Option 1:
This morning at breakfast we were discussing Presidents' day and favorite presidents. My husband, the AP U.S. History teacher loves Abraham Lincoln. Dominic would ideally love to be a cowboy like Daniel Boone defending the Alamo. Clearly, the glory of cowboys and soldiers makes James K. Polk his favorite president--don't mess with Texas. Joey is a big fan of Theodore Roosevelt. The safaris, outdoor adventures, snakes in his dorm room and the fact that DC comics created Batman because of Theodore Roosevelt make him the obvious choice for a six year old. How does this relate to biology you might be asking yourself?
While you might be aware that James Garfield was shot in the back by an assassin, did you know that he could have survived if his doctors had listened to Joseph Lister? Lister had all these crazy ideas about germs in the air, sanitizing tools, sterile surgical wear and the cleanliness of the general surgical field. Garfield's doctors thought Lister was delusional. Germs in the air? Clean tools? At the time, dried caked blood on your surgical gown was a sign of accomplishment. Doctors poked their fingers around in Garfield's wound ultimately killing him with bacteria. Alexander Graham Bell (the telephone guy) was so frustrated that he is quoted saying, "science will have to save the president."
Yes. Indeed, President's day is related to biology.
Who is your favorite president? Why? What did he do? Can you make a link to biology? Write a scholarly response describing your favorite president.
The link below will help you learn about the presidents:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/
Option 2:
This week in class we will begin discussing the cell cycle. As part of the discussion on the cell cycle, we will also be learning about stem cells. Your book has a great section that you will read that explains stem cell research. However, the great stem cell debate is alive and kicking. If you choose option 2, you will find me a link to a valid article or video that discusses the stem cell debate. In addition to the link about stem cell research, you will also write a scholarly response, explaining what you learned in the article or video. For this option, you need to include both the media link and the summary. Here is a cool link to NOVA to help you get started:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/stemcells.html
The Presidents of our nation are the people who undoubtedly carry the nation upon their shoulders. Of all these presidents, I also am going to choose Theodore Roosevelt as my favorite--and not just because of the appearance he makes in Night At The Museum. I also do not choose Roosevelt because of his accomplishments that might have pushed America forward, I choose him as my favorite because of his attitude towards life. Roosevelt claims that “the life of strenuous endeavor” is what we should all strive to live for and achieve. In the time of his presidency, he spoke with confidence, and he led his country strongly. Not only did he do this was verve, energy, and excitement, but he also won a Nobel Peace Prize thanks to his mediation of wars and other international affairs. After his presidency, he went on a short African Safari before returning to run yet again. Unfortunately, he was shot; although he recovered, he later died in 1919 and was not president again. Roosevelt embodied not only the nation’s good morals, but embodied the constant journey for joy and happiness that everyone should feel. At the time that he was recovering from the bullet, he even states that “no man has had a happier life than [he had] led; a happier life in every way”. Not many other presidents hold this endeavor of adventure, happiness, and excitement close to their hearts; however, Roosevelt did. He was undoubtedly one of the most exciting presidents of our nation’s history, and besides, who wouldn’t pick the guy that was the reason that Batman was created?
ReplyDeleteOut of all of our presidents, the one that I admire most is Ronald Reagan. Although he did not have any link to biology, he is known for his successful years in office. He had many accomplishments, such as ending the Cold War with little fighting, increasing employment, and sustained the longest record of American prosperity. He was also a very strong man, since he in fact was shot by a would-be-assassin (similar to James Garfield) and lived. The one thing that most people remember was not his policies or leadership, but his amazing ability to speak with precision and whit. In one of his debates for his second campaign, the question was asked that concerned his growing age. He replied "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience”. All these things add up to make Ronald Reagan my all time favorite president.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson is my favorite president. As he said, "One man with courage is a majority", he was one of the founding fathers of the united states and led the country. Also, he was all for democracy. It takes courage to stand for how a government should run in a country of this size. He stood for what he thought was right and as a founding father, was there from the beginning so if anything, he would know what would be right for America before just about anyone else. Thomas Jefferson is my favorite president because of the courage, the things he stood for and for leading a country by being brave.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite president is Thomas Jefferson because he stood for democracy. Being one of our founding fathers, Jefferson influenced the way America is today. He believed in American's having their own freedoms, as he says here, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free it expects what never was and never will be....The people cannot be safe without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." He wanted American's to know what was going on with their country, and they should have the right to know early on, and not find out when it hits a breaking point. Jefferson also relates to biology because it is said that Jefferson had a child with one of his slaves. After a DNA test was done on a descendant of Jefferson's uncle and a descendant of Sally Hemings' (slave Jefferson is said to have a relationship with) son, the Y DNA strands matched. But much speculation still occurs on whether Jefferson really is the father, and we may never know for sure.
