The tragic extinction not only occurred there but other places where humans had set foot
on. Considering over killing might be the ultimate cause of extinction, humans only does
it for purposes and specific objectives. It will not affect their population sizes. The only
plausible explanation to the mass destruction of mega fauna can only be something
incurable and widespread. This is not done by nature but comes to a conclusion that
human were the ultimate creators of these deadly diseases such as the Culex which wiped
out the Hawaiian honeycreeper and the chytrid, which caused the golden toad in Australia
to extinct. These “seeking prey” virus attacked several regions with mega fauna more
prone to the diseases (pathogens) while others were more resistant or host tolerant or that
pathogens had already been present in the region will not be affected. These massive
killings had only left wolves, elk and moose to survive until present. In order to justify
that diseases indeed cause the ‘havoc’, visualizing PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
under which if a pathogen protein is positive in fossil tissues, conclusion could be drawn
that disease was the only logical explanation towards the extinction of the mega fauna.
Reflection
I think Ross MacPhee clearly stated that mega fauna was wiped out not because of their
domination over the skilled hunters (humans) but from the diseases that roomed the
world 100 centuries ago. But there is one thing strange. If there were millions of these
mega creatures that ruled the world long time ago, couldn’t their trace of evidence be
obvious. There were very few sightings of these mega fauna ‘bone yards’ compared to
the numerous sites of the dinosaurs. One will then conclude that the humans were once
savage hunters, brutally killing the mega creatures in mass numbers to gain their
dominance over the land. And that they see killing the only way to ensure their survival.
The ‘remnants’ of the creature may be exploited by these hunters who will then make
into useful tools and weapons which they could hunt again. This does stretch plausibility.
Since hyper lethal disease was the cause, what were introduced to human that made him
capable of introducing new diseases? How all these diseases do came about in the first
place? Who was the actual ultimate creator?
Why Go to Mars?
Summary
For decades, people have talked about manned missions to Mars in search of life that
could answer the biggest question in the world, “is there life out there”? Well, everything
is changed when scientists discovered that water exists in that cold planet and seemingly
approved by the canals observed by The Surveyor last year. So, beginning the greatest
adventure of space exploration, NASA is planning to send humans to Mars and to find
out whether life indeed exists there. Such tremendous mission would require humans to
facilitate and accomplish more quicker than robotics mission, argue by most scientists
as humans would require to only find life in a deeper scale by retrieving critical samples
kilometers down than a few meters which life form mostly, would be destroyed by UV
radiations and hydrogen peroxide. Such objectives would be too much for robotics
mission. But manned mission will cost 10 times more than a robotic mission but the
results we get will be enormous. Studies showed that manned mission requires
approximately 55 billion and that NASA will look deeper into this program. In order to
‘understand’ exactly how the red planet is liked, scientists have begun studying the
Canadian Arctic which has similar geographical features and ‘world’ like Mars. Scientists
will also be trained under its inhospitable climate and perform scientific evaluations. In
the mission, astronauts will be driving in versatile rovers and collecting samples at the
same time.
Reflection
I think that life exists on Mars. It is hard to figure out life would pervade in that harsh
planet but based on I have learnt, I still think life does exists, not only in Mars, but other
satellites of other planets in our solar system. I do not think that if life form or evolution
indeed exists on other places would basically advances itself into intelligence or capable
of asking similar questions as we do. There could be microscopic orgasm which could be
the ‘species’ entire evolution compared to the animals and birds of earth or could there be
life which exists in space alone, in vacuum, we don’t know either. Our solar system is so
huge that we only covered or have learnt a tiny area of it. Like Arthur C. Clarke said in
his story ‘THE GARDEN OF RAMA’, “the entire set of knowledge in the human
domain, everything that any member of the human species had ever learned or
experienced, was no more than a single grain of sand on the great beach representing
everything that had ever been known by all the sentient creatures of the universe”. Life
could be present in many places. If our solar system which was formed from the big bang
would have easily spread its ‘seeds’ which begin evolution in that particularly place and
the ‘seeds’ could also have scattered throughout our solar system and nearby stars. So, I
think space exploration presently is still at its infant state and that there are still so many
things to learn about before we can find life out there in the unknown universe.
