http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/alien/alien_evolution.html
1. What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
Shoshana Tobias the author uses a well written science fiction story to set up a small glimpse into a huge problem /mystery. He provides you with the story of a future scientist seeking to find out why a planetary colony just up and left. This was a great use of imagination and evolutionary theory and fact, it captures your curiosity.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This would be a fantastic style of hook to pull my readers into the story of how the extinction of the dinosaurs could have taken place. The method I’m introducing it the huge meteor that hit the earth and force the dinosaurs to extinction in one fell swoop.
3. Answer the questions at the end of Part I and Part II of this case study.
Part 1
1) What was the late Pre-Cambrian environment like on Earth?
In the late pre-cambrian environment there was a very low amount of oxygen, That soon rapidly changed with the new introduction of abundant plants due to the plants ability to provide a great deal of oxygen production, it is because of this rapid change that new multi-cellular life formed.
2) What were the Ediacaran organisms like and how were they adapted to their environment?
The Ediacaran were soft bodied multi-cellular organisms that lived in the oceans and other bodies of water, they did not have shells like their future ancestors did.
3) How is Earth’s Pre-cambrain similar to P-L5’s initial environment and organisms?
In both the pre-cambrain stage of evolution on Earth and the evolution on P-L5, we can see the rapid introduction of oxygen to the atmosphere as well as the existence of soft bodied organisms in the water. Both environments seem to be on very similar evolutionary paths though P-L5 could be doing it in a more pronounced and faster time line.
4) What was the “Cambrian Explosion”?
The Cambrian explosion was a period in time when earth’s environment underwent a rapid change, there was an explosion of multi-cellular organisms that covered and diversified life on earth. Before this time there was little more than unicellular organisms. This was also when the first sexual reproduction and complex life forms came into existence. (Woohoo!!, organisms started getting it on, this is when the real fun began.)
5) How did the environment and organisms change and adapt during the “Cambrian Explosion”?
The environment and the life within those environments adapted quickly, the environment we being now filled with oxygen at a very fast rate perhaps starting a Ozone layer, and the organisms started to grow in numbers and complexity. The sexual activity was fast and the adaptation and mutation to life followed that trend.
6) What causes lead into the “Cambrian Explosion”?
The causes that lead to the “Cambrian Explosion” are as follows:
-More oxygen in the atmosphere making it easier for organisms to grow and develop.
-Sexual reproduction caused complexity to take place in life, thus making way for rapid adaptations and population growth.
7) Could any of those Earth conditions have been mimicked on P-L5? How?
Yes, I believe that a great deal of these things happen on the P-L5 planet, Jay the researcher made note of the fact that the planet had received a great deal of oxygen in preparation of the new inhabitants thus providing a very similar atmosphere to that of a forming earth, next he goes on to discover both sketches of a soft bodied organism much like the first ones known to form here on earth. Finally we can start to see the rapid evolutionary change happening in the soft bodied organism with the new hard bodied organism (more complex).
8) Assuming that this alien planet was going through an Alien “Cambrian Explosion” that mimicked Earth, what do you think will happen next?
In the case that P-L5 is in fact having its own “Explosion” then there will start to be a abundant amount of new complex sea life, that will in the years to come become land animals as well.
Part 2
1) How were the Ediacaran organisms adapted for their environment?
They were soft bodied multi-cellular organisms, they adapted by growing a hard shell and craws thus gaining greater protection and mobility.
2) What major changes were occurring in the environment around the time of the “Cambrian Explosion”?
-Atmospheric oxygen
-the glaciers began to melt and deposit sediment rich in nutrients. (Some of the building blocks for the rapid complexity)
-Sexuality formed (paving the way for biodiversity)
3) Which of these changes were affected by the organisms themselves; which were purely geological trends?
The increase in oxygen levels can be traced to the cyanobacteria, but the glacial deposits can be seen as solely a geographical trend happening around the time of the explosion.
4) On P-L5, humans changed the environments in the ways mimicking the forces on early Earth. Do you really think that “Earth-like” animals would have evolved again? Why or Why Not?
Yes, I believe that this could very easily happen again if given the same environment, It kind of goes on the thought that we can many times replicate the same exact result to a experiment if we do everything the same. The only part that I’m not sure about it the pace in which the changes to the planet had been happening.
5) Assuming that this planet was undergoing an “Alien Explosion” similar to the “Cambrian Explosion” on Earth, what would you expect to evolve next?
Well according to the now known history of life the next step would be complex sea life, including some very large predators. From there we would see these sea creatures make their way onto land and start on their way to becoming complex dinosaur like animals. (Big legs little arms)
6) Is the planet safe for colonization? Why or Why not?
Taking that one day they will be confronted with animals bent on eating everything in sight it might be a good plan to find somewhere else to live, but if they would want to build up some defenses and compounds then I think it would be a fantastic place to live. Can you image being able to watch the earth’s history happen in real time. SOOOOO COOL!!!
Info taken from:
The Divisions of Precambrian Time
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/precambrian.html
Life of the Vendian
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vendian/vendianlife.html
Learning About the Vendian Animals
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vendian/critters.html
Zimmer 2010, Lighting the Cambrian fuse
1.What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
This author like many other uses a introduction to the historically famous scientist Charles Darwin, Because of his work in the theory of evolution it can draw people into seeing what if anything has been proven different or the same as his works.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
I believe this hook could only really be useful to me if I was to first find some of his work that I could agree with or disagree with. Due to the nature of my topic and it information only really becoming clear in the last hundred years or so I’m not sure Darwin would of had much information to theorize with.
3. Compare Zimmer’s hook to the one Tobias used in “Alien Explosion” in a table. Both hooks are useful
I would prefer Tobias hook, just because it causes you to think and theorize on your own before being presented with any kind of information and then once you are given the information you can see how it all fits within the story you have just embarked on with the writer.
4. What is a phylogeny? (You’ll probably have to look the word up on the internet)
A phylogeny is the evolutionary development of a particular group of organisms or the higher taxonomic grouping, sometimes in a family tree. (dictionary.com)
5. Over what time frame did the Cambrian Explosion occur?
510 -580 million years ago.
6. Why was the Cambrian Explosion so remarkable?
It was remarkable because it was a time of extremely rapid evolution, life and over all complexity. The rate of diversification and populations growth was unlike anything that has ever taken place on earth since.
