E. Coli and Biodiesel (Lab 10)

As people try and find more and more resourceful ways to create environmentally friendly fuel sources some strange possibilities have surfaced. According to recent studies conducted by Chaitan Khosla, a professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at Stanford, the E. Coli virus that is generally associated with food poisoning might be very useful in creating biodiesel.

The kind of E. Coli that could be useful is actually the kind that already exists in our large intestines. Its ability to create fatty acids that closely resemble the make-up of gasoline from sugars and plant matter. The only problem that researchers have run into is that something in the E. coli inhibits it from creating fats to its full potential since its purpose in our bodies would be threatened if it behaved to its full potential. Once something can be found to disable this inhibitor the potential for E. coli created biodiesel would be enormous! Source: http://www.geekosystem.com/e-coli-biodiesel-creation/

Mitochondrial Eve and the Results of Speciation

Mitochondrial Eve is the ancestor of all living humans. We know this because of the existence of mitochondrial DNA which is only passed on through the mothers DNA. She is thought to have like about 200,000 years ago in east Africa. Despite all of us sharing a common ancestor, as a species people have diverged greatly each other in appearance. This speciation is a result of environmental factors. As people spread across the globe they found themselves in many different climates and circumstances. Thanks to our ability to adapt to our surroundings the human species populated many different areas around the Earth and thus developed physical features that would help them to be better suited for their surroundings. Here are some interesting examples of human speciation...

1. Swedish People

With fair skin and blonde hair that reflects their settlement in northern Europe. The Swedish people have been relatively isolated as race over the years and thus their are some diseases that have been perpetuated within the culture due to the smaller relative genetic pool. Here is a link to an article in a  medical journal that examines the occurrences of cancer among Swedish and Finnish populations: Finnish and Swedish genotypes and risk of cancer in Sweden

2. Kenyans

Darker skin and longer legs of the people of Kenya are a result of the sunny climate and open flat land of the region. Although it has been thought by many that their success as a people in athletic events involving running is due to genetic advantages as a race recent studies have shown that there is no genetic advantage for running that exists among Kenyans. This link explains what research has been done: What makes Kenyans superior runners? It's not the genes.

3. Inuits

The Inuit are the indigenous people of Alaska and parts of Canada. Their features resemble those of Asian peoples suggesting their migration from that continent in ancient times. Some have theorized that they share genetic traits with Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and other native peoples for a predisposition to obesity and diabetes after being exposed to Western diets. Follow this link to learn more: Thrifty gene hypothesis

4. Ainu

The Ainu are the native peoples of Hokkaido, and island just north of Japan. They resemble the Japanese people in some ways but as a people they are unique to Asia and more closely resemble the Native American people and Inuits of the North American continent. Unlike the Japanese, they can grow large beards and thick facial hair much like their Russian neighbors to the north. To learn more about the Ainu and their culture, follow this link: Ainu language discussion. Follow this link for an interesting story about possible Ainu remains in the United States: Kennewick man discovery.

5. The Turkish Family that Walks on All Fours

In southern Turkey, a family has been discovered that suffers from a genetic mutation that appears to have erased years of evolution. Members of this family are unable to travel on two legs, instead they move about on their hands and feet much like our evolutionary ancestors may have. Follow this link to learn more about this unique occurrence: The family that walks on all fours.

The First Thing With a Spine

Amphioxus
Also known as a 'lancelet', these tiny creatures can be found in most places buried in sand or in shallow parts of temperate and tropical seas. In Asia they are commonly harvested as food for both humans and animals. Lancelets grow up to about 5 centimeters (2.0 in) long, reaching 7 centimeters (2.8 in) at the longest. They have a translucent, somewhat fish-like body, but without any paired fins or other limbs. A relatively poorly developed tail fin is present, but they are not especially good swimmers. One feature that makes amphioxus such an interesting animal is the hollow nerve cord running along the back that it shares in common with vertebrates. They are also the modern representatives of the subphylum Cephalochordata.

