VDA #5 Fish Consumption & Pregnancy

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/fishmercury.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder
   

      Mercury is a contaminant found in fish that can affect brain development and the nervous system. This could affect pregnant women by causing ADHD. ADHD is the abbreviation for Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. this causes difficulty of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. ADHD impacts school-aged children and results in restlessness, acting impulsively, and lack of focus which impairs their ability to learn properly.The FDA has released guidelines for women who are pregnant and women who are trying to become pregnant. These guidlines state that no more than 12 oz of low mercury fish should be consumed weekly. "Highest" mercury fish should be avoided and should be kept to only three 6 oz servings per month.

Experiments That Keep Going And Going And Going

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/23/165030844/experiments-that-keep-going-and-going-and-going

Long-Term Science Questions:

1. What is Richard Lenski studying and why does he think it's important?

Richard Lenski began his evolution experiment in 1988 with a simple question: Does evolution always lead to the same end point? if he started with 12 identical flasks,full of identical bacteria, would they all change over time in the same way? If he started with 12 identical flasks, full of identical bacteria, would they all change over time in the same way? or would random mutations send each bottle's population spinning off in a different direction? 
 Richard Lenski thinks it's important because,he could find new and interesting results that can lead to new discoveries. 

2. What is Telewski studying and why does he think it's important?

Telewski is studying to see how long seeds might remain viable in the soil. We know that seeds can remain dormant for a long period of time so, he wanted to find out Professor Beal's key question, which is, "how long?"
Telewski thinks it's important because it's been going on for so long and he wanted to work on this experiment also.

3. What benefits do you see in performing long-term scientific studies like these? 

 The benefits I see in preforming long-term scientific studies like these is when you work on long-term scientific studies you will have more information than a short-term experiment. you also will find new results.

Extra Credit DNA's shape

URL:  http://avicennamsscience.blogspot.com/2012/11/extra-credit-dnas-shape.html

1. DNA is an acronym. What is DNA's "real" name?

     DNA's real name is Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_real_name_for_DNA

2. What function does DNA serve?
DNA contains information that determines the characteristics of an organism and directs its cell activities.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_function_does_DNA_serve

3. How was DNA's shape discovered? Give me the name of three scientists who played a role in this discovery? (Hint: I'm looking for the names of two men and one woman).
DNA's shape was discovered by a photo taken in 1952. this image was the first X-ray picture of DNA which led to the discovery of its molecular structure by Watson and Crick. Created by Rosalind Franklin
using a technique called X-ray crystallography. it revealed the helical shape of the DNA molecule. Watson and Crick realized that DNA was made up of two chains of nucleotide pairs that encode the genetic information for all living things.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/06/3/l_063_01.html

4. DNA has nucleotide bases, what are the four bases? (Hint: C, G, T, A... what does each letter represent?)
The four bases (C) (G) (T) (A) represent, adenine,cytosine,guanine,and thymine
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_the_4_letters_A_C_G_and_T_in_DNA_mean

5. In DNA, the four base nucleotides always pair up in a certain way; which letters bond with which? 
The letters pair up with G,C and T,A
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_the_4_bases_in_DNA_pair_up

Biofuels VDA #3

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/first-algae-derived-fuel-hits-pumps-1C7048163

 

1. What is algae? (Specifically, what kingdom does it belong to and where is it found?)

    Algae belongs to kingdom plantae and protista. It is found in damp places and bodies of water.
Reference:
 http://www.oilgae.com/algae/sources/sources.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/In_taxonomy_in_what_kingdom_are_algae_classified

2. What is another form of biofuel that the article mentions? (Hint! "There's more than _______ in Indiana! Indiana Beach!")

Another form of biofuel is corn.

3. When comparing algal biofuel to the biofuel mentioned in your answer to number 2, which one allegedly produces fewer polluntants?.

The corn produces fewer polluntants than the algal biofuel.

 

4. How does the algae produce biofuel?

 Special algae are grown in bulk; when fed certain sugars, they produce combustible oils that can be used as fuel additives

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8mFzCAYoLVs

 

1. How long does nature take to produce fuel?

Nature takes millions of years to produce fuel.

2. How long does it take Solazyme to produce fuel?

Solazyme takes a matter of few days to produce fuel.

3. Where is Solazyme currently located?

 Solazyme is located in Peoria, Illinois

"DEE" is for danger:

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/cool-jobs-the-science-of-secrets/

1. Choose which of the subsections of the article you found most interesting and answer the following questions:

a) In what way does their research contribute to the greater good?

This research contributes that animals do communicate with each other just like humans but, in different ways. it also contributes that we can understand what animals are saying but, with practice and studying.

b) What questions did the scientist pose that led to the research that s/he did?

The question that this scientist posed is "when birds varied their calls,did that indicate they were giving a different meaning to each message? 

c) What field of science does this fall into? (Biology, chemistry, physics, etc.?)
This article falls into Biology.

2. Select one of the scientists mentioned in the article, and write a letter to him/her. In the letter, include what you know about his/her research, what you found most fascinating and include a minimum of two well thought-out questions.

           Dear Dr. Chris Templeton ,

        I enjoyed reading your article "Dee is for danger". It was very fascinating and interesting. The most fascinating thing about the article was, how you tested the chickadees by using different kinds of animals that are predators to them and seeing how they will react. i wanted to ask, why did you pick the bird chickadee to test on? My other question is, does every animal's name come from what they say when they try to warn or communicate each other? Thank you for your time to read my letter.

                                   Sincerely,
                                                          Dena
          
           



    

VDA 1

1) What was the title and URL of the article you read?The URL is http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/curiositys-watery-find/ and the title is curiosity's water find.

2) Do you have any questions about anything you read in the article? If so, what are the questions? No i don't have any additional comments.

3) What did you find MOST fascinating about the article? the most fascinating thing i found about the article is,the rover found rocks called conglomerates, which form when pebbles and sand get stuck together with wet sediment, so there must been water on Mar's.

4) What did you learn? I learned that the word conglomerates, which means conglomerates form when pebbles and sand get stuck together with wet sediment. I also learned that there might be water in mars.
5) Why was the science found in the article important, in your opinion? I think that it's important because it is really fascinating that there's water on mars so, this article will inform people what's going on Mars.

6) Any additional comments? No i don't have any additional comments.