Summer Assignment 8.5.19

This weeks stories:

• CRISPR technology to be used in human trials for the first time in the US.
• Peppered moth caterpillars can sense the color of their surroundings with their skin. I know the article explains that the caterpillars' eyes were painted over, but I still have the mental image of some poor undergrad student tying hundreds of tiny blindfolds. Research is great. 
• Very interesting article about CTVT, a transmissible cancer of dogs. 

Summer Assignment 7.29.19

There are still a good number of "Unknown" author comments. If your comments are not showing up on the blog, please check your account settings and make sure you have allowed your user name to show on the site. You may need to repost your comment in order for it to show up.

This weeks links:

• Along with being a (very) short history lesson on viruses, this article highlights a very important, and often overlooked, aspect of science. Scientists are very precise in their language, and it is extremely rare that a single term will be used to describe more than one concept. 
• It's Shark Week, again. Although many experts feel that the programming relies on shark-attack reporting too heavily, Discovery.com does have some ideas for anyone interested in learning more about sharks, and helping conservation efforts.  
• Why do mint-flavored foods make your mouth feel cold? It has always been interesting to me that plant evolution to avoid predation (not only mint feeling cool but peppers feeling hot) has lead to properties desirable for humans.

Summer Assignment 7.22.19

There are a good number of comments from last week sitting in the moderation queue because there is no username associated with them. If you no not see your comment, please make sure that the settings allow your username to be viewed. You may need to repost your comment for the name to show up.

This weeks links:

• Humans disrupt ecosystems just by talking
• More unknown cell stuff: Are neurodegenerative diseases and aging due to a failure of cells removing waste?
• Another trend continues: Me posting to physics articles on a AP Bio blog. This one (by the same author as last week) is about what is the physical explanation of objects colors. 

Summer Assignment 7.15.19

First official post of the 2019 Summer Assignment. Rules are simple:

1. Look at the list of links I provide.
2. Pick a few (or all) to read.
3. Make an intelligent comment here that shows you read and thought about at least one.
4. Gain points. Comments that are made within the week receive maximum points. 

Comments are moderated, so they will not show up immediately. If it has been a few days and you don't see yours, let me know and I will look for it. I highly recommend you keep a record of your comments, in case any get lost.

Please remember to complete the form to let us know about any extended vacation plans.

The links:

• It is important to remember that science is an ongoing active process, and there are many topics we still do not fully understand. Cells are a topic that may seem to be fully explained, but as this article points out, there are still some big unanswered questions.
• Why study science? Note, the intro is about the authors chosen field of cold-atom physics, so if you want to skip that, the general stuff starts after the second picture (girl walking on college campus).
• Iodine is an essential nutrient for brain development and production of thyroid hormones. It was added to table salt (iodized salt) to help prevent iodine deficiencies and hypothyroidism. Clues about how prehistoric humans got enough iodine in their diet comes from a recent discovery about bonobos, some of our closest evolutionary relatives. 

Summer Assignment Start Date

Please note, there was an error in the last post regarding the start date of the summer assignment. The first post will be up early next week.