- 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, 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, 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.
46 comments:
I think that the most interesting article that I read this summer was the one about how parisites don’t need to actually infect their host in order to change their behavior. I thought that it said a lot about the relationship between predators and prey, as well as the community. Since this article was the first one posted, I think that it made more of an impact and I absorbed the most information from that post. Additionally, since it was the first article. I worked extremely hard on that comment, so the comment ended up being my favorite as well. This year in bio, i’m looking forward to looking deeper into animal life, specifically anatomy and evolution.
My favorite post over summer was "The Nastiest Feud in Science" because it stated how the extinction might have been from only volcanoes and not an asteroid. This is a article that really shows how science is not perfect at times and there is still a lot to learn about the world we live it and its past and future. In addition, dinosaurs and prehistoric life is my passion and it is really interesting when someone brings a new theory or idea to the table regarding any field and idea. The thought that there may be a different explanation to a mystery and always welcome in my book. Also, with new ideas comes new evidence which brings a new understanding to what we know throughout human existence.
What I'm looking forward to most is gaining more knowledge and debating with my classmates about topics that we may not agree on. I enjoy a good debate because it allows everyone to share their ideas I also plan on learning and finding out what field I am most interested in. As the article "‘Find Your Passion’ Is Awful Advice" states that developing your passion is better that finding it. This is why I will try to find what motivates me and what I feel strongly about to follow and develop. I hope to make sure that I stick to that and that this class helps me find and develop my passion.
...I also look forward to learning more about evolution and how certain genetics can give some organisms and advantage in their environment to help them survive. A gene for immortality or color-changing skin that can be implemented to give us advantages that can help us thrive in other environments besides our own. I hope this class will take me further on my academic career to explore my interests.
The article I enjoyed reading the most over the summer was titled, "The Nastiest Feud in Science," and it highlighted the ongoing feud among scientists over what the true cause of the mass dinosaur extinction millions of years is. The most widely accepted explanation is known as the impact theory, which theorizes that a huge asteroid struck the Earth and killed the dinosaurs. However, unbeknownst to me before I even read the article, there is another theory called Deccan volcanism, supported by a minority of scientists who believe that volcanic eruptions killed the animals. It was interesting to read about this argument and the evidence behind it, and it made me question what I had been taught in elementary school. After reading the aforementioned article and several more throughout the summer, I hope that many interesting topics will be covered in class this year. I especially look forward to learning about genetics and heredity, and more about the inner functions of the human body.
My favorite post this summer was the first one called “Parasites Can Mind-Control Animals Without Infecting Them” which discusses how some kinds of parasites can control their host without even infecting them. The article discussed tapeworms and despite how simple they are can control many complex animals. This post was my favorite because I liked how the author related the scenario with the uninfected stickleback fish following the infected fish into danger to human nature and how humans will follow someone else even when they know that person was wrong. It helped demonstrate how despite how evolved humans have become we still have my flaws that are common in less sophisticated species. This year I am looking forward to learning about genetics and how traits are passed down from generation to generation.
My favorite article this summer was "Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs." I found it really interesting to read about the innovate procedure, especially in regards to the benefits it could have for humans in the future. Although a lot more work has to be done to make lab-grown lungs a true medical option, pigs living a short while with the lungs seems like an amazing start.
This year I am interested to learn more about natural processes, such as how plants function and how different organisms interact.
My favorite article that I read over the summer was “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. I thought this article was very interesting, especially because the science described in it may some day be advanced to successfully perform a bioengineered organ transplant in humans. If this were some day possible it would save thousands of lives, and likely organ rejection would lower. Even though there were still some problems with the transplant method used, none of the pigs’ lungs were rejected and scientists found what needs to be attempted in future research as they work toward a fully successful transplant. This year I look forward to learning about the structure and function of animals. I am excited to find out how these structures change over time and vary among species due to environment and intended function.
My favorite article from this summer was "Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change." Out of all the articles, this one was the most fascinating and intriguing for me. My two favorite subjects are history and science, and I love the way that this article combined the both of them. I definitely think that more people should be talking about climate change and that it is an issue that needs to garner more support. This article did an excellent job of showing the impending problem of climate change.
I am looking forward to learning more about genetics and hereditary this year.
