Most Complicated Object in the Universe

The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe.                --Michio Kaku

In my newspaper this morning, there were two different articles about the nervous system.  Last week we briefly talked about nerve cells and how cell shape is directly related to cell function.  The nervous system is not only interesting, but it is a hot-spot of new research.

Brains and Lack of Sleep:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/12/09/7-ways-sleep-affects-the-brain-and-what-happens-if-it-doesnt-get-enough/#610622884e19

Mind-Controlled Robotics:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-caltech-neuroscience-donation-20161206-story.html


Music Therapy and the Brain:
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20161211/news/161219857/

Pick one of the articles above and read it.  After reading the article, write a five sentence summary in a scholarly paragraph.  If you find another article or video clip about the brain or nervous system that you would like to write about, send me a link to the article so I can preview it.  Once you have posted your paragraph, I would also like you to comment on at least one of your peer's posts.  This is the last blog post of first semester.  

Time for a Close-Up

In this era of selfies, Instagram, and Snapchat, I think you will all be awesome at this next blog post assignment.  After learning about the TEM and SEMs, I would like you to find your favorite electron microscope image.  For your post, include the url and a brief description of the image and why you chose it.  Also, you need to state whether your image is a from a TEM or a SEM.

I chose this snowflake.  First of all, I think it is beautiful.  Second of all, I am tired of cold and rainy weather....bring on the snow.  This is a SEM image.

Tickling Rats for Science?

Is laughter really the best medicine?  After the election last week, maybe we all could use a dose of laughter to make us feel better?

This past week I saw two articles relating to laughter and I thought some comic relief would be good for you.  One of the articles was about tickling rats....yes that is right tickling rats.

http://www.seeker.com/when-tickled-rats-giggle-at-a-supersonic-level-2088268601.html

https://www.wired.com/2013/09/tickling-rats-for-science/

The other article was about how laughter may be the best pain medicine.  Laughing with your friends not only makes you feel better, but it may improve your overall health.  I just spent at least an hour looking for funny videos.  This one is pretty good, but I know that you are all experts at finding funny videos.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-laughter-may-be-the-best-pain-medicine/

Pick which ever article that you like best and write a scholarly paragraph indicate which article you read and explain what you learned.  Do you think neuroscience is interesting?  Why or why not?  Remember to write at least 5 sentences.  While I think kids are funny, my 12 year old insists that funny cat videos will make you laugh more.  Include your own funny video clip at the end of your post for an extra credit point.

Choices Choices Choices

As you contemplate which science class you should take as sophomores, I thought it was a perfect week to give you choices on your blog post.

1.  Watch the Ted Lesson below:

In the video, there were many terms that we discussed in class on Thursday:  enzyme, active site and more.  In a scholarly paragraph, explain how enzymes work.  What is the enzyme?  What is the substrate?  How is aspirin different than ibuprofen?  In the penny lab, we learned about denaturation, co-enzymes and competitive inhibitors, which of these three things do you think that aspirin and ibuprofen work like?  Why would it be bad to permanently change your pain receptors?  What is congenital analgesia?  How do they treat it?  You do not need to comment on a peer's response.

OR

2.  Watch the two videos below about the history of Veterans Day:

and

In a scholarly paragraphy explain why Veterans Day is significant to you.  Are you related to a Veteran?  When did they serve?  What is the history of Veterans Day?  What do you do specifically to thank the Veterans that have served our country?  I know that the Ela Public Library by my house has a letter writing day on November 6th where the public can write letters to Veterans to thank them for serving our country.

Two very different choices for this week.  I hope you can find one that you like.

Authentic Halloween Decorations?

Human Skulls For SALE?   Are you kidding me?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/human-skulls-sale-legal-ebay-forensics-science/

Read the article above.  Does it shock you as much as it shocked me?  Is this legal?  Where do they come from?  Can anyone purchase them?  Summarize the article in a scholarly paragraph with at least five sentences.  Also I would like you to comment on at least one of your peer's responses.  If this isn't creepy Halloween stuff, then I don't know what is.

