- Pro: Generating your own food supply. Con: Wearing this thing on your face.
- Newly discovered protein may be key in memory formation. How much would you pay for a few shots right before AP week?
- So they lied to me about carrots helping with night vision. But they did it in order to win WWII, so I guess that is ok.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Summer Assignment 8.13
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Having the ability to remember anything is fantastic, especially for a high school or college student. The protein AGAP3 helps strengthen the connection between brain cells, which strengthen the ability to remember things. If we were able to inject this protein into people, it would make exams easier and make memories truly last a lifetime. The only negatives that having this power are that it makes it extremely hard to make people forget passwords and embarrassing moments, which makes people more overcautious. But with these negatives aside, having more of this protein would make this AP bio test much more easier. :)
Of course, the "eating-carrots-will-improve-your-nightvision" advice was a myth. As a kid, I would eat platefuls of carrots hoping that one day I wouldn't need a flashlight when the power went out. As in most cases, adults have their reasons for lying. Adults fed me carrots (and lies) to promote healthier eating habits. I'd be lying if I said I won't be using the same propaganda on my kids one day. In the case of the British Air Force, these adults lied to protect their war secrets.
With advances in technology, people can now generate their own food source using the algaculture symbiosis suit. The future of funky fashion may be closer than we thought. Being able to produce our own food can lead to many benefits. Your grocery bill won't be as high anymore, and you'd never have to worry about going hungry. However, the suit just looks ridiculous. Is there really anyone brave enough to actually walk around with one of those things on their face? And is anyone willing to consume algae for three meals a day? Producing your own food seems like a good idea, but it doesn't seem very probable.
No wonder I love eating carrots yet I still have glasses. I'm not superstitious, but I enjoy learning about the truth behind them. In this case, the carrot myth isn't a superstition, but a lie! I wonder why it took nearly a century for the truth to emerge. At least it helped the allies achieve victory for World War II as well as stand as an excuse for children to eat their carrots.
As I wish carrots truly did improve vision, I also wish that the protein AGAP3 is abundant. Education becomes more competitive and difficult every year, and the best way to top is to study in order to memorize the information prior to a test. Strong memory is obviously quite helpful,whether it be for an exam or in general, so the fact that puts a twist on it is the dual role. Everyone experiences times which they want to forget sometime or another. The power of AGAP3 allows it to possibly even erase those memories, putting to brain to rest. The results may even lead to less stress. AGAP3 may reduce stress by making it easier for the student to study and focus, or by relaxing the mind once in a while during breaks or vacation. Everything has its positives and negatives, but when AGAP3 plays both its parts, it can be beneficial all around.
Being able to eat using sunlight and carbon dioxide like plants do would be an incredible upgrade for man kind, as the saying goes, there never seems to be "enough time in the day" to get done all the tasks that a person may need to do. Take out the tedious task of feeding yourself, and you have opened up hours of more free time to get things done. However, I can imagine several complications that may come with the introduction of this self-feeding system into our society. First of all, the algacultural symbiosis suit poses as massive threat to the agricultural and food processing industries, which influence millions of other industries such as packaging, transport, and even food distribution. With this suit, our economy could experience a major downfall due to the many company which may experience a drop in sales. Also, it is important to wonder how healthy it could actually be to fed completely by algae. Human are meant to intake natural substances, like organically grown fruits, vegetables and organic meats. It has been proven that even the processing of foods has a negative toll on the human body. Now imagine changing the human diet so drastically that we could be completely self-sufficient. There are bound to be countless risks and harmful effects of the algae diet. In my opinion, if we were meant to grow and eat algae on our bodies, we wouldn't have to invent and wear a suit.
If I were able to recollect memories that I may have forgotten, I would do it without any hesitation. Being able to remember and erase memories is a great thing. It is like a supernatural power that has been given to a person but not at birth. This AGAP3 protein can strengthen the connections between the brain cells so that the memories can be easily remembered by any human being. It can do a lot of good things for a person. It can help a high school student on the finals or big exams because of the ability to recollect information that is important and f someone forgets anything important they can remember it. This protein not just lets a person recollect memories but also erase the memory because of the strong bonds between the brain cells. People will be able to erase memories they don't want to keep all their lives by consuming this AGAP3 protein. This protein is able to give the power to do both the things which I find truly amazing. I believe that this protein can also let the brain be dormant for a while meaning that it will work as usual but much more less than it used too.
I was always suspicious at the fact that eating carrots can improve your vision, because my mom has glasses and she used to eat carrots everyday. Reading the article proving that the myth of eating carrots will help you see better justified my theory. However, carrots aren't completely useless when it comes to one's health; eating these vegetables provides you with beta carotene, or Vitamin A, which improves your eyesight. So, while eating carrots won't help you see much better at night, it's still good for your body. Having read this article, I found out an interesting fact about a vegetable I used to only eat because of what I thought it could do. But, I think the overall importance of carrots is enough for me to continue eating them on a regular basis. When the British told the lie of carrots helping them see better so that they could shoot down the Nazi planes, I don't believe that they thought it would escalate into something that every parent would tell their child, just so that they would eat carrots. But, it helped us win the war, so the lie was for a good cause.
Reading the article about how carrots don't give you a 20/20 vision, made me realize how badly i was being fooled. Since i was a little kid, I was told that eating carrots can give me the perfect vision. Even to this day, i eat carrots everyday in hopes that one day i will not have the need to wear glasses. The fact that this whole myth was made up by the British to fool the Nazis is kind of funny. Although now, they did not just fool the Nazis but the whole world. The myth was a smart tactic done by the British which helped them win over night battles with the Nazis. Though i now know the truth, my everyday practice of eating carrots will not cease.Even if i can't get the perfect vision, I will at least have healthy eyes.