My favorite post this summer was “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Global Warming.” It was especially captivating because it dealt with a current issue that may soon lead to the end of humanity. The article was a very emotional as it talked about the struggles many scientists and environmentalists had to go through. I was awed by their perseverance and appalled by the lack of concern many leaders showed. I think I was most shocked by the fact that the US wouldn’t step up to lead a more conservative future. It was very disappointing to read that humanity chose to ignore the warning bells around them. We are the ones creating our own demise and we choose to ignore, rather than acknowledge it. The article helped me realize how dire our future is and how it may already be too late. I don’t think many people understand the urgency of the situation and how action must be taken now. However, this article was extremely eye-opening and taught me so much about our current predicament. I’m glad that world is being made aware of the consequences of our actions. This year I’m looking forward to learning about evolution. I find it fascinating that all life started with a common ancestor and soon developed into countless different species. It’s also interesting how environmental and other factors play into speciation and extinction. I think the relationships between different species and their environment is the best part of biology.
My favorite post over the summer was about the article “The Nastiest Feud in Science” by Bianca Bosker. I really enjoyed this article because not only did it contradict what I thought I already knew and thought was fact, it showed me that this is how science grows to become more accurate over time. It additionally inspired me and other scientists to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, argue to prove what you believe is right and make your mark in this world. The article went into detail about how scientist Gerta Keller believes and is starting to find some evidence that supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs went extinct due to consecutive colossal volcanic eruptions, instead of the impact of an asteroid. Since Gerta is going against the norm and is a woman, she faces a backlash against her ideas. However, regardless, she continues to pursue her work and prove her haters wrong. Her dedication to her work inspires other scientists to follow her example in the future. Additionally, it is good that she challenged the common belief for what caused the extinction of dinosaurs because it causes a debate to rise. Debates allow scientists to see one hypothesis against another and analyze and decide which one is stronger and more accurate based on how well it is supported. Advances in science and technology are made because ideas are challenged, which is why this article was interesting to me.
This year I am looking forward to learning about DNA and Genetics. I am especially interested in learning about gene regulation. Last year, when I learned about DNA and Genetics, I did not learn about gene regulation because it was too advanced for me at the time. I am very interested in how genes work and about the new technology that involves genetics, such as CRISPR/Cas9 and gene therapy for somatic cells and the germline. As far as I know, gene regulation deals with the processes that cause or prevent a gene from being expressed. I am curious to further my knowledge and learn how that actually happens. Our DNA and genes play such a huge role in our daily lives and partly make up who we are. Therefore, learning more about DNA and Genetics better educates me on what happens in my body and understanding what functions take place in organisms. I find it absolutely fascinating that something so tiny, a specific segment of DNA, can have huge results, such as determining what color someone’s eyes might be or the texture of their hair. I’m very excited to further my knowledge on these topics this school year!
I thoroughly enjoyed the summer assignment this year because I don’t typically find myself reading articles in general. However, reading these articles opened my eyes to many new topics and I learned a lot. The one article that really stood out to me had to be "Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. This article was by far the most interesting to me and had me very intrigued. It makes me wonder what more scientists have in store for people in need of organs. It truly amazes me to discover how advanced we have become and makes me excited for what I will be able to contribute to society in the future. As for what I look forward to learning I would have to say it is the function of cells and different organs. This kind of thing interested me the most when I took biology freshman year and I look forward to learn about it more in depth.
The most intriguing article that I have read this summer was, “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs.” This article showed a potential solution to current problems such as organ transplants. I found this to be my favorite article because most of the other ones simply gave information and facts about past events, or explained how certain things occurred such as parasitic relationships. While the others served their purpose of informing the audience about their topics, this article had a more creative aspect to it. They used lab grown lungs and transplanted them into a pigs body and it had positive results. With more work towards this project one day lab-grown lungs/other organs will be able to be transplanted into humans. This could be the future of personalized medicine. The things that I most look forward to are the dissections, since the ones I did last year in honors biology were interesting and educational and I would like to do more advanced ones.
Personally, my favorite post this summer was either the article regarding the dinosaurs and how they went extinct, as well as possible sci-fi ways to travel through space that can be brought to real life. Both articles really captured my interest as they did not only give a convincing scientific argument but also connected it to never-ending questions. While articles like the lab-grown lungs caught my attention as it showed possible ways that implants can evolve, and hopefully end the wait-list, these two articles stuck. For the dinosaur article, it left me curious and questioning, as now I would like to do more research on this new possibility. additionally, traveling through space has always interested me, and this article touched on said interest.
