And now, the links:
- Parkour and orangutans. Not orangutans doing parkour, which would be awesome. If you are unfamiliar with parkour, you can watch the short video below.
- When I was in grad school, a fellow student in my lab and I had a few discussions about whether we would ever be able to recreate a living cell via computer simulation. I was on the side of it being impossible, since there was no way to know how all of the proteins interact with each other. The other student felt that it was just a matter of time before computers became powerful enough to process all the data, and since there are a finite number of proteins in a cell, there must be a finite number of interactions. Looks like I was wrong. Though to be fair (to me), this is a very simple cell; one of the simplest known in fact, with only 525 genes (humans have around 30,000 protein-encoding genes).
- So this exists. Biology is weird. Not sometimes. All. The. Times.
- Researchers were interested in finding out more about the energetics of orangutan movements in the jungle. The use of parkour athletes to simulate the movements allowed direct measurements of oxygen consumption, rather than using mathematical models. You can hear the guys from one of my favorite podcasts, Science...Sort Of, talk about this research at the 47 minute mark of their latest episode.
65 comments:
After reading "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" I was quite impressed with the accomplishment. Even though there are a finite number of proteins in the cells and a finite number of interactions as stated by Dr.H, that is still quite a large number of proteins multiplied by the interactions. getting one computer alone to run that type of simulation would be impossible if not rather difficult with our current technology as described in the article as they stated they needed to use multiple computers because one processor would nowhere near have the potential to compute that type of data. This is a great achievement as well because now scientists can better study and understand the inner workings of a cell and with this first step towards their goal in the future they may be able to simulate even larger protein cells such as a human's, provided the technology becomes advanced enough. Technology advancement shouldn't be a problem though because of how rapidly we make things smaller and faster.
In response to "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced": As much of a significant andvancement this is, I was surprised that it hasn't been done before. Thi is only the first step in many discoveries to come. From this model, models of any cell can be eventually made. Additionally, it can be manipulated, and the effects of different diseases can be observed virtually. This could be the beginning to studying biology in an entirely different way.
After reading about the orangutans and how much energy it produce in order to travel from tree to tree, I was fascinated by their nature. They are much more adept then we are. Parkour and orangutans are comparable because they both exhort so much energy to get from one spot to another. "Dr Lewis Halsey from the University of Roehampton explained that it was crucial for the animals to have the option to move around by swaying trees because, in the wild, the animals were on an "energetic knife edge." Although Dr Lewis explains that it was crucial for animals to have the mobility to sway from tree to tree, we find ourselves cutting down more and more wildlife. How will this affect the wild animals? Where will they eventually go? We can't all shelter them in zoos. We don't have the right to cage up these wild animals and put them on display. In the article it states that animals, in the zoo, are much lazier. They aren't equipped with exercise tools. We need to leave the wildlife alone and let the animals roam in their natural habitat and appreciate the wonders of these animals.
In response to "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets," I found it very interesting that scientists can determine the amount of energy orangutans use by measuring the oxygen consumption of human beings. In my opinion, the fact that it takes only 1/10 the amount of energy to sway from tree to tree as it does climbing down and then climbing back up is dumbfounding because it would appear that climbing up and down a tree is more simplistic than swinging from branch to branch. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge the significance of the amount of energy used through the perspective of the orangutans instead of humans. As humans, we usually do not concern ourselves with how much energy we use up since we, for the most part, have access to a plentiful amount of food and do not have to worry about predators hunting us. However, orangutans, along with other wild animals, do not have this luxury as food is never a garantee and tigers are always a danger. Therefore, it is important for these animals to find convenient ways to conserve energy and avoid predators to give themselves the best chance of survival in the wild.
The “First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced” article noted the spectacular achievement made by a team of Stanford engineers, who created a complete computational model of a Mycoplasma genitalium cell. Even though this cell is extremely small, carrying only 525 genes, it is a great accomplishment for scientists and engineers to have been able to recreate a living cell in its entirely. Prior to this breakthrough, I probably would have agreed with Dr. H since it is so incredibly difficult to replicate every single interaction and the cell’s entire behavior. However, since the mycoplasma genitalium is the smallest free-living bacterium, it was easier for the engineers to determine a code to replicate it. I also agree with the comment made by James M. Anderson; I think that this discovery will benefit medicine and engineering tremendously. A good understanding of cellular function and of biological processes will be crucial in replicating more complex cells in the future. Hopefully scientists will be able to study cells’ behavior well enough to treat diseases such as HIV/AIDS and cancer.
When I read the title “Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets”, I was surprised by the correlation between acrobatic fanatics and large apes. Then it hit me after I read the rest of the article. Both of them try to reach their destination in the most efficient way possible. Another point that stood out to me was how mush deforestation was going to affect orangutans. Yes I expected them to lose food sources and much of their habitat, but I didn’t realize it would affect things that are like second nature to them. These studies shed light on how bad the situation actually is. For example, if the Sumatran Orangutans do become isolated like Dr. Coward said, the species will definitely die out. Natural selection within the species and pressure from the outside has already made them endangered. Many species are either extinct or endangered because people do not realize how important an animal’s habitat is to them.
Wow a fish with gonards? I am so intrigued by this evolutionary process which led to this genetic development.This Asian fish is only two centimeters in length, was discovered in 2009, according to the New Scientist.The Phallostethus cuulong has its anus attached to its head.The challenge of these species is how a little-known group of Asian fish can have their reproductive organs on their chins, just behind their mouths. How does this Cronenbergian arrangement work? I would love to learn more about this strange mutation. It is great to see scientists discover new sea life. I also feel that this weird sea creature will soon be talked about by many scientists.
