Clouded Cubs!



Riki-san
http://news.yahoo.com/baby-leopard-brothers-come-san-diego-zoo-233141949.html

The San Diego Zoo has just received two new additions! This week the zoo introduced two clouded leopard cubs that just happen to be brothers. They are 14 weeks old and their names are Riki-san and Haui-san. The cubs came from the National Zoo at Grassmere which has a special breeding program for clouded leopards because they are vulnerable to extinction. The reason these efforts are being made is because there are believed to be about 10,000 clouded leopards left in the wild, but they face deadly threats such as deforestation and poaching. Of course the leopards coat is beautiful, but people take advantage of that and kill these animals just to keep the fur for themselves; this has caused a major problem. Riki-san and Haui-san are two of many leopards that have been breed to help replenish the amount of their species in the world. While these two are held in quarantine for at least 30 days, they can be seen playing just like any leopard would do. The largest cub, Riki-san at 13 pounds is more timid; his brother Haui-san is 11.5 pounds and very rambunctious. I'm sure the zoo can’t wait to show off these cute additions to the zoo and start a long relationship with them!  

Haui-san
http://news.yahoo.com/baby-leopard-brothers-come-san-diego-zoo-233141949.html



Source:http://news.yahoo.com/baby-leopard-brothers-come-san-diego-zoo-233141949.html;_ylt=Am0qdiY3XsjhhlxDx86HS1APLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTNmY3VsYm9nBG1pdAMEcGtnAzdhNGY0NTZhLWU3YTUtMzE3Ni1hMTI4LTg0ZGVlMGU1OWRiNwRwb3MDNQRzZWMDbG5fQW5pbWFsc19nYWwEdmVyAzc2ZmM0NTExLTQwYzctMTFlMi1iY2ZmLTk3NjhiZDQyYzE4Nw--;_ylv=3

It's All in the Pine Cone

http://theartfulamoeba.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/bristlecone_pine_cones_flickr_ccnc_mcsboulder.jpg

One of the planet's most amazing plants is the pine tree. Why? The pine tree itself is a sporophyte, but it has gametophytes in its cones. The tree's reproductive stages can also be found in the pine cone: the spores, eggs, sperm, zygotes, and embryos. Each of the tiny scales of the cone contains is made up of sporangia that help produce the spores by meiosis. Those spores then produce gametophytes inside the cone. The male gametophyte, the pollen grain, breaks away from the pollen and is carried by the wind to the female cones. Each of the female cones carry two ovules on each scale-each ovule being surrounded by an integument. Once pollination has occurred, the scales then grow together which seals up the cone and within that cone the gametophytes continue to produce gametes. About a year after pollination, fertilization occurs and the ovule becomes a seed. In other words, the pine cone is an essential part of how pine trees reproduce!

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_492/127025355381fjbt.jpg

Source: Class Notes-Chapter 17: Plants, Fungi, and the Colonization of Land

Life-Saving Foam



http://news.yahoo.com/foam-injection-could-stop-soldiers-bleeding-172533140.html

The United States soldiers are made up of extremely brave people that are willing to fight for us and our country. Unfortunately, while in battle many these men and women are put in very deadly situations which sometimes have fatal consequences. The medical technology we have today is very advanced, but we still do not have all the answers to treating extensive battle wounds. But as of this year, 2012, a new innovation has been discovered in the medical field that can help control the most difficult wound to heal-internal bleeding. Internal bleeding is considered one of the leading causes of death on the battlefield because it is so hard to treat in the little time the wound gives its victims to live. The U.S Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has introduced foam that can be inserted into the abdominal cavity of a wounded soldier that can stop internal bleeding for up to an hour, giving them enough time to be rushed to a medical facility that can take better care of them. DARPA has tested the foam on pigs and is quite sure that the same effects will be for humans. The foam consists of two phases that are inserted-when they are mixed the foam expands to 30 times its original size and safely encases the internal organs. DARPA's testing also showed that a surgeon can remove the foam in less than one minute. Who knew foam could actually be used to save the inside of our bodies instead of the outside?

http://ctovision.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/darpa.png

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/foam-injection-could-stop-soldiers-bleeding-172533140.html

Prokaryotes!

http://dr282zn36sxxg.cloudfront.net/datastreams/f-d%3A7b37bb61737e5c46c822a4d5a30d0dd59e384c30f7d29e8997867795%2BIMAGE%2BIMAGE.1



