vda#9
1.I would print a laptops and other electronics and send them to people in poverty or people who cant afford them.
2.money. lots and lots of money so i could buy anything i want.

                                                                        vda#8
Strong scientific evidence shows that urgent action to tackle climate change is imperative. New research has confirmed that the climate really is changing and there are signs that these changes have accelerated. Impact analyses are beginning to quantify precisely what the cost of inaction or of simply pursuing current policies will be.In 2005, the Commission laid the foundations for an EU strategy to combat climate change. This document now sets out more concrete steps to limit the effects of climate change and to reduce the risk of massive and irreversible disruptions to the planet. These short-term and medium-term measures target both developed countries (the EU and other industrialised countries) and developing countries.The EU and its Member States have confirmed their target to limit the global average temperature increase to 2° Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels, the point beyond which the impact of climatic change is believed to increase dramatically. Research shows that stabilising the level of greenhouse gases at 450 ppmv (parts per million volume of CO2 equivalent) would lead to a 1 in 2 chance of reaching the target of a 2°C rise (compared with a 1 in 6 chance if levels reach 550 ppmv, and a 1 in 16 chance if levels hit 650 ppmv).

Vda#7

1. What is the benefit of checking feces (poop, scat, dung, droppings) for hormones versus checking the blood of the animal?

to better understand their reproductive patterns without stressing them by capturing them and sampling their blood.

2. What four things can you learn from an organism's droppings?

The four things you can learn from an organism's droppings is the species that excreted it, its travels, diet and health.

3. What hormone is produced when some animals are stressed or starving?

cortisol

4. What did the researchers conclude contributed to the higher stress in orcas and how did the scientists come to that conclusion?

Every August, there were plenty of fish for the whales to eat — and a lot of whale-watching boats in the area too. Around that time, GC levels in the whale poop dropped to their lowest levels, the team found. If the boats stressed the whales, then GC levels should have been high at that time.

Later, when the number of Chinook salmon, a favorite food, dropped, GC levels in the orca scat rose. So the researchers concluded that fewer fish created more stress for the whales than did more boats. That is worrisome, because Chinook salmon are scarcer as people overfish this species.

5. Give two reasons why dung beetles climb atop the balls of dung.

 The insects danced to orient themselves and get back on track and they had been trying to avoid hot. feet

6. What is the relationship between the Kakapo and the Hades flowers? In your answer, be sure to include how each species benefits the other.

They both kill.

7. Why is the Hades flower called "Hades" flower?
Because it is the cause of cancer

                                                                                     VDA#6

1. Scientists predict that prune fingers may serve a purpose.  What purpose do they suggest prune fingers serve?

They suggest that prune fingers wrinkles improve our fingers’ ability to grasp wet, slippery objects.

2. Do you think that the study performed in England was a valid study?  Why or why not?  

No it is not a valid study,because the number of participants was small. Also people's hands may take longer than 30 minutes to develop the wrinkles. Besides they did not mention how much was the difference between the two groups. 

3. How would you design an experiment to gather more data to support the suggestion that prune fingers serve a purpose?   (Be sure to include the number of people sampled, the independent and dependent variables and the duration or amount of time for your experiment.)

I would sample one hundred people, my independent variable is they will soak both their hands for 1 hour and different ages of the participants. My dependent variable is that i will use different objects to move and i will change the temperature of the room or the temperature of the water they soak their hands in.               

4. While scientists are attempting to determine the biological purpose for prune fingers, the article does not discuss why prune fingers happen in the first place.  What biological process allows for the skin on our hands and feet to turn wrinkly when submerged in water for long periods of time? 

The biological process that allows for the skin on our hands and feet to turn wrinkly when submerged in water for long periods of time is called osmosis. 
(http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/01/getting-a-grip/)

VDA#4



1. What is Richard Lenski studying and why does he think it's important?

Richard Lenski is studying: Does evolution always lead to the same end point? If he started with 12 identical flasks, full of identical bacteria, would they all change over time in the same way? Or would random mutations send each bottle's population spinning off in a different direction? He thinks it is important because he wanted to now if bacteria evolve the same way over time.

 

2. What is Telewski studying and why does he think it's important?

Telewski is studying how long seeds can remain dormant.It is important to him because he says the mysteries of long-term seed viability remain scientifically interesting. Only two plant species sprouted from the last Beal bottle.

 

3. What benefits do you see in performing long-term scientific studies like these?

I could see if bacteria evolve to something bigger maybe even become multi-cellular. IT could help see if you could evolve other animals maybe an endangered one and see if the evolve enough so they could repoduce faster or to see if they can evolve long enough so they could better protect themselves in their habitat.

                                                                     Part 2

I commented on Umaimah's and Ameer's. 



VDA 5



write a paragraph of at least 6 sentences that explains

1.      what mercury is,

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. It exists in several forms – elemental (also known as metallic mercury), inorganic and organic. Pure mercury, also called quicksilver, is a liquid metal that easily evaporates, giving off invisible, odorless and toxic vapors. Mercury cannot be created or destroyed. Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems.

2.      what it can do to pregnant women

Mercury can damage many parts of the body, including the nervous system, lungs and kidneys. It also can cause hearing and vision problems. The seriousness of the damage depends upon how much mercury you’re exposed to.

Babies who are exposed to mercury in the womb can suffer brain damage and affect the baby’s hearing and vision.

 

3.      How they can prevent these problems while pregnant?

 

The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it's likely to contain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourage pregnant women to avoid:

·         Swordfish

·         Shark

·         King mackerel

·         Tilefish

1. What is algae? (Specifically, what kingdom does it belong to and where is it found?)

protist

2. What is another form of biofuel that the article mentions? (Hint! "There's more than _______ in Indiana! Indiana Beach!")

corn

3. When comparing algal biofuel to the biofuel mentioned in your answer to number 2, which one allegedly produces fewer polluntants?

Solazyme

4. How does the algae produce biofuel?

Special algae are grown in bulk; when fed certain sugars, they produce combustible oils that can be used as fuel additives.

1. How long does nature take to produce fuel?

millions of years

2. How long does it take Solazyme to produce fuel?

days

3. Where is Solazyme currently located?

all over the world