I was not very surprised by the event described in "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced". Computers have come a long way, and they continue to improve at an extremely fast rate. It was only a matter of time before something like this was done considering how quickly modern computer technology advances. It may be a while, but I believe that eventually the team of engineers at Stanford will be able to replicate the E. coli cell that was mentioned, or maybe even more. Engineers and scientists have come a long way over the past few decades with the assistance of computers, and computers will continue to aid their progress. Now that it has been discovered that this type of cellular research is possible, it is only a matter of time before more complicated cells are constructed with the help of computers. It will be a great help to those trying to understand how cells work.
After many years and the obvious advances computer technology it surprised me to read in the article "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" that there had never been a computer generated model of a cell. But considering the various amount of data that had to be accounted for it is reasonable that it took them such a long period of time to develop the computer model. Considering the amount of calculations it is impressive that even with modern technology that the scientists were able to create the model, even using the several computers. Through this recent development the study of more complicated cells and bacteria will help in the understanding of how cells work and even aid in the development of medicine.
While reading "Parkour Athletes Reveal Orangutans' Climbing Secrets" I was surprised that the movement and tricks preformed by parkour athletes could be related to the natural movements of orangutans. Before reading the article, I assumed that it would take less energy to climb up and down a tree. However, counter-intuitively, the article states that it the method of moving from tree to tree only uses one tenth of the energy that is required to climb up and down a tree- conserving the energy of the orangutan. Although the parkour athletes preform these acrobatic movements because they want to, orangutans do so because somewhat out of necessity- their diets are poor so as Dr. Lew Halsey mentioned, everything they do is geared towards being energy efficient. However, as the world advances, the environments in which the orangutans live are getting cut down. It is important for us to remember to preserve their habitats so that they would not become extinct like other animals have in the past.
"Get on your bike, Phallostethus cuulong," well this is one interesting article! I can't help but to wonder why these Priapiumfish have sex organs on their throat. What adaptations or other things would have caused the fish to mutate in such a way? There's no doubt scientists will find a reason why these fishes sex organs are in such a place seeing as new discoveries like these fish are constantly being made. I have to wonder, however, more details of this fish. Are these species of fish rare, how many of them could their be out there? Little details like this would take my interest even more on this article!
The rapid growth of technology has allowed society to grow and change in ways that most people have never dreamed. The article "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" highlights one such discovery. The most impressive discovery currently is the computational model of a living cell called Mycoplasma genitalium. The discovery was not easy from combining 900 scientific papers to writing a code that describes every single molecular interaction. I am surprised and delighted to find that technology can be used to code a model of a cell. Even though this cell is small and has fewer genes than other cells, it is a monumental achievement to be able to write a code for the computer. This cell is the smallest genome of any free-living organism, containing just 525 genes than compared to E-coli, which has 4,288 genes. Also, this discovery is beneficial for society because of the possibilties of computer-aided design for medicine, even though this cell is not as complicated as others. The possibilities are more exciting especially if computers can be used to cure diseases and perform life-saving treatments.
When I first read the title, "So This Exists," on the blog, I didn't know what to expect. Now after reading, I'm quite stunned. These fish have literally turned the genital game on its head. Having a priapium with reproductive and digestive functions proves so unique to other fish and organisms in numerous ways. The male Cuulong actually attach themselves via head to head to allow sperm to be transferred. Also, the female Cuulong fertilize the egg internally, which ninety percent of fish do not do. These fish, so unique, but i ask the question why. Why are these fish so different even though they live in the same waters as the common fish? An article like this makes me think about how many millions of species are out there that we have yet to find along with their unique features. Part of life without extinction is reproduction. Although these fish go about it in a weird way, they get it done and will continue to swim the waters of the Meking River
After reading the article and watching the video, parkour athletes are very similar to the movements of orangutans in the jungle. I think being able to jump from building-to-building or run through obstacles on the street is an amazing talent and gift. I like how scientists are using parkour athletes to study and compare movements of orangutans. I never knew that swinging from tree-to-tree consumes less energy than having to climb down and up a tree. Orangutans have a poor food intake and have to be very energy efficient.
I found the ability of the orangutans to be quite amazing. The amount of the power that they require to climb from branch to branch is not as much as i thought that it would be which is really cool. But, as forests are being cut down, issues are arising for these amazing animals. As the article stated, if the orangutans cannot reach another branch, they become isolated in one area, which later will become an issue, if there is no food available in the area where the orangutans are stuck, then they can die from starvation. I think that there should be a national park made in an area where a large population of orangutans are found, so that the trees and forests of the are remain intact so that the orangutans can breed and live comfortably there. This was, they won't be isolated in one area. I feel that it is important keep areas available for the the orangutans to grow and prosper.
The “First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced” article explains the scientific breakthrough that was done by the engineers from Stanford. What I found most interesting about the article is that this is a leap forward in biology with the aid of modern technology. By making such accomplishments we are opening new doors to be able to understand and utilize biology to its complete capacity. I always found it interesting how modern technology can be used to aid scientific discovery and use. One of my ambitions is to be able to start a company in the techno medical field because it is still a very virgin field and what I consider the future to all hospitals. This article similarly talks about how the future of more biological discoveries will be greatly assisted by the incorporation of technology.
In response to the "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" article, I have to admit that I'm not completely surprised at the discovery. There was a point in time where scientists believed this to be impossible due to the infinite number of protein interactions, etc. as Dr. H said, but because of the advancement of technology and engineering, we have been able to finally succeed. Although it is only M. genitalium, it is still a critical step in broadening medicine and biology in general. With the advancement of technology, scientists will soon be able to make computer copies of larger, more complex cells which can lead to manipulation of these cells and can be used to identify and treat certain diseases, as James M. Anderson stated in the article. It is a truly remarkable discovery and a lot of useful information can be taken from it, and it can be used to expand biology in general.
I found the "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets" to be very interesting and informative. I find it surprising how much energy an orangutan saves by jumping from tree to tree compared to climbing up and down a tree. As time goes on I feel that many species that live in trees, such as the Sumatran orangutans, will go extinct. Since humans are continuously progressing and more forests are being chopped down every year, these specific species that never touch the ground are going to have a difficult time maneuvering around the forest. If the deforestation continues, I believe that species like the Sumatran orangutans will be forced to step on the land. Animals evolve over time and the orangutans will have to change the way they live in order to survive. Also, the orangutans, predators might not stay in the same area if there are less trees, because tigers like to stay in areas allow them to hide easily in the environment. Open land would not disguise them in any way and there would be a chance that the tigers would eventually move to a more dense part of the forest allowing the orangutans to leave the trees to cross the wider gaps.
I found the article about the first complete computer model of a cell very interesting. Before reading this post, I would have believed developing a model of a cell on a computer to be pretty much impossible. I agree with Dr. H's statement; that there isn't any way to tell how the protons interact with each other. However, with all the advanced technology, it is now possible. This is a very big accomplishment and can help further our understanding of the cell. As stated in the article, cures or diagnosis for diseases could be found. The computer model of a cell really does benefit our society. Even though the cell model produced contains only 525 genes, with further research and development, more common cell types with a greater number of genes can be produced as a computer model.
After reading the article "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets," I was surprised that scientists could measure how efficiently orangutans move across the jungle, just by measuring the oxygen consumption of a parkour athlete. This correlation is very interesting and I would like to find out more about it. An interesting fact I read was that orangutans use one tenth of the energy that it costs to climb up and down a tree when swinging from tree-to-tree. It makes sense that they use a very efficient way to move across the jungle without touching the ground, because they basically live up in the trees 24/7, as their predators all live on the ground. However, one problem with the fact that they spend all their time in the trees is that the trees must all be close together, because if a gap is too wide they can't move any further without having to move around by walking on the forest floor.
Referring to the second post, I am compelled to admit that I had previously thought that this task was essentially impossible, of course, due to the numerous processes and interactions taking place in a simple cell. But, it seems that science has proved me wrong. Technology, especially scientific technology, has been improving rapidly in the last two decades. Accomplishing a goal such as this, to make the first ever computational model of a living cell, is a unique and noteworthy feat. As mentioned in the article, it will not only allow scientists and researchers to determine the inner processes in depth, but it will also pave the way for future cell prototypes, particularly cells with more than just 525 genes. Predictably, a large amount of money, time, and effort has probably contributed to the achievement, and just as any student planning to enter the biological sciences field, this absolutely fascinates me. As research on larger and more complex cells commences, imagine what scientists may be able to accomplish in the following years! Hopefully, a captivating revelation or significant cure is on the way!
In response to the article "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans' climbing secrets, I found it very fascinating how scientists were able to study the effiency of orangutan movement through humans wearing oxygen measuring equipment. Another part that interested me was when the article mentioned that moving from tree to tree is requires a tenth of the energy that would be neede to climb down and back up. Prior to reading this article, I would have never guessed that orangutans were so energy efficient. It only makes sense to move from tree to tree because the animals have such a poor food intake and the ground could be considered dangerous in the forests. Also it does not help that we are cutting down trees and destroying their natural habitat. Lastly, I agree with the fact that our zoos need to devise equipment for the apes that have little bit of flexibility built in, so it saps some of their energy.
After reading the article “Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets” I was very impressed and interested. I think it was very innovative of the scientists to use parkour athletes; from watching the video on the article it is amazing how similar the “tricks” of the athletes are to the movements of orangutans. The scientists discovery that the orangutans use a substantial amount of energy moving from tree to tree and that further distances could pose serious problems to their habitats should be taken seriously. The cutting down of trees is harming the orangutans not only by limiting the food supply which is their source of energy; it also forces them to use more energy by creating larger gaps between trees.
In response to the article "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets," i was surprised by how efficient orangutans are. I one for thought that climbing a tree would take more energy than swinging from tree to tree. However it is the other way around. It takes ten times more energy to climb a tree then it does to jump from tree to tree. I believe this is because of the tree-sway maneuver the orangutans and parkour athletes used. By swaying the tree, not only do the orangutans and parkour athletes build momentum but they lessen the gap between trees or other objects. On another note i never knew that Sumatran orangutans always stay in the trees. With deforestation occurring at a rapid pace, it won't be long before the gap between trees will be to big to jump. However, if the Sumatran Orangutans can adapt to living on the ground, they might not go extinct.
Reading the article about Orangutans and watching the video on Parkour athletes was extremely interesting. First off, hats off to the athletes and the stunts they perform. Its absolutely unbelievable and I totally wish I could do something even close to that. I also found it interesting that scientists can figure out the energy used by Orangutans by measuring the oxygen consumption by humans rather than using mathematical models. To me it makes sense that moving from tree-to-tree uses just one tenth of the energy that it cost to climb down and back up. There is more momentum when swinging. It is important for us to realize the motive of why Orangutans swing from tree to tree. The intake of food is poor and so their only way of living is being energy efficient. It's sad to see that humans are a cause to problems such as cutting down trees for this creates a gap and is costly to these animals lives. Reading the other article about the Phallostethus cuulong is quite eye opening but not quite shocking for we should all be aware that biology is unpredictable and with it we should never say never.
