Unit 10 Reflection

  Whew! This year has gone by so fast. Biology has been so much fun. I am a little bit sad that this will be last blog post of the year. It will be about Unit 10, anatomy and physiology.
    We first learned about the all important concept of homeostasis. There are two types of feedback loops, negative and positive. They involve changing your behavior based on feedback from the environment. Negative feedback loops involve "dancing" around a set point. Positive feedback loops involve going away from a certain point. Behavioral responses are responses from the whole of the organism. These include hibernation and migration. Physiological responses involve just part of the body. Some examples of maintaining homeostasis are the blood glucose cycle and thermoregulation.

Thermoregulation

Gas exchange

      The next topic we learned about was the circulatory and respiratory system. We learned these two topics together because they are interconnected. The circulatory system transports blood, gasses, and nutrients.They separate oxygen poor and oxygen rich blood. The respiratory system is where gas exchange occurs with the circulatory system. Breathing involves the diaphragm and the muscles of the rib cage. Air flows from areas of high concentration to low concentration. Gas exchange occurs in the alveoli, tiny air sacs of the lungs. Oxygen diffuses into the capillaries ad binds to hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Carbon dioxide diffuses from capillaries into alveoli.

      The heart has four chambers, 2 atria and 2 ventricles. Valves in each of the chambers prevent back flow. We learned a simplified version of the heart called the "box" heart

The "Box" Heart

               
    Oxygen poor blood enters the right atrium then the right ventricle pours blood to the lungs. Oxygen rich blood from the lungs enters the left atrium, then the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps blood to the body. The heart beat consists of two contractions. The SA node, the pacemaker, stimulates atria to contract. The AV node stimulates ventricles to contract. The "lub" happens when the tricuspid and the bicuspid (AV) valves during ventricle contractions. The "dub" happens when the quartic and pulmonary (SV) valves close when the heart releases.
     The heart pumps blood through two main pathways.  Pulmonary circulation occurs between the heart and the lungs. It removes carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen. The systemic circulation occurs between the heart and the rest of the body. Oxygen rich blood goes to the organs. Oxygen poor blood returns to the heart.
      Blood pressure is a measure of force of blood pushing against artery walls. Systolic pressure occurs when the left ventricle contracts. Diastolic blood pressure occurs when the ventricle relaxes. The formula to calculate blood pressure is Systolic/ Diastolic. High blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
      Arteries, veins, and capillaries transport blood to all parts of the body. Arteries carry blood away from the heart. Blood is under greater pressure and arteries are more thicker and muscular. Veins carry blood back to the heart. The blood is under less pressure. The wall are thinner and have a larger diameter.
      Lifestyle plays an important part in circulatory disease. Factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, and excessive weight lead to increased risk of circulatory disease.

Blood 

      Blood is composed of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells make up around 45% of all blood. They transport oxygen and carry away carbon dioxide. They have no nuclei and contain hemoglobin. White blood cells help fight pathogens and destroy foreign matter. Platelets help form clumps that control bleeding.
     Next is the nervous system. There are two parts of the nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain, the brainstem, and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes the cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and the sensory and motor neurons. They pass signals between one another. The brain has four parts that control different things. The cerebrum controls thought, movement, and motion. The diencephalon, the interbrain, coordinates the endocrine system, sorts and directs into the cerebrum. The cerebellum involves the subconscious, calculates force and direction of muscle contractions, and determines body position. The brain stem controls basic life functions like reflexes, breathing, heart function, swallowing, and coughing. The spinal cord controls reflexes. The sensory neuron sends impulses to the spinal cord. The spinal cord directs impulses to motor neurons and does not involve the brain.
      Neurons have three parts. The cell body as a nucleus and organelles. Dendrites receive impulses. The axon carries impulses. Neurons have schwann cells, synapses, and terminals to transmit signals. Sensory neurons carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors in the body. The association neurons carry impulses from sensory neurons to motor neurons. Motor neurons carry nerve impulses from ends to muscles and glands. Stimulus starts the action potential at the dendrite. The stimulus travels the length of the neuron to the axon terminal. The chemical signal passes between neurons. Neurotransmitters are used in different parts of the brain for different purposes.

