celestialsciencewithhavana-blog

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Infertality is when women are unable to produce their own eggs and has been a topic that many scientists and researchers have been trying to cure. However recently scientist have created 3D printed gelatine scaffolds and implanted them with eggs to treat mammals suffering from infertility. Engineers and reproductive scientists conducted experiments on mice that used 3D printed ovaries which allowed sterile mice to give birth. The gelatine oversee created a lattice that could house follicles containing the eggs. The ovaries have only been tested on mice so far however this “holy grail” will hopefully be used to help women who have been left unable to bare children particularly through cancer treatments and other medical procedures.

The research was a collaboration between Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering, both in Illinois. The scientists created bioprosthetic ovaries by implanting genetical altered mouse eggs into the printed scaffold. The altered eggs contained bioluminescence which makes the mice born glowing green. This helped the scientists determine which eggs where produced with the 3D printed ovaries.

Dailymail interviewed D. Teresa Wooduff who worked on the study and said "'This research shows these bioprosthetic ovaries have long-term, durable function. Using bioengineering, instead of transplanting from a cadaver, to create organ structures that function and restore the health of that tissue for that person, is the holy grail of bioengineering for regenerative medicine.”

While contested where created the scaffold they had to make sure it was rigid enough to undergo surgery and porous snout connect with the mouses body tissues.The scientists came to the conclusion that they will use gelatine because a it is biological hydrogel which is made from broken-down collagen that is safe to use in humans. Most hydrogels made of water are very weak but gelatine is strong enough to support its own weight and can be layered to create the scaffolding. This ensures the survival of the mouse's egg cells and allows cells that produce hormones to boost production and circulate within the mouses bloodstream to trigger lactation. The guardian had an article that showed a close up of the tissue layering made with gelatine which was surrounded by supportive cells after six days of the procedure.

This article really shocked me since I am not all that familiar with transplants being used in modern science. I was not expecting scientist too use gelatine inside a mouse or any other living animal since gelatine is made out of cartilage, and bones from animals. The reason why I chose this article is because I wanted to learn more about transplants and how scientist determine what materials will work best. Some questions that I would ask the author of this article would be if the baby mice grow up glowing there whole life? And weather or not the gelatine scaffold gives a higher chance of birth complications or malfunctions in the production of cell?

MLA:

Mailonline, Tim Collins For. "Revolutionary 3D Printed OVARIES Offer Hope of a 'holy Grail' Treatment for Infertility." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 16 May 2017. Web. 17 May 2017.

Sample, Ian. "3D-printed Ovaries Allow Infertile Mice to Give Birth." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 16 May 2017. Web. 17 May 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Aliens are one of the most debatable theories humans believe. No one really knows for sure weather or not they really exist however NASA has discovered a new sign of there existence on Mars. NASA has taken a picture honeycomb labyrinth found on mars which could possibally be an alien city. Honeycomb labyrinths also known as Noctis Labyrinthyus which translates to 'the labyrinth of the night is a maze-like system of deep walled valleys. The daily ardmoreite has an article that shows images of the honeycomb labyrinth taken by University of Arizona and explains it as a steep-walled valleys that twist and turn across the Martian surface. Some scientists believe they are formed by comprised of sedimentary deposits that are being exhumed as it erodes. However alien beleivers agree it is the perfect underground city built by aliens.

Images of the honeycomb labyrinth where captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been circling the red planet since 2006, capturing the pictures using its High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera. The images show a number of aerial views, some of which look like eroded domes that could be surrounded by virtually circular rings. Researchers looked at the images and believed it was a result of faulting however Scott C. Warning agrees that it was built by extraterrestrials. Warning shares with the article his reasoning being “You see that below the baleen structures is nothing but blackness, so I assume that this is a ventilation roof of an underground city”. He continues to explain the importance of the ventilation roof being necessary for life on the harsh environment.

Many people have looked at the satellite images and have said that it looked like structures found in parts of south africa. Other astronauts and researchers also discovered the ring and cone structures spotted on Elysium Planitia, a plain near the Martian equator.

