Air Powered Cars

Scientists recently showed a car that runs on air at a car show named the Volvo Air Motion. This car is only a scale model of it and does not run. This car uses turbines to pull air through the car and propel it forwards. The car weighs less than 1000 pounds, which is partially due to the car having no heavy engine. The car doesn't depend on gasoline so it is very environmentally friendly. This car is not the only model that runs on air. The Airpod is another car that uses air as fuel and actually runs.

Wow! The fact that this car runs on air is amazing because it is very environmentally friendly and can save people a lot of money on gas. It's good that scientists are already thinking about these kind of things. We are going to run out of oil eventually and need a good backup.

1) When do you think we will need to use these cars?

2) Do you think that people will be willing to pay a lot of money for these cars?

3) Which do you think is the better choice, an electric or air powered car?

Beyond Fossil Fuels

"Using Waste, Swedish City Cuts Its Fossil Fuel Use"

Article By Elisabeth Rosenthal

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/11/science/earth/11fossil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Published December 10, 2010

Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

Summary

Kristianstad, Sweden promised 10 years ago that they will limit themselves from fossil fuels. The city and the nearby towns use less oil and gas no

w. They do not use

much fossil fuels for heating purposes. The towns consisting 80,000 people have turned 180 degrees from 20 years ago. They do not use just any alternative fuel. Instead, they have a generator that produces energy by processing waste such as potato peels, manure, or stale cookies. It can produce energy from almost anything. The machine that generates the electricity is a 10 year old power plant that changes the waste into a biogas which is a form of methane. After they started seeing the fuel works, they began using other waste like food waste. This town is mostly farm so there were many waste. The product could heat the house or even fuel a car. It decreased the carbon dioxide output by one fourth. It also decreased the dependency on fossil fuels to a half. Europe is beginning to use the biogas system, but in the U.S., it is rare. The use of biogas is like using natural gas, but they both pollute less than the other fossil fuels. After all, the biological waste is just sitting there waiting for it to be decomposed so it will affect the global warming anyway. Why not use it?

Reflection/Opinion

I think using biogas is a great idea because it is cheaper. It uses 3.8 million dollars less than fossil fuels does in a year and it is made locally. It is better to use the waste than let it sit and contribute to global warming. It is going to affect it anyway. Since the fossil fuels are expensive in Europe, it is wise to use biogas because Kristianstad is a farmland. I hope the U.S. will have biogas fuels because we have many farmland and wastes. Our fuel costs are going up and so is the population in the world. We will have to have more coals, but it is running out. We will have to depend on something else like bio waste product that is refined.

Questions

1) Do you think we need biogas? Why or Why not?

2) Will U.S. depend more on biogas in the future? Why or Why not?

3) Why should we use bio waste to make fuel?

4) How much money do you think the Swedish people in Kristianstad used on fossil fuels?

(Guess, don't need to look up unless you want to.) Explain your reasoning.

By James Jung

"Industry and Government Were Unprepared for BP Spill, Study Says" By: John M. Broder, November 22, 2010

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/industry-and-government-were-unprepared-for-bp-spill-study-says/

Summary:

Both the government and oil industry were very unprepared for the huge gulf oil spill, which lead to a lot of environmental damage. The oil companies and government agencies learned lessons and got technological advancments from this disaster, but they still aren't prepared for another disaster like this one. Even though the oil companies made a multibillion-dollar profit over the past several years, they only put a little money into planning to control or clean up after a big spill. The government also didn't put the people, money, and technology into preparing for the spill. The Minerals Management Service was very unprepared for the spill, and even after reorganization, they are still unprepared if another spill occurs. They only had 4 or 5 employees working on preparing for this disaster. If they put more time into preparing for the spill they would have had better luck controlling it. So they came up with steps to prepare for a future disaster like this, hopefully they will be carried out and help with a future spill.

Opinion/Reflection:

I think it is ridiculous that both the oil industry and government were not prepared for this spill. Maybe if they were prepared for this spill it wouldn't have been as bad. Even if it did happen, and they were prepared for it, maybe they could have at least stopped it before it got to out of control like it is now. It is really a shame how much of the environment is polluted with oil. I really hope they can get this oil spill cleaned up soon so the environment can be healthier for the wildlife living in it.

Questions:

1. Do you think they will ever get this oil spill cleaned up? Explain.

2. If they ever get it cleaned up, how long do you think it will take? Explain.

3. Why do you think they didn't focus on preparing for this disaster? Explain.

Electrical Air?

"Electrical Air- New Alternative Energy Source"

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Electrical-Air-New-Alternative-Energy-Source-153753.shtml

From: Smaranda Biliuti, Softpedia

Published August 6th, 2010

2010. Copyright Softpedia

Summary

What if we could get all of our electricity from air? The science-fiction sounding idea may soon become a reality. Since there is electricity in the air, scientists and inventors have come up with an idea to harvest the electricity from the air and convert it into usable energy. There was an invention prototype that was created and presented at the 240th National Meeting of American Chemical Society.