A neuron

Endocrine glands

     Next, we move on to the endocrine system.  The endocrine system is a system of glands that release hormones. The nervous system is used for short term fast communication, while the endocrine system is slower and has a more lasting effect. A hormone is produced by a gland and travels through the circulatory system. Hormones when released stimulate other glands to produce hormones. There are many examples of hormones. The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the pituitary gland to control body temperature, blood pressure, and various other functions. The pituitary gland gets instructions from the hypothalamus telling it what hormones to produce so that it can control other endocrine glands. The thyroid gland absorbs iodine that controls the growth and structure of bone, puberty, and metabolism. The parathyroid gland releases hormone that regulate calcium levels. The adrenal gland releases the "fight or flight" hormone called epinephrine and the stress hormone called cortisol. Adrenaline is a hormone that increases heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar,and blood flow. Cortisol increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, and aids in metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. The pancreas is a gland that releases insulin and glucagon. Insulin decreases blood sugar levels. Glucagon increases them.
       The next very important system we learned about is the digestive system. We first learned about that many nutrients that are body needs. Water makes up 55-60% of our bodies. It is involved in almost every cellular processes. Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. Fats provide energy and are a key building component. Proteins are necessary for growth and repair of the body's cells. Minerals are inorganic materials that are essential to cellular function. Vitamins are organic molecules that work with enzymes.
     There are two types of digestion: mechanical and chemical digestion. Mechanical digestion involves the breaking of food by using contractions of the muscle. Chemical digestion involves the breaking of food using enzymes and extreme pH. Many organs work together to break down food. Digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine.

Digestive System

     Most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. The folded lining, villi, and microvilli help absorb nutrients. Water is absorbed in the large intestine. Undigested material forms solid feces that is stored in the rectum and eliminated through the bladder.
     There is whole ecosystem of bacteria in the gut flora. The bacteria help synthesize important vitamins, help with absorption, and ferment indigestible foods. A poor diet can kill these good bacteria, which can lead to health problems,
     Another important organ system we learned about is the immune system. First we learned about the different types of pathogens. They include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and pathogens. The immune system has two parts: the nonspecific and the adaptive responses. The nonspecific defenses are the same for every pathogen. These include the skin, mucus, and low pH. Phagocytes work by swallowing pathogens. Natural killer cells kill pathogens by releasing cytokines that cause a cell to lysis. Adaptive immunity is only in vertebrates. It relies on the recognition of specific traits such as antigen receptors. There are two types of immune responses. They are the humoral response and the cell mediated response.

The immune system

    The last vodcast we had was about the lymphatic system. It is a system of tubes and sacs in the body. The lymphatic system cleans waste from the body. It includes white blood cells that engulf pathogens and mast cells that release histamine. The inflammatory response is your body responding to a pathogen. There are many types of inflammatory responses. Acute local infection is when a pathogen enters the body at a specific spot. A systemic inflammation is when the body is under attack throughout the body. Pimples are part of the body's localized response to bacteria that got stuck in pus.
      The small intestine is where the front lines of the immune system lie. As food is absorbed through the gut, pathogens try to hide. Immune cells capture foreign invaders and kill them. Leaky gut syndrome occurs when the intestinal walls become irritated and let in food and pathogens. Chronic systemic inflammation is when the body is constantly fighting off foreign substances. Some foods can cause inflammation. These can include gluten and lactose. Everyone has various levels of sensitivity.

Lymphatic system

      I still want to learn more about some systems that were not covered, such as the excretory system. I also want to learn more about the nervous system. The brain is very interesting and complex, and I want to learn more about it.
      This is my last post of the year. I have grow a lot since the beginning of freshman year of SHS. I have learned better study skills and time management skills. I know a lot more people and am not afraid to try new things. I have joined many clubs that suit my interests, such as the Environmental club and the History club. Additionally, I have learned a lot more biology. I am excited to take Chemistry Honors next year.

Some of my favorite posts this year have been
1.) 20 Questions in Science
2.) Genetics Infographic
3.) 20 Time

I have really enjoyed biology this year. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.


 

Pig Dissection

      For two days in class, we dissected a pig! We first washed the pig to get rid of the preservative. We then tied the pig to the dissecting tray. We made a series of cuts to look at the different systems of the pig. We cut open the stomach to see the digestive system. After cutting, we identified parts such as the stomach, the liver, the small and large intestine, and the esophagus. We cut near the cheeks to see the insides of the mouth. We cut near the heart and lungs and actually cut the heart open to see the different parts of the heart and the four different chambers of the heat. We got to see the lungs, the trachea, and the diaphragm. In addition, we saw many other parts of the body.
     This relates to what we have been learning in the vodcasts. Learning about the different systems of the body was one thing, but actually seeing them in an organism is another thing. I actually got to touch the lungs, see how big the small intestine was, and many other experiences. Hands on labs like the pig dissection really help me learn.