RIP: The Great Barrier Reef

Have you heard?  After one of the worst mass bleaching events in history, the Great Barrier Reef has been declared dead by environmentalists.

http://www.outsideonline.com/2112086/obituary-great-barrier-reef-25-million-bc-2016

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/the-great-barrier-reef-dead-at-the-age-of-25-million-years-after-worst-mass-bleaching-on-record/news-story/7cfc567d39516a13cb09ce443a0ba75d

http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/721115/Great-Barrier-Reef-dead-2016-after-25million-years-Queensland-Australia-Unesco-obituary

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/scientists-take-on-great-barrier-reef-obituary_us_57fff8f1e4b0162c043b068f

http://www.salon.com/2015/10/11/scientists_are_breeding_supercoral_to_combat_the_effects_of_climate_change_partner/

Pick one of the articles above.  Read the article and summarize what you learned.  Remember that this should be a scholarly paragraph with at least 5 sentences.  Somewhere in the paragraph, you need to mention which article you read.  Is the Great Barrier Reef truly dead?  What is next?

911

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901....now 115 years later, there are a grand total of 911 Nobel Laureates.  How cool is that?  A couple of weeks ago, the winners for 2016 were announced.  This year Bob Dylan is the first musician to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Instead of reading his lyrics as music, scholars suggest reading the lyrics as poetry.

This week I want you to go on the official website of the Nobel Prize and pick one former or current Nobel Prize winner to write about.  Ideally, I would love for there to be no repeats.  Use the website to pick a winner and then give a brief synopsis of that person's life and contribution to society.  The winner does not have to be a Medicine or Physiology Prize winner as there are also awards for Physics, Peace, Chemistry, Literature, and Economic Sciences.  In a scholarly paragraph, (at the very least five sentences long with proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation) present a biography and a reason why they won the award.

http://www.nobelprize.org/

Oh, the Humanity

Finishing our unit on Ecology, we will wrap up by discussing  population ecology and biodiversity.  The following video clip was one of the ones you picked out last week for me.  I love it.

This is another great video clip that you picked out about overpopulation.

Watch the two video clips above and read the short article from Scientific American.  

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/human-overpopulation-still-an-issue-of-concern/

We will discuss Thomas Malthus in the Evolution Unit at the end of the school year, but what do you think right now?  Do you agree that we are facing a huge problem of overpopulation?  What will happen to resources?  Does overpopulation have an effect on climate change?  What do Trump and Clinton have to say about climate change?  (You will have to do a little searching the internet for the answers.)  What do you think we should do?  What laws would you suggest to fix the problem?  

In a scholarly paragraph (at least 5 sentences long), frame a response to the videos, article and questions above.  If you chose to focus more on one than of the issues above, I am totally fine with that.  Some students are really interested in the election; therefore, it would be interesting for you to write more about the political aspect of this problem.  Others are definitely focused on biodiversity and saving the plants and animals of our planet,  You may want to look at the rates of extinction.  Are we facing another period of mass extinction?  In addition to your post, you will also need to respond to at least one of your classmates.

I Waste So Much Time

Each week I spend a lot of time trying to find cool video clips...like that "Battle at Kruger."  This weekend I was looking for video clips on succession and pond succession.  After watching a lot of video clips, I found one succession video that I liked.

It isn't as exciting as I would have liked, but it will do the trick.  Watch the video above.  Write at least three sentences about what you learned.  Then see if you can find a cool video clip or article about one of the following topics:

     Overpopulation                        Global Warming                           Energy Crisis     

     Invasive Species                       Genetically Modified Crops

Label what the video is about and include the URL.                         

Eye of the Tiger

Homecoming week 2016!

What a perfect way to start off Homecoming week with my favorite endangered species, the Sumatran Tiger, Panthera tigris sumatra.  This week I want you to change your Google+ profile picture to an endangered species.  The Sumatran Tiger is a critically endangered species with fewer than 400 remaining organisms.  Living on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, these tigers need all the help they can get.  Despite laws to protect the Sumatran Tiger, there is a substantial market for tigers and tiger parts.

Once you have changed your Google+ profile picture, in a scholarly paragraph you need to briefly explain why you picked that endangered species.  Be sure to give both the common and scientific names.  (Scientific names should have the Genus capitalized, species lowercase and be in italics)  Ideally, I would like you each to pick a different species, so be sure to look at what your peers have already posted.  Those of you that post early will have the best pick.  In addition to providing details about your endangered species, I would also like you to define biodiversity.  Look in the book or online.  What happens to biodiversity when organisms go extinct?

Below are some links with endangered species:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status

https://www.fws.gov/endangered/

http://a-z-animals.com/animals/endangered/

Money Well Spent?