Being a person who is always forgetting things, I was immediately drawn to the article about AGAP3 strengthening our memory function by strengthening our synapses (or brain cells) response to brain activity. As I mentioned, I am horrible at remembering things, for example sometimes I'm telling my friends a story and half way through they tell me I've told this to them before, and I just can't recall when. If this protein switch were to work, it would help me quite a bit. However, there is a downside that there are somethings in life that we want to forget and wish that had never happened. Imagine always remembering or never being able to forget every embarrassing moment, every mistake we ever made, every person we've wanted to forget... Personally, I think that would suck. So, I'm not sure I would sign up to take this straight away, but if it were to help on the AP exam, well then I'm pretty sure I wouldn't hesitate ha ha.
The new information on AGAP3 is something that you see in a science fiction I can't believe that it might actually become reality. The uses of having super memory would be amazing. Especially for a student this could completely get rid of the need of hours of studying for tests. But I think that ADAP3 is too risky to be called a breakthrough yet. If the protein doesn't help increase memory it could go the other way and actually make it harder to memorize. That would be the worst nightmare for someone if that happened right before AP week. Still I don't think think that the protei should be used just do students can get better grades. Of anything the applications of the protein would be to create a treatment to help theses with memory disabilities and loss. I think thy this new protein discovery could be the beginning to discovering exactly how the brain works also. If we know how the brain creates memories then it might lead us o figure out how certain diseases affect the mind and to fix it.
In the article about the protein that strengthens memory, it was stated that it "helps bring synapse-building back down to the brain's resting state,". So, does this mean that AGAP3 can also erase memories and store them? I think its very interesting but before they start giving out shots of this protein they should test it more. It would make test taking a whole lot easier if it has the same exact reaction on whoever takes AGAP3.
After always being told that I should eat more carrots because they help improve your eyesight, reading this article and seeing that it is a myth, makes me feel shocked and deceived at the same time. As a kid, I was never a fan of eating carrots. Usually I would eat carrots by drowning them in lots of dressing, which helps block out its nasty taste. But now as long as they do help you in some way that people can benefit from such as promoting good eye health, I am fine with. What does annoy me a little from this article is that the entire lie about carrots started because of the Nazi Tyranny, just to save London. I am happy that it helped, but I am asking myself “Really? Was it that necessary?”
I read the article about the algae suits able to generate food to feed and overall the idea completely creeped me out. I mean, yes if this suit isn't too costly to create, then we could be saving money and energy for ourselves and the environment. But the idea of just eating algae every day, for each meal, is a complete nightmare and frankly I don't think a lot of people would be on board. Being able to sit down with one another and enjoying our meals is an experience that cannot be replaced, especially by an algae suit. The idea itself is phenomenal, but I think I'd rather stick to the stove and cook my meals myself.
The idea of wearing a suit that can feed us as often as we want is quit attractive, especially for those who find themselves making frequent trips to the refrigerator and pantry to find there is nothing there to eat. However, perhaps this suit may not be as wonderful as one would imagine. Our bodies have evolved and adapted to digest the foods we as humans enjoy eating, so if our were to experience a drastic change such as eating all algae, all day, every day, we may end up making more stops to the restroom than we made to the refrigerator. The damages to the body may only end up being half as bad as damages to our taste buds. Though it may be surprising to hear a child say this, it's probably better to eat spinach occasionally than eat algae all the time.
I read the article about the protein and how it is a key role for our memory. it is interesting to see this technological advances in our generation. We see so many new things each day about our brain and how complex it is as well. It seems as if we know a lot about our brains but there still is a sea of information out there for us to dive into. I am just glad to be a part with the fast moving knowledge we are receiving day by day.
The article on the algae suit left me feeling both fascinated and concerned. The entire idea of having a symbiosis suit to make food for someone seems cool and futuristic, especially because of its alien-like appearance. Not only that, but the constant cycle of breathing CO2 and ingesting algae may potentially be useful for people who are too busy throughout the day to stop and eat, or who have no easy access to any other valuable food source. If enough people used this device for a certain period of time, then crops and other major food sources may potentially no longer be needed, thus making food more bountiful again. However, even though the article claims that algae is included in a lot of our present food supply, I fear that a diet solely on algae will not provide the proper nutrients and nourishment that a person needs. With the algae suit, there would be no variety in one's diet and no longer a need to move around in order to gather and prepare food. Both physical and mental development could be hindered enormously. Thus, the algae suit seems like it would be more kind to the environment (by potentially allowing major food sources to become more bountiful again) than to the human body...or would it just simply obstruct life's natural food chain?
The algae suit that feeds constant hunger is truly shows how society has advanced. Reading something like this makes me think when it would become popular for public use and how many tests would the suits have to undertake it in order for it to be purchased by people like me. I wonder if the suit’s design could decrease the percentage of people that is overweight or obese, for I’m almost 100% sure that algae doesn’t make as much calories as French fries. On the same page, would this design me able to be used on children or people with disabilities? Their nutritional needs are obviously more different than ours. Is there a chance that infections can develop through this design? How would people drink water? These are a few of the many questions I am sure Michael Burton and Michiko Nitta have to answer. This would probably have to be accepted by the scientific community, government officials, and a new department that would most likely have to be created to regulate this system and prevent many other problems that may occur with an invention like this. This invention would probably help world hunger as well. Give the suit to a starving child in Africa for a couple of days and you could be saving their lives. Sure the concept is kind of creepy and it looks strange, but it is revolutionary. Revolutions always change lives.
The Neuroscience article excited me on many different levels. I believe that the brain is a beautiful thing, and that they are the true prides of evolution. Our brain is what makes us the superior beings, not our thumbs. The fact is, our brains are so complex that we are still discovering more parts that we did not even know existed. Realizing that we have a new switch for our brain proves that we have more to discover. Like with all discoveries at its beginnings, there are many speculations that can develop. I have a few that I would like to share. Could this be used to accelerate the brain processes in brain-defective patients? Is it possible to create endurance routines so that people could eventually adapt to a newer processing speed? Will this affect society’s definition of intellectual superiority? I have many other questions like this, but I don’t necessarily think that someone can give me a confident answer as of this moment.
Reading the article about carrots made me want to visit the World Carrot Museum. This myth is a true example of the statement ‘a little white lie won’t hurt anyone’. If the Ministry didn’t use carrots as their false success, then the Nazis may have taken over the world in an awful tyranny. Many of today’s family would have been cut off at the source. That would have been awful. Plus, many kids wouldn’t be more excited to eat carrots. That would have been awful, too.
I find it funny how the British explained that their superior battle field perception was an effect of carrots, when in reality, it was the result of their innovative Airborne Interception Radar. This provides humor because the British shrug off this new technology and give the credit to a vegetable. The funnier part is how everyone fell for this lie. I wonder if the RAF expected everyone to actually believe them, or if it was just a joke and that people wouldn't actually think they'd give away secret information. Anyway, this lie is a good one, because since the public believes that carrots can give you better vision, maybe they'll start to eat more carrots and less junk.
So the world lied to me? That's a first. But carrots do still promote good eye health so it is good that I eat carrots every day, but it is interesting that they used such a simple lie to win a World War! By just saying their soldiers had been eating carrots, they were able to keep their military technology secret and still win the war! One little detail I did find funny in the article however is how we have a World Carrot Museum!
I read the article entitled "You've Been Lied to About Carrots All Your Life Because of Nazis." I was drawn to this article simply because I LOVE carrots. As you will witness this upcoming year, I eat carrots religiously; so often and such large quantities that my mom cut me off from them for a short time period last year. This comical revelation explored within the article makes sense to me; as mentioned, I eat carrots all the time, yet I have pretty poor vision. Not only was the article interesting and informative (especially to those who had been eating carrots for their advantages such as better eyesight and not for pure enjoyment like myself), but it sparked a question: Is the myth which states that if one eats too many carrots he or she will turn an orange hue (something my mom always warns me about) a lie as well? So far it hasn't happened to me... I guess I'll be the guinea pig!
The fact that this new protein found, AGAP3, helps to strengthen memory and even erase some others, fascinates me. I used to have an amazing memory, but recently I tend to forget a lot of the little things I need to remember throughout the day. Being able to remember anything necessary would help in so many ways. Getting things done on time, remembering everything learned in class before a huge test, and keeping up to date would be huge for not only me, but students everywhere. There are also tons of memories that people wish they could so desperately forget, but instead just stay with them. Erasing memories could help even the most stubborn people move on. However, there could be numerous issues involving the protein that are unknown as of now, and there are so many questions left unanswered. More research is definitely needed before advancing with this newly discovered protein, but having an extremely strong memory is something I think anyone would ask for.
I think it's interesting that researchers have found a protein related to forming memories and stimulating brain synapses. What struck me is how the protein AGAP3 has two sites that seemingly contradict each other. One site is involved in the chain reactions of synapse stimulation and the other brings the synapse-building back to normal levels. Maybe this is important to create long term memories of important events and ideas, not just insignificant thoughts and events. Whatever the case, it is a big accomplishment for these researchers to discover this 'switch' for memory building
As soon as I saw the article on how a protein may be the key to memory formation my initial reaction was, "Yes Please!" As a student who sounds hours in preparation for finals or big tests this could be very useful. The main points in the article discussed the dual sided nature of the protein AGAP3. One part of this protein can enhance a brain cells response to the brain, where as another side can also return synapse into a brain resting stage. The article also discussed how this double sided nature of the protein can possibly mean that AGAP3 is the control center for the reaction of synapses to the brain. My initial reaction to the article was that I had many questions which were; What is the extent of this proteins capabilties? Would it be able to recollect lost memories? Can it completely erase memories? And does it have to do with how some people fall into a coma and then wake up with memory loss( like Rachel McAdams in The Vow)? Even though there are still many things to be figured out if they are able to transform this into an injection it would prove to be very beneficial.
It's no surprise that eating a large amount of carrots will not improve a person's vision or help them see in the dark, but that doesn't mean that people won't keep trying to make it work. As a young child, I read a lot in the car, and I would always be disappointed when it got darker and I could no longer see, so I would eat a lot of carrots trying to make it possible for me to continue reading in the car. It's really interesting to see that the little lie this article shows could have helped the Allies in such a big way during World War II.
I read the article about the protein that is key for the memories in our brains. I have yet again been amazed by the scientific advances that I read about on this blog every week. We keep finding things out about brains every day because they are so complex and cryptic. It is interesting how this protein is a double edges sword and can give you the ability to remember more but can keep you from overstimulation. I'm interested to see if they can take this protein and make a pill from it and if we can use it to cure diseases like Alzheimer's. I would also use it before a test or ap finals to get a boost of brain power so I could ensure a good grade.
I believe that every child was lied to by their parents when they were told that carrots would improve your eye sights, in order for us to eat our carrots. That was a complete lie, which it started when the British defeated the Nazi. When they were asked how they did it in complete darkness, RAF said that their pilots were eating their veggies all the time. Even though it's a lie that carrots helps you with your vision, it still promotes good eye health. Therefore, it is not an entire lie, it still has something to do with the eyes.
