Tension Test Science Lab

Tension Test:

•   Guiding Question: How does tension affect the amplitude of the spring or slinky?

• Manipulating Variable: Medium – solid slinky

• Responding Variable: Wave => Properties

• Materials:

1.)    Masking Tape (1 roll)

2.)    Meter Stick (1)

3.)    Slinky (1)

4.)    Pencil (1)

5.)    Notebook (1)

•   Procedure:

1.)    Measure the slinky at its average length and record – 4.8 meters.

2.)    Measure the slinky stretched out and record – 10.5 meters.

3.)    Stick tape on the ground in 20 cm lines and 30 cm lines.

4.)    Wiggle the slinky at its regular length with two people holding it on either end.

5.)    Observe whether it has reached either the 20 cm mark or the 30 cm mark.

6.)    Wiggle the slinky at its tight tension stage and observe whether or not it has touched the 20 or 30 cm mark.

7.)    Record all data.

•   Hypothesis: I think that the closer the two ends of the slinky are to each other, the bigger/more amplitude the wave is going to have.  This is because when you stretch a slinky, it’s very taut, and there isn’t any extra slinky room for bigger waves.  When the slinky has less tension, there is more slinky space, and there can be bigger waves.

• Observations: When the slinky is stretched taut, and gently moved from side to side, the middle moves and touches both of the 30 cm tapes.  When you flick your hand once (therefore flicking the slinky), one wave travels along the whole medium, but only touches one of the 30 cm lines.  When we swing the slinky in its short form, it swings to a little behind the 30 cm lines, and much more slowly.  When you flick it with your wrist, it almost touches the 30 cm line, but is slower than when it had been taut.

•   Data Table:

Length:	Tape When Swung:	Tape When Flicked:
10.5 m	Over 30 cm tape	Touches One 30 cm line
4.8 m	Under 30 cm tape	Doesn’t Touch 30 cm Line

• Conclusion: I believe that the answer to our question, “How does tension affect the amplitude of the sling or slinky?” is that the higher the level of tension the slinky has, the greater the amplitude.  My hypothesis was incorrect, but now I think I understand why – when you don’t have a very taut spring to swing, all that extra slinky that is sitting there (kind of like extra fat on a person), makes the slinky swing more slowly and with less momentum.   Without the momentum it needs, the slinky cannot touch the 30 cm lines.  When the slinky has less tension, all that extra material is gone (no more fat on the person).  It can swing more quickly and efficiently, and so it can reach the 30 cm line.  That was a new discovery for me, but now that I’ve conducted our experiment, I now understand what happened.

•   Further Inquiry: In order to improve our experiment, next time we could have two people swing the slinky at either end, and then the third person would catch it at its widest point so as to measure how far it was from the starting line exactly.  That would be more accurate, and it might lead to further inquiries. 

I wonder what would happen if we flicked the slinky up and down instead of side to side – that would probably give us the same results as the first experiment, but you  never know…

Bubbl Us

Here is my Bubbl brainstorming picture:

Green Plastics Reflection

1.) How are these plastics being developed?
          Green plastics are developed with natural sugar - cane, beet, and corn.  Factories turn the sugar into polylactic acid, which they can then convert to plastic.  Regular plastics are made of small molecules called monomers, which, when connected together through polymerization, turn into one big polymer which is similar to one long chain..  The type of polymerization used to make plastic is called a condensation reaction, which means that a small molecule such as water, is released every time two monomers are connected.


2.) What makes these plastics "green"?
          These plastics are "green", because they are made out of beet, corn, and cane sugar  - renewable resources.  This makes bio plastics more eco-friendly.  Lactic acid is an example of a bio plastic.  The thing about lactic acid is that it is only a building block for plastic, because it can't be converted into plastic directly.  This because the chemical reaction that takes place when lactic acid is made produces water.  This water prevents the lactic acid from becoming one long chain like the monomers in regular plastic.  Instead, the lactic acid molecules create a whole bunch of smaller chains.  These are combined in a chemical reaction to make lactide, which then makes monomers that can then be created into polylactic acid. 


3.) What are some of the issues with plastics that were mentioned?
         There are a couple different issues with bio plastic that are bad for the environment.  One is the fact that growing all those crops to produce the sugar to produce the acid, to produce the plastic takes extra space.  We already use a lot of land to grow produce and livestock.  When we do this, we clear away land, cut down trees, and ruin animal habitats.  Sugar crops take up a lot of space which leads to less forests.  Also, there is a limited amount of space where we can grow food.  If we grow too many food crops that aren't for food purposes, we might face a food crisis. 
          Another "con" about bio plastic is that it takes the exact same amount of resources to create it as regular plastic.  If you add up all the pesticides and herbicides that pollute water, as well as the oil used in farming and shipping the crops, plus the energy we need to create the lactic acid and turn it into plastic, we get a pretty big sum of resources. 
         One last example of why bio plastic isn't great is because we can't recycle it with other plastics.  Since bio plastic breaks down into a completely different substance then our average pet bottle, they can't be mashed down and recycled - we would need a completely new recycling system.   Scientists are afraid that if we use too much bio plastic and don't recycle it, it will end up in a land fill.  It is predicted that if we leave bio plastic to biodegrade by itself, it will produce methane gas, which is another greenhouse gas, but worse than carbon dioxide.  Too many greenhouse gasses will lead to a major climate change.


