Author Archives: Alexandra Elisabeth Monahan

How Do People Choose Their Friends?

At one point in my life I read an article that talked about how our friends ultimately alter our own personalities, it went on to say that we each have the personality of our four closest friend’s personalities combined. I found this article rather interesting. Instead of researching this topic, however, I wanted to research how or why we choose the friends that we do. Ever since I can remember my friends have always been very similar to me, I tend to choose friends who have close to the same personality as I do. Is it just ironic that I choose to be friends with people who are like me, or does it have to do with something deeper?

friends

One study I came across was conducted in Massachusetts. Scientists here studied 1,932 people. They were looking at each person’s genes. There results were very interesting in my opinion. They discovered that friends shared about 1% of their genes, this percentage is significantly larger than the percentage of genes shared between two strangers. Scientists are not really sure why the results turned out like this, however it could be due to a possible “kin detection system” in people. Olfactory genes seemed to line up the most, while immune system genes lined up the least. Scientists said that it made sense for the olfactory genes to line up because friends tend to enjoy similar smells.

This study was probably due to chance, in my opinion. Unless this “kin detection system” actually exists I doubt that we choose friends who have similar genes as us. 1,932 people were used, which isn’t necessarily small, but is not huge either. It would be really interesting to see this study conducted again, but with more people.

Another study I came across was done by Professor Peter DeScioli. He researched the online friendships through social media of 11 million people. MySpace, a social media website, has a section where people rank their “best friend”. His research found that people were more likely to rank somebody as their “best friend” if they knew that person would rank them back as their “best friend” as well. His findings support the “alliance hypothesis for friendship.” This hypothesis says that we depend on our friends during conflicts. We want to be friends with people we are positive will back us up in an argument. We want to strongly feel that the person we are calling our “best friend” will always side with us.

I also found this study to be very interesting. We base friendships off of security. We want to feel safe, we do so by forming friendships with people we know will support us in times of need. I feel that this study is correct, it used 11 million people, so it is highly unlikely that the results are solely due to chance. I can connect with this study because as self-fish as it sounds, I definitely pick friends I can depend on when I need them. I probably wouldn’t develop a strong friendship with somebody I couldn’t trust to back me up in argument when I needed them to.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/people-choose-friends-dna-similar-study-article-1.1867373

http://www.brandeis.edu/now/2011/march/friendship.html

 

Are Coffee Addictions a Thing?

I’ll be honest, I drink A LOT of coffee. On average, I would say about three Dunkin small caramel iced coffees with cream and sugar a week. Just thinking about coffee makes me want to stop typing and go take a trip to Dunkin. Recently I began thinking: is coffee addictive? I know many people who have to have a cup of coffee in order to make it through their day. I looked further into this.

One study I came across was led by Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The researchers analyzed 120,000 regular coffee drinkers and discovered that people who drink a lot of coffee may have their genes to blame. Two of these gene variations were identified near genes BDNF and SLC6A4. Both of these are known to play a role in the rewarding effects of caffeine. People who drink coffee regularly have an increased likelihood of having high blood sugar levels and high cholesterol. So, some people may be inclined to drinking coffee based off the genes they were born with. They aren’t really addicted, they just need coffee to work and concentrate better. To watch a video that describes this study in more detail go to:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/sciencetech/video-1126029/New-study-suggests-coffee-addiction-genes.html

This study seems pretty strong based off the large amount of people they analyzed.  I can’t find anything wrong with it. Chance could always be a factor, however with the large amount of people utilized I highly doubt chance was the reason for the researchers’ findings in this study.

iced medium coffee 045

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/10/07/heavy-coffee-drinker-blame-your-genes-study-suggests/nBhbc0oDeX6PD1Rqg8gXiO/story.html

Social Networking and Social Disorders

I remember making my Facebook account in seventh grade and thinking how cool I was to be able to have a social networking account. Soon after, all of my friends were making them and eventually most of the grade, if not all, had a Facebook account. My parents were not that happy about my new profile, they said they were concerned because I was spending more time online, and less time with my family. Eventually, I made a twitter and Instagram account, as well. I cannot count the amount of times that I have heard somebody say that social media is causing people, teens in particular, to be less social. I decided to look more into this topic to see if social media is in fact causing a social change in us teenagers.

fb

One study I came across was conducted at California State University. A psychology professor, Larry Rosen, was in charge of this study. The main objective of his study was to view the impact that social media has on the interactions between preteens and teenagers. He observed that people in this age group were negatively effected by their social media accounts. Anxiety, depression, and many other disorders were linked to social media. On top of social media being connected to social disorders, the study also found that people with social media were more likely to miss school. Kids with social media kids also saw a drop in their grades because of their frequent checking of their Facebook or Twitter accounts during their study hours.

Another study I came across was conducted at York University and published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. This study observed the Facebook profiles of people aged 18-25. They took a look at what each person posted on their Facebook wall, whether it was tons of pictures, statues every five minutes, or comments from friends. These selected Facebook users were also evaluated using the Narcissism Personality Inventory and measured according to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale. At the conclusion of their study, their results stated that people who used Facebook very frequently were more likely to have narcissistic or insecure personalities than people who tended to use Facebook less frequently.

Something that could possibly be wrong with both of these studies is that kids with social disorders may in fact be more prone to creating a social media account because of the lack of friends they have at school (reverse causality). Kids with social disorders may feel that they can make friends online easier or feel more comfortable sharing their ideas behind a computer screen and therefore created a Facebook or other social media account. The results of these studies could also be due to chance.

http://peoplesworld.org/do-social-networking-sites-create-anti-social-behavior/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201306/do-facebook-and-other-social-media-encourage-narcissism

 

Avoid Grocery Shopping While Hungry

A few years ago my mom and I were on our way to the grocery store, to obviously go grocery shopping. However. shortly before we got there my mom decided to stop and get something to eat before proceeding to shop. I remember saying, “why couldn’t you just wait for after shopping?” She replied with, “because grocery shopping on an empty stomach causes you to buy more unhealthy food that you probably wouldn’t buy as much of with a full stomach.” From that point on I have never gone grocery shopping while hungry, but am I really being healthier? I decided to research this topic to see what I could find.

grocery1

According to Amy Yaroch, “Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry because you’re just going to buy all sorts of junk food.” A recent observational study was conducted by a group of researchers and published in JAMA Internal Medicine. These researchers basically created their own grocery store. They observed both hungry shoppers and shoppers who had just had a snack. On average, the hungry and full shoppers both purchased eight items low in calories. These low calorie items include dairy products and meat products. However, the hungry shoppers also bought six items with high calorie counts in addition to the low calorie items. The shoppers who were not hungry only bought four high calorie products.

This study could be due to chance. The people that had already eaten may just buy less than the people who were hungry. Also, they did not really get any background information on the people they observed. For example, somebody who they were observing may have not been hungry, however maybe the reason why that person was not buying unhealthy foods was because they were currently on a diet. The people who were hungry may have purchased a lot of junk food, but maybe it was for their kids and they were not going to be eating that. If this study is incorrect, it would be a false positive.

Another study I found on this topic was conducted by the research team at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab. 68 participants, aged between 18 to 62, were asked to shop online in a virtual grocery store. Half of the participants were instructed not to eat between the hours of 12 pm and 5 pm. The other half were asked to eat crackers until they felt full. After shopping, the customers who had not eaten for five hours had ended up purchasing more high-calorie items than the customers who had consumed the crackers. The hungry customers bought 20% more items than the full customers did, their items they purchased consisted mainly of processed foods-like chips and candy.

Something that could have gone wrong with this survey is the fact that it only utilized 68 people. This is a very small amount. Using a larger group of people may have caused this study to have different results. This study could of course be due to chance, as well.

Why exactly does an empty stomach cause us to purchase items high in calories? Fasting tends to activate regions of our brain associated with reward, so hungry people are more prone to head to the junk food aisles. Next time I go to the grocery store, I will be sure to eat a quick snack before shopping.

http://www.businessinsider.com/science-proves-we-shouldnt-shop-hungry-2013-5

http://greatist.com/health/grocery-shopping-while-hungry-050813

 

Are Tanning Beds Really That Bad?

For Junior Prom I begged and begged and begged my mom to let me go tanning, but over and over again the answer was always “no”. I remember being so mad because all of my friends were going to be tan and I was going to remain the pale shade that I was. However, for Senior Prom my mom agreed to let me go tanning, however for 1 month only. Looking back on the situation the only positive thing that resulted from tanning was maybe I looked a little better in my dress, or perhaps the pictures turned out a little better. What negative things resulted from tanning? How bad can tanning really be? I decided to look further into this topic.

tanningbed

After looking at several websites, the main reason why people say tanning is “bad” is because of its link to melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin. Researchers say that this link between UV exposure from tanning beds and melanoma is indisputable. “There is no question that ultraviolent exposure is associated with an increased risk of melanoma,” David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, chairman of dermatology and director of the melanoma program at Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School, Boston. To understand this link between the two, I decided to research some studies that have been conducted to prove this.

One June 2010 study I found was conducted at the University of Minnesota. Cases of invasive cutaneous melanoma were tracked and found from a statewide cancer registry,  age-matched and gender-matched controls were then chosen at random. The researchers sent the people who were randomly selected surveys, as well as conducted interviews with them through the telephone. Some of the questions the people were asked had to do with type of tanning machine they used, duration of time spent tanning, age they started tanning, etc. The results fit the claim that “melanoma is a result from tanning” perfectly. Among 1,167 cases and 1,101 controls, 62.9% of cases and 51.1% of controls had tanned indoors. Risk increased depending on the amount of years, hours, and/or sessions a particular person spent tanning.

There are a few things that could have gone wrong with this study, however. Since the people were chosen at random, the results could be due to chance. Also, different factors may have caused the person to have melanoma, such as family background with this cancer. Being outside in the sun also increases risk of melanoma, so even that could come into play.

Most of the studies I found and read had to do with indoor tanning increasing a person’s risk of getting melanoma, however one study I found said just the opposite of this. The researchers that conducted this study looked at data from different time periods for populations at different latitudes. The goal of doing this was to see if the use of tanning beds led to melanoma. Their results said that increased tanning bed usage was NOT associated with melanoma. In fact, they found that using tanning beds provides humans with many health benefits and a significant amount of Vitamin D.

The problem that I see with this study is that the results could also be due to chance. The data they looked at could have been everybody who happened to not get melanoma. Also, this study says that tanning beds provide us with Vitamin D, however is that enough to stop us from getting melanoma (the result from tanning that most of the other studies say occurs)?

After reading all of these studies I can honestly say that tanning for prom probably wasn’t one my brightest decisions.

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/tanning-myths-whats-true-whats-hype

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20507845

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/12/can-tanning-beds-decrease-cancer-than-cause.aspx

http://www.skincancer.org/news/tanning/strong-scientific-research-for-banning-indoor-tanning

The Future of Planet Earth

Ever since Daniel J. Larson came in to speak to our class about outer space, my mind has been contemplating the question “what exactly is going to happen to our planet in the future?” Nobody has the power to see into the future, thus the fate of planet Earth is unknown. However, there are predictions about what could potentially happen to the planet we have come to know and love. I decided to explore some of these predictions and get further insight on what some scientists strongly believe is going to happen.

The future of humanity itself is something I also looked into before diving into what is going to happen to the planet as a whole. Geoengineering, something that we as humans have created, is something that could affect our Earth significantly for up to five million years. Therefore, the extinction of humanity could be a result of technology.  Our planet will be left and eventually will return to a slow revolutionary pace.

extinctmuseum630_0

One theory that I read about involving the fate of our planet states that in about 1.1 billion years the solar luminosity will be about ten times higher than it is today. Solar luminosity is the total solar output of the Sun radiated into space. This will obviously cause the planet to become warmer, creating a “moist greenhouse”. This greenhouse will cause the oceans to begin evaporating and will bring about the end of plate tectonics. At this point, most, if not all, of the life that once thrived on planet Earth will be extinct. Eventually, our Sun will become a red giant and Earth will be absorbed into it once it grows large enough and reaches our planet’s current orbit.

This theory sounds pretty good to me, however the only thing I wonder about is the part that talks about the animals going extinct. Once the oceans are evaporated and this “moist greenhouse” takes over planet Earth, is it possible that some species may be able to live and survive in this environment? Further, will some species still be alive when our planet is absorbed into the sun (obviously will die once being absorbed, but up until the point of absorption)? This theory says no, however a piece of me thinks there is a chance that some species will be able to live in these harsh environments.

Another theory dealing with the fate of Earth says that on March 16, 2880 a giant asteroid, named 1950 DA, will collide with planet Earth. Although there is only a .3% chance that it could hit earth (a risk 50% bigger than any other asteroid hitting Earth) on this given date, many astronomers believe that this could potentially be the end. This asteroid is a rock two-thirds of a mile in diameter and is due to slam into the Atlantic Ocean going about 38,000 miles per hour. Currently, there 1,400 potentially harmful asteroids that could cause impact to our planet, however none as large as 1950 DA. NASA is currently tracking all of these asteroids, as well as working on the development of an infrared sensor that could make asteroid tracking a lot easier.

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For this theory, I have a few arguments. This article calls the day when this asteroid is supposed to hit “doomsday”. However, would it really be enough to wipe out humanity and do much damage to the planet? If it crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, a tsunami would most likely be generated. How much damage would this tsunami then cause? The year when this asteroid is supposed to hit is not for many years, so by then scientists may have discovered something that is able to destroy the asteroid, well at least something that could make it smaller. One part of the article does mention that dusting the asteroid with chalk or charcoal could change the asteroid’s reflectivity and allow sunlight to push the asteroid out of the way, a path that does not involve colliding with Earth.

Humanity will most likely not be around to ever know what does in fact turn out to be the fate of Earth, however more research into this topic will allow for a better understanding.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/earth/earth_timeline/future_earth

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2454094/Could-life-Earth-end-March-16-2880-Scientists-predict-giant-asteroid-collide-planet-38-000-miles-hour.html

What causes Breast Cancer?

Two years ago my mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. The hardest year of my life was the year she went through chemo. Luckily, last year she beat it and since then has been cancer-free!! I decided that I wanted to look deeper into what exactly causes breast cancer.

Hormones play a role in breast cancer, however many scientists are not sure exactly how. Aside from hormones, genes also play a role. There are two types of genes: 1) Oncogenes are genes that speed up cell division 2) Tumor Suppressor Genes are genes that kill cells, or slow down cell division. Mutations in DNA that turn on Oncogenes can cause some cells to become cancerous. On the other hand, mutations in DNA that turn off Tumor Suppressor Genes can cause some cells to become cancerous, as well.

Some scientists suggest women are more prone to Breast Cancer if their diet is high in fat. Also, women who are obese or drink regularly may have a higher chance of getting diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Many causes of Breast Cancer have yet to be discovered, and scientists are still working on the research that will give us a better idea of what we can do to prevent this horrific disease.

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/what-causes-breast-cancer

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-what-causes

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Every morning before my 9 am I go to Starbucks and purchase an iced green tea. I do it because it gets me out of bed, wakes me up, and I think it tastes good. However, the other day I was drinking my daily glass of it and I began wondering if anything good comes from drinking green tea. I looked it up and was quite happy with my findings.

“It’s the healthiest thing I can think of to drink,” says Christopher Ochner, PhD. Green tea is rich in catechin content, which are antioxidants that prevent damage to human cells. Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow. It is also very good for the heart and prevents many heart-related diseases, such as heart failure. In some studies, this tea has even been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Sipping tea helps one to relax and to calm down. The reason why green tea provides relaxation is because the large amounts of theanine it contains. Theanine is an amino acid that is known for its positive effects on anxiety.

Next time I am sipping my green tea I will be happy to know I am also creating a healthier me.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/vitamin-supplements/theanine.htm

Is Megalodon still Roaming the Ocean?

Last year while watching Shark Week, a particular episode that talked about the “Megalodon” shark caught my attention. This tremendous animal, reaching lengths of 60 feet, lived during a time when the ocean was a completely different place (Cenozoic Era). The Megalodon is said to have gone extinct many years ago, but why then are multiple people reporting sightings of huge sharks today? Could Megalodon still be out there today, maybe thriving in the depths of the ocean where humans have not yet been? I am very interested, and looked further into it.

Although most scientists firmly insist that the Megalodon went extinct, some say there is a possibility that this monster still exists. A few pre-historic sharks, such as the frilled shark, are still alive today, giving some the idea that the Megalodon still may be living today, as well. David Wong of the Natural History Museum in London explained to Discovery News:

“Up until recently, it was supposed that, like most marine organisms, sharks suffered a catastrophic extinction at the K/T boundary (when dinosaurs went extinct). However, the studies that suggested this did not take into account the changes in sea level, climate and the amount of the sedimentary record missing.”

In 2004, Scientists got the first actual footage of a giant squid. The giant squid is such a large creature, so is the Megalodon. The idea that there could possibly be a huge shark out there, we just have yet to see it yet, is possible. Until scientists roam the entire ocean, which will most likely never happen, humans can never know for sure.

how-the-60-foot-long-ancient-shark-megalodon-ripped-apart-giant-whales

 

http://cryptid.hubpages.com/hub/Is-the-Megalodon-Shark-Still-Alive

http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/06/does-earths-mightiest-ocean-predator-still-exist/

Could there be possibly be life on Mars?

The idea of life on a planet other than our own has always interested me, from the time we studied Outer Space in third grade to be exact. I have heard over and over again that there is a chance Mars could have some forms of life living on it today. I decided to find out more about this possibility of life on Mars.

NASA is currently researching this mysterious planet in order to find out if there is in fact life. For fifty years, they have been creating and launching spacecraft into orbit around Mars or actually to land on Mars. Scientists that work for NASA know that Mars is the one place in the Solar System that is most like Earth, however there are still many differences that divide the two. Some of these differences include: Mars does not have a magnetic field, Earth has much more air than Mars, and most of the water that exists on Mars is ice because of the low temperatures that exist on this planet (Not to mention, Earth has a lot more water than Mars to begin with). These differences sort of support the idea that it would be very hard for life to live and sustain itself on Mars.

Large, dry channels show that at one time there was an abundance of flowing water on Mars, much like Earth today. In 1996, a meteorite was discovered by a group of scientists. On the inside of the meteorite evidence of bacteria was found. Perhaps, many years ago, life did exist on this planet. