1. Can diversification save species?
Yes, diversification can save species. Look at humans! If an Irish-man moves to Australia, his chance for getting sunburned is far greater than an Aborigini, due to the different levels of melatonin. By breeding, the offspring would most likely have far more melatonin and survive more comfortably in a warmer climate than his/her Irish descendants. Diversification saves species by leaving more room for adaptation.
2. The chicken or the egg?
Hmmmm...this article says the egg. I say that the chicken is the egg and the egg is the chicken. Who cares?!?!?! Why do scientists find it necessary to answer such silly questions? I would like to think that their education was put to better use by answering questions that really matter. They came up with an answer, the egg, but they're still arguing about it. It's just silly when you really think about it.
3. Broccoli
Oh, yes! I'm taking Dana Carvey's very professional opinion on this one and I'm 'choppin broccoli' for sure! Who knew that eating healthy contributes to a healthy chemical balance in your body that helps fight illnesses, such as cancer?!?!?!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Pattern of Life
1. Is there a drug around for just about everything?
Where's the drug that allows people to think for themselves, literally? The other day a friend of mine asked me for some Tylenol. I searched high and low, realizing I didn't have anything. Have a headache? Get a massage! The only way I could justify taking Tylenol is for the inflammatory effect. It definitely helps bring down swelling, but growing up, I thought it was the magic pill that took care of pain. It's not, and I know better now. I think the drug for everything is knowing that we have the power to heal ourselves. Science has it's place, but drugs should be almost a last resort.
2. Can we raise our levels of dopamine ourselves?
Yes...sex, drugs & rock n' roll. Just simply having fun doing things that we enjoy and achieving our goals increases our levels of dopamine. When we are deprived of dopamine, we crave it.
3. How do you think chimps and humans diverged as species?
I'm not sure why we grew apart. It could be quite simple. It could have something to do with migration. Perhaps vanity and social differences? What if clans were formed based on acceptance for looks? I'd like to think that wasn't the case, but humans still do that. Many couples even look like each other. With a small population, that's totally possible. I believe there are many reasons for our separation, but I am not sure.
Where's the drug that allows people to think for themselves, literally? The other day a friend of mine asked me for some Tylenol. I searched high and low, realizing I didn't have anything. Have a headache? Get a massage! The only way I could justify taking Tylenol is for the inflammatory effect. It definitely helps bring down swelling, but growing up, I thought it was the magic pill that took care of pain. It's not, and I know better now. I think the drug for everything is knowing that we have the power to heal ourselves. Science has it's place, but drugs should be almost a last resort.
2. Can we raise our levels of dopamine ourselves?
Yes...sex, drugs & rock n' roll. Just simply having fun doing things that we enjoy and achieving our goals increases our levels of dopamine. When we are deprived of dopamine, we crave it.
3. How do you think chimps and humans diverged as species?
I'm not sure why we grew apart. It could be quite simple. It could have something to do with migration. Perhaps vanity and social differences? What if clans were formed based on acceptance for looks? I'd like to think that wasn't the case, but humans still do that. Many couples even look like each other. With a small population, that's totally possible. I believe there are many reasons for our separation, but I am not sure.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Genetic Evolution
1A) Hey, Hey, We ARE Monkies! People have jokingly called themselves monkies for years and I think it's about time that we accept the fact that we're animals and yes, we're related to primates! We are to primates what dinosaurs are to birds, or alligators, or, or, or. We're all related to something! 99.4% of our DNA is the same as chimps and 70% of our DNA is the same as yeast! Everything is everything.
1B) Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, & Viruses Tutorial
Have a headache? Take an aspirin! As a kid, my mom was huge on taking aspirin to fix everything, bless her heart. That's how she grew up and like anybody else, she doesn't like to be uncomfortable. Aspirin and Tylenol are definitely not antibiotics, but that's just the mentality of health, still. I understand that antibiotics have their place; however, they're not all necessary. It seems comforting to people to know that most harmful things on this planet have been found and we've gone to war with it, including things that weren't so harmful. Now, it comforts me to know that there are other life forms being found on this very planet that we don't know anything about.
1B) Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, & Viruses Tutorial
Have a headache? Take an aspirin! As a kid, my mom was huge on taking aspirin to fix everything, bless her heart. That's how she grew up and like anybody else, she doesn't like to be uncomfortable. Aspirin and Tylenol are definitely not antibiotics, but that's just the mentality of health, still. I understand that antibiotics have their place; however, they're not all necessary. It seems comforting to people to know that most harmful things on this planet have been found and we've gone to war with it, including things that weren't so harmful. Now, it comforts me to know that there are other life forms being found on this very planet that we don't know anything about.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Evo Devo
Evo Devo
Evolution can be broken down from a whole species to an individual level. Homo sapiens and the rest of the "kingdom" come together as a whole to adapt, migrate, survive, grow, etc. We must do this - go forward, constantly move ahead; that's evolution. On a biological scale, we have learned so much about different species - why that species is in a particular location, what brought them there, how they survive. For humans, that's a major accomplishment. Humans as a species are so young and we test our intelligence just like we do other species. Scientists originally described neanderthals as unintelligent; however, they were probably more intelligent than first thought.
It's almost like we're setting ourselves up for something. Why are we here? Are we preparing for something apocalyptic? Are we gathering information for a reason, other than sheer curiosity? Those questions have been asked so many times and nobody has a definite answer. Interestingly, humans have formed groups to help out other species, including ourselves. This could be a form of altruism. Maybe even as to say that some humans have formed altruistic behaviors to help maintain Earth...? A mother will lift a car off her baby and Jane Goodall will go into the jungle and take care of gorillas; it's a "motherly instinct " to do so. We all have that instinct, it's just natural.