20 Time Final Post

20 time has been very productive and fun. My idea was to make an easy, clean filter to clean water. In addition, I attempted to make an evaporation chamber to heat up the water and kill bacteria. I used charcoal and sand to make a filter. The sand gets rid of the major pollutants, and the charcoal's carbon properties capture the smaller pollutants. The evaporation chamber is an aluminum pan and a plexiglass frame

      

I feel that my Ted- Talk went reasonably well. I could have been a little more practiced though. I stuttered a little bit, but my speech was fluent, I used hand gestures, and I remembered my presentation for the most part. The one thing I forgot was to say was what I learned and how I have grown. I will tell you that now. I learned basic engineering skills. I have never been particularly good at building things, but I manged to build my project with minimal help from my dad. I have also learned about perseverence. My project failed multiple times, but each time, I picked myself up and redesigned it until it worked. At first, I was really nervous for my Ted-Talk. I have never been good at public speaking, but I felt that I did well. I learned more about public speaking and showing my work off.

View My Ted Talk!

I hope that I will be able to continue my work. I want to make it more effective and work better.  When I go to India, I will try to showcase my work to help people. I enjoyed 20 time overall. I liked learning about other people's passions. 

20 Time Individual Reflection

     For the semester, I have worked every Monday and on weekends to try to make a clean and easy water filter. I originally chose this idea because during Winter break last year, I traveled to India. In India, tap water is not considered clean, so people buy gallons of plastic water bottles, or if they are rich enough, they have an in home filter. Millions more get their water from polluted lakes and streams. This project was originally a struggle for me. I am not that good a building really intricate things, so a big part of my design was to make something simple that I could assemble.
     My project was divided into 3 parts. One part was researching a designing an acceptable, easy filter that fit my requirements. After many weeks of looking at filters that were too complex or too expensive to make, I eventually came up with the idea of a sand and charcoal filter. Sand filters out big pollutants, and the carbon of charcoal helps trap smaller pollutants. I still needed to come up with an idea to boil the water to kill bacteria in it. I came up with an idea of a solar heater.
     I would say my project was kind of successful. I was able to finish part 1 and 2 with relative success. Building the filter took more time than expected. The first time, the charcoal was not ground up enough, so the water passed right through it. The second time, water leaked out of the sides into the bucket without being filtered. The third time, it actually worked. There was a little sand and some small pieces of charcoal, though. Part 3 has not been completely finished yet, and I plan on finishing and testing it this weekend.
     I hope to continue this project in the future. This is something that I am really passionate about. I hope in the future to use more tech savvy parts to filter the water better. I will also try to modify the design to purify the water completely without parts of the filter being mixed in with it.
     I learned a lot during my project. Some practical skills that I learned included basic engineering and use of drills. I also learned the process of trial and error along with perseverance. My project failed many times, but I picked myself up and continued modifying it until it worked. If I can get my project to fully work, I hope I can bring it to my parents' native village, where there is no running water, to help those in need. Overall, even though I have not been totally successful, I have learned a lot and have had a lot of fun.

Basic Outline for Presentation
I. Begin story about India trip
II. Tell process of researching, designing and building
III. Mention successes and failures
IV. Future plans
V. Applications

Unit 9 Reflection

A phylogenetic tree

     In this unit, we learned about how organisms are classified and what on earth evolved. Organisms are classified by how similar they are. Taxonomy is the study of naming and classifying organisms. Carrolus Linneaus, a Swedish botanist came up with this system. He used a system known as binomial nomenclature. The first part of the name is capitalized an it is the genus. The second part the species name. They are usually in latin or greek and must be italicized or underlined. Phylogeny shows evolutionary relationships using taxonomy. The taxonamic levels are ordered from most inclusive to least inclusive. It goes from Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.



However, there was need for a more inclusive taxonomical level. This led to the creation of the domain. Originally, Linnaeus only knew about plants and animals. The invention of the microscope led to scientists discovering bacteria. This led to two domains: Bacteria and Eukarya. Scientists however discovered that there was a "new" form of bacteria that was chemically and genetically different. They named it Archea, and thus the 3 domain system began.

The Three domains

Bacteria

Bacteria were likely Earth's first organism. They are unicellular and come in three shapes: spheres (cocci), rods (bacilli), and spirals. They are further divided into gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Gram positive bacteria have a cell wall made up of peptidoglycan, while Gram negative bacteria have less peptidoglycan, an outer membrane that can be toxic, and can be antibiotic resistant, Scientists use a gram stain to tell the difference. Most mobile bacteria have a flagella, a whip like structure in order to move. Bacteria metabolize in many ways. Chemoheterotrophs are heterotrophic bacteria that take in organic molecules. Photoautotrohps use light to convert CO2 and H2O into glucose through photosynthesis. Chemoautrotrophs use energy directly from chemical reactions. Obligate aerobes must have oxygen in order to survive. Obligate anerobes can not have oxygen. Faculative anerobes alternate between fermentation and oxygen depending on the environment. Bacteria work as decomposers, as symbiosis, and in biotechnology.




Viruses are very interesting. They are not considered life and are not cells. They are very small infectious particles that consist of a nucleic acid in a protein coat. Capsids in the protein coat enclose the viral genome. They help the virus infect host cells. Once a virus infects a host cell, it begins to manufacture its own proteins by using the host cells ribosomes. There are two types of infections. Lytic infections are when a virus enters a cell, makes copies of itself, and causes the cell to burst. Lysogenic infections are when a virus integrates its DNA into the DNA of the host cell, and the viral genetic information replicates along with the host cell's DNA. Retroviruses use reverse transciptase to copy their RNA genome into DNA. HIV( Human Immunodeficiency Virus), is the retroviruses that causes AIDS (Aquired Immunodeficiency Virus). Viruses kill cells by releasing hydrolite enzymes from lysosomes.

Ebola Virus

A collage of fungi

Fungi have cell walls made up of chitin. They are multicellular, with the exception of yeast. There are three types of fungi. Sac fungi form a reproductive sac, or ascus. Bread molds are kind of the misfits. Club fungi have fruiting bodies that are club shaped. Multicellular fungi have a complex reproductive cycle that includes either sexual or asexual reproduction, or both. Fungi act as mutualism. They are useful in several ways. They make foods, they work as antibiotics, and are model systems for molecular biology. However, they also cause disease.




The first plants grew at the edges of the water. They have a cuticle, a waxy protective layer, to survive drying out. They also have a vascular system that allows them to move resources to different parts. They have pollen grains to allow for reproduction without free standing water, a seed, and a fruit. Bryophyta are mosses. They are the most common seedless nonvascular plants. Pterophyta (ferns) are seedless vascular plants. A vascular system allows them to get more water off the ground, resulting in more photosynthesis. Roots allow the absorption of more water and nutrients. Leaves allow for more photosynthesis. Gymnosperms are cone bearing plants. The cone is the reproductive structure of most gymnosperms. Pollen is produced in the male. cone. Seeds are produced in the female cones. The major phyla are cycloids, ginkos, and conifers. .Angiosperms are flowering plants. They are the dominant species of plants alive today. They have a flower, their reproductive organ, to allow for more efficient pollination. A fruit is a mature ovary, which allows for efficient seed dispersal. There are two major types of angiosperms. Monocots have a single seed lead, their leaf veins are usually parallel, flower parts come in multiples of 3, and have bundles of vascular tissue scattered in the stem. Dicots have two seed leaves, their leaf veins are usually net like, flower parts are usually in multiples of three or four, and have bundles of vascular tissue in rings in the stem.

Flowers!

Invertebrates

Invertebrates are a very diverse class. They are diploid and usually reproduce sexually. Most animals are invertebrates. Sponges (phylum poriferia) are the most primitive animals. They have specialized cells but no tissues. They are sessile and have no symmety. They can reproduce both sexually and asexually, and their cells work together to filter feed. Cnidarians are the oldest existing animal group that have specialized tissues. They have 2 body forms, polyps and medusas. The four major classes are schphonzoans(jellyfish), anthazaone(sea anemone, coral), hydrozoans(hydra), and cubozoans(box jelly). Flatworms(phylum platyhelminthes) are simple bilateral animals. They have a solid body and incomplete or absent gut. Many of them are parasitic. The three main classes are planarians, flukes, and tape worms. Phylum molluska are very diverse. They have a complete digestive tract with a mouth and an anus. They have a radulus for feeding, a mantle(epidermus form), and a clenidia(respiratory organ). The three main classes are bastropods(snails, slugs), bivalves(clams, oysters, and mussels), and cephalopods(octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus). Phylum annelida have segmented bodies They have a coelum, a fluid filled space completely surrounded by muscles. The three types are earthworms, marine worms, and leeches. Arthropods are very diverse too. They have an exoskeleton (cuticle) made of chitin, jointed appendages, and segmented body parts. They are classified into trilobiles(extinct), crustaceans, chelicerates,insects and myriapods. They have an upper circulatory system and sensory organs. Insects are the dominant arthropods. They have three pairs of legs, a pair of antennae, and a body with a head, thorax, and abdomen. Crustaceans have two distinct sections, cephalothorax and abdomen. They have two pairs of antennae, an exoskeleton, and a cerapace. They have many types such as decapods(lobsters and crabs), barnacles(sessile filter feeders wrapped in a hard shell), and isopods(pill bugs). Echinoderms have radial symmetry, an internal skeleton, a water vascular system, and a complete vascular system. Their five classes include feather star and sea lillies, sea stars, brittle stars and brisket stars, sea urchins, sea biscuits, sand dollars and sea cucumbers.