Hosting the Olympics is crazy expensive.  It is estimated that Rio spent over $12 billion to host the Olympics...is it worth it?  What will happen to all those fancy venues once the glory of the Olympics has been forgotten?  Watch this short video clip of what has happened to other Olympic venues.

Perhaps the money would have been better spent cleaning up the pollution in Guanabara Bay?  Read this article from TIME magazine.

http://time.com/4438147/rio2016-olympicsguanabarabaypollution/


This week we are starting the next unit on Ecology, the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.  Is there a solution to this excessive spending of money to host the Olympics?  Can that money be better spent?  Can you provide an alternative solution?  What do you think about the pollution in the water in Rio?  Was spending money on buildings really the best use of resources?  Can you find any research about the long term effects of hosting the Olympics has on the surrounding environments?  Magazine articles?  Newspaper articles?  Video clips?

In a scholarly paragraph, respond to the video clip and article above.  Remember that a descent paragraph should have at least five sentences, proper punctuation, correct spelling and grammar.  I am not an English teacher, but I do know what a scientific paragraph should look like.  Read the questions that I posted above and find research to support what you think.  Include your research at the end of your response.  In addition to posting a response, I would like you to comment on at least one of your peers.  This is a public blog meaning anything that you post will be visible to the world, so put your best self out there.  I am going to share this link with your parents so they can see your work.

Jimmy John's

Check this out....

Trophy hunting, endangered species and taxidermy.   Seems like the theme of the semester.

https://www.thedodo.com/jimmy-johns-owner-hunts-1281549555.html

This article may make me rethink ordering Jimmy John's.

Cold blooded

Cryonics......

Hmmm.  This definitely got you thinking this week.

What is cryonics?
How much does it cost?
Is cryonics just some science-fiction fantasy?
Has any mammal successfully been frozen and brought back to life?
Was Walt Disney really cryogenically preserved?
So I was correct about Ted Williams head being frozen, but I was wrong about the rest of his body?
What other famous people have been frozen?
Will cryonics work?
Are bodies frozen while they are still alive or after they have died?
What is neurocryopreservation?
What does this have to do with the Barefoot Bandit?

http://www.alcor.org/

http://www.cryonics.org/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ted-williams-frozen-in-two-pieces/

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34311502

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-barefoot-bandit-mother-20160426-story.html

I gave you lots of resources.  You pick what you want to read or watch.  Write a scholarly paragraph about cryonics.  What do you think?  Explain what it is and what you learned about the process.

Be Uncommon

Can you overcome your genetics?  Can you become an athlete even though you don't have the "sport gene?"  How big of a role do your genetics really play?

This Friday I got an email about a Russian Pianist without hands and missing a leg because of an illness he survived when he was little.  Check this out....

 

https://www.good.is/articles/alexey-has-no-limitations?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailygood

Read the article above and think about overcoming genetics and biology. What does it take to be uncommon?

The TCU baseball team makes a team video each year with a different theme.  This year the theme is "Uncommon."

As we approach the last few weeks of the school year, I want you to think about what it means to be uncommon.  What does this mean to you?  What if we all looked for the "uncommon" in our everyday lives?  What would it look like?  What if we started a trend on Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter with the hashtag "uncommon?"  Can one small group of honors biology students start a movement?

Send a link of something uncommon, take a picture of something uncommon, make a video of something uncommon or write a paragraph about what it means to you....

I feel the need, the need for speed....

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there was an iconic 1980's film called "Top Gun."  While I understand that this movie was far before your time, some quotes from the movie have stood the test of time.

After reading all of your suggestions for blog posts, I decided that this week we would write about the "Speed Gene."  Is there such a thing as being born athletic?  Do our genes determine determine if we are more likely to be an athlete or an academic?

Pick one of the articles below:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/genes-sports-talent/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-elite-athletes-born-or-made/

https://www.23andme.com/gen101/variation/speed/

https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/05/20/sports-genes-what-makes-great-athletes-and-why-it-matters/

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/genetics.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3993978/

OR watch the following TED talk:

In a scholarly paragraph, (at least 5 sentences long with proper punctuation) explain what you learned.  First, state which article you read or if you watched the TED talk.  Summarize what you learned.  Then explain your personal opinion about this subject.  Is athleticism learned or inherited?  Is there really such a thing as a "Sport Gene?"  Finally, summarize how this article will influence you.

Survey says.....

This week I spent a lot of time trying to think of the perfect blog post to start 4th quarter.  Since we are studying genetics, I thought about some common questions that you might have....