I read the article about the relationship between protein and memory because the brain in itself is a unique and complex entity; I have always been enthralled by how the brain functions in general. The protein, AGAP3, possesses both a brain stimulation amplifier as well as a synapse-reducing activity, which brings the strength back to normal levels. While its characteristics seem to be counteracting one another, I think the AGAP3 actually serves as a regulating factor post-activity. It’s like the balance of action in the brain; its keeps the brain working to store memory but does not let the brain overwork itself. I want to believe that Oku’s right in his proposition regarding the protein’s dual role, yet more research on this matter cannot hurt. Nevertheless this discovery is extremely intriguing; who would have thought a protein was the trigger for any memory-building activity in the brain.
I found the article about how eating carrots is a myth to be very interesting. Growing up, I enjoyed munching on carrots, and hence thought that this was the reason why I had a 20/20 vision. I guess parents used this myth to fool their children into having healthier food habits. Obviously, all vegetables have their benefits, and carrots are a high source of vitamin A and K, as it says in the article, vitamin A promotes good vision, and vitamin K helps your body form blood clots to prevent abnormal bleeding. Vitamin K also deficiency causes spontaneous nosebleeds, abnormal bruising and bleeding long after injury. I guess I find it very amusing how this myth not only saved the world from Nazi domination, but also saved the lives of millions by promoting a healthy eating habit.
Regarding the myth about eating carrots leading to enhanced eyesight at night, this simple propaganda kept the “new” radar technology a secret and probably increased the carrot economy. During my childhood, my mom would occasionally tell me carrots aided in night-vision with her only support being that carrots look somewhat like eyes when you split them. This was a forgotten “myth” for me until I saw this article. It doesn’t bother me that the British government made this fact up, because in the end it was all for the common good. The new radar the Nazis were unaware of, thanks to this propaganda proved to be essential in the defeat of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. This reminds me of a clip in Spiderman, where Peter Parker jumps over a speeding car, looks at the kids who saw him, and says “Eat your green vegetables.” In this scene, the British are Spiderman while the bystanders were the Nazis. The British pulled off an amazing feat by falsely crediting their success on carrots, and the Nazis didn’t even bat an eye. Also, in both instances the “bystander” probably ate their “green vegetables” and carrots.
In this week’s article about the suit that constantly generates algae for consumption, it’s amazing to think that humans could generate food while going about their daily routine. Unfortunately, the huge drawback is the suit is ginormous. It seems that the suit would restrict the ability to sit down comfortably on a backrest, be a burden on your back, and not to forget, being highly unfashionable in modern days. Being able to constantly feed you hunger is an incredible feat for scientists if one can utilize algae, which is also considered an alternative to fossil fuels. Algae, in the future, will certainly become a major part of human life, but I hope humans don’t become too dependent on the Algae domain. With Carbon dioxide continuously sustaining the algae and a little amount of sunlight needed, it seems to be the perfect “backpack snack” for a human. Maybe the idea could spawn something like an “algae garden” as a cheap growing food supply. It could be utilized in prisons to reduce the nation’s prison budget, and put into rescue packs on a life-raft to provide food for those lost at sea. I recently read about a nutritious drink that could possibly eliminate the need to eat, but that too is an invention I hope to see in the future. This self-generating food suit could be something of the future if its size could be more compact.
I read the article about carrots. I found it quite interesting that such a commonly used myth is actually a blatant lie. I found it funny that the RAF said their soldiers were eating veggies and the rest of the world obliviously believed it. The fact that no one, until now, has ever "challenged", questioned, or tried to disprove this myth, is kind of surprising because you would think someone would have tested it. Although the statement "eating carrots will help improve your vision" is a lie, I think that the indifferent attitude of the Nazis by not questioning anything is what saved the human race from what would have been worldwide tyranny.
I think the newly discovered protein AGAP3 can either be very helpful or very harmful. If it can be used to help treat elderly people with Alzheimer’s, then that would be extremely useful. Maybe it’s also possible that the protein can help people suffering from mental conditions, like posttraumatic stress disorder, forget about the tragic events that happened in their pasts. However, I don’t find using AGAP3 other than for medical reasons to be practical. Playing around with one’s memory can be dangerous and irreversible. The protein might erase memories you don’t want to forget, or help you remember memories you don’t care for. Sure, everyone would want to try it right before they had an important test, but I don’t think it’s likely that this would be available to the general public if found to be successful. It’s still amazing, though, that researchers are discovering new things about our brains each day. There is so much information about our own bodies that we still don’t know about.
It would be very cool if we can produce our own food. There are benefits to it. Two benefits are that people can save money, and they will never be hungry. Another benefit would be that the food that we produce will most likely be healthier than the “food” that people eat from McDonalds. Yet, I’m not sure how I feel about the whole creation. It probably might be from the way the suit looks. But I also feel that it’s not necessary to be able to produce food on the spot like that. We get food from so many other sources such as gardens, grocery stores, and even the fast food chains. I feel that we can be spending all our energy on a different topic. Not to hate on the project; I think it’s a very cool idea, but the probability that people are going to be using the suit is slim.
I read the article about the algae suit that can generate someone's own food supply. After reading it, I could not help but wonder, is this truly our future? Will further generations wear this headgear instead of eating three meals a day? Cooking and eating food has always been a huge part of cultures across the globe. Will a scientific advancement, such as this one, be the end to the dinner table? Also, if we were to use the symbiosis suit, it would greatly affect the food chain. Most humans eat meat, which helps with species population control. If we used the suit, some species would become overpopulated. This new achievement in science may seem great to some people, but I can also have negative effects.
The renewable face mask seems cool, but only in the movies. I don't think society would adapt to the mask, and even if it did, it would take a very long period of time. It would seem like a realistic option if the human race needed that mask for survival and in emergency situations, but even then, where would the funds be to make them and how quickly and easily will these masks be able to be produced? My guess is not very quick and not easy at all. The algae that will grow and will be the food source, although is in our diet already, will not be enough to satisfy humans. All in all, this mask is ahead of our time and is costly and unrealistic.