Personally I do agree with the theory of aliens which is why I chose to research this article. However I do not believe aliens caused this structure. There may be aliens that colonize there however it seem to me like a difficult structure to create without technology, construction etc. I believe nature is the only way this structure could be created but some questions that I would have for the authors of the article are how would aliens create the honeycomb labyrinth if they really did? and is there ways we can explore mars farther to find out if there really is extraterrestrials living there?

MLA:

Dailymail.com, Stacy Liberatore For. "The Oddest Crater on Mars: NASA Reveals Stunning New Image of 'honeycomb' Labyrinth - Which Alien Hunters Immediately Claim Is a Hidden Alien City." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

Orwig, Jessica. "Epically Awesome Photos of Mars." The Daily Ardmoreite. The Daily Ardmoreite, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Now days technology is being used to track simple life needs such as the amount of exercise you are getting and the amount of sleep you are getting. However studies show that sleep tracking apps are actually bad for your health and instead of enforcing sleep people are becoming worried and anxious about following the rules that they can't get quality shut-eye. Researchers call this orthosomnia which means an unhealthy preoccupation with achieving perfect sleep.

researchers, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois cited the case of a 39 year old man who received a sleep tracking app from his girl friend as a gift. He noticed that after a 8 hour sleep that the tracking device tracked he did not fight with his girlfriend that much. Although he realized that he was becoming fixated on getting a good sleep and would lie in bed worried about the amount of sleep he is getting.

There is a growing trend for sleep and fitness tracking devices such as the fitbit or the apple watch but not all have accurate data. I used an article called business insider which helped me understand why sleep tracking apps usually are misleading. The article told me that they can't monitor what's going on inside your brain. Data can be inaccurate since devices are detecting movement, and often can't differentiate between light and deep sleep. Yet people are spending too much time at night stressing and, in some cases, this can leads to insomnia. Insomnia is related and can result in sleep deprivation can affect us in a number of ways, including a lack of alertness, impaired memory and mood regulation. Poor sleep has even been linked to heart and immune system problems. Dr Baron and her colleagues at the University Medical Center in Chicago agree that the next challenge will be for sleep therapists to educate there patience about sleep-tracking apps and devices, and trying to incorporate them into standard sleep therapy techniques. Some sleep therapy techniques involve avoiding late-night snacking and sticking to a sleep-wake schedule.

Personally I agree with what this article has to say, technology shouldn’t be interfering with our quality of sleep, and even having our device near us when we sleep can damage your health with its radiation. I chose this article because I was curious to see whether or not these apps work and I much expected the answer. Some questions that I would ask in regards to this article are why would sleep tracking devices be necessary? and in the future will scientists be able to create a sleep tracking devise that collects brain data?

MLA:

Dailymail.com, Mary Kekatos For. "Why Sleep Tracking Apps Are BAD for Your Health: Study Reveals People Are so Worried about following the Rules That They Can't Get Quality Shut-eye." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 03 Mar. 2017. Web. 05 Mar. 2017.

Calderone, Julia. "The One Big Problem with Sleep Tracking Apps." Business Insider. Business Insider, 17 Feb. 2016. Web. 05 Mar. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Woolly Mammoths have been extinct for over 10000 years and korean scientist might have the ability to change that. Theriogenology and biotechnology at Seoul National University is currently able to clone dogs for 10000 dollars by extracting the egg and removing it from its DNA. Then a sperm with DNA will fertilize in the egg and be put back in the downer or the dog giving birth. This then creates an exact replica of that DNA from the sperm when the puppies is born which means that the dog will have no DNA from the dog that is giving birth to it.This process can be done with different species of dogs for example a sperm of a golden retriever and the egg of a great dane.

To bring back mammoths scientist will use this same procedure using woolly mammoths closest relative, the indian elephant. They will use preserved mammoth tissue and muscle that had been frozen in the ground of Syberia for 10000 years, and collect samples. From these samples they will extract DNA and put it in the egg of an indian elephant that has had its DNA removed. The Indian elephant will shortly after give birth to a woolly mammoth.

Scientist Hwang Woo-suk is aware that closing such a large and extinct mammal will be very difficult and will take a very long time but hopefully wishes that children today will experience mammoths. However other people in various parts of the world do not agree with cloning and believe that it is taking the role of our creator. Science and cloning may get in the way with religion and faith which is why many parts of the world do not provide funding or agree to it.