7. Outline some of the triggers that might have led to the Cambrian Explosion.
-increase atmospheric oxygen
-ocean’s chemistry changed
-soft bodied organisms started mating
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Who thought a sun tan could feed the world! :)
Leslie
1.What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
I feel that the author (Mitch Leslie) uses the fact that the world as we know it would not exist if it where not for the process of photosynthesis. By bring light the this incredible truth he is then able to explain the process in depth and with a contextual understanding of how this historical past directly effects us now. He also makes the point that photosynthesis could be one of the last monumental natural inventions in our environment still today. (Leslie, 2009)
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
I believe that I could adapt this information and hook to my case study by providing the evidence on how this earth became livable for the first signs of life which then made way for the first dinosaurs.
3. Let’s start with the basics. What’s photosynthesis?
The process of Photosynthesis provides plants with the needed sugars to grow and reproduce. The process first starts with water and carbon-dioxide coming together, these components along with chlorophyll become electrically charged to make a sugar while at the same time releasing oxygen as a by produce of this process. So the plants grow bigger and the planet receives valuable oxygen supplies.
4. How does photosynthesis make the Earth livable for our ecosystem?
The process of photosynthesis provides the needed oxygen gas to create and maintain a o-zone layer providing the much needed protection from the sun’s ultra-violet rays, With out an o-zone layer the surface of the earth would grow to hot for any life to live. Another reason way photosynthesis is so needed is because it’s at the bottom of the food chain, if there were no plants then there would be NO food period. Thus it is a much for life to be present as we now it today.
5.What chemical was the basis of the earliest photosynthesizing microbes? Of most
Photosynthesizing organisms alive today?
The suspected earliest chemical was RuBisCO, this enzyme eats Carbon-dioxide and turns it into sugars. Most oxygen producing photosynthesis now eats carbon 12 and water.
6.What role does chlorophyll play in photosynthesis?
The chlorophyll’s role in photosynthesis is to absorb sun light and then lend its energy to the production of electrons; with out chlorophyll photosynthesis will not occur.
7.What was the great oxidation event? How do we recognize it in the fossil record?
The great oxidation event was when photosystem I and photosystem II came together to form the now common photosynthesis, The photosystem II has the ability to ripe the oxygen away from water molecules during its process, thus providing the earth with a study flow of oxygen. This is seen in the fossil records when scientist discover areas of fossil with a lower carbon 13 contain, showing that oxygenation had take place millions of years ago.
Zimmer
1.What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
Zimmer like many other times in this writing uses a unrealistic truth about our true origins and similarities to those species around us that seem to be nothing like us. In this case he uses the example of how much our cells are alike those of a toadstool.
2.How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This hook perhaps does not offer a direct correlation to my case study but does cause me to think about what ways I could cleverly tie our own existence to the dinosaurs and then the K-T extinction.
3.What are eukaryotes?
Eukaryotes are a group of species’ that have cells that carry a nucleus in the middle of them, and with in the nucleus there are large bundles of DNA.
4.What are mitochondria? How did they evolve?
Mitochondria are the pockets (Cells structure), or storage parts with in a cell that stores fuel for the cell to grow and reproduce. They evolved from the original bacterial passengers with in a cell.
5.What is the “hydrogen hypothesis”?
This hypothesis goes on to say something of the fact that two different cell types came together to form the first eukaryotes.
6.Briefly compare the three domain hypothesis to the eocyte hypothesis.
Do not Understand this…..Equals very frustrated!!! I will seek professors helps.
Sources
-Leslie, M. (2009, March 6th). On the origins of photosynthesis. Sciencemag, 323, Retrieved from www.sciencemag.org
- Zimmer, C. (2009, August 7th). On the origins of eukaryotes. Sciencemag, 325, Retrieved from www.sciencemag.org
1.What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
I feel that the author (Mitch Leslie) uses the fact that the world as we know it would not exist if it where not for the process of photosynthesis. By bring light the this incredible truth he is then able to explain the process in depth and with a contextual understanding of how this historical past directly effects us now. He also makes the point that photosynthesis could be one of the last monumental natural inventions in our environment still today. (Leslie, 2009)
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
I believe that I could adapt this information and hook to my case study by providing the evidence on how this earth became livable for the first signs of life which then made way for the first dinosaurs.
3. Let’s start with the basics. What’s photosynthesis?
The process of Photosynthesis provides plants with the needed sugars to grow and reproduce. The process first starts with water and carbon-dioxide coming together, these components along with chlorophyll become electrically charged to make a sugar while at the same time releasing oxygen as a by produce of this process. So the plants grow bigger and the planet receives valuable oxygen supplies.
4. How does photosynthesis make the Earth livable for our ecosystem?
The process of photosynthesis provides the needed oxygen gas to create and maintain a o-zone layer providing the much needed protection from the sun’s ultra-violet rays, With out an o-zone layer the surface of the earth would grow to hot for any life to live. Another reason way photosynthesis is so needed is because it’s at the bottom of the food chain, if there were no plants then there would be NO food period. Thus it is a much for life to be present as we now it today.
5.What chemical was the basis of the earliest photosynthesizing microbes? Of most
Photosynthesizing organisms alive today?
The suspected earliest chemical was RuBisCO, this enzyme eats Carbon-dioxide and turns it into sugars. Most oxygen producing photosynthesis now eats carbon 12 and water.
6.What role does chlorophyll play in photosynthesis?
The chlorophyll’s role in photosynthesis is to absorb sun light and then lend its energy to the production of electrons; with out chlorophyll photosynthesis will not occur.
7.What was the great oxidation event? How do we recognize it in the fossil record?
The great oxidation event was when photosystem I and photosystem II came together to form the now common photosynthesis, The photosystem II has the ability to ripe the oxygen away from water molecules during its process, thus providing the earth with a study flow of oxygen. This is seen in the fossil records when scientist discover areas of fossil with a lower carbon 13 contain, showing that oxygenation had take place millions of years ago.
Zimmer
1.What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
Zimmer like many other times in this writing uses a unrealistic truth about our true origins and similarities to those species around us that seem to be nothing like us. In this case he uses the example of how much our cells are alike those of a toadstool.
2.How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This hook perhaps does not offer a direct correlation to my case study but does cause me to think about what ways I could cleverly tie our own existence to the dinosaurs and then the K-T extinction.
3.What are eukaryotes?
Eukaryotes are a group of species’ that have cells that carry a nucleus in the middle of them, and with in the nucleus there are large bundles of DNA.
4.What are mitochondria? How did they evolve?
Mitochondria are the pockets (Cells structure), or storage parts with in a cell that stores fuel for the cell to grow and reproduce. They evolved from the original bacterial passengers with in a cell.
5.What is the “hydrogen hypothesis”?
This hypothesis goes on to say something of the fact that two different cell types came together to form the first eukaryotes.
6.Briefly compare the three domain hypothesis to the eocyte hypothesis.
