Rat Applies Poison for Defense

Justin C. -- There is one mammal that is very unique from others. It is the only mammal other then humans to use poison that they did not make themselves. This mammal is the African Crested rat. It uses the poison from the bark of Acokanthera tree; it does this for self defense against predators. The rat firsts chews some of the bark then mixes it with its saliva and puts it on its fur. The rat’s fur is extremely absorbent; its fur has very tiny holes that absorb the poison.

            I found this was a very interesting article. The fact that a animal such as a rat can be smart enough to use a trees poison for defense. I think that this article really showed that animals are not as dumb as people portray them as. The strengths of this article were the good facts on the African Crested Rat. The weaknesses were the repetition of some of the facts. I think the rats fur is one of the most interesting adaption’s I have read or heard about.

Link:  Rat Applies Poison for Defense

What Steers Vampire Bats to Blood: Heat Detecting Molecules on Nose Discovered

Laura E. -- How do bats know where to tear through an animals skin with their razor-sharp teeth? Is it with their incredible eyesight? NO! Scientists have recently discovered that it's their sensitive, heat-detecting molecule covering nerve endings on their nose called "TRPV1". Since vampire bats feed on blood, it's helpful for them to have an infrared detector to help them find the circulation.It turns out that now scientist and pharmacists want to use the "TRPV1" for pain medication!


I thought the article was pretty interesting, but nothing too fascinating. I wish they talked more kinds of bats, and if they have heat sensors in their noses! But overall, it was pretty cool. I didn't know that vampire bats had specific places that they need to bite to get the proper blood, and I also didnt know that they knew how to find those specific places. I also think it's pretty darn crazy that they're now using the "TPV1" for pain medication. Next time I'm prescribed pain medication, I'm checking the label!


Link:  What Steers Vampire Bats to Blood

The flight of the bumble bee: Why are they disappearing?

Alex A. -- Bumble bees are very widespread and are used to pollinate many things, but in the 1990’s they started dying off and scientists couldn’t figure out why or how to fix it. Scientists have begun studying other types of bees in order to try and compensate for the dying off bumble bees. The first candidate they found was located in the Midwest and eastern parts if the U.S. and Canada, but many feared that putting that type of bee into the western region would go awry because all the bees would be fighting for supplies.  Also they were afraid that this type of bee would bring pathogens to the western bees that they were ill equipped to battle. They found a bee native to the west that could pollinate greenhouses located there, and are furthermore investigating that type of bee now.

                I really liked this article because I think bees are really cute. But I also liked learning about what bees actually do for our society. I enjoyed learning about how there are so many different types of bees for different regions because I always thought that there was only one type. I learned about how even simple things such as bees can do so much for our ecosystem by pollinating everything and helping stuff grow. I also learned that even bees if put into a bad situation will end up fighting each other or another bee hive for food and water and other necessities. I think people would benefit from this because not everyone sees the real beauty of bees and how they work together so easily. The reader most likely thinks of bees as just annoying scary things that buzz around and are yellow, I used to be one, but now I really see clearly how interesting and helpful they really are.

Link:  Flight of the bumblebee: Why are they disappearing?

Artificial Skin Made From Spider Silk

Kiara G. -- Hanna Wendt, A tissue engineer of Germany has found a new material to use for burn victims that need new skin. The new skin can be developed by spider dragline silk. Spider dragline silk is 5 times stronger then collagen, which is the most common used material to make innovative skin.“ Spider silk displays excellent mechanical features,”. Though spider silk is a great material to use, its not realistic to use due to a low abundance of it.

Spider dragline silk seems like it could be a new advancement for the future. Just think of how engineers can use it to build people new arms, toes or fingers. It is a coincidence that this article has come out because just recently a victim who was attacked by a chimpanzee a couple of years ago was seen with a new transplanted face. It has not been said what kind of material was used but it would be very amazing if the dragline silk was used to reconstruct her face. It seems that nature has cures for all of our medical problems and we just have to look for them.

Link:  Artificial Skin Made From Spider Silk

Pregnant Fossil Proves Live Birth for Sea Reptile

Arianna K. -- Scientist recently discovered the fossils of a huge fetus within the remains of a 78-million-year-old plesiosaur. The fossil shows that the plesiosaur had given birth to a single live baby. The female plesiosaur is 15.4 feet long. Plesiosaurs were the top predators during the time dinosaurs walked the earth. This is the first fossil where scientists can clearly tell what the gender is. The article shows that even millions of years ago organisms gave birth to live offspring. Show that life was good for the plesiosaurs.

I find the article interesting that dinosaurs could give birth to live offspring. I believed that all dinosaurs laid eggs. If organisms can give live birth 78-milliom-years ago with organisms still be able to thousands of years later form today. This helps us better understand our former earthlings. This information could help scientist understand dinosaurs in a better way. I wonder what other kinds of dinosaurs have live offspring. This shows that it maybe necessary for large aquatic organisms to have large offspring instead of laying eggs.


Link:  Pregnant Fossil Proves Live Birth for Sea Reptile

China and the rise of the driverless car

Antonio W. -- China Daily recently announced that a car with no driver and no GPS has managed to travel 286 km (app. 177 m). It did so over the course of three hours and twenty minutes, traveling on a busy highway between Changsha and Wuhan, capitals of Chinese provinces Hunan and Hubei. The car is called the Hongqui HQ3, and is currently under development by the National University of Defense Technology.

It uses video cameras, laser range detectors, and radar to keep the vehicle from crashing or turning into the wrong lane. Unfortunately, due to the fact that most of it is visual information, night tests and fog tests did not turn out as well. Its average reaction time is 40ms, compared to 500ms of that of the average human. They are now continuing the project with China's First Auto Works to make a better, perhaps commercial version.

I also read in the article that Google had mad a GPS self driving car, and now that technology has finally gotten to this level, I see much laziness in our future. Of course, it is a bit frightening to see life being taken over this much, but its been done successfully before, it will probably work again (introducing new tech). Eventually, I assume that the GPS and the sensory methods will combine at some point to a larger scale. Almost everything is becoming automated, and even China has managed to catch up. Glitches will still happen, and whatnot, but I still feel comfortable with going human for just a bit longer. If it escalates too far, than we will all have to go around with EMPs in our hands when walking the streets just to not get run over. But that is at least 200 years from now (I think), so I'll support it til then. Soon, we will all have the fully automated car, and it will be slightly less dangerous.  It shall become the medium of transportation.