Personally my opinion towards cloning is that it is a good idea. I am very much an animal person and I believe that science and cloning can have a positively huge impact of endangered species. If cloning can possiblilly bring back the extinct then there is a high change it can change the endangerment of animals. In terms of religion people have a fair point. We must not go too far with cloning in the future. For example if we start cloning humans people might no longer want to naturally reproduce children which goes against religion and can cause major government and health issues. Some questions that I have in regards to this video are is it really necessary to clone you’re dead dog? I believe scientist should use there knowledge more wisely and focus on endangered animals instead of domenstic dogs. My other question would be why the scientist were interested in the woolly mammoth when there are other extinct animals to choose from?

MLA: MotherboardTV. "The Mission to Resurrect the Woolly Mammoth." YouTube. YouTube, 08 Apr. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Melanesians are the only people in the world to inherit substantial DNA from both Neanderthals and Denisovans researchers say. Modern-day Melanesians cary a genetic ancient interbreeding that affects their health and well-being in a positive way. Pasific islanders possess nuclear DNA that they inherited from two Stone Age hominid populations says Benjamin Vernot, formerly of the University of Washington in Seattle, and his colleagues.The DNA contains genes involved in important biological functions which is passed down from parents too children. The biological functions include positive features such as metabolism and immunity.This tells us that interbreeding highly influenced the evolutionary success of ancient humans Vernot’s research group reports.

Among Melanesians, DNA sequences connect to Neanderthals and Denisovans bond several metabolism genes. One of those genes influences a hormone that increases blood glucose levels. Another affects the chemical breakdown of lipids. Others genetic sequences include genes that help to defend the body against illness.

Present-day Neanderthals and Denisovans Melanesians now live in Bismarck Archipelago which is a group of islands off Papua New Guineas northeastern coast. Researchers also found that non-Africans including Melasians - have inherited an average between 1.5 to 4 percent of DNA from Neanderthals. However only Melanesians consist of genes from Denisovans which makes up 1.9 to 3.4 percent of there DNA.

Vernots team studied 35 Melanesians in 11 different locations in Birsmarck Archipelago.The analysis concentrated on DNA from 27 unrelated individuals and looked at any evidence of ancient interbreeding which previously acquired 1500 genomes of modern-day individuals from various parts of the world.  Denisovan DNA was compared using fragment fossils in a Siberian cave. Neandertal DNA was compared using previously extracted woman's toe bones that are over 50000 years old.

Previous DNA comparisons suggest that Denisovans must have reached Southeast Asia although Vernots research has yet to test other parts of the world.

From another reating articles that I read in support, I found out that people today with Neanderthals DNA are at risk for many diseases modern day diseases such as depression, heart disease and some skin conditions.

The reason why I picked this article was because my dad comes from Neanderthal dissents meaning I have a small fraction of Neanderthal DNA and I am interested to lean more about modern-day Neanderthals. This article taught me the effect of interbreeding among ancient humans and evolutionary success that it has brought to many Melanesians Some questions that I would ask in regards too this article would be whether of not present-day Neanderthals and Denisovans Melanesians look very similar? and what physical features do they share in common ?  And Why does Neanderthal DNA in modern humans have a high risk to catch diseases but with Denisovan genes can cause immunity?

MLA: Bower, Bruce. "Pacific Islanders Got a Double Whammy of Stone Age DNA." Science News. N.p., 17 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Relating article:

Saey, Tina Hesman. "Neandertal DNA May Raise Risk for Some Modern Human Diseases." Science News. N.p., 06 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Wow what an important topic you covered it very well. I'm very shocked and a bit scared since I spend lots of time on my computer and phone. Now when ever I go on my electronics I will rethink a bit more because I want to retain my social skills. This was written very well maybe add a little more detail from the article next time.

