Portland Will Still Be Cool, but Anchorage May Be the Place to Be

Kingston, Jennifer A. “Portland Will Still Be Cool, But Anchorage May Be the Place to Be.” New York Times Online.  25 Sept 2014.  22 Sept 2014.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/on-a-warmer-planet-which-cities-will-be-safest.html?_r=0

            The article “Portland Will Still Be Cool, but Anchorage May Be the Place to Be” by Jennifer A. Kingston discusses the potential results of climate change. Climate change is the change over time in weather patterns such as average temperature, storm patterns, and amount of flooding as a result of changing sea levels.  Scientists believe that climate change is caused by changes in the radiation from the sun, plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, and also global warming.  The author of the article explains that most of the United States will look and feel different as soon as the year 2050, which is only 35 years from now and within our lifetimes.  Scientists predict that much of the East Coast will be impacted by heat waves, hurricanes, and rising sea levels.  They predict big changes in the next hundred years for cities that are currently very popular places to live.  For example, scientists predict that Washington, D.C. will be a flood zone by 2100.  They predict that cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will be facing very hot temperatures as soon as 2048.  The article explains that given these climate changes, people should move to the Pacific Northwest, especially west of the Cascades.  There will be a lot less extreme heat there, and the land rises steeply out of the ocean (unlike the Northeast), so it is above sea level and flooding would be less likely there.  Scientists also predict that Anchorage, Alaska, which is currently not a very popular place to live because of its cold and harsh weather conditions, will be “the next Florida” by the end of the century.  

                  I picked this article because I was interested to read about how climate change will have a big impact on people in the next century.  People will likely start planning for the future by seeing if there are any good job opportunities in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.  People will also buy property in these areas with the intention of moving there.  As climate change begins to negatively affect Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, people will begin to move away.  Most of these cities currently have booming economies, so if not as many people want to live there, the economies will suffer, and the populations will decrease.  Climate change will also affect me on a personal level. When the world begins to experience the effects of climate change, I will be around 50 years old.  If I plan ahead to prepare for climate change, it could affect where I settle after college, where I look for job opportunities, and what I choose for my profession. I might even eventually study what we can do to prevent climate change.  Scientists will be needed to study the effects of climate change and if there is anything we can do to reverse it. 

                  Jennifer A. Kingston’s article was very well-written. “Portland Will Still Be Cool, but Anchorage May Be the Place to Be” is a great title that immediately caught my attention.  Kingston also did a great job giving expert opinions and ideas when writing her article.  For example, when she was giving readers advice on where to move when we start to feel the effects of climate change, she gave the expert opinion of Clifford E. Mass, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Washington, that the Pacific Northwest will become a popular place to live.  Professor Mass must believe it because it sounds like he already lives there since he is a professor at the University of Washington.  Although her article was very well written, Kingston could have done a few things better.  She could have given a better description of what climate change is and what causes it.  Most people might know some information about it, but it would have been better if she gave a more in-depth explanation.  It also would have been interesting to know whether these climate changes can possibly be reversed.  Could we reverse them if we started treating the environment better?  Could treating the environment better stop global warming and therefore climate change?  If the author had discussed these questions, I think it would have made the article even more interesting to read.

Solar Company And Bronx College Plan a technology Hub

Current events by: Margaux Frohlich

Hu, Winnie. "Solar Company and Bronx College Plan a Technology Hub."The New York             Times. The New York Times, 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 26 Sept. 2014

