Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Link: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/influenza-article.html
Summary: The most common contagious human disease is influenza. It usually occurs most during Winter. Vaccines for this disease is very important for elderly old people and also the sick. They have a much higher risk of flu-related health complications than the young. Birds are most likely to blame because that is where the flu orginated. The swine flu started to outbreak during the spring of 2009. it is caused by INfluenza A virus and can affect pigs year round.
Why I chose: It was interesting to read about the orgin of the swine flu and about other types as well. I also chose it because there has been a lot of news on the swine flu
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Sun Oddly Quiet -- Hints at Next "Little Ice Age"?
Link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090504-sun-global-cooling.html
Summary: The sun has weirdly been dimmer than before. In the last couple decades this is the only time that it has been this weak. Scientists want to see what’s going to happen next. They want to see if anything out of the ordinary is going to happen. Something out of the ordinary would be if the sun turned off, the sun exploded, the sun lost its juice, or if the sun was blocked off by some space cloud. If any of those things happened it could be hard for the Earth. What do you think? Is the Aztec calendar correct? Will the world end?
Why I Chose this Article?-I chose this article because I was looking for an article and I thought this one would be good. Also other people have been talking about space and I thought I could help out. I think this could be really bad.
"MISSING LINK" PHOTOS: New Fossil Links Humans, Lemurs?
Link to Article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090519-ida-primate-fossil-link.html
Summary: "Ida" was found in Germany. Ida could be the missing link in primate evolution. Ida, which is a fossil known as Darwinius masillae has a lemur like skeleton with opposable thumbs and clawless fingers with nails. Before, scientists were unsure where the primate group that included lemurs split off from the primate group that included humans. Ida could be the missing link between the two. Also, the fact that Ida was found in Germany is interesting to some scientists because it contradicts the fact that most primate evolution came from the African continent. Ida's fossil is so well preserved that scientists are able to pick through bones, fur, and even what she last ate.
I chose this article because I always think its interesting when they discover something new. Also, it was the first article I came across.
Asteroid Attack 3.9 Billion Years Ago May Have Enhanced Early Life On Earth
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520140403.htm
Summary:
A Study done by the University of Colorado at Boulder shows that although there were meteors the size of kansas hitting the Earth, it may have actually helped early life. The results from the study push the initial 3.9 billion years ago date of life on earth all the way back to 4.4 billion years ago. The bombardment of Earth with meteors was said to have lasted anywhere from 20 million years to 200 million years. Researchers concluded that subterranean microbes living at temperatures of 175 to 230 degrees may have flourished during the bombardment period. Planetary scientists also believe that a planet the size of mars glanced off of Earth 4.5 billion years ago. This event would have effectively hit the Earth's reset button.
Why I Chose this Article:
I chose this article because I am really interested in space because it is so vast and large and full of things unknown to humans. I love learning about the events of Earth's early life. I also find this article scary, and that somehow draws me towards it.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Fingerprinting Slow Earthquakes And How They Relate To The Big One
Kelsey
Link:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423142322.htm
Summary:
This article is pretty much what the title says. Carnegie Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, has found that an unusual layer at the top of a subducting plate coincides with the locations of slow earthquakes and non-volcanic areas. Slow earthquakes take days to release built-up energy instead of just minutes as in regular earthquakes. The scientists have been recording 20 years of seismic data for southern Mexico, where the Cocos plate is slipping beneath the North American plate. Other plants and things on the ground are slipping away in and around other areas as well. Scientists found that slow earthquake areas and the "ultra-slow-velocity" layers cluster together, and that regions of non-volcanic areas are near/next to those clusters. Scientists believe that this all may be subducted oceanic crust at unusually high levels of water saturation. The cause of such "anomalously high pore pressures" is unknown, but a clue might come from the fact that non-volcanic tremors are concentrated in areas with temperatures around 840°F.With all of this pressure and heat, these small earthquakes are just showing signs of possible big earthquakes in the near future. The plants that are slipping away underground also show major movement of tectonic plates.
