Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Misconceptions of Science

Science is an art. A mixture of knowledge and imagination, science needs creativity to even exist and without it there would be no expansion into the unknown. There is the misconception that science is not creative and is only dry and procedural.

Professor Jung in neurosurgery from University of New Mexico in Albuquerque is quoted, “I think we take for granted that we rely heavily on science creativity, whether we realize it or not...” (Ossola). People take for granted the “little” creativity it takes to pose a question or design an experiment. Children do it all the time, the question why. They ask why, and form new ideas of what is around them. Then use the knowledge and their creativity to expand upon that new found idea. Creativity is defined as: “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.” (dictionary.com). Children asking questions may not be the exact science that is taught in schools, but science is the “systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation” (dictionary.com). They are observing and asking questions. Many great scientists have done that before: Newton who asked why the apple falls where it fell, Pythagoras (yes, the same man who is credited with the Pythagorean theorem) who asked if the earth is round, and so many more. “‘It really takes a level of creative thought to solve that problem’” (Cutraro), and they happened to have just that. Newton proved gravity with math. Pythagoras taught that the earth was round because the moon was round. They both expanded upon their world through creativity, they transcended traditional ideas. The world was flat, to everyone except Pythagoras. The apple fell where it fell just because, to everyone except Newton. This continues on into modern day, because without that spark of creativity there would be no advancement. (Palaclos, PhD).
Experiment design also has to have that spark. To form a whole new process to find the answer. Not all experiments are the same, they do not follow a set pattern or rule of creation. One must find new materials, new ways to figure out the answer. Many have posed the question of how to keep people safe with armor. The solutions have been: leather, metal, plastic. Recently a new material that could be used to protect people was invented. At the University of Massachusetts-Amherst they took carbon atoms and had them bond together in a honeycomb fashion. This created one of the strongest materials today, graphene, it can take micro-sized glass bullets at a speed of 6,700 miles per hour (that is three times the speed of M16) and it only takes 30 to 300 layers to stop it. On a large scale this could stop bullets and serious injuries from happening to those wearing it, graphene is much lighter than other material that is available for armor on the market. They took something no one else thought of doing and trying it out. Through that creativity they discovered not only one of the strongest materials on earth, but a great conductor too. (Dent).

The misconception that surrounds science is false. Creativity and science go hand and hand, they are in fact “the perfect couple” (Cellitioci). Science usually goes beyond traditional ideas and rules, if these “traditional” bounds are not pushed. Then what will become of the human race? There would be no expansion of knowledge and mankind would be stuck in the same rut.

Friday, August 26, 2016

SHARKS


Sharks are already super cool animals! So when I saw this article on how there is a large species, near blind sharks that can live upwards of two to five centuries I freaked!

It makes sense when they put the growth of a year and age together. Prey animals grow and reach sexual maturity very quickly so the species doesn't die out, while predators at the top of the food chain grow slowly and reach sexual maturity later in life. So a large shark, that is presumably at the top of the food chain, would grow very slowly (a centimeter a year) and reach sexual maturity at around 150 years old.

What interests me is how do they mate, what do they eat?
They are clearly sharks, but do they move slowly to expend less energy? Or do they expend it in quick bursts to capture prey?

The link wasn't working for me, so here is the article I got this from:
Near-Blind Shark Is World’s Longest-Lived Vertebrate


Wednesday, August 3, 2016

CRISPR

Where do I even start with this article.

I got so excited when I saw it. My family has a long line of cancer diagnoses and deaths, and the thought of there being a chance of there being a cure for some of the worst incurable cases brings tears to my eyes. I have been helping out with Jen's Friends for my entire life. Jen was my aunt, and though I never got to meet her, her death has brought a community together and so much change. My uncle, was also a cancer patient and we had tried everything to cure his tumor and if this had been around he would have taken it in a heart beat (and he would have been such a nerd about it too).

This article, even though it gives me so much hope, lets me down. What are the side effects? Will it trigger an immune response that can't be stopped and rampage through the body where ever the injected cells are carried off to? What were the animal trials like for this cure? Will it be available for everyone, or will it just turn out to be stupidly expensive (like all life-saving drugs)?

I am skeptical, but I really do hope that it works!

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

DUCKS #3

This was the final time feeding the ducks, I did this about a couple days ago, but I didn't have the time due to work and family. But I'm going to miss these little guys, cause I left work yesterday (during the lull in the rain) and they were all gone. I don't know if it is permanent or temporary, but I hope they come back soon!!

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Reptile scales share evolutionary orgin with hair, feathers

What truly interests me about this article is what would the common ancestor look like?

They, the scientists, all agree that there is a common ancestor that helped the evolution of feathers and hair along. If so, was the development of these characteristics a mutation or an adaptation?
This common ancestor would have been a very interesting thing to look at, was it large or small? Did it look more avian, mammalian, or reptilian? 

Now it seems like common knowledge that lots of dinosaurs had feathers and scales mixed together (i.e. any raptor), but were there any with hair and scales?

It can be agreed on, for the most part, that dinosaurs evolved into birds (the closest living relative to a dinosaur is not a crocodile, it is the common chicken). But then, what is the closest living mammal to the dinosaur?

This article just brings up more questions and with the preservation of fossils and completion of them declining will we ever find out?



DUCKS #2

Never have I been so excited to see ducks, these little guys always hangout by the pond right next to Heritage. After the first feeding (I fed them earlier that week) they waddled right up next to me. The babies are so cute!!!


Thursday, July 7, 2016

DUCKS #1

So right by Storyland (the place I work) there is a giant pond that has many ducks. Most of them have babies so they are just so cute to feed, 'cause they waddle right up to you and quack (I almost died of cuteness)!