Hope in a Vial
Summary
The deadliest virus in earth presently, AIDS have claimed over 3 million lives last year.
Gregg Gonclaves, an AIDS expert has begun his trial in search of AIDS vaccines in his
second scene. HIV (retroviruses) is hard to deal with, invading and mutating at alarming
rate that stuns our immune system before our antibodies could identify the cause. The
first potential vaccine is known to be gp120, a made protein that is absorb by cells that
immobilize the membrane of HIV that cause itself to mutate and ‘breed’. This vaccine
activates our immune system that could attack the virus before they enter in our bloodstream.
The results of this experiment which is being tested in over 10000 people will be announced
at year end. AIDS researchers are confident as gp120 gives an ‘unpleasant’ respond
which cause confusion to HIV without eliciting the immune systems. Still not
encouraging enough as it provide ‘feeble’ protection, a new gp120/canarypox vaccine is
created consisting solely of DNA and HIV gag gene (adenovirus). Cells take in the gene
will produce a more robust response that causes the cytotoxic T cells (white blood cells)
to attack. Studies showed 44% to 67% of people receiving such doses of vaccines have
generated the immune systems. Even though the immune systems have been activated,
antibodies continue to identify the virus or try to attack it which could cause the
adenovirus to perform poorly or will be affected. Researchers will have to find a way to
prevent the antibodies from acting and also to separate our immune systems and
cytotoxic T cells from it. Scientists have classified AIDS dependency ratio into 5 clades
comprising five main places with most number of AIDS patients. Scientists say that
vaccine that work for certain clades could not be use for the other as the virus could be
somehow different. Researchers are beginning to create a vaccine that could work for all
5 clades but side effects are still evident.
Reflection
I still doubt that the vaccines will work by the end of the year. The results shown were
not very confident and risks of side effects are still at stake. I hope that scientists should
conduct more experiment and research deeper before they conclude that they have found
an AIDS vaccine. How could a vaccine that only provides 30% to50% protection be on
sale? There is one in every four African contracting AIDS and that is a staggering
amount. I think that the international AIDS society or what so ever AIDS researching
association are progressing very slowly in terms of their fundamental scientific research
which often yield a negative result. It has been almost 20 years since AIDS was first
discovered and there is still no sign in which AIDS could somehow be stopped. Is the
virus really that difficult to deal with? I think there must be a reason behind why
scientists ‘refuse’ to find a cure to AIDS. It will be a great rescue for the innocents who
contracted AIDS when they were born but also, just think what the world might become
if there is a vaccine or cure to AIDS? There will be immorality everywhere. People will
be into indecency, drugs and sexual ‘play’ which slowly will debilitate humanity. Given
that it could save millions of people around the world, I still wonder whether should an
AIDS vaccine or maybe a miracle that happen which cure AIDS should save the AIDS
patient or be known.
Where Are They?
Summary
Are we alone in this universe? Scientists are certain that over 100 billion stars exist in our
galaxy and 20% of them have orbiting planets. Evolution might be scarce and even if so;
it will inevitably cause the species to become intelligent and asking similar questions as
we do. Enrico Fermi proclaims shouldn’t their existence be seen and where could they
be? These questions have become to known as Fermi Paradox. For decades, SETI (search
for extraterrestrial intelligence) have been trying to detect signals from the nearby stars
but to no avail. Scientists expect at least one obvious ‘detection’ within 1000 light-years
away. Since our galaxy is formed 12 billion years ago, evolution should and must have or
presently pervades. Scientists estimated that civilization abounds for 1000 years or so,
there will be 12 billion civilizations since our galaxy is formed. But shouldn’t their trace
of evidence be obvious? Scientists have come out of four main reasons to justify the
mysteries of ETs. Perhaps space travel for that civilization is infeasible even if they want
to or if so, they wouldn’t wish to travel. It could also be that they are seeking ‘where they
belong’ but have not reached us yet. If there is an advanced intelligent species, it could
have colonized the entire galaxy giving no hope for other evolution to take its place.