Darwinism
Darwinism doesn't just matter to me, it just matters. His theories have circulated for over 100 years now, and he's still considered to be like a "father" of the evolutionary theory. He's the pioneer, the first one to put it in writing. His theories opened up many, many, many cans of worms. You can't build a reliable house without a stable foundation. He provided that foundation for so many of our own theories, from biological theories to religious theories.
Evolution can be broken down from a whole species to an individual level. Homo sapiens and the rest of the "kingdom" come together as a whole to adapt, migrate, survive, grow, etc. We must do this - go forward, constantly move ahead; that's evolution. On a biological scale, we have learned so much about different species - why that species is in a particular location, what brought them there, how they survive. For humans, that's a major accomplishment. Humans as a species are so young and we test our intelligence just like we do other species. Scientists originally described neanderthals as unintelligent; however, they were probably more intelligent than first thought.
It's almost like we're setting ourselves up for something. Why are we here? Are we preparing for something apocalyptic? Are we gathering information for a reason, other than sheer curiosity? Those questions have been asked so many times and nobody has a definite answer. Interestingly, humans have formed groups to help out other species, including ourselves. This could be a form of altruism. Maybe even as to say that some humans have formed altruistic behaviors to help maintain Earth...? A mother will lift a car off her baby and Jane Goodall will go into the jungle and take care of gorillas; it's a "motherly instinct " to do so. We all have that instinct, it's just natural.
Darwinism
Darwinism doesn't just matter to me, it just matters. His theories have circulated for over 100 years now, and he's still considered to be like a "father" of the evolutionary theory. He's the pioneer, the first one to put it in writing. His theories opened up many, many, many cans of worms. You can't build a reliable house without a stable foundation. He provided that foundation for so many of our own theories, from biological theories to religious theories.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
A Big Yawn to my Introduction
Why do we yawn? It's all about empathy
I was debating writing about human skin in a test tube and the artificial brain, but here I am writing about yawning...
After reading this article in class, I paid attention to when I yawned the next time. When would I do it? What would I be thinking?
I noted two instances. Another therapist and I were giving a couple massages. The couple was enjoying their massages thoroughly, the relaxing music was playing. A typical fluff & buff. I looked up at my coworker and she let out a little yawn. Inevitably, so did I. I was tired, but it was an empathetic yawn.
The next time I yawned was while writing a blog for Bio on how human skin is turned into heart and brain cells. What a revelation this is! I have decided to wait until further research is done to go any further into the possibilities of where this research leads us and my hesitation to be fearful, fearful that we'll end up in a Sci-Fi movie-like world made up of BladeRunners or Ghosts in a Shell. So, I'm sitting here looking at a screen, tired from the long week. Eventually, I yawned. I didn't just yawn once, I kept yawning. The more I thought about how tired I was, out came another. My simple conclusion...I'm empathetic to myself. I yawned because I kept reminding myself how tired I was. It's so simple.
Evolution
Adam, Eve, monkeys, a little fleck of dust. Yes, we all come from somewhere. There is so much to that topic. I was very impressed with PBS' videos on the subject and I look forward to watching them more. Also Berkeley's website is a wonderful tool on this topic and they did an excellent job breaking the theory of evolution down in an easy to follow program.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hi there! My first experience with Acupuncture was interesting. My doctor had obviously had a stroke and was shaking profusely before inserting the needles. I was nervous, but right before insertion, his hand was perfectly still. Whew! The rest of my experience was wonderful. After sitting up on the table, a thought crossed my mind...I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was set. I felt like I floated on a cloud out of the office, not only because of how I felt, but because I felt like a belonging to this field of medicine. Finally! I have explored many avenues in the medical and holistic field and Acupuncture fit my lifestyle in so many way, but mostly because I understood the philosophy and intentions behind it. I'm very happy to be here and looking forward to a wholesome experience here at AIMC.
I was debating writing about human skin in a test tube and the artificial brain, but here I am writing about yawning...
After reading this article in class, I paid attention to when I yawned the next time. When would I do it? What would I be thinking?
I noted two instances. Another therapist and I were giving a couple massages. The couple was enjoying their massages thoroughly, the relaxing music was playing. A typical fluff & buff. I looked up at my coworker and she let out a little yawn. Inevitably, so did I. I was tired, but it was an empathetic yawn.
The next time I yawned was while writing a blog for Bio on how human skin is turned into heart and brain cells. What a revelation this is! I have decided to wait until further research is done to go any further into the possibilities of where this research leads us and my hesitation to be fearful, fearful that we'll end up in a Sci-Fi movie-like world made up of BladeRunners or Ghosts in a Shell. So, I'm sitting here looking at a screen, tired from the long week. Eventually, I yawned. I didn't just yawn once, I kept yawning. The more I thought about how tired I was, out came another. My simple conclusion...I'm empathetic to myself. I yawned because I kept reminding myself how tired I was. It's so simple.
Evolution
Adam, Eve, monkeys, a little fleck of dust. Yes, we all come from somewhere. There is so much to that topic. I was very impressed with PBS' videos on the subject and I look forward to watching them more. Also Berkeley's website is a wonderful tool on this topic and they did an excellent job breaking the theory of evolution down in an easy to follow program.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hi there! My first experience with Acupuncture was interesting. My doctor had obviously had a stroke and was shaking profusely before inserting the needles. I was nervous, but right before insertion, his hand was perfectly still. Whew! The rest of my experience was wonderful. After sitting up on the table, a thought crossed my mind...I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was set. I felt like I floated on a cloud out of the office, not only because of how I felt, but because I felt like a belonging to this field of medicine. Finally! I have explored many avenues in the medical and holistic field and Acupuncture fit my lifestyle in so many way, but mostly because I understood the philosophy and intentions behind it. I'm very happy to be here and looking forward to a wholesome experience here at AIMC.
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