Life Came by Land, Not by Sea?

Researchers propose that the first living cells may have originated in mud pots, rather than the primordial oceans previously thought of as the initial birthplace.

Article and Image from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/02/120213-first-life-land-mud-darwin-evolution-animals-science/

Charles Darwin’s suggestion that life could have arisen from a nutrient-filled “warm little pond” is being revisited by cellular and geologic researchers. Recently, the most popular theories for life were based on oceanic research of the life-abundant seafloor. Hot volcanic underwater vents provide minerals for deepwater ecosystems, which theorists suggest could be very similar to the circumstances that created life. However, a new study suggests that the cells that thrive under these conditions are not at all like those in ancient oceans. Rather, the vapors in volcanic mud pots on land are much more similar to the environment necessary to create and maintain the original cells. These areas hold high ratios of potassium to sodium, which is also found in all living cells. The oceanic environment has too much sodium. Sodium blocks the cells from synthesize proteins. They need a lot of potassium to work correctly and stay alive. The original cells had rudimentary cellular membranes and had to rely on whatever nutrients they could trap. Therefore, the environment was critical to the survival of the cells. In the ratio between potassium and sodium, potassium had to be higher. In ancient and modern seawater, the ratio is 40 to 1, favoring sodium. Researchers worked with geologists to try to find alternatives to the original birthplace, where life could have begun between 4.3 and 3.8 years ago. Together, they found that geothermal fields are a likely candidate. Mud pots found in places like Yellowstone are most probable. In mud pots, steam comes from the earth and condenses. They are filled with minerals, like potassium. These mud pots were originally ignored because they are saturated with sulfuric acid, created by the mixture of hydrogen sulfide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Sulfuric acid is a deadly chemical and therefore obviously unsuited for life. However, Earth did not always have so much oxygen in the atmosphere, which one of the researchers explains. Therefore, sulfuric acid would not have been a problem, making the mud pots a very promising candidate.

Our society is often obsessed by the future. We focus many of our efforts, and money, on new technologies and other advances. However, it remains important to glance back into our origins as well. Only through understanding our past can we hope to create a decent future. The theories provided by these researchers give us a new way of looking at our creation story. As we learn more about the world as it was when life began, we learn more about what could be in store for us in the future, and perhaps how other worlds may develop. This study focuses on where we all, plants and animals alike, originated. If it is not relevant, nothing is.

I found this article very interesting. I found the theory it describes quite plausible. It seems more likely than current theories, especially considering the information the article provides on the potassium-sodium ratio. I would be very interested in seeing a debate between the land and sea theorists. I’m always glad to find scientists continually searching for answers for how the world came to be how it is. I hope we never stop looking for these answers, for we surely will never find them all.

The Jetsons May Not be Considered Futuristic for Much Longer

Gadgets in homes and cities with “ambient intelligence” collect information which could identify and react to health, safety, and environmental problems.

Article from: Scientific American
Images from: Scientific American and Google Images 

The Jetsons show, filled with robots, flying cars, and food appearing out of nowhere at the touch of a button, is set in 2062. Fifty years from now, our technological advances may surpass the expectations set up by this iconic children’s show. Artificial intelligence, sensor networks, and robotics research may not be leading us to flying cars, but they are making leaps and bounds toward a future much more impressive than our anticipations. Today’s homes are moving closer to closer to the smart houses our society looks forward to, with the help of sensors and networking devices. The computer software for these smart houses will gather information from appliances, smart phones, computers, and other devices. It will then use the information about the home’s physical environment and the state of its inhabitants to meet the needs of their residents, through adjustments in the heating and cooling, lighting, and other resources. This ability of artificial intelligence and data-mining technologies to seek and act on information about resident behavior and the home’s environment is known as “ambient intelligence.” The primary function of this “ambient intelligence” is to monitor the health of residents, make the home energy efficient, and facilitate communication within and outside of the home. Researchers have been studying the potential of this technology to help retirement community residents in Seattle to live independently for longer amounts of time. They have been conducting this study for a year, examining the ability of the sensors in the residents’ apartments to monitor motion, energy use, and other conditions. This research hopes to eventually move from smart homes to smart cities. The sensors around these cities will gather information about important factors for daily life, including air quality, traffic, and weather. They could then make adjustments, such as improving traffic flow or providing warnings to residents about weather or air quality. However, this technology must, of course, respect the privacy of the people it is designed to assist. Researchers must consider the legal, privacy, and ethical issues involved. Ambient law will have to be introduced to establish rules in order to protect the individuals that live in smart homes and cities.

