Underground Parks are on their way!

Plans for an underground park in New York City have been introduced, this proposed park would convert an old trolley station into a public park for residents to escape the busy atmosphere of the city above. The plans propose a series of reflective arches to capture sunlight and fiber optic cables to then direct the sunlight down below to the park for the plants that will be growing. Inspired by the already existing park above the city called the Highline, made out of an abandoned stretch of railway, this new park will be called the "Lowline". Similar to many other scientific revalations, this project will not be coming cheap, for the " Lowline" to become a reality $60 million will be needed. Most of that money will be attained through private investors and groups. If this money can be raised in time construction is due to begin in 2019.

1. Summary: NASA launched spacecraft, Orion aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket. Orion's purpose was to test what may happen when NASA sends astronauts to asteroids and eventually, Mars. 
2. Personal Reflection: As a child, outer space has been an interest of mine. I like the thought of being in outer space. I wonder what NASA's definition of "deep space" is because that is where they plan to go. 
3. APA Citation:

NASA. (2014, December 5). Successful launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft heralds first step on journey to Mars. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 8, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141205142327.htm

The Dangers of Obesity

        This article expresses the stress obesity puts on your body. Obesity can shorten your life expectancy by 8 years. The h Institute of the McGill University Health Cent and the University of McGill also found that if weight was gained at a younger age the more harm there are more risks of developing different conditions and or dying earlier then someone who lived a healthier life. This article also goes over the different ailments you can get from being over weight. This article was very interesting because It stresses how important it is to have a healthy life style.

McGill University Health Centre. (n.d.). Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years. Science Daily. Retrieved from Science Daily database.

Researchers based in Australia have transferred over 40% of the suns solar cells into electricity to power the grid.

Researchers based in Australia have transferred over 40% of the suns solar cells into electricity to power the grid. "This is the highest efficiency ever reported for sunlight conversion into electricity," UNSW Scintilla Professor and Director of the Advanced Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) Professor Martin Green said. The 40% is an achievement that has been waiting a life long. "The new results are based on the use of focused sunlight, and are particularly relevant to photovoltaic power towers being developed in Australia," Professor Green said.

I choose this article because I feel that we should be greener. I think that we should be greener with our energy because solar energy is safer. If you look back in history you can see multiple examples of nuclear energy plants leaking nuclear activity or worse.

University of New South Wales. (2014, December 7). In world first, researchers convert sunlight to electricity with over 40 percent efficiency. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 8, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141207091648.htm

Researchers create a 3D haptic image that can be felt

Researchers have just recently developed a new and brilliant advancement in the field of haptics (otherwise known as touch feedback). They have created, through the use of ultrasound, a device that can project a tangible 3D object that can actually be felt. The device works by focusing ultrasound onto the subject's hand causing vibrations which can then be felt. In addition to this, by focusing the chaotic patterns of the ultrasound, the air disturbances caused can be seen as floating 3D shapes. This technology could lead to the development of many other amazing developments in the future and could change the way we view and feel the world.

This technology, I feel, is a huge advancement for us and our lifestyle as humans, and could be of great use in many different fields. What I love about this discovery is that could practically be used for anything imaginable. This invention could create the future that every futuristic Hollywood movie envisions. The benefits of 3D haptics to fields such as surgery and engineering would be absolutely astronomical.

Works Cited

University of Bristol. (2014, December 2). See it, touch it, feel it: Researchers use ultrasound to make invisible 3-D haptic shape that can be seen and felt. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141202123846.htm

How Brain Cues May Affect Memory

A new study from the UT Dallas Center for Vital Longevity has shown that the brain activity prior to seeing an item is related to how well it is later remembered. In addition, the researchers found that the activity in different areas of the brain is also related to how the information was remembered. Dr. Richard Addante, a senior lecturer in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and lead author of the paper, says that a way to help improve memory is by knowing the factors that make memory worse and the factors that make it better. For the experiment, the participants decided which of two words or pictures would fit inside the other, and functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to look at the participants' brains. Before the participants did this, however, and "X" would show up if the items would be presented as words or an "O" if the items would be presented as pictures. 20 minutes after each participant did his or her experiment, they were tested to see how well they remembered the pairs of items. The experiment concluded that the brain activity prior to seeing an item is related to how well it is later remembered, and that the activity in different areas of the brain is also related to how the information was remembered. I chose to use this article because I am interesting in how the brain works and especially how it affects memory. I liked how the researchers did not only find that brain activity prior to seeing an item is related to how well it is later remembered, but that they also found that the activity in different areas of the brain is also related to how the information was remembered.

University of Texas at Dallas. (2014, December 3). Brain study uncovers new clues on how cues may affect memory. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 7, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141203084059.htm

Religion, Science, and Morality

Summary of "Print: atheism's poster boy Sam Harris on the science of morality" by Olivia Koski

In this article, Sam Harris, one of atheism's four "horsemen", is interviewed about his new book, The Moral Landscape. In it, he discusses religion's view of science and how one can be moral without religion. He emphasizes that morality that is science based is about caring and doing what is best for others, and that one will do something that will only benefit everyone as a whole. Although many will  claim that religion helps others behave morally, Harris argues that religion can give people bad reasons to to good things. For example, donating to stop world hunger because it will get you into heaven is morally wrong compared to donating to actually help those in need. Many think that atheists are inherently immoral because of their lack of religion, but Harris says that religion is "the wrong software" for making decisions that affect human well-being as a whole.

I think this article is especially interesting because the application of science to our daily lives is not exactly what many people think of when they think about science. Also, Harris points out that science transcends borders and the research is universal. Another more controversial topic he discusses that is very relevant in students' lives today is the idea that scientists cannot be religious without being hypocritical, frankly. So, Harris criticizes scientists who try to form connections between the two, and I personally find it difficult to imagine how someone can analyze data and evidence all day, then come home and completely ignore the evidence, rather lack thereof, and return to religion.

References

Koski, O. (2010, November 29). Print: atheism’s poster boy Sam Harris on the 

     science of morality. Wired. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2010/11/      pl_print_harris/ 

Cancer Detection? "There's an App for That"

Recently, researchers have been developing a smartphone app programed to detect leukemia. PhD student Worawut Srisukkham of Northumbria University is the mastermind behind this project. His idea works by using a microscope lens that attaches to the smart phone. By taking a photo of a blood slide, the app would then be able to detect if it is cancerous. This would allow testing to be more accessible to people who would typically not be able to recieve this benefit. Srisukkham's goal is that this app will be a huge benefit to society, and preventing many unnecessary deaths.

Personally, I find this article extremely interesting. I chose this article because of the fact that technology is being advanced so far that we would be able to detect cancer from a cell phone. I wonder where this app will bring medical technology in the future. It is truly brilliant.

Northumbria University. (2014, April 22). 'Blood lab' inside a mobile phone could detect cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 7, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140422084734.htm

How early trauma influences behavior

The article states that, while scientists have been noticing that trauma in parents can show a negative affect in children's behavior, there isn't much science to explain it on a molecular level. The university of Zurich and ETH Zurich tested mice for any beneficial effects of stress through generations. Baby mice were taken away from their parents at irregular and frequent times. The researchers recorded how the baby mice then handled complex and stressful situations once they grew up. The scientists also watched the mice's offspring as they matured. I found this article to be interesting because it digs into psychology, a topic I am very interested in. Whenever I hear stress, I immediately associate it with negative things, so I thought it would be informative to read about how early stress might affect the brain positively. how are

ETH Zurich. (2014, December 1). How early trauma influences behavior. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 7, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141201125158.htm

Are monkeys smarter than humans? In most ways no, but a new Yale study did indicate monkeys don't associate the quality of an object with the price of that object. The Yale students knew from a previous experiment that humans do see things with higher prices as better than things with lower prices. The experiment had monkeys purchasing things in a fake store to see if they choose the more expensive objects more. The monkeys did not chose the more expensive items.

I have to admit, As I was going through Science Daily I found articles with a lot more significance to society than this one has. For some reason, this article stood out among all of those. The title itself, "Unlike people, monkeys aren't fooled by expensive brands", made me ask a lot of questions. For example, I had to wonder, is this article saying monkeys are smarter than humans. as I finished reading the article I learned that, no, this article was not trying to say humans are not as smart as monkeys. The article was only talking about how monkeys might be able to judge products better with out basing the  quality of the object on the price. While reading, I thought to myself if a higher price makes a product seem of a higher quality. To me and I'm sure many other people it does, but if monkeys can choose products not based on price why can't humans. If humans could make decisions on what to buy with price out of the equation what would happen to our economy , and what brands would still even exist because I am sure there are many brands that depend largely on the income from their more high priced items that many consumers buy just because the price tag makes the items seem better to them.