Link:  China and the rise of the driverless car

Really? The Claim: For Better Hydration, Drink Coconut Water

Toyosi O. -- As the days get hotter, many people have been reaching for coconut water. This liquid substance, once very uncommon, has gained popularity because it has many natural electrolytes. Coconut water contains an important electrolyte, sodium that is lost after sweating. Not all coconut water is made equal though. Scientist have compared different coconut water brands and noticed that most had less sodium then they claimed to have, and less sodium that a regular sports drink. Scientists did another study comparing the hydration levels from water, regular coconut water or sodium enriched coconut water and a sports drink. Researchers had subjects run for 90 minutes and them gave them one of the drinks mentioned before within a 2-hour time span. Even though all of the subjects claimed to be “Somewhat dehydrated”, researchers noted that the sodium enriched coconut water worked equally as well as the sports drink. In conclusion, scientists were able to determine that if a drink has enough sodium than it can hydrate as well as a sport drink.

I found this article very interesting for many reasons. One reason is because salt actually dries out things yet hydrates the body better than plain water? I guess it does make some sense because salt absorbs water, and if it’s in your body it will absorb all the fluids. I’ve heard that coconut water is super hydrating and good but really its equal or even less as good as a sport drink such as Gatorade. I think that the main reason coconut water has become popular is because it sounds much healthier that PowerAde or Gatorade. You always hear people say that Gatorade has too much salt and that it’s bad, but in reality that’s what makes it good for you!

Link:  For Better Hydration, Drink Coconut Water

Artificial lung mimics real organ's design and efficiency

Megan C. -- There are over 200 million lung diseased people all over the globe waiting for a transplant. Scientists have come up with an artificial lung, which works and is the proportions of an actual living lung. It will take years for the devise to be used in humans and made mobile. It will be able to use plain air instead of pure oxygen. As of right now, the lung must be hooked up to a machine and uses tanks of oxygen and only works for a few days. However, one day it will work just like the lungs inside of people now.

I really hope this will be able to help people, even if by the time it works I’m really old. It doesn’t interest me that much, but I’m sure to millions of people with lung disease can wait for it to be an option for them. Even though it’s not my thing, I still think it’s pretty cool that scientists are now able to recreate an organ in the human body.

Link:  Artificial lung mimics real organ's design and efficiency

Who's To Blame For Anorexic Children?

Peter D. -- In this article it talks about how that models and barbie dolls are not the cause of Anorexic kids. anorexia is caused by a very rare and it is not contagous. people thought that the movie black swan would cause the anorexia rates to go up, but the rates didnt go up at all after the movie was out.In fact the rates of girls with anorexia went down. a survery showed that most girls think themselves as pretty.

I think this is a great thing to figure out so we narrow down the causes of anorexia. At first i thought that anorexia was a choice in your life, but now I know it is a serious diaease that is very dangorous and deadly. This article makes me want to help the people with anorexia. I hope they find a cure for it some time in the near future.

Link:  Who's To Blame For Anorexic Children?

Trojan Asteroid Discovered Stalking Earth

Adrianna H. -- Astronomers have discovered the first Trojan asteroid sharing Earth's orbit around the sun. Trojans are asteroids locked in stable orbits by a gravitational balancing act between a planet and the sun. Scientists led by Martin Connors from Athabasca University in Canada suspected they may also be in stable positions orbiting with the Earth. WISE looked at the infrared light coming from all over the sky and was particularly good at detecting asteroids, finding about 150,000 of them, including 500 which come near the Earth. By examining the orbits of these objects in the WISE data, Connors and colleagues identified a small asteroid called 2010 TK7 as a probable Earth Trojan. The researchers then used ground-based telescopes to confirm the sighting, calculating that it's been in a stable orbit with Earth for more than 10,000 years.

Different sciencetist and astronomers have figured out that Trojan Asteroids share earths orbit. The asteroids are very bright red. Hopefully sciencetist will able to learn more about it. 2010 TK7 but they haven figured out how to build a rocket that would stay stable. Technology is so advanced that they can see all the activity going on the orbit. I think in the future they will come up with a special telescope that can see everything on the asteroid. I think this discovery will help with future study on asteroids.

Link:  Trojan Asteroid Discovered Stalking Earth

Heat Sensors Help Vampire Bat Find Meals

Julianne C. -- Vampire bats, infamously known in folklore, are also well known for their hunting tactics. Everyone knows that Vampire bats suck the blood of their prey (Usually cattle and livestock), but there are less widely known facts of how they find their prey. Many people can distinguish that bats use Sonar Frequency when hunting. Sonar frequency, also known as Echolocation and biosonar, is a process of hunting that includes sending out a sort of echo and listening very intensely for the sound that rebounds back. Not only bats do this, but also a type of whale and few different types of bird. However, newer studies have shown that Vampire bats don’t just use these methods to track their prey. Researchers are now reporting that the bats use a type of heat-sensing molecule in the nerve endings of their noses. These heat detecting molecules search for the blood flow in the prey, so that the bats can get a good meal.  Studies have also shown that these nerves are similar to ones that humans have, a pain sensing molecule on the eyes, mouth and nose that detects the heat from chili peppers. Other animals have been shown to have similar molecules to these, modified in ways that benefit the animal and it’s lifestyle.

It was very surprising to me to see that animals can have a kind of heat-sensor. What shocked me even more was the fact that we humans have a similar kind of molecule, however one that detects spicy food. I never knew that bats could detect blood flow this way, as I’m sure many people don’t yet, and it amazes me how much we have to learn about each different creature. Studies like these are great, because they show just how much we relate to animals, and also how complex each animal is. These sensors that the bats have are just another way to help them get nutrients and survive longer.  I thought this article was very interesting and I hope it inspires people to think about all the little but important “features” that animals have to survive. I also hope it makes people wonder more about what we don’t know about animals. I learned something about bats that I never would have guessed, and I even learned a bit about myself! (Being a human, as I am). I hope this makes people realize just how complex every animal is.

Link:  Heat Sensors Help Vampire Bat Find Meals

Darkest Known Exoplanet: Alien World Is Blacker Than Coal

Patrick F. -- Recent work by astronomers has led to the discovery of the darkest known exoplanet. TrES-2b, a Jupiter sized gas planet, reflects less than one percent of all light. The cause of this level of light reflection is believed to be due to  TrES-2b's unusual lack of ammonia clouds, the feature that gives Jupiter its brighter quality. At only five million kilometers from the planet's star,  TrES-2b's heat is over 1000 degrees Celcius making it far to hot for the formation of ammonia clouds. Despite this unique condition, astronomers are still uncertain what is responsible for making the planet so extraordinarily dark. After more observation, astronomers conclude that  TrES-2b, like Earth's moon, is tidally locked in its orbit and so only has one side continually facing its star. Even more unique, evidence supports an almost negligible level of reflectivity inherent in  TrES-2b's surface, a trait not yet discovered within any known planetary system.

            These discoveries will go a long way in providing conclusive evidence on the variability of planets. Data from planets with a similar, yet less extreme, level of luminescence, will allow astronomers to learn more about the chemical compounds that produce this phenomenon. From there, discoveries may be made about the conditions necessary for such a unique planetary quality to form. To begin this search, the astronomers who discovered  TrES-2b are conducting searches among over 1,200 planetary candidates in search for those with similar qualities as this extraordinarily dark exoplanet.


Link:  Darkest Known Exoplanet

New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

Sean C. -- A new drug is being developed in the ongoing battle with sickness, this drug will target viruses, something that used to be extremely difficult to do. So far its been tested against 15 different viruses from H1N1 to a simple stomach virus and has successfully neutralized all of them. In the past there have been a few medicines able to cause difficulty for a few specific viruses, in short the majority of viruses have been almost untouchable by medicine. When viruses infect a cell they inject double stranded RNA into it, which is not found naturally in any human or animal cell. The new drug, named DRACO (Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizers) works by targeting cells with these double stranded RNA in them and then causing them to self destruct. This means that in theory this medicine could stop most viral infections. so far it has only been tested on mice but has proven extremely effective and has yet to show adverse side effects.

If these claims are true then this will be one of the largest medicinal breakthroughs ever! Everything from the common cold to A.I.D.S. is a virus and theoretically this can stop any virus. the only possible side effect i can think off is that if the virus is infecting to many cells then causing those many cells to self destruct could do harm, but then again a dead cell is probably better then a virus infected one. If/when this becomes commercially available and mass produced what will the costs be?  How long will the drug take to work and  how long will it stay in your system? How difficult will it be for viruses to adapt to this new drug, and how might we change the drug to make it work again? My expertise in these fields are very limited so i can not judge if what the article says is feasible or not but if it is that would be very cool.

Link: New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

Britain's rarest spider movies to new home

Taryn R. -- Britain's ladybird spider is being moved in a plastic bottle by the RSPB. The ladybird spider is known for the unique markings on the males. They were almost extinct in the UK in the mid 1990s. More than 90% of their habitat has suffered due to agriculture and development. Scientist came up with bottles filled with heather and moss to serve as the spiders' homes being transferred. A ladybird spider is caught and put inside of one of these bottles where it settles in and makes a web. The bottles are then buried (the opening is not covered) at Arne so the spiders colonise the area. They spend most of their time underground where they decorate their webs with the remains of beetles and other prey they've eaten.

 

I think it is great attention came to this and the spiders got help because they are so beautiful. It would be a shame if they were gone forever. Spiders (and arachnids in general) facinate me in so many ways - that is why I knew from glancing at the picture of a ladybird spider that this article was perfect for this assignment. Though there are many spiders out there, the absence of this species would have affected nature and humans. I hope to use spiders again for my next article review.

Link:  Britain's rarest spider moves to new home

Are cancers newly evolved species?

Guilian F. -- This article mostly talked about how cancer might be a newly evolved species. Its tells us that Cancer is an organism the depends on it's host for food. But otherwise operates independently. It doesn't depend on other cells for survival. It doesn't follow orders like other cells in the body, and it can grow where, when and how it likes, that’s what species are all about. To quote a sentence from the article: "The disrupted chromosomes of newly evolved cancers are visible in a microscope," witch means that it may be possible to detect cancers earlier. It also talked about how many great scientists have had theories about cancer being a living organism but have just recently made a breakthrough. Chromosomal disruption, called aneuploidy, is known to cause disease like Down syndrome. The scientist on the project, Duesberg, hopes that the carcinogen sis-equals-speciation theory will spur new approaches to diagnosing and treating cancer.

To me this is pretty scary stuff. To just have to deal with the fact that you have cancer and might die is supper frightening. But to know that its actually a living thing trying to kill you is kind of depressing. But I am glad that the scientist, Duesberg, has found more information about this subject. For many years cancer has been a disease that we have not yet found a cure for, but maybe this information can help us discover more in the future.

Link:  Are cancers newly evolved species?

Scientists copy the ways viruses deliver genes

Grayson H. -- In essence, the article details researchers and biologist’s newfound method for gene therapy directly with cells, by using traits found commonly with viruses. This new method is in fact a model peptide sequence, dubbed GeT, or genetic transport, designed to wrap around the cell and help genes escape, a mechanism that mimics that of viruses. What this means is that scientists can now target specific cell responsible for harboring infected or mutated DNA, and essentially leak out such things where the no longer adversely affect the cell, or help better deliver antibacterial and other antibodies into cells they need to clean up.

This is interesting in that now many adversely affected cells can receive a sort of therapy without stopping the helper short of the nucleus. This could help in developing intercellular cures for cancer or HIV, cells not easily discerned by other cells or combated by other cells. This greatly increases the ability to be more interconnected with genes as well, or rather an ability to better get things we control in and out of cells, thus better understanding them.

Link:  Scientists copy the ways viruses deliver genes

New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

Marley R. -- A team of researchers at MIT have designed a broad drug that could possibly treat multiple viral infections. It targets RNA that has been infected by a virus. The plan was for it to work on every virus, even new outbreaks occurring after the development of the drug. The treatment works by utilizing the proteins that latch onto the double-stranded RNA produced by viruses, and apoptosis (programmed cell suicide when a cell is deemed dangerous). It seeks the dsRNA and latches onto one end. Once it is connected, it sends out a signal to begin apoptosis. The drug will not harm any non-viral cells, as it has a special tag specifically for the viral RNA. It can harmlessly cross cell membranes until it encounters a viral cell that needs to be dealt with. Testing in mice showed no toxicity, so researchers hope to move to larger animals, and eventually clinical trials.

This approach seems pretty feasible. Most things we try against viruses cause eventual resistance on the part of the virus, but I can’t think of any way to develop a resistance against destroying the dsRNA. At first glance, the plan seems like it would work really well. Destroying just the RNA produced by viruses to get rid of the viral infection sounds like a simple enough plan. But what if there was an infection that was in so many cells that the “cell suicide” caused too much damage for the person to survive? We won’t really know if the drug has any major problems until we start full-scale trials. As far as the theory behind it though, it sounds great. Medical research is so cool!

Link:  New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

HIV Drug Might Fight Cancer

Katie A. -- In 2007, it was discovered that a drug used to treat HIV also has properties that seem to kill cancer cells. Clinical trials were set into motion to evaluate the best dosage for cancer patients to receive this new medicine in. Experiments were set up with mice and 60 different types of human cancer cells, and it was found that three of the drugs from the HIV medication blocked the growth of the cancer cells. The most effective medication, Nelfinavir, showed evidence that it could be used to treat even cancer cells that were resistant to radiation and common chemotherapy drugs. Assuming that the toxicity levels in Nelfinavir are tolerable in humans, and it can be proven to be combative toward cancer within humans instead of merely isolated cells, it will be added to the repertoire of medications for dealing with cancer.