Good job Saf

Love Havana :)

The time teens can spend on computers each day before harming wellbeing

Parents worry very often that their teen is spending too much time online and it is damaging their social skills, but in a recent article the university of oxford has found out that screen time can be beneficial as long as it is not being used for too long. Researchers at Oxford University quizzed 120,000 15-year-olds about their wellbeing and compared it to screen time, they found the use of gadgets had a positive impact. Sir Anthony Seldon says, “Intelligent use of computers can enhance the life of teenagers but overall they are spending vastly too much time online.” They also found that there is a prime amount of time for screen time for the average teen which averaged to around for smartphones amount being around two hours and one hour 40 minutes for video games. The researchers say that digital usage wether it being phone usage or video games enhance creativity, communication skills and development. To conclude there is little to support fears that spending time on digital devices is harmful. Some connectivity is probably better than none in moderate levels. I think this is a very interesting article because digital usage is a large conversation in house holds between teens and parents nowadays, and I say this because it is a big conversation in my family as well. I agree that phone time can be abused and it can be in large quantities as well but I do not think it is harmful in the recommended time that they suggest. Overall, I was attracted to his articles because it explains about our generation today and explains a lot about teens daily life. I though tit was very interesting.

-thesaffronmethod

“The Time Teens Can Spend on Computers Each Day before Harming Wellbeing.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Peanut allergies are one of the most common allergies known to humans. The symptoms from eating or coming in contact with peanuts rang from mild irritations to serious anaphylactic reactions. Meghan Rosen the author of this article witnessed a sever reaction while at the hospital to deliver her baby and luckily the nurse who had the reaction got to an EpiPen fast enough. From that experience she was terrified to ever introduce her baby to peanuts but that is the opposite of what you should do.

The National Institue of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recommends feeding peanut containing food to babies early and often. When peanuts are introduced early then there is a very good chance of preventing peanut allergies says Alkis Togias, an allergist at NIAID in Bethesda, Md. Many books and research about peanut allergies have been published from 2000 - 2010 which confused Megan because each journal gave different information ranging from giving them peanuts at a early age to not feeding them peanuts till they are at least 3 years of age.

In 2015 LEAP (Learning Early about Peanut Allergy) started a trial using 640 babies between 4 and 11 months old with severe eczema and/or egg allergy and divided them into two groups.One group ate peanut-containing foods. The other avoided them. It was the first controlled trial to answer to the“should I feed my baby peanuts?”question and what researchers discovered was remarkable. In babies that ate peanuts the incidence of peanut allergy dropped by roughly 70 to 80 percent.

The new guidelines offer different advice depending on certain conditions. For babies without eczema or egg allergies, the guidelines suggest that parents introduce peanut-containing foods around the same time as other solid foods. Parents of babies with mild to moderate eczema can stick to the above plan, but peanut-containing foods should be introduced after other solid foods, around 6 months of age.

It is important for babies to continue eating peanuts on a regular basis after being introduced to them  “Once peanuts are in the diet, they need to stay in the diet,” says pediatric allergist J. Andrew Bird of UT Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas. The U.S. sees roughly 80,000 new cases of peanut allergy every year. “If we cut that in half, we’re saving 40,000 kids right away,” says Togias. Still many parents are concerned that there child has a peanut allergies and stick to the skin prick test which has a high chance of giving false-positive results turning people away from peanuts forever unnecessarily. Now don’t get confused this article is not telling parents that children allergic to peanuts should be eating them every day. These guidelines are meant to prevent allergies from arising in the first place.

This article I found very important. I found it important because peanut allergies are so common and the reason people are getting them is very easy to fix. All we have to do as parents is introduce peanuts at an early age. Some questions that I would ask in regards of this article would be how eczema and egg allergies effect peanut allergies at all and why the skin prick test gives false-positive answers?

MLA:

Rosen, Meghan. "Though Complex, New Peanut Allergy Guidelines Are Based on Science." Science News. N.p., 13 Jan. 2017. Web. 14 Jan. 2017.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Most people when there were babies used or had some experience with a pacifier. At the time your parents used it too calm you down or likely used it as something to chew on while teething. It may not seem like an issue but researchers of the American Chemical Society warm parents to not invest in pacifiers since 100 perfect of pacifiers tested contained Bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol S (BPS) or Bisephenol F (BPF). These chemicals are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Most also contained other chemicals such as parabens, and antimicrobials such as triclosan and triclocarban. The types of pacifiers that were tested involve solid, gel-filled and water filled that were purchased online in the U.S. Shockingly most of there pacifier contained labels saying “ BPA- free or non-toxic although all of them contained BPA. BPA is unfortunatly found in many more everyday items like plastic and metal food containers, detergents, flame retardants, toys and cosmetics. The FDA ( U.S. Food and Drug Administration ) is in the middle of an investigation on BPA in plastic water bottles to help retain and eliminate it. The study proved that the compounds leached out of the plastic water bottles surfaces into water that will be consumed.