The invention uses hygroelectricity, also known as humidity electricity, meaning that when it is humid out, the electricity is more charged up. The invention will be useful in northeast and southeast USA and tropical, humid areas. It will also be very helpful in areas that are hit with lightning storms. Not only will the lightning be absorbed into the device, but it will also create electricity. Everyone wins with this invention.

Opinion

I think that it is so cool how they can get electricity from the air and put it in useful energy. We are constantly looking for alternative energy and this is a resource which we can use over and over again because it doesn't take anything from the environment that is necessary. Also, makes lightning storms slightly safer. If a building got hit with a lightning bolt, the invention will absorb the electricity. No one gets shocked, but everyone gets electricity. Also, the nearly free electricity will lower the bills for the households and buildings using them. This invention could work nearly anywhere, all you need is air.

Questions

1. Do you think scientists will be able to make such invention?
2. How would the humidity affect the levels of electricity in the air?
3. Do you think we could replace our usage of nonrenewable resources completely with hygroelectricity?
4. What do you think is better: solar energy or hygroelectricity? Why?

Katie Abraham

Peak Oil, Then Coal

From: Andy Soos, ENN
Published December 2, 2010 06:42 PM

http://www.enn.com/energy/article/42071
Environmental News Network

Summary

The time in which the global petroleum extraction is reached is called the peak oil. When it does reaches peak, there will not be much oil or coal production on Earth. Scientists assume that it'll hopefully begin 2020 which is the latest the peak can occur but there are some clues that the peak will begin sooner. If countries do not change the way they use oil heavily, then the world will run out of oil soon. There has been recent recorded analysis decline of coal production also, which is a fossil fuel that's another source on Earth that is being used worldwide. Research in Austrailia supports that the coal peak will occur from 2010 to 2048. China is afraid that its coal miners are using the reserves too quickly before the ecosystems can recover itself over a long period of time. If these factors continue, the world might aleady be in peak oil and peak coal. Chinese researchers think that the country will reach its peak in 2011 because it produces 40% of the world's coal production. Then United States (20%) in 2150. India (8%) and Austrailia (7%).

Heavy crude oil, oil sand, and oil shale are not part of the reserves but SEC has made a law to protect them too for the environment to be able to save more energy.



Opinion

I think there should be a policy over how much oil production should be allowed each year so that countries worldwide would not be getting close to reaching the peak oil or peak coal. We need those resources for us to survive and if people are willing to survive, they will think that it is a better idea to use less to use for later when we are more desperate. Since there have been researches going on in labs and universities, there should be improvements on solving how to conserve more of the Earth's natural resources that plays a big role in our ecosystem.

Question

1. What are some ways you can try to prevent peak oil or coal? Explain, why or why not?

2. What would happen to the world if we reached peak oil or coal?

3. Will the peak affect people economically? Why or why not?

4. If we were to give up on one of the two natural resources, which one is more important?

Explain, why or not?

From Farm to Fridge to Garbage Can

From Farm to Fridge to Garbage Can

By: Tara Parker-Pope

Post by: Matt Bernanke

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/from-farm-to-fridge-to-garbage-can/?src=mv&ref=health


How much of the food your family buys do you think you waste? A study in Tompkins County, N.Y. showed that 40% of food waste occurs at home. Another study showed that 93% of those interviewed buy foods they never use. Author Johnathon Bloom says that we have a big role to play and we can have a huge impact if we reduce our wastefulness. Bloom tells us that wasting food is very cost inefficient and that a family of four that spends $175 on groceries a week wastes about $40 worth of food every week. He also tells us that if we let food rot in our fridges, then we are more likely to turn to unhealthy meals such as fast food.



My mom is always bugging us not to waste our food and to eat everything on our plates. This may have seemed tedious before, but now I know that it is necessary for me not to waste. On one hand, it will save my family a lot of money. On the other hand, it will keep me from eating fast food. Fast food may be a nice treat once in a while, but if you have a fridge full of rotting vegetables you are more likely to go get a cheeseburger than to make yourself a nice, healthy salad.



1) Have you vere had an experience where you had to deal with rotten food?



2) Why do you think that most people turn to fast food when they are confronted with rotten food in their fridge?



3) If people knew how much they could save by wasting less, do you think that they would change their ways?

Drinking Urine In The Future

Soon We'll Be Drinking Recycled Pee;

Some of Us Already Are

http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/soon-well-be-drinking-recycled-pee-some-of-us-already-are/19687450

From: Larry Knowles

Published November 1, 2010 6:42 PM

Copyright 2010 AOL Inc.

Summary

Robert Roy Britt, managing editor of LiveScience.com said,

"Someday, millions of Americans will be drinking their own urine."

LiveScience.com is a news site that prides itself on how it approaches science.

Because many people live in the area that most people did not live before in the past like the West, people will have to treat the raw sewage that they used and use it to drink or do other things with fresh water. In the future, people will have to use their raw sewage as a source of tap or drinking water.

