Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Summer Assignment 8.29

This will be the final week of the summer assignment this year. Great job with all the comments, I hope you found some of the articles I linked to interesting. There are a few things I have for you to do this week.
  • To get credit for this week's entry, tell me what your favorite post was over the summer, and what you are most looking forward to learning more about this year.
  • If you are registered for Dr. H's class (Block 1 or 2), please visit this website and request access. If you have used PB Works before, you can use your previous account information and will not have to confirm your email. If you are new to PB Works, you DO NOT need to use your school email account to request access. After I accept you, you will receive a confirmation email. 
  • If you are registered for Miss Drust's class (Block 3), she will provide you with the course website.
  • Once you have access to the wiki, feel free to have a look around. It is still a work in progress, so there is not too much there yet. There are some things on the front page for you to do.
That's it. See you all next week.

58 comments:

Unknown said...

After listening to the Podcast regarding the nature of science, I'm truly fascinated with the factors that are affecting society. Specifically, the governor mentioned took word, confidence, and subconsciously speaking skills to decide whether vaccines lead to autism. For me personally, that situation and the existence of it, is very discomforting. If the word of a person, whether statistically true or not, can lead to changes in our political futures, then we as a community are very susceptible to harm. Just imagine, if some hysteria is to break out stating that there is a new cause for a disease, and confident scientists are to back it up without proper data, then imagine the results. Bills may be passed on increasing the tax to fund research, laws would be crafted rearranging state budgets to benefit healthcare, rather than areas like justice and the criminal environment. This potentiality, which is now evidently existent, may put our lives at a place of difficulty for no good reason. I just find this area of the podcast to be so interesting, that the background of true science is irrelevant in such large areas of the world. Another area that was fascinating to hear, was the mentioning of the constant reintegration of addictions into society. The intent to withdraw from sickness and addiction turned out to be a failure, on a count of times. Each drug introduction only led to more harm, and I would have otherwise believed that the science today is already solving that issue, rather than worsening it. To end off, I think the most important thing to take out of the audio file, is to really focus on the truth, and to lessen your belief based on who you heard it from. Just like news articles have become bias, a statement can be influenced in ways that the audience should ignore. For true growth in knowledge within society, we need to really understand and comprehend the existing data that proves the best courses of action. I'm really impressed with the podcast, and my eyes have truly opened up about the value in non-biased research and data.

Anonymous said...

Out of all the assignments this summer, my favorite topic to read about was the articles about CRISPR because I learned about the revolutionary technique, and the different ways it could be used for health care. The articles showed me the countless possibilities CRISPR presents but it also challenged some of my beliefs especially with its ability to help create designer babies. This year I look forward to learning about DNA again because it's one of my favorite topics. I also want to see if I will be to handle the dissections we do in class.

Unknown said...

My favorite post over summer break was the latest one, Pandora’s Lab. I found the podcast very interesting, because it did not only cover the opioid epidemic, but also opium’s origin as well as the discussion about how science can be disregarded for fame. The discussion was very interesting to me because as the scientist who started performing lobotomies became popular in the media, so did the use of this unethical procedure. As lobotomies became popular, popular figures in society started to diagnose people in need of the procedure, seen when John F. Kennedy’s father lobotomized his own daughter for the sake of his other children. This podcast stood out to me, because we should learn from the past and make sure scientific data is not overshadowed by the media. I look most forward to learning about biotechnology and the methods scientists use to modify genes. The specific technologies needed and methods used to change a minuscule fragment of DNA is incredible, especially if a person has a particular gene that is harmful for their future health.

Unknown said...

The most interesting article this summer was the one about the birds and egg shape and size. It was the most interesting because it explains something that nobody really thinks about on a daily basis. What I love about biology, is that you get to learn so many things that apply to your life and the world around you. So many things can be understood like diet, and how what you eat affects your body, to why plants are the color they are. If there was an article about predators and pray, I wouldn't find it that interssting, the ones that interest me are the ones that involve biology at the cellular level. And this article definitely discussed science at the cellular level. What I really want to learn about this year is more about the human body, not just cells and their functions, but to apply that knowledge to the body more would be fascinating. For example, not just learning about cellular respiration, but learning how your diet affects your body because of how your food is broken down. I want to learn this type of way because the whole point of studying science, in my opinion, it to apply it to real life.