            OnForce Solar has brightened the Budweiser warehouse in Hunts point due to solar energy, and helped homeowners lower their electricity bills. OnForce solar has also designed a solar field near a landfill in Rockland County to bring electricity to towns nearby. Even though OnForce Solar is able to supply electricity to homes and brighten warehouses, it struggles to hire workers for its business. This Fall, the company is partnering with Bronx Community College to form a technology center that would provide companies to expand and become stronger as well as a local company. They plan on hiring people from the Bronx community college because they found it difficult to summon people to come in this area. This hub will be supported through the Cuomo administration known as “Start-Up NY”. This Start-Up NY program aims to make the growth of jobs by creating a tax free business at specific universities or colleges. This new technology network has drawn attention to specific colleges to be viewed upon. Right now, this company’s 100 employees are made up of engineers, project managers, sales associates, and office support staff. Mr. Feit, the starter of the OnForce Solar, said that he asked for information about the Start-Up NY program after viewing the TV advertisement but was not able to find any appropriate campus sites for the OnForce Solar. College officials stated that more than 85 companies have applied to move to the area because they are attracted by the expectation of tax motivation, and an advanced technology collaborative work space at non expensive prices as well as access to students trained into the latest technology. The companies also have people who are majoring in biotechnology, software development, engineering services and digital training programs. This no tax area would be needed to give jobs to students and workers and take part to the college’s mission of helping the town.

            This OnForce Solar Company has a huge impact on our society. It not only saves electricity and makes electricity bills lower, but people who are unemployed, and who are at risk of becoming poor, are also able to get jobs. Unemployment is a big issue and this program will help create some jobs. This company will allow college students as well as adults to get jobs and make money. Like stated in this article, this OnForce solar company was struggling to hire workers, since no one wanted to work in the Bronx, so the business couldn’t grow and evolve. They decided that their only way to get people to work with them would be to hire unemployed college students from the Bronx Community College to partner with this industry and make a living. “The program aims to spur job growth by creating tax free business zones at designated colleges and universities.” In the article, Mr. Klein stated, “This program will bring not just new employment but high paying jobs to our borough.” Every company that is able to create jobs for the unemployed are making a big impact on our society today.

            After reading this article I understood everything that was being told and what it was written about. I found this article well written and very important to our society today. I thought that it showed how companies try to get young people involved in technology and also they are letting them have a chance to get a job. The author of this article Winnie Hu, had a good use of quotes and statistics on prices and rates so we have  an idea on how big the company is as well as how much money is being spent on their projects. By putting quotes in her article it shows that she not only did research on the topic but also showed people’s view on the topic differently. All of the people seemed to have positive views on the system. I really liked the subject of this topic and I hope that this OnForce Solar company that is being established in the Bronx will be able to give unemployed workers good jobs.

Earth's Impeding Magnetic Flip

Glatzmeier, Gary A., and Paul H. Roberts. "Earth's Impending Magnetic Flip." Scientific American n.d.: 29. Print.

            The Earth’s magnetic poles have flipped many times in the past, but never in recorded history. Nobody really understands how or why the poles flip, but geophysicists know that they do based on magnetic information in certain rocks. Now new data from the European Space Agency’s “Swarm” satellites may mean a flip is happening very soon.

           According to the Swarm’s magnetometers, the earth’s magnetic field is weakening! Apparently the field gets 5 percent weaker every ten years. The good news is, this weakening may not lead to a full magnetic flip. The bad news, however, is that the weakening earth’s magnetic field will let in the sun’s deadly gamma rays. Also, a magnetic partial flip would definitely interfere with communications and power lines.

         In conclusion, although the earth’s magnetic field may not flip after all, something bad will happen because of the field weakening.

Flood Risk in Washington, DC

With climate changes occurring in the world today, many cities and countries are at risk. Buildings, Houses and other structures will become destroyed unless we can help the environment and control these floodwaters.

By 2050, 7 billion dollars of land in Washington, DC will be underwater due to climate changes. Three MIlitary Bases and the National Mall will be underwater unless we can stop these changes and change the environment for the better. However, these warnings are not new as there have been predictions that Houston could become the next Venice and force millions of citizens in lower-lying countries like Bangladesh out of there homes. In a worst case scenario, in about 100 years, both the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials could be islands in a flooded potomac. “The monument area and mall are in some ways the soul of Washington DC, to see them flood would leave an emotional, physical, and cultural effect on the community,” said Ben Strauss, director of Climate Central’s Program on Sea Level Rise and the report’s lead author. These climate changes also make the US’s largest naval base in Norfolk,VA at risk as Norfolk is on the water.

In conclusion, these climate changes will become very present by 2050 unless we are able to control the potomac and help the environment. Our Nation’s capital and all the historic landmarks that are in it will be at major risk once DC starts flooding.