I read the article about how we have been told lies our whole lives because of Nazis. I think we have been told a white lie and that this lie can be forgiven because it is partially true. Although carrots won’t necessarily improve one’s eyesight at night, they do in deed promote good eye health. Regardless, I found the article to be interesting because this myth was created to protect the invention of radars that helped Britain when Nazis were bombing London. I also think that it was very clever of the Royal Air Force to make such a lie because it was so believable. I mean, most people still tell it today without even knowing where this lie originated. Although eating carrots will not magically transform you with excellent night vision, the main question is that are people still going to tell this lie? I believe the answer is absolutely. It is a full-proof way to get kids to eat their vegetables. And so, the lie continued…
My parents always tell me I should eat carrots in order to improve my horrible vision. Therefore, it should surprise me that that is only a myth, but it does not. If you think about it, it's a bit odd to believe that eating a carrot could actually give you 20/20 sight. I also find it amusing that the Royal Air Force was able to fool everyone by saying their success was the result of eating a lot of carrots and that it had such an impact. I am happy that their is a little bit of support for it though, as the article says that carrots do promote eye health. Plus, I had no idea there was a World Carrot Museum. I think it is quite intriguing. Is there so much interesting facts on carrots that people can fill up an entire museum? I wonder what those facts are.
I find the algae suit a bit odd. It's not that I am grossed out by the prospect of eating algae, I think that would be fine, but the whole concept of having an outfit that can feed you three full meals is a little, well, weird. Plus, the tubes cover your face and the whole thing is unattractive. If you are able to, why not just make or buy food and wear normal clothes? But, I suppose in the future such a creation will not be as unusual as it is right now, as fashion changes very much. I applaud the designers for combining clothes with our essential needs, but I do not think it is time for such a suit yet. Those who would get the most out of one would probably not be able to afford one, anyways.
I looked at the article about the Algae Suit. To start, the lady in that suit reminds me of Bane for some reason. She looks like a robot when the thing is on. I don't understand how you could talk while the tubes are in your mouth. I guess you can take them out when your talking, but wouldn't that be annoying? Also, you would look really weird if you wore that in public. Another thing that is bad about it is that it masks your eye sight. Half your eye vision would be gone. Finally, if you were to actually grow the Algae, how big of a quantity would it be? Would it be enough to consume for a whole day, or just half a meal? Thing is not even a suit too, more like a mask that extends to your soldiers.
All flaws aside, it is still an innovative idea. The carbon dioxide you are breathing out is a renewable energy and it is free. I like how you can have different designs and colors of it. It would be hard to convince the public to use this on a mass scale though.
Another thing I would question would be weather you can grow fruits and vegetables doing this too, as they both take in carbon dioxide. It would be cool if you could grow some grapes on you too, and have food right at your fingers
The idea itself looks cool, but that's all it is. It has no real world use in my opinion because it requires you responsibility to take care of the plant by continuously giving it carbon dioxide and to also give it sun. I'd rather take care of a dog than do that. Another thing is that it is not ethical; Your not going to work wearing that. Most people work and they come home around 5 usually. When they come home, they are not going to put that mask on right away. It's a hassle.
I read the article that was on the protein that stimulates brain activity. I thought that this was very interesting how we an strengthen our whole memory with just a single protein. I also agreed with the author when he mentioned that the protein's functions contradict one another. I though it was very interesting how a single protein can stimulate brain activity and still keep it under a certain level. I think that this characteristic of the protein will be very helpful when actually testing it out on people. The reason why I think that this will be helpful is because it will rule out another side effect we have to take into consideration; over stimulation.
I also read the article about the new algae feeding tubes. I also thought that this was very interesting how humans can become autotrophs just like plants. I think we won't really be using this now because I think that everyone would rather eat regular food rather than algae. But when that day comes, where we run out of food completely this will be a great invention to help us.
I read the article about the new protein that may be key in memory formation. This article drew my attention immediately because I have an issue with remembering anything. My “memory loss” has gotten to a point where I can’t even remember what I ate for dinner last night. This new protein, AGAP3, may turn out to be key in controlling the strength of synapses and if the strength of synapses are increased that creates memories. This newly found protein has amazing dual side action that allows it not only to increases synapses in response to brain activity but also helps bring synapse-building back down to the brain's resting state. If we are able to use this protein it may help us recall all the information we studied for upcoming tests and quizzes and also help us get back the many memories that we once had. But on the other side this protein has the ability to weaken synapses, so we also will have the ability to forget certain memories that no matter how hard we try, we can never forget. This protein however, is not 100% and should be further tested so that one day (hopefully before AP testing) we may be able to take this protein and remember information and memories that we may have lost along the road.
After reading the article about the algae suit generating food, I had several thoughts. The introduction of such an invention would be a huge step forward in technology. It will save a lot of valuable time for people as most of us are searching for some more time in a day. People will be able to get a lot more productive activities completed while still getting the required nutrition that they need. On the other hand, it will get rid of a pleasurable activity for many including me. I love trying and eating different foods and this invention will create an end to that, but in the future it will only be beneficial to the human race. Technology will once again make things easier for humans in the overall sense.
I read the article about the symbiosis suit and was kind of freaked out. The suits make ordinairy people look like extras in Alien vs Predator. Ignoring it's appearrance the suit could be quite useful if applied in the right way. For the average person I think it's better to stick to a varied diet of food that can be store bought since they're already readily available and (as Alexa and Brittany mentioned) living off of only algae would be unhealthy. But for rare circumstances such as a backpacker travelling through difficult terrain (ex: desert, tundra, etc.) who can't carry enough food supplies necessary may find an algaculture symbiosis suit to be just what they needed. Likewise a soldier out on the field or a scientist far away from their lab doing hands research could make of this "fast food" producer. It's highly unlikely that mankind would be reduced to feeding of self made algae any time soon but the speed at which the food can be produced and the effeciency of the product is impressive.