 

This article concerns the future of our homes and cities. Technological advances are being developed in a variety of fields, at least one of which will affect our everyday living. This technology could help us with energy efficiency and health issues, among other things. These developments may be most influential for our aging population. Older citizens may be able to do more on their own with the help of advancements in “ambient intelligence.” Though we do not know what the next few years will bring, it looks like this technology could bring many changes to the way we live at home and in our community. In the not-so-distant future, we could be living like the Jetsons, if not better.

Unlike most of my generation, I do not feel too comfortable relying heavily on technology. I can’t help thinking that we should be wary of anything that thinks and acts on its own. Perhaps I’ve watched too many movies, but I fear that handing too much control over to machines could be a bad idea. If nothing else, it takes jobs away from humans, when we should be trying to create more jobs. I believe in making and doing things for ourselves, rather than having someone make something that will do everything for us. While this could be very helpful and highly beneficial to certain members of our community, I do not want our society to get lazier than it already is.

Dolphins in Danger, But from What?

Possibly due to a combination of stress, pollution and disease, thousands of dolphins have washed up, dead or dying, on the shores of Peru.

Article from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=massive-dolphin-die-off-in-peru-may-remain-a-mysteryImage from: Googe Images
 

Based on volunteers’ counts, an estimated 2,800 dolphins have been found in Peru since January. This is among the largest dolphin die-offs ever reported. Marine experts have offered several possible explanations, but none have been proven. It may remain a mystery. Some theories offer acoustic impact from oil testing or some type of virus or pathogen as the cause. This latest marine mammal stranding is one of 55 since 1991, 29 of which the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. classified as “undetermined.” The dolphins seemed to have suffered from middle-ear hemorrhage, fractures of the ear’s periodic bone, lung lesions, and bubbles in the blood. These symptoms would cause disorientation, intense pain, and difficulty breathing. However, most experts did not have enough evidence to determine anything conclusive. Stress or toxins could have made the dolphins vulnerable to viruses or other pathogens. They could have been introduced to organic pollutants, like PCBs, DDT, dioxins, or flame-retardants through the fish they consume. Dolphins with weakened immune systems could be more susceptible to diseases like leptospirosis, brucellosis, or distemper. In most cases like these, it is not one, but three or four factors which cause so much death. Two species of dolpin have been stranded on Peru’s shores. The majority are long-beaked common dolphins, most likely migrated from Central America. About 10 percent are Burmeister’s porpoises, a deepwater species. They migrate closer to the surface to calve, hence their presence near Peru. If seismic testing was occurring around the time of the stranding, oil leases under exploration off the coast of Peru might have something to do with it. Seismic testing uses air guns to map hydrocarbon deposits, which could impact marine mammals. Loud ocean noises may cause ear and organ damage and impact dive patterns, which can lead to decompression sickness or disorientation. If noise is the ultimate cause of this catastrophe, sonar could be another possible suspect. Ultimately, we may never know the real culprit(s).

We share this planet with an amazing variety of creatures. We will truly be lost when we no longer care about our fellow animals. This case is not just relevant because harm has come to one of our endangered species. Whatever has negatively affected these dolphins could place other marine animals and even humans in danger. The founder of the Scientific Organization for the Conservation of Aquatic Animals expressed concern for the residents of fishing villages along the coast of Peru. These villagers have been cutting meat off the carcasses for food. If the dolphins died from disease, the villagers could be at risk. Also, if we find that human action was the ultimate cause, I hope we can learn from this and prevent future atrocities.

I was horrified by this article and concerned that I had not already heard of this horrific mass dolphin death. Dolphins are my favorite animal. They’re highly intelligent, caring, and innocent. I found myself tearing up when I read this for the first time. I sincerely hope that we had nothing to do with this, but if we did, I hope we can ensure it never happens again.