Do not Understand this…..Equals very frustrated!!! I will seek professors helps.
Sources
-Leslie, M. (2009, March 6th). On the origins of photosynthesis. Sciencemag, 323, Retrieved from www.sciencemag.org
- Zimmer, C. (2009, August 7th). On the origins of eukaryotes. Sciencemag, 325, Retrieved from www.sciencemag.org
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
RadioMetric Dating for dummies!
1. What is the different between 12C, 13C and 14C? Which is the most unstable? What is the half-life of 14C?
The difference between 12C, 13C and 14C is the number of neutrons each carbon atom contains, 12c holds 6 protons and 6 neutrons, 13C contains 6 protons and 7 neutrons, and lastly 14C has 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Carbon 14 would be the most unstable due to the fact that the atom will have to break down twice before it becomes a stable 12C atom. The half life of 14C is 5,730 years.
2. What are some other radiometric decay systems (besides carbon-14) that are useful for determining the ages of evens in Earth’s history?
There are three other radiometric isotopes that could help to determine the ages of rocks and minerals within the earth. The first is rubidium, then as rubidium breaks down it become strontium these two can provide a good source of radioactive dating. Another isotope is the ever classic uranium which breaks down into its stable form over many millions or in some cases billions of years. All three provide a type of scale that can be used.
3. Why don’t stable elements have half-lives?
Stable elements do not have half-lives because they have no need to break down, Atoms that have different amounts of protons and neutrons are always trying to get to a stable equal element therefore they have to break down to get there, this act of breaking down has a amount of time connected to the process, thus you have the half-live of that break down time.
4. Write a short dialogue between you and a 12-year old friend explaining Figure 3.1
Child: What is this picture Uncle Joshua? Me: Well Timmy in this picture scientists are trying to explain how they can use the breakdown of minerals inside a rock to tell how old it is. The scientists know that when the rock is formed there can be no added source of the radioactive mineral added so they can then measure the breakdown of the atoms/ isotopes that exist inside the rock. Child: What do the Dots mean in the middle of the rock? ME: The dots in the middle of the rock highlight sections in a counterclockwise in which the scientists can watch and measure the breaking down of the atoms. Child: Oh cool, so they can find out how old dinosaurs are just by looking at the rocks around a fossil? Child: Yes, Timmy that is the idea. Child: That’s what I want to do when I grow up! ME: Tell your parents to start saving for your college education now!
5. How do we calculate the absolute of fossils?
Scientist calculates the ages of the ash layers around, above, and below a given fossil to get an accurate estimate the age of that given fossil.
Source:
Zimmer, C. (2010). The Tangled bank: an introduction to evolution. Greenwood village, CO, USA: Roberts and company publishers.
The difference between 12C, 13C and 14C is the number of neutrons each carbon atom contains, 12c holds 6 protons and 6 neutrons, 13C contains 6 protons and 7 neutrons, and lastly 14C has 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Carbon 14 would be the most unstable due to the fact that the atom will have to break down twice before it becomes a stable 12C atom. The half life of 14C is 5,730 years.
2. What are some other radiometric decay systems (besides carbon-14) that are useful for determining the ages of evens in Earth’s history?
There are three other radiometric isotopes that could help to determine the ages of rocks and minerals within the earth. The first is rubidium, then as rubidium breaks down it become strontium these two can provide a good source of radioactive dating. Another isotope is the ever classic uranium which breaks down into its stable form over many millions or in some cases billions of years. All three provide a type of scale that can be used.
3. Why don’t stable elements have half-lives?
Stable elements do not have half-lives because they have no need to break down, Atoms that have different amounts of protons and neutrons are always trying to get to a stable equal element therefore they have to break down to get there, this act of breaking down has a amount of time connected to the process, thus you have the half-live of that break down time.
4. Write a short dialogue between you and a 12-year old friend explaining Figure 3.1
Child: What is this picture Uncle Joshua? Me: Well Timmy in this picture scientists are trying to explain how they can use the breakdown of minerals inside a rock to tell how old it is. The scientists know that when the rock is formed there can be no added source of the radioactive mineral added so they can then measure the breakdown of the atoms/ isotopes that exist inside the rock. Child: What do the Dots mean in the middle of the rock? ME: The dots in the middle of the rock highlight sections in a counterclockwise in which the scientists can watch and measure the breaking down of the atoms. Child: Oh cool, so they can find out how old dinosaurs are just by looking at the rocks around a fossil? Child: Yes, Timmy that is the idea. Child: That’s what I want to do when I grow up! ME: Tell your parents to start saving for your college education now!
5. How do we calculate the absolute of fossils?
Scientist calculates the ages of the ash layers around, above, and below a given fossil to get an accurate estimate the age of that given fossil.
Source:
Zimmer, C. (2010). The Tangled bank: an introduction to evolution. Greenwood village, CO, USA: Roberts and company publishers.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Polar Evolution!
Polar Bear Jaw bone fossil discovery
What makes this discovery exciting?
The Polar Bear jaw bone discovery is exciting for a couple different reasons, when taking a closer look at the newly discovered bone scientists where able to date the bone to nearly 130,000 years ago This date makes it the oldest sample the scientific community has of the first Polar Bears on our planet, scientists had not been able to place them very well within a time line ranging from 70,000-1 million years old (understanding evolution, 2010). According to the article, upon more investigation the scientist working with the fossil were able to gather information on how fast Polar Bears have been able to adapt to their surrounds and different living conditions. This information was found using some DNA found within the jaw bone. Lastly the DNA gather help link Polar Bears to the southeastern Alaskan Brown bear, showing just how closely related they are to each other.
How has this discovery changed our understanding of evolution? of biodiversity?
The Polar Bear jaw bone discovery can changed/supported our understanding of evolution by introducing the idea of rapid evolutionary adjustment in a known species. The Polar Bears seemed to come about during an ice-age and developed an appetite for sea-food and become accustom to the cold allowing them to survive and thrive in the world’s icy conditions of the time. But the real evolutionary ability was demonstrated in the Polar Bears ability to stay alive and well during a period of melt off and earth warming. There are questions as to the Polar Bears ability to adapt once again due to the rapid warming of the earth this time around (understanding evolution, 2010).
In the case of biodiversity the discovery of the jaw bone has brought forth research of just what lineage the Polar Bear has, and what evolutionary changes took place in the creation of the Polar Bear as a species.
When did this organism live? (Where would it be on our timeline?)
The Polar Bear fossil was found to be 130,000-110,000 years old. On our time line with would have been on the top row, close to the end. (lindqvist, Schuster, Sun, Talbot, Ratan, Tomsho, Kasson, Zeyl, Aars, Miller, Ingolfsson, Bachmann, Wiig, 2010)
Where was the fossil found?