Unknown said...

Out of the whole summer, I found the articles posted on August 8th about CRISPR the most interesting. This is because I loved being able to see how far science has come. I also liked how one scientific advance opened up a world of possibilities.
I am most looking forward to learning about genes and DNA. This is because there are so many different possibilities and one slight difference, could make something mean something completely different.

Unknown said...

My favorite post was the post about how binge-watching related to poor sleep. This year, I look forward to learning about evolution.

Unknown said...

Over the summer, my favorite post definitely had to do with the scientific studies of how the shape of a bird's egg could be an indicator of its flying abilities. That was simply fascinating to me because it proves that there are correlations between seemingly unrelated things when properly studied. In the same post, there were articles about recreating extinct viruses as well as whether there is a genetic component to whether a mosquito is attracted to you, which I took much interest in because I think that viral replication and diffusion is very interesting and represents how vulnerable the human society it. I also liked the mosquito article because whenever I visited places with poor sanitation, mosquitoes were always an issue for me.
This year, I would be very interested in not only learning about existing discoveries, but also upcoming technologies that can completely change the way human society works. Unlike physics and chemistry, biology is very dynamic and is constantly brining changes that can potentially effect me on an individual level. As a result, I would like to understand all these new findings and further understand the way life works.

Joshua Figueroa said...

My favorite post over the summer was the article regarding CRISPR gene editing and the possibilities it holds for humans in the future. It reminded me that we really are making leaps and bounds in science as well as giving me hope towards curing genetic diseases. The article was almost reminiscent of something you would see in science fiction and it was just truly mind blowing to me. I hope to see further articles in the furure which follow up the study and new studies regarding possible side effects. During the school year, I look forward to learning about the intricacies of how living organisms function, as well as learning about the building blocks of life. I hope that new information can provide a strong foundation for my further studies into nursing in college.

Anonymous said...

My favorite post throughout the entire summer was the one about how binge watching Netflix affects sleep. I found this article funny becuase I am a definite Netflix binge watcher and can see why it is unhealthy for myself. The thing I look forward to most this year is to learn about genetic mutations and things in that nature.

Unknown said...

I found the article “CRISPR fixes disease gene in viable human embryos” to be most interesting. I thought it was interesting that scientist are very close to having technology that can prevent cancer or correct mutations. I think it is amazing how far science has come, and how scientist are very close to preventing cancer. Also, I found this article interesting because it brings up the huge debate of designer babies. I think designer babies is a very important discussion because I do not think it is right. I feel CRISPR may lead to technology that would aide in being able to create designer babies. This year I am looking forward to learning more in biotechnology, modification of DNA and genes ,and cell processes, but I am also excited to do more intricate experiments and dissections.


Unknown said...

Out of all of the posts from this summer, I found the article about CRISPR the most interesting. Its fascinating that we can tweak DNA to avoid fatal diseases. However it can be used incorrectly to just make an ideal baby (designer babies), whose appearance is pleasing. If we set limits on it, CRISPR can help so many people by ensuring they won't have a genetic, life threatening disease. CRISPR can pin point DNA fragments and take out or replace the genes. With this, I am most excited to learn about genetics and DNA at a more in depth level.

Madison Allan said...

My favorite article that I read this summer was most definitely the one about the flatworms that are capable of responding to light stimuli in the absence of eyes and are also capable of regrowing limbs. I still reference this article to my friends and family because it's so interesting. As someone who enjoys fictitious works like movies and comic books, it's amazing to hear that something that sounds so supernatural is actually real. This year, I hope to learn about more interesting abilities in the natural world and how they tie in to biotechnology. Learning about what causes these amazing features can be useful in this field and I hope to learn a lot about it. I look forward to taking this class this year. See you on wednesday!