Studies showed that if colonizing were to take place under which ‘colonies’ are 10 light-
years apart, establishing itself and sending out colonies takes 400 years, then the entire
galaxy could be colonized in 5 million years. Fermi paradox also presumes that the
sequence of evolution not occurred in a single period of time but as a random of ‘rise and
fall’. Even if evolution does exist, micro orgasm or variety of creatures that formed which
will not advance itself to intelligence as what we seen from dinosaurs is more reasonable
as intelligence species might be extremely scarce. William Whewell proclaims that if
humans are the most advanced species that exists, it will be our destiny to colonize the
galaxy.
Reflection
I think based on the wholesome scientific movies and articles presented; people would
definitely say that we are not alone in this universe. The theories scientists proposed
sounded too easy for an advanced species to colonize the entire galaxy. Even if they are
indeed that advanced, there might still be mysteries and obstacles that they could not
solve. We humans often thought ourselves as the most advanced or supreme species that
had ever lived but is that really true. There are a lot of things ‘in the distant’ that
occasionally pass us by that we do not know. I think that the proposed Fermi paradox had
inevitably suggest that we are indeed the advance species in the galaxy since there are no
other suggestions to prove other possibilities. I think that evidence is something we must
find. It could be given to us in a less significant manner but we have not found it yet. We
need a series of serious studying and expenditure researching to find whether life indeed
pervades the galaxy. Perhaps there are a small number of species in our galaxy living
presently but will vanish in the future? A clear example from our ancestry who had
walked the earth, Dinosaurs. Perhaps we humans will be wiped out in the future like the
dinosaurs but in return will give new evolution of another species? There are still
numerous other suggestions which stretch possibilities. So, I think it is time for scientists
to try new ways and different approach to this epoch.
Solving the Mystery of Insect Flight
Summary
Scientists have finally given some new theories to answer the mysteries of insect flight.
Insects could flap their wings around 60 to 600 times a second but how do they do that?
Research shown that insects have the capabilities to rotate their wings to determine their
flight course and to stay aloft. Such aerodynamics generated by insects are seen under the
experiment drawn by Michael Dickenson that insects actually cut through the air using
what is known to be ‘angle tilting’ to remain flying. The wings cut through the air which
eventually creates an area of low pressure beneath the wings and higher pressure on top.
This result in higher velocity on the wings top and help the insect to stay aloft. Also the
‘edge-vortex’ on the tip and tail of the wings creates a long spiraling whirlpool which in
turn provides pressure and aid in the insect flight. The wings of insect will then reverse
and switch opposite direction and flap once again. Like a tennis ball, the spinning axis of
X creates a stationary axis of Y which allows the ball to fly due to the lower pressure on
the upper spinning part. Scientists have identified the amount of energy created by the
wings of an insect when it rotates and that the energy given off (in an uneven manner)
could somehow help to create pressures which cause the insect to stay afloat. Now,
scientists are beginning a step ahead in using computer generated insect craft under
‘dense fluid’ (sticky air) which they will observe the flight and motions of insects in more
details.
Reflection
After watching numerous documentaries, I finally understood how insects manage to stay
aloft. I am awe-struck by how flying insects could perform such an amazing skills which
equivalently to how we humans could walk. What a wonderful creation that our Mother
Nature had created? I still do not understand how, neither do scientists, that insects can
manage to flip their wings so fast and seemingly be done by its body. We humans would
definitely not capable of walking 300 steps per second. How could anything so small
capable of doing such ‘mechanical prodigy’? Perhaps there is reason behind it. In my
opinion, Mother Nature created all these wonderful things so that we could acquire
information about them and put them into useful form. A clear example can be seen from
bats. We first identify bats having the capabilities to avoid or ‘dodging’ obstacles even in
the pitch black. We later use the skills bats have in creating signals and radio waves
presently. So I think that everything living in this world is constantly giving us humans
something they want to tell. They can’t just exist without a purpose. There must be a
reason behind everything. So I hope that in science, we can hopefully appreciate the
wonders of things that Mother Nature has given us and that we could learn something
valuable and useful from it.