ReplyDeleteMy all time favorite president was Thomas Jefferson. He was the author of the declaration of independence and apart of the republican party. Him and I have some of the same beliefs, which is why I like him so much. He spoke the aspirations of a new america more than any individual of his era. He served his country for well over five decades. He was not only our president for two terms, but he was also a philosopher, historian, plantation owner and a public official. His family was well distinguished in his home state of Virginia. Those are just a few examples as to why Thomas Jefferson was an amazing republican president.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have not ever thoroughly ranking the presidents from favorite to least favorite, I say the 9th president William Henry Harrison, is my favorite. The reason he is my favorite is because he had the one of the longest speeches during his inaugural address ( it was more than 8,000 words and took 2+ hours to deliver), and one of the shortest presidential terms. Not because he was very old when elected, not because he was assassinated, but because of his long speech in the freezing cold and a snowstorm, he got pneumonia and died 31 days after being elected president. How does this relate to biology? The pneumonia virus killing president Harrison.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite president is Franklin D. Roosevelt. He got America out of the great depression in the 1930’s. If it wasn't for his rule, America would be a huge mess right now. One of his famous sayings was “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I love this saying. Another thing that I like about him is that he is the only president that has served for more than eight years. He was president for twelve years. Showing that the people really loved him. In 1921 he was diagnosed with Poliomyelitis. This disease affects your nerve system and can eventually cause you to go completely paralyzed. He began swimming to save his legs from going paralyzed. He did not die from this disease. This disease directly relates to biology.
ReplyDeleteEven though I do not get abundantly interested to past presidents, Thomas Jefferson has always come to be one that I am fascinated in. The idea that, with his lack of public speaking, he still obtained enough authority to be capable of drafting THE Declaration of Independence blows me away. For not only did he stop there, but he continued to reach more freedoms for the people and limit the governments strength. These such actions are the ones that strengthened our government and took us to the top. With a fully filled life, Jefferson turns to the worst with a torturous time consuming death, filled with Biology. Beginning in 1818, when taking a trip to Virginia and resting in some mineral baths, he catches a nasty infection on his bottom. Resulting in cases of server diarrhea; Dr. Jones doses him with sulfur and mercury in ointments, in hopes of removing these bowl moments from his last years of life. However Jefferson was still having to suffer from "swollen legs, painful joints, fatigue, a fractured left wrist, a boil on his jaw, increasing deafness, and unspecified illnesses"(Ibid) trough 1824 as a result of these infections. Although he was tormented with many challenges the worst came to him in 1825 when he was diagnosed with "prostatic hypertrophy". Through the next year Jefferson strives hard to continue but ultimately gets bed ridden in the summer of 1826. The astonishing president eventually passes away on July 4, 1826, from the condition we would classify today as prostatic cancer. However, as scientists look back at Jefferson's grave experiences, they state that with the help of modern medicine Thomas's life would have been saved. Relating the horrid conditions and consequences to the field of biology, for Jefferson suffered many infections and treatments during his ending of life.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not a very historically interested person, John F. Kennedy would have to have been my favorite U.S. president. He was such an admirable person and vary valiant for fighting as a Navy Seal against the Japanese. That leads to the thing that caught my eye about him; he had a passion for the ocean. He also reminds me of my grandpa who looked just like Kennedy in addition to loving the sea as well. This interest is something he states in my favorite quote of all time, “I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it is because in addition to the fact that the sea changes and the light changes, and ships change, it is because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.” This is a quote that defines how strongly I am drawn to the mystery of water and its incredible beauty. I understand what he means by this quote. It's something we can all feel when we're close to water; an intense calm and happiness it brings about. I'm sure that somehow the emotional effect that water has on people is defined by science, but to me, Kennedy did it justice.