4.) How might these green plastics change packaging practices?
          These green plastics might change the packaging practices by making them less recyclable.  If we make pet bottles out of bio plastic, we wouldn't be able to recycle them, and they will probably produce more carbon dioxide and methane while biodegrading, than they would if we had used regular plastic in the first place.  We would have to devise a whole new recycling system, plus a new symbol for "green" plastics, and use up more crude oil to make extra garbage cans for the new plastic.  Bio plastic might even use up more resources than if we stuck to regular plastic.  Only time will tell for sure, but one thing is certain - bio plastic is a sign that we are trying to take a step in the right direction!

Ultimate Survival Unit Reflection

1.) Reflect on what has helped you in understanding the "big idea" of the unit.
         I thought that the movies in particular helped me to understand the "big idea" of this unit, because they gave many good examples, and good visual aids that really helped me understand what humans are doing. Human Footprint actually counted and gathered everything that we use as humans, and showed each item amount in a variety of different ways. That helped, as well as Food Inc - it actually showed what was going on inside of the factories that produce our meat, and had many interviews with company victims, farmers, and people that were prey of mass food production. Food Inc. and Human Footprint really helped me to understand what humans are doing, how we can help, and how we can maintain the balance between man and the natural environment.

2.) Reflect on the unit question (What is a necessity and how does an organism ensure survival of its species within its environment?) and how it relates to the unit title: Ultimate Survival.
        There are many different ways that organisms ensure the survival of their species. Almost all animals have adaptations that help them to lengthen their lives.  For example, mosquitoes have developed parasitism, a blood sucking proboscis, and light bodies, which help them eat and feed their young.  Tigers in Africa have adapted to the African savanna by growing stripes, which help them to blend in with the tall grasses they hunt prey in.  Some animals will produce two offspring and terminate the weaker one in order to make sure that the strong one will get enough food and pass on it's strong genes to future generations.  Animal adaptations relate to the unit title, "Ultimate Survival," because adapting is ultimate survival.  It's particularly extreme to kill your own child to make sure that the good one lives. 

3.) What would you have liked to do more of?  Less of? 
          I thought that maybe we didn't have to make the owl pellet report such a big deal, or if we did, it would be better to do it all at one time.  We started the lab, but then there was a huge gap of time where we just forgot about it and did other activities.  Then, when we started up with the pellets again, it was all out of our heads, and it was difficult to get back into a rhythm.  It would have been nice to observe something outside, like an insect or some other small creature (not a plant) and take notes on their behavior and see how they ensure the survival of their species.


4.) In your point of view, how well did we investigate the unit question, concept, and area of interaction?  Include this in your reflection as well and give specific examples to support your opinions. 
          I think that there really wasn't anything else we could do to investigate this topic.  We explored the different biomes and ecosystems of the world and the different animal adaptations there, we studied how humans are affecting the planet, we made visuals about different things humans are doing, and the resources we are using up.  We watched a couple of videos about surviving, someone came in and gave a talk, and much, much more.  There's almost nothing left to study about survival. 

Packaging Letter

For our packaging project, I chose cat food, and I later had to write a letter to the cat food company about how they could improve their product. For some reason, I couldn't send it to them by email, but I do have my letter:

Dear Sir or Ma’am from Purina Cat Food Company,
For our science project this quarter, we (everyone in the class) had to pick a normal household item to take apart and examine the packaging. Since we own a cat, I chose to take apart our Purina cat food bag. When I took it apart, I noticed that there were three layers, possibly four. The first layer was the thin plastic touching the cat food, the second was the brown paper, and the third was either colored wax paper or colored paper with a second thin layer of plastic on top.

We also had to list improvements about the packaging we picked. I thought that maybe, instead of having one entire layer devoted to plastic on the inside of the bag, you guys could shrink wrap it so that you wouldn’t waste all that plastic at the top of the bag where there isn’t any food. You could also make the bag a little big smaller and save resources that way, because when I opened my cat food bag, I realized that there is some extra space at the top where there isn’t any food at all, and all you would have to do would be to cut that extra off and use it in the construction of a different bag.

I hope that you will consider my suggestions.
Riena Harker

Reflection:

I think that supply and demand is a big factor in making mass production companies. If we want something, then they'll provide it because it brings in money. If we don't want something, we stop buying it, and companies stop supplying it because it's a waste of money to produce something no one wants to own. Companies use extra packaging to make their products look bigger - worth the amount we pay for them,and to make their products look better than they really are. We see those, and we want to buy them because of all the excess packaging that makes them look so attractive.
I think that our responsibilities as consumers are to make the right choices and demand the right things. What I mean by "right" is products that don't use too much packaging, or companies that treat their livestock decently. "Right" is also companies that are eco-friendly, or donate food/clothing/money to needy charities.
When researching about MY company, Purina, I noticed that, although Purina doesn't really do anything significantly good for the planet, it does do a lot of work for animal welfare. Purina has joined/founded a lot of different organizations such as "Pets for People", "One Hope", "Adopt a Pet", "Delta Society", and more. Most of these societies are to help people and their pets or animals that need homes. I, personally, approve of these actions and am glad we buy from Purina - this is probably what they want me to think, but I'm glad anyway.