Prokaryotes are the most numerous organisms on Earth today. They lived on Earth by themselves for over 1 billion years-before any other organism. They have the ability to live in habitats that are cold, hot, salty, acidic, and alkaline. No wonder they thrived in the harsh conditions of early Earth! Prokaryotes are typically around 1-5 micrometers in diameter, but some vary in size. Because they are so small, it is very easy for them to live just about anywhere. It is said that there are more prokaryotes found in a person’s mouth than the number of humans that have ever lived on Earth! That’s pretty gross if you think about it, right? We all know there is a vast amount of cells in our body. Well, guess what? The number of prokaryotes living ON your body is about 10 times more than the number of cells INSIDE your body! There are two domains of prokaryotes which are bacteria and archaea. The most common domain is bacteria of course because we know the many ways that they can help or harm us. Most bacteria are beneficial to us, but some can be deadly and cause sickness. So no matter where you go, prokaryotes will always be there with you!



http://www.scienceprofonline.com/publishImages/cell-biology~prokaryotic-and-eukaryotic-two-types-of-biological-cells~~element156.jpg

 Source: Class Notes:Chapter 16-The Origin and Evolution of Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists

Live Happy, Live Long

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/09/13/Congo+Gorilla+1_wide-8f2905a9fe1585e313c5c3c5f187f50e711407a7.jpg?s=6

A new study published today, December 5th, shows evidence that more outgoing gorillas live longer than shy gorillas. 298 gorillas were chosen to study and followed for over 18 years. By recording the life span of these animals we now have the evidence that the happier a gorillas is, the longer it may live. Just as we as humans live longer as extroverts, gorillas have the same results. This shows us that living a happy life really can affect how many years we live. Considering we are very closely related to apes and primates, this statement has only been proven even more after today. The old saying says, “Laughter makes you live longer” so now, why can’t it be “Spontaneity makes you live longer”? Next time you are faced with the question, “Is it better to be shy or outgoing?” just remember, shyness may decrease the years in your life. Even the gorillas say so!
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/outgoing-gorillas-live-longer-shy-ones-175139001.html

http://www.silverbackers.org/images/gorilla-photo-1.jpg

Life on Earth & Extinction

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/010/cache/mass-extinction_1077_600x450.jpg

Life on Earth has been around for millions of years, but not without imperfection. As long as there is life on Earth, extinction will always be a determining factor. It is considered the fate of all species eventually. As scientists continue to study Earth and its history they continue to find evidence that there is a steady background extinction rate. Many episodes of mass extinction were also present. Evidence (fossils) shows that over the last 600 million years, at least 5 mass extinctions have occurred that scientists can prove actually happened. During these extinctions, at least 50% of the Earth’s population was wiped out. Talk about counting your losses..2 of the most extreme were the Permian and Cretaceous extinctions. An unsettled Earth is what caused the Permian extinction. By unsettled Earth I mean: volcanoes everywhere, extremely hot climate, mixing of oceans, and reduced oxygen levels. No wonder 96% of shallow water species died! The Cretaceous extinction is the more commonly known extinction that occurred. Remember when your teacher taught you that an asteroid crashing into Earth caused the extinction of all dinosaurs? Well, they were right. And the Cretaceous extinction is exactly what they were referring to. The asteroid that struck Earth 65 million years ago blocked sunlight and disrupted the climate which caused 50% of all animals to perish (including dinosaurs). Now, we have to carefully observe what is going on around us because scientists believe that a 6^th mass extinction may be under way! :/

http://blogs.discovery.com/.a/6a00d8341bf67c53ef017742dbaf86970d-800wi



Source: Class Notes-Chapter 15-Tracing Evolutionary History

Pinocchio is Real?!

http://www.imaging1.com/gallery/images/human%20eye%20and%20nose%20thermal%20infrared%20image.jpg

In 1883, a writer named Carlo Collodi wrote one of the most famous children’s books of all time. The story was of a peddler that wanted a son SO bad that he made a puppet which came to life and so he adopted him as his son and called him Pinocchio. But enough of that! My point lies in the real moral of this story. Never tell a lie. In the story, every time Pinocchio lied his nose grew larger; this eventually taught him a valuable lesson. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to tell if someone was lying just by looking at their nose? Of course it would! Researchers from the University of Granada in Spain recently discovered that your nose actually can show whether or not you’re lying. Of course a lie can’t make a person’s nose grow like Pinocchio’s did but it definitely can make it heat up. Heat up? Yes! Those psychology researchers in Spain have found that when a person lies, the temperature around their nose and inner corner of their eye increases. Crazy, right? Maybe we should all consider investing in a thermal imaging camera..just to play it safe!