Unknown said...

This summer, I found the most fascinating article to be "CRISPR fixes disease gene in viable human embryos." Reading about the process of altering pieces of DNA to avoid life threatening diseases is a major step in preventing completely preventable causes of death. However, it's ability to create 'designer babies' and hand pick only favorable traits brings up a huge question of ethics. Any advancement in science can be used for good or bad, and hopefully CRISPR's ability to do a lot of good in the world can outweigh the bad.
During the upcoming school year, I am most interested to learn more about the basic levels of DNA and genetic material. This past year, I took Anatomy and Physiology, so that was a great refresher from freshman bio and reinvigorated my interest in biology. We learned all about the body once it was a functioning mass of cells, tissues, organs, muscles, and bones, but I am excited to learn about what happens at the most basic level to make that body function.

Unknown said...

My favorite post over the summer was the one about 'predatory' journals and fake news articles. I thought that it was horrible that these journals post fake news articles and portray them as truth. These articles can lead to many false beliefs and cause many problems. I believe that if journals stop posting these fake articles, people wouldn't be as skeptic of real scientific discoveries. This year, I am looking forward to learning more about the differences between specialized cells in the human body, DNA replication, and DNA modification. I am also looking forward to performing experiments and performing my first dissection.

Anonymous said...

Out of all the assignments posted this summer, the one that I most enjoyed was the MRI potentially helping reverse the effects of cognitive impairment in athletes. The reason I enjoyed this so much was because it was so interesting to finally see that there are helpful things coming in about athletic injuries. Recently, there have only been negative studies coming out encouraging people to stop playing all these contact sports. Since I love most of them, it saddens me when I see these studies but it also relieves me when I see studies such as the MRI one in the article that was posted. The thing I most look forward to learning about in biology is evolution. This topic highly interests me and it was not highlighted too much in the Honors Biology course I took freshman year. I am excited and eager to learn Way more about the topic.

Unknown said...

Out of all the post this summer my favorite was the binge watching article. I am a big binge watcher so it was interesting to read an article, that describes me in a perfect way. I am most excited to learn about DNA at a higher level

Manshita Kaur said...

My favorite post was the podcast "You Are Not So Smart" since it is not often you see mistakes made by scientists play out in real life. Also I'm deeply interested in psychology so the part about lobotomies fascinated me. I am most excited about learning about human physiology.

Unknown said...

My favorite post was the article about binge watching television. I enjoyed this article because it related to me. The article did a good job explaining the correlation between sleep and binge watching. This year, I look forward to learning more about genetics and evolution.

Unknown said...

Out of all the entries, the most interesting article for me was the brain injury study conducted on professional fighters. Especially because I play a sport that many players may undergo concussions, it helped me gain an understanding of how that repeated trauma can affect my body. There is always an interest for me in how to take care of my body in the most efficient way and how to prepare for my sport in the best way. Also, I am the most excited to learn more about how every part of our bodies work inside in order to fulfill my interest in pathology. At the same time, I'm very excited to do more complicated and intense experiments.

Anonymous said...

The article I found the most interesting this year was the one on binge-watching. This is probably because I relate to that article the most. This year, I am looking forward to learning more about genetics the most.

Anonymous said...

My favorite article out of all the articles I have read was the one about CRISPR. The article gave alot for me to talk about and explain how I felt about the subject itself. Having dealt with arguments in that topic before, I was able to bring more to the table in terms of facts and opinions as well. Not only did have much to say about it, but I also was able to learn more about the subject and relate to it as well. I hope to learn more about this topic in the coming months and enjoy my time in this class!!

Anonymous said...