Attacking Anthrax
Summary
Knowing that anthrax, the virus known to be B. anthracis could actually kill humans
when they inhaled the spores of such virus or that the virus had entered from a cut in the
skin which it will then seek its prey, the blood vessel and slowly mutates itself and spread
the main deadly virus to its victim, scientists have come out with a way to fight against
this virus by neutralizing the core protein. Anthrax usually kills by accumulating its virus
in the lymph nodes and entering the blood stream. B. anthracis have three protein which
the first usually binds itself with human cells. Enzymes it produces will cut off the tip of
the protein to allow binding to take place. The tip will join itself to form a ring shaped
heptamer which contains two other proteins which will then be transported to a
compartment known as endosome. In the acidic endosome, the two proteins will be
released and slowly it pierce the membrane of cells and release toxins which cause
confusion to ion distribution in water whereby resulting in the swelling of humans tissue.
Since research have not identify which cell does the protein actually bind itself to,
genetically made sATR (anthrax toxin receptor) will allow themselves to be bind rather
than allowing the virus to bind with the actual cell. Also, another way is to clog the
heptamer by not allowing it to release the two proteins. To do so, randomly constructed
peptides (amino acids) could block the two proteins from activating. Another method
shows that by changing a little of the cells’ ‘image’ which the virus takes copies to
mutate itself could prevent the process from taking place. Scientists are now researching
on making our immune system capable of attacking the virus with a complement to the
sATR. Also, since scientists are not certain about the virus in the lungs, doses of vaccine
(consisting of sATR and other substances) are given at intervals to completely remove
the virus.
Reflection
I still do not know how and when anthrax was created. Sometimes I wonder. Why it is
viruses and diseases always giving us more harm than good? Why is there always new
viruses and diseases been created that eventually, we humans are going to suffer from it?
Is there a point in time which viruses could do us some good? The answer I know is
simple. It is called viruses and diseases because it could only harm or kill us. In a
different way of saying, I mean, why must it be viruses and diseases that will harm or kill
us? What created viruses in the first place? New viruses and diseases are been identified
in fact everyday by scientists but mostly are just micro orgasm that lived. Is it true to say
that we humans created all this harmful viruses? Then that raise other questions. Why are
we humans creating something ‘biological’ that will harm us in return? Why is it viruses
always seeking its victim and the most surprising part is, how does the viruses know what
and which area in the body and how to attack in a so professionally way that we humans
have trouble obtaining and stopping the ‘perusal’ of its trail? Perhaps there are no reasons
behind all this ‘creation’ and we have to live with it. Perhaps such things are meant to
live with us and we have to find solution to solve it? Anything is possible.
The Serious Search for an Anti-Aging Pill
Summary
Researchers are trying to find a pill that will not allow people to go hungry but enjoying
the food and also prolonging good health. This sound like a miracle but research is
showing that calorie-restriction (CR) could somehow be the key to prolonging life and a
youthful complexion. Such CR has been tested in small animals and it has proved useful.
Scientists are confident that if it works for rodents, it could work for humans as well.