            I thought this article was interesting because it shows us a way to get two positive results from one medicine. This means that we would have to worry less about the ways that medicines conflict with each other in patients who have both diseases. A newer article would be better, because the ideas discussed in this one may have already happened, but over all it is an interesting topic. The information is useful because it offers specifics on the types of cells the medicine was tested on, along with details about the process used to collect the data.

Link:  HIV Drug Might Fight Cancer

The flight of the bumble bee: Why are they disappearing?

Rachel T. -- Over the past couple of years, scientists have discovered that the population of bumble bees (Bombus occidentalis) has decreased because of a series of diseases. These bees, plus a few others, are essential pollinators of the vegetation world. Entomologist James Strange has been working to find solutions to this alarming problem. Strange and his team have discovered a another species of bees (Bombus impatiens), originating in the Western United States and Canada, that might work as a substitute for the bumble bees in the process of pollinating our world. Although this might help the vegetation, scientists are worried that these bees not native to their new region might compete with the native bees for food and other resources. Along with these suspicions, the new pollinator might carry with them diseases or pathogens that the native bees are not prepared to fight against. Strange is also working to find a way to commercialize these new bees after he can rear the bees in the lab. A database has even been started to inform the public on the more than 80,000 bee specimens representing 10 species throughout the country.

I really enjoyed this article because it reminded me of the Bee Movie. :) This article also made me more aware of the tiny pollinators all around me that make our planet so green and lush. I know now that even though those insects scare me, that they are really just trying to make earth lovely. Or, they might just want to get whatever nutrients they need to live by pollinating and it has absolutely nothing to do with us. However, I think that this article actually does ties in to Biology, because it tell us how we are affected b y the other species on this earth that we live on, which I think is something that most of us don’t really think about on a regular basis :).

Link:  The flight of the bumblebee: Why are they disappearing?

Did Dinosaurs Hibernate?

Bethany Q. --    Dinosaurs have been known to this world before humans came along. We have always considered dinosaurs to be reptiles and cold blooded. But since they're cold blooded they hibernate right? Dinosaurs once lived all over the world back when the continents that we know today were all together. Some dinosaurs lived in Australia, but since the continents were connected Australia was very close to Antarctica. So there habitat was freezing. And of course since they are cold blooded they must have hibernated. Researchers were also very curious about how the dinosaurs were able to survive such harsh weather. And the only real way to know was to go where the dinosaurs lived, Australia. One way scientist were able to tell if the dinosaurs were hibernating was by studying the rings in the dinosaurs bones. Those rings indicated that the bones had stopped growing. And when animals hibernate their bones stop growing. When scientist looked at the bones, all but one had rings. So the theory was incorrect. So how did they survive?


I was really fascinated with this article because I think dinosaurs are very interesting and I thought I would learn a lot about how they lived. This article was very useful because I bet a lot of people just assumed that they hibernated, I thought that too. But it felt good to find out some new and shocking information. I'm not sure if I agree or disagree because it just makes so much since that if they are cold blooded and are living in a cold environment they should be hibernating. But when the article stated that all of the bones had rings except for one I got confused because, does just one dinosaur change the whole theory? I mean, maybe something was genetically wrong with that dinosaur. But hey, I'm not a paleontologist.

Link:  Did Dinosaurs Hibernate?

Smart Skin

Joey A. -- Engineers around the world have discovered a way to access personal info like medical diagnostics through an thin patch that mounts on the skin that moves with the flexibility of a temporary tattoo. The way they are applied to your skin is also quite like a temporary tattoo. They put the patch on a thin piece of water soluble plastic, then stick it to the skin. The engineers who came up with this idea believe that this is the wearable technology of the future. Unlike past technology of the future, there's no need for any kind of adhesive, to make sure it stays on the skin. With this new development, it stays on the skin permanently. There isn't just one way to use this new innovation, though. You can also control video games and such with it, too. One day engineers hope to use this far more.

I picked this article because the title sounded really cool, and I wanted to know more about this subject. Personally, I think this is a really clever idea, and it makes a lot of sense. It would be so much easier to do things. You wouldn't have to go back and have to access all of your files, instead you could have everything you would need on your body. I could see how it could be dangerous, though, too. At any moment, someone could locate the patch on your body, and boom! That person would have all of your information.

Link:  Smart Skin: Electronics That Stick and Stretch Like a Temporary Tattoo

Baby Gorilla Found In Jail With Poachers

Addison B. -- Poachers were found attempting to smuggle a baby gorilla one Sunday night from the democratic republic of Congo to Rwanda. No one knows exactly how the baby gorilla was found in that situation which left an investigation under way. The gorilla will still have about 30 days before it is well enough, and then will be sent to a national park in Congo. Thankfully the gorilla was saved before anything went wrong. As for the poachers, people believe that there are still others out there able and willing to break laws and hurt the endangerment of the species for money. The good thing is that even though the baby gorilla’s parents were put into danger as well they didn’t get hurt in the process. 

I found this article really interesting because it just proves what people will do for money. Not only will they hurt endangered animals but they will also break the law. I don’t know about you, but that’s just asking to be arrested. I love monkeys and I can’t believe people would do that. I also think that this article proves how much we need to watch out for our wild life before it gets to the pint wear a lot more different species go endangered as well.

Link:  Baby Gorilla Found In Jail With Poachers

The Science of Love

Andrea K. -- This article is about the three stages of love, the first stage being "Lust" which is driven by the sexual hormones, Testosterone (male hormone that develops sexual characteristics) and Oestrogen (female hormone that develops sexual characteristics). Stage two is "Attraction", it's the stage we're people start to think about their lover, all the time. It gets to the point that sometimes people can't even eat or sleep. Stage three is "Attachment" this is the stage to see if the couple could actually commit to a long- term relationship. Two important hormones in this stage are Oxytocin (released during childbirth, and helps make breast milk for the offspring) and Vasopressin (important chemical that plays a role through out the relationship). The article explained a lot about how these hormones work together like a system to create all of the emotions and instincts. These hormones will affect us as we grow older and older and actually start to feel what is called, love.  

 

To me the article was very interesting, i didn't expect science to be so invloved with the feeling of love. In a way, i agree with what the author said. There are probably people out there who go crazy over trying to find love. I was shocked to read in the article that we apparently look for genes that remind us most of our parents, it kind of weirded me out, but the part that really interested me was how we look to find our mates. We look for mates that we feel will have the best looking kids with us. Also, we look for mates we feel we will have the most healthiest offsprings with. We want to have a mates that have all these things because our genes will be passed down generation to generation. I have to say, out of many of the other articles this one really seemed interesting.