Chordates all have a notochord, a hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and tails. They are amniotes, have 2 circuits of blood vessels, a pulmonary circuit, a systemic circuit, and a 3 or 4 chambered heart, Agnatha are the jawless fish. They are the first recognizable vertebrates. The two groups are lampreys and hag fish. Fish have gills, fins, a skeleton, and jaws. They have paired fins and have gills to breathe underwater. Thy have a lateral tube system and a sensory system. Condrithyes are fish with skeletons made up of cartilage. They must move to breathe. These include catfish, sharks, rays, and skates. Coticythes are bony fish. Lobe finned fish are paired pectonles  and pelvic fins that are round in shape and are supported by a single bone. Amphibians evolved from lobe finned fish. They were the first animals with four limbs. They can live in both land and water and can breathe through skin, gills, or lungs. They also lay eggs. They are divided into three groups. Salamanders have a long body, four walking limbs, and a tail. Frogs and toads have glands in their skin that contain poison to ward off predators. Caecillians are legless, burrowing tropical amphibians. Reptiles are ectotherms, covered with dry scales, and have a 3 chambered heart. There are three modern types The first is turtles, tortoises, and terrapods. The second are snakes and lizards. The third are crocodiles and alligators. Birds evolved from theropods. They have hollow bones, fused collar bones, and feathers. Mammals have several characteristics. They have hair to retain heat, mammary glands to provide milk, a middle ear with three bones, and a chewing jaw. There are three types of mammals. Manotremes lay eggs. Marsupials give birth to live young that grow inside a pouch. Euthrians give birth to live young that have completed fetal development.

A chordate

A big part of this unit was about the "What on Earth Evolved?" presentations. We each chose a species to do a presentation on. Overall, it when really well. I could have been a little more practiced though and maybe have included some more information. I learned that memorizing the presentation makes it so much more engaging and better. I will try to apply what I learned from this presentation to my end of the year TED talk. 

Finally, we also watched the PBS series "Your Inner Fish." Click here to find more about my take. That;s all folks :)! 

My Inner Fish

     This week, we watched the video series, Your Inner Fish. In it, we learned about some of features that we have that can be traced back to fish and reptiles. These features include hair, our sense of hearing, smell, rough skin, and the ability to push yourself up. We got these features from our common ancestors. From fish, we got features such as dropping gonads, the ability to push ourselves up,  and many other features. From reptiles, we got features such as specialized teeth, hair, and extra ear bones. One thing that I learned about was that at 8 weeks, a fetus has a yolk sac. This is a remnant from  when our ancestors laid eggs. This shows that we have a distant ancestor that laid eggs. The yolk sac is a vestigial structure. We also learned why mass extinctions are important. They allow those who survive to get more opportunities by occupying new niches. After the dinosaurs died out, mammals were able to dominate and come out of their burrows to occupy the niches left by the dinosaurs. If the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs had not existed, mammals would not have been able to dominate. This video series showed me that although we are distantly related to fishes and reptiles, we still have many features that come from them.

Gorgonopsid teeth that allowed them to shred an chew their food like humans do

Moving Along Forward

     Hello Again! I have made great progress on my water filter. I have finished building part one of my water filter and heater. This weekend, I spend a few hours crushing charcoal and building my filter. I first cut the bottom off a 2 liter plastic soda bottle. I filled it half way with pebble sized charcoal, and I filled the rest with sand. I also cut a piece of cloth to use as the initial filter. 

     I had some difficulties initially with crushing the charcoal. I first tried to crush it by force. When that did not work, I used a hammer. The hammer works, but it creates a lot of dust and little pieces  

     I have learned that if I persevere,  I will eventually succeed. The next steps in my project include testing to see whether my filter works before moving on to building the solar water heater. 

     I am getting closer to my ultimate goal: creating a simple way for people in developing nations to filter their water without kerosene or fire. I recently talked to my grandfather, who built water treatment plants in India. He recommended adding in a sand layer and to use reverse osmosis to get rid of the chemicals that charcoal and sand cannot filter. 

     I can apply what I have learned to my everyday life. A lot of the skills I have learned, such as using a drill bit, hammer, and other tools, will be useful in the future for other projects. I have also learned about hard work, perseverance, and not giving up. 

Lined Chiton

     Tonicella lineata, or the lined chiton, is a species of chiton that lives in the North Pacific. It is from the kingdom animalia, the phylum mollluska, class polyplacophora, order neoloricata, family ischnochitonidae, and genus onicella. 
     They live all over the Pacific ocean, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, to San Diego, California., The species is small, only about 5 centimeters. They are very colorful, usually having zig zags colored blue, purple, or black on their valves. Their main body can be red, orange, or brown, but sometimes blue or yellow. Their girdle is hairless, and is usually brown or pink, with yellow or white patches. 
     Tonicella lineata live on rocks and eat algae. Their coloration is an adaptation to camouflage in the rocks, They are predated by sea stars. 
     This relates to what we learned in the vodcast. They exhibit the characteristics needed to be classified as a mollusk. These include bilateral symmetry, a complete digestive tract, and respiratory organ. Overall, learning about Tonicella lineata has been very helpful in my understanding of invertebrates. 