I believe that the article about the group of scientists who were able to model the many interactions going on within a cell is interesting but not surprising. With enough time and resources, which I believe this group of people had, it should not be that hard to model a cell, especially one that only has 525 genes. More complex models, such as a model of human cells would have been more surprising. Nonetheless, this is still an impressive undertaking and maybe in the future, models of more complex cells, such as a human cell, will be made and such models would help lead to new discoveries
After reading "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced", I was intrigued by this discovery. Even though computers have improved rapidly within the last decade or so, I didn't think it was possible for any computer to produce such a model. It's astonishing that a group of Stanford engineers were able to produce a set of codes for one specific bacterium, M. genitalium. Although it is a small bacterium, it is a huge step for the future. With revelations like these, more complex cells will be computational, and it will be beneficial toward the future. Maybe one day, there will be a cure for cancer or AIDS from creating computer-models of different cells. It may not seem likely right now, but similarly the article stated that it's just the start. With this information and technological advances, who knows what disease could be cured!
After reading the article about the computer created cell I was astonished. This is a huge leap in understanding tr cell and further understanding biology. I am a fan of the technological side of biology and I think that his is great. Now there can be tests against cells on computers. One question I had though was that did the 525 gene cell put strain on the computer? I wanted to now that if E. Coli was made, which has over 4,000 genes, will the computer be able to handle it? After looking into this some more I found out the scientists from Stabford used MATLAB and they had about 128 Linux nodes if I am correct. To my understanding nodes are the core parts of computers connected together. If that many parts were used for 525 gene cell I think the computers they were using weren't that great. I was happy to know they released the code so now other people can expand on it. I think technology in medical and biological fields is great so this article makes me happy. For another example of technology in this type of field you can check TigerText.
After reading the article about the first ever complete computer model of a cell, I was impressed at the accomplishment which was made. Prior to reading this article, I hadn't understood the magnitude of this feat, but after reading the article I see how this could benefit the field of medicine and bioengineering. I believe it would take a longer time to map/create on computer more complex organisms because they have more genes and more proteins (whose interactions we have yet to completely understand). Though the computer model made was of a smaller cell, Mycoplasma genitalium, this accomplishment opens the doorway to the advancement in the field of medicine—possibly aiding us to find cures for cancer, AIDS, etc.
(I don't think my first post went through so I'm resubmitting)
So about that last article… I’d like to acknowledge that the male fish have little serrae (saw-like teeth or hooks) that grab the females’ heads when they copulate. The fish have teeth coming out of their genitals. I thought that having genitals on the throat was crazy, but to have teeth to help impregnate the females… that’s a quite the quirk in nature. People here are wondering how that sort of mutation could occur. I think that Lynne Parenti, the curator of the Division of Fish at the Smithsonian has an extremely reasonable theory that the priapium’s major bones were derived from parts of the pelvic and pectoral fin. The pelvic and pectoral fin are right by the gills, which are next to the head of the fish. The priapium comes out of the throat, which directly connects to the chest, and it holds the reproductive organs. Since all of these body parts are in close proximity to each other, it is feasible that the mutations occurred like they did for the fish. On a different note, other people mentioned how there could be hundreds of species that scientists have not discovered yet. The Mekong River connects to the South China Sea, and this species was only recently discovered. I cannot help but wonder if because of its location, fish are becoming mutated because of the nuclear pollution and testing that several Asian countries have done in the vicinity. It has been 60 years since World War II and the race during the Cold War, when countries did extreme nuclear testing. That may not be much time for a whole species to mutate, but those chemicals can do some strange things.
On a side note, this is really a rare species. Not only does it have the external priapium, but it also fertilizes eggs internally, and “the eggs of over 90% of known bony fish species are fertilised outside the female’s body.” I’m sure that with further research in certain areas of this river, scientists can discover other fish with fascinating mutations.
After reading "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" i was extremely surprised to read that it was the first time an accurate computer model of a cell had been made. It stunned me because we have known about the living cell for so long but now in 2012 scientists scientists were finally able to make a commuter model is surprising. Also, another thing I found interesing is the fact that this new model is going to help create cures and treatments for diseases. Its amazing how this one model may possibly solve and better the lives of people who are suffering from diseases. This model is a huge step in the right direction as technology changes, scientists are learning how to use technology to their advantage and this is the first step in many new discoveries!
After reading, "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets," I was surprised to discover that orangutans use less energy swinging from tree to tree as opposed to climbing up and down. I never knew oxygen-measuring equipment existed and it was interesting to see humans demonstrating similar movements as an orangutan's in the wild. It is important to understand ourselves (humans) before we can understand our primitive relatives (primates). Orangutans spend a vast majority of their lives in trees and their diet is small. Therefore, they must be energy efficient in order to survive in the wild. As stated by Dr. Halsey, "Zoo animals can get fat, simply because they eat too much and don't do any exercise...So it's important for zoos to devise equipment for their apes that has a little bit of flexibility built in, so it saps some of their energy." The research discover by Dr. Sam Coward is beneficial to zoos because it can provide information on how equipment can be modified to promote exercise and movement in captive animals.