Like many cities, Phoenix is 230 miles away from where it gets its drinkable water. That is Lake Mead. Many cities will go like Orange County, California and recycle their raw sewage. "From the toilet bowl to the punch bowl." Some people think it is just wastewater, but there is a process behind it all.

Orange County has highly treated water and the process takes only 45 minutes. After the various filtration and purification processes, they seep it back into the aquifer to blend with the natural water and then use it as tap or drinking water. This is a method called Groundwater Replenishment System or GWRS and it went online on January of 2008. It turns 96 million gallons of wastewater in to 70 million gallons of recycled water. It has an efficiency rate of about 75%.

This is something positive for the world because otherwise Southern California would dump 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater into the Pacific Ocean every day. There are discussions on expanding the 96 million to 100 million gallons per day of recycling the water. Some people are drinking their pee right now in Orange County and they don't even know about it.

Opinion/Reflection

I think treating wastewater and using it to drink is a better idea than dumping it in the Pacific Ocean. If there is a way to clean the water and help the environment, why not do it? If you are thinking there is no way I will drink raw sewage, you basically already are because the water cycle doesn't bring new water from space. The water is filtered naturally through many process. So you are already drinking filtered water that used to be some kind of sewage water millions of years ago so why not try the treated wastewater that used to be in your toilet?

Questions

1) Would you approve the use of raw sewage water for your neighborhood? Why or Why not?

2) Which would you rather drink? A bottle water from an unknown company that was there for years that is open or a cup of water from an aquifer that gets its water from filtered wastewater?

3) Do you believe eventually the Southwestern states will have to drink from the treated wastewater or use some other methods?

By: James Jung

"In Yemen, Water Grows Scarcer" By: John Collins Rudolf, October 25, 2010, 6:45 pm

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/in-yemen-water-grows-scarcer/?scp=4&sq=water&st=cse

Summary:

Increasingly sharp water shortages could end up costing Yemen 750,000 jobs. This could also slash incomes by as much as 25% over the next decade. The groundwater is decreasing so rapidly, in the capital, Sana, that the city could actually run out of water by 2025. Yemen is one of the most driest countries on earth and relies almost fully on groundwater and rainfall for its water supply. Sana is located more than 100 miles inland, and is at about 7,400 feet elevation. It is at risk for water shortages in coming years. Its main groundwater supply is rapidly decreasing because of thousands of illegal wells. They expect many of the private wells to dry up soon. If this happens they will have to find a new source or keep drilling deeper. Due to the huge population growth the water supply is decreasing. The population of Yemen is now at 23 million people, this is more than double the population in 1975. The economy is not so good in Yemen right, which makes it harder to supply the country with what it needs, especially water. This is a growing problem in Yemen and it is going to continue to get worse if it doesn't get under control.

Opinion/Reflection:

I think it is horrible that these people are running out of water. It is a shame how scarce the water is. I also feel bad because their economy is low and it is so hard for them to get enough water supply. I hope that they can stop the illegal wells from taking their water. I hope they don't run out of water. In the future, I really hope that they can get this problem under control and get enough drinking water for Yemen.

Questions:

1. How long do you think this problem will go on for? Why?

2. Do you think they will ever get this issue under control? If so, why?

3. What do you think we can do to help Yemen with their water scarcity problem? Explain.

Poor Water Quality

Water Threatened for 80 Percent of World Population"

http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/water-threatened-for-five-billion/19655688

From: Dave Their, AOL News.

Published September 30, 2010

2010. Copyright AOL Inc.

Summary

Not half, but more three quarters of the water that all humans have to drink has pollution in it. That is about five billion people in the world with unclean water. Clean water is needed even more and more with the population bursting. It is being stressed that there is clean water all over the world.

Countries like China, that have a population that is bursting, have very limited clean water. The citizens who live in Beijing have to depend on the amount of water bottles in the city because the water is so dirty.

There are many countries, like China, in Asia that are spending billions of dollars on working toward getting cleaner water. With our generation use to clean water everywhere we go, it sometimes doesn't occur to us that there are people who spend billions of dollars on the water so it can be clean. It is estimated that it would cost roughly $800 billion dollars to cover the whole world's water infrastructure.

What we don't realize is that it is not only Asia that has water problems. It is happening our own backyard. At the base of the Mississippi River is a dead zone. The size of Massachusetts. Because of all the farms, fertilizer, and other sources, the Mississippi river is polluted immensely. The Rio Grande river is listed as an endangered river and the Colorado River sometimes can't make it to the ocean.

Opinion/Reflection

Water pollution is a major problem in our world. We may not use every ounce of water in the world, but there is some creature somewhere in the world that uses the water that we polluted. Every living creature needs water to survive and it isn't fair that we are destroying where they live by our carelessness. There is a dead zone the size of Massachusetts in the Mississippi river. I'm sure there was some creatures living there at sometime and now they are either dead or were forced to move out of that area. They didn't cause the dead zone either; we did. It is our responsibility as humans to make sure water is clean for all other creatures on this planet.