Image from Wikapedia


Works Cited
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonicella_lineata
http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/exhibits/marine-panel/lined-chiton/
http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Mollusca/Polyplacophora/Tonicella_lineata.html

Unit 8 Reflection

     In class, we have just finished Unit 8, constant change, or evolution. We first learned about artificial selection. This is where humans breed two organisms and manipulate their traits to suite their own purposes. For example, over time, collies were bred for speed and agility for use in sheep herding. Great Danes were bred for their size and strength for use as guard dogs. The list goes on and on.
     The next vodcast was about what Darwin discovered. Darwin traveled as a naturalist on the HMS Beagle. He traveled all around the world collecting fossils and specimens. He noticed a few things. First, all sexually reproducing organisms have high genetic variation. He also noticed that traits were inherited from parents to offspring. All species are able to produce more offspring than nature can handle. He finally noticed that competition is stiff. He concluded that since individuals with better traits survive better and reproduce more than other individuals. In other words, there are winners and losers. His second conclusion was that over time, populations tend to look like those who reproduce more. In other words, populations tend to look like winners. Natural selection is the process of weeding out traits that do not help an organism survive.
     The following vodcast was about the gene pool. The gene pool is the total amount of alleles in a population. Gene pools change over time as a result of natural selection. Allele frequency is how common a certain allele is. To determine this, add up the total of all alleles and the total for each type of allele. For each type, divide by the total. Natural selection acts on the phenotype because those with the best phenotype reproduce more. Lethal alleles still stick around in those who are  heterozygous. Those alleles may become useful if the environment drastically changes.
       The next vodcast was about speciation. Speciation is the process in which two poplations gradually become more and more different, eventually becoming two different species. The cause of this is reproductive isolation. If populations are split, they eventually will not be able to reproduce with each other. One type of speciation is behavioral isolation. This is caused when two population have different mating rituals. The next type is geographical isolation, and it is caused when a natural barrier such as a river or mountain range separate two different populations. The last type of speciation is temporal isolation. This is caused when timing prevents reproduction between two populations. All species have a common ancestor. The closer the common ancestor is, the more related the species are. There are two competing theories for speciation. Gradualism says that speciation occurs slowly over time, while punctured equilibrium says that new species arise suddenly.
     For those of you who do not believe in evolution, there is a lot of evidence that says evolution actually happened. During the first stages of the embryo, many animals look remarkably the same, which suggests a common ancestor. In addition, many organisms have evolutionary leftovers that were needed for our ancestors but not anymore. We also have fossil evidence. Fossils form when an organism is covered in silt and is put under enormous pressure. Fossils tell us that organisms have changed overtime. There is also homologous structures, same structures but different function. Contrasting are analogous structures, same function but different use. Finally, convergent evolution is the process in which unrelated organism evolve similar and analogous structures.
      There are three types of change. Directional selection is where one extreme phenotype is favored. Stabilizing selection favors the intermediate phenotype. Disruptive selection favors both extreme phenotypes. There are many types of change. Genetic drift is when a catastrophic event drastically changes a population. Those who survive do so by luck. Gene flow involves the moving of alleles from one population to the other. Mutations produce new variation that natural selection acts on. Sexual selection selects for traits that improve mating success, but do not help organisms survive. Natural selection selects for traits advantageous for survival.
      The last vodast was about the history of life. Chemical and physical processes could have produced very simple cells. There have been experiment that have shown that abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is possible. RNA molecules could have been produced from simple molecules, and DNA could have come from RNA. Earth's timescale is huge. There have been 5 mass extinctions and many periods of adaptive radiation. Earth has changed dramatically and humans are just a blink of an eye in Earth's history.
     I want to learn more about evolution. I want to know more about real world examples of evolution. I am also intrigued about the idea of intelligent design. I am still curious on how life on Earth formed. It is one of the great mysteries.
     In the Unit 7 Reflection, I learned more about my conflict style. I am trying to become more assertive. I have done this by asking more questions when I am confused. In addition, I have tried to become more of a leader in my group projects. I think that I am becoming more assertive.