The Polar Bear jaw was found in Norway a place referred to as the “Norwegian coastal cliffs” (understanding evolution, 2010).
Compare the kind of information presented in the newspaper article and the original scientific paper.
In the newspaper article the writer’s goal seemed to be to let the world know that there was a brand new historical find in the world of fossils and animal history. The writer presented the reader with a laymen style description of how different tests were used to date the Polar Bear jaw fossil as well as share finding on the DNA tests used to find out the jaws origin. In the scientific paper, it goes into great detail of how the test done on the jaw, what they were looking for, what they found, what they did not find, as well as what kind of information these tests can teach us things we never knew before. This article was difficult to read and understand due to my lack of knowledge in the field of genes and carbon dating. This article was also full of stats.
How did you find out about the discovery?
I found out about this discovery through the posted website on the assignment sheet, http://evolution.berkeley.edu. Because this website is connected to a university with a large well known science department, I figured it would be a great place to start my research. Once going to the site I found myself drawn to the first big story on the front page about a new Polar Bear discovery. For years I have studied Polar Bears, they are by far my favorite animal and just could not resist.
How did you find the original scientific paper?
Due to the nature of this schools site and presentation of the information I did not have to look for, the original documents were posted on the works sited portion of the article.
Can you find any discrepancies between the results of the original research and the way it was reported in the newspaper? To what do you attribute these discrepancies?
After reading or both articles I was not able to find any discrepancies within the information presented, it really just seemed as though the writer on the article was putting the complicated information of the research into a short, laymen termed, summery with some added excitement and intrigue.
Do you trust the information presented in the papers? Does one have more reliable information than the other?
Yes, I do trust this information. The articles as well as the research analysis paper both have the same information and the research analysis has been peer reviewed. So based on this logic I trust both pieces.
I believe that both pieces are working off the same information.
Compare the biases present in the articles.
The article seemed to be a clear and to the point biases of science is exciting and important and should be valued, where as the scientific paper seemed to be defending their findings and tests, as one should when performing empirical style results. Over all there biases did not conflict and the information seemed sound.
Limitations: As a student not in this field I would like to put forth that I have limitation in the understanding of this kind of data and statistic analysis, Hence why I loved the article so much more then the scientific paper.
Article:
One small fossil, one giant step for polar bear evolution. (2010). Understanding Evolution, Retrieved from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/100401_polarbears
Scientific Paper:
lindqvist, C., Schuster, S., Sun, Y., Talbot, S., Ratan, A., Tomsho, L., Kasson, S., Zeyl, E., Aars, J., Miller, W., Ingolfsson, O., Bachmann, L., Wiig, O., (2010). Complete mitochondrial genome of a plesitocene jawbone unveils the origin of polar bear. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(11), Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/107/11/5053.full doi: 10.1073/pnas.0914266107
What makes this discovery exciting?
The Polar Bear jaw bone discovery is exciting for a couple different reasons, when taking a closer look at the newly discovered bone scientists where able to date the bone to nearly 130,000 years ago This date makes it the oldest sample the scientific community has of the first Polar Bears on our planet, scientists had not been able to place them very well within a time line ranging from 70,000-1 million years old (understanding evolution, 2010). According to the article, upon more investigation the scientist working with the fossil were able to gather information on how fast Polar Bears have been able to adapt to their surrounds and different living conditions. This information was found using some DNA found within the jaw bone. Lastly the DNA gather help link Polar Bears to the southeastern Alaskan Brown bear, showing just how closely related they are to each other.
How has this discovery changed our understanding of evolution? of biodiversity?
The Polar Bear jaw bone discovery can changed/supported our understanding of evolution by introducing the idea of rapid evolutionary adjustment in a known species. The Polar Bears seemed to come about during an ice-age and developed an appetite for sea-food and become accustom to the cold allowing them to survive and thrive in the world’s icy conditions of the time. But the real evolutionary ability was demonstrated in the Polar Bears ability to stay alive and well during a period of melt off and earth warming. There are questions as to the Polar Bears ability to adapt once again due to the rapid warming of the earth this time around (understanding evolution, 2010).
In the case of biodiversity the discovery of the jaw bone has brought forth research of just what lineage the Polar Bear has, and what evolutionary changes took place in the creation of the Polar Bear as a species.
When did this organism live? (Where would it be on our timeline?)
The Polar Bear fossil was found to be 130,000-110,000 years old. On our time line with would have been on the top row, close to the end. (lindqvist, Schuster, Sun, Talbot, Ratan, Tomsho, Kasson, Zeyl, Aars, Miller, Ingolfsson, Bachmann, Wiig, 2010)
Where was the fossil found?
The Polar Bear jaw was found in Norway a place referred to as the “Norwegian coastal cliffs” (understanding evolution, 2010).
Compare the kind of information presented in the newspaper article and the original scientific paper.
In the newspaper article the writer’s goal seemed to be to let the world know that there was a brand new historical find in the world of fossils and animal history. The writer presented the reader with a laymen style description of how different tests were used to date the Polar Bear jaw fossil as well as share finding on the DNA tests used to find out the jaws origin. In the scientific paper, it goes into great detail of how the test done on the jaw, what they were looking for, what they found, what they did not find, as well as what kind of information these tests can teach us things we never knew before. This article was difficult to read and understand due to my lack of knowledge in the field of genes and carbon dating. This article was also full of stats.
How did you find out about the discovery?
I found out about this discovery through the posted website on the assignment sheet, http://evolution.berkeley.edu. Because this website is connected to a university with a large well known science department, I figured it would be a great place to start my research. Once going to the site I found myself drawn to the first big story on the front page about a new Polar Bear discovery. For years I have studied Polar Bears, they are by far my favorite animal and just could not resist.
How did you find the original scientific paper?
Due to the nature of this schools site and presentation of the information I did not have to look for, the original documents were posted on the works sited portion of the article.
Can you find any discrepancies between the results of the original research and the way it was reported in the newspaper? To what do you attribute these discrepancies?
After reading or both articles I was not able to find any discrepancies within the information presented, it really just seemed as though the writer on the article was putting the complicated information of the research into a short, laymen termed, summery with some added excitement and intrigue.
Do you trust the information presented in the papers? Does one have more reliable information than the other?
Yes, I do trust this information. The articles as well as the research analysis paper both have the same information and the research analysis has been peer reviewed. So based on this logic I trust both pieces.
I believe that both pieces are working off the same information.
Compare the biases present in the articles.