Food Inc Reflection

1.) After watching Food Inc, what are your impressions of how science, technology, and society are interrelated?  
          I think that science and technology are combined to create completely new edible foods to release into society.  We use our knowledge of food, the world, and chemicals (science), to create new foods by mixing them together.  The technology comes in, with us finding new ways to create chemicals, new ways to harvest food, new ways to raise animals etc, and using technology to do that.  Once we combine the technology and science, we create incredible edible products that, while we may be able to eat them, are bad for the environment and us.

2.) How did the film describe science & technology as a positive or negative impact on society or the environment?  
          This film describes science as a negative impact on the environment, but a positive impact on society.  When we create new foods, find new ways to raise animals and harvest plant foods, we are harming the environment.  We put more CO2 in the air when we do that, produce more greenhouse gasses, and we actually spread bacteria/viruses like E-coli around the planet.  Science & technology has a positive impact on society, because when we do all the new things listed above, we become faster, produce more, create more jobs, and do a whole bunch of things that are much more economical than if we did everything the old-fashioned way.  The one 'con' of science and technology that affects society is the fact that serious disease can spread into our food.  When we eat that food, we get sick and die.

3.) How do our consumer choices affect what is out on the market and therefore, our own survival?  
          Our consumer choices have a massive affect on what is out on the market.  If we want something out there, then it will be provided.  If we don't want something out there, than it won't be.  If we stop buying a product, that company will either go out of business or decide not to sell that product because it is a waste of time, money, and other resources.  If we want a certain product, a company will notice that demand and start providing it to make more money. 
          We can affect our own survival by making the right choices.  Once we know what is bad for us, what's really behind the label, what's happened to our meat before it's been slaughtered, we can stop buying them.  We can buy organically from farmers that don't support the big companies, prevent E coli from spreading from the mass production of meat, and much much more, just by making healthy choices.  If we stop buying the company will stop making and providing it.


4.) How are we as humans connected to how the Earth is used? 
          We as humans consume so much more of the Earth's resources than other animals.  We probably consume more than all the other animals on the planet use, put together.  We use too much of Earth since we are at the top of the food chain.  We basically control Earth.  That is how we are connected to how Earth is used.  Earth is kind of at our mercy - we can decide what to do with it (use up resources, save the planet, trash it...).  We have to learn how we can live sustainable lives in order to keep Earth healthy.

5.) When do we say no to more high tech devices and go back to what caused the problem in the first place?  Why are we only into the "HOW" and not the "WHY?"
          We are only into the "HOW" and not the "WHY", because some among our number don't believe that the "WHY" is economical.  In the E coli issue, all we have to do is feed our cows grass instead of corn, to prevent it, but NO, we have to find a way to CLEANSE our cows of E coli because grass is expensive.  I think that another reason why companies are into the "HOW" and not the "WHY", is because they are reluctant to get rid of technology.  Maybe they think that the more technology they use, the better.

6.)  What is the difference between natural farming and industrial farming?  Which is better?  Are they both necessary?  
         Natural farming allows the animals to run free, see the light, and basically just grow up naturally.  Industrial farming forces the livestock to live in SUPER close quarters, eat hormones, not really see the light of the sun...you might call it torture.  Industrial farming feeds chickens growing hormones that make them grow twice as big as regular chickens int HALF the time, AND grow bigger breasts because that's what most people like to eat.  Right now, both types of farming are necessary, because there aren't enough farmers that will consent to natural farming to provide enough livestock for the entire country.  If we suddenly got rid of all the industrial farming farmers, a whole bunch of people would probably be forced to become vegetarians. 


7.) If technology and industry have improved so much that we are getting faster, fatter, bigger, and cheaper, how are science and technology involved in our survival? 
           Science and technology may actually be affecting our survival for the worse.  In the States, we are growing fatter, slower, and less fit as people, which is poor for our health.  Even though our factories are bigger, faster, and cheaper, we are not healthier.  Food companies are combining science and technology to produce new, artificial meals.  Everything is getting more convenient – fast food, drive through, frozen pizza, Lunchables, 1 min. oatmeal…and, they’re all super tasty!  The reason why they’re tasty and convenient is because a lot of them are pumped full of unhealthy chemicals or use big, bloated chickens/cows/pigs in them.  We are spreading life-threatening viruses through mass production, and all this is affecting our survival.


8.) What economic costs, environmental costs, ethical costs, health costs, and cultural costs did you observe while watching the film?   

          I observed environmental costs, health costs, cultural costs, and ethical costs while watching the film.  There is a health cost because we’re spreading viruses and making people more obese; there are cultural costs because the 'old ways' of farming are being destroyed; there is an ethical cost, because food production company owners, workers, and farmers have to choose between money and doing the right thing; and there is an environmental cost because of all the bad things food production companies are doing - they're clearing forests to plant corn to feed the animals, they're clearing land to house the animals, and much, much more.  

As a result, Food Inc. opened my eyes to what's really happening to my food helped me decide what I'm going to do about it.