It's Official: Men Simply Cannot Think Properly When a Pretty Girl is Around

During an experiment, the psychological performance of a man was impaired after simply being told he would be observed by a woman

Article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-interacting-with-woman-leave-man-cognitively-impaired

Image: Google Images

This article describes studies which show that men become cognitively impaired after interacting with an attractive woman or simply by anticipating an interaction with a woman they do not know. Experiments performed at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands used male and female university students as participants to study the psychological effect of women on men. Each student’s cognitive performance was tested using a Stroop test, which involves a list of colors written in a different colored ink. The ability to process competing information can be determined according to how quickly a person can name the color of the ink the word is written in, ignoring the actual word. Participants were then asked to read in front of a camera, supposedly as a “lip reading task” which would be watched by an observer on the other end of the webcam. Participants were told the observer’s name (obviously male or female), but no other information about the person watching them. Afterwards, the students took another Stroop test. The women did not perform any differently. Neither did men who thought a man was observing. However, men who thought a woman was observing them did worse on the second test. In another experiment, the researchers had participants do the same tasks, but rather than having them perform the “lip reading,” they simply made the participants think they were going to and then administered the Stroop test. Again, women and men who thought they were going to be observed by a man did not change. But men who were told a woman would be observing, even though there was never any observation, still did worse the second time. Not only did the men not have to physically interact with a woman, but they also only had to think about an interaction with women to become cognitively impaired. The researchers believe this phenomenon may have something to do with men being more aware of possible mating opportunities and therefore concentrating more on whether or not the woman might be a potential date. There is also more social pressure on men to be impressive in front of the opposite sex. We use a lot of mental energy thinking about how others may interpret what we say and how we act. So when men are too concerned about what a woman may think of him, he is more likely to become cognitively impaired.

Movies and TV shows love to portray men acting like fools in front of pretty girls, but there is never an explanation for this behavior other than their brains being turned to mush. This study offers that much needed explanation. This research provides a better understanding of the way we think and act during social interactions. As technology advances, we rely more on interactions via the internet, such as online dating. This study proves that these interactions cause the same psychological impairments as face-to-face encounters. When a man worries about what a women might think of him, whether she be there in person or simply chatting with him online, he cannot think as clearly. This may have been generally accepted before, but now there is proof.

As a sociology minor, I am interested in how people interact with one another. I find this study and its findings absolutely fascinating. I am from a family full of boys and am constantly amazed by both our similarities and our differences. This particular difference has rather humorous effects at times, as seen on tv. I guess I will have to be more forgiving from now on towards members of the male gender who forget how to think properly around me or my female friends.

The Search for Creativity

While trying to find the source of creativity in the brain, researchers from USC have discovered that the left hemisphere has a more critical role in creative thinking than previously thought

Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305132438.htm

Image: Google Images

Until recently, creativity was thought to reside in the right side of the brain while the left side dealt more with reason and logic. However, Aziz-Zadeh’s research group conducted a study which found that while the right does most of the creative work, it gets some help from the other half. This group studied the way in which the brain does visual creative tasks. Their findings are supported by previous studies on musical improv and the brain. Both hemispheres are needed to complete creative tasks. The research team used fMRIs to scan brains of visually creative architecture students as they completed spatial processing and creative tasks. During the creative task, the left hemisphere lit up more than during the noncreative task. The right brain did most of the work, but the left brain provided vital support. This team plans to continue its research, looking at how the brain handles different types of creativity, comparing and contrasting each.

Science is continually unveiling more and more about how the human body, especially the brain, works. While much remains a mystery to us, we are constantly searching for more information about ourselves. This study helps us grasp a more complete understanding of where are creativity comes from and how our brain works to create wonderful works of art. The more we know about ourselves, the more we can understand about each other. Studies such as this get us closer to knowing how we function and what makes us think and act the way we do.

I find all studies about the brain fascinating. It is such a complex organ and we still have so much to learn. We are constantly looking for new discoveries in the depths of the ocean and outer space, but as we look so far outside ourselves, our own bodies remain a mystery. Biology was never my favorite subject in school. I often got bored labeling diagrams of frogs and learning about the detailed workings of cells. However, the brain has always intrigued me. Each new piece of information uncovers more unanswered questions. While I rely heavily on logic during my every day live, I also consider myself a pretty creative person. This study allows me to see how the two sides of my brain work together to allow me to create art, or something close to it.