Not really all that surprising that bacteria can "smell," or simply detect airborne chemicals. Smell is directly related to taste, as anyone who has tried to eat their favorite meal with a cold can attest to. The only difference in smell and taste is how the chemicals are delivered to the receptors: direct contact for taste and airborne for smell.
The interesting part of the research, to me at least, was the fact that the bacteria respond to different "smells." Ammonia, for example, triggers the formation of a biofilm.
Biofilm is a major cause of infection on medical implants such as heart valves, artificial hips and even breast implants. Also known as 'biofouling' it costs the marine industry millions every year, slowing ships down and wasting precious fuel. But it also has its advantages. Certain biofilms thrive on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up an oil spill.
Algebra and Circuit Breakers
Lots of great points in this post about the current state of math and science education/knowledge. There is a general lack of understanding about math and science in the general public, and I do not just mean that people don't know what DNA stands for, of how to factor a polynomial. It is more important to understand math and science as processes, ways of thinking about and solving a problem, rather than a set of facts to be memorized. I think that this is very nicely illustrated in the linked post by the story of the circuit breakers.
How often do we hear people say "Oh, I'm not a math person, you figure out what the tip should be for lunch"...what if someone said "Oh, I'm not much of a reading person, you tell me what the menu says." Those two statements are really not that different, yet one is OK, and the other signifies a breakdown in the educational system. Why is that? Why is it socially acceptable (and in some cases preferable) to be "not a math/science person" while not being a language person is unheard of. Not knowing how to critically think, weigh evidence and draw a logical, evidence-based conclusion is as integral to math and science education as knowing the difference between verbs and nouns are to language education.
And don't tell me that basic reading is a fundamental life skill while finding percentages is not. The current economic situation has been partly blamed on people's misunderstanding of basic math. And anyway, my point is not about math and science factual knowledge, but using the skills gained in studying them to navigate life.
[The] skills you learn in math go well beyond learning to plug numbers into the quadratic formula. Math is about systematic thinking, and systematic thinking is what built human civilization. Without the ability to think systematically, we'd all be stuck huddling in caves, hoping the lions didn't eat too many of us tonight.
And yes, I am treating math and science as one here, as the author of the post does. One of the other major problems with education is the compartmentalization of learning. This isn't math class, why are we talking about numbers? This is [class x] not [class y], why are we talking about [topic from class x]??? Because everything is connected, and seeing those connections is the hallmark of an educated mind.
Hopefully, if I have done my job as an educator, after taking AP Biology, you will begin to see and appreciate those connections.
37 comments:
The first article regarding bacteria and their sense of smell is quite remarkable. One would think that because bacteria are so small, they wouldn’t have the similar senses that humans have. Just hearing that bacterial cells have a molecular “nose” that enables them to detect other chemical agents like ammonia is amazing. Additionally, the other senses they contain, like their senses of touch, taste and sight further exemplify how complex little bacterial cells can be. Furthermore, the biofilm they produce might provide an answer to the US’s current problems in the gulf. The fact that certain biofilms can clean up oil spills could provide the perfect solution to the disastrous mess looming about the Gulf of Mexico.
The article relating algebra and circuit breakers offers many valid points about the misconception that math has little importance in our everyday lives. I support the articles claim that math teaches one to think systematically and solve problems in an organized and forthright manner. Furthermore, I would add that math, contributes to what we think may be known as common sense. Because we learned to how to think logically using math everything in our lives seems to come easier. People that dismissed math as a waste of time ultimately end up failing to think rationally and end up converting themselves into an idiotic sense of being.
Something pretty surprising is that I actually had figured that bacteria were able to use a sense of smell or something similar. It sort of just made sense in my mind that most organisms have most of the 5 basic senses and bacteria being able to detect things through a primal form of smell just makes sense in a way.
Biofilm may be hazardous to humans (at least it seems so), but its ability to gobble up oil actually is pretty relevant to current events. Like Khari, I immediately thought of the BP spill that's still going on down in the Gulf of Mexico. I'm sure it was your point to include that and hope that we were educated enough on current happenings that we could make the connection (God help you if you haven't heard of the BP spill by now) but there's something that bothers me about all these science-y articles:
If we know we can do all of these amazing things, why don't we start doing them? Like so and so bacteria can eat oil when used, or this can be used as a restorative to fight off sun cancer, or we can put your poop in this guy and get rid of a serious disease and potentially save his life.
Is the cost too great to do such things? I can understand that these operations would not be cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but the actual results are just so useful to us that maybe we should just start adapting and pee on our crops more.
Though sad as that is, I suppose there really is no use in complaining.
I'm kinda trying to avoid the math discussion since it's too early for me to even start focusing on it, but I'll throw something in about it since I feel obligated to.
The reason people are able to get away with "not being a math person" is because math is commonly associated and socially accepted to only be of any use for people such as architects or scientists. It certainly doesn't help that most people find what we learn in math class completely useless; I'd have to agree to some extent, but you still need to understand the logistics behind it.
Regardless, I consider math and sciences to be a tool that I can use to help myself understand things more. For example, I'm actually the guy who gets stuck with figuring out tip at a restaurant because everyone else is too lazy to do so. So I just dip into some basic math skills and take 10% and multiply that by 2 for a tip, depending on whether or not the waiter/waitress was a good server.
I'm not exactly sure how one could get society to stop being so ridiculous or even begin to make a change, so, until that point comes, I'll just be happy in the fact that I can do math relatively well and use it practically when I need.