My favorite article to read this summer was the article on identical twins marrying identical twins and the question if their children will share the same DNA. This reminded me of an episode of The Doctors where they had a set of identical triplets come onto the show. They tested the sisters for their DNA and it showed that they were not all exactly the same. Some had more of an ethnicity than others, just as the article stated. I found it interesting when I was watching the show and when I read the article it sparked my interest again. I always assumed that twins marrying twins and having children would result in the children being completely the same. However, the article explained how the genes can be different in the siblings from the womb or can have the same gene but shown differently. This year, I look forward to learning more about DNA and brush up on my biology since I have not had it since freshman year. Biology was always my favorite and genetics and punnett squares were my favorite in the class. I look forward to dissecting animals as well and seeing how each animal is similar and different in their anatomy.
Mt favorite article out of all the articles given throughout the summer was in the first article given, "Parasites Can Mind-Control Animals Without Infecting Them." This was my favorite article because it was very interesting knowing that parasites have the cabiliity to do such things like "mind control." It is also very intriguing to know how much control a single creature can do to your body. Throughout this year, Im looking forward to disecting more animal species. Also, Im excited to go deeper into the subject of biology from last year.
My favorite article of this assignment was called “ The Nastiest Feud in Science “. This article touched on the idea that the extinction of the dinosaurs is still a controversial topic in the world of science and debate. The impact theory is the most common theory that has been accepted for many years, and states that a huge asteroid caused this mass destruction. However, there is a new theory to this debate that has arised, and is called the Deccan Volcanism theory. This theory states that volcanos near India killed the dinosaurs. While supported by a few scientists, I found it really interesting that many other scientists were unwilling to look into this theory. I hope this was a wakeup call for scientists in the future to be accepting of future evidence and to be more open minded about other opinions. This year in biology, I am looking forward to learning about genetics, heredity, and how different organisms interact with one another.
I think that the article I found most intriguing was "How Human Smarts Evolved" by Douglas Fox. The reason I liked this article better than all the other ones was because neuroscience always fascinated me, and I never actually understood why us humans were able to evolve to be smarter than any other species that ever existed. From the article I learned that we were able to be that smart because our neurons were more tightly packed together and because with a large number of neurons, we were able to use our brain more efficiently, We were also able to form groups of neurons that specialized in a certain task in order to help the brain function as a whole. This year, I am looking forward to better understand the complex processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, which enable all organisms on earth to live.
Out of all the articles I read this summer, the article, "Parasites Can Mind-Control Animals Without Infecting Them" by Ed Yong stuck out to me and was one of my favorite articles. The article intrigued me and I wanted to learn more about the topic. Tapeworms are not at all complex organisms and have simple features. The organisms do not have a mouth or a gut and do not have a circulatory or respiratory system. The thing that amazed me the most was that tapeworms do not even have a proper brain. In contrast to these simple features, the parasites still have the ability to cause much harm and damage to their host through "mind-control." This intrigued me as their hosts are much larger and far more complex than the tapeworms. Overall, the tapeworm is not infecting their host: the fish, but is affecting the fish. In other words, the tapeworm is mind-controling the stickleback fish. This idea amazes me and I want to learn further. In addition, this year I also want to learn more about evolution and ecology. These topics interested me in Honors Biology, but we went over these topics very briefly. I want to go into more detail in learning about how exactly we evolved into humans. Lastly, I want to learn more about biotechnology because it is an upcoming field in science and we only did a project on it in Honors Biology but did not actually learn about it.
My favorite article this summer was "The Nastiest Feud in Science," and it showed me that science is not always flawless and that we should keep our mind open to different perspectives to a certain story. Dealing with past catastrophes is hard because we cannot be hundred percent sure about what occurred unless we were present at that specific moment. This article made me realize that just because an idea was presented first doesn't mean that it is always right. Even if it appeals to a larger audience, you should always consider both perspectives before making a decision. For example, many people were not open to the Deccan volcanism theory because at that time, the Impact theory had been presented first with a lot of evidence. Scientists who supported the Deccan Volcanism theory were frowned upon and were not given a chance to explain themselves and their perspective. However, still to this day, we are not sure what caused the extinction.