Questions-

1. What is one way you think we can work on making cleaner water?
2. Why do you think water is so unclean in Asia?
3. Would it be possible to get $800 billion to get a water infrastructure for the whole world?
4. Why do you think Beijing needs to use water bottles for a water source?

By Katie Abraham

Great Marine Protection Areas

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/41922
From: Andy Soos, ENN
Published October 25, 2010 01:07 PM



Summary
  Pacific Island nation of Kiribati is the world's largest marine protected area of coral reefs and fish populations which are both threatened by climate change and overfishing. To prevent this, the Phoenix Islands Protected area conserves two submerged reef systems and underwater mountains over 415,000 square kilometers of nearly uninhabited islands with abundant marine and birdlife. Also it is the world's last intact coral reef archipelago ecosystems with eight coral reefs.


These areas are protected and named the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) whose boundaries can include some of the ocean. It's a wide range of areas that restrict human activity to protect cultural, non-living, living, and historic resources. Such limits are fishing gear types, catch limits, fishing seasons, development, moorings, to complete bans on removing life of any kind.
This is also established to protect a certain sepcies, to benefit fisheries, nursing grounds for fish or to protect entire ecosystems, rare habitats, and protect historical sites to preserve something like a shipwreck.
Some areas that are named as MPAs are Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the largest ones, and the small one called Area Marina Protetta Capo Rizzuto.






These areas have plans for the future, such as:
USA — California 29 with MPAs covering 18% of state marine area.
Guam - 30% of nearby marine ecosystem by 2020

Jamaica -20% of marine habitats by 2020.

Great Barrier Reef

Opinion/Reflection

In my opinion, MPAs are really important to many areas that are being threatened around the world. I am glad some people finally came up with a set of laws and restrictions to protect certain species and to preserve endangered areas. People might think that it's not fair to have such strict laws such as limit to number of fishes people are able to catch, use of fishing gears, etc. However, without these laws, these reef systems might not be seen in our world today if it wasn't for the establishment of MPAs. Since the ecosystem was set up before the human activities interfered, the native species deserve to have a chance to rebuild itself to become a stronger habitat for its species. Plans have been already made and people are hoping to see these areas to be recovered after few years and I hope the areas improve than they are now.

Questions
1) Does having restrictions fair for humans? Is it neccesary or unnecessary? Why or why not?

2)Do you think the predictions will become true for countries like Jamaica, United States, and Guam? Why or why not?

3) This should have been going on for a long time, but why aren't there big differences in the endangered reef systems that are marine protected?

 

"Great White sharks swim off coast of Britain"

"Great White sharks swim off coast of Britain"

Author Unknown

Summary:

Steve Mills, a Great White specialist tells reporters that these giant creatures are now inhabiting the coasts of Btitain. There is a shortage of the Great Whites' food supply in their natural habitat and the abundance of Mackeral near Britain attracted the sharks. Luckily these endangered beasts aren't being harmed or caught by local fisherman. The only reason this is the case is because the fisherman aren't using the right tackle. It is thought that the fisherman may have been hooking the sharks for a long time, but they just haven't had the strength to reel them in and just gave up.

Resonse:

I am worried about how this invasive species will affect the ecosystem of the Coast of Britain. I also am worried for the sharks, too. Knowing that they are an endangered species, I hope that the fisherman around those parts don't start to catch the sharks. I also wonder how the sharks' arrival will affect the Mackeral population and also the prosperity of the fisherman now that these anglers have competition.

1) What do you think will happen if the fisherman begin to catch the sharks?

2) How will the sharks' arrival affect the Mackeral population?

3)Why is the sharks' arrival a problem for fisherman in those areas?

"Bring on Enviropig?: Can Genetic Engineering Make Meat a More Sustainable Food?"
http://www.justmeans.com/Bring-on-Enviropig-Can-Genetic-Engineering-Make-Meat-a-More-Sustainable-Food/34120.html

From Ellen Sabina, Justmeans Sustainable Food Blog

Published October 10, 2010

Summary

A team of scientists created a new pig breed in Canada. The scientists engineered it to have the same meat product. They have the same fat and protein. Enviropigs are made by injecting a Phytase enzyme into a fertilized egg of a pig. Phytase enzyme break down indigestible phytic acid, Phytase, which is found in grain. It was altered to leave less toxic manure. Therefore, it was more environmentally safe. It is good for the environment because less methane and other gases are produced. These gases contribute to Global Warming. Most of the big factory farms will like the Enviropigs because they can make more money off of them. But the pigs are still in review with the FDA if it is edible. There may be health issues or side effects because they were genetically engineered. The first genetically engineered pigs were since 1999, but none of them were tasted. No one wants to test the food. Even though the FDA is pushing back the idea now, it will not be easy to avoid the idea in the next decade. There will be more genetically altered meat. China is investigating the Enviropigs and is thinking about selling genetically altered animals as food in the future.