Link:  The Science of Love

Chimpanzees Not as Selfish as We Thought

Keke W. -- I guess when they say we have to share it goes a long way. Chimpanzees just like us have empathy to others they can feel the pain of others. That’s why they sometimes don’t mind sharing things that they have with others. This trait is mainly among mammals. A few scientists did a study seven female chimps. The study was to see if they would be selfish and pick the bucket with one certain color which would have gotten themselves food, or would they choose the other one which got food for themselves and a near by champ. The majority of the time they choose the bucket that got food for them and a near by champ.

What really amazes me is that we human beings have so much in common with monkeys and other mammals. Im used to seeing the vicious side if these animals and, im sure if other people read this article they would be surprised, at how empathetic they could be. This shows how a community acts together, helping each other out. Like form and function. The chimps are the form and the function is each other helping out in their way to keep the cycle going.

Link:  Chimpanzees Not as Selfish as We Thought

The Scary Trend of Tweens with Anorexia

Olga C. -- In March 2006, when Michele Walker's 10-year-old daughter decided to quit gymnastics which was a relief for her mother , her mother thought she was a great Gymnast but the problem was that her doughter had been practing 14 -16 hours a day and she always came home with injuries in her ankles and knees . when she quit gymnastics, Shae began to feeel a little bit fat , the girl had gained about a pound or two but she looked healthy and it wasnt really noticable . But that pound or two began to bother Shae. "I'd been around all these older girls at the gym who were always saying things like 'Oh, I'm so fat,' and I started to worry that once I quit gymnastics, I would get fat, too," After six months all the worrying became an obsession , she had began to stop eating sweets , chips, meat ,and dairy all she ate was salad . After she finished her food she would run up to her room and do crunshes and jumping -jacks for two hours streight , She couldn't watch TV without doing push-ups or running on the treadmill at the same time . Her father first thought she was just going into puberty because he never thought that her ten year old doughter would be gong through anerexia but hopfully her parents took her to the doctor were they found out that her body temperature was too low and that she was dehidrated so she had to stay in the hospital for two weeks and got to save their doughter now she has stopped obssesing over her weight and is trying to get used to eating .

i think that girls should love themselves and who they are , they should eat healthy but still try to eat a little bit of fat like ships or maybe go out like 1 every two weeks or once a month maybe but girls should never suffer from their weight , but not just girls , boys should also love themselves . its hard to see teenagers suffer from this sicknes but mostly it breaks my heart to see little kids from seven through ten year old kids suffer from this . its just really sad seeing people suffer from this sicknes and i have also seen people that have died from this and its just sad , my mom had told me that when she was little it was alot different because back them lots of kids were really sinny but kids at school bothered them because they were really skinny and they would tell them to gain a fe pounds because they looked like a stick and it was pretty for them , so its wierd how kids know think they might look prettier if they wear a size 0 .

Link:  The Scary Trend of Tweens with Anorexia

Why Today's Cockroaches Are the Biggest Ever!

Caitlyn D. -- Insects are a lot different than other types of organisms. Most of them breathe through their skin. The reason cockroaches are getting bigger and bigger is because there has been high oxygen levels. This enables the cockroach’s body to think about other things besides breathing, like growing to fit their environment. Well this is what scientists thought, but studies have shown that cockroaches are different. They actually take advantage of high oxygen levels by shrinking their organs so they can use their energy towards different parts of their body. But the question is why they are bigger? More tests were taken and scientists figured out that a cockroach will take two times longer to get to adulthood. Scientists were taken aback and they now have two approaches they want to take, one is to study cockroaches today and the other is to study cockroach fossils from the past. Hopefully scientists will find out this question and figure out all about the advanced insects.

                I thought this was a fairly good written article. I hate cockroaches and even this article made me wan to read more because it has a good cliff hanger and I want to figure out the answer to the question “why are today’s cockroaches bigger than ever?” I also learned a lot about insects that I didn’t know, like that most insects breathe through their skin. I think that is a very smart adaption for insects, it would defiantly get oxygen to the whole body better. I would recommend this article for people that are interest in insects.

Link:  Why Today's Cockroaches Are the Biggest Ever

South Korean scientists create glowing dog

Dakota P. -- The article is about how scientist in South Korea have been able to almost one hundred percent successfully cloned a Beagle. I say almost one hundred percent because the only issue is that when given a doxycicline antibiotic it glows fluorescent green. The dog was created by conducting a somatic nuclear cell transfer and scientist were super excited after their succession. This new form of cloning is going to hopefully be able to help cure certain illnesses and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and many others.

 Honestly I believe that this is an amazing new discovery in the scientific community for the fact that it can also help the medical branch of everything. I also think that it is really cool that the dog can glow because I think that can come in handy when you are in a dark alley or something similar that if you had a doxycicline antibiotic and you could then glow green and see in the dark. The fact that this can help many Alzheimer’s patients is amazing because I have seen the effects that the disease can do to families everywhere and it is very dramatic and depressing.

Link:  South Korean scientists create glowing dog

First Undersea Volcano to Erupt As Predicted

Luis K. -- On August 11, 2011, Oceanographers have pronounce this week for the first time the prediction of the eruption of one of the most active underwater volcano in the world. This volcano is located 250 miles of the coast of Oregon and has been monitoring by the oceanographers since 1998. The oceanographers from Oregon and New York have predicted it will erupt sometime before 2014. When the team sent a remotely operated robot underwater, it found a lava flow that was not there before. They thought they were in the wrong place because it looked so unusual. The team was using bottom pressure sensors and a recording instrument and found out it happened on April 6th. There were researchers that were watching the height of the volcanic hole and found out it was 15 centimeters per year. They soon predicted that it would erupt again when it reached its 1998 level of the crater. From this they can build more knowledge about underwater volcanoes, maybe even on land volcanoes is what Bill Chadwick a volcanologist at Oregon State University.

To be Honest I really found this article interesting because I have never take notice of underwater volcanoes erupting. It was my first time and while reading this article I thought that it was stimulating to hear about an underwater volcano. Not only was I excited but interesting to see how they found it and when they predicted it erupted and when it will erupt next. It was a really great discovery over all as the volcanologist said. This discovery really helped the volcanologist because as he said, it will help gain knowledge about underwater volcanoes and even land volcanoes and when they will erupt. They have learned more behaviors of volcanoes such as when they erupted and when they will erupt. This article was interesting and fun to read over all.

Link:  First Undersea Volcano to Erupt As Predicted

'Extinct' frog was under our noses all the time

Ginger H. -- For 59 years scientest have believed that the Vegas Valley leopard frog (Lithobates fisheri) had gone extinct after it's habitat, the Las Vegas Valley was drained in 1942. But after comparing DNA samples with those of the Chiricahua leopard frog that lives only 400 kilometers away, they were the same. Already an endangered species, the Chiricahua leopard frog population is now twice as threatened. Now the people at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve have a choice to make. They are helping to restore Las Vegas Creek wetlands but don't know wither to habitat the Chiricahua leopard frog or the Vegas Valley leopard frog.


