Week 5 - Frogs Hear Through Mouth: A Possible Impact on Human Hearing?

When learning about reptiles and specifically dissecting a frog, we learned that, unlike humans, frogs have no middle ear.  Well, without a middle ear, how does sound get transported to the inner ear so the frog can hear?

In order to figure that question out, several scientists created an experiment.  "To establish whether these frogs actually use sound for communicating with each other, the scientists set up loudspeakers in their natural habitat and broadcasted pre-recorded frog songs. This caused males present in the rainforest to answer, proving that they were able to hear the sound from the loudspeakers" (ScienceDaily).

After establishing that frogs could actually hear, many other tests confirmed that frogs hear sounds through their head with the mouth acting as the transporter.  Scientists currently believe this is possible due to adaptations of the frogs' tissue between its mouth and head.  Throughout history, they believe that the frogs' tissue eventually got thinner and thinner which has allowed them to hear through it.

After hearing about this discovery and the facts supporting it, do you think this will happen to other animals over time?  Explain your answer.  Also, if so, give examples of which animals you think this type of adaptation can occur in. 

Finally, there is no doubt that humans are always trying to invent new technology, improve health in many ways, etc.  Do you think that this discovery in frogs will impact human hearing in the future?  For example, do you believe that humans that can't hear may have surgery done to thin the tissue in their head?  Would this work?  Conduct some research to support your opinions and be sure to include these researched facts in your post.


Frogs Hear With Their Mouth: Click Here to Read

Week 4 - Dog's Mouth vs. Human's Mouth: Which is Cleaner?

This week we will be discussing the myth that has been around for centuries...a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's.  Although this myth has seemed to withstand the test of time...is there now evidence that will bust this myth?  The answer is yes!  Throughout our classes, we study bacteria, the different shapes it comes in, as well as the effects it can possibly have on living things.  At this same time, we have also been learning that our bodies need bacteria in order to survive.  Although some bacteria are bad, there are good/helpful bacteria that our bodies need, too.  Well, just like we need bacteria, so do our dogs.

In fact, the bacteria humans contain are completely different from that of a dog.  Therefore, according to the article below, scientific research has concluded that comparing the cleanliness of a dog's mouth to a human's mouth is just like comparing apples and oranges.  "Although there’s a vast overlap of bacteria in the mouths of both species, Harvey considers the question of which one is cleaner to be irrelevant because a) both are teeming with microbes, and b) in many cases, a dog’s dental bacteria differ from their human counterparts" (Jiang, 2012).

In addition, "One of the rumors related to the cleanliness of a dog’s mouth is the idea that human bites are more infectious than dog bites. However, this too doesn’t hold up to scrutiny...the danger of both human and dog bites depends on the kinds of bacteria in the mouth and the depth of the wound" (Jiang, 2012).  Therefore, do you believe this evidence will finally put this myth to rest?  Why or why not?

Now that we have this myth "busted", the article below mentions several interesting types of bacteria.  For example, Porphyromonas is a family of rod-shaped bacteria known for causing gum disease.  What is the scientific shape of this bacteria?  Research another type of bacteria, whether from humans or dogs, and describe the shape, cause, and side effects it may have.

Is a Dog's Mouth Cleaner Than a Human's?: Click Here to Find Out

Week 3 - Periodic Table: Will Changes Affect the World?

With our atom model projects coming up soon, I thought it would be extremely interesting to discuss the news just announced about the periodic table.  "The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) announced that they've approved new weights for the elements thanks to more precise measurements and better calculations of the abundance of certain isotopes (atoms of an element with different numbers of neutrons)" (Gannon, 2013). 

According to this article, the atomic weight has been changed for 19 elements.  Several of these elements include gold, fluorine, phosphorous, and aluminum.  Along with these more common elements, 15 additional elements also had their atomic weight changed.  So, why does this matter?  What do these changes affect? 

I want you to think about all that we have learned and discussed in class.  We know science is full of concepts that are all closely related to each other.  Do these changes to the periodic table only affect chemistry?  What other science topics and subjects does it affect?  Finally, do you think that these changes will require scientists to redo past experiments that relied strongly on the initial atomic weights?  Maybe there are scientific laws and theories that will be affected, as a result.  Research several related laws and theories and be sure to share your findings.

Periodic Table Article: Click Here To Read

Week 2 - Flu Vaccine: Worth the risk?

As we have studied in class, vaccines are used to protect us from certain illnesses and diseases.  In order for it to work effectively at protecting us, a vaccine injects us with certain parts of the actual disease.  For example, when we are babies, we get the chicken pox vaccine.  During this, we actually get injected with the chicken pox virus so our bodies can produce antibodies that fight off this virus in the future.  However, when a vaccine isn't fully developed, it can actually cause us to develop that very illness in which it is trying to protect us from.

In this regard, last flu season was considered one of the worst in the history of the United States.  How can that be now that we finally have a flu vaccine?  Well, it seems as though this vaccine is just not as developed as doctors thought it was.  In the NBC interview, they describe this flu vaccine as "a dismal failure among those who need its protection the most."  In fact, during this past flu season, over 49,000 Americans passed away from this horrific illness.  Also, the number of people hospitalized 65 years and older has been the highest amount recorded since 2005.  The truth is, statistics and facts don't lie.  This vaccine is only 56% effective on average.  Also, it is only 9% effective on people 65 years and older.

So, why take this vaccine at all?  In the NBC video, they provide an example of a doctor who has receieved the flu vaccine and ended up getting the flu anyway.  On the other hand, I have never had the flu vaccine and have never gotten the flu.  Yet, my three year old cousin received the vaccine this past flu season and ended up with a severe case of the flu two days after receiving the vaccination.  Although the current vaccine may be the best option at the moment and may work for some, it may also have drastic side-effects for others.  The bottom line is, there is no doubt that doctors and scientists need to develop a much more effective solution for the flu.  Until then, should people take the current vaccine?  Is it worth the risk?
 
NBC News Flu Vaccine Video: Click to View

Week 1 - Pollution: Will it ever stop?

Since we start off the school year learning about the environment, this week's article focuses on pollution.  Pollution comes in many forms, mainly categorized as land pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, and water pollution.  The ScienceDaily article, "Pollution", states, "Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution."  So, my main question is: Will pollution ever stop?  We have done years and years of research and have seen the consequences firsthand, yet statistics show that there are more vehicles on the road now than there ever was.  At this rate, the number of vehicles owned and driven in the United States alone, does not seem to be decreasing any time soon.  So I wonder, what will it take to reduce air pollution?  How many more people have to be diagnosed with "cancer, lupus, immune diseases, allergies, and asthma" before we make a change?  I know that a few electric cars have been developed; however, they are still in the process of being mastered.  Also, the cost is out-of-reach for everyone except the upper class. 

As a result, the Earth is going to lose precious years of existence, because pollution is causing global warming to reach an all-time high.  Do you think there will ever be an invention successful enough to prevent pollution completely?  If everyone can afford electric cars in the future, will this still make a large enough difference if we still have factories and businesses polluting the air?  So many factors go into pollution, the consequences it causes, and the ways to prevent it.  In the end, no matter what consequences occur (whether it is to the environment, animals, or humans) we have nothing and nobody to blame but ourselves.


Pollution Article: Click to Read