BPA is a chemical know to cause neurological and behavioral disorders like autism and ADHD which also affect IQ. Not to mention manipulates hormones in a way that can cause cancer, diabetes, male infertility, and endometriosis.  BPA being exposed to babies at such a young age while they are growing and developing makes the chances even greater of the child to develop any of there disorders. The researchers admit that there findings could help protect and could be used to inform the appropriate policies to protect infants from exposure to harmful chemicals such as BPA in teethers.

This article I found very interesting. I found it interesting in particular since products were very untruthful and lied in regards of there ingredients even though it is harming children and babies. Some questions that I would ask in regards of this article would be what elements create BPA and in what form is it added to the products for example is it soild, liquid or gas ?

MLA:

Dailymail.com, Mia De Graaf For. "Danger of Pacifiers: Most Popular Plastic Teethers Contain Hormone-disrupting Toxins That Cause Autism, Diabetes and Cancer, Study Reveals." Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 07 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 Dec. 2016. Copy & paste citation

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Apes are our close cousins and like us spending time with friends and family can help people feel better when they are stressed. Studies show that when chimpanzees are interacting they release fewer stress hormones which researchers are discovering also happens to humans. Researchers found this out by looking at how 17 apes would reacted after certain stressful events and the chimpanzees stress hormones did not increase when grooming or interacting with other chimpanzees. The chimpanzees being groomed by social partners also reduced glucocorticoid levels. Glucocorticoid is a type of stress hormone which is produced by the adrenal cortex of animals and affects the functioning of gonads and has anti-inflammatory activity. They compared levels of glucocorticoids in the urine.

Researchers are using this informating to learn more about how to prevent stress in humans. It is said by Dr Roman Wittig and Evolutionary Anthropology "Therefore chimpanzees can help us to learn how friends can help to buffer stress in humans." These findings suggest that social interactions such as play and socializing with friends is an important role in reducing stress levels and maintaining mental health in both humans and chimpanzees.

I chose this article because it emphasized how socializing can benefit us humans and end up improving our mental health and overall well being. I strongly agree and relate to the fact that the more humans socialize the happier and the more stress free they will feel. Although scientist haven't yet finished researching how this experiment will relate to humans I am very interested to see how it will work and if it will have an impact on our everyday life. Will schools take this into consideration and have students with high stress levels work with a partner ? Or will stressed animal at shelters receive a buddy to calm them ?

MLA:

Mailonline, Abigail Beall For. "Apes Get by with a Little Help from Their Friends: Chimps Feel Less STRESSED after They Interact with Others." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 01 Nov. 2016. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.

"Kids.Net.Au - Dictionary Definition: Glucocorticoid." Kids.Net.Au - Dictionary Definition: Glucocorticoid. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Thid article is very interesting. Although you forgot to put MLA citations and it would be very effective to read your personal thoughts and feelings on this topic. I find it quite scary but very informative and important tbh. You were able too put lots of detail in your work, well done on that!

Good Job Saf

- Havana

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/10/18/obese-mothers-risk-shortening-lives-of-children-by-up-to-17-year/