Smoking and higher mortality in men

This article is about men who smoke. Only men have Y chromosomes and if they loose that chromosome they have a higher risk of getting cancer. Smoking can make them loose the Y chromosome. It also explains why women tend to live a little longer than men. I chose this article because I thought it looked very interesting, which it was. I wonder if you are a male and do not smoke if it is still possible for you to loose your Y chromosome.

Uppsala University. (2014, December 4). Smoking and higher mortality in men. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141204142623.htm

Electric Eels

Eels are capable of sending electric shock at around the same power of a tazer, but before know scientists never knew how this mechanism worked. A nine month study at Vanderbilt University recently revealed that eels are very fast; They can strike and kill prey in a tenth of a second. The study also revealed that eels have three different types of electric discharges. One is a low voltage discharge used by the eels to sense their environment. The second discharge is two or three short high volts, and the third is a bunch of high-voltage and high-frequency pulses used in self defense or when hunting prey. I find this article very interesting because I have seen electric eels before and wondered how they work. When I read this article I finally understood the mechanisms behind an eels shock.


Vanderbilt University. (2014, December 4). Electric eels deliver taser-like shocks. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 7, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141204140610.htm

The Effects of the Keystone Pipeline Will Destroy Our Environment

A major decision has been pressed upon the House of Representatives for the past three years, the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. Funded by oil company TransCanada, the Keystone Pipeline is intended to journey 2,000 miles from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of Texas. If and when construction is completed, the pipeline will cut through the middle of the United States, pump thousands of gallons of tar sands oil down to refineries in the coast everyday, and lay waste to the natural habitats and ecosystems along the way. The oil being transported is known as tar sands oil, which is a combination of natural minerals and oil rich elements. Tar sands oils not only have the potential to cause permanent damage to water supplies in the case of a spill; but also, tar sands oil release higher emissions of toxic sulfur and nitrous oxide. In other words, refineries in Texas will be pumping out more chemicals that can cause acid rain, contribute to smog, and increase asthma. The Keystone Pipeline also has the potential to clear away vast forests. The majority of tar sands oil are set deep under an untouched and preserved forest and lake in Alberta, home to many endangered species of caribou. The sudden drilling could poison water in the area and displace various species of wildlife.

The Keystone Pipeline XL has been approved by congress. Construction has already begun. The pipeline will provide thousands of temporary jobs and make the cost of gasoline go down. But the environment of North America will pay the ultimate price.

Keystone XL pipeline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2014, from Friends of the      Earth website: http://www.foe.org/projects/climate-and-energy/tar-sands/      keystone-xl-pipeline 

Summary of "Commuting linked to lower life satisfaction"

A recent study shows that people who spend more time getting to and from their workplaces will be less content and satisfied than people who have a shorter commute. In this study, researchers from the Canadian Index of Wellbeing saw that long commutes were linked with obesity, hypertension, low energy, and illness related work absences. However, more than these problems just being caused by clogged traffic, they found something even more direct that affected happiness; physical activity. They learned that workers who had time for physical activity had "higher life satisfaction" (Hilbrecht). These scientists hoped that their findings would show others that it's better to try to live healthier and more active lives.
I found this article interesting, because I know so many people who have a very long commute from their workplace/school place to their home. I think these people would be much happier if they didn't have to make such a long commute, and I definitely agree with the scientists that people getting at least a moderate amount of exercise will be happier than sedentary people. This is a great article and it's topics are very relevant in today's average lifestyle.

Sources

University of Waterloo. (2014, December 3). Commuting linked to lower life satisfaction. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141203142638.htm

Is love linked to oversensitivity?

          Oxytocin is a hormone released when people bond. Because of this, it is sometimes prescribed to people with autism and schizophrenia to help ameliorate their lack of social success. However, studies have shown that this could have a serious drawback; oxytocin generates oversensitivity to others' emotions. For example, if a teacher were to scowl because she's having a bad day, a student taking oxtocin supplements could misinterpret their look as a sign of disapproval of their work.
          I found this intriguing because when I have felt socially successful or have strong feelings for someone, I tend to be much more aware and attentive to facial expressions. I think this is because when people feel more connected to their peers, they feel that they have more to lose. Therefore, they fear losing that social acceptance and tend to overanalyze.

