Gregor Mendel

The study of heredity was first discovered by one man:: Gregor Mendel. I already knew some facts about him, like the following::

• He discovered heredity through pea plants while he was working outside
• He was named the "Father of Genetics" because of his experiment. He probably had no clue that his little test (taking a brush and wiping some pollen from one pea plant onto the other) would cause him to be a well-known scientist, even almost 300 years later.
• Mendel's work was not fully recognized until 1990, six years after the had died.

I also found a few new facts about Gregor Mendel. I went on Google and searched Gregor Mendel, and I went here and found a bunch of useful information. Like...

• I had no clue that he was born in Heinzendorf, Austria until I saw this.
• It took 34 years until other scientists proved that Mendel's theories were correct.

I actually feel a bit of sympathy for Mendel because practically nobody believed in his discoveries and thought he was making up a bunch of information. Today, we know that they are true, and since Mendel is dead nobody can give him any awards or congratulate him face to face. They also can't apologize for all of the doubts that they had in him. I think that Gregor Mendel must have been pretty strong and confident that he would continue with his theories even though very, very, very few people believed in him.

Assessment:: GM Salmon

In science class, we are doing assessment *as you all know*. My topic was on genetically modified, or GM, foods. Our group had to choose a food, so we chose salmon. I found out a lot of facts on GM salmon.

• Fox example, it can cause diseases and human health issues. Many scientists are still trying to decide whether it will be sold on the market.
• Also, the reason why fish farmers and scientists are working on altering the genes of salmon is so that the salmon will grow faster. At about the same age, the GM salmon are probably about double the weight and size of a normal salmon. If you go here, you can see the difference in size between a normal or a modified fish. I found this picture online and it was the best picture that I had seen where it really shows the difference.
• I learned by going to this site that GM salmon, if approved, might be on the market in 2008. That's less than a year away!

I do not think that GM salmon should be available on the market for anyone and everyone to see and buy. I think that with all of the risks associated with GM salmon, people who want it should be examined before-hand to make sure that they wouldn't have some kind of reaction from it. I probably won't end up trying it because I don't like fish, so I wouldn't know if it would taste any different once altered. I don't think that it will, but you never know!

Toxic Chemical Spills into the Ohio River

Who:: No specific person or people; the story was about a chemical spill

What:: A chemical called cumene spilled into the Ohio river. Cumene is also called isopropyl benzene. If it is breathed in by someone, it can cause headaches, dizziness, and irratation to the eyes, nose, and throat. It also can harm animals who are directly exposed to the chemical. However, this chemical spill should not risk human health of those living around the area.

When:: February 28th, 2007

Where:: Spilled into the Ohio River (between Illinois and Kentucky)

Why:: A barge had hit the lock wall, causing the chemical to spill into the river.

My Opinion:: I am just glad that the spill isn't deadly or it isn't harming the health of humans, even though the chemical itself is toxic. I am not sure if this accident could have been prevented; if it had been controllable, then there should have been someone there watching to make sure nothing like this would happen. On the other hand, if it was something that couldn't have been prevented, then nobody can get blamed for the spill.

Original article here!

Scientists Give Commands to Pigeons Via Remote Control

Who:: Chinese Scientists
What:: These scientists stated that they have been able to create a remote control that controls the flight of the pigeons by placing micro electrodes into the brains of the birds.
When:: February 27, 2007
Where:: Beijing, China
Why:: The report did not have a reason from the scientists as to why they thought that the experiment was important; it even says that there was no reason in the article.
My Opinion:: I do not see why the scientists had to emplant micro electrodes into the pigeons' brains. I actually think that it was more of an experiment that they decided to conduct because they had nothing better to do with their lives! Also, I don't think that it's fair that they should be emplanting objects in the brain of the pigeons for fun. They are scientists, they probably had a lot more important tasks to take care of besides this!

Here's the original article! --> =)

Exotic Creatures Found After Ice Melt

Who:: Gauthier Chappelle and other un-named scientists
What:: After global warming caused an ice melt in the arctic, scientists gathered many specimens and they think that they have discovered a new species altogether.
When:: December-February, 2007 (a 10-week trip to the arctic)
Where:: Along the border of the Antarctic Peninsula (the part of Antarctica that curves up and points at South America)
Why:: Scientists wanted to discover the kinds of creatures that dwell beneath the ice. If you want to see some of the specimens found, click on the link below and read the last five paragraphs of the article. Hopefully, after the specimens are examined, the scientists will find out that they have discovered some new species living beneath the ice.
My Opinion:: I think that its cool how the wildlife found beneath the surface of the water could withstand the extremely cold water and the freezing temperature outside. On the site there is a picture of a new sea-star found. It's orange and has six arms/tentacles *whatever you call them*. It looks really weird and it looks sort of like a propeller with six pieces coming off of it. Also, while reading the article, I saw that global warming was blamed for the ice melt. I realized that this really tells us how global warming affects the entire earth.

I found the original article here.