In response to “Parkour and Orangutans” I was fascinated to learn how important it is as an orangutan to be able to move from tree to tree. Due to their poor food consumption, they must have an efficient way to wisely use their energy. Swinging from tree to tree uses one tenth of the energy that would be used to climb down one tree and back up another. As more trees are being cut down, orangutans are coming across larger gaps to cross from one tree to the next, making it more challenging for these animals to get from one place to another. These animals may get themselves caught in a situation where they will not be able to cross a gap, thus being isolated in one area. Therefore it is important for people to be cautious of where trees are being cut down; orangutans might have to pay the price. If an orangutan is isolated in an area where food is not available, it may starve. As the forest is losing trees, orangutans are facing many risks that could be life threatening.
Before reading the article on Parkour and orangutans, I never thought that this free-running activity could be anything more than a challenging sport. It was interesting to see Parkour athletes help scientists learn more about these monkeys solely by using their skills to mimic the actions of orangutans. Innovative and very thought out, this study concluded that like the Parkour athletes, orangutans use but a tenth of the energy they exert from climbing up and down trees when applying the 'tree-swing maneuverer.' Although they have learned more about orangutans and their energy exertion, these scientists are still far from bridging the gap between what they know and the true nature of orangutans and their movement. There are many factors that were not included in the study, such as an orangutan's wingspan (most spanning to seven feet wide), its tropical environment, or its size and weight. Dr. Coward was correct by stating that human athletes were the best candidates to recreate the monkey's movements and swing since, according to orangutan.org, orangutans share 97% of their DNA with humans; however, because there were many conditions/factors not included, this study was but a good start to learning more about the true nature of orangutans.
"First ver Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced"
Initially, while reading this article I didn't fully comprehend the complexity of the situation at hand. I assumed that at the basic research level, scientists always have had access to computerized models of cells, complex or simple. Now that this monumental task of creating the first computerized simple cell has been accomplished, it will open up an avenue of possibilities. It is now remotely possible for the science community to recreate more complex computerized cells therefore allowing them more research opportunities. Maybe one day, multicellular organisms can be computerized as well. This can cut down the costs of research teams as well as stop testing on living creatures.
“Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets,” in my opinion, was a very interesting article. I was very surprised that an athlete could successfully imitate the movements of an orangutan. Using this, scientists were able to conclude that an orangutan uses one tenth of the energy swinging from tree to tree than it does to climb down one tree and up another. However, this information could be practically useless in the future if trees keep being cut down and larger gaps are created between them. By cutting down trees, orangutans are negatively affected in several ways. First, their ways of travel are gone, making it harder to stay away from prey, which leads me to my second point. By not being able to swing from one tree to another and being forced to climb down a tree just to go up another, orangutans are exposing themselves to their predators. In any case, orangutans are very proficient in saving their energy and using it wisely.
I would have thought that developing a computer model of a cell would have been close to impossible because of all the internal processes and complexity of a cell. After reading the article, “First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced”, I am shocked to see that science and technology has improved so much that even this was possible. This just shows how fast technology and science is advancing. Although the cell produced, Mycoplasma genitalium, has only 525 genes, this is a big step for science and will lead to more information on the benefits of computational biology as a whole as the article states. This accomplishment will lead to many discoveries and accomplishments in the future about biology in general and I am waiting to see what science will have to offer in the future.
In response to “First ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced” Without ever seeing this article I would have believed it to be not possible to create a full computer model of a cell. There are so many different interactions going on it seems almost impossible to understand how to replicate them in their entirety on a computer. The model proves that it is possible to create computer model of living cells.Even though mycoplasma genitalium is a relatively simple it is still contains multitudes of interactions within itself. I find it amazing how much computers have advanced and become more powerful. As technology advances and the molecular interactions of more complex cells are completely understood more complex models can be created. The model of mycoplasma genitalium offers a jumping off point for more complex models. Someday we may be able to see how medications interact and treat disease by just imputing information into a computer model.
After reading the article "Get On Your Bike, Phallostethus Cuulong", I was pretty amazed at two things: one, that there were so many different kinds of fish in different areas of Vietnam alone, and two, that genitals were found on them. Also, just the fact that the fish have so many different detailed and intricate parts is so awesome. While reading, I found it very, very interesting how the male and female parts just fit so perfectly somehow. God created His creation with such detailed and careful on the fifth day. It says in the Bible that He "created sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, ..." He was so meticulous in creating everything. It was also very interesting to learn that genitals grew on them...
In addition, the bottom half of the article had a slightly amusing touch to the article with it's joke. [*Posted by Bethany Chan*]
In response to the Article “The First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced”, I have the following opinion. I am fundamentally of the opinion that this advancement is not only very impressive and noteworthy, but also surprising in that the model was never ever created before till present date. Albeit mightily important and the logical next step in cellular research, I guess that the delay in achieving this important milestone happened on account of computational limitations. Despite routine, the substantially large volume of complex data and calculations to be processed required the need of special computer hardware and software, thus necessitating the invention of supercomputers before research could be continued to model a single cell. However, now that it is done, this accomplishment will have significant impact in the biologists’ communities worldwide. There’s hope that this advancement will help cure HIV-AIDS, cancer, and other deadly diseases in time by enhancing better understanding of the diseases from a cellular level. After engineers create more codes for different bacteria, the advancement will give scientists and doctors in the future better understanding of how to fight and exterminate deadly diseases, which today kill thousands every day. The mycoplasma genitalium is the smallest living bacterium, so it was easiest for the engineers to recreate this bacterium’s cell, but I am sure that in the future they will create better and more codes for other bacteria, with further advances in computing and related technologies. There’s hope for mankind with all such advancements made in the medical field. It seems like finally we will be able to eliminate the sufferings of the sick and injured in the near future.
