Are Smart Phones Making us Less Smarter?Smart phone addiction is a new problem that our generation is experiencing. Researchers have found an imbalance in the brain chemistry of young people addicted to smartphones and the internet, according to a studies presented today by the RNSA. It is crazy to think that 46 percent of Americans say they could not live without their smartphones.
These phones are distracting us from the things that actually matter in our lives. Texting has caused people to lose so much intimacy. Sometimes I wish that I lived in a time without phones. The idea of no phones actually intrigues me and i feel like times were simpler without them. I try to stay off mine when I am with loved ones, but I fall victim to their interesting games and such that are so appealing to our generation.
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Can your grandpas bones really predict the weatherThere has always been the story that old people can tell when it is going to rain because they start to feel joint, bone, and back pain. When your grandparents told you this and you called them crazy, you were actually right. "No matter how we looked at the data, we didn't see any correlation between rainfall and physician visits for joint pain or back pain," said Jena, who is the Ruth L. Newhouse Associate Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Sadly predicting the weather is not something that we have to look forward to in old age. There were studies done comparing how many people came in complaining about joint pain on days when it rained vs days when it didn't. The end result was that there was no significant difference between the two, so this is just more evidence that old people are crazy. Climate Change and HorsesChanging environments and ecosystems were driving the evolution of horses over the past 20 million years. In fact, Cantalapiedra and colleagues were able to show that all these newly evolved species of horses were ecologically very similar.
Environmental changes would have produced a lot more fragmented, mosaic-type ecosystems, where populations of horses with similar demands and adaptations could have evolved isolated from one another, resulting in different species but with a similar appearance , points Manuel Hernandez Fernandez at the Complutense Univerity in Madrid. Oil SpongeScientists at Argonne National Laboratory have create a "sponge" that effectively soaks up oil from water and do so multiple times without having to be disposed of. It can absorb up to 90 times its own weight, and remove oil from both the surface and lower depths. On top of this, the oil absorbed can be reused after it is squeezed out. The sponge is made out of a polyurethane coated with silane molecules. This allows for the oil to bind with the sponge and then squeezed out. The most advantageous aspect of this sponge is that it can be reused as apposed to current methods known as sorbents which can only been used once.
This new invention is a smart idea as it gives cleanup teams a better resource to clean up oil spills on both the surface and in the lower depths of the water. A better option would be not spill oil at all but we all know that won't happen. That is the ultimate goal to strive to where we have no oil spills but for now, this new sponge is a positive step forward. Sea TurtlesAs the amount of plastic going into our ocean goes up, so does the amount of sea turtle deaths. Its scary to know that 91% of turtles that get entangled end up dying. These turtles at times confuse the plastic with food. They are also affected by plastic getting stuck on them like the classic six pack plastic wrap.
We need to start using less plastic. When we do use it we need to recycle and cut up rings. We are causing harm to these beautiful animals who were on this earth before us. I hope we are able to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans, but it does not seem like we are going to make a change. |
Snow LeopardSnow leopards are not technically endangered, because there are more than 2,500 mature leopards and they are not experiencing a fast decline. Although they are not endangered, this does not mean they are safe. They are considered vulnerable which means they have fewer than 10,000 breeding animals left and there population is decreasing at a rate higher than 10%. The number of protected farm animals in these leopards habitat is increasing, meaning that farmers are aloud to kill them if they go on their property. They are also in danger of poaching for their fur, infrastructure, and climate change. Fun fact: their coats change from season to season.
These are very beautiful animals that are being destroyed extremely fast. Their fur is gorgeous and should only be on them, the fact that people are wearing it is sickening. I truly hope that people are able to stop the killing of these wonderful animals. Are Dogs Decendants of Wolves?Dogs are very friendly and get along well with humans and other animals. Wolves are also social, but only with there close knit family packs. Scientists were curious to whether or not Dogs branched off from wolves, so they decided to run an experiment. This involves a test where two animals pull a rope at the same time to bring food to them. This only works if they pull the rope together, and if they succeed they are rewarded with a chunk of meat. Both dogs and wolves were tested with an animal of their same species. Out of 472 attempts dogs only succeeded twice while the wolves succeeded one hundred times. This showed that they have different instincts, that feeds to the argument that they did not decend from one another.
I found this very interesting. I always thought that dogs came from wolves but this may not be true. I feel like there is more evidence that they are descendants of wolves, but I could argue either side. This is a cool experiment that I would never think of trying. Regardless, I love both of these animals. Female Butterfly’s Have Tough Decision to Make.Butterflys, as well as many other insects, don’t live for very long. Although there time is short, it is full of action. Food and space are two factors that take up almost of their time. These insects have to prepare for incredible journeys with uncertain paths. They fly for incredible hours and still have to remain healthy enough to be able to breed. These butterfly’s shit down theirreproductive systems so that they can fly without damaging it. They have to rely incredibly on fat saved up. When these butterfly’s begin to reach possible mating places they have to decide when to activate their reproductive system. Once they activate it tracking becomes incredibly difficult. So these females are forced to make the tough decision on when to start breeding.
I found this information very surprising. I never put that much thought into butterfly’s. I knew they migrated but I wasn’t aware of how difficult these journeys are. How Similar Are Dolphins to Humans?Dolphins live in very close groups and communicate constantly. These mammals teach their young everything from playing to hunting. They are very active and playful families. When they need food they are incredibly smart hunters. Dolphins also teach their young how to communicate with each other. They will even help look after young that aren’t their own.
All of this shows how incredibly similar Dolphins are to humans. I believe they are relatives to humans and have a lot more in common than most people know. This is why it is so inhumane to keep Dolphins in captivity. I don’t think these animals should ever live anywhere but the ocean. Fires Have Taken 30+ LivesThere are 21 fires burning viciously across the region. 3,500 homes have been destroyed and at least 31 have been killed. There are still around 400 missing and authorities are doing all they can to find them. Giant wind gusts are causing firefighters huge problems while they try to stop the burning. It is said that at least 191,400 acres have already been burned. Dry air and wind up to 41 mph are causing these fires to thrive. Because of the wind, the fires destroyed homes before people even had the chance to pack their belongings and leave.
This is is one of the many truly tragicdisasters going on currently. This is such a horrifying thing to imagine because there is no way to prepare for it. It is a wake up call on how lucky so many of us are and we take it for granted. I am so greatful that we are not dealing with these disasters directly. I hope the absolute best for everyone affected by this. AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
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