Obese mothers risk shortening lives of children by up to 17 years

In this article, it brings up some very interesting ideas and new studies that obsess mothers can shorten their children lives up to 17 years. Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. Having too much body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke. And as this study shows, it can also lead to shortening your child’s live by a lot. Scientists in Belgium discovered a strong link between Body Mass Index, which is what causes obesity and the length of telomeres in research involving women and their babies. Telomeres are the protective caps at the end chromosomes which shield DNA  and protect them. They discovered that for each increase in BMI point above a normal level, telomeres were around 50  base pairs shorter, the equivalent of  being 1.1 to 1.6 years older. Tim Nawrot, of Hasselt University, one of the study authors, said: “Compared with newborns of mothers with a normal BMI, newborns of women with obesity are older on a molecular level, because shortened telomere lengths mean that their cells have shorter lifespans. Ti,m Nawrot says “So maintaining a healthy BMI during a woman’s reproductive age may promote molecular longevity in the offspring.” I think that this article is very important because obesity is a problem a round the road that many people face. This active could make some people aware of what being obese can to do to your future and children. The study provides a strong justification for intervention in pregnancy, infancy, childhood and young adult life to tackling the national burden of obesity. It means advising women of reproductive age to maintain a healthy weight, supporting parents, and creating healthy societies to ensure infants and children do not become overweight.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

The Royal College of Physicians has estimated that indoor air pollution contributes to 99,000 deaths in Europe every year.  Many people believe they suffer from ‘sick building syndrome’, in which happens when air pollutants trigger headaches, skin allergies and even fatigue.

Houseplants look nice and smell good but they are also a good way to get rid of those dangerous air pollutants.  Studies show that a specific plant called the bromeliad cleanses the air around you by sucking up pollutants. These plants are found in lots North American households. They have large spiky flowers and shiny stiff leaves they may not be the prettiest of plants but they are perfect when it comes to cleaning air.

Many everyday items such as paints, furniture, photocopiers, printers, cleaning supplies and even dry-cleaned clothes have the ability to release toxic gases into your indoor environment. The plant works to remove these VCO’s (volatile organic compounds) through its leaves.

It is not only the bromeliads that are helping eliminate air pollutants but other plants such as the common corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) remove pollutants from the air as well. This plant has long colourful leaves that are particularly good at mopping up acetone, the primary chemical in nail varnish remover. Another plant that helps improve air quality would be the Scarlet star (Guamanian lingulata), which is a tropical flowering plant from South and Central America, which produces striking red flowers in a star shape. Most office workers and homeowners will be familiar with the spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum). The handy plant is very popular as an indoor houseplant due how easy it is too take care of, but study found that it also removes VOCs from the air.

This article relates to me because both my mom and I are highly allergic to toxic chemicals and pollutants in the air. It is very helpful to know that investing in a simple houseplant can help cure allergy symptoms in our house. Some questions that I have would be were can you purchase these plants ? And how did the researchers find out that these plants filter toxins ?

MLA:

Fiona Macrae Science Editor For The Daily Mail. "The Pot Plants That Could Clean up the Air in Your Home: Scientists Reveal Which Species Act as Air Filters." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 24 Aug. 2016. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

This is a very cool topic and blog ( I love the picture for the article :)) You did a very good job summarizing the article although if you had more writing and detail it would have made it stronger. One question I have would be how this article connects to you and why you chose it ?

Very good job

- Havana

P.S you forgot MLA citation 

Researchers discover gene behind ‘sixth sense’ in humans

In this article it talks about a very interesting topic, which is an extremely rare genetic mutation that may shed light on a so-called “sixth sense” in humans, the body’s awareness of where it is in space. The researching started when a 9 year old and a 19 year reporting strange and similar symptoms such as hips, fingers, and feet that bent at unusual angles, as well as scoliosis, an unusual curvature of the spine. And they had difficulty walking, showed an extreme lack of coordination, and couldn’t physically feel any objects against their skin. This genetic mutation was discovered by pediatric neurologist Carsten Bönnemann, who works for the National Institute of Health, In Maryland. Bönnemann discovered that the gene that the girl and woman received was tested on mice and was proved to be fatal and that people could not live with it. The researchers discovered that when they moved their index finger from their nose to a target placed in front of them, when blindfolded, they failed miserably. Eyes uncovered, they did well. This was the case of many other sensory test that the participants tested in. The researchers suggested the patients totally lacked proprioception. This means the senses of touch and proprioception evoke a range of perceptions and rely on the ability to detect mechanical force. The mechanisms these sensory functions remain poorly defined. This article really caught my attention because it is a really interesting topic and in intriguing genetic mutation that is clearly very rare. It sparked up many question in my mind, and will make me want to keep up to date with the news about this genetic mutation.