Yikes, I posted a long comment. I didn't realize I was typing so much.
"Bacteria" - Usually bacteria produces a smell that is disgusting, but if they can help detect harmful odors, then it is not so bad. The way the bacteria respond by joining together to expel any harmful bacteria is similar to penguins huddling together to keep warm and get rid of the cold. Biofilms are very advantageous if they can help clean up oil spills. It's amazing that something so small has a sense of smell.
"Algebra and Circuit Breakers" - Every student has said math is a waste of time and that he will never use it, including me. I have often heard from math teachers that math can be applied to real life, but they have never given an example. This story shows that math is not about getting the right answers with equations, but about learning to think systematically. I never thought about it that way. As for math going along with science, my 6th grade teacher used to say "Math is the language of science," which makes sense in certain cases or labs.
I think it's very interesting how they refer to deaths caused by bacteria as a war. I always thought that 'winning' the war against bacterial infections would never happen. The bacteria communicating to each other through smell. That's even weirder than communicating through electricity. I'd be interested in finding out how they really communicate through smell, other than just smelling each other. How do they leave different smells that mean different things?
The author of the math/science post makes a great point. Why is being bad at math or science seen as more acceptable as being bad at reading or writing. Both are important life skills, as much as people will try to say that nothing we learn in math will ever be used again. It will, or course, we just haven't understood how yet. It's true that math just doesn't come as easily to some people, but instead of helping them to practice and understand, they are sent to remedial classes that don't really help. In MTHS, there are math classes as low as Dynamics of Geometry, but LAL classes only go as low as Language Arts III. Overall, people are simply expected to be better at language skills because its a more obvious life skill. But we use math just as much, even if we don't realize it.
Bacteria having the ability to smell is amazing. I was shocked to read that, because bacterium are microscopic! Bacteria is a life form so minuscule and simple (in comparison to the complexity of say, a human) i would've never thought they possess any senses at all! whats intrigues me the most about this breakthrough, is the fact that not only have scientists proved the bacterium's ability to smell, they have linked this sense with the production of biofilm. When i read, "Certain biofilms thrive on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up an oil spill." I instantly though of the extremely notorious BP Oil-Spill. Our world is in desperate need of a oil-spill fighting solution, even the Exxon Valdez oil-spill hasn't been completely cleaned yet, and that was over twenty years ago! Dr. Reindert Nijland and his team, in their discovery of bacteria's sense of smell, may have opened a new route to the cleaning of oil-spills so desperately needed by our world. It's fascinating how things can be connected in such ways, which brings me to the next article.
In "Algebra and Circuit Breakers" the author uses a brief anecdote to stress the importance of systematic thinking, mathematics, and science in living life. I must say I strongly agree, and as a matter of fact, I believe all of us here will agree to some extent, after all we're all enrolled in an advanced science class. I also agree that being a person "not good at math" is accepted much more readily by our society than being a person "not good at literacy". This is quite a shame because in my opinion, mathematics and systematic thinking is at least just as important as literacy, if not more so. That's where all technology on earth must derive its roots from! I'm happy to see other people recognize the importance of mathematics and systematic thinking, i wish our society as a whole did. Once again, fantastic articles.
I believe that everyone is just becoming more and more lazy. I think the skills we acquire through math and science are not giving enough attention. We are always reading and so we retain the knowledge, however some people forget everything gained from school simply because they think they do not need it anymore. I also think it may have something to do with the education system and techniques used by the educators. We learn to read at a young age, and since we are young teachers want to engage the children and we get entertained. However, in the later years when we start learning critical thinking in both math and science classes it starts to turn into work more than entertainment. I do not know about everyone but some people, no, most people learn more and retain more when they are focusing and enjoying the process. Math classes and science classes can be boring for people so people do not retain the knowledge as much. Those who like math and science become accountants or scientists or doctors, but those who think they do not need it or do not like it lose their knowledge and become lazy. Even without the math and science classes, critical thinking should be second nature. Figuring out a tip is simple math. The excuse "I'm not a math person" is the excuse of someone who is too lazy.
I felt like i just rambled on and on.
After reading about yeast and its use of pheromones, I wasn't really surprised to learn that bacteria can smell. It makes sense that most organisms (even microscopic ones) would have the five basic senses. Without at least three of them, it would be extremely difficult to thrive, or to even survive. Bacteria need to be able to smell other invading bacteria and protect itself from harm. The smell of ammonia triggers a respone from the bacteria to band together and colonize in an act of defense. This creates bio-film. The process is similar to that of war. A threat is made, and the country begins working together to ward off said threat. Without that reaction we'd be left vulnerable and weak. Without use of our intelligence to identify and solve problems, we would not be such a well-off nation. Bacteria would not survive without the information it acquires through its sense of sight, smell, taste, and touch. I think (much like Keith) that we should pour a bunch of ammonia and bacteria into the gulf and let the power of smell clean the mess.
I work at a recreation camp five weeks out of the summer. One card i received at the end of it not only spelled my name wrong, but held this message inside, "thnx for being my fav counselor this year<3, ur the reason camp was sooooooooo much fun. see u nxt summer." I was very happy to receive this note but, it isn't really written in English...its written in text-lish. Which has become the preferred language of choice for Americans. Maybe because she wrote this as a card and not as a school paper it is okay, or maybe not. chances are she wrote like that in school too until a teacher failed her. Some of these girls can text before they can understand the basic parts of a sentence. For some reason this issue is just being addressed while the issue of children not being able to do basic percents has been ignored. It still is ignored. Sadly, science and math take a back seat to language studies, when in reality, its used just as much in daily life. "Why do I have to learn this? I'll never use it in real life!" Well, my friends should think before they say that again, especially since i can work out a 20% tip in my head a lot faster than they can punch the total into their phones.
