The movement causes the pressure at the surface to drop, creating more thunderstorms. When the winds of the thunderstorm reach a certain point it is called a tropical depression. Next is a tropical storm which is essentially just the when the wind speeds up from the tropical depression it becomes a tropical storm. Finally is the tropical cyclone. When the winds speed up even higher, the storm is legitimately a tropical cyclone. The trade winds, which are winds the blow from east to west, push the cyclone toward the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, or the southeastern coast of the United States. The cyclone is usually the most powerful when still in the water, but close to land. When the monster reaches land, it calms down slowly, the dies out while still dumping quite a bit of rain on the land. This has a major affect on the people living in the areas where the hurricane hits, of course. It caused many power lines to drop and floods were also a huge problem. People were left without electricity in a town full of water and snow.

As you can see, there are many similarities in the formation of the hurricane and the El Niño snowstorm. They both form from warm waters evaporating and condensing, forming storms, in this case, a snow storm. Also, the winds from this snowstorm and a typical hurricane were very similar. Thus, the name snowacane was given; it was a combination of a hurricane and a snowstorm.

I got my information from:

http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/

http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/climate/older/El_Nino.html

http://climateprogress.org/2009/07/09/noaa-says-el-nino-arrives-persist-winter-2009-2010-record-temperatures-hottest-decade-on-record/

http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/weather/howwhy/hurricane/

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091015_winteroutlook.html

Biology: Animals

The order of what the universe is made up with is:
• Quark
• Neutrons, Protons, and Electrons
• Atom
• Molecule
• Cell
• Tissue
• Organ
• Organ System
• Organism
• Population
• Community
• Ecosystem
• Biome
• Biosphere
• Solar System
• Galaxy
• Universe


In life, everything is made up of something and makes something. The start is quarks, and scientists are still trying to figure out what they are. Quarks make up neutrons, protons, and electrons. Neutrons, protons, and electrons make up atoms, and atoms make up molecules. Molecules make up cells, which is the basic unit of structure and function in living things. Cells are grouped together to form tissue which has a specific job in the body. Tissues combine to form an organ, which performs a more complex job than each tissue by itself. Organs combine to form an organ system, which has a broad function in the body. Did you know that there are ten major organ systems in the human body? Imagine how many cells that is! Next, all of the organ systems in the body make an organism. Many organisms make up a population, and populations make up a community. Communities make ecosystems, and ecosystems make up biomes. Biomes make up a biosphere, and biospheres make up a solar system. Solar Systems form galaxies and galaxies form universes. So in the end you can assume that quarks make up the universe. Quarks are “seen” as elementary particles, therefore based on this order, the universe must be made up of millions of elementary particles. To find more in-depth information on quarks see the links below. In my opinion, I think it would be fascinating to figure out if quarks come from or are found in the universe. That would mean, rather than a list of everything making up the universe it would become a circle, where everything came back to each other. Also, I hope that someday scientists learn what is really smaller than a quark because it would be really interesting to find out if it is possible for that to happen or if a quark is really the smallest thing in the universe.


Another biology fact is that scientists classify animals into major groups called phyla. Each phylum has different characteristics. When doing this they consider an animal’s body structure, the way an animal develops, and the animal’s DNA. Phyla help scientists observe each animal and compare it with animals that are alike with it. Personally, I feel this is a great idea. Though invented a long time ago, it is helpful to us even now. For example, if scientist finds a new species, they can easily find out where the animal belongs, and what animals it is similar to. Also, the similar DNA certain animals in phyla share might convince scientist they were made from a similar ancestor. So, if they see what that animal is related to and continuing on and on with the process they could eventually end up going back to where all animals rose from: a single celled organism. Overall the use of phyla is very interesting. For some example of phyla, look at the sites listed below.


In general, biology very complex and has many parts to it. You need to know the simple facts to move on to everything else. This is just the start of biology and more information is headed toward the future.

Quark websites:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Particles/quark.html

http://www.4to40.com/science/index.asp?id=109

Phyla websites:

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/trnov01.htm

http://www.occc.edu/deanderson/Phyla/phyla_html/title.html

http://cas.bellarmine.edu/tietjen/images/general_overview_of_animal_phyla.htm

I got my information from:

http://www.occc.edu/deanderson/Phyla/phyla_html/title.html

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/061108_strange_little.html

http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/14-anatomy.htm

I got my picture from:

http://homepage.smc.edu/grippo_alessandro/phyla.jpg

Pharmaceutical Scientist

This is a podcast of an interview of a Pharmaceutical Scientist.