The article seemed to be a clear and to the point biases of science is exciting and important and should be valued, where as the scientific paper seemed to be defending their findings and tests, as one should when performing empirical style results. Over all there biases did not conflict and the information seemed sound.
Limitations: As a student not in this field I would like to put forth that I have limitation in the understanding of this kind of data and statistic analysis, Hence why I loved the article so much more then the scientific paper.
Article:
One small fossil, one giant step for polar bear evolution. (2010). Understanding Evolution, Retrieved from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/100401_polarbears
Scientific Paper:
lindqvist, C., Schuster, S., Sun, Y., Talbot, S., Ratan, A., Tomsho, L., Kasson, S., Zeyl, E., Aars, J., Miller, W., Ingolfsson, O., Bachmann, L., Wiig, O., (2010). Complete mitochondrial genome of a plesitocene jawbone unveils the origin of polar bear. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(11), Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/107/11/5053.full doi: 10.1073/pnas.0914266107
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The preservation lab! ...Who knew rocks could hold so much history!
1. It may seem intuitively obvious that a slimy little worm isn't going to have a good fossil record. But intuition isn’t good enough for scientists. Explain why it probably won’t fossilize using at least three lines of evidence.
The worms will not fossilize very well for a few different reasons; the first is that a worm is made of fleshy material without a skeleton making it very difficult to leave any kind of fossil. The second reason is that worms are a good food source for many animals and would be eaten if found. Lastly special preservation for this animal would be very rare not to mention hard to find. (Like trying to find a needle in a bunch of needles)
2. Do shelled organisms that live on top of other shelled organisms increase or reduce their chances of preservation? Explain.
The organisms that live on top of another shell can encrust a shell and increase its chances of being preservation but as the shell is being encrusted it does decrease the quality of the fossilization. It is important to note that the organisms on top of the shells will also become preserved providing a good fossilization of those organisms.
3. Why do you think most fossils of birds are from lakes?
The fossils of birds are found near and around lakes because that is one of the prefect environments for making fossil, Birds that come to a watering hole, or build their nests next to area of water can and most likely found themselves being covered or killed rapidly and then covered in these areas. In the case that this did happen the skeleton of the birds would be persevered in the sediment of the lake thus producing a fossil. (Class discussions, 2010)
4. How do the processes in special preservation differ from the processes in normal preserva¬tion?
Many times in special preservation like instant freezing there are some presents of flesh and tissue left on the fossil of the animal, where as with normal preservation the flesh and tissues have degraded and rotted away leaving only the bones and hard bodies deposits. (Class discussion, 2010)
5. What is time-averaging?
Time- averaging is a method of finding the average age of a grouping of fossils. Many times this is done using the fossils of shells (shell mash) that has layered the bottom of a lake, river, or ocean bed. This information can then help scientists now about what time different organisms co-existed. (Class discussion, 2010)
6. Write a caption for the figure below, explaining how it illustrates time-averaging.
The figure below (not seem here) illustrates time averaging, this is done by measuring the shells with into the group being studied and from those measurements they average the age of the group as a whole.
7. Compare the magnitude of time-averaging in a verve to time-averaging along the continental shelf where most fossilization occurs. ( I do not understand this question, I will be asking my professor)
8. What was the coolest thing you learned in this lab? Why was it so cool?
The coolest thing I learned over the course of this lab is just how much information you can gather from a normal fossil. In one of the stations we were asked to write down everything we knew about a horse. Once I had made a list I then had to think about how much of that information could be gather form just the skeletal fossil of a horse, I was shocked to find out just how much we can learn from the shape of the bones, the shape of their teeth and so on and so forth. This excises really allowed me to see the importance of studying and understanding what has been persevered in the soil and rocks all over the world.
The worms will not fossilize very well for a few different reasons; the first is that a worm is made of fleshy material without a skeleton making it very difficult to leave any kind of fossil. The second reason is that worms are a good food source for many animals and would be eaten if found. Lastly special preservation for this animal would be very rare not to mention hard to find. (Like trying to find a needle in a bunch of needles)
2. Do shelled organisms that live on top of other shelled organisms increase or reduce their chances of preservation? Explain.
The organisms that live on top of another shell can encrust a shell and increase its chances of being preservation but as the shell is being encrusted it does decrease the quality of the fossilization. It is important to note that the organisms on top of the shells will also become preserved providing a good fossilization of those organisms.
3. Why do you think most fossils of birds are from lakes?
The fossils of birds are found near and around lakes because that is one of the prefect environments for making fossil, Birds that come to a watering hole, or build their nests next to area of water can and most likely found themselves being covered or killed rapidly and then covered in these areas. In the case that this did happen the skeleton of the birds would be persevered in the sediment of the lake thus producing a fossil. (Class discussions, 2010)
4. How do the processes in special preservation differ from the processes in normal preserva¬tion?
Many times in special preservation like instant freezing there are some presents of flesh and tissue left on the fossil of the animal, where as with normal preservation the flesh and tissues have degraded and rotted away leaving only the bones and hard bodies deposits. (Class discussion, 2010)
5. What is time-averaging?
Time- averaging is a method of finding the average age of a grouping of fossils. Many times this is done using the fossils of shells (shell mash) that has layered the bottom of a lake, river, or ocean bed. This information can then help scientists now about what time different organisms co-existed. (Class discussion, 2010)
6. Write a caption for the figure below, explaining how it illustrates time-averaging.
The figure below (not seem here) illustrates time averaging, this is done by measuring the shells with into the group being studied and from those measurements they average the age of the group as a whole.
7. Compare the magnitude of time-averaging in a verve to time-averaging along the continental shelf where most fossilization occurs. ( I do not understand this question, I will be asking my professor)
8. What was the coolest thing you learned in this lab? Why was it so cool?
The coolest thing I learned over the course of this lab is just how much information you can gather from a normal fossil. In one of the stations we were asked to write down everything we knew about a horse. Once I had made a list I then had to think about how much of that information could be gather form just the skeletal fossil of a horse, I was shocked to find out just how much we can learn from the shape of the bones, the shape of their teeth and so on and so forth. This excises really allowed me to see the importance of studying and understanding what has been persevered in the soil and rocks all over the world.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Darwin was only the beginning !
1. What are some of the recent discoveries that give us insight into how the diversity of life evolved?
The tortoise of the Galapagos gave some insight to the diversity of life, because of the different shapes and colors of shells each of the tortoises from island to island. This was also found in different type of the same birds founded at the Galapagos Islands (finches), they looked very different and had adapted beaks for the different types of food sources from island to island.