Bacteria can smell? This discovery is confounding. It is amazing how such a small organism is able to have the same senses, such as smelling, as multi-celled organisms. I never thought that bacteria could have senses at all because of the simplistic view i had of it. However i find that bacteria, although single celled, has a much more complex structure.
Algebra and Circuit breakers, who would have ever thought to connect the two? This article was very interesting not only because of the analogy but because of how oblivious most students are to the reason behind math. Yes math is all around us and we need to no how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, but there is an underlying aspect. It helps us to think critically and systematically. I hear in my math class " whats the point of learning this" or "will we ever use this in real life" all the time. The answer is simple. To help you think and yes it will be handy in the future. Now the quadratic formula might not be what is handy, but the ability to think is.
The bacteria article has me thinking a few things based on it's smell it usually produces bad smells. The fact that bacteria has a sense of smell according to this article is such an amazing thought. Further in the article when biofilm was mentioned and its ability to clean up an oil spill. At this point, I also thought about the disaster that occured in the Gulf of Mexico (like Khari).
The article about Algebra i agree with what the author is saying completely. I think that both Math and Science are related closely like my Chemistry teacher always said you can't have one without the other.
No wonder we cannot get rid of bacteria on our bodies. they can smell where we are! anyways, i never thought of bacterias having a sense of taste let alone a sense of smell. it is also intriguing that a colony of bacteria would use the slime that is a respond to a smell to push out any potential competitors. Even though biofilm has its disadvantages, i like to look in the bright side. Biofilm thrive on petroleum oil and can be used to clean up oil spills. Maybe the oil spill of today can be cleaned by tomorrow.
i Agree with Mark about people getting lazier. whether you are a math person or not you can take 2 minutes to calculate a tip. with simple math that a 5 year old can do. also math and science compliment each other very well. when you say you are a math person, you probably are a bit of a science person too and vise versa. knowing how to do basic math is as important as being able to read a menu. i know that i could have not gone through honors physics with out math.
The article Algebra and Circuit breakers showed the importance of how math and science contribute to society. For example when my dad and I were building a pergola in the backyard we had to use a many formulas to measure the exact distance and angle of the posts. Math concepts help formulate ideas and solve certain situations in the best way possible. Everything from art to architecture requires some mathematical or scientific way of thinking in order to produce the best possible product in any field. Its not that people consider math unimportant it’s just that people don’t realize how these concepts apply to their lives.
The book the Mystery of Numbers shows how math and numbers affected society throughout history. It reveals that math had philosophical, symbolistic, and even spiritual qualities that many societies interpreted differently. Many cultures considered math to even having magical powers such as the Greeks using 8 as a means to determine one’s own death. Math had such a strong influence in societies and many of these societies developed their own math concepts such as the Greeks, Romans, and even the Babylonians. These concepts helped build our mathematical and scientific way of thinking today and help us solve many problems that require the use of different math concepts.
The article about bacteria having a sense a smell was also very interesting. I didn’t realize bacteria had that ability to smell certain chemicals and produce slime (biofilm) in reaction to the smell of ammonia from nearby bacteria. This shows that bacteria can react to outside stimuli just like any other living creature on earth. If they can react to another life form that is approaching than it shows there is more to bacteria than being simple unicellular organisms that float around in the environment. Also the fact they can produce biofilm could prove useful in environmental cleanups and oil spills, but producing this slime shows they can react and have and understanding of what’s in their environment.
Throughout my two years of algebra, I often found myself frustrated not only with my teacher, but with the class itself. What was its purpose and how was "2x-4" going to help me in life, specifically with my career? How could I apply these equations to what I aspire to become in the future? I mean it's not like someone would come up to you and say "Quick! Solve x^2+6x+9 if you want to live!". So when I received (or should I say earned) a grade on a test or quiz that's below average, I complained that I was wasting my time learning useless information that only mathematicians would deem beneficial, and that I shouldn't even try anymore. (Although my mother grounding me for bad test/quiz grades convinced me otherwise.) Therefore in reading this article, I could definitely relate to those teens that Orzel mentioned who thought "Who cares? I don't need this!" But I also came to the inevitable realization that almost everything in life: math, science, careers, school, and solving problems all require systematic thinking, which is what we gain from solving these algebraic problems we lazy teenagers dislike so much. The funny thing is I think systematically without even realizing it, and then I sit down and moan and groan about my math homework. So the next time I have to solve "x^2+6x+9", I'll appreciate it, or at least think twice about complaining.
There are many things that people assume. Even though it’s an organism, the thought of bacteria having senses never came in my mind and assumed that it did not. But, like many of the others wrote, if scientists research about its ‘snout’ and the secreted biofilm, then bacteria can be used in various tasks, such as cleaning up the recent oil spill. That was the first thought that came after reading that part of the sentence. Now…how does a person activate the biofilm in the ocean? Where’s the ammonium source? The last paragraph distracted me though. If scientists do harness communication between bacteria, what’s the limit? I mean, is there a chance that the communication could be used for a selfish motive?