ReplyDeleteI do not know much about presidents, but one president I have had interest in was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was our 32nd president of the United States. Roosevelt served from 1933 to 1945 for our country. The thing that struck me was that he got polio in 1921, which meant he was paralyzed from the waist and down. When he was president, he was paralyzed. He accepted this, but also began seeking and even trying many theories to cure his polio. At this time, scientists have not yet discovered polio vaccines that could cure his polio. Though, he did encourage the discovery of a cure. In this part of history a cure was now discovered, so he had to live with it but if it was maybe thirty years later in 1962 when polio was discovered, he may had have the sure. This was just interesting to me, though I do not know much more about him because I am not usually interested in the presidents.
ReplyDeleteLooking back through all the presidents there are many that stand out Washington, Lincoln, JFK, and many more. But to me the one that stands out the most is a recent president who not everybody in the United States of America May agree with right now and that is Barack Obama. All though he isn't the hero like the other presidents were he caused Americans to change. Of course many people know him as the first African America president in US history. With that struck an even greater battle between republican and democrat causing and even more divide country, which isn't a good thing. And maybe he hasn't done the best on home soil with things like Obamacare and tax raises. It's the stuff he has done off American soil that makes him my favorite president. During his 1st term in office he took down Osama bin laden who the US had been trying to get for many years now. Also he has been bringing troops home more frequently and trying to resolve the war over in the Middle East. Sure those accomplishments above may not cancel out the damage at home, but he like JFK has brought a personality to the throne of the Oval Office with being involved in one of our countries past times, and let's not forget the apperences on SNL and countless other late night shows. In the end he is a president America can be friends with, which is why I chose him. I'd rather not have a dictator, I'd rather have a friend.
ReplyDeleteOf all the presidents to choose from, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1858-1919) would most definitely take first place in my heart. The first I ever learned of Roosevelt was a deed he had committed during his presidency that became the namesake of a popular children's toy. When asked to shoot a small bear club, Theodore refused and the incident was later reported in the news. A toy manufacturing company was inspired by the way in which he handled the situation and devised a plan to introduce a loveable stuffed bear to society as a toy. The toy was named a "Teddy Bear". For this reason and many others, Teddy has easily claimed the spot of my favorite president. He was also the first American to win the nobel prize and the youngest president of his time to take office. Roosevelt shows great relation to Biology, especially in his world-renowned "Bull Moose" speech. On October 14th of 1912, Theodore was campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when a local saloon-keeper shot him. The bullet became lodged in his chest after passing through a jacket pocket that contained, at the time, his steel eyeglass case and a copy of his fifty page speech which had been folded in half and was to be presented that day. Being an anatomist, Roosevelt concluded that since he was not coughing up blood, the bullet had not penetrated his chest wall and entered his lung. He refused immediate treatment and proceeded to give a ninety minute speech with blood seeping from his wound. After the speech had come to an end, Theodore promptly stated, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose." Due to his specialization in anatomy and biology, Roosevelt was able to both continue with his speech and also to address his condition properly with his knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAfter I did some research, I decided that my favorite president would be Theodore Roosevelt. He was the 26th president. As well as being a politician, he was an explorer and a naturalist. The thing he did that best relates to biology was that he made a huge impact on the national park service. He is responsible for being the person that saw the beauty in nation an recognized the need to preserve them. Roosevelt saved many species by preserving land for them. Between 1901 to 1909, he signed legislation establishing five national parks: Crater Lake, Oregon; Wind Cave, South Dakota; Sullys Hill, North Dakota; Mesa Verde, Colorado; and Platt, Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteOf all the presidents the U.S. has had my favorite would have to be John F. Kennedy. He served as president from 1961 until he was assassinated in 1963. He was the 35th president. He is my favorite because he accomplished so much during his presidency. Events in his presidency were the African-american civil rights movement, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he increased involvement of the U.S. in the Vietnam War. He also initiated the Space Race which which would culminate in the moon landing. Kennedy also suffered many health issues during his life that the public didn't know about including back issues and Addison's disease which relates him to biology. He also would undergo many treatments that were controversial at the time and may even have impaired his judgement.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Ronald Reagan is my favorite president. His time in the White House helped improve America by a large margin. While he really didn't have many biology connections he suffer a gun wound and lived when someone tried to assassinate him. In comparison to James Garfield who died in 1881 when he sustained a gun wound the medical viewpoint has changed greatly. Garfield could have lived from the gun wound yet he died of infection from lack of medical knowledge. Ronald Reagan recovered quickly and lived. That proves how much medical knowledge has changed over the past 100 plus years. Besides for this biology connection Ronald Reagan did a lot for our country. He helped improve taxes to help people with lower incomes and all in all made taxes fairer for people. He helped maintain the nations longest time of prosperity which was really good. Also he declared war on terrorism and sent bombers to Libya after they attacked American soldiers. Even though this was an aggressive action he sought out a stronger diplomatic relation with the Soviet Union so that they could remove nuclear missiles. Besides for being an amazing politician he was charismatic which helped him win over people in a good way. Ronald Reagan was a well rounded person. All in all Ronald Reagan is my favorite president and he helped improve the country majorly.