Response to "First Ever Complete Model of a Cell Produced" I had never thought that it was possible to create a computer model of a cell. I feel that this is a great achievment in the field of science. I think that this is just the beginning for scientists. I believe that in the near future, scientists will create bigger and better models. They can use these models to help in the medical field as well. Who knows, maybe creating this computerized cell is the first step in helping to cure many life threatening diseases. Only the future can tell us now.
The Science.. Sort of podcast inquired about how orangutans, physically large apes that aren't that energetic, maintain energy balance when they eat fruit which doesn't really sustain the amount of energy they need to move. After reading the BBC post, the narrators questioned article entitled "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets" and how the University of Birmingham used parkour runners to simulate how orgungutans move and how they are able to sustain energy. Since their skeletal structures are quite similar to those of humans, it was really interesting how parkour runners move in a similar manner, and could be viwed rather than bringing in the endangered apes. The metabolism and other aspects of the human subjects was measured to see if they have any relation to the way that actual orangutans move, and the scientists put the athletes through a series of experiments to monitor if any factors had an affect of humans. The speakers on the podcast determined that since orangutans are significantly larger than humans and make slower movements, but still maintain this energy by utilizing their environment. One of the speakers pointed out that on of the acrobats using a sort of flexible pole (which simulated a rope or vine), had to exert a lot of force on it a few times to get to the desired destination on the opposite wall. This was fascinating because orangutans do the same thing; they apply a lot of force to get to a destination faster, and use less calories to do so while using their habitat's tools such as the trees and vines around them and their hand-like paws. This was especially interesting to read about how big of an impact the environment has on these primates and how hopefully this study will help conserve this species.
After reading the article titled "First ever complete model of a cell produced", I was extremely impressed by the advancements that today's scientists have done. I feel as if this was the first step towards a new generation of understanding technology and biology. This advancement could lead to major breakthroughs that will help some of the world's major problems. This breakthrough will lead to major discoveries about the interaction between technology and biology. Like the article stated, this opens up new horizons of research which could use computer-aided design in bioengineering and medicine. This discovery will be very beneficial for our future.
Sorry for the late post, I don’t think my first post went through.
I remember watching a segment of National Geographic’s Fight Science (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OETGAlcN1FQ) where martial artist, Daniel Ilabaca tried to move as fast as possible through a tricked out jungle gym replicating the movements of a monkey. When comparing the anatomies of humans and monkeys, it’s easy to see why monkeys excel physically. The ratio of arm length to body length is much larger than that of a human; this makes their upper body strength much greater than a human’s. (I guess that’s why they’re on all fours all the time) Pound for pound monkeys are more than twice as strong as humans; swinging from location to location puts that more stress on the upper body. That being said, humans excel in the agility aspect being able to generate more force moving forward than most monkeys using their legs. Another aspect to also consider went moving like a monkeys is the sense of proprioception, or knowing where every part of one’s body is during movement. Orangutans and other primates have developed a keener sense of proprioception than most athletes today due to it being a necessity for survival. With that being said coordination is important for them to deter a predator, to conserve their energy, and to collect resources. Fortunately for us, our daily lives do not involve swinging from vine to vine running away from clouded leopards and pythons.
In my opinion, “Parkour athletes reveal orangutans’ climbing secrets,” was an extremely intriguing article. I found it fascinating that Parkour athletes were trained to mimic the movement of orangutans for research about oxygen measurements and movements. The stunts that the Parkour athletes performed were absolutely incredible. It was interesting to know that swinging from tree to tree only takes one tenth of the energy used to climb down one tree and up another. I never knew that orangutans had poor diet, and all activity was energy efficient. This is why the future zoo equipment should be developed around the needs of the orangutans and should be beneficial to their environment especially now because the gaps are becoming bigger and expensive. Since these gaps are becoming bigger, many orangutans will be isolated within the space that there are in. People should be cautious and new technology should be created to help orangutans.
I was very impressed after reading “First Ever Complete Model of a Cell Produced.” This achievement in the biological community truly demonstrates how quickly technology is advancing and the rapid growth of our scientist’s ability to make grand discoveries. This article highlights the remarkable discovery of a computational model of a living cell, the Mycoplasma genitalium. Although it was not easy to create the cell, having to combine data from over 900 scientific papers, writing a code describing the interactions, and combining them into a software which replicates the behavior of the cell, it is a massive accomplishment among the scientists and the community as a whole. The computational cell has opened up many new research possibilities to venture into, as computer assistance will allow a better understanding of cellular function and conduct new experiments to finally cure diseases, including cancer and leukemia. I believe that this breakthrough has the capability to benefit medicine greatly and will be a vital component to learning biological processes and understand the miracle workings of the body in general.
After reading about the “first ever computer model of a cell”, I realized how difficult it was to actually produce this. Before, I felt that someone could easily make a cell on a computer, but I did not account for the hundreds of genes in all cells. Also, I did not consider the tremendous amount of coding needed to construct the cell. With this computerized cell, Biology could be revolutionized. All the information on one type of cell will all be available from one source. This could greatly aid research because the process of using known information would be expedited. Testing on these cells, however, may be tricky because not all information on a cell is known. The results of the effects of something on a computerized cell will only include the known knowledge on the cell. One cannot assume that all the facts have been discovered so testing on a real cell would be more accurate than testing on a computerized cell. This technology will probably not be used in more than a few labs throughout the world because it takes a great amount of time, power, and technology to create. This is a major accomplishment, but it will not be of much use until more important and complex cells than Mycoplasma genitalium cells are created.