Work Cited 

Concordia University. (2014, January 22). 'Love hormone' oxytocin carries unexpected side effect. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140122112626.htm

Smoking and Higher Mortality in Men

Obesity during and after pregnancy can lead to infant mortality. Researchers based in Sweden and the USA stated that underweight women have a BMI (body mass index) 18.4 or less, average women have 18.5-25.9, and overweight is 25-29.9. There was a total of 5,428 infant deaths during a study in 1992-2010. A lot of infants also die from infections and sudden infant death syndrome. I chose this topic, because I enjoy learning about children's health.

BMJ-British Medical Journal. "Overweight and obesity in pregnancy linked to greater risk of infant death." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 December 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141203084257.htm>.

The Correlation Between Diseases and Tongues

This article discusses how different appearances and characteristics of the tongue can help doctors find diseases without using expensive equipment. For example, scientist would observe "black discoloration"and be able to tell if the patient has been on antibiotics for too long, or they would be able to tell if an HIV patient has fungal overgrowth just by observing the tongue. I enjoyed reading this article and I believe that being able to identify an illness that somebody has just by looking at the tongue could be quite helpful in third world countries where medical supplies are scarce. If more research is done on this topic until doctors have a wide database of potential diseases that can be found by looking at the tongue, then millions of lives will be affected for the better.

Work Cited

Inderscience Publishers. (2014, December 5). Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141205113934.htm

Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years

Summary: A new study has concluded that being obese can shorten a persons life span by as much as 8 years. Diabetes and many types of heart diseases can be developed much earlier than most. This was found in a study conducted by McGill university. When talking about how long a person is going live, obesity is closely related to smoking.

What I Thought: For me, it is extremely difficult to find an interesting article that I understand. This one caught my eye because it has some of real life applications. I thought that obesity only impaired a person ability to move, but there is much more. After reading this article, I realize how serious obesity is, and how important it is to fight it.

McGill University Health Centre. "Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 December 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141205094845.htm>.

Living Tasers

     This article is about the new information gathered that proves the shock of an eel can feel like a taser shock. We have known about electric fish for thousands of years, but this is the first time that scientists have specifically studied the way that eel shocks feel. A taser works by manipulating and overtaking the nerves in the body. This is the same sensation that comes from the eel's shock. In order to test the way that this type of eel shocks it's pray, scientists use a saline solution and inject an agitation into the eel to produce a response. The over all reaction from the scientists was amazement in learning the ins and outs of how eels take their prey.
     I loved getting to immerse myself in a fountain of knowledge while reading this article. Knowing all the new was that we, as humans, learn about the world around us is astounding and intriguing to me.    

Vanderbilt University. (2014, December 4). Electric eels deliver taser-like shocks.ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141204140610.htm

Wacky Utensils That Bring Flavor Back for People Who Can’t Eat

Harlan

Some people cannot eat or drink normally. Their tongues are missing out on the opportunity to meet new flavorful friends. The solution? Wacky Utensils. Dutch designer Louise Knoppert came up with these interesting little nick knacks that allow those who don't feed normally to enjoy the wonders of taste. This invention has brought another wonder of life back into the sick person's life.

I think the whole invention is absolutely brilliant, not to mention the design is adorable. I think this concept could be used in so many more ways than just for people who can't eat properly though. I think, if more research was invested, this sort of thing could be used in treatment for drug addiction or for psychological uses. Help in recovery for mental illness. Taste is a powerful thing and I think this little revolution could be the start of something much greater.

Stenson, L. (2014, December 5). Wacky Utensils That Bring Flavor Back for People 
     Who Can’t Eat. Retrieved from wired.com website: http://www.wired.com/2014/ 
     12/wacky-utensils-bring-flavor-back-people-cant-eat/#slide-id-1669201 

Summary of: “Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years”

Summary of: “Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years”

The research at Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University produced startling data. They found that a very obese person could have 8 years taken from their life. An obese person could have 6 years less of life, and an overweight person could have 3 years taken off of their life. They will also loose two to four times more healthy life years then someone with a healthy BMI. Dr. Grover said the information needs to be more applicable to patients in order for it be effective.  “What may be interesting for patients are the ‘what is?’ questions. What is they loose 10 to 15 pounds”. 

            I choose this article because obesity is a big problem in America and we need more effective ways to tell people just how dangerous it is. I think that Dr. Grover and his team are on the right track to finding solutions to this problem. I did not know just how much obesity takes away from you until I read this article. I wonder if this research will be able to make a change in the number of obese people in America.

Work Cited:

McGill University Health Centre. (2014, December 5). Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141205094845.htm