ReplyDeletehttp://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/scissues/. This article brought a lot of attention to me about the controversy of stem cell research. These cells are very crucial to the regenerative medicine field. They can turn into any type of cell they want but obtaining these cells is very unethical in some spots. They have to obtain them from human embryos but to do this they have to kill them. But now due to a breakthrough in 2006 scientists can alter cells to make them act like embryonic stem cells making them less controversial.
ReplyDeleteCalvin "Silent Cal" Coolidge has always been my favourite president. Like, literally. He isn't someone I just picked so I could do my blog entry. Coolidge is literally my favourite president. Born on July 4th, 1872 and first taking in office in August of 1923, Coolidge was the 30th President of the United States of America. As Harding's Vice-President, Coolidge had to take over after the 29th President died of a heart attack. After finishing out Harding's term, Coolidge ran for President and was elected, though when asked, he refused to run again for a second full term. In doing so, Coolidge really dodged a bullet there, the next year, in 1929, the Stock Market crashed and began the Great Depression. Coolidge was also known as a man of few words. Once, at a dinner party, a woman sitting next to him said she had bet she could get at least three words out of him to which Coolidge replied, "You lose." What sass! He may not have said much, but he was wildly popular with the American public though. Coolidge became the first president to make a public radio address to the American people in 1924. Though this is a post on a biology blog, so I had to go looking for something 'science-y' about Coolidge. I did some searching and found out that there is actually a biology/physcology term named after him called the "Coolidge Effect" which basically says that males can get renewed sexual interest if introduced to new receptive sexual partners, even after refusing sex from prior but still available sexual partners. It comes from “… an old joke about Calvin Coolidge when he was President … The President and Mrs. Coolidge were being shown [separately] around an experimental government farm. When [Mrs. Coolidge] came to the chicken yard she noticed that a rooster was mating very frequently. She asked the attendant how often that happened and was told, "Dozens of times each day." Mrs. Coolidge said, "Tell that to the President when he comes by." Upon being told, President asked, "Same hen every time?" The reply was, "Oh, no, Mr. President, a different hen every time." President: "Tell that to Mrs. Coolidge."” Bonus fun fact? Coolidge and his wife Grace owned a pet raccoon named Rebecca which Grace would take on walks around the White House grounds.
ReplyDeleteQuote taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolidge_effect (Sorry, sorry. I know Wikipedia isn't a preferred source, but it was the easiest way to quote that section.)
My favorite president is Jimmy Carter. He was the 39th president and served in office from 1977-1981, and is still alive today as the oldest living president. I also like the fact that he is very underrated as a president. An interesting fact about him is that at one point he was a peanut farmer and for a short period of time lived in public housing, which is housing subsidized for the poor. Additionally, Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize and is the only president to have won it after leaving office. While he was in office, he created two new cabinet-level departments: the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to advance human rights. One way Carter can be related to Biology is that he suffered from Trachoma as a child. It is a bacterial infection that you can get from flies, and it turns your upper eyelid inward. Trachoma is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world, and although it was eliminated in the U.S in the 1970s, it is still considered an endemic in Asia and Africa. Overall, Jimmy Carter is a very interesting political figure in society and more people should learn about him if they want to know about a good former president.