I really liked this article. For one, I knew frogs are highly endangered species but I had no idea some where even considered extinct. Also I think it's sad that a species almost died off due to human interaction versus natural selection. Again I state my opinion that life would be better off without humans. The passage was interesting and makes me want to learn more about nearly extinct frogs and how humans alter our surroundings is affecting other wildlife.


Link:  'Extinct' frog was under our noses all the time

First Undersea Volcano to Erupt As Predicted

Madison G. -- Oceanographers in Oregon have been monitoring Axial Seamount, one of the largest active undersea volcanoes. They predicted that it would erupt before 2014 after its last eruption in 1998. On their last mission in July, the oceanographers found lava everywhere; a completely different scenery from that of just a year ago. They were right; volcanologists discovered that the volcano had erupted on April 6, 2011. Predicting volcanoes is extremely hard. What the scientists discovered however is that undersea volcanoes are a lot more predictable than land volcanoes. With this correct prediction, we may have a better chance of predicting other undersea volcanoes, and maybe even land volcanoes as well.         


 Being able to predict volcanoes would be amazing, not to mention how many lives we could possibly save. Many times, we’re not sure if a volcano will erupt, we just have a pretty educated guess. Other times we don’t even have a guess, and that’s where most of the damage comes in. If people were prepared for these volcanic eruptions then we could prevent the loss of so many lives. As we come closer to discovering when the volcanoes will erupt we’re also getting a better look at how our planet functions. If we can pinpoint when a volcano will erupt, we have the potential to make a breakthrough in science history. We may even be able to create a system in which we could prevent the volcanic eruptions from causing so much damage. For example, if we could create a fiber that can withstand the scorching lava and is flexible as well as inexpensive. Then we have the potential to make a force field around volcanoes that have a lot of people living around them. Just an idea. Even if scientists could create this imaginary force field, I’m not sure they would act on it; it may disrupt the natural order of things.


Link:  First Undersea Volcano to Erupt As Predicted

Mandrill Monkey figures out how to get some space

Taylor W. -- Humans are lucky they can get people to give them space verbally or just put up a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign. Animals on the other hand can’t just do that so they have to come up with different ways. Milly the mandrill monkey that lives at England's Colchester Zoo has developed a way; she puts her hand lightly over her eyes. When the zoo keepers saw this they assumed that she was just blocking but it was not until Mark Laidre visited the Zoo in 2007, that Milly's simple gesture received any credence. Having observed mandrills in the wild for over five years, the California-based evolution biologist was convinced that the monkey was trying to convey something. During his 100 hours of observation of the behavior of the zoo monkeys he noticed that when any member of the clan loosely placed their hands over the eyes, they were not approached or touched by the other monkeys as much. The sign also seemed to work as a begging plea by monkeys that were being 'bullied' by some of the stronger members of the clan who picked on people. Mandrill monkeys aren’t known to imitate humans; Mark believes that she first did it to hide from the other monkeys. This gesture has never been seen anywhere else so this smart monkey must have thought of it herself. When she reacted badly to the touch when she put up this gesture it pretty much turned in to a “Do Not Disturb” sign.

                I think this is pretty awesome. This is one really smart monkey if they can figure out that’s this is a way to hid yourself from your group. I think this is related to the fact that humans when there sad and crying they cover their faces. This monkey might have seen someone when there embarrassed cover their face and got the idea from there. But even if it’s that the monkey may have thought of it herself.  The clan is smart enough to get the message and use it themselves. This discovery might show that animals aren’t always as stupid as people think.


Link:  Mandrill Monkey Figures Out How to Get Some Space

"Sea Monster" Fetus Found—Proof Plesiosaurs Had Live Young?

Maria A. -- It all began with the study of an adult plesiosaur fossil that was found in 1987. Scientists recently discovered that the animals abdominal cavity contained tiny bones which were of a unborn baby plesiosaur. This find was the first proof that plesiosaur's gave birth to live young. This discovery was not shocking to many scientists because plesiosaur's were not built to go on land and lay eggs. While scientists have had the idea that plesisosaur's only gave birth one baby at a time this discovery has gave them the idea that their abdominal cavity is fit to have more than one baby. This  impacted the way scientists believed this species cared for their offspring. There is no official answer to whether mothers cared extensively for the offspring or not but, this discovery has changed the way they had thought about it before.

The miracle of birth has never ceased to amaze me and this is no exception. The fossil was found in 1987 which means that they were unaware what the bones were and finally after 24 years of extensive research they came to this discovery. New technology not only influences our present but now it  is helping scientists decipher the past. The discovery of the abdominal cavity in the plesiosaur has been so eye opening for me. The idea that mammals wouldn’t care for their offspring was a complete shock to me because I had always pictured a mother caring for her baby. They have not had an official answer  to the question of whether or not they care for their young for a period of time but they plan to come up with one as soon as possible. Although this isn’t the first record of an ancient marine reptile to give birth underwater it has changed the way scientists look at not only plesiosaur's but also at other fossils.


Link:  "Sea Monster" Fetus Found -- Proof Plesiosaurs Had Live Young?

Genetically Modified Beagle Glows

Mario R. -- Tegon ,a female beagle puppy that's genetically motified, glows to help scintist track diseases and is the thrid animal to be motified next to a puppy named Ruby and a cat named Mr. Green Genes. Tegon, Ruby, and Mr. Green Genes can be seen glowing in UV lights and gogles. ByeongChun Lee is the doctor that modifed Tegon in Korea. Lee sayes that him and his team being able to see the beagle glow, allows them to see how diseases develope in a body.

     Lee also sayes that dogs are better research because they respond to comandes better than mice. Chemyong Jay Ko a scintist that modifed Mr. Green Genes say  dog hve been use in metcal use in the past. Ko sayes cats and dogs are also better to research and that glowing animals might be a new pet trend in the future.

     This article is interrasting to me because has to do with glowing cats and dogs and its ment to help the study of diseases and how they form. At first i thought what a glowing dog? Then reading on that they modified not one but two dogs and a cat to see how disease form in a body. Think about it, to see how a disease forms and maybe a way to stop it from growing just from a slight differents in the body. And that dogs could be better tester than rats. But mostly about the scintists can put a gene in an organisms DNA that makes them glow and for them to study how a disease poduces. Also that this might be a new pet trend in the future.