Why are there gingers?
What causes eye color?
What determines personality:  nature or nurture?

Let me tell you, the list was long.  However, I couldn't decide on the perfect post.  So I thought I would let you tell me what you would like to write about.  Similar to Family Fued, you will write a list this week of the three things that you would most like to write about between now and the end of the school year.  Of course, the last two units are genetics and evolution so your topics should be related to them please.

Just like Family Fued:)

Rattlesnake Roundup

Yesterday, the Washington Post featured an article that seemed so absurd that I had to read it twice to affirm what I was reading.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/03/12/how-to-kill-thousands-of-rattlesnakes-in-just-four-days/

Straight out of tall-tales from the Wild West, the city of Sweetwater, Texas hosts a yearly "round-up" of rattlesnakes.  The snakes are caught and then thrown into the pit above that looks like an above ground swimming pool.  The festival includes a beauty pageant, a snake charming contest, food stands and more.  Snakes are milked for their venom, skinned, and then cleaned for food.  Does this seem as crazy to you as it does to me?  Are rattlesnakes really that big of a problem?  Is this like the Burmese Pythons of the Everglades?

Read the above article from the Washington Post.  What do you think?  Do you agree with me that this is inhumane to the snakes and a crazy tradition?  Respond in a scholarly paragraph.  Remember to use capital letters and punctuation.  This is a paragraph not a text message.



If you are curious....below is the actual link to the Sweetwater Jaycee's Rattlesnake Roundup Site:

http://www.rattlesnakeroundup.net/ 

Lovely Centrosomes

http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/centrosome-breakdown-halts-regeneration-of-heart-cells/81251599/

Last week after several days of notes, we made our way through the cell cycle.  During my lecture I talked about both centrioles and centrosomes.  For this week's blog post I would like you to read the article above about centrosomes.

In a scholarly paragraph, describe what you learned.  I know you learned this back in third grade, but just a quick refresher.  When writing a paragraph, start with an introductory sentence.  Then follow that up with three to four sentences with supporting details (I want real details that you read in the article.)  Finally, end your paragraph with a sentence that wraps it all up.  Can you provide an extra links to follow up this research?  Does the centrosome play a role in cancer?

#SuperPowerForGood

Bill and Melinda Gates were recently asked by some high school students in Kentucky if they could have a superpower what would it be.

                          "More time!"             and            "More energy!"

When I read the letter I was moved by how meaningful their answers were and how much it meant to me.  This past Friday night I went with some NHS kids to Feed My Starving Children.  While I have done Feed My Starving Children several times, I am always moved by the videos of the starving children and the overall poverty in different areas of the globe.  

In the annual letter, Bill and Melinda point out that poverty is not just about a lack of money.  Often times, poverty has to do about lack of resources.  This letter puts a whole new meaning on lack of energy and lack of time.  Watch these two video clips:

Do you know that more than one billion people today live without access to energy?

These video clips give a whole new meaning to lack of time and energy.

In this next video clip, Melinda gates talks to teens about lack of time:

Below is the link to the actual letter and some great graphics on time and energy poverty:

https://www.gatesnotes.com/2016-Annual-Letter

While my sons would have picked superpowers like being able to fly, be invisible,  be insanely fast and super human strength.  Joe is thinking if he could be like Superman that would be a cool super power.  What is your super power?  If you choose this blog option, I want you to read the letter and watch the video clips. in a scholarly response, summarize what you learned.  What do you think?  As a teenager, what can you do about this?  What would your "Super Power For Good" be?

Are you up for the Burmese Python Challenge?

In the newspaper this morning, I saw a very interesting article about invasive species.  I know that invasive species were last semester, but the Florida Everglades is being over-run with a super creepy invasive species....the Burmese Python.  

Want to see some more?

For the past month, snake hunters have flocked to the southern state of Florida in order to hunt the elusive Burmese python.  No this isn't a reality televsion stunt although it sounds like one.  On this past Saturday, Florida wildlife officials announced the winners of the 2016 Python Challenge.  The contest removed a total of 106 Burmese pythons from the Florida Everglades.  Bill Booth lead the winning team earning a $5,000 grand prize for killing the most Burmese Pythons by removing 33 total snakes.  Additionally, his team had the longest snake that was killed.  At over 15 feet long and nearly 125 pounds, the giant snake earned Booth's team an additional $3,000 in prize money.

http://pythonchallenge.org/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/winners-florida-s-python-challenge-capture-snake-15-feet-125-n527226

Above are two links about the contest.  If you Google "Burmese Python Challenge" and click on "in the news," there are a plethora of other resources.  In a scholarly paragraph, summarize what you learned.  Will you take the python challenge?  What would you do with the snake skin?  A purse?  A belt?  A handbag?  What about the meat?  Where does all that excess snake go?  106 snakes....what do they do with 106 dead snakes?