I had always believed that bacteria could smell, but it’s pretty interesting that they use their sense of smell as an alarm system so they can protect themselves from other bacteria. I had heard about the biofilms that eat spilled oil through the news a couple of weeks ago. I think it’s pretty amazing that these microorganisms thrive in the oil and help to get rid of it. I hope that researchers continue to find new and amazing properties of bacteria; in the future, they may be able to make a significant difference in the well being of humans, animals, and the environment. In regards to the article about the math and science, I do agree that these subjects are necessary. They help people to think more logically, and though many people don’t see the connection between the two subjects, they are very much intertwined and needed in everyday life. We use simple algebra every day, whether it’s to calculate percentages while shopping, or figuring out how much each person has to pay towards the tip in a restaurant. While thinking logically may be harder for some people, that is no reason to cast aside the math we learn in school.
The "Algebra and Circuit Breakers" article is definitely my favorite article so far. I strongly feel that math and science courses are being neglected in today's education system and because of that there are increasing numbers of people who can't systematically solve simple, everyday problems. I don't understand why it's OK that we are required to have 4 years of Language but just 3 years of science. And Risa also brings up a great point that our school's Math Dept's lowest level is Dynamics while the Language Dept does not have a Dynamics level. It's important for our country's educational system, in general, to realize that America is lagging behind in math and science while other countries are advancing in these subject and succeeding in building new technologies. In the 1950s, it took the Russians to develop and launch Sputnik I and II for the US to finally realize that schools did not provide an adequate instruction of the sciences. As a result, the government increased funding for the sciences but we STILL are behind in comparison to other countries. As a general note, it is a problem that math and science are not as heavily emphasized as language. It's important that students receive a concrete math and science education, as well as an education in other subjects. Just as Dr. H says, the only way to have an educated mind is to connect all that you've learned from different fields.
I also enjoyed reading the bacteria article. It interested me that when the bacteria respond to a smell they produce a biofilm and although, biofilm has many disadvantages it also has a great advantage of cleaning up an oil spill. And just like almost all of the comments have said, this discovery can be a huge step in helping to clean up the BP oil spill.
After reading the article about bacteria being able to smell, I wonder how researchers were able to identify that it was, in fact, bacteria’s ability to smell that allowed them to identify the presence of ammonia. One of the researchers even admits that, “"The next step will be to identify the nose or sensor that actually does the smelling." How can researchers already believe that bacteria have this ability to smell without yet discovering the means of it doing so? The article says that the bacteria’s skill to detect ammonia in the air is already the indication that bacteria have the sense to smell. The usefulness of this discovery, the article concludes, has yet to be determined. I wonder whether they intentionally put their efforts into discovering this piece of trivia or if it was by chance, a scientific fluke.
The article about circuit breakers and algebra included a lengthy narrative in which the author explained his experience attempting to repair the faulty circuits of his rental house. Though there was a faint relation between his anecdote and the need to approach algebra systematically, I wouldn’t want the electricity of the house to depend on my tenacity. However, I appreciate that the author suggests that memorizing algebraic procedures may not be life essentials but the method of problem solving remains a critical aspect of muddling through every day challenges. The author also mentions how people often feel defeated in the very early stages of trying one of these algebraic problems which is less reflective of their mathematical capabilities than their determination to understand what the question is asking.
I wasn't too amazed by the bacteria article. It seems logical that an organism would develop such characteristics as a necessity to survival. Still, the relationships between smell and taste are quite amazing. Just like Dr. H, I thought about the times when I had a stuffy nose or a cold and everything tasted like rotten turkey. Hopefully discoveries like these will serve some significance in the future, perhaps in the medical field.
I am very passionate about the topics in the second article, however. Over the past few years, I have come to hate math. I abhor it. Learning Calculus and Trig hasn't been relevant to what I do in everyday life, and I've hated sitting through class and learning rules and laws.
Don't tell my mom.
However, I look back at the days where I learned basic math skills and pre-algebra, and I loved it. The reason I loved it was because I saw the direct application of those math skills in my life. It is a skill that should be on par with reading as a educational benchmark.
Like the author, I agree that this basic math knowledge has applications beyond math itself. It does create a systematic and useful way of thinking that can be applied to all fields. When law schools are looking for undergraduate students, the field with the highest percentage of acceptance is Engineering. This is because the mathematical basis of Engineering creates a systematic thought process that is great for interpreting cases and patents.
Also, many districts in New Jersey will make Personal Finance a requirement course for graduation. This type of advancement is crucial. Finally, we are realizing the staggering significance of financial knowledge in the real world. These type of skills are those that I hope that high school education will focus on, those skills needed in the real world. I think we should shift away from teaching calculus, trigonometry, and literature analysis and instead focus on those basic skills that many lack coming out of high school. Leave those other classes for college and whatever trade we choose later in life.
It's not entirely surprising how bacteria are able to detect odor-producing substances via a process known as olfaction, which essentially serves as a sense of "smell." However, I find the bacteria's reaction to such substances to be far more interesting, as they combine together to form biofilm to edge out any possible competitors. This act seems quite aggressive for bacterial organisms and can be seen as territorial behavior. Considering how they are such simplistic creatures, I never would have assumed bacteria would behave in such a manner. I also find the evolutionary implications of this experiment to be very intriguing. As the article stated, it is quite likely life on Earth first developed a sense of smell as a result of this reactionary behavior from bacteria.