Link:  Genetically Modified Beagle Glows

Live Birth In Ancient Marine Reptile

Afton T. -- A recent study of a fossil plesiosaur answers a long-standing question- did plesiosaurs give birth to their young? This fossil, found sitting in a museum basement, seems to point to yes. Encased in its ribcage is a small, perhaps ⅔ formed, fetus. The scientist believe that the baby is too helpless and undeveloped to survive in the dangerous Cretaceous oceans. It had no teeth, tiny flippers, and would not have been able to move around. The fossil was excavated in Kansas in 1987 by the owner of the land, Charles Bonner. It lay in the basement of a museum until recently, when it was decided that the fossil would be placed in a new exhibit. Professor O’Keefe, who was called in to work on the fossil, didn’t immediately think of the scientific implications. His first thought, he remembers, was: “It’s really cool, you don’t often see fossils that neat.” Of course, there are other theories for how this happened. One theory is that another fetus of the same species fell on the adult, and they were fossilized together, but this is unlikely. The adults ribcage would have had to be opened up, and many other circumstances would have had to happen for this to be true. Another theory is that the smaller one was eaten, but this, too, is unlikely, because the stomach acids would have eaten away the cartilage, of which there is evidence in the baby fossil.

    I liked this article for many reasons. One, I find paleontology very interesting, so reading an article about it is always fun. I also liked this article because it showed a different side of plesiosaurs: one of kindness and gentleness, not just a strong predator. I find it interesting that they seem to have given live birth, but it does make sense, because they are not really built for protecting eggs. This article also made me ask another question: Are whales and dolphins descendants of the plesiosaurs? Whales and plesiosaurs do seem to have a few traits in common; they both are aquatic lifeforms, and they both give live birth. Doesn’t it make sense for them to have possibly evolved from the same ancestor, or for whales to have evolved from the plesiosaurs? 


Link:  Live Birth In Ancient Marine Reptile

Baby Gorilla Found In Jail With Poachers

Sheila A. -- On Sunday night a young Mountain gorilla was found in an African jail. She was curled up on a bedside along the poachers’ side. The baby gorilla that did not even have one year of age was close to being smuggled out into another place. It remains unclear how she was put in that place. They suspect that the smugglers killed or scared away her parents. The jail people did accused the smugglers on maybe being in a group of Rwandan and Congolese men that is a large animal poaching network. Now the young Mountain gorilla is in good hands with the Rwanda vets. Mountain gorillas are endangered with about 786 individuals left in the mountains of Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. She was called “Ihirwe” which means luck in Kinyarwanda. Ihirwe is still being treated until it is safe to release her into a National Park Senkwekwe Center. Were there she could be with other orphan gorillas. The International Gorilla Conservation Program, the African Wildlife Foundation and more are supporting the ongoing investigation on smugglers and smuggling. The good part was that Ihirwe was rescued before anything happened the bad news is that they believe there is a market that sells or gets baby mountain gorillas and are jeopardizing the feature of these animals.

 

When I first saw the picture of Ihirwe I knew it was going to be interesting. Before I read the passage I went down and looked at the slid show and that’s when I chose to do the passage. It was sad when I read the passage because there was so much done to a poor little thing. It amassed me because I did not even know there were people that would do that. I did not know people would take away a baby from an animal and then try selling it or moving it some place else. It is sad that the little baby gorilla wont be able to see her parents anymore.

Link:  Baby Gorilla Found In Jail With Poachers

Polar Bear Attacks Surprisingly Rare

Emily F. -- Last Friday, a polar bear attacked on the Norwegian archipelago of Svllbard, resulting in 4 injuries, one death. There was a group of campers with approximately 80 people, that were camping on the Van Postbreen Glacier.  This is the second year in a row, a camper has been attacked at the site. Last year, a camper who was asleep in his tent, was “hunted” down by a polar bear, and attacked. The polar bear dragged the camper out of the tent by his head, and continued to maul the camper. His expedition partner, then grabbed a rifle, and began shooting at the bear. Unfortunately it was too late.

                Polar bears instinct is too hunt (them being carnivores), so the fact a polar bear attacked, comes to no surprise.  Although, polar bears don’t attack humans very often, they have been noted to killing 8 people in Canada and 2 in Alaska. Polar bear expert Tom Smith of Brigham Young University says "People talk about polar bears stalking and hunting humans, If that's the case, they're doing a pretty poor job of it."

My thought on this article is that, it seems many average people see polar bears as some kind of horrid creature out to kill. Polar bears natural instinct is to kill, so that’s what they do. Yes, it’s a tragedy when someone is killed like that, but I find it odd when people take it over the top. People who talk about polar bears as things that are stalking humans, and killing us, seems a bit crazy. Like Tom Smith of Brigham Young University says “If that’s the case, they’re doing a pretty poor job of it. The polar bear is just hunting in general. They’re not out to get us.

Link:  Polar Bear Attacks Surprisingly Rare 

Hot Birds Have Large...Beaks

Eddie W. -- Recently, scientists reasearched Salt Marsh Sparrows and found out that their beaks help them stay cool. The head of the National Zoo’s Migratory Bird Center learned about these birds for more than ten years and found out how they live through wet areas by the ocean. He found out that the birds that ate and lived in places like other birds than they were different birds. ’’Rather than focusing on their similarities, I started focusing on their differences,’’ ( Russel Greenberg). This quote is evidence that the birds needed to be different in order to be the same bird type. If birds shared an Ecosystem, how large their beaks were was a huge difference. A Salt Marsh Sparrow is strong because it lives someplace where the tree’s leaves keep them cool by giving them shade, they get food that they eat, and salty water. ’’Greenberg and his fellow researchers took their cues from previous studies that showed the famously-beaked toucan has an active vascular system, or blood flow, to its bill that change as regularly as, well, the weather,”( Amy Enchelmyer) . This quote is evidence that the bird has something inside it that controls its adaptations. Birds cool off differently than people sweat to cool their bodies, they get in the shade to cool off. The scientist Russel Greenberg thinks if the beak is bigger, they can stay cooler so they don’t get dehydrated.

                This article really was interesting to me because it was about birds and how they maintained Homeostasis. I didn’t know that they cooled off differently than people. This article was very helpful to me because it showed how Salt Marsh Sparrows control how hot they would get. I agree with the Article because it has quotes from a scientist and involves his studies in the Article. The Article had Scientific words in it relating to Biology. When there are quotes it says who the quote is by. There are deatails that readers would need to know in the Article.


Link:  Hot Birds Have Large...Beaks

Attacking Malaria with Spermless Mosquitoes

Niko A. -- Malaria is a deadly disease that can kill a full-grown man in less then a few hours after first showing signs of symptoms. The possibly fatal disease is caused by one of our most annoying pests… mosquitoes. In the tropics mosquito’s kill about one million people a year - small bug, big bite. Scientists have been trying to eliminate the infected mosquitoes with insecticides but the bugs became immune too fast so scientists had to try a different approach. The only mosquito that actually bite you are pregnant female mosquitoes so the researchers experimented with “silencing” some male mosquitoes gene that is required for making healthy sperm cells. The researchers then bred them with some female mosquitoes so she laid un-fertilized eggs. After mating once mosquitoes never mate again and because the male is just as competent at attracting females this practice of turning off the males ability to produce offspring is a big success.  Meaning 100 fewer mosquitoes to give you malaria. Even if this process takes too much time outside of the lab it’s another milestone in trying to stop the 5^th cause of death from disease worldwide, malaria.