I chose this article because we are learning about earthquakes and volcanoes. I have also been feeling some earthquakes lately so i thought it was relevant to do some research on them. But for the most part, i just enjoy learning more about earthquakes.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
NASA grows algae for biofuel, treats waste
Link : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30767086/
Summary : Some scientists have discovered algae is good alternative for fossil fuels. They want to grow freshwater algae in nutrient-rich waste water inside plastic membranes. They think that "the natural salinity of the ocean will draw the freshwater out, retaining the plants and nutrients. The membranes prevent saltwater from getting inside and killing the plants, while ocean waves keep the algae mixed and healthy. The process treats the sewage water, which is then released into the ocean." There are some problems with this concept though, like that waste water that had been treated so much would not produce good algae for the whole project. Another problem is that theirs not enough of algae that they've found to replace some oil companies.
Why did you choose this article? I chose this article because I think its very interesting that people are trying so hard to find a replacement for oil usage.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Creatures living on violent undersea volcano give climate change survival clue
By: Mckenna Pearson
Summary:
There is a volcano, underwater, near the island of Guam that erupts so frequently that it has built a new cone 131ft high and 984ft wide in the time span of three years. Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist at Oregon State University said: 'that's as tall as a 12-story building and as wide as a full city block.’ This amazing volcano, named NW Rota-1, has created a habitat in which shrimp, crab, limpets and barnacles, have thrived on. Chadwick said: 'they're specially adapted to their environment and are thriving in harsh chemical conditions that would be toxic to normal marine life.' NW Rota-1 has created a heat source so the animals living on it can thrive and mate at the appropriate times. The animals that have already been living here have adapted to the toxic conditions and can live happily on NW Rota-1. A biologist from the University of Victoria, said that two species of shrimp had revealed intriguing adaptations to volcano living. Her name is Verena Tunnicliffe. Tunnicliffe said 'the 'Loihi' shrimp has adapted to grazing the bacterial filaments with tiny claws like garden shears.’ The second group of shrimp is a new species as well. They are like the first group when they are young, but, when they grow to their adult stage, their front claws grow and, instead of being the prey, they are now the predators. 'The new species attacks the Loihi shrimp and preys on marine life that wanders too close to the volcanic plumes and dies. Tunnicliffe said: 'we saw dying fish, squid, and so on, raining down onto the seamount, where they were jumped on by the volcano shrimp - a lovely adaptation to exploiting the noxious effects of the volcano.'
Why I chose this article:
I chose this article to write my current events journal on because it's interesting and it is also what we're studying, in class, at the moment. I didn't know that volcanoes could erupt under water though. I though that if they did, then the lava would cool so fast that the volcano wouldn't have time to erupt at all. But they can! And I though that was cool. That's why I chose this article form my current event journal.
link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1177886/Creatures-living-violent-undersea-volcano-climate-change-survival-clue.html
Magnetic Twisters "Dance" Across Mercury, Study Says
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Hungry Blob at the End of the Universe
Most Diverse Ecosystem Threatened By Climate Change
Cooking up Millions of Viruses for a New Vaccine
Rose
Link to article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/health/research/06vaccine.html?_r=1&ref=science
Summary:
This article is about Dr. Bucher who, once she heard about the swine flu, began to start trying to make a vaccine. She is using a proccess called "seed stock" where they rapidly grow large amounts of he virus to use as vaccination. By injecting the virus into eggs, they help the virus grow quickly so that labs an study it and use it to make vaccinations. Dr. Bucher says that this vaccination will be seperate from the regular flu vaccine. For some, the vaccination may be needed twice considering how new the virus is.
Why I chose this arcticle:
I chose this article because the swine flu is a very big factor in everybodies life right now. While i think a lot of it has been hype, the fact they there is a new vaccination coming out is good. When I read this article it sort of helped me set things straight about what was really going on.
Lake Tahoe Region In U.S. May Be Due For Major Earthquake
Link to the Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429132256.htm
Summary:
Researchers and seismologists estimate that a magnitute-7 earthqauke may soon occur in the Lake tahoe region. The Scripps research team has predicted that an major earthquake occurs in the region between every 2,000 and 3,000 years. They have found that it has been over 4,000 years since the last major eathquake in that region. The predicted earthquake might cause a tsunami 10 to 33 meters high. A major fault line in in the lake Tahoe region and is called the West Tahoe Fault. The West Tahoe Fault crosses the southern end of the lake and has been found to be over 31 miles.