Opinion/Reflection

I think the ideas of genetically altered animals as food are bad because not many people would want to eat them. I wouldn't want to eat it because of the possible health problems. Maybe after they get it checked out or know for certain it is the same as the Yorkshire Pig, but if they don't, I wouldn't trust them. Food is a serious business so I wouldn't mess with it. If they sell the genetically altered meat, I would go with the other protesters and protest about the mistake they are making. It is just a terrible idea to enforce. I hope the FDA drags on about it a long time.

Questions

1) Would you agree to genetically altering animal meat for food? Explain.

2) How are Enviropigs made?

3) Do you think we will ever see an Enviropig meat in a store?

4) How long is it until the FDA approves the meat?

5) What kind of problems will come with the genetically enhanced animal meat?

By James Jung

"Ice "Tsunamis" Detected in Saturn Ring" By: Victoria Jaggard in Pasadena, California Published October 6, 2010

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101007-saturn-rings-titan-tsunamis-space-science-nicholson-nasa/

Summary:

The gravitational pull of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, causes tsunamis in one of Saturn's rings. This discovery may solve the 30-year-old mystery of a gap in Saturn's faint, inner C ring. In 1980 they saw the regular ripple of the rings was interupted by a gap in the C ring. They could tell that there was a gap because light was shining through it. The gap is only a third of a mile long. Spiraling walls of icy particals get in the way of the gap. This makes the gap look like different sizes at different angles. It sometimes makes it look like a peak. They say each peak seems to look like a tsunami. Some smaller gaps in the rings are from paths made by moons in Saturn's rings. This big gap in the C ring was found to be from the gravitational pull of Saturn's moon, Titan. The gravity pulls the ice particals in Saturn's rings causing the gap. During Saturn's equinox the gap shines in an arc. They say this is a very interesting case about Saturn's rings.

Opinion/Reflection:

I think this is a very interesting discovery about Saturn's rings. The gravitational pull must be pretty strong to cause this big of a gap in Saturn's rings. It is pretty amazing how big this gap is. I also think that it is cool that the gap shines during Saturn's equinox. That would be an interesting site to see. I hope that scientists can learn more about this discovery of the gap in Saturn's rings so that people can learn more about the gap. This is a very interesting discovery.

Questions:

1. Do you think that the gap in Saturn's rings will grow bigger in the future? Why?

2. Do you think it would be interesting to see the shine from the gap? Why or why not?

3. How long do you think the gap will last in Saturn's rings? Explain.

Saving the Frogs

"Toiling to Save a Threatened Frog"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/science/05frog.html?_r=1&partner=

rss&emc=rss

From: Erica Rex, New York Times

Published October 4, 2010

2010. Copyright New York Times

Summary

Things are not always what they seem, especially at Bishop Pass in the Sierra Nevada. What appears to be in a thriving forest is chytridiomycosis, a deadly fungal disease. This disease has taken out over 200 species of amphibians, particularly the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog. A college close by is conducting an experiment that could potentially save these frogs. They are putting Janthinobacterium livdum, or J. liv, on the frogs to help them with the disease. It would not 100% protect the frogs, but it would help fight the disease off,

Before the deadly fungus was in the Sierra Nevada, the population was already depleting from the trout being introduced into the lakes. The trout were introduced for fishing and have taken over the lake. The disease has made the once overpopulation frogs to barely 300 scattered over thousands of lakes.

Dr. Vredenburg has studied the Sierra Nevada area and the yellow-legged population. He noticed that the introduced species has thrown balance of the population for the frogs out the window. They were decreasing drastically. This happened before with the brown and rainbow trout with tadpoles. The National Park Service noticed this and began to remove the trout. Once the trout disappeared, the frog population went up.

Dr. Vredenburg took his experiment to Dusy Basin, where chytridiomycosis was just starting, In July, him and his students took 100 frogs, tagged them, and placed them in J. liv for an hour, enough time for the J. liv to settle on the frogs' skin. They were then released into the wild. In September, he checked up on the frogs and found several that had not been tagged. They were taken to a lab and the ones that had been tagged had more resistance to chytridiomycosis than the non-tagged frogs. The future of the yellow-legged frogs now lies in the fate of the tadpoles and their resistance to chytridiomycosis.

Opinion/Reflection

I think that it is horrible that the yellow-legged frog is rapidly decreasing. Especially since there was such an abundance of the frogs no more than ten years ago. It's also great that the scientists are taking action to preserve the biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada mountains and trying to keep the invasive species out. It has been proven time after time that the trout are the reason of the frog depletion.Hopefully, the fungus disease doesn't affect the tadpoles too much.

Questions

1.Do you think that the yellow-legged frogs will be able to recover the the rapid decrease they currently face?