2. Present some of the developmental evidence for Darwin’s Tree of Life.
Darwin’s theory of the tree of life brings forth the idea that we are all interconnected and that the evidence of this can be seen in the study of embryos. The first type of embryo Darwin examined were snake eggs, he discovered boney fishers that were the beginning of legs that then disappeared in adult snakes. Next he examined human embryos and found gill like structures that letter in development became the little bones near your jaw acting a part of your inner ear.
3. Part of Darwin’s Theory of natural selection is the idea that different individuals within the same species compete against each other. Explain how this competition led to evolutionary change in (1) the Galapagos finches, (2) pocket mouses in the Pinacarte Desert.
The theory of natural selection was highlighted in the beak formation of the finches on the Galapagos Islands, Each beak shape could be trace to a different island with a different foods source, and it was because of the environment that the birds formed these different adaptations, for if they did not they would not be able to survive. In the example of the pocket mice of the Pinacarte Deserts you can see Darwin’s theory of natural selection in that the mice that live in the dark color zones of rocks have developed a dark fur and those mice that live in the lighter color rocks have maintain or developed a little fur, it is because of this adaptation that these mice can survive their fate of being the “snickers bar of the desert”.
4. Give a couple of examples of single mutations that we can identify in particular genes have proven to be very beneficial.
A good example of single mutation is the fur color gene in the pocket mouse helping them to bind into their environments, the color vision in a different species of monkeys that helps them to differentiate between healthier red leaves and tough old green leaves, and a special kind of anti-freeze blood type that would keep a fish of the arctic form freezing to death.
5. Why is it so surprising that humans only have about 23,000 genes?
It’s surprising that we have only have 23,000 genes because of how complex we are and that corn and other plants and species have so many more parts to their genome then we do as humans.
6. What does the “switch” that Sean Carroll found in fruit flies do?
The “switch” that was discovered in fruit flies allows them to turn gene’s on and off that controls the paintbrush gene that adds the dark spots on the flies wings.
7. Why do Kinglsey and Schluter think they’ll find the same switch sticklebacks as in manatees, even though the rear fins were lost at completely different times in these lineages?
Kinglsey and Schluter believed that due to the discovery of the left over bone structure on the underbelly of the lake sticklebacks, may prove that same switch used to turn on and off the spike may also turn on and off the development of hind limbs with in other creatures such as snakes and manatees.
8. The fact that Hox genes control the development of fins in paddlefish suggests that the evolutionary transition of fins to limbs wasn’t all that dramatic. Explain.
The Hox genes found in paddlefish suggest that the beginnings of limbs have been present all along, and that the difference between a fin developing and an arm developing is based on simple mutations.
9. Hansell Stedman found a mutation in the human genome that should lead to muscle problems. But it turns out this mutation has benefited us? Why and how?
The mutation in the gene stops the jaw muscle from growing to large, closing off our skulls bone plates. The mutation has benefited us by allowing our skull to expand and grow make space for our brains to grow larger, causing us to evolve to who we are now.
10. Where are most of the genetic differences between humans and chimps located? (i.e., what kind of DNA?)
The DNA differences between chimps and humans can be mostly mapped when looking at the development and creation of our brains. The DNA changes come many times in the form of switches causing mutations that affect the size and complexity of our brains.
The tortoise of the Galapagos gave some insight to the diversity of life, because of the different shapes and colors of shells each of the tortoises from island to island. This was also found in different type of the same birds founded at the Galapagos Islands (finches), they looked very different and had adapted beaks for the different types of food sources from island to island.
2. Present some of the developmental evidence for Darwin’s Tree of Life.
Darwin’s theory of the tree of life brings forth the idea that we are all interconnected and that the evidence of this can be seen in the study of embryos. The first type of embryo Darwin examined were snake eggs, he discovered boney fishers that were the beginning of legs that then disappeared in adult snakes. Next he examined human embryos and found gill like structures that letter in development became the little bones near your jaw acting a part of your inner ear.
3. Part of Darwin’s Theory of natural selection is the idea that different individuals within the same species compete against each other. Explain how this competition led to evolutionary change in (1) the Galapagos finches, (2) pocket mouses in the Pinacarte Desert.
The theory of natural selection was highlighted in the beak formation of the finches on the Galapagos Islands, Each beak shape could be trace to a different island with a different foods source, and it was because of the environment that the birds formed these different adaptations, for if they did not they would not be able to survive. In the example of the pocket mice of the Pinacarte Deserts you can see Darwin’s theory of natural selection in that the mice that live in the dark color zones of rocks have developed a dark fur and those mice that live in the lighter color rocks have maintain or developed a little fur, it is because of this adaptation that these mice can survive their fate of being the “snickers bar of the desert”.
4. Give a couple of examples of single mutations that we can identify in particular genes have proven to be very beneficial.
A good example of single mutation is the fur color gene in the pocket mouse helping them to bind into their environments, the color vision in a different species of monkeys that helps them to differentiate between healthier red leaves and tough old green leaves, and a special kind of anti-freeze blood type that would keep a fish of the arctic form freezing to death.
5. Why is it so surprising that humans only have about 23,000 genes?
It’s surprising that we have only have 23,000 genes because of how complex we are and that corn and other plants and species have so many more parts to their genome then we do as humans.
6. What does the “switch” that Sean Carroll found in fruit flies do?
The “switch” that was discovered in fruit flies allows them to turn gene’s on and off that controls the paintbrush gene that adds the dark spots on the flies wings.
7. Why do Kinglsey and Schluter think they’ll find the same switch sticklebacks as in manatees, even though the rear fins were lost at completely different times in these lineages?
Kinglsey and Schluter believed that due to the discovery of the left over bone structure on the underbelly of the lake sticklebacks, may prove that same switch used to turn on and off the spike may also turn on and off the development of hind limbs with in other creatures such as snakes and manatees.
8. The fact that Hox genes control the development of fins in paddlefish suggests that the evolutionary transition of fins to limbs wasn’t all that dramatic. Explain.
The Hox genes found in paddlefish suggest that the beginnings of limbs have been present all along, and that the difference between a fin developing and an arm developing is based on simple mutations.
9. Hansell Stedman found a mutation in the human genome that should lead to muscle problems. But it turns out this mutation has benefited us? Why and how?
The mutation in the gene stops the jaw muscle from growing to large, closing off our skulls bone plates. The mutation has benefited us by allowing our skull to expand and grow make space for our brains to grow larger, causing us to evolve to who we are now.
10. Where are most of the genetic differences between humans and chimps located? (i.e., what kind of DNA?)
The DNA differences between chimps and humans can be mostly mapped when looking at the development and creation of our brains. The DNA changes come many times in the form of switches causing mutations that affect the size and complexity of our brains.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Preserving Things! You know like Fossils and beef jerky!