Calorie-restriction scheme is targeted during ‘metabolism’ whereby food is taken in and
processes into fuel that the body uses as energy. During metabolism, carbohydrates are
broken down into what is known as ATP, adenosine triphosphate which provides energy
for cellular activities. Researchers want to find a way which the ATR will ‘fool’ the
human cell into preserving and repairing rather than to ‘exhaust’ itself which will tend to
weaken and consequences are, aging. The 2DG (2-deoxy-D-glucose) which reduces the
amount of insulin secretion, the main cause to heart diseases and other chronic diseases
have been prove useful. 2DG could also increase certain hormones that basically retain a
youthful appearance and figure when the amount of ATP is sufficient to maintain such a
job. Since ATP is constantly in creation when glucose is broken down, doses of 2DG is
the only anti-aging pill. 2DG could also maximize a person life span, reduce risks of
heart failure and most importantly, it does not allow people to go hungry. But such a
perfect pill also raises other problems. Research shown that it becomes a toxin in
animal’s body when given over long period. Scientists will look into this matter carefully.
Reflection
Finally there is hope for people who wants to live longer or wants a younger appearance.
I think that an anti-aging pill should work and that we will not need to worry about the
fact that we all will be living longer. But studies still show that just CR treatment is still
prone to unexpected problems as research is still shallow among the possibilities. In my
opinion, I think the most important factor in prolonging life and a youthful appearance is
to eat healthily and exercise regularly. A lot of people, despite the endless posters and
advertisements that show that these are the only way to obtain what they really want, the
problems are ‘that is what the people don’t really want’. How could you live long without
a healthy heart and soul? One must really observe his meals which count the days he will
live. We can’t just rely on a miracle pill that will serve to give us what we deeply want.
In my opinion, ‘disciplinary restrictions’ and perseverance are the only way to keep our
desired appearance and figure in shape. Most would think we live to eat. We don’t eat for
a nice figure nor do we eat unhealthily for a long life. So I think that one must be willing
to sacrifice for what he wants.
The Social Psychology of Modern Slavery
Summary
When one talks about slavery, it is obvious to him that consequences are, the pain had
been unbearable. Studies shown that numerous factors have contributed to modern
slavery and why does it persist until today? In Africa and Asia having the highest number
of slaves, researchers have begun finding answer and seeking actual victims (slaves) to
have their painful stories told. In certain areas, enslaving has been like a tradition that the
people feel a necessity to discipline and to feed their people. Many Africans have been
enslaved basically to repay their debts that have been accumulated for years and until
they could repay it, children as young as five are captured and forced to work under harsh
and undesirable condition and frequent assaults and violence by the slave master. Large
numbers are also ‘imported’ from certain countries which first said to provide
opportunities and career prospective but deceived they had and forced into ‘sweat shops’
or brothel. Such inhumane act has been the highlight of social science and that
researchers said that governments and slaves master are concealing what they are doing.
Slaves that are free often resolve themselves into suicide or uneven emotional behavior as
we couldn’t feel what the slaves have gone through all these years. Sex slavery and ‘dark
factory’ are still the prime dominant caused. Researchers have tried to explain the
persistent of such a controversial act but the results and information they gotten are not
that appealing.
Reflection
I think that enslaving a person in forcing him to do something he did not want to but to
‘please’ and to appease your satisfaction is the worst thing a human being can do. I have
judge humans having the same status regarding their background, race, religion, looks
and age. Often at night, I yearn for the children that are much less fortunate than me that
they could be safe and happy. Sometimes, we people have to realize the fact that how
fortunate we are and are we doing our job and part for our ‘neglected’ brothers and sisters
who gravely need our constant help and care? Isn’t the world a place for united
brotherhood that will never let someone to suffer as much as they want you to suffer?
Many people think ‘it is none of my businesses’ and skin colour and discrimination still
play the vital role which halt a united nation instantly. I am too young to make something
dramatic but to say something which I feel is right. Each human being in this world has
his/her own rights and that none of us could take those rights away. Why must we human
seem supreme or having higher status over those poor or ‘they deserve to be in such a
state’? I understand why it is so difficult and possibly impossible for world peace to
conceive and to archive a total harmony. Each of us has a heart to play a part. Let us hope
that regarding whatever the cause, slavery will not exist on this planet again.