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZFMa3KcFofv2csbYlSjMmmjf46uSKSrXZ0l5RO6KrAUPXHCiFJYypBxv2zVPQEEhWe8mC0SkNFFP1YJjK7_ONykAnBdxWsknDwrSckCUPksq8BhfLnV2cywbE8jS0tml_BoLvdXInXBz/s1600/disney-fond-ecran-pinocchio3-1.jpg

Sources: http://news.yahoo.com/pinocchio-nose-shows-lie-152611943.html;_ylt=ArkC5jnbKnTT9nt51DCNhzoPLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTNzYzZnc3ZuBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YEcGtnA2NlM2FhMzIwLTljMzEtMzM0Yi1iYjc3LTc4YTU1MTVkOGRkZQRwb3MDOQRzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgM4NTZiODkwMS0zZTI3LTExZTItYjliZi1jNGU3YjE1ZWY1ZDQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTFsMmxkdGs2BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Pinocchio

What Type of Species Is It?

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/images/One-Nation,-Many-Species-.jpg

Let's use our imagination. Pretend you are a zoologist and you are on a very important expedition in search for a new species. You have traveled to Africa and you are now walking through the dense forests in search of something new, and suddenly something amazing happens! A random, but intriguing, animal has come out of the forest in plain sight-one you've never seen before. You spend weeks with this animal, studying it, observing, and taking notes. But how can you classify it into a certain species category? Well, this may help you...

If you have studied this new animal for weeks now you probably know if it has any ecological roles or niches, right? If it does, then it should be classified as an ecological species. But what if the animal lives in a population and has the ability to interbreed within that population? Then it would be classified as a biological species. If it's population shows evidence of a specific evolutionary lineage then it would have to be classified as a phylogenetic species. And if it were to not give enough evidence of interbreeding within their poulation it would then need to be classified as a morphological species. With this information, you can now classify this new discovery and make it known to the rest of the world, if you want.

http://www.amnh.org/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/permanent-exhibitions/biodiversity-and-environment-halls/hall-of-biodiversity2/endangered-species/153575-1-eng-US/endangered-species_dynamic_lead_hero_image.jpg

Source: Class Notes: Chapter 14-The Origin of Species

Culture Shock

http://www.adventuresbydaddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ML_chimp-13.jpg

Around 5 years ago, a zoologist named Lydia Luncz visited West Africa's Ta'i National Park to observe chimpanzees. What she discovered could possibly change science forever. First, she visited the southern end of the park and observed that the chimpanzees located there used stone hammers to crack open nuts. This has been observed before, so what is so different about it now? Well, she observed chimps inhabiting the northern and eastern parts of the park and noticed that they used wooden hammers as the tool for cracking nuts. The big question was, "If these animals live in the same forest, then why do they use different techniques of obtaining their food?" Luncz was curious as to why this was happening, so she observed the adult females, being that they often leave their birth community. Her finding were that the females adopted whatever technique their new community used. What does this tell us? That chimps may have developed their own cultural traditions just as we do! Lydia Luncz is the first to show us that there are actually differences in neighboring groups of chimps even though they live in the same area. It seems like the more we observe these chimps, the more similarities we find between them and ourselves.
Sources: http://discovermagazine.com/2012/dec/25-chimps-share-nut-cracking-culture

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2012/05/15/science/15OBCHIMP1.html

Where Would We Be Without Him...?

http://www.crystalinks.com/darwin.jpg

http://www.biologyjunction.com/images/A53IMG01.jpg

The theory of natural selection is easily one of the most profound in the history of biology. Who do we have to thank for it? Well, the answer to that question is easy...his name is Charles Darwin. He's one of the most important people in the world of biology. But how did he come up with this theory you ask? It all started in 1831 when he set off on a 5 year long voyage on a ship named the HMS Beagle. He had heard that the captain of the ship was planning to chart poorly known parts of the South American coast. Since he had always been very interested in nature he looked at this as a perfect opportunity to learn more about the world. While the ship's crew was busy surveying the coast, Darwin spent his time on shore collecting thousands of specimens and sketches of new organisms. While on the Galapagos islands, he noticed that organisms on different islands were different but similar at the same time to that of organisms on neighboring islands. Influenced by Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology, he decided to find out more about this. He concluded that Earth constantly changes due to natural forces. He also discovered that the reason organisms from different islands had some of the same traits was because they evolved from a common ancestor. He explained this as a logical explanation called "descent with modification" which later on became known as natural selection. Without the knowledge of what Darwin discovered we probably would not know as much about evolution as we do today
Sources: Class Notes-Chapter13: How Populations Evolve