After reading the article "First ever complete model of a cell produced", I was amazed by the scientific advancements that were able to be made with the aid of modern technology. I was also shocked by this news because from a technology point of view the task should have been nearly impossible to complete, yet the scientists at Stanford were able to accomplish it. With their efforts, hopefully we can now understand more about the structure of cells and find any new structures within a cell that are yet to be discovered. With this advancement we can make many breakthroughs in the medicine field and find cures for many diseases that still need untreated like AIDS. All in all, i hope this advancement will be our first step to a better future.
The orangutan article was interesting, especially because they are notably similar to humans. This of course was beneficial to the scientists, for they could use humans instead of orangutans. I liked how the article shed some light on the physical attributes of the species that they developed in order to adapt to their environment.
It’s really neat how researchers were able to produce a computer program that demonstrates processes at a sub cellular level. The complexity of protein interactions is not only fascinating bur crucial in order to understand the variations of life on our planet. However, with the diversity of life that we know of, different organisms have cells with different features. For example, some unicellular organisms have flagella, and plants have chloroplasts.
The last link contains an example of a species that is certainly different than us homo sapien sapiens. A couple of years ago, I remember reading about a rare species of fish that could change genders.
The article with the fish is... interesting. Although it is unlikely to have mammals or other kinds of animals with the same configuration, it does bring up the question of "why?" Why did it evolve that way, and why would it need it in that area? It certainly raises a lot of questions that may have uncertain origins or answers.
The article "Parkour athletes reveal orangutans' climbing secrets" was very interesting. It amazes me how closely us humans can mimic an orangutan's movement in their forest home. Also, it is interesting how the orangutans were able to figure out how to be more energy efficient in order to adjust to their low food intake. However, it saddens me that our deforestation may result in these animals being stranded in one section of the forest without being able to leave.
The article "Get on your bike, Phallostethus cuulong" made me wonder why some animals had to evolve with such bizarre traits, especially such an unfortunate trait as this fish has. All I could think was that luckily we humans didn't gain that trait as well.
I was surprised in many ways after reading the article, "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced."
These surprises contradict each other though. At first, this was surprising as there at least seemed to be endless combinations on how proteins interacted with one another.
In addition, I was extremely shocked by the amount of work put into this as they took information form over 900 journals which I found to be outstanding.
However, I was stunned that a exact replica of a cell was never done in this fashion before. With the computer age coming about, I assume that in maybe a couple of hours, this can be created.
But then again, where are you going to get the codes to make this cell?
This achievement will seriously help us understand really how a cell behaves and eventually lead to long-waited cure for cancer.
(if research continues)
Repost: @http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/2012/07/25/get-on-your-bike-phallostethus-cuulong/
I am not suprised that a new species of fish was found in Japan. They have many legends and mythical sightings of strange fish in their history.
I predict that while the male and the female Phallostethus cuulong copulate, the female may go into a state of tonic such as sharks becuse copulation may be stressful. Also, I feel their is a reason that the genitals are located in this odd area of their anatomy; their habitat may have something to do with anatomical form. This finding makes me question what other species of fish may have changed anatomically due to evolution.
When I read the description for "First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced" I was shocked because I thought a computer model of a cell would have already been invented. In recent years technology has soared and become dominant in the lives of many people. For example, in our own high school iPads have completely transformed the way students learn. Similarly, I expected there to be a computer model of a cell as an alternative to studying real cells. After actually clicking on the link, my fear of being the only person who felt this way was alleviated because the first sentence said, “It might shock you to hear that nobody has ever developed a complete computational model of a living cell.” When I finished reading the entire article I was able to understand how difficult it can be to construct a cell on the computer even if the cell only has 525 genes. Just thinking about how this model might have been made boggles my mind.
The “First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced” article has showed how far science has come. We now nave the ability to see the function of an actual cell on a computer. I believe this is a revalation that will improve mankind for the better.
After reading the very interesting article about the First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced, I remember my blog I wrote last week about if humans would ever be capable of running the 100 meter dash under 9 seconds. I did not give an answer because I was not sure, but I did set up a formula. This article talks about how people from Stanford duplicated a simple bacteria cell on a computer. If it becomes possible to map out a human cell, then many variables in the formula would be defined. The formula, which is currently unsolvable, can be solved because to complete the equation, one would need to know humans extremes. Anyway, I find it amazing that the people in Stanford were so perseverant, studying over 900 papers of other scientific studies on a bacterium called Mycoplasma genitalium. In the same way, all humans need to do is study the human cells more and publish papers about their discoveries. Soon enough, bit by bit, another group can put together a computer model of a human cell.
The article about the fish was very peculiar and interesting. I have learned that animals are evolved in a certain way to adapt to environment and other things too, but why would a fish evolve like that? What type of adaption would give a fish genitals on their heads? I browsed the net to find and answer to this question but it seems as if this fish was almost unknown. This is probably the result of its small size and rarity. My guess is that it is easier to reproduce for the fish with this unusual feature.
I was rather unsuprised regarding the first computer model of a cell. In fact, my first thought was ,"they didn't already have this?". With only 525 genes, each consisting of a few sets of 4 letters, it shouldnt take much computing power (computers can handle thousands of numbers at once). But the implications are extraordinary. In the future, we will be able to run entire simulations of a person's body on a computer to find damaged cells or solve other medical problems.