2. Will the tadpoles be able to build a strong enough immune system to defend themselves against chytridiomycosis?

3. Why is it bad to bring the trout into the lakes up in the Sierra Nevada mountains?

4. How many years would it take to make the frogs recover from the decrease in population?

By Katie Abraham

Cockroach Brains, Coming to a Pharmacy Near You

By Rachel Ehrenberg

October 9th, 2010; Vol.178 #8 (p.14)

Science News

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/63286/title/Cockroach_brains%2C_coming_to_a_pharmacy_near_you

Summary

There has been a new search by Simon Lee and Naveed Khan who are microbiologists reported at the Society for General  Microbiology meeting at the University of Nottingham in England on September 7th; that the brains of cockroaches and locusts can prevent humans from infectious diseases. It finds that the brains contain antimicrobial compounds that kills harmful E.coli and MRSA. Simon Lee discovered that the extracts of ground-up brain and nerve tissue from Periplaneta americana (American cockroach) , and Schistocerca gregaria (desert locust) killed more than 90 percent of bacteria that causes meningitis and also killed methicillin-resistant staph. Cockroaches and locusts are insects that live in unsanitary areas and it led the scientists to think how they managed such environment that is filled with bacteria and other harmful organisms like parasites.

How were they interested in this research? They were fascinated of insect microbials when they noticed soldiers from Middle East with unusual infectious diseases however the locusts that were in the same area were not affected by it. This made the scientists curious of how the insects were able to be unaffected.

E. Coli

What did they do to prove this? Kahn and Lee and their colleagues grounded up various body parts of both cockroaches and locuts and kept them incubated with different bacteria for two hours. After having the petri dishes left overnight, they were able to find that the extracts of the body parts killed nearly 100 percent of the bacteria successfully.

The team is still working on further studies of the insects' body compounds to see if other parts are beneficial to us humans. They predict that it might be used as medication later in the future.

Opinion

As unsanitary as it may sound, I think this would be one of advances that scientists will find as humans become more educated and if more technologies become available. It is a great idea because it can fight off infectious diseases such as menigitis and skin irritation from MRSA. I am not sure if I would want to consume a bug that I despise the most for my health. However, if this is the only option I have to vaccinate myself from possible bacteria entering my body, then I guess I would make the choice to take it. I don't know if people would be willing to try because cockroaches and locusts are from unsanitary areas. Also I think the scientists were very eager and thoughtful to even think about studying such small animals and to go through their body parts to see if they would be any help to us humans.

Questions

1. If you had the bacteria like E.coli in your body, would you be willing to try this cockroach brain "medication"? Why or why not? Explain.

2. Referring back to what we learned in class, do you think the ability of cockroaches to fight off certain bacteria helped them to live longer than most organisms? Explain.

3. There are a lot of medical discoveries that weren't discovered until our time, what kinds of new discoveries in medicine can you predict that people will find?

By Jenny Kim

80 Pilot Whales Stranded on New Zealand Beach

David Defranza

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/09/80-pilot-whales-stranded-on-new-zealand-beach.php

Blog Entry By: Matt Bernanke

Summary

On a small beach in New Zealand, 80 Pilot Whales are lying on the shore. The whales are stranded and conservationalists and volunteers are doing all that they can to keep these whale alive. Severe wind and water conditions prevent them from pushing the whales back into the saftey of the water. Until the harsh conditions pass, the whales will be moved to a small protected inlet a little way down the beach. Unfortuanately for some of the whales the wait to be relocated was too long. Only 24 whale were able to be moved to the inlet safely. About 25 whales wer dead by the time researchers arrived and 15 died after they arrived. Being a very social species of whale, the Pilot whales usually tend to try to help stranded members of their pod, which leads to beachings. Less than a month ago, 50 whales were stranded near the New Zealand beach and in 2007, 101 whales were stranded on the very same beach. Scientists are unsure of what causes the strandings to be so high in numbers.

Response

I feel very bad about what is happening to this certain species of whales. They just try to help their podmates and end up stranded and sometimes dead as a result. It is very disturbing that, the waves and wind prevetn their return to the ocean. The very thing that keeps them alive is causing a lot of their deaths. I wonder why there are so many whales that tend to get stranded as opposed to just one or two.

Questions

1) Why do you think that their are such high numbers of stranded whales when this occurs?

2) How else do you think conservationalists and scientists could help the whales.

3)How will the death of these whales affect the other organisms in the biome where they live?

Walrus Again Forced to Flee Melting Arctic Sea Ice

From: Thomas Schueneman

Published September 17th, 2010.

