Multiple teams of scientists are very worried about how the recent oil spill will affect the hundreds of birds that migrate to the bay each winter. Some of these birds are rare or endagered species, others are common, but the oil will and has affected them all. Not only the migratory bird populations have and will be affected, the spill has upset the entire ecological system of the bay, as taking away one component of the cycle, such as the birds, it disrupts the entire workings of the chain. While exposure to the oil may not kill some birds, depending on thier degree of contamination, it is still a detrimental force. Another worry is that some birds stop only breifly in the bay and then carry on southwards for the rest of the winter. These birds will carry the oil contamination with them to other areas. Other marine animals that were affected included sea lions and harbor seals, both who have swum in the oil-slicked waters of the bay. The effect of the oil spill on the fish of the San Fransisco Bay is yet to be documented (as far as I read). The spill is not only threatening the lives of the marine animals directly near the Bay but also nature reserves and protected areas all along the coast, examples would be the Fitzgerald State Reserve at Moss Beach and The Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/11/15/MNF1TCHHP.DTL

to Mr olson

thanks for the nomination, I think I will go. Sorry that it took so long to transfer my writing, there was a problem because I accidentally wrote that on my original blog which is no longer in use. Thanks again.
-marion

Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Stanford University claim to have found a blood test that can identify patients with Alzheimer's disease, which is known for being hard to find in its early stages. This test screens for 18 chemical signals which as frequently present in already diagnosed patients. Alzheimer's causes loss of memory and much confusion. The disease causes much heartache for the families of the affected individuals, which drives the reseach on Alzheimer's even more strongly. This test was conducted on a small scale, but it proves that the process of screening for chemicals can be a valuable source of information of diseases such as this in years to come. Other experimental tests for Alheimer's include MRI scans to detect shrinking brain areas and scans for certain proteins useing MRI and PET scans.

Climate Crisis

Yesterday, I went to the San Mateo Public Library to see Taylor Francis' presentation entitled Climate Crisis. I learn that CO2 and Temperatures follow the same patterns, when on rises so does the other, and that's what has been happening to cause Global Warming. As human activities emit carbon dioxide, it builds up in the atmosphere trapping more and more heat and the planet itself begins to get hotter. The hottest year so far was the year of 2005. The rising global temperature has caused wildfires and huge heat waves in Europe and America, killing many people, crops, and livestock. The temp. of the worlds oceans is also rising, this time causing enormous floods and there's been a doubling of the amount of category 4 and 5 storms in the last 30 years (because the heated water increases wind velocity and air humidity, perfect storm conditions). Global Warming also allows diseases to spread faster and to more areas as their carriers tend to prefer warm climates. The lack of food and water (caused by drought and heatwaves) creates an environment where conflicts are very likely to break out. The ones that are being and will be hit worst will the be poor, making Global Warming a social justice issue as well. The Arctic Ice Cap used to be a cooling pocket that helped keep the entire planet's temp. down and kept it's own ice frozen. In recent years, it has turned from a cooling into a heating pocket as the temp. rises, the ice melts and instead of reflecting the suns rays, the water (melted ice) absorbs the heat, warming the water that surrounds the ice, causing it to melt faster and faster and then cycle repeats again, a feedback loop. Ice that floats on water and melts does not cause the water level to rise, however ice that was on land, melts and flows into the oceans (water) does cause the water level to rise. Such areas of land-based ice are Antarctica and Greenland. If we keep emitting at the levels that we emit now the sea level could rise up to 20 ft in coming years. There is no longer a debate about the existence of global warming, now it is a debate about what to do about it. In about 15 years we will reach a point of no return, so we have to focus on what we can do now. We can use wind power, hydraulic power, solar power, natural gases and bio fuels. The government, the businesses and the people all need to act so that there can be a real change for the better! =)

science sunday 2 : the snail lab..

okay, I'm rather bored so I'm going to talk about the snail lab. It was reasonably interesting, I was rather nervous because I was worried that I was going to break my group's snail (Gary)'s shell. It was interesting watching the muscles on his underside ripple as he moved, and he stretched out a full inch straight up! The muscles in his neckish area must be incredibly strong. Actually I'm not even sure if Gary is male, we were going to check (somehow, we weren't exactly sure how to) but then we ran out of time and class ended. I couldn't find the section if the book that spoke about snails having eyes so I still don't know if Gary saw us or smelled us or sensed our body heat. I think I saw his mouth, but I'm not entirely sure, I'd have to look at him with more focus. It was incredible how he was able to balance on the very thin edge of the glass disk he was on. I wonder what exactly caused all the foaming when his.. liquids (?) interacted with the vinegar. Now I also know why salt would be very bad for snails, since they breathe and absorb water through thier skin, salt would absorb the moisture they have and kill them. How horrible. All in all I really enjoyed the lab, though the videos shown on youtube afterward by Mr. Olson were on the brink of getting me sick. I hope we get to do another lab with live creatures, though with some of the guys around.. maybe not such a good idea. thanks anyway Mr. Olson