  

Current Events - Flamingos Use Makeup

          A new study shows that flamingos use a type of natural makeup to make themselves look pretty during mating season!  For a long time, scientists have believed that flamingo feather hues are affected by the sun, or stained by organic matter.  However, this theory has been proven wrong by a team of scientists, who noticed that right after chicks stopped hatching, the flamingos began to fade.  Later, the strong pink color comes back during the next mating season. 
          The color of flamingos is produced by carotenoids.  The birds are able to obtain and maintain the pinkness through their diet - carotenoids are absorbed through the algae and crustaceans flamingos eat.  Flamingo feathers naturally contain the pigment compound, but the new discovery is the fact that oil produced near the bird tails also hold much, much more of it.
         Scientists have known for years about this oil, as it is waterproof and helps the feather survive longer.  The flamingos preen the substance into their feathers to help keep themselves healthy.  The researchers have found out that during mating time, the birds clean more than usual.  When the oil gets into their feathers, it enhances the feather colors, making them strong, vibrant, and attractive to mates - after all, the darker the color, the better a mate it will make.

Originally written by: Matt Kaplan
November 10,2010
For more information, go to:http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/11/101110-flamingos-makeup-mating-science-animals/

I thought that this article was very interesting.  I've always thought that flamingos are colorful year-round and that the reason some are more faded than others is because they are old.  I never dreamed that oil could be the secret to being pink!  I was thinking that maybe, using the flamingo oil, we could invent new types of eco-friendly paint, as long as we don't harm the animal itself.  Of course, after watching Food Inc and how the chickens and cows are treated, I wouldn't want this to turn into some huge factory...All in all, this article was an interesting surprise!

Owl Pellet Reflection

6.64% bird, 1.34% shrew, 21.14% mouse, 17.33% vole, and 50.18% rat were eaten by the owls that we investigated.

          Our class calculated all the different types owl prey we have found in owl pellets we dissected about a month ago.  We found out that owls eat rats, birds, shrews, mice, and voles.  The biggest percentage of animals eaten were rats - more than fifty percent!  Above is a pie chart of the different percentages of the animals owls ate that the class has recorded. 
          When ranking the most frequently consumed owl prey, I would say that first comes rat, then vole, then mouse, bird, and lastly, shrew.  I was surprised there, because rats are among the biggest of the prey animals listed above.  I expected smaller shrews, or even mice to be at the top of the list, because they are smaller and easier to catch.  I was wrong, since rats are at the top, and maybe that's because rats are slower and easier to see.
          If a predator expends energy when hunting, and it can either hunt 35 insects (1g each), or 1 vole (35g), it would be much smarter to hunt the vole.  If you have to hunt once, stop and eat, hunt again, stop and eat, it would be like eating a snack every five minutes.  If an owl caught one vole, it would be like eating one dinner.  You wouldn't have to keep on wasting energy getting up, walking to the kitchen, and preparing the snack every time.  It would take up a lot more energy for an owl to hunt for 35 insects rather than 1 vole.
          If the shrew population went into a deep decline, I seriously doubt that it would affect the owl population much.  Only about 1% of an owl's diet consists of shrew.  That's one in a hundred prey animals.  An owl can live without one tiny piece of prey for a day. 

Current Events - Goldfish Sacrifice Their Lives for South Korean Toilets

          According to a certain source, goldfish are sacrificing their lives in order to check the water purity of South Korean toilets.  Note that they are not doing this willingly - the Convention and Exhibition Center is hosting this event and are using the fish to do this.  The goldfish are testing the purity of water released into Korean restrooms.  The testing is very simple: if the goldfish dies, the water is impure, but if the animal lives, the liquid is fit for restroom water.  The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), protest against the South Korean way of protecting the government toilets.  They state that fish can feel pain the same way as dogs, cats, and humans, and that it's just as important to protect them as well as the government.  Picture of goldfish below.

           I think that the South Korean government should NOT be doing this.  It's totally unfair the poor fish, and there is tons of new technology that can determine how clean water is out there.  It is really cruel to hurt animals just to see if bathroom water is sanitary enough!  I agree with the PETA.  There are many better solutions to goldfish on this planet, and we shouldn't be harming creatures that have every right to live as us, to determine something as low as restroom water.  It just isn't fair.

Originally written by: Discovery News employee
Written on: Novemeber 12, 2010
For more information, you can go to: http://news.discovery.com/animals/goldfish-water-purity-g20.html