I must admit, when I saw the second link related to math and algebra, I rolled my eyes. I'm one of those people who constantly says, "Oh, I'm not a math person," as described in the article. I'm fairly competent when it comes to basic algebra and the like, but if I attempt anything more complex, I'm way out of my element. That being said, the author of the second article brings up a few interesting points, in that learning math itself is not necessarily important but rather understanding how math works through the use of logical, systematic reasoning is. The anecdote about the roommate and the circuit breaker illustrated a failure to apply such reasoning to a real situation. Seeing how many people consider themselves to be "not math people," I don't know whether this can be attributed to a massive failure of the public education system or simply the fact that many of us become overwhelmed by the intricacies and details of math instead of realizing it broader implications. I often hear fellow students complain why they need to learn about Subject X, Y or Z when they claim they will never use it again in their lives once the current school year is over. I disagree with such stances, as I believe the purpose of education is not to fill our heads with useless facts and figures but to rather instill a higher level of thinking that can be applied to any field.
The idea that bacteria respond to the sense of smell is interesting for a variety of reasons. It’s pretty fascinating how a seemingly simple organism can have four of the five senses, as the article indicated, because it all relates to how we, as human beings, also go about living. However, the fact that bacteria respond in different ways to different types of smell can go a long way. For example, the article mentioned that bacteria form biofilm when the smell of Ammonia is detected. Since biofilm can have positive effects and negative effects, knowing when the negative effects take place, doctors can make sure that, for example, a patient who just received a medical implant, does not come in contact with Ammonia during the initial recovery process from the surgery. Also, although unlikely, scientists can continue doing tests on bacteria to see if the bacteria will produce an new substabce that scientists did not it could produce, as well as if bacteria will produce less or greater extremes of a substance, such as the biofilm, under different conditions, such as extreme changes in temperature. The article also mentioned that understanding how bacteria react to smell can help humans understand how they interact with each other. This concept relates to a pervious blog post about how, in the human body, there are good bacteria and bad bacteria, and some of the good bacteria even fight the infection-causing bad bacteria. This identification of other bacteria may also relate to how bacteria react to a certain types of smell.
I’m surprised that anyone would try to say that science and math do not relate, and try to justify one being important while another not being important. From a young age, my teachers emphasized that math and science do relate, and that most subjects relate in some way, even if it is not in a direct manner. Like the article mentions, you can apply many of the things you learn in one class to another, using critical thinking and problem solving. It’s obviously understandable if a student were to excel at a certain subject more than others, but I agree with the article in that it is unacceptable to ignore the things that the student does not excel at. It’s important to be a well rounded person, because, again, all things connect, even if it is in an indirect manner.
Despite their microscopic appearance, bacteria have a sense of smell, which is somewhat similar to that of multifaceted human beings. Using their sense of smell, bacteria are able to create biofilms and detect airborne chemicals such as ammonia. As a result, bacteria can be both detrimental and beneficial for humans. According to the article titled “Bacteria Can Have a 'Sense of Smell,” biofilms produced by bacteria causes infection on medical implants such as heart valves, artificial hips and even breast implants and costs the marine industry large sums of money by slowing down ships and wasting precious fuel. On the other hand, bacteria is helpful during oil spill clean ups as biofilms produced by bacteria flourish on petroleum oil. With the correct utilization of biofilms, as mentioned by Keith Anacker, petroleum oils spills, like the destructive Exxon Valdez oil spill and the devastating BP oil spill, can be cleaned up efficiently. Although the effectiveness of bacteria and useful methods to control the miniscule organisms in oil spill situations is yet to be determined, Dr. Reindert Nijland and his fellow scientists have certainly have made considerable progress with the discovery of the bacteria’s sense of smell and ability to produce oil-cleansing biofilms.
A mathematician once said, “mathematics is like game of chess: once you know the rules, you just play by moving the pieces in a strategic and systematic manner.” While the rules in math range from simple order of operations to complicated methods of derivation and integration, the mathematical pieces consist of vast amount of numbers and variables. Mathematics, especially at the high school level, is straightforward and involves basic algorithms or step-by-step procedures like sequential chess moves. For the average human being, comprehending mathematics may be a difficult task, but certainly not an impossible one. Even though math is definitely a thought provoking matter, it is a subject that can be learned with practice, perseverance, and a little bit of patience. According to the article “Algebra and Circuit Breakers,” “Math is about systematic thinking.” Like arithmetic problems, both everyday predicaments like the circuit breaker situation and rare, mindboggling problems such as uncovering codes can be solved with a similar systemic approach. Therefore, Americans should not only encourage the importance of English but should also advocate the importance of systematic thinking which can be aptly acquired through mathematics.
The fact that bacteria have a sense of smell isn't really surprising to me. Smell is essential and even the simplest organisms have it. Even though the first thought when a person hears "bacteria" is "ew gross!", bacteria can be really useful. Using biotechnology is great, it's reusuable. So having the right kind of bacteria at one's disposal can be a lifesaver. To help clean up the large quantity of oil spilled, scientists utilize bacteria to help clean up the oil in a natural way. This is definitely a good alternative to having masses of ships going in and cleaning up because bacteria is natural and can be used over and over again. Also, using gas/oil to power ships that clean up oil is kind of a waste if you ask me..
As stated my Charles, math and science are crucial. Sure, writing poems and love songs might have gotten a person a decent income back in the day, but in modern times, we are steadfastly breaking our technologic boundaries all due to science and math and we need those two to advance and better our livs. Without those two bases, much of our modern world wouldnt exist. I find it saddening how so many student just give up in math and science. Even though I've always had an affinity towards the two, kids should realize how important they are to modern way of life. Schools should definitely emphasize the two subjects a lot more especially in elementary schools where a child's mind is still fresh and can me "molded". The only way to progress is through a good understanding of math and science.