Questions:

How do the girl and women live day to day life with this mutation?

What could help improve life for those who have this mutation?

-thesaffronmethod

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

This is such an interesting article although there is no link or resources citing if you actually found this online. I love how you put your personal imput in, that is very important. You also did a really good job using in-text citations. One question that I have from this article would be when they will deside to start using cockroach milk? Another question that crosses my mind would be why thay call it milk if it is from the roaches intestines ?

Well done Martine !!

- Havana

Roach Milk Might Be The Next Super food

           Many people start their day off with a glass of milk, and that can come from cows, buffaloes, goats or sheep. But n 2004, Subramanian Ramaswamy started studying crystals that are found inside the guts of cockroach embryos. To examine and learn more about these crystals scientists will have to throw light on them to look at atoms or molecules. “To look at atoms or molecules, you’d want to use wavelengths of light that are smaller than the distances between atoms and molecules.” The wavelength of the X-ray are the right size to see atoms in a crystal of some protein. After scanning the crystals the data showed that cockroach’s milk is considered a “complete food”. It contains sugar with fatty acid providing blocks of fat to the body. Also the protein in the milk consists of essential amino acids providing blocks of protein. That means as crazy as it sounds we might be drinking cockroach milk daily in the future. It would be difficult to extract large quantities of milk from one cockroach. That means a large scale of raising and killing roaches. Another possibility would be making this milk in vats using yeast. But until then scientist admits that this is only a wishful thinking meaning that only if consumers actually want to drink milk from a cockroach.

I think that this is an idea that won’t be used anytime soon because of the milk is coming from a cockroach. Lots of people can’t even look at cockroaches let alone drinking their milk. But this is a very interesting research because you would always think that cockroaches are dirty and full of bacteria. But study actually shows that the milk that they produce is actually very good for your body. Overall this is a very cool research but its not something we can accept as humans.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Australian scientists from the Australian national university discovered that the galaxy could be filled with billons of habitable planets just like earth located in the Milky Way.  Scientist base their prediction on an average star having 2 habitable planets in orbit and the milky way contains approximately 100 billion stars. Scientist calculated if an average star had 2 planets there would be two billion habitable planets like earth that have not been visited.

They base this information and discovery on a 200-year-old method that they call the Titius-Bode relation.  This method was used in the past to predict many planets that our in our solar system.  An example of a planet in our solar system that was discovered by the Titius-Bode relation would be Uranus. “We use a generalized Titus-Bode relation to predict the periods of 228 additional planets in 151 of these Kepler multiples,' the researchers wrote.” From this example they predict that there is an average of two planets in the habitable zone of every star. The habitable zone is also known as the goldilocks zone, which is the distance from a star that has liquid water, and was life can exist. The Kepler space telescope does not see planets close to their stars because the heat of the stars would cause it to be too hot for liquid water.

The necessities for life are abundant but research shows that life in habitable environments is abundant. No one has yet set foot on these planets although researcher Dr. Charley explains “The universe is not teeming with aliens with human-like intelligence that can build radio telescopes and space ships. Otherwise we would have seen or heard from them”. Which tells us that if there is any life on those planets they are not as evolved as we humans on earth.

 I picked this article because I think all the time about what we would do if our planet was to get destroyed. After researching I am very interested to see if in years from now humans would have to evacuate to other planets. Some questions that I have about this article would be if these habitable environments look like planet earth ? Or whether or not they all have unique features like in our solar system?

Work cited: MailOnline, Jonathan O'Callaghan for. "Are There 200 BILLION Earth-like Worlds in the Milky Way? Stars Have an Average of Two Habitable Planets in Orbit, Study Claims." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 05 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

I really like this idea although detail would really help tell us what exactly happened in that spaceship. Instead of just stating points find ways to flow them together nicely. Another thing to improve on would be vocabulary and using scientific terms. I’m interested why you chose this topic does it relate to you in a way? You did a really good job analyzing the article and summarizing.

Nice job Martin!

- Havana

P.S don't forget to quote and cite your work.

Spaceship crash

Space ship crash Martin Chen

On October 31st a spaceship test in the us crashed because of a fatal error from the coo-pilot as he was killed . The spaceship was designed to be the first space ship that will deliver customers in to space. This experience will cost 250,000 and now that this has happened the market of taking people in to space is going to be very cold. The co-pilot was ejected from the seat when the tragedy happened and suffered severe damage. And the spaceship was smashed in to pieces. Later on in the investiment it was found that the co-pilot had started the feathering system too early as he unlocked it at mach 0.92 instead of 1.4. Following the crash in November, Sir Richard Branson said that his dream of commercial space tourism may have ended with the explosion that consumed Virgin Galactic’s test craft above California’s Mojave desert. The co-pilot was fully responsible for this accident. And pilot Peter Siebold described his experience of falling from the sky. He said that there was no oxygen and he couldn’t breathe and it was like travelling at the speed of sound. Luckily he was strapped to the seat and was ejected out of the ship and the parachute activated and he survived. Unfortunately he was severely injured. This accident was extremely careless as the co-pilot made an error that should’ve never been made. I think that preparation and experience should be a lot better in the future for test flights so there are no more loft lives and no huge costs for the space ship. This is for a sake of human life so I think that the space station should take this a lot more serious and they should learn from this experience.

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

Great article Saf! You did such a good job adding quotations don’t froget to give the authors credit such as “........”( Bob 12). I love your personal imput although I would also like to hear more from the waxworker La Specola. Im so interested how Venus the goddess was inspired into a beutiful wax cadavers. I wonder if this old cadavers actually helped scienctist study ? 

Well put together :)

- Havana

 The anatomical Venus, one of the first wax cadavers for medical and artistic use, lays in a glass case in a museum Florence Italy (one that I visited this past summer). This wax full-sized dissectible body, that is often referred to as the Medici venus, was once used for instructing and seducing as it was the ideal standard of female beauty back in the  1800’s when it was created.

  I found this article intriguing because medicine is very interesting to me was well as I saw this very wax cadaver in florence not too long ago so I could relate to it in a different way. When I saw this wax cadaver, I did not know “she was so highly regarded by anatomists that copies were commissioned for a variety of museums and teaching collections around Europe “, and that “she was the most accomplished Anatomical Venus ever made, setting the standard by which all others are judged”. The main purpose for Medici’s Venus was so that scientists and doctors could stop conducting real life dissections on alive (or once was) bodies. The wax cadaver was a really good alternative to messy, smelly, and gross real life dissections.

    I find it very interesting that the anatomical Venus was at the same time a detailed and accurate representation of the inner workings of the female body, and was also seductive representation of ideal female beauty. I also find it very interesting that “over 200 years after their creation, La Specola’s waxworks are still considered remarkably accurate, some of them demonstrating anatomical structures that had yet to be named or described at the time of their making”, which I find really amazing and unbelievable. Because the wax cadaver is a representation of “venus” the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, the characteristics usually involved with cadavers was replaced with the goddesses qualities.

-thesaffronmethod ✮

[celestialsciencewithhavana-blog]

A team of researchers studied animals to find the real culprit behind the common cold. Studies showed that camels could just be what scientists have been looking for. In this science video the narrator explains ”1 strand of the common cold virus actually originated in camels”. The common cold today may be modified and different but scientists believe that it all started off from these dessert animals. The video also described who the researchers came to the conclusion and they said “a team of researchers testing 1000 camels for coronaviruses and found the common cold in 6 percent”.

Not only is there a link between camels and the common cold but the video explained that Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus originated from camels as well. This virus is also known as MERS and was first introduced to humans around 2012. The video explains how serious this virus really is and says “600 have died form the virus since then, and researchers are working on a vaccine and clinical testing is expected to begin next year.” The virus still luckily hasn’t spread worldwide but people are worried that it could spread rapidly like the common cold and it must be cured soon.

I find this article very interesting because colds are extremely easy too catch and have been around for a very long time. In fast everyone has have a cold a few times in their life and for years me and everyone I know blamed in on the cold weather. Never once did I think camels could cause such a typical, irritating virus such as the common cold virus let alone a life taking coronavirus such as MERS. Two questions that pass my mind while watching this educational video would be if camels would cause any new viruses? And if they did how do they cause these viruses in the first place?

Work cited: ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.