When I saw this week's options of articles, I immediately was interested in learning how humans could generate their own food supply. I never imagined that something like this could ever be done but it doesn't surprise me because of all the advancements in science that are constantly happening. However, I'm not to thrilled about the fact that the only thing that can be made as a food supply is algae. When I think about being able to create my own food supply, I automatically think to almost everything tastier than algae; then again, I've never tasted algae but it doesn't seem or sound like it would be appetizing. Plus, I believe that we need more in our every day diet than just algae. Also, the algae suit that generates the food supply is not something I would want to be seen wearing. Now if there was a more simple version of this suit that didn't make someone look ridiculous, I would consider the possibility of its use in society. However, until then, I wouldn't expect many people to use this and that too, be seen publicly with it.
Carrots don’t help enhance eye sight!?!? I guess it was just coincidental that I happen to get glasses after I stopped eating carrots. From a young age I was told that every veggie has a purpose. The most common purpose of the carrot I was told about was the enhancing of vision. According to this article, carrots do have Vitamin A in them (like I have been told). But apparently, Vitamin A has no effect on improving vision. What I still find hard to believe is that my PROFESSIONAL eye doctor encouraged me to eat carrots. Even though this myth has made me eat many carrots with hope to get rid of glasses, I am surprised that this myth helped stop the Nazi tyranny. British soldiers had self confidence in themselves to shoot down the Nazi planes because they ate carrots. After the British claimed that the victory was because of carrots improving vision, this theory became wide spread. This theory isn’t completely wrong because research does prove that Vitamin A deficiency can lead to loss of vision. But, this works one-sided because excessive Vitamin A does not lead to better vision. After reading this article, I understand why my vision only gets worse or stays the same even after staying on a continuous diet of carrots. Learning that carrots do not improve my vision makes me wonder if there are other Vitamins that do impact our eye vision.
I was extremely intrigued and impressed by the algae suit. Many effects can come from this invention, both positive and negative. For example, our economy would be seriously affected. Food processing companies would become obsolete, and many people would lose their jobs- waiters, factory workers, grocers, etc. In addition to this, world cultures would be manipulated. Diverse cultures often differ according to various dishes. Another important aspect would disappear as well. My family always regards dinner as a family meal; meals are some of the few times people socialize and communicate face to face. Not everyone would be willing to give their favorite foods in order to become autotrophs, either. I don't think that plain algae can compete with chocolate covered strawberries!
Although the algae suit can produce three meals a day, it may not provide us with all the proteins, vitamins, and minerals we need. Deficiencies can cause many problems. My friend once broke her pinkie because she didn't have a sufficient intake of calcium. Aside from the aesthetics, another problem with the suit could be mobility. The suit might be too heavy or too uncomfortable for some to bear.
Conversely, this suit could aid the world in multiple ways. For instance, it may lessen obesity by maintaining a certain amount of food per day. Moreover, it could reduce the amount of world hunger. Although the suits might be too expensive to simply give away to the poor, many of us could help increase supplies by eating normally but donating the produced algae. Soon enough, we could be replacing canned food drives with algae drives. It could also help with storms and natural disasters. As long as the suits aren't damaged, low supplies can be replenished when it isn't possible to go out and buy food.
Although these suits are useful assets, we shouldn't eradicate other forms of food; at this point, we certainly shouldn't become dependent on this source.
I think every kid wanted to be that really cool individual with night vision so they obviously were told by their parents, "eat carrots". So most kids would consume carrots with the hopes of having better eyesight. But as I grew older I knew that myth was not quite true, but i never knew the reality and origin of it until I read this article. I was surprised it dates way back to the world war with such an unusual reason. Funny enough it didn't even have any medical reason and the nazis blindly believed it not even having the slighted hint it might be something else liked technology. Regardless, that little myth probably saved the world.
Also, I posted this comment on sunday but it must not have gone through.
I'm all for eating one's vegetables, but relying on algae for a food supply is kinda gross...okay, its really gross. All I can think of is cleaning the algae out of my pool when I was little, and it's not appetizing at all. The slimy, green goop is way to gross for me to want to wear that huge tube-thing on my head. If they develop one that created chocolate, then maybe I would wear it..But for now, I shall deal with my hunger, thank you very much.
I read about the new algae suit that generates food.
I'm sure that at some point in time when we were thinking about how the future would look like, we would also think that there would be a food processor or synthesizer. In "Star Trek", a machine known as the Replicator is a machine capable of creating objects. The characters would often use it to synthesize meals. In "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" film, the protagonist creates a machine that mutates water into food, turning weather into delicious meals.
While we don't have machines such as the Replicator or the one featured in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", this algae suit is probably the closest invention to them. According to the article, the symbiosis suit is designed to make food for a human as they follow your daily routine. The number of tubes, placed in front of their mouth, harness the CO2 humans breath and feed it to an ever growing population of algae that resides in the suit through photosynthesis. Stepping outside or near a window provides the algae all the energy from the sun it needs.