Posted for L. Bishop

Diamond Mines in Canada

"Diamond Mines in Canada." Canadian Diamond Mines: The Surprise in Northern Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014. <http://geology.com/articles/canada-diamond-mines/>.

Summary: Diamonds in Canada? Who knew? Those two sentences sum up this current events article fairly well. For years, all the way throughout the 20th Century, diamonds were traded in Europe and excavated from Africa, and no one really thought of Canada as an important producer of diamonds. However, they have proven to be quite worth of their claim. It all began in 1991, when two geologists found evidence of a diamond-bearing pipe in the far north of Canada. It was developed soon after the pipe was found and in 1998, Canada presented its first commercial diamond. Soon thereafter, many prospectors ran to stake their claim in northern Canada. By 2006, Canada was the third largest diamond producer in the world, producing over 13 million carats of gem diamonds. But what makes Canadian diamonds special? They are of very high quality and the people there are very excited to support their country’s own diamond distribution. Also, Canadian diamonds are branded with the signature maple leaf. They are unique, and that is why they are special and why they sell so well in the market.

Canada now has many diamonds constantly pumping out diamonds around the clock. Among these many mines are the EKATI Mine, which was the original shaft that led to the first diamond, the Diavik Diamond Mine, which was the second mine to produce diamond and is located a mere 120 miles south of the Arctic circle, the Jericho Diamond mine, which is just 70 miles south of the Arctic Circle, and the Snap Lake Diamond Mine, which instead of having a vertical descent follows a dike about 12-15 degrees steep.

The Canadian diamond business is brutal. Being so close to the Arctic Circle, the weather is unbearably cold. Often times the temperature will drop below -40 degrees! The workers must persevere through the cold and uncomfortable conditions if they want to hit paydirt. Also, being anywhere from 70-150 miles north of the nearest city, Yellowknife, the mines are extremely remote. There is a short 6-10 week area where supplies can be delivered by “Ice Road,” and otherwise they must be delivered by air. Both ground and air transportation are extremely dangerous, as the high winds, snow, and icy conditions make flying and landing difficult, and the Icy Roads make driving nearly impossible to a non-expert with loads of experience. Secondly, because travel is so dangerous and because the mines are so remote, travel back and forth to cities is scarce. A 120 mile commute through high winds and on icy roads every morning doesn’t really make too much sense. Because of this, lodging must be provided on-site. Workers work almost round the clock, and then stay in shabby dorm type rooms to sleep in. They stay there for long periods of time, often resulting in sleep deprivation and loss of work ethic. Lastly, Canada, being much more wealthy than Africa as a whole, has much higher pay and wage for workers. Money is being spent on the workers, and some say that not enough money is going into the actual mining. Because the mines are being depleted so quickly, they are being filled in and reused, which requires underground mining, which costs much more money and is much more dangerous. Although mining was hugely successful at first for Canadians, currently diamond mining is in a decline. It will continue to do so unless another big find is discovered. Unfortunately, we do not know if that will happen.

Connection: Diamond is one of the most valuable resources in the world. People say that another diamond exporter and producer is always welcome in the world. Canada, being the big country that it is, has the opportunity to become even bigger in the diamond market. The Earth’s resources are currently being depleted, and diamond is being diminished with it. However, Canada may be the big solution. Some do not realize Canada’s sheer size. Canada is MASSIVE. It is very well possible that diamond is tucked away in other locations in Canada, not just in the Northern sectors. However, if a new find is to occur, now would be a good time for it to be discovered. As I said before, Earth’s resources are diminishing, and diamond, being so valuable, is huge for the success of the planet and the life of humans. Canada is therefore doing their best to continue the search for the strong rock, and is opening up a new mine, the Gahcho Kue Diamond mine, which, some say, is going to be a huge profit. If diamond is found within more countries’ borders, the Earth will be in much better shape. It seems that currently Canada is doing its best to contain the resources we have on Earth. If all countries would work together (which will never happen because the world is so messed up), we might be able to change something. Hopefully, Canada will start something, and it won’t just be a new diamond mine. It will be the idea of national unification.