Human Footprint Reflection

          When thinking about the human footprint, there are a couple of terms that need to be defined - sustainability, human footprint, and ecological footprint.  "Sustainability" is being able to endure, to keep on going.  I think that trees could be an example of a sustainable resource, because we can keep planting them whenever we cut them down and they will go on.  "Human footprint" is the mark that Homo sapiens, as a species, create on planet Earth.  We leave a trail of pollution, trash, and death behind us - our human footprint.  An ecological footprint is what we use to measure the quantity of nature that is allotted to us, and how much we actually consume.  Earth has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with our ecological footprint.  If we use up too many natural resources, global warming will take over, the polar ice caps will melt, many different species of animals will go extinct, islands will be flooded over, hundreds of thousands of things that COULD go wrong WILL go wrong.  Some things that could make a deeper water ecological footprint would be to take too many showers, fill our baths up to their full extent, and use the dishwasher every day.   When we deepen our transportation footprint, we actually are accessing things that we WANT, but don't necessarily NEED.  Some ways that could make our energy footprint bigger would be to leave our phones plugged in all night when they're already full of juice and leaving the lights on when you really don't need to.  We help make our garbage footprint larger by wasting food by throwing it out and not recycling items that can be recycled.  The last category of the ecological footprint, food, can be deepened by always buying packaged foods from distant countries.  When we consume too much, we throw out too much, which means we fill up the land mines and areas of the ocean with trash.  Animals on land and in sea attempt to eat some of that garbage, and either choke or die of poisoning.  That then wrecks the food chain, and a whole lot more animals die because of that.
            I have used both websites to calculate my human footprint, and I got pretty similar answers.  One site told me that if everyone in the world lived like me, we would have to use up 2.3 planet Earths, and the other told me we would have to have 2.4 planet Earths.  I think that my family and I really use up a lot of water by each taking 1 shower a day, running the dishwasher almost every day, and traveling to different continents over the the seasonal breaks.  What we could do to try to lessen our footprint would be to unplug appliances that do not need to be charged.  Sometimes, my mom leaves her laptop charged in for days at a time, and our family ipod is almost always plugged in, even when it's full of juice already.  We could also stop eating meat as much as we do now, and try to eat more locally grown fruits and vegetables.  I thought that my family was pretty eco-friendly, but after I did the surveys, I feel much more humbled about it.
            Reading about global and personal earthly impacts really surprised me.  I never expected that only 1/3200 of the the Photic Zone where there is enough sunlight that breaks through the ocean water to enable photosynthesis to take place.  I thought that most of the ocean was sunny and fertile.  I also feel bad that we humans use about 1/2 of the land on the Earth.  We are only one out of millions and billions of species on the planet.  We use and trash one half of the planet, and leave only half of it for all the rest of the animals that need to survive.  I was also really surprised about the fact that the wealthiest 5% of the world's population eat about 45% of all the meat and fish consumed by humans, use 58% of energy, and own 87% vehicles of the world, while only 5% of fish and meat is eaten, 4% of energy is consumed, and 1% of the world's vehicles are owned, by 20% of the world's least wealthy population.  I never realized that there was so much difference between the wealthy and the poor.
            Watching the video,  "Human Footprint," in class was also a very impacting experience.  I never thought that just one person could consume SO MUCH in their entire life.  Watching all those eggs falling down from that bucket was, I think, the thing that I remember best.  I feel so bad for killing all those chick-to-be's already, and I've only lived 12 years of my life! :(

Current Events - Deformed Bird Beaks Hint at Toxins in Nature

         A beak abnormality in birds such as chickadees located in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska can help scientists find hidden toxins that we didn't know existed outside factories before.  These poor birds are growing beaks at a terribly alarming rate - these beaks not only grow, but they can curve and even cross with each other.  These problems cause the animals feeding problems.

As you can see in this picture I uploaded, chickadees can't open their beaks all the way, which prevents them from cracking seeds and all the other things they need to do to eat.  Beak deformities are very rare in adult birds, and since there are so many of them altered, people can tell that something is wrong.  According to the article, birds only grow weird beaks when exposed to parasites, viral infections, and strange contaminants in the environment.  When a lot of birds are affected with deformed beaks, it proves that something has altered the environment they live in. Sadly, the article didn't state whether or not they have a solution for this problem, so I do not know what is being done to help the poor birds.
       I think that this is very serious.  If the chickadees have trouble eating or mating because of these weird beak problems, that could lead to a large decrease in the amount of local birds.  If the birds are gone, a decrease in the amount of bird predators could follow.  It would be disrupting the food chain, and a lot of animal lives could be lost because of it.  I think that scientists should find out what is causing this, and they should try to solve it.  It's not fair to the birds and to all the other animals that will be affected by a decrease in the bird population of Alaska.

Originally written by: Krist Mahr
Written On: November 8, 2010
For more information, go to: http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2010/11/08/tweaked-beaks-how-bird-deformities-help-flag-undetected-toxins/

Current Events - HARRY POTTER IS KILLING OWL WILDLIFE IN INDIA

          A news article has stated that Harry Potter might be causing decreases of wild owls in India.  According to India's wildlife minister, Jairam Ramesh, when Indian children become fans of Harry Potter, they pressure their parents for Harry Potter paraphernalia.  Since Harry Potter's pet and one of his best friends is his owl, Hedwig, those parents contact illegal animal smugglers (poachers), in order to get other owls for their kids. 

Harry Potter Snowy Owl

          According to another source, thousands of owls are already taken from the wild and killed every year at the Indian festival, Diwali.  This is because superstitious people/worshippers urge their followers to use items such as owl fat, bones, eyeballs, egg shells, skulls, feathers, livers, claws, hearts, and many other organs and owl parts in their rituals.
          If too many owls are killed, the amount of owl prey in India will most definitely increase.  This means that the rabbits, rats, and mice that eat grass and seeds may overpopulate, which could cause a decrease in grass.  This could cause a decrease in the mice and rodent population which, overall, would cause a decrease in other predators such as coyotes and wolves that live on mice and rabbits.
          My personal opinion on this is negative.  I don't think that children and parents need to illegally steal owl in order to satisfy Harry Potter cravings.  Thousands of children that read Harry Potter live without owls, and if a parent will contact a POACHER to get the animals, then they are showing that they are bad parents.  They are spoiling their children, AND setting a bad example to the kids.  Owls are also hard to care for, because they need to be let out periodically for the fresh air, and no one knows if they'll actually come back.