ReplyDeleteMy first presidential choice was invalid ( Joey Votto) so I am forced to give my opinion on stem cell research. After reading this article, I am still not sure If I know enough about stem cell research to give a full opinion. We still don't fully understand the full potential of stem cell research and the hope is that in the future, it will allow doctors to perform serious life saving cell replacements. Looking in from the outside the potential upsides that stem cell research could have are in my opinion, worth the risk and the money. We could save massive amounts of human life with the abilities stem cell research provides. However,stem cell use also poses the question of ' is it ethically right to use"? Many would argue we don't understand the full repercussions that could take place, but isn't it worth the risk? We would have a universal human "repair kit" that would be applicable to all humans. Stem cell research will continue to be a part of our future that I believe will be a progressive one.
ReplyDeleteVotto 2016
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/innovation/episode6_essay1.html
Go Joey Votto!
DeleteRichard Nixon is one of my favorite presidents because he did a lot for the Native American people. Being half Native American and having family on reservations, he and his administration brought much needed change to the native american community. "What we have done with the American Indian is its way as bad as what we imposed on the Negroes. We took a proud and independent race and virtually destroyed them. We have to find ways to bring them back into decent lives in this country." He gave back what was taken from the native american people and helped start the change. He is also related to biology because he did a lot for the environment. Nixon put into place these laws: The National Environmental Policy Act (1969), The Clean Air Act Extension (1970), The Water Quality Improvement (1970), The National Wilderness Act (1970), The National Resource Recovery Act (1970), and The Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments (1972).
ReplyDeleteAlthough not my favorite president, Richard Nixon was certainly an interesting one. Today he is best known for the Watergate scandal which lead to his resignation, however under his administration, some of the most important environmental laws were passed. For example, in 1970, the clean air act extension, considered the most significant air pollution control bill passed. It required that regulations were enforced to protect people from airborne pollution. Another act that improved the environment was the endangered species act of 1973. Conservation laws were strengthened and endangered species were given extra protection and status. These are only a part of Nixon’s environmental legacy left in his exit from the presidency.
ReplyDeleteLeah,
DeleteI love that you picked an underdog. Great job.
My favorite president is Teddy Roosevelt because even after having a sickly childhood, and his wife and mother dying on the same day, he still continued to pursue a very successful life. Roosevelt became president in 1901, after William McKinley was assassinated. He was considered a war hero after he was lieutenant colonel of the Rough Rider Regiment, which he led on a charge at the battle of San Juan. He ensured the construction of the Panama Canal and won a nobel peace prize for creating peace Russo-Japanese War. He impacted national park service. This relates to biology because he helped the wildlife. Teddy was also one of four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore. Before he died he said, "No man has had a happier life than I have led; a happier life in every way." This man accomplished many great things in his life that lead us to the place we are now. Plus, he had cool glasses and a mustache.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the presidents in U.S. history, I have to say that my favorite president is a very commonly mention president: Abraham Lincoln. He was born on February 12th in 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. He was elected the 16th president and served from January 1st 1863 till April 14th 1865 when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was president during the Civil War and it was he who made the Emancipation Proclamation stating that the slaves must be freed. Lincoln pushed the U.S. in its first steps towards equality for all, though it would take a lot more for that to happen. Lincoln was married to Mary Todd and they had four boys but only one of the four survived to an old (according to that time period) age. The link to biology that I found was that Lincoln's three sons died when they were very young. They didn't have advanced medicine, therefore many more people died at younger ages and didn't live to be as old as we do today. His fourth child did survive. This relates to biology because his genes were able to adapt much better than his other siblings and he was able to outlive them all.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the presidents my favorite is John F. Kennedy. He was elected into office in 1961 and served as president until he was assassinated in 1963. Kennedy is my favorite because he tried to change America and push America forward. He wanted civil rights for African Americans and pushed for new civil rights legislation. Plus John F. Kennedy's lived in one of my favorite time periods and his life seemed so glamorous and cool. His wife Jacqueline Bouvier, otherwise known as Jackie O, was an influence on many women and had such style and grace. Ultimately, if John F. Kennedy hadn't been assassinated I think he could have made even more change in America.