Critique: I have long found Diamonds thoroughly interesting. In turn, I enjoyed this article thoroughly. However, that is not to say there was nothing wrong with it. I liked how this article included both sides of the story. It told of the good, how Canadian diamond mining prospered in the early stages. It told of the bad, how although it did have its boom, it is now declining. It also told of how physically brutal the Canadian diamond mining process is. Sure, you are getting paid more than an African miner, but the conditions are both physically and mentally altering. As I stated earlier, staying away from home for long periods of time takes a toll on your work ethic. However, I felt that this article could have delved more deeply into specifics. The descriptions of the mines were at times subpar, and could have been improved. This could have been easily bettered by including more exact location, adding how many diamonds are produced each year from that mine, what year it was created, if production has increased or decreased over the years, and things of that nature. However, I really did enjoy this article, because I feel that not only me but our whole country is quite disconnected from Canada, despite them being so close to us. This article offered me insight on something that I honestly didn’t know existed. When you put how big the world is into perspective, and how close we are to Canada, that is quite frightening. However, I enjoyed this assignment because I learned something new about the world today, which I believe was the intended purpose of the assignment.

Posted for D. Bettino

Duke Scientists: Faulty Wells, Not Fracking, Contaminated Drinking Water in Texas, Pennsylvania.

Murawski, John. "Local & North Carolina State News from Raleigh, NC | NewsObserver.com."

Duke Scientists: Faulty Wells, Not Fracking, Contaminated Drinking Water in Texas,

Pennsylvania. Newsobserver.com, 15 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/09/15/4153640/duke­scientists­fracking­didnt.html.

This article is about a study performed by Duke scientists which provided new

information on whether or not hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was potentially harmful to the

public. Fracking is a way to drill natural gas from shale rock layers underground. Because it

produces natural gas, it is more sustainable and better for the environment than coal or oil.

Fracking had, in previous studies, been linked to the contamination of drinking water with

methane gas. This study of 133 water wells in Texas and Pennsylvania found that fracking may

not be to blame. In fact, leaky well shafts near the surface might be the culprits.This could prove

extremely influential because the main argument of those against fracking is that fracking could

cause toxic and radioactive substances to leak out through fissures and contaminate drinking

water. Although this study only proves that the tested wells did not leak gas due to hydraulic

fracturing, this is likely to be true for all wells. According to the article, unstable wells are a large

issue in fracking, and experts are hoping to fix the issue before the moratorium, or prohibition, on

fracking in North Carolina is lifted next year. The Mining and Energy Commission is finalizing the

rules for new well shaft construction standards, and these standards should start being enforced

next year.

This article also discusses a previous study done by the Duke scientists in 2011

which was highly controversial. This study found methane gas concentrations in drinking water

and, while it was common knowledge that poor cement jobs were the leading source of drinking

water contamination, the Duke professors titled the study in such a way as to imply that the

contamination was linked to gas­well drilling and hydraulic fracturing. While methane gas itself is

not poisonous, it could cause explosions or fires and may be an indicator of other substances

yet to come. Residents in areas that practice fracking have complained of various ailments,

although those for fracking claim that there is no way that fracking could cause chemicals to leak

into water.

This new study is very important to the world of science. For years, people have

searched for a more sustainable energy source than the ones we use now, namely coal and oil.

Fracking provides a way to use natural shale gas as a power source, which is much better for

the environment than nonrenewable sources. If fracking really did cause lethal chemicals to seep

into drinking water, we would need to search for other renewable energy sources. However, this

new study proves that fracking is still a good alternative to the more harmful power sources. If

many people used shale natural gas to power their lives instead of coal and oil, fewer toxins and

about 50% less carbon dioxide would be released into the air, which would help the environment

and slow global warming.

This article was very well written and gave the reader a good understanding of the conflict

between those for fracking and those against fracking. The main flaw that I found in the article

was that it did not explain what fracking was. I feel that that is vital to the reader’s comprehension

of this issue to understand what the actual process of hydraulic fracturing is. Although at the

bottom of the page they had a very informative, interactive explanation of fracking, a

one­sentence overview of the process would have aided my comprehension while I read the

story. The issue that I found with the study was that they only tested the wells in Pennsylvania

and Texas. Maybe they would find different results if they tested the wells in many different

places. Overall, this article gave me new insight into the conflict over energy resources, and the

study that it writes of could help natural gasses change the world.