Originally written by:  Jennifer Viegas
Written on: November 5, 2010
For more information on the owl issue, go to: http://news.discovery.com/animals/harry-potter-is-hurting-owls-in-india.html

Current Events - Assassin Bugs Can Eat Spiders!

A new study shows that a type of insect called the "assassin bug" can trick spiders into becoming the opposite of their usual role in nature - prey.  These insects pluck different spider web strings, and these vibrations lure in the spider owners.  Assassin bugs can mimic a tired insect caught in a web almost perfectly!  Once the spider has come near, the killer bug gently taps it while getting in position to attack.  Once in position, it stabs its victim with its proboscis, and can kill the spider within 10 seconds.

Some more studies into this insect show that certain species of assassin bugs may be able to help get rid of a certain parasitic disease.  According to scientists, when tourists visit South America, they get bitten by assassin bugs, and some of those bugs carry parasites in them that spread into the bitten person.  That person can stay healthy for 20-30 years without any sign of symptoms for the disease, and that gives the parasite as much time as it needs to get a good hold on the internal organs of the body.  By studying the behaviors of assassin bugs, maybe we'll be able to tell how the parasites get into them, and prevent that from happening - stopping the disease from spreading to humans and causing thousands of deaths.

Assassin Bug

Some other assassin bugs that eat termites could be used for pest control.  They, instead of luring spiders near, use dead termites to attract live ones near them, in able to get dinner.  We could probably save a lot of pesticides, money, and toxins going into the atmosphere if we used natural ways of getting rid of pests, such as assassin bugs, then the normal bug-killer.

Written by: Jennifer Viegas
Written on: October 27, 2010
For more information, you can go to: http://news.discovery.com/animals/assassin-bugs-spiders.html

I think that it's very interesting that predators such as spiders can be turned into prey.  It's like lions being eaten by cheetahs!  It would be awesome if we could prevent Chagas disease from spreading - we could save SO MANY lives!  Less families will be torn apart, less children will die early, less people will get chronic illnesses!  As long as we don't hurt the assassin bugs in the process, I think that it's a great idea.
I also think that using termite-eating assassin bugs to get rid of termites instead of some sort of toxic termite-killer, we could really help the environment more!  Factories wouldn't have to make as much termite-killer, which would reduce the amount of pollution produced, and then we wouldn't be putting chemicals out into our backyards by using the termite-killer!  Assassin bugs might even be cheaper than chemicals - it would be very economical.
All in all, I thought that this was a very interesting article and I learned a lot.

Current Events - 30 Great Whites Share One Whale

      Around Cape Town, South Africa, more than thirty great white sharks have been spotted - all sharing one 36 ft long Brydes whale.  According to scientists, this whale had been dead before it had been attacked by these voracious predators, and so it was an easy meal.  Right after the whale had been smelled or seen by sharks, they swam right over to gorge themselves, and that attracted more and more.  It took about a week for the sharks to finish the whale, but most of them ate during the first two days of its death.
     It was recorded that the largest sharks, 4 meters long, had more power over the smaller sharks, and so took advantage of their size to get the best, biggest, and tastiest pieces. Some small sharks were sighted with puncture marks on their bodies from bigger sharks - it is believed that they forgot their place and didn't treat the bigger sharks with the proper respect, and so got bitten as reminder to show them where they belonged. 
     Usually, sharks hunt and eat seals that swim around Cape Island.  I watched Shark Week over the summer, and I noticed that sharks almost swallow their prey whole.  They were super fast at eating, and they weren't the pickiest.  According to scientists, since there was so much food, it gave the sharks opportunity to eat side by side with minimum squabbling, and they could become choosy.
   They preferred the blubber from the whale over the flesh.  It appears that they can tell the difference, and blubber is richer and has more calories than flesh, so all in all, it's a good choice.  Some sharks would make a 'test bite' in places that hadn't had the flesh removed so as to make sure there was some blubber there before eating, and others spit out pieces of muscle they accidentally ate.  This was interesting, because it shows why most sharks won't attack humans again after their first bite.  For more information, go to: http://news.discovery.com/animals/great-white-sharks-photographed-eating-36-foot-whale.html

     I thought that this article was very interesting, because I've always thought of sharks as the kind of predators that will fight for every scrap of food - blubber or not.  I think that this is a good survival skill, because instead of wasting their belly-space on non-fattening, less rich, and less nutritional meat, they're getting the maximum amount of vitamins they can.  It's kind of like humans, white bread, and brown bread.  We grow full on white bread, when there isn't very much nutritional value when we could be eating brown bread and getting all the nutrients we can.  Sharks are very smart that way.