What a thought, Food and fossils in the same place at the same time!
April 7th
Compare preserving food to preserving fossils. Use at least three examples from McGhee to form the basis of your comparisons.
In studying the preservation of food it is clear that the some styles used are designed to slow, stop, and capture the natural decomposing of the food product itself. The nature of this process does not lend itself very well to that of the preserving of fossils. An example of how these processes are different can be found in the fact that when freezing and refrigerating meats and vegetables the goal is to preserve the muscles, cells and tissues of the organism, where as in the preserving of fossils the meat, tissue, and cells naturally decompose or become eaten by predators and scavengers.
For another type of preserving of food products like canning we can see some similarities in how fossils are persevered. A good example of this is when canning food you are required to rapidly heat the container storing the food encapsulating the food that is to be persevered in a air tight seal, In the case of a fossil a large amount of soil or hot earth can encapsulate a animal and provide a somewhat sealed environment and with the added heat and pressure of the earth produce a fossil of the trapped animal or organism.
Finally the preservation style of drying though at first could seem like a promising similarity is found to be reversed by the fact that fossils must come in contact with water in order to have the many layers of sediment form over the top of them.
Disclaimer: I’m very new to this field of study, so please do not take my word for fact or any kind of right answer. Thank you.
April 7th
Compare preserving food to preserving fossils. Use at least three examples from McGhee to form the basis of your comparisons.
In studying the preservation of food it is clear that the some styles used are designed to slow, stop, and capture the natural decomposing of the food product itself. The nature of this process does not lend itself very well to that of the preserving of fossils. An example of how these processes are different can be found in the fact that when freezing and refrigerating meats and vegetables the goal is to preserve the muscles, cells and tissues of the organism, where as in the preserving of fossils the meat, tissue, and cells naturally decompose or become eaten by predators and scavengers.
For another type of preserving of food products like canning we can see some similarities in how fossils are persevered. A good example of this is when canning food you are required to rapidly heat the container storing the food encapsulating the food that is to be persevered in a air tight seal, In the case of a fossil a large amount of soil or hot earth can encapsulate a animal and provide a somewhat sealed environment and with the added heat and pressure of the earth produce a fossil of the trapped animal or organism.
Finally the preservation style of drying though at first could seem like a promising similarity is found to be reversed by the fact that fossils must come in contact with water in order to have the many layers of sediment form over the top of them.
Disclaimer: I’m very new to this field of study, so please do not take my word for fact or any kind of right answer. Thank you.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Next Assignment!!
Zimmer 2009a, Origin of Life
1. What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
The author Carl Zimmer has a straight and direct way of keep you the reader interested in his article, first he starts out bring the thoughts and the theory of one of the influential scientific minds of the 19th century, Charles Darwin. Zimmer highlighted the controversial idea that human kind originated from a very basic one celled life form.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This hook leads to a very interesting and compelling set of questions that could be asked and then answered using the information gather and theorized by Charles Darwin, in regards to the thought that human life can be traced to a basic life form.
3. What is RNA (specifically mRNA, for those of you who have some background in this area)? Why is it essential for using the genetic code?
Messenger RNA is a strand of nucleotides that contain three different parts, a base, a sugar, and a grouping of phosphorus and oxygen atoms. The job of the mRNA is to become a copy of DNA and then translate itself (RNA) into different amino acids, which then links together to make proteins. mRNA is essential because it’s the device in which, DNA can build different proteins and therefore an organism.
4. What is the RNA world hypothesis?
The RNA world hypothesis theorizes that RNA-base life forms could have come from organisms made of a different genetic material, and that the different material is no longer found on the earth or in other natural processes. Scientists think it’s a possibility that life could have emerged from a simpler type of molecule then RNA that no longer exists and the RNA was the byproduct of a evolutionary change.
5. Why was lightening so essential to the origin of life?
In the 1950’s a experiment was done that proved that if you push lightning through ammonia, methane, and other types of gases, there is a product of amino acids the starting source for the production of proteins. This experiment was later to be proven possible with formaldehyde and other organic compounds known to be on the earth during the time of life’s beginning making the argument that lightning is the true spark of life.
6. What ideas does Zimmer present on how cells may have originated?
Zimmer present that idea that cells originated from RNA molecules coming together and connecting to each other growing in size and then produce more of itself by ripping apart from each other creating new bonds with more RNA. RNA replicating then would become packed and trapped inside of fatty acids producing the first real cell.
7. Do we have any conclusive evidence to support hypotheses on how life originated?
I don’t believe conclusive is the right word, this article has shown a great deal of supporting evidence that we are on the right track to finding out the processes and reactions that may of led to the first origins of life. The spark of lightning could bring us to the moment of cellular generations, the studies of RNA can bring forth the ideas of how the cells started to make living organisms, and the study of how the RNA became trapped within fatty acids provides the mean of how the RNA molecules could in fact make the organisms that would change and mutate into me .
Zimmer 2010, What the rocks say
1. What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
In this piece the author Carl Zimmer bring you in with the story of Abigail Allwood’s adventure down to a dig site or formation entitled the North Pole, it is at this site that scientists are finding proof of life 3.43 billion years ago.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This would be a great hook to study for a case story, the North Pole site would be a great place to start your research on what exactly is being found and how the scientist doing their work there have come to their conclusions. You could also research how accurate their testing methods are and see if there is any room for error in their research. ( I might do this one….it’s pretty awesome topic )
3. Why was Lord Kelvin’s estimate of the age of the Earth wrong?
Lord Kelvin’s estimate was found to be wrong because the temperature of the rocks in the mine shafts were warmed and heated by radioactivity and very unstable energy source. This unstable source of energy would later make radiocarbon dating possible.
4. Use Figure 3.3 to explain the most common way fossils form.
Fossils form over time in a series of stages, first foot prints, poop, and other evidence is left behind by a living thing, second the living thing dies near water, third the dead body of the living thing is picked clean of its soft tissues and other eatable parts, next the rest of the organic material rots away leaving only the bones and other hard pieces of matter, then the nearby water raises covering the body and evidence left behind by the now dead organism, next a series of thick layers of sediment cover and encapsulate the bones, foot prints, poop and other evidence of the organism and finally many thousands of years later the bones, foot prints and evidence are exposed by erosion.
5. How does coal form?
Coal is form when organic material is buried in sediment before it has the chance to rot and then begins to break down ,due to a bacteria present that does not need oxygen to survive. The bacteria breaks down the organism into a substance called lignin that when introduced or subjected to extreme pressure and heat turns into a hard rock like material called coal.