ReplyDelete"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." this popular quote, put into many forms of literature, is a motto many people take inspiration from, it comes from my favorite president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Facing the Great Depression and poliomyelitis in his presidency, he was one of the most successful presidents to this day. There are so many courageous traits we can take from him that experienced in his life that make us all stronger even now. When he was 39, Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio. Polio is a virus that enters through the mouth and attaches to the cell's receptors. The RNA then go into a cell to get the nutrients they need to replicate. After that step is done they release themselves into the blood stream. After watching a video on the replication cycle of polio-virus, I realized it's as disturbing and heartbreaking as it sounds written. He was able to overcome his polio by swimming for long periods of time however. Although he was elected twice he eventually died towards the end of his second term from Cerebral hemorrhage, or an artery in his brain busted, causing the bleeding in his brain tissue to kill him. President Roosevelt will always be my favorite president because of his bravery fighting polio and managing to solve one of our biggest crises, the Great Depression. Many people described him as being a "Happy warrior" because of what he managed while still able to keep a smile on his face, because in the end what's the point in solving our problem without keeping our strength.
ReplyDeleteYou have to respect a man who not only puts up with his own problems, but also helps others through theirs. President Abraham Lincoln would be my favorite president for that reason. He, by today's standards, would be diagnosed with clinical depression. Back then it was known as Melancholy. He had many reasons to feel this way. Three of his four sons died before they could make it to adulthood. That sounds truly heartbreaking. And somehow, through all of this pain which caused him to drip sadness, he was still an impressive president! I would guess to be that depressed, suicide may have crossed his mind once or twice, whether he mentioned it or not. Through the feeling of wanting to give up, he survived and left something behind. That is the reason I respect him so much. I mean, they didn't even have antidepressants back then! There was no biological help back then. He had to fight the demons in his mind with his bare knuckles. Today in science and biology, we have actual treatments to help ease depression. One type of pill helps to balance the seratone in the brain, a chemical that makes you happy. Lincoln didn't have that. For that, I respect him greatly.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1472648310606475
ReplyDeleteThis article talks about the affects of stem cell research and what it can cause. For example, in the the article it talks about using a drug to have women produce more eggs so that they can then use these eggs for stem cell research. Now, the article states that these are experimental drugs and they do not yet understand what the long or even short term effects of the drug will be. An experimental drug does not sound very safe to me. And that they would use it without knowing the effects that the drug may induce upon its victims. I think that before people start to use stem cell research they have to know what it will do to them and if it will even work before they go through with it and use it.
Everyone else is doing there's on president's but I'm being different so I'm doing mine on the stem cell debate. Below is a article that's easy to follow but still has nice information about the stem cell debate.
ReplyDeletehttp://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/scissues/
By reading this article, I learned that stem cell therapy is not a new concept, but in 1998 when doctors were able to take stem cells out of a human embryo, there was a lot of excitement. This could potentially cure many diseases that could otherwise be unstoppable. By having the ability to become any cell in the body hES (human embryonic stem) cells have the potential do do a lot of good. However, like any scientific breakthrough, questions and issues pop up. It used to be that the only way to get the stem cells was to basically destroy a five day old embryo. One of the main issues is an ethical one. Is it right to do this even though it will save people's lives? However, since there are now other ways of extracting the stem cells, this argument is pretty much pointless. With safer ways of getting stem cells, and more research taking place as you read this, it's getting easier and easier. Just like all things though, more research will need to be done and even then, there will probably be people complaining and saying it's unsafe.
Though, Presidents are quite interesting and inspirational, I would prefer to talk about a buzzing topic in our current society. Stem cell research.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/Feb/20/robert-klein-cirm-stem-cell-billion-2016/
When reading this article, I was thinking to myself... stem cell research has progressed miles since 2004 when CIRM granted millions of dollars to the cause. And not only on embryotic cells, but regular stem cells that I from the skin. With the left over money, and money the scientists are planning to collect in 2017 are planning on figuring out how to produce cells to fix diseases like type 1 diabetes, and cancer. In fact, some of their research has caused recession in a cancer patients bone marrow deterioration; and for a fun fact!~ President George W. Bush was the first president to fund stem cell research following Barack Obama in 2009. Overall, Stem Cell research has affected lives by finding ways to slow down, to even curing diseases. This may be a topic that people have varying opinions on, but I know where I stand, and I fully support stem cell research.
My favorite president was probably George Washington. Being the first president of the USA and winning the Revolutionary War were accomplishments that only he could achieve. He encouraged that there be no presidential parties (democrats, republicans, etc), because he thought that it would hurt the development and future of american politics. I would have to agree with that, as republicans and democrats are constantly arguing with each other, and fighting over laws and ideas. I believe that if we would have suck to those ideas, we would be much better politically. George Washington also had some biological feats in his life. During a time of disease and hardship, he figured out how to 'vaccinate' his troops so that they were immune to the savage disease. His doctors (on his orders) took small amounts of blood from the diseased troops and put it into the undiseased troops. Since there was a small amount of disease, the bodies of the newly diseased soldiers were able to fight off the disease, and be able to combat the disease shall it ever come again. This saved over 1000 troops.
ReplyDeleteAdvancing in energy efficiency, Jimmy Carter was one of the greenest Presidents of all. Knowing it was a bit of a far-fetched idea, with the 32 panels weighing more than 45 kilograms each, he had them installed on the roof of the White House in purpose of heating their water supply. Not knowing the outcome of this variable expense (and in a way experiment), Carter knew he was taking chances, so he explained how the solar panels could be just a decoration or the beginning of something great. Little did he know his innovative idea would become so popular nowadays that we would be using solar energy for so many power sources we need and use. With not only his purpose being for a better nation for the world, but Carter wanted a healthier World for the nation.
ReplyDeleteThis may seem like a typical answer, but my favorite has to be John F. Kennedy. What he did for this country was outstanding, but it was really how he was assassinated that really puzzled me. JFK was shot by a sniper, while him and his wife were presenting themselves in a presidential motorcade. His assassination also relates with last week's blog topic, because if we had the technology we do today back then, the sniper would have probably been caught. A few years ago I watched a documentary on his assassination. sure, i might have fallen asleep during it, but i still paid enough attention to the beginning. What the narrator of the documentary said was that hundreds of photo journalists had been analyzing pictures from the motorcade, and they have been able to spot a suspicious looking shadow lurking in the back of some of these pictures. Anyway, JFK connects to biology because of his assassination, and that the killer would have been caught today if the DNA coding techniques were used back then, like we have today.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite president is Abraham Lincoln. He is my favorite president because he freed the African slaves and he reunited our country. I also like him because of his optimism during the civil war and I love his leadership and his dedication to the union and reuniting our country. He is related to biology because after he was shot in the head he was put on a dirty cart. Also he was laid on his bed which wasn't sterilized. His family is related to biology because his son died of an illness and they tried treating it with poor methods to cure him.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite president is Theodore Roosevelt. Not only was he the whole outdoorsy, Rough Riders president, but he took great strides in preserving our national parks and lakeshores. Roosevelt personally preserved 5 parks and 4 monuments, among other culturally and naturally relevant areas, and also passed the 1906 Antiquities Act. This act made it possible for presidents to decide on national parks and is responsible for about 95 parks, forests, and waterfronts today. I think Roosevelt's contribution to biology is one of the most important from an ecological standpoint, because it has made it possible for everyone to enjoy beautiful and important areas in the United States for over 100 years. Places like Yellowstone National Park, Wind Cave in South Dakota, Crater Lake in Oregon, and many, many others would not still be here without his efforts.
ReplyDelete"Ronald Reagan?! The actor?!" As said in Back to the Future, Ronald Reagan was an actor to begin with. But, he became President in 1981 and is my favorite president. Not only the fact that he was an actor in many films before taking office, Reagan was born in Illinois and survived an assassination attempt. He had much better doctors than James Garfield. while he may not have any clear link to biology, Ronald Reagan is of the most interesting and inspiring presidents, and my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite president has always been Abraham Lincoln. He has always been my favorite because his main goal in life was peace and freedom. To me, he was the most important because he freed slaves and changed everyone's lives by giving races a chance to be as equal as everyone else. I think he relates to biology because of DNA. Everyone has different genes and traits, and if you looked into them, you would never find a gene that says something is wrong with having different colored skin. Therefore, Abraham relates to Biology because he encouraged equality for everyone.