Podcast: Pharmaceutical Scientist

2012

Everybody must think that the world is going to end in 2012. This is due to the movie 2012, and the many theories that discuss the end of the Mayan calendar. Well, according to NASA, the world is not going to end in 2012. The planet Nibiru is not going to crash into the earth and a solar flare will not burn up the planet. Everything is fictional, and do not believe what is in the movie.

One person asks NASA, “Are there any threats to the Earth in 2012? Many Internet websites say the world will end in December 2012.” NASA explains that our planet has survived for over 4 billion years, with the thoughts that the world was going to end several times. So, nothing is going to happen in 2012. Another person wonders what the origin of the theory 2012 is. Replying to this, NASA states that it started when a supposive planet discovered by the Sumerians, Nibiru, was headed toward the Earth. It was expected to reach in May 2003, but when nothing happened, its expected date to reach the earth was changed to December 21, 2012, the winter solstice. Now, the beliefs lead to the legend that describes the end of the Mayan calendar as well. To clear things up, NASA explains that just as our calendar does not go farther than December 31, the Mayan calendar does not go past December 21, 2012. And the new calendar for us begins again January 1st, and another Mayan calendar starts to count a long-period.


The planets’ aligning is another hypothesis that people think could kill this Earth on December 21, 2012. The planets are not due to align for the next few decades, says NASA. And if they do, it will not affect our Earth. An annual event that occurs every December is when the Earth and sun align at the estimated center of the Milky Way Galaxy. This happens every year and will not do any harm to us. A meteor crashing into the earth is another assumption about what is going to happen in 2012. The Earth has always been in danger of asteroids and comets, and the impacts they cause. Big hits are very uncommon, and the last one that occurred caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. There are scientists dedicated to studying and watching for meteors, asteroids, and comets so there is nothing to worry about. Lastly, somebody asked NASA how they felt about the upcoming supposed “doomsday”. NASA replied asking the people of Earth, where is the science? Where is the evidence? You should realize that there is none. Just because movies, books, documentaries, and stories over the internet are made, these do not support that fact that there is no actual scientific evidence.


As you can see, there are many theories that the world is going to end in 2012. The movie, 2012, has most likely promoted the start of these uncertainties. Personally, I agree with NASA. There is no true scientific evidence suppoting the end of the world in 2012. But, I also disagree with the part about our calendar starting over and over every year. Many years ago I believe that we made our calendar, naming the months and days. So every year we assume that it is going to start over and be exactly the same. But, I strongly believe that anything is possible. I am not saying that I think the world is going to end in 2012, but I think that NASA is overestimating themselves. They cannot be sure that nothing is going to happen, and that the calendar is going to stay exactly the same. They just assume that. For more information on NASA and 2012 click here.


I got my information from:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33911941/ns/technology_and_science-science/

NCIS (Extra Credit)

My favorite TV show is NCIS, which means Naval Criminal Investigative Service. This connects to science because during the show the team is investigating the deaths of naval soldiers. The team is lead my Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and its members are Senior Field Agent Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo, Special Agent Timothy McGee, and Special Agent Ziva David. The other helpful members of the NCIS team are Chief Medical Examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard and Abigail “Abby” Sciuto. This show connects to science in many different ways. First of all, Tony, Gibbs, Ziva, and McGee all carry guns. This is scientific because the properties of guns use science. They have bullets, which are made specially using different types of metals and chemicals according to the distance needed to shoot. Second, there is Ducky and all his tools. Ducky’s job is to examine the dead bodies of the naval officers and predict when and how the person was killed and with what. He opens the body, and looks at the bullets if they have been shot. He looks at their lungs, and many other body parts. In addition to normal autopsy, he also sometimes does a psychological evaluation. Overall, everything Ducky does is scientific. The most scientific part of the show is Abby’s role. She is a Forensic Toxicologist, and uses technology to crack codes, observes specimens found at the crime scene and in the body. She also sometimes recreates the crime scene. Abby finds a way to explain everything and without her, the many investigations would not be solved. She has numerous amounts of equipment to help her examine the objects given to her and she can do almost anything with computer needs. All in all, NCIS uses a lot of science. It is a great show and extremely educational as well. You definitely should watch it.

I got the names from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCIS_(TV_series)

Another Extra Credit

Yes, I would like the opportunity to get another 15 extra credit points.