Current Events - Native New Zealand Birds Need Deodorant

Currently, just about a week ago, a study of native species of birds from New Zealand shows that body odor is endangering them.  Animals brought to New Zealand from other countries enjoy eating these native birds, and the stink created when they make wax to preen themselves helps predators find them.  Stoats and cats are among the native bird-eaters.  According to scientist, Jim Briskie, kiwi birds emit a mushroom-like odor, while the kakapo parrot smells like an old violin case.  According to Briskie, after a couple years of study, he may be able to design a deodorant for these birds, and prevent them from rapidly disappearing.
I thought that this article was really interesting, because it never occurred to me that birds could be stinky, just like humans!  I think it's a really good idea to try to create deodorant for these birds in order to prevent predators from sniffing them out.  I hope that this 'Jim Briskie' can really find a cure for the stinkiness of these birds, because we already have TOO many extinct species on our hands, and we don't need more.  Also, if many of these birds died, it would greatly impact the food chain in New Zealand, and many more native animals will die from hunger.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/animals/smelly-birds-new-zealand.html

Arctic Reflection

1.) What interactions between these animals did you notice?
     One type of interaction between different species I noticed was predation.  Predators, such as seals and penguins, hunt, catch, and eat prey such as squid, fish, and krill.  Predation is when one organism eats another, and this is essential in the ocean for the well-being of everyone.  If there weren't any seals, the squid, fish, and krill would over-populate.  If there is too much krill, all the algae will get eaten, and a major source of oxygen will be gone.  There needs to be a balance, and so it's really good that there are predators and prey.
      Two more interactions between species I noticed during the presentation were producers and consumers.  Algae was the producer - it provides food, homes for small creatures, and oxygen for the ocean.  Krill were the consumers - they just eat, and eat, and eat algae.  Luckily for the algae, krill are a major source of prey for species all around the ocean, or all the algae would vanish.    

2.) Why do animals migrate?
     Animals migrate to reach places with better functions for what they need to do.  They migrate to places with more food, to areas where it's warmer in winter, and to areas where it's safer to reproduce.  When they move to places that are more convenient for them, it increases their chances of surviving for a longer time.

3.) How do animals know when it's right to reproduce?
     Animals know when it's right to reproduce when they sense that the climate is fairly comfortable and there is a good food supply in the area where they live.  According to the presentation, most species of animals that lay eggs try to reproduce before the climate, and prey amount reaches their peaks.  This strategy for survival is important, because by the time the eggs hatch, the the environment should be in full season, and there is maximum food and good weather.  If the parents waited until everything was the best it's going to be, the chick will hatch when the amount of food is dying down and the air is getting cooler.  When you're looking to survive, it's best to wait.

4.) What adaptations did the animals exhibit in the polar region?
     An adaptation that seals have is blubber.  This is a thick layer of insulation around the body made out of pure fat.  The more blubber a seal has, the better chance it has of surviving.  Seal pups, especially, need to pack on a whole lot of fat.  When they are just born, they are most vulnerable, as they have the least amount of body heat - less mass, smaller size, and less blubber = less body heat and more vulnerability to the cold.
     Another adaptation that animals in the Arctic have are staying together in a group to conserve body heat.  Male emperor penguins stay together in a group during the harsh winter months to protect their eggs while the female emperor penguins travel to the ocean to feed.  The dads huddle together in huge groups, creating a circle of penguin bodies.  They take turns moving to the outside of the circle, where it is most cold, and the inside of the circle, where it is warmest.  In the presentation, Mr. Watts said that it is so warm in the center of the circle that the animals actually have a hard time keeping cool!
     One more adaptation of an animal that lives in the Arctic are jumbo squids' tentacles.  They have hooks attached to them, which helps them to catch prey.  When they grab food, it sticks onto the hooks, and if it tries to escape, it's skin just gets embedded more deeply into the sharp points.  This is a great adaptation, because it increases your chance of filling your belly by a lot!
 
5.) How did this presentation provide examples of what we have been studying?
     This presentation provided examples of what we have been studying, because we are studying survival, and the presentation was basically about survival in the Arctic.  We learned about many different adaptions that help animals survive, such as a thick coatings of blubber, sticking in groups, and growing hooks on tentacles.  We also learned about migrating animals, the interactions between species, which can help them survive, and how animals know when to reproduce.  It was all about surviving in the harsh cold, and the freezing water.

6.) What are you wondering about now?
      Right now, I'm wondering about how when jumbo squid reproduce, what form it comes out in, and where good places are for baby jumbo squid to be born.  I don't think that Mr. Watts mentioned that in his presentation, and it would be really interesting to know.  I think that they probably lay eggs, since it's only mammals that have live young, but there are some interesting cases, such as the platypus, that give birth, and don't lay eggs.  Even if the squids lay eggs, it would be really cool to learn where they lay them.

After looking at other people's blogs, I have learned/remembered more to answer the questions on Ms. M's blog:
  1.) How do they ensure the survival of their species?
     To ensure that at least one baby out of two or more survives, some animals will kill off the weakest of their young.  If there is one strong and big child, it will be more likely to survive and pass on strong, big genes to the following generations.  If the parents let the weaker and smaller baby survive, they will have to split their attention between two animals, and if they can't find enough food for them, both of them will die, both the strong, and the weak.  The weak child is less likely to survive anyway, and if it does, it'll pass on bad genes to the next couple generations, so the parents might as well abandon it anyway, no matter how cruel it seems.

Current Events - Frogs the Size of a Pea

Recently, a new species of frog was discovered in Borneo.  This is the smallest frog in all of Asia, Europe, and Africa, and one of the smallest in the world.  The average adult male measures from 10.6 - 12.8 mm in length.  These frogs were discovered by the edge of a road, and were named after a type of pitcher plant called, nepenthes ampullaria.  The amphibians, officially dubbed, microhyla nepenthicola, depend on the plant to live.  The adults lay their eggs along the inside of the plant, and the baby frogs grow up in the safety of the water that is collected by the pitcher.  100 year old specimens of this newly-found species have been collected and stored in museums, but scientists believed that they were the young of other amphibians.  Now, with this new information, scientists have started to hope that they can gain information with studying them, and then help more and more amphibians to stay alive.