Embryology 

Experiment that showed abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is possible

Geologic Timeline Individual Reflection

      In class this week, we have been learning about the history of life. To demonstrate our knowledge, my group made a timeline on the history of Earth.
      One of the main events in Earth's history was the Cambrian explosion. The Cambrian explosion was a sudden diversification of many animal phyla in the early history of the Earth. This is important because many of the organisms that came from the Cambrian explosion are still here today. It was the first biological magnification event in Earth's history. The Cambrian explosion occurred for many reasons. One of the main reasons was the introduction of photosynthetic organisms led to more oxygen in the atmosphere. This led to larger organisms being able to survive. In short, the Cambrian explosion  resulted in many different animals, some of which are still alive today.
     Another event in Earth's history was mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period. This extinction led to 90% of all species being wiped out. The best supported theory for this extinction says that the extinction was caused by a meteorite crashing into Earth and blocking the sun's light. The result of the extinction was the gradual rise of the dominance of mammals. Without this extinction, mammals would have never become the dominant species.
     The final event that I feel is important is the first humans. Humans have evolved to become the dominant species and have changed the world dramatically. In the past few centuries since the start of the Industrial Revolution, humans have caused the extinction of thousands of organisms. We are currently trashing our planet and emitting green house gases that are warming the globe. If nothing is done, we will eventually kill ourselves.
     The Earth has been around for 4.4 billion years. That is a long time. Life on Earth did not appear until 3.5 billion years ago. Most of what we consider ancient is actually not all that old compared to the life of Earth as a whole. What surprised me is that so much of Earth's history is about the formation of Earth and life.
     We have had a huge impact on our Earth. We have slowly been killing off Earth's life. We are emitting toxic waste and greenhouse gases into the environment and have been polluting our Earth. We are currently causing the 6th major extinction in Earth's history. Something needs to be done to stop it.
     I still have a few questions. I still wonder why there are sudden increases in diversity and why there are vast time periods where change happened slower. I still wonder about how exactly humans evolve.

    Overall, I would say this project was a success. I have learned a lot about the history of life and have had fun too.

Hunger Games Lab Analysis

1.) In class, we did the Hunger Games Lab. There were three different types of feediing techniques. Stumpys could only pick up food with their wrists. Knucklers could only pick up food in between their knuckes of their index and middle fingers. Pinchers could only pick up food between their thumb and index finger. Corks were spread around in a circle and people could pick them up using their respective feeding technique. Once all the corks were picked up, Mr.Orre announced how much corks were needed to survive. If you had collected enough corks, you could "reproduce" with someone else. We simulated "sex" by flipping coins labeled with different alleles. If you did not collect enough corks, you "died" and were "reincarnated" as the offspring of those who collected enough corks. This lab stimulated natural selection. Those that had better traits survived and were able to produce offspring.
2.) The phenotype that was best able to collect food was the pincher phenotype. They were the best at collecting the food because they usually had the most amount of corks collected.
3.) In this lab, we asked the question of whether populations evolve. We found out that populations do evolve. In the first round, the allele frequency was 52% for "A" and 48 for "a." By the seventh round, the allele frequency for "A" was 40% and was 60% for "a." This makes sense, because as a result of natural selection, populations begin to look like the winners. The stumpys, who were AA, were really bad at collecting food, but the pinchers, who were aa, were the winners.
4.) In this lab, the placement of food and location of the individuals were random. The things that were not random were mating and the amount of food. Random events such as when all the food was placed in the middle resulted in a bottleneck effect. Only those who were lucky, not necessarily evolutionary fit, survived.
5.) The results would have been different the food was smaller or bigger. If it was smaller, the pinchers would have an easier time collecting it. If it was bigger, pichers and knucklers would have a harder time collecting the food. In nature, for example, if fruit got bigger, it will favor those with bigger beaks.
6.) The results would be different if there was no incomplete dominance. The population would be all pinchers. Since the knucklers would die in the first few rounds, there would be no way for the knuckler population to come back.
7.) Natural selection is what causes evolution. Natural selection means that those with better genes are more likely to reproduce. This changes the allele frequency, which is what evolution is.
8.) Some strategies that people used included being agressive, using their hood, and diving. These behaviors allowed them to have a better chance at reproducing. However, since these behaviors were not genetic, they were not passed on to their offspring.  Some birds are less afraid of diving, so they can get more fish. Since that trait is not genetic, it is not passed on to their offspring.
9.) In evolution, the population is what evolves. Natural selection acts on just the phenotype. Nature has no idea what genes organisms have. It only rewards those whose phenotype gives them an advantage.
10.) I still wonder about the effects of cheating and other factors that cannot be measured. I wonder how much of an effect they actually had on the population

20 Time Check In: The Idea Comes!

     Hello again! I have learned a lot about water filters in these past two weeks. I have a basic idea on what to do now. Through my research, I have found out that a charcoal filter is one of the easiest and most effective ways to filter water. However, microorganisms can still pass through the filter. I will solve this problem by using a solar heater to heat the water to ensure that it is pathogen free.
     I have learned a lot about myself. I am very passionate about this topic. I have found myself doing research out of class for this project. It shows that I am very committed to doing this.
     One of my main setbacks for this project is finding the material that I need to use at a cheap price, or perhaps better. I am solving this by going through my family's recycling and checking to see if anything can be used for my project. Using this method, I have come up with the materials for my main filter. I just need charcoal to complete. I have yet to find materials for my solar heater though.
     My next steps involve finalizing my building plans and perhaps starting to build my actual filter and solar heater. I have had some setbacks, but I have been resilient and have managed to overcome them. I have applied this resiliency to my school work as well.
   Thanks for reading :)

Bird Beak Lab

     In this lab, we learned about natural selection through investigating which types of bird beaks ate the most food, and whether they could stand environmental stresses.