Well, even if a person isnt incredibly mathematically-inclined, he should atleast be aware and have a general knowledge. I've seen people getting ripped off numerous times because they cant do quick mental calculations in their heads at small, family owned stores.
The second article interested me the most. I'll have to admit that I usually say "I'm not a math person." It's not that i can't solve math problems, it's just that i don't like to. I guess it has to do with the way i grew up and learned math. i remember most of my elementary school years coloring or cutting paper. I think teachers should spend more time teaching math so kids have a solid understanding of basic math problems. Our school systems need to focus more on science, math and language skills and less on coloring skills. I didn't have a real science class until 4th grade, which was when I moved to Monroe from New York. Also i think kids should be taught the breakdown of a formula and where it was derived from. I had trouble in my physics class last year because i didn't understand the logic behind it. For me, the only way to pass the class was to memorize the formulas but in the end it only hurt me since i didn't learn anything from it. in the end, i think it is important for students to understand the connection between the subjects.
I found the first article about bacteria very interesting! When I read that the latest iscovery was that bacteria could have four, possibly five different senses, I was shocked. I would have never thought that it could actually have sight, taste , or smell. I was already aware that biofilm was one of the many huge casues of infection on medical implants but I didn't know that it could also be ued to cleam up oil spills. I learned alot from this article and I enjoyed reading it.
I thought the author of Algebra and Curcuit Breakers made plenty of valid points in his story. There are a few kids nowadays that believe in math as a helpful tool for life. But after reading this article it is clear that math and sceince are very closely related.
So, bacteria has a molecular "nose". It's not just a blob, it can smell! The idea of smell-producing chemicals is interesting, I can't even fathom how that must work. It does make sense that bacteria would have a sense of smell though, without eyes or any hearing mechanism, it needs some way to conceive what is going on around it. I don't think ears would do it any good. I imagine it's very quiet at a microscopic level, and the only sound heard is fellow bacteria squishing over to it's destination...and the sound probably doesn't differ all that much between bacteria...but it may differ enough to distinguish between certain bacteria. I'll use the example of footstep 'patterns' on the stairs. I live with my parents and brother, and if i'm sitting downstairs and someone is coming down the steps, I can always tell who it is. I'm not sure why this is, it's not like they purposely step down the stairs a certain way, but there is a slight variation in the way they do.
Was that a weird analogy?
So...maybe the only sense bacteria had was hearing, they would be just fine.(I suppose I just proved myself wrong) Regarding the other article...what do you know, someone actually used algebra in their every day life. I, myself, am not strong in the mathematical area...so i hate that it's so closely related to science. Physics is considered a science...but if you wanted to figure out how something happens, you'd have to do math.
The article on bacteria seemed like it could truly be of help in different fields. It was quite interesting to find out that even bacteria can have such characteristics- a sense of smell. What's even more surprising is how they use this ability to ward off competitors. Although I can relate this to how humans use our instincts of smell, sight, etc. to our advantage. For example, if we smell a certain scent, we could recognize it to be that of an animal we could hunt and kill for survival. However, besides this connection, it's good that this information was gathered, for it could be used to help with various affairs such as an oil spill, as stated in the article.
In the second article about the relationship about math and science. I found the article to be talking about the reasoning and application of math (systematic thinking) in real life. I didn't see many references to how science and math connected in the article, unless I missed the information. Nonetheless, I felt the idea of math's analytical thinking is the reason why it should be emphasized just as much as reading. Although I didn't find the article very appealing, it DID make me understand HOW we use math (especially algebra) in not direct, but indirect application in our everyday problems.
In Algebra, a problem may seem complicated and beyond what you have learned, but if you do what you can, you can get the problem down to a problem that is familiar to you. Even if you get stuck at one point, you did what you could do and once someone helps you with that one step, you can work through the rest yourself. This kind of breaking down is very useful to everyday problems. Most problems or tasks can be broken into smaller, more manageable tasks. I use this method often. For example, when given a major project for school, I write out small tasks to do to finish the whole project and spread out the smaller tasks until the deadline so the project does not seem so huge and insurmountable. Many things in life would seem less daunting if they were broken down into smaller items systematically, as students are taught to do in Algebra class. These problem solving skills are basic and necessary skills students will need throughout life and if they don’t learn them in math class where it is ok to make mistakes to learn from, they may have difficulty having to deal with any situation life may throw at them.
I agree with the message behind the article Algebra and Circuit Breakers, how math is not about punching in numbers into a calculator and solving for x but about “systematic thinking”. Math teaches us how to solve problems in real life like the example with the circuit breakers and think rationally and logically. Because if the author’s tenants had just eliminated what couldn’t have been where the breaker was or which one was off, then the problem would have been solved without the author’s help. Moreover, the “systematic thinking” described by the author relates to science because there’s the scientific method. In the experiments that I have done in class, we always used the scientific method. Sometimes there were variations but for the most start it was basically just stating the purpose of the experiment, observing, making a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, analyze results, conclude, and share with other peers. If there was no science class or math class people would be blindly testing an experiment without even knowing their purpose and people trying to find variable x, y and z all at once.
In the article about Bacteria Can Have a “Sense of Smell”, though it is proven now that bacteria have a sense of smell, I can’t help but wonder how exactly bacteria detects airborne chemicals like ammonia. Bacteria produces biofilm when in contact with ammonia and uses it as a defensive mechanism against rival bacteria and hopefully,in the future scientists able to take advantage of the causes of the production of biofilm and use it to make sure a disastrous oil spill does not happen again. Also when I was reading the article it reminded me of the BP oil spill, and so out of curiosity as how the oil spill was finally cleaned up I searched it and one o the articles that I found was about how microbes had taken a major role in the clean up of the oil spill.