Copyright 2010 Global Warming Is Real

http://www.globalwarmingisreal.com/blog/2010/09/16/walrus-again-forced-to-flee-melting-arctic-sea-ice/

Summary

The Walruses are being pushed off the Arctic sea. The sea ice is too low for them. This is the third time in four years that the Walruses are in the land. They are supposed to be in the Chukchi sea where they usually are. The National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado says that since the seasonal sea ice melt began, this year is the third lowest Arctic sea ice and this is making the trend go on for ice free summer. The record shows that the warmest years are 1998 and 2010. Many marine mammals are being affected. US Geological Survey reported that many Walruses, up to 20,000, are on Point Lay, Alaska and they are having hard time finding food. The Wildlife experts said that when the Walruses are scared, they might start a stampede that could kill the young Walruses. Bruce Woods from the US Fish and Wildlife regional office in Alaska said, "Our biggest concern right now is stampeding. That's the big risk posed to these animals." Adult female weighs a ton and the worries there, again, are the youngs. A year before, 131 Walruses were crushed by a stampede where the Walruses were retreating from the ice. Most of them were young Walruses. To evade the danger of a stampede, a buffer zone was made so the ships and the planes would be a half of mile away from there. The FWS is considering to protect the Walreses under the Endangered Species Act. They will decide by January 2011.



Opinion/Reflection

I think that it is horrible that there is a huge human impact on the Walruses. I wish I can help them because it is our fault that they are losing their home. How would you feel if someone destroyed your home? I would feel terrible. Where will the Walruses go if Alaska melts down? Probably to land or they will be endangered or will get extinct. Not many people remembered about the mammals in the Arctic because of the big news over the oil spill. I believe that the marine mammals need more attention than now to get the Global Warming under control. Hopefully, the Walruses would be able to go under the Endangered Species Act.

Questions

1) What can we do to save and protect the Walruses?

2) Would the Walruses adapt to Alaska well or would they not adapt?

3) How come not a lot of people know about this news?

4) Who will be affected by the Walruses coming to Alaska?

5) What other species are having trouble with the ice melting in the Arctic?

By James Jung

"Why the Gulf Oil Spill Isn't Going Away" By: Joel K. Bourne, Jr. for National Geographic News, Published September, 15 2010. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/100915-gulf-oil-spill-bp-top-kill-science-environment/

Summary:

The Gulf oil spill was the worst oil spill to U.S. waters. BP is planning to stop the damage this week. The discovery of the widespread oil on the sea floor suggests that this problem has just gotten started. In early August government thought that the oil spill was more than 3 quarters of the way gone. Turns out that it wasn't. There is layers of oil on the ocean floor. In some places the oil was up to 2 inches thick. In a core sample the oil was covering dead organisms like shrimp and marine worms. They are ignoring the methane gas that comes with the oil because it is less toxic than the oil and breaks down faster. The oxygen level has to stay high so it is easier for the microbes to break down the oil. The oil has spread up to the west Florida shelf. It has gotten in the spawning area of commercial fish. This oil is thought to be from the oil spill. There is only a little bit of oil in this area. Most of the gases in this area are gone. This oil is still toxic to tiny microscopic plants called phytoplankton and bacteria. The oil may be causing the bacteria to mutate. This oil spill isn't that bad, it hasn't killed as much sea life as in past oil spills. Only over a thousand turtles, 70 marine mammals, and 4,000 birds have died. The wind and currents keep most of the oil away from the critical wetlands. Most of the seafood from the gulf is still okay to eat. It is the long term effects of the oil spill that are still a worrisome.

Opinion/Reflection:

I think it is important for the government to get this oil spill under control. It is a shame that there is so much oil on the bottom of the ocean. I feel bad for al the animals in the ocean that have to deal with the oil. It also stinks how many animals died due to the oil spill. One thing though that is good is that the seafood that people eat is still healthy to eat. I really hope that they get this oil situation under control so that the ocean stays clean and healthy.

Questions:

1. How long do you think it will take to get this oil spill under control?

2. How many marine mammals died from the oil spill?

3. Why do you think this oil spill is such a huge problem to the United States?

Discovering Chocolate

"Rival Candy Projects Both Parse Cocoa’s DNA"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/business/15chocolate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

From: Andrew Pollack, New York Times

Published September 15, 2010

2010. Copyright New York Times

Summary

Could you imagine chocolate tasting even better than it is right now? How about if it was healthy? Scientists are very close to finishing the DNA sequence of the tree that makes the cocoa bean. Once they can finish the sequence, they can then alternate it so it can be an even better chocolate.

There are two rival companies who want to claim the credit for this almost finished discovery. The chocolate company Mars, known for Snickers, Milky Ways, and M&M's, and Pennsylvania State University.

Mars should broadcast soon that the $10 million dollars that was funded into the five year plan for sequencing the DNA has helped all the essential work to be done. The raw sequence of the genome for the cocoa tree is complete. Pennsylvania State University draws attention away by saying that they completed the sequence, but will keep it top secret until the papers examining the DNA is published in the scientific journal. Mars is planning on sharing this information freely to the public. Their goal was that everyone could have access to the data without having to be limited on what they can know. The catch is that by using the research, they cannot patent anything. Pennsylvania State University plans on make the research free soon, and will not have any catches on the data patenting.