Burgess Shale: The Holy Shrimp (Lab 8)

Sanctacaris
The discovery of the extensive fossil record hidden in the Burgess Shale, revealed to scientists a plethora of new and previously undiscovered species. On the evolution timeline such a burst of species development was unheard of. This discovery also known as the Cambrian Explosion, marked the sudden appearance of an ecosystem full of highly developed predator and prey organisms that the like of which had never been seen before. One such organism was Sanctacaris.

Its name literally means 'sacred shrimp'. It is thought to have used its head appendages to trap and consume its prey. It is regarded as a primitive form of chelicerate, a group that includes horseshoe crabs, spiders, and scorpions. The specimens that have been found range from 43-93 mm in length. Although it is grouped in with the other organisms from the Cambrian Explosion, Sanctacaris was discovered in 1980, long after Charles Walcott's original findings in 1909.

 Some say that it still exists to this day! ;)

If you find the Cambrian explosion super interesting and want to experience what these animals might have tasted like check out this link: Edible Cambrians.

Wild Ginger Profile and Uncommon Uses (Lab 7)

Asarum canadense (Canada Wild Ginger)

Also known as wild ginger, it is native to deciduous forests all over the east coast. While not a substitute for the ginger commonly used for cooking it can be added to food for spice or flavor.

 

The native Americans used the root to treat dysentery, digestive problems, coughs and colds, and even swollen breasts, among other ailments. It was also used as a stimulant and appetite enhancer.



ALSO........
Here's me hugging a tree on our Hitchiti field trip!

Jellyfish Lake (Lab 6)

This lake is of particular interest to me as is contains a large population of unique jellyfish. Located in the mostly unpopulated Rock Islands in Palau, Jellyfish Lake (Palauan: Ongeim'l Tketau, "Fifth Lake"), receives its water from the nearby lagoon.

The lake is connected to the ocean water of the lagoon by fissures and tunnels in the limestone of ancient Miocene reef. This reef is so ancient, that it dates back to when the Himalayas first began to rise. A marine lake is defined as "a unique ecosystem which forms when a depression in a porous, calcareous landscape is flooded by rising sea-levels. Connected in various ways to the sea, they form a continuum from complete isolation to lagoon-like. Marine lakes can contain a variety of habitats which foster adaptive radiation and rapid evolution of the biological assemblages."

The jellyfish that inhabit the reef are of the scyphozoan class. The predominant species of jellyfish are the golden jellyfish, species Mastigias. They are quite similar the the spotted jellyfish that inhabit the nearby lagoon however, they are morphologically, physiologically, and behaviorally distinct from them. The golden jellyfish migrate horizontally across the lake throughout the course of the day in order to increase and perpetuate the growth of the symbiotic algae that they rely on for nutrients.

Above is a graph representing the stratification of the lake. It is divided into two layers, an oxygenated upper layer (mixolimnion) and a lower anoxic layer (monimolimnion).The stratification of the lake is caused by conditions which prevent or restrict the mixing of water vertically. Causes of this condition are:
1. The lake is surrounded by rock walls and trees which substantially block the wind flow across the lake that would cause mixing.
2. The primary water sources for the lake (rain, runoff and tidal flows through tunnels) are all close to the surface.
3. The lake is in the tropics where seasonal temperature variation is small so that the temperature inversion that can cause vertical mixing of lakes in temperate zones does not occur.

Fall Line Cities (Lab 5)

The city of Macon is located along the geographical feature known as the fall line, the upper region of the Piedmont meets the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Rivers that cross this line are especially prominent since they usually have rapids and waterfalls. Because of this, sites along the rivers on these fall lines have long been sought after by civilizations because these features can mark the head of navigation and a good source of water power. Macon is one such city that has been colonized throughout the years by the Native Americans, and early settlers and colonists searching for a place to set down roots. The earliest settlers valued this area for its location on the river which supplied water and the fish and game that was readily available around it. Later, the area was sought after by settlers for the easy access to trade and travel that the river supplied.