My favorite post over the summer was the article "Scientists Re-created an Extinct Virus" and "Researchers Used CRISPR to Successfully Increase HIV Resistance in Animals". I really liked these articles because they show modern day advances in the field of medical science, and these studies are crucial to the problems we face in the modern world. When the group of scientists recreated an extinct virus - something that had been done before too, their purpose was to hopefully develop a cancer vaccination by using a vaccinia virus. This is really important, because every year 7.6 million people die from cancer. Cancer is one of the biggest diseases that doesn't have a cure so any advances made towards finding/developing one is important. But the article also discussed the possibilities of bio-weapons being created using the same technology. If extinct viruses can be brought back and replicated in labs, then who's to say someone with bad intentions wouldn't recreate a virus and use it as a bio-weapon? Furthermore the article talked about how researchers funded by private organizations have less regulations on their work compared to researchers funded by the government. The article "Researchers Used CRISPR to Successfully Increase HIV Resistance in Animals" was another article I enjoyed reading because HIV is another disease that affects millions of people, and this article shows the importance of CRISPR and it's possible aid to finding cures for Cancer and HIV. Using CRISPR, scientists edited the gene CCR5 which allowed the T-cells of the mice being used as test subjects to become slightly more resistant to HIV. Although this experiment deals with mice rather than humans, the use of CRISPR in this test shows greater hopes for future cures. I'm most excited to learn more about biotechnology and genetics this year, as well as the advancements made in the medical science community when it comes to biotechnology.

Unknown said...

Of all the articles I read this summer, my favorite post would have to be the one about mosquitoes and how they choose their targets. Scientists believe that people who exhale more carbon dioxide tend to attract more mosquitoes. I used to think that mosquitoes were attracted to a person's blood type or how "sweet" their blood is. However, now know that the "nonanal" compound is particularly attractive to mosquitoes. I learned so much about how and why mosquitoes are more attracted to some people over others.
This year, I am interested in learning more about genetics, as I liked learning about that in honors bio. I also want to learn more about the human body and I'm excited to dissect.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the post about pthalates in mac and cheese because it seemed like an interesting concern that made me realize that it was probably just one of many public health concerns out there that need to be researched. Mac and cheese is also a very popular food, so it made me think twice about what is really good to eat. One thing I am really looking forward to learning this year is non-Mendelian genetics because it interested and confused me how different traits interacted with each other without the usual dominant-recessive pattern.

Adit Mandadi said...

My favorite post over the summer was the post about CRISPR. It was interesting to learn that CRISPR could manipulate DNA to do many things like cure incurable diseases such as cancer, or enable us to "play god." CRISPR can be a threat ethically to many people. With the use of this technology, people can make designer babies. Designer babies are babies that have been modified genetically by the parents to have certain traits over others, such as having blonde hair over brown. However, a way to possibly cure cancer and other diseases that are thought to be incurable cannot be ignored, so it will be interesting to see how we will use this technology, and if over time, this idea of a "designer baby" will be accepted by the general public. Over the next year, I am most excited to go more in depth into evolution and DNA, also, I am hoping to dissect more complex organisms.

Unknown said...

My favorite post for the summer was the CRISPR article because I found it interesting how the medical field is advancing at such a fast rate. I thought that this was a great tool for doctors and scientists to be able to use in improving the life of people such as fixing a nucleotide sequence of one who has a genetic disorder. Moreover I am excited to learn about genetics, mitosis, and DNA replication at a college level because all these processes are interrelated in the cell cycle. This makes us as students to be able to combine our knowledge from all these processes and connect it all together like telling the story but for a cell.

Unknown said...

My favorite post this summer was definitely the podcast we had to listen to. Admittedly, I was quite disappointed when I found out I had to listen to a podcast for an hour. However, I quickly became interested in the methods and reasoning behind some scientific decisions. Despite opium being the cause of addiction for years in the past, researchers still aim to use the drug and incorporate it into medicine. Scientists think that they can succeed where others have not, and this logic often leads to addiction crises. Furthermore, celebrity-scientists promoting a certain procedure that’s incorrect led me to the conclusion that the general population doesn’t look at facts and figures before making important decisions. This school year, I am looking forward to learning more about CRISPR and gene editing. The posts we had to read earlier were interesting, and I hope we go into more detail than in previous classes.

Unknown said...