We Found the Ankle!

http://storage0.dms.mpinteractiv.ro/media/401/321/5109/10247490/1/purgatorius.jpg

Until recently, the only proof we had of Earth's earliest primates were several teeth and a few mouth bones. The bones were found in northeastern Montana in a place very close to where the first Tyrannosaurus Rex was first discovered. Scientists couldn't tell much from the teeth because they were so primitive, so they decided to set out and find more proof of this primate. They decided to search in the same area they originally found the bones, and after only two days the discovered an ankle bone! To us, an ankle bone doesn't have much significance. But to paleontologists Stephen Chester and Jonathan Bloch, this ankle bone was the exact proof they needed. It proved that what they call Purgatorius really was one of the first primates on Earth. They discovered that the ankle could have moved in many different ways which meant that Purgatorius could have easily scampered along the ground as well as climbed trees.

http://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/179/flashcards/783179/jpg/purgatorius3001317950121516.jpg

Sources: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346001/description/Earliest_primate_had_tree-climber_ankles

Who's At Fault?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Gel_electrophoresis_2.jpg/250px-Gel_electrophoresis_2.jpg

Since DNA was first discovered, we have continued to find uses for it. One of the most profound uses is that of gel electrophoresis. What you're about to learn could keep you from going to jail, so keep reading. When the police or other authorities are working on a case and there is more than one suspect, gel electrophoresis is often what they turn to. After collecting the suspects' DNA samples they send them to the forensics lab where the magic happens. All the samples are placed on a porous gel in separate sections with the unknown DNA in order to compare them. When a current is applied, the molecules move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. The size of the fragments determines how far they will move. When the process is over the fragments will appear as bands that are visible through staining them. By doing this, it is easy to see whose DNA matches up with the suspect's. This technology has helped keep a lot of people out of jail, and given families of lost loved ones peace.

Sources: Class Notes-Chapter 12:DNA Technology and Genomics

http://www.biologyreference.com/images/biol_02_img0140.jpg

With the Flick of a Switch!

http://www.aan.com/elibrary/neurologytoday/?event=home.viewArticleGraphic&id=ovid.com:/bib/ovftdb/00132985-201107070-00006&objectID=FFU2

Karl Deisseroth, a scientist at Stanford University, has discovered a way to control brains with different colored lights. His idea of lights being able to change our lives came to him at a stoplight. He thought of it with idea that when we drive through stoplights, one part of our mind in controlled by the lights and what command they are, while the other part of our mind can be focused on something completely different at the same time. He wanted to test out this idea, so he did so with mice the basic "lab rats". First he introduced the mice to cocaine, to which they got addicted. After the mice had showed signs of euphoria associated with the cocaine he then used flashes of bright yellow light. Those flashes immediately blocked the mice's need for the high of the cocaine. After being shown the lights, the mice showed no more interest in the cocaine as they did before they were exposed to it. Deisseroth's technique is now known as optogenetics. Maybe with this knowledge that he has gave us, we can hopefully cure psychiatric diseases as well as drug addictions. The most remarkable part about all of this is that we can do these things with "the flick of a switch".
Sources: http://discovermagazine.com/2012/sep/25-controlling-brains-with-flick-of-light-switch

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/10/oct2109eng-optogenetics.jpg

Genetically Modified Organisms

http://wakeup-world.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/pharmcorn.jpg

After years and years of discovering DNA, chromosomes that are found inside it, and the genes that make them up, scientists have found a new way to utilize that information. Scientists now have the ability to artificially insert genes into an organism in order to enhance it. If the organism has more than one gene artificially inserted, it's technically called genetically modified. Organisms containing only one gene from another species is called a transgenic organism. Genetically modified organisms can be very beneficial to us. For example, GM plants have completely changed the world of agriculture. By introducing different specific genes to plants, scientists have successfully made them resistant to herbicides and pests. They also have successfully increased the amount of minerals in certain plants we consume. Genetically modified organisms are not only limited to plants. Animals can be modified too such as improving qualities, increasing production of proteins, or therapeutics. With all the positive effects that come with genetically modifying organisms there are also some negative effects that can come along with it, especially with plants. GM plants can potentially introduce allergens into the food supply or spread genes to related plants. Genetically modifying organisms can bring great things to the table, which is why scientists take extra safety precautions to protect the health of humans and the environment.
Sources: Class Notes: Chapter 12-DNA Technology and Genomics

http://www.brainwaving.com/wp-content/themes/yamidoo/scripts/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/glowmice.jpg&w=390&h=600&zc=1