ReplyDeleteUlysses S. Grant is my favorite president. You may ask why he's my favorite when he is considered one of the worst presidents in history? Well, there are two reasons behind it. First, he believed very much in civil rights, and fought hard for our side during the civil war. Even though he surrendered soon after, he still fought for the North in order to abolish slavery and win us some more rights. Isn't that what everybody looks for in a good president? Someone who fights for whats right? So, i must disagree that Ulysses S. Grant is one of the worst presidents. He may have done some things wrong, such as accepting presents from admirers, but he fought to end slavery, and end the sorrow involved with slavery. Second, I am related to Ulysses S. Grant. He relates to Biology because he died from throat cancer. With cancer, cancer cells divide and grow uncontrollably. We are learning about mitosis and cell replication, which is exactly what cancer cells go through, over and over.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, I have chosen to research stem cells. http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx I learned a lot about stem cells from this article. First of all, there are two types of stem cells that scientists deal with- embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic somatic or "adult" stem cells. Stem cells are unique in the fact that in the development of an embryo, they are able to be specialized into any type of cell and can regenerate through cell division. In some areas of the body, we utilize stem cells quite frequently as in the bone or tissue. These stem cells are able to become replacements for cells lost in the wear and tear of life. Since 1981 when mice stem cells were experimented on, this unique type of cells has been under the microscope, literally and figuratively. As scientists have discovered more and more about stem cells, it has become apparent that if we figure out how to utilize them, stem cells can be used to cure and treat many diseases. However, as the research increases, it raises many ethical questions. Despite the controversy, stem cell research is still going strong, and may lead to even more breakthroughs.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Ma17LiEHk
ReplyDeleteThis particular video is rather short and simple, and it’s pretty easy to overlook it. “Oh, there goes science again, they made something cool but its just a pea sized blob of cells incapable of cognitive function”. Alright, that’s a fair point, but wouldn’t you say it’s a tad unscientific to disregard deeper thought about a particular piece of information? I’d say so, so I dove a bit deeper. First of all, you need to ask “Where will this take us?” and obviously something like this is capable of taking us in a multitude of directions, from cloning to transplants to species-wide self enhancement. It’s a daunting field, bringing a lot of questions about morality along with it. For now, lets focus on the one area that is more relevant in the near future, and more discussed in this video: medical science. When given a technology capable of saving lives, it’s clearly quite appealing. However, in this situation of growing replacement organs, you certainly do need to question the morality of it- after all, you are toying with the nature of life and death. My personal view would be that if these scientists are looking to grow new organs for patients, by all means they should do it. to me, it seems to be a win-win for everybody. firstly, it eliminates the need for a human donor, allowing families to keep the bodies of their passed loved ones intact and never placing the burden of needing to having an organ removed to replace another in someone elses body. Then of course, if these organs are lab grown, that means that they’re controlled, effectively making a biologically, anatomically perfect replacement. This, with some further research and fine-tuning, could also eliminate the possibility of the organ being rejected. My only questions about this now are firstly, how can we be assured that this technology will stay confined to medical purposes, and secondly: What are we waiting for?
My favorite president has always been Theodore Roosevelt especially after the movie Night at the Museum came out. I always would love the adventures he would describe and talk about, as he was an adventurous person. In fourth grade I chose to do a report on him which made me more interested in him. One of the more fascinating things that I still remember was his slogan "Speak softly and carry a big stick" I think the thing that fascinated me the most about that, was that it was kind of a good way to live your life and a good motto to live your life by.
ReplyDeleteRonald Reagan, the famous republican suffered a fate much like Garfield. Reagan survived an assassination. Much different then Garfield Reagan had the best doctors available. Reagan was a much later president and consequently biology had advanced much further. By Reagan's time the doctors knew about sterilizing a wound and he did not share the same fate as Garfield.
ReplyDeleteI really have always liked John F. Kennedy because of his great speaking capabilities, the fact that he had his head on straight and was against segregation, and knowing that had he not been assassinated there is a great chance that blacks would have been considered equals by most at a much earlier time. He did great things and I wish more presidents were like him.
ReplyDeleteI dont really have a favorite president, but i think Franklin Roosevelt was a great one. He helped get america out of the depression and also served four terms! He was the first president to appear on tv and to fly in a plane! He relates to biology because he was paralyzed by pollio when he was traveling to Canada and got ill. HE tried to fight the diesese by swimming and doing excersizes but in the end it got him.
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