Chalk full of love

In honor of Valentine's day, I picked two separate articles for you to choose to respond to this week.

http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/13/chalk-full-of-love-the-evolution-of-conversation-hearts/

Read the above article about the history of conversation hearts.  In a scholarly paragraph with at least five sentences and proper punctuation, explain what you learned.  What is the history of the conversation heart?  What did you learn?  In your conclusion, suggest a couple of new messages that would be biology related.

OR

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/photo-ark/pictures/monogamous-animals/#/photo-ark-monogamous-prairie-vole_94135_600x450.jpg

To continue with the spirit of Valentines Day, read the above article about animals that mate for life.  Which is your favorite?  Is it endangered?  What did you learn about that animal?  Are there any other animals that you know of that mate for life?  In a scholarly paragraph, write about one of these animals that mate for life.

Big Game Hunting on the day of the Big Game

Tonight is the 50th Super Bowl...kinda a big deal.  When I saw this article earlier this week, I decided that writing about big game hunting on the week of the Super Bowl was a perfect fit.

Do you remember Cecil, the lion?

The world's largest trophy hunting organization is auctioning hundreds of permits to hunt at least 600 animals in 32 different countries.  Some supporters say that this auction will raise millions of dollars that can be used for conservation.  What do you think?

Below is the article explaining about the controversial auction:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160206-American-trophy-hunting-wildlife-conservation/

This second article is about actual trophy hunting industry:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160202-safari-club-international-auction-dallas-safari-club-big-game-hunts/

Read one of the two articles and write a scholarly article explaining your stance on the practice of trophy hunting.  Start your paragraph with your stance.  Then provide at least three concrete pieces of evidence.  More is better here.  Finally, in your conclusion I would like you to suggest what should be done in the future.

Zika Virus

Have you heard of the Zika Virus?  Have you traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean or the Virgin Islands?  Should you be worried?  Is this going to be a bigger outbreak than Ebola?

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/health/what-is-zika-virus.html?_r=0

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zika-virus-infects-more-than-2100-pregnant-colombian-women/

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/brazil-revises-birth-defect-count-zika-investigation-n505486

Even though we are not studying viruses and the immune system right now, I thought it was important to be aware of the biology that is hitting the headlines right now.  This is a big deal and I want you to understand what is going on in the world.  

Read one of the articles above or watch the video clip.  In a scholarly paragraph, summarize what you learned.  What do you think?  What is your opinion of the virus?  Are you concerned?  Does your family travel to these affected areas?  What is the WHO going to decide this week when they convene to discuss the virus? (Extra credit if you can provide information about what is decided in the meeting this week and provide a link.)

Options options options

OPTION #1:
This week in class we will be learning about plant pigments.  Watch this quick video about why leaves change colors in the fall:

In a scholarly response (capital letters, periods, like a paragraph you would turn in to your English teacher) respond to at least three of the following questions.  Your response should be at least 5 sentences long.  While this guy does a pretty good job, there are a couple of mistakes in this video. Can you find at least one mistake in the introduction?  What does the narrator say that is incorrect?  (I made a big deal about this in class.)  Do you love fall?  Is it one of your favorite seasons?  Or do you love spring because you love to see the world wake up and turn green again (flowers and pretty trees and the prospect of summer right around the corner)?  Are there such thing as albino plants?  If plants are albinos, how do they perform photosynthesis?  Do animals besides humans have different amounts of pigments in their cells?  Can you give an example?


OPTION #2:

If you are not in the mood to think about leaves changing colors, then this week I am going to give you some other options. (Special thanks to MG!)  Instead, you can read one of the articles below.  After you have read the article, I would like you to write a paragraph summary of what you have read.  While I am not an English teacher, I do expect scholarly writing with capital letters and periods.  Your summary should be at least 5 sentences long and include your overall opinion of the article.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bionic-plants-offer-superpowered-photosynthesis/

http://www.wired.com/2012/08/green-aphid-photosynthesis/

http://www.wired.com/2010/01/green-sea-slug/