Why I Chose the Article:
I chose this article because we are learning about earthquakes in Science class and I find them very interesting. I think that it is important to anicipate when the next major earthquake will hit because it will help us to be prepared for it and minimize the amount of people killed in the earthquake.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Cisterns Helping Water Crisis
Neil Nagano- Young
Link to Page:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/17/gsif.rainwater.solutions/index.html
As cities in the west continue to get bigger the amount of pavement gets bigger. The laying of pavement eventually seals natural watersheds wasting millions of gallons of water. To add to this California has several laws that require water that hits the roof to go straight to the storm gutters wasting even more water. An organization has a plan to help California with its water problems through cisterns connected through a network of computers. A study showed that the creation of the cistern would also mean 50,000 new jobs. The collection and filtering of the water would also save millions of dollars in natural gas and electricity use.
I chose this article because I just saw the movie Chinatown which was all about the battle over water in the Southern California area and when I saw this article I thought it would show Jack Nicklaus. I also know that there is economic distress in this country and those new jobs would get a lot more people back on their feet. I also new that the collection of free clean water would be cool for my family as well.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Greenhouse Gases Pose Health Hazard, EPA says
Author:
Julia
Link to article:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/04/17/greenhouse.gas.hazard.epa/index.html
Summary:
This article is about how greenhouse gases can actually be a health hazard to future generations. An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator says that the concentration of greenhouse gases are now at record levels because of human emissions, and are probably the cause of the increase in average temperatures and climate changes. The EPA also says that climate change due to pollution could affect the national air quality in the future. Some believe this announcement will be a very important step in the efforts towards reducing greenhouse gases and global warming. A new effort toward reduction was recently announced from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, stating that it is scheduled to begin hearings next week on an energy and climate bill, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act.
Why did I think this was a good article for the Physical Science Current Events Blog?
I chose this article because I’m interested in global warming and how it’s affecting our planet. This article seemed to really relate to what we learned in class a few months ago, so I decided to read it, and refresh my memory of our lesson on greenhouse gases and the environment. This turned out to be a very informative and fascinating article.
Otter-like fossil reveals early seal evolution
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_sc/us_sci_seal_evolution;_ylt=Alv9_xX6TmZB7y0PYpFnyscPLBIF
Summary:Throughout time, evolution has shaped our world. Scientists have been studying this subject for many years and have uncovered many different species that have evolved. Scientists are now saying that they have found a “missing link” in the evolution of seals and walruses. They have recently found the skeleton of a web-footed, otter-like creature. They discovered that this “newly discovered” creature was developing away from a land life. One expert stated that it fills a gap in the fossil record. They are not direct ancestors of the seal family but are from a different branch of mammals. These creatures are 23 million years old. The fossil of this interesting find was found on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic. The creatures name is Puijila darwini, meaning "young sea mammal.”
Why I chose this article: I chose this article becasue I enjoy learning about new fossil discoveries. I found this article extremely interesting, because I thought that it was very cool that scientists finally found the information that would close the gap in the fossil record, that they were looking for. I think that it is also very interesting that the newly discovered mammal was not a direct ancestor of the seal family.
Earth from the inside out
Sunday, April 19, 2009
First 3-D Pictures of Solar Explosions Created
Name:
Melanie
Link:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090414-3-d-solar-storms.html
Summary:
An amazing new technology has been found and can revolutionize our knowledge of space. Scientists have recently been able to take 3-D pictures of solar storms. Using these pictures they can predict when these storms will affect our satellites and other equipment in space, as well as the astronauts. Scientists have been able to receive 3-D pictures of space storms by using STEREO - Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. These are spacecrafts that can depict solar storms. The STEREO can also illustrate the contents and measure the magnetic properties of solar eruptions. This new technology is helping to improve our knowledge of what goes on in space.
Why I Chose This Article:
I chose this article because I thought the title was cool. I was searching for an article and this one caught my eye. Once I started reading I was surprised to see all of the amazing technologies that have been invented these days. I also didn’t know there was such a thing as a solar storm so that was pretty interesting to read about. This does not completely relate to what we are learning right now, but it talks about our solar system, which is part of our atmosphere. The article said that the storms can cause radiation and we learned about radiation a lot.