I personally found all the articles intriguing, but one particular article stood out to me: the article on CRISPR. This is because I have done a few research projects on genetic mutations, and CRISPR was a huge element of them. Because of these projects, I understood the article perfectly. Even better, this article enhanced my knowledge on CRISPR even further, and I could use this knowledge in future projects that I'm sure will come about in AP Biology and other science courses.

Unknown said...

I found the first week's article about synthetic biology to be the most interesting because of how it can be used for a good cause such as curing cancer but at the same time it can be used for bad like biological weapons. I find it interesting how something that is so beneficial can be so harmful if it gets into the wrong hands. This year I am looking forward to learning about genetics.

Unknown said...

I found most of the posts quite intriguing, but I really liked the posts that posed controversial questions. The CRISPR post would probably top the list, but the article on the duration of antibiotic courses was also very interesting and thought provoking. I’ve never done dissections, so that’s what I’m looking forward to doing this year.

Kamryn Pickard said...

My favorite post was by far was last weeks podcast on Pandora's Lab. I found it interesting how he discussed why people do not trust science in some cases. I also liked learning about the history of creating addicting drugs and how we might be harming more than helping. Last year my favorite topic was genetics and DNA, so that is what I'm most excited to learn more about this year.

Unknown said...

My favorite post over the summer was the article that explored the idea that a possible cure for cancer could also lead to engineered bio weapons that could target indiviuals or masses. I am most looking foward to learning in more detail about heredity this year in class.

Unknown said...

Of all the articles read this summer, the one about the mosquitos and trying to learn how to develop a more effective repellent than our OFF-branded sprays and candles which I could most personally relate to. I look forward to this year mostly to connect whatever I've learned in the past from other classes like Anatomy and carry that onwards as I take similar classes.

Unknown said...

I loved the post about the Phthalates in food. The post was the most I typed on and I related a lot with the post. I was able to make connections and was really invested in comparing the 2 articles to find out the differences and the accuracy in studies. I did eventually side with the Mac and cheese but it was very entertaining to write/type about.

Unknown said...

My favorite post was the one about binge watching leading to poor sleep in young adults. I was able to relate to this post the most as I binge watch a lot of shows myself and feel like the quality of my sleep is not as beneficial because of it. I am looking forward to dissections at the end of the school year, as well as broadening my knowledge of genetics and biology in general.

Sobhana said...

The most interesting post out of all the weekly posts this summer was the post about chemicals in powdered Mac&Cheese. This post deeply intrigued me because I am a food enthusiast and I like learning about the basis of different foods. Additionally, I had seen many viral tweets circulating on twitter about the dangers of boxed Mac&Cheese, and it was interesting to see the connection between the two very different news sources. Although biology is not the easiest subject for me, I genuinely find it interesting. I'm most excited to learn about genetics and mutations of DNA and to establish some connections between biology and the real world.

Unknown said...

The post that intrigued me the most was the one posted on August 8th regarding CRISPR and the advancements made in the STEM industry through it. Before I had read through the articles and watched a couple of videos, I was almost completely unaware of what the CRISPR system was and after, I researched the topic on my own free time. The fact that the process has the capability to reverse engineer deadly diseases, like HIVs and going as far as cancer, and even potentially eliminate them is something that would take medical research to another level of success. The post also intrigued me because the backlash CRISPR faced by some because of the potential "designer babies" seemed interesting yet completely backwards in a sense, making it the post which caused me to have the strongest reaction. Though picking the features a child should have is a messed up concept in itself as the child has no say. However in my opinion, the most messed up thing to do in this situation is to disregard the possibility of curing the world's deadliest diseases which may have seemed impossible to deal with at one point in time. On top of that, there will most definitely be regulations made by the government and medical facilities to make sure that all scientists and medical specialists who use the CRISPR procedure only use it in the proper way intended, cutting the possibilities of designer babies to a drastically lower percentage. The post also helped me redevelop some of the biology topics I learned about freshman year and in turn started the gears for this type of stuff to move again. All in all, this one post about CRISPR was one that gathered my attention the most and related to biology the most for me, making it my favorite read and research all summer during this blog.

