Evolution Unit

New Technologies Challenge Old Ideas About Early Hominid Diets

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013141849.htm

In the artical posted above, it talks about how new technology is shedding new light on evolution. More specifically the dietary habits of early humanoids and how it has challenged some long time theories of what these ancestors use to eat. With the latest technology, scientists have been able to get samples of stable isotopes of carbon from the teeth of ancient humanoid skulls. With these isotopes of carbon they were able to determin if the food was using different photosynthetic pathways that convert sunlight to energy. And from what we learned from a few units ago, this would mean vegitation. This is exactly what the scientist discoverd, this pointed to the consumption of  grass. Why is this new news to scientist? Because for a long time they would have soley based the dietary habbits of anciestors on the physical features of there skull. Just because they had giant jaw didnt necessarily ment they were able to crack open nuts, if they even ate nuts at all! This relates to the unit we took in class due to the links of evolution that is so apparnt. (That, and I googled searched "news on evolution") The one thing from this artical that I posted above is that its not just humans and animals that are evolving, but that technology and science are evolving as well. And the more that it evolves the more knowledge on past evolution is revealed to us. Lets just hope technology and science evolves a lot faster so I can be preserved in a robot suit.

SPECIAL EDITION: Reproduction Project

Did you ever wanted to take the oppertunity to dabble in black arts an eclectic collection of interesting topics in the world of procreation? Of course you do! Who wouldn't?! Now as a child you might have had parents who gave you "the talk" or if not, heard stories on the playground with your mouth gasped in utter terror and disbelief. These tales of "when two people love eachother very much...." really only scratches the surface of your knowledge on reproduction. So where does one start to learn about the vast truths about this subject that goes beyond naughty videos and walking in on your parents, scarring you for life (for the record, never happend to me....thank the good lord.) Well you can start to look at what kind of types of reproduction there is.

First lets take a look at Sexual Reproduction.

Sexual reproduction is involving the combination of the female ovum and the male spermatozoom to form a zygote that can develop into an offspring. I bet thats not how your parents worded it or how the kids on the playground talked. Now sexual reproduction carries some advantages (besides the obvious *wink wink nudge nudge*) and these include genetic variations that have the ability to adapt over time, and also a mixture of traits. Now there is also disadvantages to counter point the advantages so dont start celebrating yet. The disadvantages include few offspring being produced at a time, not very fast, energy is used to find a suitable mate and there can also be mutation (yikes!)

Well if your in the market to reproduce and are feeling a little iffy on this whole sexual reproduction thing, well youre in luck! There is an alternative called Asexual Reproduction. Now this is a form of reproduction which requires the need of only one parent. Also there is no need for fertilization or the exchange of genetic material. But this too also carries advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include not having to look for a mate and the production of numerous offspring, which is not costing energy or much time to produce. The down side or "disadvantages" would be the lack of genetic variation. This lack of variations could lead to some serious weaknesses in adapting and surviving to change.

So in short, to contract  contrast sexual and asexual reproduction, you just need to remember this: Sexual reproduction needs two partners who produce offspring genetically diffrent from the parents while asexual does not need a mate and produces genetically identical offspring.

Pretty interesting stuff huh? Bet you learned a lot more then you did back on the playground. Hey! Where are you going?! WERE NOT DONE YET! COME BACK HERE!!! What, you thought that was the end? *tisk tisk tisk* Nope! We still have to examine external and internal fertilization. So sit back, relax and listen to the "Tale of Two Fertilizations" (which was created loooong before Charles Dickens was ever born.) Once upon a time there was external fertilization, which occured mainly in wet, damp places and requires both sexes to release gametes into there enviroment. It lived in harmony with its best friend, Internal fertilization. They got along so well due to the fact that internal fertilization had its own method of reproducing. It would develope an egg, for example reptiles and birds secrete eggs while mammals develope the egg inside of the mother. But one day there friendship was torn apart! It was dark and storming out when the great wizard....[story missing]...and they all lived happily ever after. The end.

Well I hope you enjoyed the story and learned a few things about external and internal fertilization. Such as how the two are alike. This would include both producing offspring and both using an egg form. Now how are they different? Well the location of the egg is a major diffrence, for example using external method, female salmon depost eggs in a place in the water and the male swims by to fertilize them. In internal there is either and egg inside of the stomch of the mother or is laid by a bird or reptile and continues to develope. Another difference is the nnumber of offspring that is produce.

BEHOLD! THE AMNIOTIOTIC EGG!

(this a labelled diagram that would be sufficient. Best 5/5 marks I'v ever got! Right Wanda? Riiiiight?)

ALSO BEHOLD THE GREAT UTERUS OF A PREGNANT MAMMAL!

Dont all rush the stage at once now.

(This mammal is a human being in case you wern't sure.)

As you can see from these amazing and breathtaking diagrams above, there are some similarities. One of these similarities is the closed sac between the embryo and the amnion, this is called the amniotic sac (shocking I know). They also both contain amnionic fluid. This also means they both have amniom and both have chorion. And the only diffrence that you need to be aware of is that an egg contains yolk. This is vital to making Eggnog. 

BEHOLD! EGGNOG!

(Eggnog, or Egg Nog, uses appx. 12 egg yolks)



Genetics Unit

DNA testing used to make pet owners scoop poop
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/dna-testing-to-make-pet-owners-scoop-poop-20110626

Do you have a dog? Possibly. Does your dog poop? Deffinitly. Do you live in a New Hampshire apartment complex? Probably not. But incase you do, you might want to think twice about having a pooch in your place. The acompaning artical and video (linked above) discribes said apartment block as to now having all dog owners submit a DNA sample of there dog, if there dog goes number two outside and you dont pick it up, DNA is tested on the canines doo-doo and traced back to its owner. Once you and your man's best friend have been found out (assuming it was you, not saying it is...) you will be charged with the 60 dollar fee and a warning. Second time you will be evicted and cursing DNA for the rest of your natural life (or at least till you move into a new place.)
This gets me to thinking about how testing DNA can either get you accused or save you from certain doom, and I'm not just talking about scooping dog waist either. There has been several counts of court cases either confirming the accused guilty or not guilty from DNA tests. Leaving DNA at a crime scene (strand of hair, flake of skin, yes even dog turds) can all be tested and matched to the perpatrator. So what I'm taking away from this is to just not do anthing bad (or at least clean up after really good)
In conclusion due to genetics and DNA testing I will not be living in an apartment with a dog any time soon.