What everyone can agree on is that the cocoa tree will be stronger than ever. The new tree has potential to be stronger than the diseases that previously wiped it out. It is also expected that there can be four times as much production. For those who grew the cocoa trees from income, this will benefit them too. Plus, some scientists are genetically trying to make a chocolate that contains more flavonoids, which could make chocolate healthier and better tasting. Whoever finds the better, stronger chocolate, the farmers, the companies, and the chocolate lovers will get a new experience with a new type of chocolate.

Opinion/Reflection

I didn't know that you could alter cocoa beans to make a different chocolate! A better tasting chocolate? Sounds great! A healthy chocolate? I can't wait! This would attract people into buying chocolate more since it is less fattening, and the demand wouldn't be bad because it is an option that they could make the cocoa bean produce up to four times what it does now. That is the profit for everyone! People get their chocolate, companies make money, and the farmers receive more income. This is a win-win-win situation. If only they could make it fast enough.

Questions

1. Why would it matter who gets the credit if every has access to the information?
2. What company could profit more from the discovery?
3. How soon should they be making the new type of chocolate?
4. How would the public react to a new type of chocolate?
5. Which type of chocolate would be better? New or old?

By Katie Abraham

-->: Water Pollution

-->: Water Pollution: "'Toxic Algae Killing Sea Otters'http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/41767 From: David A Gabel, ENN Published September 13, 2010 11:06 AM 2..."

I think that they should care more about the problem of the algae toxin in the ocean. The sea otters shouldn't have to be affected by this problem. They don't deserve to die. They need to help save the sea otters so they don't become extinct.
1. Humans can be affected by this problem because if they eat shellfish that comes from the mouth of rivers and is collected on rainy days, they can be exposed to the toxin and develope liver cancer. Also they could develope this from drinking water from certain lakes like Pinto.

Water Pollution

"Toxic Algae Killing Sea Otters"

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/41767
From: David A Gabel, ENN
Published September 13, 2010 11:06 AM

2009. Copyright Environmental News Network

Summary

There has been a lot of pollutions going around the world, and water pollution is one of the most harmful pollution there is. For example, recently there was the oil spill which polluted the Gulf of Mexico and killed all living animals in the area. However, a group of sea otters were killed in the coast off of California.

What caused this tragedy for these poor animals? Toxin. This toxin was produced by the blue-green algae scientifically known as cyanobacteria. In a journal called "PLoS ONE." there was a report by the California Department of Fish and Game and the University of California that there were over 21 deaths of sea otters recorded because of flowing toxic chemicals in the ocean.

According to co-author Tim Tinker, "These findings also show the value in closely monitoring sentinel species like sea otters as a way to detect and understand threats to coastal oceans."

Blue-algae is not very friendly with any living things because it blocks light from reaching the bottom of the water and take the oxygen from the water. If there is no oxygen, there is no way ocean living animals could survive. Researchers recently found another particular algae called Microcystis which also releases a deadly toxin. This toxin can damage body tissue, fatal to living things, and cause acute liver failure. These listed symptoms were able to be seen from the sea otters. Melissa Miller who was in charge of this research began finding dead sea otters in 2007 when they washed up on the shore of Monterey Bay. Since the toxin came from Microcystis, it lead the group of researchers to track Pinto Lake in Watsonville which was a lake with Microcystis blooms. This body water of washed out into the Monterey Bay which might have caused the otters to die fatally.

How did it get to sea otters? This toxin is eaten by animals such as mussels, oysters, crabs, and clams. These creatures are then eaten by sea otters in which they consume the toxin that their prey had eaten before.  This event contributed the decline of sea otters population in California.

Can humans be affected by this? Yes. Researchers show that humans are at risk if they choose eat shellfish that are picked up from mouths of rivers and collected during rainy days. Drinking water from lakes like Pinto is not a good idea either. If there is any kind of exposure to the toxin, there is a possibility of developing liver cancer.

Opinion / Reflection

I didn't even care about sea otters or even other animals in the ocean until I read this article. I thought they would be okay living in the ocean since I didn't hear any news of them recently. I couldn't believe how water pollution can get this big. Even if it started as a Microcystis blooms, it flowed down to river and out into the ocean and just like that the sea otters were killed. It's upsetting to know how the animals have to suffer without knowing the cause of it and I believe that there should be something to prevent events like this happen in the future. From now on, I'm going to be careful of what I throw away and check if there is any toxin in it because it can possilby be flowing in the ocean. Also I will not litter trash and protect people and pets from drinking outside, unfiltered water to protect them from any diseases. In my opinion, the ocean life should be taken care of with more responsibility and research all the things that might put animals in danger. Why is this article important? Because it shows that the humans in this world are not looking after their world and we need to improve in preserving our ecosystems to protect the animals and ourselves from harm.

Questions

1. 
   
   How can we be affected by this?
2. 
   
   Shouldn't there be a ban on growing those Microcystis blooms to prevent any toxins being released?
3. 
   
   What could people have done in the first place?
4. 
   
   Are there other animals in the world that are environmentally troubled?
5. 
   
   Is there anyway I can reduce water pollution in our world?

Written by Jenny Kim