Unknown said...

All the posts were unique in their own way. However, “Rule that patients must finish antibiotics course is wrong, study says” from the Guardian stood out to me the most this summer for many reasons, one being it gave me an insight of a real world issue and its different point of views. It also gave me an answer to a question I had for a long time. After learning about genetics and the cell cycle as a freshmean, I'm looking forward to learning the more specifics about those units. I'm also very excited for the dissections unit towards the end of the year as I will be able to get a good grip and a clear understanding of it and apply it in the future.

Dhvani said...

My favorite post was about binge watching and poor sleep because it opened my eyes to the consequences of what I did every night. I look forward to learning about genetics and DNA this year.

Anonymous said...

My favorite article was when I read about the binge watching TV and falling asleep. Before reading this article I did not know that binge watching can lead you to poor sleep because over the summer I used to wake up sleepy and tired even though I got enough sleep. I'm glad that AASM released tips for binge watchers to help them fall asleep better. This year I'm interested learning about genetics and mutations. Ever since I took biology for the first time I wanted to learn in depth about genetics and mutations.

Unknown said...

My favorite post this summer was the article about binge watching. This is because I can relate to this post the most since whenever I sit down to watch one episode I start to binge watch the entire season. This post also helped me to realize that I should not do this since it will cause poor sleep, fatigue, and insomnia, which will negatively affect my attention in school. This school year I am looking forward to learn about the nervous system and how the brain is incorporated into it. I am fascinated about the brain and have always wanted to learn more about it and everything relating to it.

Unknown said...

My favorite article from this summer was, "CRISPR Fixes Disease Gene in Viable Human Embryos." I enjoyed this article because it showed the future of science and how advanced how technology is getting. It also shows how controversial or dangerous science can be. I am really looking forward to learning about the specifics in genetics.

Akshita Garg said...

My favorite post was the "You Are Not So Smart" podcast and the CRISPR article because it was really insightful to see the mistakes scientists can make and how easily this could be detrimental to many aspects of science. The CRISPR article was interesting because it shows how far technology and science has come. Basically, CRISPR is the epitome of genetics and perhaps, biology, in general. I look most forward to learning about the human body systems and doing the lab-based projects associated with each unit.

Unknown said...

My favorite post of the summer was definitely the article about how binge-watching causes bad sleep. That article was my favorite because I could relate to it. I look forward to learning more about genetics. See you tomorrow!

Unknown said...

My favorite article was the one that talked about antibiotic resistant diseases. It appealed to me because I have heard a lot in the recent past about how people who dont finish their recommended dosage of antibiotics were the problem, and were helping create antibiotic resistant diseases. However, another study said that each patient is unique and finishing the dose may do more harm than good. I found it interesting because it shows how new studies are done and we learn new things every day.

Unknown said...

After two months of scientific reading, I can definitely state that my favorite article was the one informing us on the recreation of an extinct virus. The comments and responses were on completely different sides, and the miscellany of opinions were all really interesting to look over. More importantly, the actual article was extremely interesting because it brought attention to a controversial issue, as it allowed the audience to ponder over the morality of the work. People perceive certain aspects of science to be dangerous, while others believe that all aspects of experimentation are areas that will improve society. These differentiated beliefs trigger scientific debate, and such an article forced me to look into the future consequences, the morality of the experimentation, and it even required me to do some research on the danger of viruses in a society of immunization. The dispute over the potentiality of bio-weaponry versus knowledge forced students to step apart, while also integrating countless areas of the discussion, such as the evolution of immunity and its role toward recreating viruses. Overall I am fascinated with any locus of dispute in science or politics and going through an article like the one aforementioned allowed me to truly express my personal views, my outlook toward the world, and to share my voice on a topic which was arouses emotion and political beliefs.

Unknown said...

I found the articles about CRSIPR to be the most interesting. Genetics is a very fascinating concept to me, and I am looking forward to learning more about that this year. This field shows so much promise in terms of scientific advancement, so I know it will be interesting to study.