Posted for A. Barker

Scientists Urge Study of Environmental Factors That May Speed Aging-Sam Abukhadra

I read the article, “Scientists Urge Study of Environmental Factors That May Speed Aging.” The article talked about various causes for accelerated aging and the research done on the matter. Scientists at the University North Carolina have concluded that genes only influence the rate at which you age by 25%. Thus leaving other factors such as substances and experiences to influence the majority of the rate at which you age. These outer influences are referred to as gerontogens. Gerontogens are usually negative experiences or unhealthy substances, such as tobacco, industrial emissions, and even physiological stress. A recent spike in scientific interest has occurred on the topic, due to the discovery that some chemotherapy and HIV medications can increase aging. The article also discussed research conducted on mice to discover the effect of different gerontogens as well as to discover new ones. Scientists are also working on tests that could be developed with the next few decades to determine someones psychological age. The article concluded by stating that the field of aging is still working towards this goal and still has quite a while to go to before obtaining it.

The discovery of new gerontogens and the ability to test peoples’ psychological age could be extremely important discoveries for our lives. The ability to know what substances I consume or activities I engage in and their correlation to my lifespan is priceless information.This information is key in prolonging your life and ending interaction with harmful substances and activities. More information about possible gerontogens would be essential to increasing our lifespans. Tests in the future about physiological age could also aid in research for new gerontogens and psychological health.

I thought this article was very well written and very informative. I liked the

structure of this article and the way each different section of research was organized. The article was fluid and intelligently centered around one major idea. The only issue I had was the wording of a few paragraphs. For example, when talking about specific research the article got a little wordy and was hard to follow. It was over specific when talking about cells and proteins. This article could be improved if a couple sections of research were a little less descriptive and easier to follow. Overall I think this is a great, informative, well written, and very interesting article.

Yong, Ted. “Scientists Urge Study of Environmental Factors That May Speed Aging” National geographic. 17 sept 2014!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140528-gerontogens-chemicals-toxins- environment-study-aging-science/!

Posted for Sam Abukhadra

Health Risks of E-cigarettes Emerge.

Raloff, Janet. "Health Risks of E-cigarettes Emerge." Science News. N.p., 28 June 2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. 

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/health-risks-e-cigarettes-emerge.

In this article it mainly told the readers on how the thought to be safe, electronic cigarettes, could be a health risk to the human body. E-cigarette, (electronic cigarette) were made a few years ago to help tobacco cigarette smokers, lose their addiction to the cigarettes. The give you a pleasure when in use, and this was thought to be a safe and pleasing pleasure when e-cigarettes were first released. However, recently scientists have discovered that when breathing in the “vapor” of the e-cigarette, you are taking in toxic chemicals into your body, and into your lungs. This includes the chemical carcinogens, which can make bacterial infections that are impossible to be cured by antibiotics. There are also other chemicals and solvents that enter your body while using e-cigarettes, some that may even cause cancer.

This article is very important to society because it will prevent those from reading to using e-cigarettes as a solution to quit smoking. There are many healthier solutions for quitting, and electronic cigarettes are not one of them. I chose this article because I had heard about e-cigarettes in the past, and always thought of them as a great invention, and a positive solution to quit smoking. When I saw the title of this article I was thrown off guard and wanted to look into detail on how e-cigarettes could cause harm to the body.

