From time to time, we host blog competitions for our students so that they can research and write about recent scientific findings, innovations, and occurrences. While published issues may feature exemplary blog posts, here at our on-line blog database, you will find the real treasure trove of all our blog collections. Enjoy! Quest for the Missing Link (Nachi Baru)
Although it’s become a contentious issue politically speaking over the past several years, the theory of evolution is all but uniformly accepted among life scientists as the most complete and empirical explanation behind the formation of life on Earth. Still, despite the theory’s widespread acceptance in the scientific world, biologists and paleontologists alike have been working for decades to find “missing links” in evolutionary history; namely, the transitional fossils that would show the evolution of Homo sapiens from more primitive, ape-like hominids.
However, stunning new ground was broken on that front recently, when scientists in South Africa found a nearly complete skeleton that may very well provide a drastic new twist in the quest to better understand the origins of humans. The bones discovered by researchers from the University of Witwatersrand are those of a hominid, and the structure is largely ape-like; it is the differences between the body of this new find and those of earlier hominids that are the real source of excitement for scientists.
While the overall shape of the body and the major limbs of this new hominid, currently named Australopithecus sediba, closely resemble those of humans’ great ape cousins, small but vital anatomical differences suggest that this creature was more closely related to modern humans. While the legs contain anklebones characteristic of tree climbers like chimpanzees, the structure of the foot itself is flatter, suggesting that Australopithecus sediba had the ability to walk upright. This “hybrid” foot that combines the characteristics of both apes and humans is the first such discovery made with regards to hominids.
These so-called “snapshots” that showcase the shift in features in hominids are further reflected in the nearly pristine hand bones uncovered by the researchers. The fingers of the A. sediba are both curved, suggesting the ability to scale trees, and long, leading scientists to consider the possibility that it also possessed the necessary sophistication to work with basic tools.
Whether the newly found hominid had the required brainpower and intelligence to think along the lines of a human is another question that may be answered by closer examination of the fossils. The skull of the A. sediba is relatively large and flat, indicating that the brain was starting to grow larger; additionally, an exceptionally wide pelvis is symptomatic of the need for this animal to give birth to offspring with heads larger than those of apes.
In the end, more examination of these findings will have to be done by scientists over the world, as they attempt to ascertain whether this really could be our closest ancestor. Still, the early signs are promising enough that the Australopithecus sediba could go a long way in helping us solve one of scientist’s biggest mysteries: namely, exactly how it is we came to be here.
Works: “New Fossil May be ‘Missing Link’”. International Business Times. 9 September 2011. 22 September 2011.
Schmid, Randolph E. “ ‘Game-changer’ in evolution from S. Africa bones”. Associated Press. Atlanta Journal Constitution. 8 September 2011. 22 September 2011. < http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/game-changer-in-evolution-1163744.html>
Animals that eat their own poop (Amy Lyden)
Poop is actually quite nutritious. Though eating your feces is a stigma in human society, many animal species are not so discriminating. Animals belonging to this group include naked mole rats, isopods, rabbits, and dogs.
What is so advantageous about coprography, the practice of eating your own poop? For naked mole rats, eating their feces helps them digest more nutrients from the tough roots and tubers that they consume. They are able to get twice the nutrients from the same amount of food. Other rodents exercise coprography for similar reasons.
Another reason is mineral recycling; Isopods lose some of the essential element copper every time they poop. By eating it, they are able to recycle it back into their system.
Finally, some animals eat their own poop due to the existence of bacteria. Even your pet dog will eat his own poop. The microorganisms in his intestinal tract create vitamins when they digest the food, which your dog can acquire only by consuming his feces. Its poop is an excellent source of protein. The dog may also eat its poop to recycle nutrients and minimize loss of vitamins when it has a nutrient-leeching parasite or viral infection.
Our own poop is 75% water. The remaining 25% is 1/3 indigestible fibers, 1/3 dead bacteria and 1/3 fats, dead cells, live bacteria, inorganic salts and mucus. Though nothing in there seems particularly appetizing to humans, many animals have instincts that compel them to eat feces because of the additional nutrients it can provide.
Consuming feces is not as gross and uncommon as it may seem, though perhaps not advisable for humans in light of cultural perceptions. Works Cited
"Coprophagia
(Eating Feces)." Virtual Pet Behaviorist. ASPCA. Web. 14 Sept.
2011. <http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/31/Coprophagia-Eating-Feces.aspx>.
"Naked Mole-rat." Animal Bytes. San Diego Zoo. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-naked_mole-rat.html>. "Why Do Animals Eat Their Own Poop?" Zidbits. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://zidbits.com/2011/06/why-do-animals-eat-their-own-poop/>.
Spongebob Who? By Asheley Truong
Growing up, there
wasn’t one child on my street who did not know who Spongebob was. I’d even go
so far as to say that Spongebob Squarepants is a fundamental staple of
childhood. So, when I stumbled upon an article stating that watching
unrealistic, fast-paced shows may hinder a child’s ability to concentrate and
learn, I was shocked. It’s common knowledge that watching scary or violent shows
can lead to traumatization or violence; however, can “kid-friendly” cartoon
shows affect a child’s short-term learning abilities? Well, psychologists at
the University of Virginia conducted an experiment to test whether programs
like “Spongebob Squarepants” hinder a child’s short-term learning abilities. In
the experiment, a group of four year old children, who made up the experimental
group, watched “Spongebob Squarepants” for nine minutes, while another group of
four year olds, who made up the control group, either drew or watched a
slower-paced show called “Caillou” for nine minutes. Once the children finished
their nine minutes of activity, the psychologists tested their cognitive
skills. The data collected showed that overall, children who watched “Spongebob
Squarepants” did not perform as well as the children who had not. While this
experiment needs to be conducted several more times to ensure the findings are
creditable, it raises an important question: Should we be worried? Work Cited
Boyse, Kyla. University of Michigan Health System. University of
Michigan. n.p. August 2011.
Web. 22 September 2011. Nauret, Rick. Psych Central. n.p. August 2011. Web. 22 September 2011. Digital Waste
Today it isn’t uncommon to see the most
people equipped with some sort of sleek new gadget. In fact, 83% of American
adults own some kind of mobile phone. Corporations constantly spit out new
products to keep techies hungry for more. As the technology torrent continues,
new inventions make their way into the hands of the general population so
quickly that stashes of old electronics begin to be disposed as frequently as
food packaging. However, not many know the paths that their abandoned gadgets
take. Those that are mixed with the black bin garbage end up in landfills and
break down just like the waste around them; however, many old electronics, also
known as e-waste, contain toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and cadium,
that can pervade into the atmosphere or the Earth. These toxins, especially
mercury, are infamous for finding their way into the food chain. Another
culprit comes from old television and computer monitors; old displays contain
lead in cathode ray tubes (CRTs) which can contribute up to several pounds per
TV or monitor. A solution that has been more popular is
to recycle e-waste. Although dropping an old electronic in a designated bin
feels like saving the world to some, the paths these recycled electronics take
are also unknown to most. The e-waste export trade is a problem in countries
such as India and China where workers handle e-waste in scrap yards that pose
many potential dangers to those who handle the waste directly. Those workers,
however, continue doing their work because to them, the benefits outweigh the
dangers because precious metals such as gold, copper, iron, silicon, and nickel
can be extracted during the recycling process. As of now, environmental groups have
initiated plans to completely eradicate the e-waste export trade and to set up
safer ways of recycling to properly disassemble gadgets for reuse. Because the
e-waste problem is universal, several opportunities to recycle e-waste safely
and effectively are available locally. Because of the current technological
boom, e-waste recycling is even more important than ever before. New products
constantly supplant older ones which have no further use other than to be
recycled. By recycling, e-waste is broken down into its raw materials that can
then be reused to create new and better products. The process is more
economical; production requires less packaging and manufacturing so technology
becomes more affordable and available to a wider segment of society. E-waste
recycling extends the efforts of environmental conservation to keep up with the
swift progression of society into the current technological era.
Works Cited
"Where Does E-waste End Up? | Greenpeace International." Greenpeace | Greenpeace. Web. 24 Sept. 2011. <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/the-e-waste-problem/where-does-e-waste-end-up/>. "EPA Boosts Research into E-waste Solution | Politics | The Earth Times."Environmental Issues and Environmental News | The Earth Times. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.earthtimes.org/politics/epa-boosts-research-e-waste-solution/787/>.
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