Krish Rupapara said...

My favorite article was the CRISPR one because you can use it to edit genes. I look forward to learning about genetics.

Anonymous said...

My favorite post was the one about binge-watching because I'm a binge-watcher. There were many interesting points brought up in this article, all made me rethink my choices to watch so much tv. But the addictions always win and I going to go watch my show.

Anonymous said...

I found the CRISPR article to be the most interesting because it really showed how DNA can altered and be used for advanced medical research that would cure many diseases . However, it also showed the potential danger of CRISPR because the possible abuse leading to "designer babies". While this true, I truly support the use of synthetic biology if regulated because of the many benefits it has to offer to society. I'm most excited to learn about this topic this year.

Unknown said...

I found the video and articles about CRISPR to be the most intriguing and thought provoking out of all of them. It was eye-opening to learn that we are so medically and scientifically advanced to be able to do such great things. Using CRISPR scientists and doctors will be able to save hundreds of lives and that's truly wonderful. I am extremely looking forward to learning more about evolution because it always fascinated me how we came to be such complex beings and how everything around us came to be.

Anonymous said...

The article I enjoyed reading the most was the one about CRISPR. It is fascinating how far science has advanced that we are able to modify one's genes. Hopefully, it will only be used for ethical reasons and will aid in the cure for cancer and HIV, as the article expressed.
I am excited to learn more about genetics this year. I enjoyed learning what I had studied in honors biology.

Phil Latosh said...

Out of all the assignments this summer, my favorite topic to read about was the articles about CRISPR. it amazed me how in the future we will be able to take out bad genes out of our children. this means that lots of pasted on diseases can be removed.it also means that way down in the future we will be able to create our children to the way we want them to look. I'm looking forward to learning more specifics about biology.

Unknown said...

I was fascinated by the article and video about what CRISPR can do. I found it interesting and unique how revolutionary it can prove to be in the future. This year I look forward to learning more about DNA and mutations in DNA so I can hopefully connect it to real life. I am interested in learning about diseases and learning about ways to prevent the spread of them. I'd also love to get involved with the dissections.

Michelle Lau said...

Out of all the posts this summer, my favorite one was the one about CRISPR. I have an interest in biotechnology and the things it can offer to human life, which made it natural for me to take a specific interest in that specific article. I think these scientific advancements should be for medical use. Sure there is the whole controversial "designer baby" idea but I think it is ridiculous to discard CRISPR over this because the possibilities to help human life are beyond our current imagination. I am looking forward to learning more about CRISPR and other forms of biotechnology.

Unknown said...

Out of all of the assignments over the summer, I found the podcast as the most interesting. I liked the podcast because it pointed out that findings that may be intended for the good may turn into something even worse. For example, it talked about how drugs like opium were used as medicine and were introduced by doctors with good intentions, yet people began to use this drug for the wrong reasons. I found that thought very interesting and notice now that it is true for an ample number of other drugs as well. I also learned from this a broader life lesson that you shouldn't use things, like drugs, fro the wrong reasons, as it can be harmful. Although the podcast mentions a few other issues, I especially found this one very intriguing, which is why I found this to be my favorite assignment.

Unknown said...

Of all the great articles that I read this summer, my favorite one was the study on how binge watching television shows leads to poor sleep. The study showed how the more one binge watches, the worse sleep they get. I really enjoyed this article because I can heavily relate to it. I binge watch many different shows, and as a result get very poor sleep. It really taught me to binge watch less television and try to control when and how much I watch it. I have therefore binge watched less tv over the summer and am very glad that I read that article.

Anonymous said...

Out of all of the assignments from this summer, the most jnteresting one to me was the articles about mac and cheese. These related to a big part of my life, which is the type of food I consume and how it can affect me. While this interests me, I highly doubt we'll be covering mac and cheese in class this year, so I am most excited to learn about cells and their structure. The thought of such complexity in such a small space amazes me, and cells perfectly show the concept. With that being said, I am excited for this year!