Some critiques that I have about this article are that it didn’t explain how an electronic cigarette worked. Some who would have clicked on this article would not have known how an e-cigarette worked and what it was even used for. The article just went straight into talking about all the chemicals and scientific stuff without much background information. Another critique I had was that it got more and more confusing as it went on. The beginning was very clear and I got the main idea, but as it went on I had to re-read a lot of information. All together it was a very interesting and informational article 

Posted for H. Colvin

The Trials of Stem Cell Therapy

The New York Times article, “The Trials of Stem Cell Therapy” by Karen Weintraub discusses the progress in stem cell research and the benefit it has on aiding humans’ bodies. The stem cells harvested from an embryo can turn into any of the body’s 200 cell types and live as long as the body does. This enables stem cell therapy to work. For, if someone had a heart disease they could have stem cells injected into their heart and over a couple years it should repair their heart. An example of this working is when stem cells were injected into a man’s heart, who had a weak heart, and in five years the man was able to live the way he used to live, healthily. This research has a huge effect on society because with further advances in stem cell therapy it could cure millions of people with heart disease, blindness, Parkinson’s, H.I.V., diabetes, blood cancers, and spinal cord injuries.

Stem cell therapy already has a major effect on society. As stem cell therapy becomes more advanced and predictable it could easily affect millions of people. Some were cured from their health defects from injecting stem cells into their body part that was weak. This enables the stem cells to morph into the specific cell that is weak to replace the cells causing that particular area to gain strength. Research hopes to advance their knowledge on stem cells so they can be certain on which diseases it can cure. People will be able to rely on stem cell therapy to cure their health issues, which will greatly impact many lives.

Karen Weintraub did an excellent job covering the topic of stem cells. Previous to reading her article I had no knowledge on stem cells. By the end of her article I had a background on stem cells and how they are used for medical benefits. The article was an easy read which made it easier to understand the context. Karen Weintraub provided examples of the stem cell therapy working on humans, this helped me understand the direct use it would have on people. The article also contained many professional opinions, which gave proof behind the research. Some weaknesses about this article are that it could have been more concise. There were a couple paragraphs that were not needed and that did not provide any information or structure. 

Posted for E. Connors

Back to the Slums of His Youth, to Defuse the Ebola Time Bomb

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/world/africa/ebola-liberia.html?ref=science&_r=0

The article that I read was about the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and how many more people are getting contaminated than should be getting contaminated because proper measures are not being taken.  In Liberia, many people are getting Ebola, and then people are caring for them, which only infects them.  When people do go to hospitals, they are turned away more times than not because the hospital is full of infected people already.  Even though people are urged to report the sick, many are not because they do not trust the doctors and hospital workers as a result of them turning away infected patients.

Dr. Mosoka Fallah, who used to live in Liberia as a child, is working to take necessary measures to minimize infection.  He has employed a tactic that has worked to stop previous outbreaks of diseases in Liberia.  He is employing this tactic in the slum neighborhood of West Point, where he lived for two years as a child.  He has split West Point into zones, and along with a surveillance team of volunteers, has been moving through the slums, collecting information about sick or dead people.  They are then moving the bodies out of the area so that no one else is infected by these people.  So far, the strategy has been working.

This article shows three affects of the Ebola virus on society.  One affect is that people in Liberia are starting to trust doctors less and less.  This is because they are not getting the care that they need and they are getting turned away at hospitals.  Liberians are not taking the doctors’ advice to isolate the sick, and they are still going near them, causing them to get infected.  Another affect of the Ebola virus is that doctors are taking a different role in society, and people are volunteering in dangerous circumstances to help other people.  For example, Dr. Mosoka Fallah is organizing the volunteer surveillance teams, and searching for sick and dead people himself.  Doctors do not traditionally look for the sick, they wait of the sick to come to them.  Also, the volunteer surveillance teams are risking possible infection when they are searching for the sick or dead.  This affects society because it is helping Liberians isolate the sick and dead so that more people do not get infected. If it weren’t for the volunteers and doctors like Dr. Mosoka Fallah organizing them, many more Liberians would probably be infected.

There are many things that I think improve this article.  One question I have is have the doctors in Liberia tried any tactics other than Dr. Fallah’s or just telling Liberians to isolate the ill?  If they have, what are they?  Another question I have is what is the rest of the world doing about this outbreak, and why aren’t there improvised hospitals of clinics for the sick in Liberia?  Are the WHO or UN doing anything about this?  If so, what?  These are the questions that might improve this article, even though it is detailed and well written as it is.

Posted for W. Bogatyrenko