I thought that this article was really interesting, because pitcher plants contain digestive juices in the water that the baby frogs grow up in.  Pitcher plants eat insects.  An insect goes down into the water to get a drink, but they can't get out.  The sides of the pitcher plant are slippery, so the insect can't climb, and it sinks down into watery oblivion.  The digestive juices in the water help break the bug down.  The frogs either must stay at the top if the acids are more dense than water, or they somehow must be immune to the juice.  People have hydrochloric acid in their stomachs, but we're protected by a thick layer of mucus around the inside lining.  The mucus gets eaten away after a couple days, but our bodies produce more and more.  These frogs could have similar mucus around their whole bodies in order to protect themselves from the digestive juices.


Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825094915.htm

Animal Survival Video

I learned a lot about what animals do to survive when we watched that video.  Animals such as hawks develop good eyesight in order to see the tiny movements of mice and moles many feet below.  Some creatures, like foxes, evolve into fast runners, and are able to catch and devour fast runners like rabbits.  Flowers produce pleasant odors and bright colors in order to attract bees and butterflies to pollinate them.  Opossums will play dead when caught.  Some animals have camouflage, which helps them keep hidden from predators and prey.  The puffer fish has it's own method of self-defense.  When it gets caught, it suddenly puffs up, and spikes stick out, an un-appetizing meal.  Different types of insects like the hover-fly, who are really harmless, use mimicry, and look like a more dangerous but like a wasp.  In doing this, they can try to scare enemies away.

During hunting, predators like lions and hawks hunt in groups.  This increases their chance of catching the prey, as one or two can distract while the other comes in from behind to make the kill.  Some animals trick their prey by playing dead---bringing scavengers, which can be eaten when they get close.  The Venus Fly Trap smells awful, like rotting food---which attracts flies, which they can eat.  Some, like the snapping turtle and angler fish attract prey to them with fake bait.

So there are lots of different ways that animals can hide from predators, and predators can trick prey to come closer. I found this awesome video about angler fish, that I watched on our movie, planet Earth-the deep sea, when I was sick, and I found a small piece of it on youtube, so here---I'm going to post it, because it's REALLY COOL!!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXl8F-eIoiM

Living Things and the Environment

1.) What needs are met by an organism's environment?

An organism's environment must provide food, water, shelter, and other necessary things specific to the organism itself. It needs to be able to live, grow, and reproduce in this environment. When the animal lives in a place that does all that for it, then it can be called it's habitat.

2.) What are the two parts of an organism's habitat with which it interacts?

An organism interacts with all the living and non-living things in it's habitat.  The living things in an ecosystem are called, "biotic."  Biotic things can include plants, (such as trees, bushes, grasses, and flowers), animals (deer, frogs, fish, birds...), and worms, mushrooms, and fungi.  The non-living things are referred to as "abiotic."  Abiotic factors include sun, soil, rocks, oxygen, and temperature. 

3.) What are the levels of organization within an ecosystem?

The levels of organization within an ecosystem are:
1. A single organism that belongs to a population of the same species as it.
2. A population is a part of a community with many different species.
3. Communities are places where the different populations of species are close enough to interact with each   other.
4. Ecosystems are when the communities and abiotic factors around it interact.

4.) Why do you find different kinds of organisms in different habitats?

Organisms must interact with each other to live.  For example, we are in a field full of grass and  mice.  Mice eat the grass, but hawks eat the mice.  If there weren't any hawks, the mice would thrive.  They would over-populate, and soon all the grass would be gone.  Without the grass, the mice either migrate to a new place, or die.  Then there isn't really anything left in that field.  There has to be a balance of all things, especially if the food chain is long.  If one species gets too big, then it's like dominoes---everything changes.  That's why there are many different organisms in one place---as well as the fact that predator organisms eat herbivore organisms.

5.) Think about what will soon be happening in Belgrade.  How do animals prepare for such a change?
There are a couple different ways that animals prepare for the cold winter months that are coming soon.  One way is hibernation.  Some animals will eat very much during the spring, summer, and fall months, and then sleep in dens in the winter.  When spring comes, they will wake up, crawl out of their dens, and begin a new year of eating, sleeping, and mating.  By snoozing through the cold, the hibernating creatures use as little energy as possible. 
Another way that animals prepare for winter is by growing an extra thick coat which they shed in the spring.  The thicker fur helps keep them warm as they hunt for food and sleep.  It helps to conserve body heat, which, in turn, helps preserve energy that is in greater demand during the months of cold.

I don't know how to post a video, so here is the URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skYK7Fso-Js

And I found a better one : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXvxCvs9KHc

Living Things

What I know about living things:

1.) They breathe in some way

2.) They need some sort of nutrition

3.) They need water

4.) The need the sun

5.) They use homeostasis

6.) They reproduce


What I want to know:

1.) How many species of sea anemone are there?

2.) How does algae start to grow?

3.)  How many cells does the smallest plant in the world have?

Goals

My science goals are:
1.) To never (almost) forget anything I need to bring to class so I don't have something I might need like a pencil

2.) To remember to do ALL of my homework so I don't lose marks by not doing it