6. What are 12C and 13C?
12C and 13C are both a forms of carbon. 12C has six protons and six neutrons, where 13C has extra proton or neutron. Why does the ration of 12C to 13C differ between plants and air? The ration of 12C to 13C differs because 13C is a heavier molecule therefore slows the absorption of 13C whereas 12C is easier for a plant to absorb. How do we use this difference to infer details about fossil ecosystems?
7. Find some images of Ediacaran fossils and post them in your blogs. (SEE BELOW)
8. Why do plants colonize land before animals?
The plants colonized the land before the animals because plant could use the 12C for a source of growth and procreation, whereas there were no animals that breathed carbon as there source for cell creation. Not to mention it was too hot to support animal of land.
9. How does this reading tie to the learning goals for this course? This reading, forces us to think critically about what is being theorized and discover with in the field of science. It also shows us a good source of research, and then shares methods and practices in which the scientists used to find their conclusions. So it touch on two of the four learning goals we have in this class!
Sources
1) Zimmer, C. (2009). On the origin of life on earth, Retrieved from e-reserve
2) Zimmer, C. (2010). The Tangled bank: an introduction to evolution (Roberts and company publishers), Retrieved from e-reserve
Picture sources
A) http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G102/102prot3.htm
B) http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2215/change-ancient-seas-allowed-life-spread
1. What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
The author Carl Zimmer has a straight and direct way of keep you the reader interested in his article, first he starts out bring the thoughts and the theory of one of the influential scientific minds of the 19th century, Charles Darwin. Zimmer highlighted the controversial idea that human kind originated from a very basic one celled life form.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This hook leads to a very interesting and compelling set of questions that could be asked and then answered using the information gather and theorized by Charles Darwin, in regards to the thought that human life can be traced to a basic life form.
3. What is RNA (specifically mRNA, for those of you who have some background in this area)? Why is it essential for using the genetic code?
Messenger RNA is a strand of nucleotides that contain three different parts, a base, a sugar, and a grouping of phosphorus and oxygen atoms. The job of the mRNA is to become a copy of DNA and then translate itself (RNA) into different amino acids, which then links together to make proteins. mRNA is essential because it’s the device in which, DNA can build different proteins and therefore an organism.
4. What is the RNA world hypothesis?
The RNA world hypothesis theorizes that RNA-base life forms could have come from organisms made of a different genetic material, and that the different material is no longer found on the earth or in other natural processes. Scientists think it’s a possibility that life could have emerged from a simpler type of molecule then RNA that no longer exists and the RNA was the byproduct of a evolutionary change.
5. Why was lightening so essential to the origin of life?
In the 1950’s a experiment was done that proved that if you push lightning through ammonia, methane, and other types of gases, there is a product of amino acids the starting source for the production of proteins. This experiment was later to be proven possible with formaldehyde and other organic compounds known to be on the earth during the time of life’s beginning making the argument that lightning is the true spark of life.
6. What ideas does Zimmer present on how cells may have originated?
Zimmer present that idea that cells originated from RNA molecules coming together and connecting to each other growing in size and then produce more of itself by ripping apart from each other creating new bonds with more RNA. RNA replicating then would become packed and trapped inside of fatty acids producing the first real cell.
7. Do we have any conclusive evidence to support hypotheses on how life originated?
I don’t believe conclusive is the right word, this article has shown a great deal of supporting evidence that we are on the right track to finding out the processes and reactions that may of led to the first origins of life. The spark of lightning could bring us to the moment of cellular generations, the studies of RNA can bring forth the ideas of how the cells started to make living organisms, and the study of how the RNA became trapped within fatty acids provides the mean of how the RNA molecules could in fact make the organisms that would change and mutate into me .
Zimmer 2010, What the rocks say
1. What hook does the author use to capture your attention?
In this piece the author Carl Zimmer bring you in with the story of Abigail Allwood’s adventure down to a dig site or formation entitled the North Pole, it is at this site that scientists are finding proof of life 3.43 billion years ago.
2. How could you adapt this hook in your own case study?
This would be a great hook to study for a case story, the North Pole site would be a great place to start your research on what exactly is being found and how the scientist doing their work there have come to their conclusions. You could also research how accurate their testing methods are and see if there is any room for error in their research. ( I might do this one….it’s pretty awesome topic )
3. Why was Lord Kelvin’s estimate of the age of the Earth wrong?
Lord Kelvin’s estimate was found to be wrong because the temperature of the rocks in the mine shafts were warmed and heated by radioactivity and very unstable energy source. This unstable source of energy would later make radiocarbon dating possible.
4. Use Figure 3.3 to explain the most common way fossils form.
Fossils form over time in a series of stages, first foot prints, poop, and other evidence is left behind by a living thing, second the living thing dies near water, third the dead body of the living thing is picked clean of its soft tissues and other eatable parts, next the rest of the organic material rots away leaving only the bones and other hard pieces of matter, then the nearby water raises covering the body and evidence left behind by the now dead organism, next a series of thick layers of sediment cover and encapsulate the bones, foot prints, poop and other evidence of the organism and finally many thousands of years later the bones, foot prints and evidence are exposed by erosion.
5. How does coal form?
Coal is form when organic material is buried in sediment before it has the chance to rot and then begins to break down ,due to a bacteria present that does not need oxygen to survive. The bacteria breaks down the organism into a substance called lignin that when introduced or subjected to extreme pressure and heat turns into a hard rock like material called coal.
6. What are 12C and 13C?
12C and 13C are both a forms of carbon. 12C has six protons and six neutrons, where 13C has extra proton or neutron. Why does the ration of 12C to 13C differ between plants and air? The ration of 12C to 13C differs because 13C is a heavier molecule therefore slows the absorption of 13C whereas 12C is easier for a plant to absorb. How do we use this difference to infer details about fossil ecosystems?
7. Find some images of Ediacaran fossils and post them in your blogs. (SEE BELOW)
8. Why do plants colonize land before animals?
The plants colonized the land before the animals because plant could use the 12C for a source of growth and procreation, whereas there were no animals that breathed carbon as there source for cell creation. Not to mention it was too hot to support animal of land.
9. How does this reading tie to the learning goals for this course? This reading, forces us to think critically about what is being theorized and discover with in the field of science. It also shows us a good source of research, and then shares methods and practices in which the scientists used to find their conclusions. So it touch on two of the four learning goals we have in this class!
Sources
1) Zimmer, C. (2009). On the origin of life on earth, Retrieved from e-reserve
2) Zimmer, C. (2010). The Tangled bank: an introduction to evolution (Roberts and company publishers), Retrieved from e-reserve
Picture sources
A) http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G102/102prot3.htm
B) http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2215/change-ancient-seas-allowed-life-spread
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