I am looking forward to learning more about the internal functions of the human body and how the environment influences gene expression.
I truly enjoyed reading the articles posted over the course of this summer. They further opened my eyes to the wonders of the world brought about by science and invoked my curiosity and passion for learning. My favorite post was "The Nastiest Feud in Science" as I developed new perspectives on the debate on the cause of the fifth mass extinction- which wiped dinosaurs and countless other species off the face of the planet- from reading it. I had always been parochial in my stance on the debate, assuming that the ultimate cause had to be an asteroid collision, but the revelations I encountered in the article, how evidence suggests that a series of volcanic eruptions in the Deccan Trap could have actually led to the elimination of the dinosaur species, left me in awe and caused me to open up to more possibilities. Although each post had something to offer and was engaging in its own way, I was most captivated by "The Nastiest Feud in Science". I sincerely look forward to what we will be learning this year and am most excited about further exploring the human anatomy. I am also interested in learning about evolution as it is a vast topic and I would like to explore further In-depth to better understand how we developed overtime as a species.
My favorite article post this summer was definitely “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. I found this article the most interesting because it really portrayed how fast our medical world is progressing and how unique ideas like these can help our human society have better lives. If the same procedure that scientists use to transplants lab-grown lungs into pigs can be adapted for humans, with bioengineered lungs grown from a patient’s own cells, that could decrease the risk of organ rejection and cut wait times for organ transplants. In the United States, where about 1,500 people currently are on a waiting list for a lung transplant, the average wait is a few months. If scientists find a way to use bioengineered lungs for humans it would mean countless more lives will be saved in a shorter amount of time. This year in biology I would like to go more in-depth into biochemistry and have a better understanding about the interactions of biological molecules.
My favorite article was "Find Your Passion’ Is Awful Advice" because it really opened a whole new perspective. It focused more on developing your passion rather than searching for it. I constantly stress about my future and finding a passion just like many other teens and this article gave me hope.
Truthfully, I found all of the articles given for this summer assignment to be very intriguing and eye-opening. However, to choose one article, I’d say that I really liked the article called “The Nastiest Feud in Science”, which was about dinosaurs and how the theory about their extinction may be wrong. After reading this article, I realized that not everything in the past has a set explanation, and it also showed me that theories can be very flawed when looked at even more closely and analyzed thoroughly. The theory on dinosaur extinction that many have been taught since they were young was the theory on how an asteroid hit the Earth, causing a massive dust cloud to rise and making conditions very lethal, killing off all the dinosaurs. However, when looked at, there was evidence discovered that it may not be an asteroid, but some other cause. It was also stated in the article that other theories that were pushed aside were shown to be close to the truth on the dinosaur extinction as well, like the theory on how a super volcano erupted and created lethal conditions (like acid rain), which could also have killed off the dinosaurs. This was interesting to me because it showed me that there may be more to the story than what meets the eye, and it also showed that science is always changing constantly with new discoveries being made each day. It showed me that even theories can be reconsidered due to new evidence. Finally, it showed me that having an open mind and consideration to every possibility may be the best way to finding out the truth behind various occurrences in the past, like the Big Bang and the extinction of the dinosaurs.
This year, I look forward to learning more about DNA and genetics in depth. This is because despite it being complicated to understand, I find it interesting that only a few components (four nitrogen bases and a sugar phosphate backbone) are needed to create a blueprint that can control many things in one’s life, like appearance and personality. I also find it interesting to learn about how DNA ties into genetics, and how genetics ties into our everyday lives, like determining our abilities and condition.
My favorite article that I read over the summer was “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. This is due to the fact that scientists will soon be able to develop lungs that can be transplanted into humans. This scientific breakthrough can change the lives of many people that suffer from lung cancer and are currently waiting for a transplant. The scientists first experimented on the pigs, which was very successful, but there are still a few steps to be taken before the prototype for humans is ready. I am very excited to learn more about these bioengineered lungs, because they could change the world for the better, and the time people wait for transplants will be cut in half. The topic I look forward to learning most about this year is genetics. This is because I loved learning inheritance in honors bio. I want to dig deeper into the world of genetics and learn about ki squares, and the different types of genetic disorders.