An Odd Bond Between Mother & Son

http://www.riversidephotography.co.uk/images/gallery/mother-_-baby-1_1.jpg

A mother will always have a bond with her children like no other person will. Maybe the bond is just there, yet again maybe it can be scientifically explained. Research that has been recently conducted shows that a mother and child exchange cells during pregnancy. This is called microchimerism. It was first discovered in mice, but studies have shown that microchimerism happens in humans as well. During pregnancy, a defense system called the blood-brain barrier is significantly weaker which allows the mother and child to exchange cells. The fetal DNA can hang around in the mother's brain for years. 59 female brains were studied and 37 of them showed signs of fetal DNA in them. This shows that mother and child really do have a bond like no other. Fetal cells can help protect a mother from things such as breast cancer help the process of repairing tissue. That's great, but sadly 

http://www.gracewv.org/filerequest/1776

these cells can bring harm to the mother as well. Studies show a correlation between the number of pregnancies a woman had in her lifetime and her chance of getting Alzheimer's. Since this is a new discovery, many more tests need to be performed in order to say whether or not this exchanging of cells is safe for both mother and child. As for now though, we know that a bond between mother and child is actually very real. One that could potentially always be in our minds, literally.
Sources: http://mcc.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_5636_1%26url%3D

Mutations in Our Body

http://www.futurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/XChromosomes_1.jpg

When most people think of the word "mutation" a picture of an ugly monster or maybe even a zombie comes to their minds. Of course, these are types of mutations that today's society is most familiar with. Even Hollywood explains how zombies are formed by a mutation in genes in our bodies right? In reality, since zombies are only found in fictional movies and books, mutations happen every day. The scientific definition for a mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA. Mutations occur in many different ways and are not always harmful. They can be caused by base substitutions, or replacing one nucleotide with another. Base substitutions can alter amino acids which cause the function of related proteins to change. Mutations can also be caused by removing a base nucleotide (deletion) or adding a base nucleotide (insertion). Both of these lead to a change in the amino acid sequence which again, changes proteins and their functions. So what are the causes of mutations? Well, sometimes they can be spontaneous and are simply caused by an error that occurred during DNA replication. These types of mutations are what cause evolution and plants and animals ability to adapt to the environment over time. We can also cause mutations by high-energy radiation or chemical exposure. Either of these can be very harmful. Mutations aren't always bad. In many ways, they can help us. Unless of course, there ever comes a time that a certain mutation causes actual zombies to exist.
Sources: Class Notes: Chapter10-Molecular Biology of the Gene

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ekT6ot6UA5oSN6u3772LtgErSkettq2qO_R2WGKSByzRNRlGwvVzfegT4NlVS8O9Lv5yMt833cqLa5ZgvGbfj46tYXd4Ho5wtTrJBNCx-H_850dynG6HfwqI0V6AcqSnxTb6pVwBQdID/s1600/dna3.gif

It all Began in a Garden..

wild-life111.blogspot.com

No two humans are exactly alike. Why? Well, because our genetic makeup is never exactly the same. We inherit our genes from our parents, and the structure and function of those genes determine how our bodies work, how we look, if we have any disorders, etc. So how do we know all this? A man named Gregor Mendel discovered the principles of genetics, in a garden! He performed experiment after experiment on garden peas because they could be easily controlled. Other advantages of pea plants were that they perform self-fertilization and cross fertilization, and had easily observable characteristics. By studying and performing many experiments on those pea plants Mendel developed four hypotheses about genetics that would change science forever. The hypotheses were: Genes are found in alternative versions called alleles, For each characteristic, an organism inherits two alleles (one from each parent), If alleles differ the dominant allele determines the organisms appearance, and the Law of segregation which says that alleles separate during production of gametes so that they carry one allele for every gene. Mendel’s four hypotheses opened up a whole new world for scientists in the study of genetics which was only a stepping stone for the many discoveries in genetics that we have today.
Sources: Class Notes-Chapter 9: Patterns of Inheritance



http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoX2kU19QeV0AKdqJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dgregor%2Bmendel%2Bpea%2Bplants%26sado%3D1%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26fr2%3Dsg-gac%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D7&w=467&h=300&imgurl=images.tutorvista.com%2Fcontent%2Fheredity-and-variation%2Fmonohybrid-traits-of-mendel.jpeg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tutorvista.com%2Fcontent%2Fbiology%2Fbiology-iii%2Fheredity-and-variation%2Fmendels-experiments.php&size=24.6+KB&name=...+characters+which+mendel+was+able+to+identify+in+the+pea+plants&p=gregor+mendel+pea+plants&oid=357b4dc8af1e237329175911a8d5b8a4&fr2=sg-gac&fr=&tt=...%2Bcharacters%2Bwhich%2Bmendel%2Bwas%2Bable%2Bto%2Bidentify%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bpea%2Bplants&b=0&ni=96&no=7&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=1343c846j&sigb=13o1onblc&sigi=12l1m3k4f&.crumb=Pj0egS5Mcvu