Hypothesis(Claim)	Evidence of this occurring?	Explanation
Individuals  with better traits leave more offspring	The spoon bird had 39% of the population of chicks	Since the spoon bird’s superior traits allowed them to eat more food, they were able to have more chicks.
Populations begin to look more like winners	39% of the chicks were spoon birds	Since more chicks of the individuals with better traits are produced, the population starts to look like them.

     In this lab, we asked the question of whether individuals with better traits leave more offspring. We found out that the spoon beak bird ate the most food and therefore had the most amount of offspring. 23 chicks of the spoon beak were born, 39% of the total amount of chicks born. This was compared to 22 chicks of the tweezer bill, 37% of the total population, and 14 chicks of the scissor beak, 24% of the total population.  This was expected, because the spoon could easily scoop of large amounts of food. The data supports our claim because the spoon bill ate the most food and had the most offspring.
     In this lab, we asked the question of whether populations begin to look more like the winners. We found out that the spoon beak bird ate the most food because of its better traits. As a result, the spoon beak bird had the most offspring.  39% of the total amount of offspring were of the spoon beak type. This compares to 37% of the total populations were of the tweezer bill type and 24% of the total population  that were of the scissor bill type. This makes sense, because since the spoon beak bird was able to eat the most food because of its favorable traits. Since the spoon beak bird ate the most food, they were able to have the most offspring.
     In this lab, we asked the question of if natural selection occurs in a population, how do changes in selective pressures affect the evolution of species. We discovered that since the tweezer bird was most adept to our selective pressure, a diminished food supply, the population gradually started looking like tweezers. This makes sense, because since the tweezer bird had an advantage over other birds, it was able to eat the most food, and therefore have the most chicks. The other types of birds would gradually die out, because their genes were not as favorable as the tweezer bird. The data supports our claim, because the tweezer bird had 12 chicks, compared to 11 by the spoon bird and 7 by the scissor bird.
    While our hypothesis was supported, there could have been errors due to uneven distribution of food and lack of significant space to conduct the experiment. An uneven distribution of food could have helped an individual who was really good at collecting one type of food, but not another. Next time, we should make sure that there is equal numbers of the different foods in the distribution. Our second problem was a lack of space to conduct the experiment. Since there was 3 of us, and only a small area where the food was, we ended up fighting with each other to collect food. This led us to not having the greatest results. A possible solution to this is having more food on the table.
     This lab was done to demonstrates Darwin's idea of natural selection. From this lab, we learned that natural selection actually works, it is not just an idea. From this lab, we learned about the big picture of evolution. Normally, evolution takes millions of years. We got to see the results of evolution in just one class period. Doing these labs helps you get a better grasp on abstract ideas. Based on my experiences with this lab, I could conduct a similar lab, except with different beaks and food.

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An Easy, Clean Way to Solve the Problem of Clean Water

     Hello World! I am here to tell you about my idea for an easy, clean way to solve the problem of clean water. I am doing this project for a school project about 20 time. 20 time is a system first developed by Google in which employees are given 20% of their time, about one day, to work on their own pet projects. 20 time has resulted in inventions such as gmail and google maps. During winter break, I traveled to India with my family. In India, you cannot drink tap water because the sanitation is not as good as in the United States.. People are forced to buy large amounts of plastic water bottles to consume. Even worse, many poorer people do not have access to any water and get it from lakes and rivers. This problem is not unique to India. According to a UN study done in 2013, 768 million people do not have access to clean water.
     By the end of 20 time in May, I hope to have designed and created a simple water treatment device. I am hoping that by mid March, I will have finalized my design for my water treatment device. By the middle of April, I hope to have finished my water treatment device. The rest of my time will be spent testing my device. To test my device, I will mix common contaminants such as dirt and debris and put the mixture through my device. I will see what went wrong and what was good and hopefully improve my device. That is all for now.

Let's try to avoid this

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjhqK_x8Z3LAhVX-GMKHZGiBmkQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FWater_scarcity_in_Africa&bvm=bv.115339255,d.cGc&psig=AFQjCNHfWQKSZJS-nw7ZLt94dLf5qmUzNQ&ust=1456866788079537