My favorite article this summer was, "Find your Passion is awful advice." This is because it changed my outlook on life. I had always believed that I would eventually find something I like to do, and do it without any difficulties. But now I realize that that is not true and I am gonna live my life working on my passion, developing it into something incredible. This article was very informative and realistic. This year, I am excited to learn about genetics.
My favorite article was, “If Identical Twins Married Identical Twins, How Genetically Similar Would Their Children Be?” I found this article to be the most interesting because it's real life. It relates genetics and biology to a real life example that many people, including myself, find interesting. This article helped me better understand the concept of reproduction and twins, and to have a science backing on the topic rather than just the external perspective. I think the human body and anatomy is the most interesting part of biology, genetics included. I aspire to become a nurse one day, so my interests and career goals definitely match up. I look forward to learning more about biology throughout this year.
My favorite post this summer was "What forms of faster than light travel are most scientifically likely?" Science fiction has always been an interesting subject for me and I found it fascinating to see how realistic the technologies in each popular story was. The author discussed the different forms of faster than light travel such as wormholes, ad hyperspeed technologies and how realistic they are. He'd say if it were possible for them to exist in the future or if it was too unrealistic. I'm most looking forward to learning about heredity and genetics because it was my favorite topic from Bio in freshmen year. I would like to expand on the topic and learn more about how genes are passed from the parents to offspring and how to determine what traits the offspring will get.
My favorite article that I read this summer was "Parasites Can Mind-Control Animals Without Infecting Them". This was the most interesting article for me because it talked about how a parasite can negatively impact animals without even infecting their body. This article showed how stickleback fish as a community are connected and tend to follow each other causing the whole community to be impacted without them all being infected. This article also changed my thinking that parasites can only affect animals they infected, but instead they can negatively affect animals they didn't even affect. This year in biology I am looking forward to learning about genetics and evolution.
My favorite article from this summer was from the week of 8/14/18. This article was about how a group of scientists are trying to prove an alternate way they believe that the dinosaur population went extinct. This article was interesting to me because the “Big Bang Theory” is such a widely accepted theory that, as the article highlighted, has many gaps and inconsistencies. This article taught me to always consider other options and not to rush important findings or results. In addition, the article talks about the five mass extinctions that have occured on Earth. This topic was very interesting to me because it really shows what the world's populations have gone through to become what they are today. It also shows that the populations that are still around today are ancestors of organisms that survived multiple mass extinctions.
My favorite post over the summer was about the article about bioengineered lungs transplanted into pigs. I thought that it was amazing that created organs in a lab was actually possible. This year in AP Bio I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge about biology, since I took honors bio last year. Im looking forward to learning more about the body systems and dissections if we do any. - Akshith Macherla
My favorite article this summer was “If Identical Twins Married Identical Twins, How Genetically Similar Would Their Children Be?” This is because the article presented a unique scenario that I would’ve never even thought about. The idea of a pair of identical twins marrying another pair of identical twins is both distinctive and intriguing. What their offspring would look like is something that interests me and makes me want to know more. The article presented a clear answer (the offspring would most likely look alike), but also added the fact that environmental factors during the parents’ lifetimes (smoking etc.) would affect what the kids look like. All in all, the article is something I will remember for a while because I believe it was one of a kind. I hope to learn more about genetics this year. This includes things like reproduction processes and different types of traits inherited.
My favorite post was the article talking about global warming and how we could have solved it approximately 30 years ago. That article was extremely eye opening and made me realize how important saving our world is. It is our responsibility to take care of the planet we live on, otherwise some devastating consequences can occur. Additionally, it is mind boggling how close we came to solve one of the biggest, if not the biggest, problem in our world currently. This makes me believe that we could find a solution in the near future that would stop global warming and reduce greenhouse gases. This year, I am most excited about dissecting various animals, as well as learning about them. I have heard from previous AP Bio students about the several dissections you perform, and they sound fascinating.
My most favorite article this summer was “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs. Reading about scientific advances really interests me especially when this experiment done on a pig could have a great impact on the human population. It’s evident that more research must be done on the lab grown lungs, but them helping a pig for even a small amount of time is one step towards the bigger goal. Which is to change the future of the transplantation system.
