"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