Finally, a Way to Predict a Wildfire's Behavior in Real Time

Chem                                                                                                                             John Markola

 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=finally-a-way-to-predict-a-wildfires-behavior-in-real-time 

Massey, Nathanael. "Finally, a Way to Predict a Wildfire's Behavior in Real Time: Scientific American." Finally, a Way to Predict a Wildfire's Behavior in Real Time: Scientific American. Scientific American, 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=finally-a-way-to-predict-a-wildfires-behavior-in-real-time>.

 This article was about how Scientists have developed a new technique to predict the behavior of wildfires, using high-resolution satellite imagery to periodically check and revise computer simulations. Also, The Suomi NPP, a weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, carries a special infrared sensor that can capture high-resolution images anywhere on the globe. This is called the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), and it can observe the Earth's surface at a much finer scale than the average satellite sensor.

By giving scientists the information of how the wildfire will act, we can stop the wildfires before they grow too large and have a devastating effect on where it hit. This research is important to our everyday lives because it would stop many wildfires and help save a great deal of nature and animals, and prevent the gases that pollute the atmosphere during the event of a wildfire.

I thought this article was very interesting, and I was impressed while reading it how they have now created such a contemporary device to tell so much about these wildfires and help preserve our nature.

New Interactive Tool Helps Track Earth’s Forests

Lucero, Louis. "New Interactive Tool Helps Track Earth’s Forests." New York Times. N.p., 14 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

                Google created a map device that will detect forest destruction.  This tool will show an area that experienced a disturbance in the forest. Color blocking is used to represent deforestation that happened over a period of time. This idea has been considered many times and now it finally has been put in action. The device uses up a lot of energy, and once when it was used, it dimed the lights in the room, but it is still worth trying.  This devise helped Brazil with deforestation. Once the device located the rainforest that was gradually shrinking, the people helped decrease the disturbance of the forest.

            This tool is helpful in decreasing the green house gases formed by burning the forests. When a destruction of a forest is detected on the map, police provide more protection towards that forest. Trees are one of the providers of oxygen for humans and animals, if we can save more trees, then the better it will be for us to live.

            This article is well written and it contains enough details to explain what this device does, but it does not contain a lot of examples that show how this device has been helpful to us. The only example it provides the reader with is the deforestation in Brazil.

Fast-Paced Evolution in the Andes

Zimmer, Carl. "Fast-Paced Evolution in the Andes." New York Times. New York Times, 7 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/science/high-above-sea-level-evolutionary-hot-spots.html?ref=science&_r=0

This article was about how the Páramos blanket in the Andes in Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia has proven to be one of the most fast paced places for evolution on earth. Dr. Madriñán, an expert on the Páramos, says that because the climate in the Páramos is so extreme, plants there need to find ways to adapt and survive, which causes the fast paced evolution. The Páramos is sometimes cold and covered with mist, and then the climate quickly changes to hot and sunny. The plants need to be able to protect themselves from the cold and the heat. One of the species only found in the Páramos is the Espeletia uribei, a daisy the size of a tree that has hairs on its flowers to protect it from the sun and a covering of dead leaves on its stem to keep it warm. According to Dr. Madriñán, the Páramos only started forming its diverse plant species 2.5 million years ago, and that is a very short time for all the evolution there to take place.

This article shows us how this event effects humanity because the Páramos is giving us a deeper look into how evolution takes place. This can give us clues as to how evolution happens in other places around the world. Another place where fast paced evolution is taking place is the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin did his famous experiment about evolution with the finches on the island. These “evolution hot-spots” can help us predict new evolution and learn more about evolution around the world.

Overall, this article thoroughly explained how the evolution in the Páramos is happening and why. I would have liked if it gave more examples of other plants evolving in the Páramos and other places around the world where fast paced evolution is taking place.

Herbal Supplements Are Not What They Seem

In the article, Herbal Supplements Are Not What They Seem by Anahad O'connor, it tells us about how herbal supplements that are used to fight off colds are not what they appear to be. Products that are said and labeled to be supplements are really powered weeds and rice which is shown in peoples DNA tests. These supplements have been replaced by cheap products such as wheat and rice. Even some bottles that are said to treat mild depression actually don't contain any of the medicinal herb.

This problem can affect people, because they think they are being treating and they are getting better but really they are being given false supplements. These supplements not only are just not helping people get better who are trying to fight off colds, but also they are faking a product used to fight of serious issues like depression which is a big problem today. 

This article was informative and it's a good piece of information to know and make people aware about and let them know that if there really taking something it could be false and not helping them at all. It's an issue that it is good to make people aware of and hopefully if they ever have the problem of having to fight off a cold people can be aware that some herbal supplements are not what they think they are buying. 

Humpback Dolphin Clan Branches Out

Humpback Dolphin Clan Branches Out

Recently, a group of humpback dolphins has been spotted off the Northern coast of Australia. They have been designated as a new species of humpback dolphin. They were an unknown species previously before the spotting. The Wildlife Conservation Society has been trying to prove that there were more than two different types of humpback dolphin and collected “physical and generic” evidence from the different species. They eventually concluded that there were four discrete species of humpback dolphin. The new species have yet to be given names.

For society, this shows us that not just particularly in humpback dolphins, but in all animal species that there may be more distinct species within previously known species. For example, there may be a definitive species of tiger within a species that we do not know about. Thus, this opens up all new possibilities for new discoveries of animals.

I thought this article was well-written because it was straight and to the point, however I believe it could have contained more information on what these new dolphins looked like since there was no name. Overall, I think this was a great article that provided new light on an unknown topic.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/humpback-dolphin-clan-branches-out.html?ref=science

 "Humpback Dolphin Clan Branches Out." New York Times. N.p., 4 Nov. 2013. Web.

Hitting Pay Dirt on Mars

Chang, Kenneth. "Hitting Pay Dirt on Mars." The New York Times. The New York Times, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/science/space/hitting-pay-dirt-on-mars.html?_r=0>.

                In the Article Hitting Pay Dirt on Mars by Kenneth Chang, The author talks about the Mars rover, Curiosity, and one of its most recent discoveries.  It has found an alkaline rock, which is a very rare form of rock to find on earth, and has never been seen before on Mars.  Though it looks like all the others, under closer examination it is very different.  This rock, being an alkaline rock can only be created by the melting of rocks deep in the mantle with the presence of water.  This is very important, because until now there was no proof of water on Mars.  During further testing of a dust pile, the rover found that when heated, water vapor was released.  This provides the possibility of some form of carbon-based life form to be able to exist on Mars.  Knowing that the dust on Mars contains water could be important for astronauts in the future.  One other interesting thing found by Curiosity is the presence of perchlorates.  These are chemicals that are known to cause thyroid problems, and would be very bad for astronauts to be around. 

                This pertains to humanity because it is a big step in astronomy, and could be important for future trips to Mars, or if needed colonization on Mars in the very distant future.  Without water, being on mars for extended periods of time would be very difficult, and may not ever happen. 

                I thought that the author did a very good job of describing everything, and did a good job of including quotes from specific people and explaining who they were and what they researched.  He also does a good job of providing specific details about the rocks, and rovers.  One thing I felt that he did poorly is that he talked about the perchlorates in  very little detail and it just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the article.  Otherwise the author did a very good job.  

Response to a City's Smog Points to a Change in Chinese Attitude

Response to a City's Smog Points to a Change in Chinese Attitude

Wong, Edward. "Response to a City’s Smog Points to a Change in Chinese Attitude."New York Times. N.p., n.d. Web.         

          In the recent article “Response to a City’s Smog Points to a Change in Chinese Attitude” by Edward Wong, the Chinese government has begun an emergency response to the smog levels in China. One city specifically by the name of Harbin is currently suffering extreme amounts of smog leading to the entire city having to close its schools and have buses get off the road, farmers were also told to stop the burning of their fields. To put the current situation in perspective the smog is so thick that residents may only see a few yards of what is around them, this is increases the risk of a car crash by quite a lot. This smog is caused by the excessive use of coal in China, seeing as China has a 70% dependency on coal as the main source of energy. Chinese residents all over China have begun to fear what is to come because of how bad the air quality has become. Overall the lifespan of Chinese citizens is reduced by decades because of how toxic the air currently is. Another large problem is how residents sometimes are careless and do not wear masks. The Chinese government has recently begun to be very focused on the issue of the smog that has affected the air, ground, and water of China by sending officials to certain cities; this shall allow the Chinese government to enforce pollution limiting methods. These recent actions by the Chinese government seem promising but the only thing that can save China is to limit industries that are very dependent on the burning of coal.

          I believe the issue of pollution is beginning to show up in all places around the world, and not just in China and is relevant to all our lives. Pollution has been greatly increasing since the 1900s, and most countries have not done anything to limit smog in their countries. I believe that if we continue down this path every city shall resemble Harbin. Pollution directly affects all humans on Earth because we all share the same planet with the same atmosphere; this is why all humans should be aware of how the environment is currently being treated very badly.

          I enjoyed the way the article was written for it flowed pretty well and did not have too many facts that to an untrained eye would seem gibberish. The article is also made strong by its amount of viewpoints from Chinese officials and Chinese residents. However the length of the article did seem too long making the article longer than it had to be for it to get its point across. Overall it was an interesting article.