This year I am most looking forward to the dissections,and learning about the body structures of other organisms.
Over the course of the summer, we read many articles, but my favorite one by far was, “If Identical Twins Marry Identical Twins, How Genetically Similar Would Their Children Be?” I have been and am very fascinated with the topic of twins, especially identical twins, as their DNA is identical! It’s very interesting and I’d really love to learn more about the details of DNA and genetics themselves. This year, I am really looking forward to learn more about genetics and also the function of the entire human body. I want to learn further in detail about the organs and so to say ‘features’ of our bodies and the different ways our body functions in detail. I’m really looking forward to learning a lot more about biology this year and hopefully by taking this course, I’ll know if I want a career in the medical field in the future!
My favorite post over the summer was the article “‘Find Your Passion’ Is Awful Advice.” This article was different from the other articles in that it was psychological science. Psychology is my favorite subject and I love to learn new theories in the field. In this article, I learned about the fixed theory of interests and the growth theory, two different theories that pertains to having a passion. I liked how the article found scientific studies that supported the theories. As a senior, I found this article very relatable and helpful because it gave good life advice in that you should deeply explore different options before setting on only one, which is important to me as I will be applying to colleges and having to choose a major soon. Thus, this year I’m taking classes in areas that I’ve never really got to explore yet such as business/economics. This year, I’m looking forward to learning new information about genetics and anatomy. I’m also looking forward to examining the different theories of evolution.
My favorite post this summer would have to be, "Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. I found this post very interesting because it explained the advances that modern science and technology has come to. It is amazing to think that we can save lives because of the new advances we have made. This year I'm looking forward to learning about anatomy and the systems of the body. I am very fascinated by the human body and how it functions so I'm going to enjoy that unit.
My favorite assignment was the article about the pig lung transplant. The article centered around an experiment to transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs and see if the transplant worked. This article interested me because new science is always exciting. Trying new things to see what the results will be and finding new information is the goal of science, and this article personified this quite well. I also enjoyed the article about twins because of my personal connection to it and the way it made me think and consider the scenario using past knowledge.
Of all the articles posted this summer, the one that appealed the most to me was “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs.” This article, in my opinion, was my favorite because it highlighted the advances in both the scientific and medical fields. It inspires readers including myself that a lot is possible if you work hard and keep innovating and potentially, you could create a lasting impact on science and the world. For instance, by using bioengineered lungs and almost successfully transplanting them into pigs, scientists are one step closer into changing the lives of humans who may be waiting countless months to find a donor. Moreso, this article resided deeper with me because my uncle needs a kidney transplant but the process is too complicated, so this article demonstrated hope that science could change the current process and still be effective and more efficient. This year, I am looking forward to learn more about the more complex functions of the body including genetics and cellular processes. Also, I am interested in learning about how biological systems interact with each other in regards to their complex natures.
The most interesting article I’ve read was the one about how a parasitic organism can alter a hosts action without it even technically being a host. That article kept me fully engaged while making me speculate on how powerful a parasite can really be. I also found the brain article very interesting since I’ve always wondered how brain size and intelligence don’t have a direct relationship. I’m looking forward to learning about human evolution and how Homo sapiens have evolved from other species we think are completely different, and how we share some similarities with them.
My most fascinating read had to be about the parasites and their hosts. I remember reading that parasites are not always a bad thing as they wipe out some of the insects we don’t like. I enjoyed reading about how the host can be controlled by the parasite to do whatever the parasite. I look forward to learning about many different environmental factors that lead to changes in our world.
My favorite post over the summer was about the article “The Nastiest Feud in Science” by Bianca Bosker. I really enjoyed this article because not only did it contradict what I thought I already knew and thought was fact, it showed me that this is how science grows to become more accurate overtime. It additionally inspired me and other scientists to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, argue to prove what you believe is right, and make your mark in this world. The article went into detail about how scientist Gerta Keller believes and is starting to find some evidence that supports the hypothesis that dinosaurs went extinct due to consecutive colossal volcanic eruptions, instead of the impact of an asteroid. Since Gerta is going against the norm and is a woman, she faces backlash against her ideas. However, regardless, she continues to pursue her work and prove her haters wrong. Her dedication to her work inspires other scientists to follow her example in the future. Additionally, it is good that she challenged the common belief for what caused the extinction of dinosaurs because it causes a debate to rise. Debates allow scientists to see one hypothesis against another and analyze and decide which one is stronger and more accurate based on how well it is supported. Advances in science and technology are made because ideas are challenged, which is why this article was interesting to me.
This year I am looking forward to learning about DNA and Genetics. I am especially interested in learning about gene regulation. Last year, when I learned about DNA and Genetics, I did not learn about gene regulation because it was too advanced for me at the time. I am very interested in how genes work and about the new technology that involves genetics, such as CRISPR/Cas9 and gene therapy for somatic cells and the germline. As far as I know, gene regulation deals with the processes that cause or prevent a gene from being expressed. I am curious to further my knowledge and learn how that actually happens. Our DNA and genes play such a huge role in our daily lives and partly make up who we are. Therefore, learning more about DNA and Genetics, better educates me on what happens in my body and understanding what functions take place in organisms. I find it absolutely fascinating that something so tiny, a specific segment of DNA, can have huge results, such as determining what color someone’s eyes might be or the texture of their hair. I’m very excited to further my knowledge on these topics this school year!
Out all of the articles posted, my favorite one this whole summer would have to be, “The Nastiest Feud in Science.” I enjoyed this article because it challenged the popular opinion that a massive asteroid (the impact theory) was the cause of the dinosaurs demise. Instead, it proposed the theory of Deccan volcanism which states that a series of volcanoes that erupted over a period of time led to the dinosaur extinction. It discussed the controversy surrounding both theories and how people reacted to them. I found it very interesting because it gave me a new perspective about the cause of the mass extinction of dinosaurs. Now one has to wonder which theory was actually responsible for the death of all dinosaurs. This year in AP Biology, I am looking forward to learning more about the human body and its genetics. I hope the class teaches me interesting topics.
“Parasites Can Mind-Control Animals Without Infecting Them” was probably my favorite post from this summer. It was simply a fun read to start off the year with. I’ve always been enraptured by how animals interact with each other, and the idea that a small group of worms could control an entire shoal of fish by infecting the majority was amusing to me. The ability of the worms to take advantage of the fish’s evolutionary instinct to stay together to stay safe was fascinating. It made them more bold, which caused infected fish to not flee from predators, like the birds in which the tapeworms reproduced. If there were enough infected fish, even the uninfected fish would follow. What brought this post to the next level was its lesson for us; Sticking with a group may feel safer, but could bring danger to everyone. Thinking for yourself is important..I thoroughly enjoyed this post, and it left me ready for the nect post.
I hope to learn more about community interactions. I felt that it was rushed last year, and would definitely like to get a better understanding of how individuals affect the rest of their ecosystem. It’s comforting to know that each organism has a role to play in their world, and gives you hope that someday you will find yours.
My favorite article that I read this summer was the one about how parasites are able to control the minds/behavior of animals, which were stickleback fish in this case. It amazed me to think that microscopic organisms are able to have such a major influence on a fish's mind so that the parasite could live inside of it. This school year, I am most looking forward to learning about DNA and genes, and the reproduction of cells. This was my most favorite topic to learn when I was a freshman and found it very intriguing, which is why I am considering to pursue a career in the field.
My favorite article that was presented this summer would be “Sonic hedgehog and Beethoven: an oral history of how some genes got their names”. I thoroughly enjoyed this article because it portrays the creativity and flexibility that scientists have in biology. In the modern era of science, naming genes are usually in a systematic manner in which scientists can easily analyze and categorize them. But before this, scientists were able to reap the benefits of their hard work by being allowed to name a gene that they had discovered. I found it interesting how the name of these genes were based on emotion or free association. This year, I am interested to learn about the cardiovascular structure of the heart.
The article that enjoyed reading the most is “Scientists successfully transplant lab-grown lungs into pigs”. The idea of potential new, more efficient "solutions" to organ transplants is truly exciting. This article also stuck to me because unlike the other articles, it conducted an experiment instead of just doing more research. Even though the experiment was done on pigs and resulted in a few drawbacks, it still proves how quickly technology is advancing. This experiment leads us to new and more improved possibilities in the future. I am looking forward to doing more labs this year. I enjoy conducting experiments and testing new ideas.
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