Monday, January 30, 2012
Where and how did life begin? Today, scientists aren’t really sure, but some interesting research may one day give us a definitive answer.
What is a living thing? This is not an easy question with an easy answer. To put it bluntly, a living thing is either a bag of chemicals or a collection of many bags of chemicals. The vast majority of life on Earth is comprised of single celled organisms (one bag of chemicals). Multicellular organisms, like humans, are actually a collection of single-celled organisms that work in concert with one another. Without the cells of the brain or the heart, the rest of the body would die. In essence, we are a collection of many bags of chemicals that totally rely on one another. The Building Blocks of Life Life is basically comprised of highly organized, organic (carbon-based) molecules. There are four main types of molecules found in all living…
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A common Thanksgiving mystery is why after eating loads of turkey, do we feel so tired? This week, we will finally answer this age-old question.
On Thursday, we Americans will stuff our faces to a point that we have awaited all year. Probably the most common Thanksgiving fare includes stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and of course – Turkey! If you’re like me, you load up on all of these tasty treats, find a nice open space on a big comfy couch and stare at the TV, wondering why you just ate so much food until you quietly pass out. Why does this happen? Is it really because of turkey, or is there some other explanation as to why we feel so tired after Thanksgiving dinner? The #1 Suspect In turkey, and many other meats, there is an amino acid known as tryptophan. Tryptophan is one of the twenty amino acids that are found in living things. Amino acids are the building …
Monday, November 7, 2011
To many, the season of autumn is a time of lower back pain due to loads of raking, but have you ever wondered why do the leaves of some trees turn color and fall, while the leaves of others not?
Autumn is truly a special season. As the temperatures start to fall and the days become shorter, trees start to exhibit the beautiful hues of yellow, orange, brown, and purple that are synonymous with the harvest season. For others however, the mass accumulation of dead leaves is just a bother. Have you ever stopped and wondered why this phenomenon happens and how? Deciduous vs. evergreen trees First, we need to define two important biological terms involving trees. In the northern latitudes, there are two types of trees, evergreens and deciduous trees. Trees are considered deciduous if they shed their leaves for the winter months. In the northern parts of the globe, the deciduous trees are almost all comprised of angiosperms. …
Monday, October 24, 2011
As a noted ecologist, biologist, Pulitzer Prize winning author and humanist, no one since Charles Darwin has revolutionized our understanding of the sciences and humanity as Edward O. Wilson.
- Biographical information compiled from the Academy of Achievement, the Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Youth and Education Edward Osborne Wilson, or as some call him "The Lord of the Ants," was born on June 10, 1929 in Birmingham, AL, but was raised mostly in Washington, D.C. and Mobile, AL. Wilson’s father was a government accountant and moved the family frequently. This left little time for young Edward to make friends; instead, he turned to nature. At an age of 7, Edward’s world was changed forever. First, his parents, Edward and Inez Wilson divorced. Then, while fishing, the fin of a spiny fish scratched his right eye when he was reeling in his catch. This permanently impaired his …
Monday, October 10, 2011
Scientists have genetically modified cats to combat an epidemic affecting feline populations worldwide: FIV
What is FIV? FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus, is extremely similar to the virus that causes AIDS in humans (HIV). Both belong to a group of viruses called lentiviruses. All lentiviruses belong to a larger group of viruses called retroviruses which can lie dormant in the genetic code itself and activate at a later time. This is what makes viruses like HIV and FIV so dangerous because of the fact that they can lie dormant in host cells. This makes it nearly impossible to eradicate the entire viral load. Hence, there is no proven cure for FIV or HIV currently. FIV causes similar symptoms as HIV including long term weakening of the host's immune system until other diseases or antigens cause death. Can I catch FIV? Rest easy, you cannot …
Monday, September 26, 2011
The futures of Haitian ecosystems are uncertain because of a battle between necessity and conservation.
According to CNN and the Alliance for Zero Extinction, the mountainous forests of Haiti’s Massif de la Hotte region is home to more critically endangered species than anywhere else on the Planet. The region is home to 42 different species of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and plant that are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Globally Threatened Species. Thirteen species of frog alone are on the verge of extinction in the area. The root of the problem Why are all these species going extinct? The answer is somewhat complicated, but at the surface, is deforestation. Only 3 percent of Haiti’s original forests remain and are disappearing at a rate of approximately 10 percent every five years, according …
Monday, September 19, 2011
Whether caused by pet danger, pollen, dust or food, allergies affect millions of people each year. If you have ever wondered why or how allergies occur, this is the article for you.
If you are among the 50 million unfortunate people in the United States that suffer allergy symptoms each year, like me, then this article may help you better understand how and why allergic reactions work. As long as I can remember, I have dreaded the onset of autumn because I knew that, shortly, my eyes would be burning, my nose would be running, and my sinuses would start to inflame. And even as I write this, I am battling sinus pressure and headache. I am not looking for sympathy because I know that many of you suffer the same fate. I am simply providing allergy suffers an informative resource of the anatomical causes of allergies, no matter what the allergen may be. What can cause an allergic reaction? There a literally thousands of…
Monday, September 12, 2011
When it comes to evolutionary journeys, the birds have an epic story to tell with some unexpected beginnings.
When you look at birds, what do you think of? Is it flight, feathers or beaks? These qualities are the telltale signs of a bird, but did you know that birds came from creatures that didn’t have any of these features? What may be more surprising is that the ancient ancestors of modern birds were some of the largest and most awesome creatures that have ever inhabited the earth. If you are thinking dinosaurs, you’re right! As strange as it may sound, those little robins, finches and pigeons that frequent your yards and gardens evolved from the some of the most massive dinosaurs! Let’s take a look at how it happened with help from PBS’s Evolution website. From “saurus” to “soarin’” Bird evolution is an ongoing puzzle that has been nothing …
Monday, September 5, 2011
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania may have discovered an innovative approach in combating cancer itself: HIV.
A few weeks back, a research team from the University of Pennsylvania simultaneously published some amazing results in both the New England Journal of Medicine and in Science Translational Medicine. Out of three individuals who were part of the research project, two of them appear to be free of cancer, and the third had their cancer load reduced by 70 percent. According to MSNBC, in each of the patients, as much as five pounds of cancerous tissue has been completely destroyed, and is still gone after a year’s time. All three of the patients were diagnosed with chroniclymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which is the most common form of leukemia, or cancer of the blood. According to an article on MSNBC, CLL affects about 15,000 people in the United …
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
This week, we have the unique opportunity to discover a hidden gem: The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust.
After pulling into the main entrance of the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, I thought that I stumbled into a dream. I said to myself, “Wasn’t I just on Huntingdon Pike? How on Earth did I get here?” A few quick turns of the wheel, and I had discovered a magical realm with pristine woodlands and prairie. It seemed that civilization itself was far away. After I got myself together, we were met by the executive director of the Trust, David J. Robertson, Ph.D. Dr. Robertson received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981 and has been employed by the trust since 1988. He is responsible for the overall administration of the preserve. The Trust is operated by nine employees, but garners the help of over…
40.143771
-75.084526
2955 Edge Hill Rd, Huntingdon Valley, PA
Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust headquarters
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Philip Freda
4:08 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Ms. Dalantinow, Couldn't have said it better myself! Thank you for your comment. more ›