I completely agree with Gurpal in the first article on bacteria and its possible sense of smell. There are numerous forms of bacteria all around us and each type plays either a significant or detrimental part to the living of all the organisms on this planet. Therefore, it's no surprise that bacteria may have the possibility to smell. In order for such minuscule life forms to thrive in a world with much larger species such as humans and other animals, it is practically expected that they are equipped with such senses as sight, touch, taste, and smell. How else could these organisms survive? Even though they are unable to be seen with the naked eye, bacteria are just as much living as us humans are. They must learn to coexist in an environment with others of its kind, but they must also learn to protect themselves by taking advantage of what they are given: their senses. The article was quite intriguing and it pleases me to know that such a finding can help us learn more about preventing deaths caused by such bacteria.
The second article really caught my eye. I would be a very rich woman if I had a dollar for every time I heard, "Why are we learning this? I'm not gonna use this in real life!" Heck, I admit I am one of those people who said that too! Especially during Physics on those days when we had to take in 15 equations in one class period. I think we've all been there. But after all that learning, what we all really want to know is, " ...and this is gonna benefit me how?" Well this article gives a very reasonable explanation as to why we really take those high math classes. Yes, of course we will forget the majority of these formulas after a few years, (or should i say months?) but it's the new ways of thinking and looking at situations through a more analytical perspective that will really make you feel how much those days in math and science class paid off.
Although the “Algebra and Circuit Breakers” article made me laugh, I understand the seriousness of the problem facing education. Like most of the other readers of this article, I’ve heard the phrase “when are we going to use geometry or algebra in real life” innumerable times. But now, instead of agreeing with this statement, I don’t think it makes sense. After reading the article, I realized that those of my peers who don’t enjoy math are the ones who are always left desperately trying to memorize formulas the days before tests. Instead of truly understanding the material, they prefer to memorize formulas and try to apply them to different situations. This way of problem-solving can become inefficient and tiresome. Then those of my peers who enjoy math also understand the flexibility of math. They know that one problem can be approached many ways, so they can see the best solution for each specific problem. This systematic thinking exercises the same brain abilities that allow us to solve real-life problems as well. The more practice that one receives in these ways of thinking, the more efficiently one can perform and problem-solve in life.
The observation about how bacteria can respond to different odors was very interesting. Although you were not surprised by this fact, I found the ability of these miniscule creatures to smell to be astounding. While reading about the bacteria’s reaction to the “smell” of ammonia, the creation of a biofilm, I couldn’t help but recall the recent BP oil spill. I’m sure that the cleanup crews have considered using a type of biofilm to consume the excess petroleum. However, if this biofilm was used, I wonder what would result. Clean water, of course, but what about it’s affects on human medical implants? If left in the water, could the bacteria contaminate harvested fish or other products of the ocean? If a safe method to harness the biofilm was created, then this could be a small solution for a large problem.
I agree with a few people above in that I wasn't entirely surprised when I read that bacteria have a sense of smell of its own. In order to survive in an environment, the five senses are necessary for these organisms. Just like we use our resources to our full advantage to protect ourselves and to survive, bacteria use their molecular "noses" to detect airborne, smell-producing chemicals and create a biofilm to push out potential dangers. Although some bacteria can be hazardous, others can be beneficial. For example, when I read that certain biofilms can be used to clean up oil spills, I was surprised they hadn't discovered this earlier. But with this knowledge, we can use the bacteria to our full advantage in the future. It was no shocker though that the production of a biofilm in response to airborne ammonia decreased as the distance between the two bacterial colonies increased. When an enemy is farther away, the probability of danger is less (for bacteria). Hopefully, in the near future, scientists discover how bacterial enemies communicate with each other, because this could be a potential breakthrough not only in the science field, but also in the medical field.
The "Algebra and Circuit Breakers" article immediately got my attention. Seeing that I love Math, it was very interesting for me to read this article. The author made very valid and legitimate points. When I read that Chandani said that the only way to pass the class was to memorize the formulas, I completely understood what she meant. Many people, instead of trying to understand the concept behind problems, just memorize the formulas and memorize when to use the formulas, when in fact, this does absolutely nothing for you. By understanding Math and its concepts, we learn how to analyze situations systematically. My brother was helping me on a problem for Math class and since he's an engineer, his way of thinking and approaching problems is completely different than mine. So when he solved the problem, I couldn't help but say, "Where did you get that answer?" I would get so upset that he did it differently than my way, but I soon learned that there are different ways of approaching problems and it depends on what and how much you've learned. Without the simple knowledge of algebra, some people like the one in the article, will not be able to use their knowledge to solve the problem or use common sense. This article really made me think about how many times I have said "why are we learning this?", but from now on, I will try to just understand the concept and see how it can apply to my life in the future.
Like all the other bacteria-related posts, again, it's really not a surprise to me that they are actually far more advanced than people give them credit for. Scientists and researchers discover all the time the large role the tinyest bacteria play in every day life. It really isn't hard to believe that they too have senses, considering all the things they do in the human body alone. Bacteria are also vital for many organisms to maintain homeostasis.