Sea Otters..to the Rescue?!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CkIWLj1M7VARd4mjCgBXUTKSNhi_WnnJ94dNGP35VMckNY0zjDTYPiDcPpPQgRa-aumzQsNcpTrq8jAaQRSOTYAzYOVg0r7m9dchSPFpDYguzZQWYigvwB6nWXimzpvj6G44qdIE7Q4/s1600/seaotter.jpg

As  we all know, global warming has become an increasing threat to our planet. We have struggled to find solutions, so that it does not cause detrimental effects on Earth that could possibly be irreversible. One solution that has been recently found has been right under our noses the whole time. Sea otters can help reverse the effects of global warming tremendously. How can they do that, you ask? Well, all they simply have to do is eat. One of sea otter's favorite things to eat is sea urchins. Sea urchins graze on kelp. Since kelp is a type of plant, it goes through the process of photosynthesis which in turn pulls harmful amounts of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. When sea otters are not around to keep the sea urchin population in check, it greatly affects the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed out of the air. But studies show that, in the presence of sea otters, kelp forests absorb 12 times as more carbon dioxide than kelp forests without the presence of sea otters. Easy solution,  right? It’s amazing how animals and plants can work together to keep the Earth healthy!

Sources: http://mcc.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_5636_1%26url%3D

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/179/cache/sea-urchins01-sea-urchins-kelp-forest_17928_600x450.jpg

Does Your Dog Really Love You?

http://cutestuff.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/you_dog_will_love_you_forever.jpg

The brain structure of a dog is very similar to that of humans. It is said that a dog's brain can cause it to go through the same chemical changes that occur in a human's body to produce emotions. So, can your dog really have the ability to "love" you? Scientists have discovered that dogs have the hormone oxytocin which is associated with love and affection in humans. Even though evidence suggests that dogs could potentially have the ability to love, it is only to a certain extent. This is because a dog has a brain roughly equal to that of 2 year old child, reaching it's maximum point of developing emotions at the age of 4-6 months. As we all know, a 2 year old definitely has emotions, but they are not able to express them as well as teenagers and adults do. Humans do not fully develop all their emotions until they are on the path to being an adult. Being that dogs have similar brains to humans, even at 4-6 months they are able to develop emotions such as anger, excitement, and even love. Yes, love! So, next time you come home home from a long day at school or work, and your dog jumps up in your lap to lick your face it's probably because it missed you! We may have normally thought a dog acting happy to see us was just us making assumptions, but now we know that it could truly be because they genuinely love us.

http://www.petiquettedog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/groundrulesforgreatdog.jpg
Sources: http://mcc.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_5636_1%26url%3D

The Stages of Cell Division

 

http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/mitosis001.png



During cell division many changes occur. Cell division is often only described as the mitotic phase of a cell, but mitosis is a series of stages not just one. It begins with prophase, which is when microtubules in the cytoplasm begin to form the spindle. At the same time, the chromosomes in the cell become compact, the nucleoli disappear, and the chromosomes migrate to the poles of the cell. The spindle microtubules and chromosomes meet in the prometaphase. By the time the spindle is completely formed, metaphase begins. During this phase the chromosomes line up in the middle, or equator, of the cell. When learning about the process of cell division, many people associate the word "middle" with metaphase because it is easy to conclude that when all chromosomes are in the middle of a cell there is no doubt that it has to be in metaphase. The chromosomes spit up and are pulled to opposite sides of the cell, which begins the anaphase stage. Chromosomes on both sides become enveloped with another nuclear envelope, making a nucleus on both sides. The spindle formed in prophase disappears, and cytokenesis begins. Cytokenesis divides the cell into two seperate cells and those cells begin the process all over again. Like Virchow's principle states, every cell comes from another cell.



Sources: Class Notes-Chapter 8: The Cellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance

http://www.eastcentral.edu/programs/AlliumMitosisLabels.jpg