            This article was extremely interesting to me because I didn’t know many of the things they explained in it, for example I didn’t know that our technology was sophisticated enough to let us control the genes of other organisms. Another interesting fact in this article was that only one animal carries malaria, the mosquito.  I was always aware that they carried the disease but I always figured that there were other animal carriers as well. I thought that this article was very helpful not so much for me but for someone having to deal with the fear of malaria because it might give them hope that the disease wasn’t a permanent thing. After reading this article I felt very grateful for having a home in a place that wasn’t plagued by a disease of some sort because a lot of people aren’t that lucky. I was also thankful that people research this kind of thing because if it weren’t for them we wouldn’t know a lot of the biologic facts we know.  For example, I learned that mosquitoes actually eat plants, only when a female is pregnant do they go for blood. I thought it was very interesting that female mosquitoes would be tricked by a male mosquito who didn’t have healthy sperm because it seems like there would be other things affected in turning off a gene but I guess that our technology if far enough along so we can avoid that kind of thing. I found that this article was very appealing to me due to its interesting facts and the subject matter itself.

Link:  Attacking Malaria with Spermless Mosquitoes  (includes video) 

Jellyfish cells 'diagnose' cancer, York scientists say

** Note:  this post is meant to provide a model for current NYOS Biology students to view & learn from, as they are developing their own article-reviewing skills.  Plus, it's an awesome article!  This review was written during the 2010-11 school year.**


Lauren G. -- The luminous cells of jellyfish contain a green fluorescent protein (GFP) that allows them to glow in the dark. Though a procedure developed at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Laboratory at York University, these proteins can be inserted into human cancer cells in order to make them visible to a specialized camera. This process may potentially revolutionize the way certain cancers are diagnosed because the luminescent proteins allowed visuals of tissues deep within the body, something that x-ray technology was incapable of. This will allow for earlier diagnosis and detection of small clusters of cancerous cells. The scientists expect the process to be ready for clinical trials within the next 5 years. However, the camera equipment is quite pricy and not widely available. Only one U.S. company has built a camera with the desired resolution for detecting the luminous cells.   
 

This is incredible – definitely makes my top 5 article list. Who knew jellyfish could be so useful? What I’m wondering is if there are any harmful side effects of inserting the proteins into your body. How do they insert the proteins into just the cancerous cells, especially if they are so deep within the tissue? Does it harm the jellyfish at all? Does it work with all forms of cancer? I am looking forward to hearing more on this revolutionary process in the near future.

Link:  Jellyfish cells 'diagnose' cancer 

Taste Buds Found In Lungs

** Note:  this post is meant to provide a model for current NYOS Biology students to view & learn from, as they are developing their own article-reviewing skills.  Plus, it's an awesome article!  This review was written during the 2010-11 school year.**


Morgan D. -- Scientists from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins recently found that lungs have “taste buds.” However, they are different than taste buds in your mouth. They can only “taste” (or rather “detect”) bitter flavors. These detections, also unlike taste buds in your mouth, do not send signals to our brains. However, the bitter flavors seemed to “[relax] the lung tissue tremendously,” The scientists believe that this may help those who suffer from asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by relaxing and opening the airways. But they do caution people to not try out this hypothesis, as it was found by accident and has not yet been truly tested.

I found this article to be incredibly interesting! The concept that we have “taste buds” on our lungs has never entered my head. It is insane and ridiculous, impossible, even. And yet it is a true scientific discovery (unless the researchers made a mistake, which I doubt). To think that we as humans are trying more and more to look at the BIG PICTURE, and asking questions about life on other planets. And here we are on Earth, still making new and impossible discoveries about our own bodies! It is truly amazing to witness our species continue to grow and learn, ever seeking knowledge (while we school kids hate learning at school. Ironic, isn’t it?).

Link:  Taste Buds Found In Lungs

Black Wolves: Descendants of black dogs

Ashley C. -- Black wolves have never been seen as a hybrid breed, but in this article it shows how, the black wolf was really engineered by a cross between a wolf and a black dog. The black coat of the wolf has proven to be a helpful trait, considering how the wolves artic habitat is shrinking. Researchers have traced the dominant gene which is responsible for the black coat, they found the gene came from black dogs, and was passed to wolves, and even coyotes. It was passed by hybridization. They say it could have happened as early as the arrival of the European dogs as long as 14,000 years ago, when people migrated to north America across the Bering Strait. Now black fur is a very common thing among wolf packs, probably because there are not a lot of snow covered environments. Researchers show the wolves coat color and habitat often vary on adaption and natural selection. Researchers say that the black coloration may help wolves survive, because of their always changing environment.

I liked this article because I never knew that black wolves were a cross between a dog and a wolf, I always thought they were just another color variation of a wolf. What drew me to this article was its headline “Black Wolves Descendents of dogs”  I have always been interested in wolves ever since i was little, I was always watching animal planet, and the wolf documentaries were my favorite. I think people should read this article because I do not think a lot of people know black wolves are not just wolves, their wolves-dogs. 

Link:  Black Wolves: Descendants of black dogs

Nuclear Forensic Analysis: It's the bomb!!!

** Note:  this post is meant to provide a model for current NYOS Biology students to view & learn from, as they are developing their own article-reviewing skills.  Plus, it's an awesome article!  This review was written during the 2010-11 school year.**


Marnie H. -- Recently a US team was sent to study Trinitite, the remains of the first nuclear explosion ever to be tested.  Researchers in Alamogordo, New Mexico, used advanced scientific methods and equipment to analyze the site that was demolished in July of 1945.  The original testing occurred only weeks before the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II.  Using nuclear forensic analysis on a piece of trinitite, scientists were able to identify materials used in the making of the bomb.  This same information could be used to discover where it came from.  Since the current threat of terrorism is becoming very real in our country, nuclear testing analysis would be incredibly useful to us.  We would be able to find out more about the bomb from the small fragments left behind, potentially leading us to the location and identity of the culprit(s). 

I found it extremely interesting that so much could be discovered from so little starting information.  Forensics itself is astounding, but this is taking it to the next level.  Even though the last time anything happened in the desert at Alamogordo was more than sixty years ago, a little piece of glass left at the site tells all of its history.  The material was able to identify what was in the bomb, where it came from and who made it.  It’s because of this that science never ceases to amaze me.  Trinitite can aid our exploration in the future while still providing us with the past and all it once held.  Peoples’ fears of terrorism can be put to a sort of ease, knowing that in the end, science will get us through any threat it conveys.

Link:  Nuclear debris could reveal clues of bomb's origin