The second artical made a very good point about strategic thinking and the almost double standard between not being a math person, and not being a reading or writing person. While not everyone is good at math, it's obvious that math is only reasonable and systematic thinking in practice. The best and possibly the most obvious example of the concrete relationship between math and science could be physics. Science is the explanation to how things work, and math is the way to prove it. The relationship between math and science, and math to everyday life is about the same however. As stated, systematic thinking is how the mind evolved over time to begin with and is the reason we continue to advance mentally leading to technological advances as well. Its unfortuante that its socially acceptable to "not be a math person" more than it is to "not be a reading person" because ideally, it shouldn't be acceptable either way.
It's amazing how scientists still discover something new everyday. I agree with most of the comments before me that the discovery of bacteria being able to smell is not so surprising after all. Like Mita said, the five senses are extremely crucial in order to survive in this world. Bacteria is able to survive in many places humans cannot! While some bacteria may infect our bodies and make us sick, others can help us and prove to be beneficial as well. Biofilm, for example, may be a major cause for infection or medical implants, but if you look on the positive and helpful side, it can also help clean up oil spills since it thrives on petroleum oil. Maybe we should release some biofilm into the ocean to clean up the oil spill right away! If scientists continue in this direction of research to find more useful information about bacteria, perhaps many environmental and even medical problems can be solved.
Whenever math is mentioned, science seems to be linked to it as well. For example, physics is a type of science; however without math, physics problems simply cannot be solved! Last year when I was in physics, I would hear complains of why we had to learn formulas we would never use again in our lives. Even I myself wondered why I should memorize the formulas and all the components of physics, such as how energy is calculated and the friction applied on an object while moving down a slope. I know that once I'm finished studying for my physics final, I will most likely not remember physics any longer. If you asked me now how to solve a problem from the physics final last year, I would probably remember bits and pieces of the emphasized points (such as the FUN formula) but nothing else. However, as useless as all these formulas and techniques are and how rarely you might use them in the future, it's the thinking process of working out the problem that is important. Using one way to solve a certain problem may help us apply those same steps to a new problem that seems unfamiliar. As stated in "Algebra and Circuit Breakers", "... my point is not about math and science factual knowledge, but using the skills gained in studying them to navigate life", the author also finds this to be the emphasized point of the whole article; math and science may seem unrelated to everyday life, but the techniques and steps we learn may be applied to other life situations in the future.
I would never had guessed that bacteria could smell, along with sight, and taste. However, when you think about for a long time one understands that bacteria, a living thing, must be able to have some of the sense to survive, like any other living creatures. Its surprising though how bacteria responds to smell, through the production of slime. Its very fascinating how there is so many different types of bacteria and yet each bacteria in its own way is unique.
The article about math was also interesting. I don't love math but I can tolerate it. In most math textbook there's always a word problem using average everyday things to help solve a problem. Most architects and engineer deal with solving problems everyday. But science also needs math, especially physics like what sharlene said. I haven't taken physics yet but I know there's a lot of memorizing and problem solving.
The first article about the bacteria not only intrigues me but also scares me. Like the article mentions bacteria are always mutating. They are seen as threat to humankind since the damage that it causes in our body. I also think that this article has a connection to the article about the zombies, since they both talk about mutations to organisms. Here the scientist have found out that bacteria can smell by making the bacteria try to smell ammonia. from certain distances. This shows that bacteria is stronger then we think. Since bacteria is the only living organism that survived for many millenniums we should try to research more to see how to survive like the bacteria did.
The algebra and circuit breakers article shows the reader how learning the practical way of approaching problems can be beneficial even when completed from school.It also shows that in many schools math is downplayed because people believe that it is a hard subject.
The article on Bacteria really interested me. The fact that a noncomplex microscopic living thing that has basically all of the senses we have, as ridiculously complex human beings, is crazy to think about. Like , what if Bacteria could hear too, and we just don't know it. Does that mean they can see as well? Though i do believe scientists would know if Bacteria had eyes by now..let alone brains. How do they process what they smell? Doesn't the nose just take in the scent and the brain actually figures out if its cherry pie or meat loaf? mind boggling.
I also immediately thought of the BP oil spill. Too funny.
Algebra and Circuit breakers didn't connect in my head until i read the part about the kitchen light (basically the end of the article.) It was ironic because i've been sitting here after a long day of volleyball, icing my ankle. I forgot to cover my ice pack with a towel, so my ankle is currently freezing. I've just been hoping either my mom would come downstairs and be happily enough to get me a towel or it could just levitate to me. This is somewhat sorta like the wanting of someone else to torn the kitchen light on for you, so hence, its related to algebra. Crazy that my laziness is math.
..
My mom just brought me the towel.
:)
The thought of bacteria smelling is quite interesting to me. It's pretty cool to know that just one small finding in research can have the potential to fix major problems of our country such as the oil spill. I had no idea that biofilm can form in things such as breast implants. Even though some things are negative results of this biofilm, there are also positive results that we need to work on becoming more prominent to help create solutions to our problems. The second article about the circuit breakers was the best one to read so far. It’s ironic that down the shore on my vacation the circuit breaker tripped in our house and we had to call the owner to find the fuse box. I agree with the message that is trying to be put out there in the article because many people don’t even try to solve problems instead they just give up because it’s not in their memory of what to do. I always thought it would be better to try and fail than not try at all.
It is very surprising to know that bacteria can have a sense of "smell". It is hard to imagine such a small organism being capable of so many senses. It is an indication of the deceptive simplicity in such organisms; while one organism can seem easy to understand, there is always more to learn about it beyond what has already been discovered. This is a reason why science can be so interestig; there is always something new being found.
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