I thought it was a pretty nifty invention. Instead of having to wait in line to grab a bite at a fast food place, or sit at a restaurant and patiently wait for a meal to be cooked, all you have to do is wear this suit. The algae is even growing enough to eat three square meals a day, which makes it a very useful invention. Algae also seems to have many benefits health-wise. Blue green algae is very high in nutrients, meaning that it is a very powerful energy booster. It provides anti-aging and positive effects for the hair in the skin, and contains a high concentration of powerful antioxidants that can strengthen the immune system. Blue green algae is not eaten raw, rather it is sold as a dietary supplement. Additionally, marine seaweed, which belongs to three types of algae, brown red and green, is often being consumed in the modern world today. Consumed through meals such as sushi or seaweed salad, seaweed is an essential provider of vegetable protein, amino acids, vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, calcium, antioxidants, iodine, and magnesium. It is also one of the few vegetable providers of Vitamin B-12. However, while algae is packed with vitamins and minerals, it isn't exactly a "universal" food. It still misses or has little of key nutrients and minerals, such as carbohydrates, and phosphorus.
I think that this invention will make its way into our lifestyle, but maybe not in the same way. Perhaps the new suit may be more compact sized, instead of having tubes cover your face making people look like flies or insects. However, like Naomi said, we shouldn't become too dependent on the source of algae and put an end to other forms of food. As mentioned before, Algae is not exactly a "universal" source of food, as it misses some nutrients and minerals that other foods such as meats, certain fruits or vegetables may provide.
I decided to read the article “You’ve Been Lied to About Carrots All Your Life Because of Nazis.” I read this article because since the day I first wore glasses, my mom would give me bowls and bowls of carrots to eat each day so that my vision would get better. I never questioned my mother about why I have to eat carrots and have continued to eat carrots till this day. So could the popular myth that eating carrots fixes ones vision be the lie that this article is talking about? Of course it is, the British told people that since their troops ate carrots, their vision got better, which allowed them to defeat the Nazi and hide the new radar technology that they used. It seems to me that because of the British, mothers all over the world will continue to feed their children carrots to “fix” their below par vision.
Whenever someone mentions the old "carrots improve vision" myth, I have always been one to point out that it is false. However, even though I know it is false, I never cared about or even thought about the origin of the myth. Never in my life would I have thought that it originated from the British Royal Air force in WWII. The fact that they came up with this myth to cover up their new radar is a bit ingenious and definitely humorous. I am amazed by the fact that this myth is still believed today.
WHAT?! Its so very sad how gullible not only children, but nations are. I've had decently impaired vision since I was in the third grade. I loaded up on carrots almost daily and would even eat those little packs of carrots no one wanted because I was so badly mislead. However, I think as a child it is less embarrassing than all those adults who sincerely believed it as well. Bravo to the British RAF for tricking essentially the majority of the world in believing that carrots, leafy green, root vegetables, and lots of vitamin A helped improve eyesight.
Also, I had read about cultivating algae as a constant food source. Admittedly, I cannot deny that my initial thought when I saw the first picture was, 'She looks a lot like a female version of Bane from Batman.' Aside from that, I think the idea was very abstract and unique and in many ways inovative. A very striking thing about consuming algae is its beneficial side effects. Algae can possibly help fight diseases such as cancer and AIDS, as well as help lower high blood pressure, as well as detoxify the body and boost the immune system. Although this all isn't one hundred percent verified, I do feel there is truth to it. this paired up with the facts that we are able to spare ourselves the trouble of making three meals (more or less) a day and that it is a new and unprecedented idea makes the idea of cultivating algae on the body appealing. Yet, there are many apparent downfalls to this idea as well. For starters, it would be extremely inconvenient to go about all the daily functions one normally goes through. By the looks of the contraption it seems as though it would be a hassle to simply sit down and lean back on a chair because of all the tubes. Plus, I think my vision would be slightly impaired and I would constantly have to turn my head when trying to see small objects in front of me or be distracted, looking cross-eyed, at the flow of algae right in front of me and get dizzy from staring too long. Not to mention, at times I slur my words and my speech isn't all that great so speaking into tubes would make me near impossible to understand sometimes. Aside from personal issues one might face, if self-sustaining algae suits become popular, which they just may if modified, the huge food industry as well as the agriculture industry that essentially all well established nations have will be seriously affected by the usage of algae suits. It may or may not be amusing to think about, but I think that for at least a couple of decades I won't see herds of people walking around looking like Bane, and I can highly doubt that I'd ever be one to be in the herd.
I decided to read the article on the algae suit that could fit your daily needs for food. This was a very interesting article since it showed that we could be closer to the future than we actually thought. Having a constant food source like algae could eliminate our needs to go to the store to buy food or ever go hungry again. The possibilities would be endless with this device since it gives a virtually endless supply of food because the algae can easily grow back once it is consumed. we may even be able to end world hunger and poverty.
Even though this is an amazing machine, this still comes with some downsides. First of all, it seems a little bit bulky and hard to wear. Part of the machine even covers almost your entire face. Second, this suit would not be able to cover all the dietary needs of the person wearing it since algae does not every necessary vitamin and mineral for our body.
This still is a very clever invention and may one day have a more practical use once it has been fully developed and maybe even reduce in size a little.
I read the article about the algae suit. I think this is a fascinating new idea! Though I don't think algae will become our major food source anytime soon, it would definitely benefit those that live in impoverished areas of the world, without a regular supply of food. It would also be cool to seen them wear such futuristic gear in space! Imagine astronauts with tubes covering their bodies, harnessing their CO2 to make food. The one picture of the opera singing definitely makes her look like an alien from Predator, so imagine what someone in space wearing one of these suits would look like?
I also read the article about the British Air Force making up the best kept, mom-lie ever: that eating carrots can improve your eyesight, even giving you night vision. This lie was the major reason for carrots being my after school snacks, and also the reason why I'd try to walk around without the lights on at night. Though lying isn't a good thing to do, in this case it was essential. It's really cool to think that a simple urban legend utilized by parents to make kids eat their veggies really has it's origins rooted in World War II. I'm just surprised that the Nazis were dumb enough to believe that this was the reason that the British Air Force was shooting them down at night.