As for the fish article, I am simply stunned. What hostile environment could force something to evolve like that? I am glad humans turned out the way we are.
After reading, "Get on your bike, Phallostethus cuulong," I realized how odd life can seem to be. The Phallostehus cuulong, discovered by Koichi Shibukawa of Japan, has its male muscular sex organ (genitals), right underneath its throat. This organ is called a priapium. Whether male or female, this species of fish is around 20 mm to 24 mm in length. Females have very basic pelvic fins that branch out from the throat area while with males, this area is occupied by the priapium. This sex organ, the priapium has reproductive and digestive functions. a part of the priapium, the ctenactinium, is used to clasp onto a female's head during copulation. Also the papillary component of the priapium allows the fish to transfer sperm bundles into the female. This species of fish goes through internal fertilization, which is rare with fish. One question I have is how this species evolved to have genitals on their heads? Maybe by looking over the history of this species of fish, and perhaps its ancestors, we can answer this question
The Phallostethus cuulong must have trouble swimming through the Mekong with it constantly taking balls to the face. But seriously, I have never been so astounded at fish genitalia before and hope to never be again. By some freak event in the evolutionary process, this species' environment sculpted this fish into the only organism (hopefully) with its reproductive organs on its face. Why? I do not know. I do not wish to sit face to face to ask him either.
This is a response to “The First Ever Complete Model of a Cell Produced.” It is just amazing how technology has evolved through years of research. Now the amount of work, 900 papers, and research to accommodate the data produced is no small feat to accomplish in just a few years. Creating the necessary network and programs not to mention hundreds of gene codes just to create the machine was a great achievement for Professor Markus Covert. Finally in the end this technology has created the first biological cell whose parent is a computer. The Mycoplasma genitalium is only a small parasitic cell but to think that you can create simple life from a machine in this life time you just have to wonder the possibilities mentioned in this article like advances in biomedical engineering to reproduce human cells and genome to help patients who need body parts other than from a donor. This will also give us new ideas towards synthetic biology, to create new designs and constructing biological part to benefit us using CAD software to design outrageous specimen. Ultimately I just love this idea in biology it’s a revolution to what we thought wasn’t possible in sy-fi and turning it to reality.
I find it interesting to see that humans have just recently discovered the possibilities in parkour relative to the orangutans' long history with such means of locomotion. Swinging around between trees is an effective way to travel for orangutans. They have devised an efficient way to travel between trees by the method of swinging them back and forth. It seems like a simple enough concept to just swing the tree back and forth, using its weight to increase the swing each time. Because this method uses a tenth the amount of energy it takes to climb up and down two trees, it has literally decimated the orangutans' energy expenditure. However, deforestation has provided the problem of not having another tree to swing to. The unnatural intervention of humans causes orangutans to face problems with survival. It will take them ten times as much energy to walk between trees. Their chances of living shrink even further with the presence of predators on the ground, which is why they stick to the trees in the first place. Because it is evident that hurting the environment is an old human past-time, it is important for us to be conscious of the impact we have. Besides, nobody wants to see the oldest free runners in the world disappear.
I found it incredible that scientists have finally made a computer model of a cell. This amazing feat opens up so many doors for the scientific community. If we can take this skill further, we may find a way to defeat E. Coli with a significantly larger genome than the cell, Mycoplasmic Genatilum, which they created a model of. Now scientists can learn so much more about cells than they ever knew before, now they can understand how the cells function. I cannot even begin to say how much this will benefit scientists trying to diagnose diseases. Understanding the reactions of proteins will be so much easier. In the matter of 30 to 40 years our computers have grown from simple home computers capable of performing simple arithmetic functions to this amazing computer that can simulate the functions of the incredibly intricate cell. Maybe because of this, we may finally find a cure for cancer. After all, cancer is a result of cell abnormalities. We may find a way to prevent these abnormalities, thus avoiding cancer as a whole. With this we can simulate normal cell growth as well as abnormal cell growth, and compare them. Also we can simulate the effects of drugs and combinations of drugs on abnormal cells and we can see if they effect the cell in a positive manner. Science has come a long way and I don't think it will stop here.
After reading,"First Ever Complete Computer Model of a Cell Produced," I was asking myself why we already didn't have a complete computational model of a living cell. However, I think that by learning how to make computer models of cells, we can learn a lot more about them. When we learn more about cells, we may be able to make better medicines and more cures for various diseases. This research may someday lead to a cure for cancer.
After reading the article about the P. cuulong fish i was extremely intrigued. It is a fish with a priapium which a very unique sex organ. This peculiar fish's genitals are underneath it's mouth. This makes this fish very unique. But what this fish got me thinking was how did something like this occur.
I think that one day this fish was a normal one but one day a group of this species was born with a birth defect, that defect being that it's sex organ was put underneath it's mouth. So then these fish became the more dominate version of their species through survival of the fittest. Eventually all of the the fish of that species became like this.
I think this is interesting because it is a good example of evolution's mystery i think it is amazing how this little fish can be so different because of one birth defect. This of course is only if my conjecture is correct.
Wow. I was really amazed by the "so this exists" article. The fact that they have both reproductive and digestive functions on the outside of their body surprised me. I had many questions about the Cronenbergian arrangement too. An interesting thing was that the female Cuulong fertilize the egg internally, which ninety percent of fish do not. This strange mutation was interesting to read about. It really made me wonder what more can there be out there in the waters that we havent seen?
Post a Comment