Weekly readings

I would say that the reading that I enjoyed the most was "Sign Here If You Exist." Of course the main reasoning was learning about the wasp and its relation to the world around it.  I did like the way the author kept going in and out on personal reflections of her own mortality. The only real problem I had with that is, I just can't truly make the insect to religion connection.

 
I understand how and why she did the format she chose, just still unclear of the connection. I didn't grow up going to church, and I don't believe a lot of what the bible says, so maybe its just me and my own personal experiences with religion that is making the mental connection more difficult. (I just don't see a bug dying as a way for me to re-evaluate my own life.)

Growing up we learn that humans are the sole species at the top of the food chain, but like the author points out...how can we claim to be the tops, when we are also being eaten? It was nice to actually read that and put it into perspective, that maybe we are not all that special.

The author really made me think about my own eventual death. We know that we are born, we live, and then die. So many people spend all their lives worrying about dying that they don't enjoy living. Which is a shame....life is way to short to worry about something we can't prevent anyways. We can play it safe, but enjoy life at the same time.

Science Summary

Grasshoppers Frightened by Spiders Affect Whole Ecosystem

A joint study between Yale University (YU) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ), show stress in prey from a predator, could be effecting crop production. Dr. Dror Halwena of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at HUJ, with the help of several colleagues from both universities; used grasshoppers exposed to stress, to show the change in the chemical structure of the insects. They found that when a grasshopper is stressed from a spider, the grasshopper eats more. When this happens, the nitrate levels of the grasshopper decrease, while carbon levels increase. So when the grasshopper’s remains decompose into the soil, the plants have less nitrate levels for food.

The team placed cages on vegetation and let the grasshoppers feed. To measure the difference in stressed versus non-stressed they placed a spider that had its ‘mouth’ glued shut into random cages. Even though the spider couldn’t eat the grasshopper, it was still under stress. The stressed grasshoppers proved to have a higher carbon to nitrogen ratio. When the dead grasshoppers where placed into the soil, plant growth was greater in the soil that contained stress free grasshoppers than in the soil containing the stressed ones.

Article Link:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120614142737.htm

Here is the link to the actual research, I ended up using the transcripts from the PodCast interview with Dr. Dror Halwena http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6087/1434

Topic Ideas

 

 

*I have seen this picture before, but never realized Einstein made a habit of sticking his tongue out whenever a camera was around.

A few of the possible subjects I would like to know more about would be further in depth research of BPA in plastics. Last semester I did a nice research paper for my tech writ class, but I would like to explore more into the ‘science’ behind the chemical companies claiming this stuff is safe for consumption. Why are known dangers that the chemical companies know exist? Do they let their family members use BPA laden products? How much money is actually dumped into these companies and media sources that they control? As a writer and also a parent of two girls, I have a vested interesting in knowing what is in my food, and also the containers that hold the food. This would be a great time to explore more in depth truth of the ‘behind the scene’ stuff, not only with the companies but the on-going battle in congress.

My father-in-law is a retired fish biologist, and I have worked side-by-side with him on stream and river habitat assessments in both Idaho and Montana. The last time we were fishing together, I asked him if fish could feel pain. With all his education and skill as a biologist, the nervous system of this creature was never truly looked at. Since then, I have been curious if it is feasible for an aquatic animal like a fish to have pain sensors. Fish have brains and nervous system, so why wouldn’t they have the ability to feel pain? Has any research been done (I am sure there has been) to dismiss or prove the idea that fish can actual sense pain or even ‘sense’ danger. Migration of salmon is looked at as natural instinct, but could it be possible that they are more intelligent than we give them credit for? Again, what tests have been done, and what are the conclusions of such tests.

I enjoyed the readings of Hancock. It is an easy to read book that just seems to flow naturally when reading it. Which makes sense that the book flows, because that is a crucial element for a writer, is to pull your readers into the story, and keep them there. I had to laugh when the flipping through magazines idea came up. I typically start at the back and flip towards the front, without realizing I did it. I enjoyed Hancock’s idea of not dismissing sources, regardless of who is paying for the research. While doing research, I have found that even if it is lobbyist paid propaganda, it can often times be used in building your case. Before taking the information and running with it, I make sure to verify the sources, just like Hancock mentions. The brown bagged lunch topic was another interesting tip. As professional writers, we can’t walk around assuming everything has been talked about or researched entirely. We are human and never stop learning things around us or even things about us. I like the idea that as a science writer it is our job to keep the learning process open to those of us who are not truly ‘scientists’.