The algae suit might seem ridiculous now, but like all modern inventions, it will shrink in size and become more easy to wear. Things like cellphones and computers all started out huge and bulky but eventually shrunk to fit in the palm of your hand. Somebody once said about the computer and television that nobody would own them at home because it was so inconvenient, but now everybody I know owns one or more. I see hope for the algae suit if scientists work on the fashion over the function for now.
Can you imagine having your intake of Panera Bread and Wendy's all replaced by a slimy green plant? I definitely can't! The idea of eating something flavorless for three square meals a day makes me nauseous. However this is something that refers my thoughts to the end of food sources. Maybe somewhere in the far future, the food farmers grow won't be enough to supply the entire human race. Or maybe all farm land will be wiped out by some crazy alien invasion, we don't know. My point is one day this invention will help aid us all and allow us to make self producing food.
Reading the article about the carrots, I started thinking to myself about the little tactics my mom would use when I was a child to get me to eat my veggies without making too much of a face. I always had a feeling that the "carrots help eyesight" myth was indeed, a myth but I never would have thought it came from WWII. I remember voicing my doubts about this to my mother and every time, like most moms, she always gave the response "Do you ever see rabbits wearing glasses?" and that was the end of the discussion. More interesting than the article itself, were the comments. I usually like reading the comments other people post on articles and these were not disappointing. People got into fights ranging from Vitamin A and its uses to whether Wikipedia was a reliable source(which it really isn't), but it was interesting to see other people's views
I read the article about the protein that can help your memory. Discovering a protein switch that can build memory activity is so cool. This would allow so many people to expand their memory. The protein is also a major key to understanding how our brain really works. I am always forgetting things through out the day, so imagine what the protein AGAP3 could do for every one. This protein could help so many people remember those little details that you want to remember, but some how they always end up slipping your mind. If I knew how to use this protein, I would. It would make so many thing easier: like remembering more lessons in school so I would get better grades even remembering more things I was asked I had to do at home. So who wouldn't want to have a better memory.
I read the article, Algae Suit Generates Food to Feed your Constant Hunger. The first two words that came in my head when I finished reading this article were, ground-breaking, and creepy. Obviously, this is groundbreaking, and very fascinating. Algae can live off the Co2 that comes out of our noses! As weird as that may sound (that's why I said the second word that came in my mind was creepy), it also taught me that life on Earth is so complex at times, but can also be sustained by using easily attained resources, literally under our nose! Our Co2, and sunlight, too, of course! But, what really creeped me out, even more than when I read about the algae being able to live off our Co2, was that that algae is edible! And at a point there could be so much growing that you can actually eat the stuff for three square meals a day? And here working class woman and men are struggling to find the time to put dinner on the table for their children, because they work so much! Additionally, the great part is no one needs to worry about the safety of eating this algae because we eat it almost every day! I never knew that algae were actually a part of our daily diets. Sushi, milkshakes, and ice cream?! Ice cream is something I eat every day during the summer! This made me realize how oblivious I am towards what I consume! Also, after reading this article, I was so surprised, but thoroughly amused. Obviously the fact that we can make algae grow from our Co2 that comes out of our noses, and eating it right after, through a process called algaculture symbiosis was astonishing. However this is very amusing because the thought of putting on a suit that large on your face and then making algae grow, at the same time, aroused a chuckle. Additionally, after I read about the opera singer mesmerizing the whole audience with her voice, but giving life to algae as well, at the same time, was funny. But not as funny, and must I say, clever, when I read that the audience were free to eat it, right after the performance! I am so glad I read this article because it taught me so much about how life can be created, and how sometimes that creation could help us, and our hunger, as well. Now, where can I go get that algaculture symbiosis suit?!
The article on the algae suit was fascinating. It definitely isn't great looking, but it can create so many possibilities for the future. Algae's needs are relatively simple so growing them wasn't a problem. However, creating a suit that helps the algae to grow as a person breathes into it was probably a much more complicated task. Algae is used in so many of our favorite foods so being able to create algae as we simply breath and sit near a window could greatly affect our diet. Until the suit is able to create three square meals of algae a day, we might use it more as a supplement to our diet. By consuming algae that we ourselves produce means we might not need to buy as many food products from stores. Along with a smaller grocery list this suit may mean that less of our food goes to waste as are buying less. This technology could greatly improve the lifestyles of those who may not be able to receive enough food due to poverty. Once the suit is able to create three square meals a day, then people who are less fortunate could simply buy one through government aid, and then they would not have to worry about getting enough food to feed themselves or their families. Once scientists improve upon this algae suit, people might even be able to use algae to power their homes and items since algae is a renewable source of energy.
The second article I read was on the protein important to memory formation. It was interesting to read about this new protein that has been discovered. An interesting part about the protein is that it acts as a switch. Rather than just increasing memory formation, the protein can also cause it to decrease. Depending on which signal the protein causes the brain to read, memory building can either be increased or decreased. If scientists are able to understand the way that this signaling works more specifically, then they will gain a greater insight into the system of signals that exist within a person's brain. The more we understand how signals are sent d read by the brain, the greater our knowledge of how the brains functions will be. In addition, people should be careful when it comes to using this protein to increase our memory. AS with any new technology, we should not let it go to our heads. We should not begin to solely depend upon this protein to increase our memory in the future since people should themselves still use their own memory and hard work. We will have to use the protein as a supplement rather than just let it take over our lives in terms of memory. If we can use this protein properly and not abuse it, then the effectiveness of society's working capabilities will greatly increase. This protein holds the key to improving working efficiency and also to understanding part of the complex system of signals that exist within a person's brain.
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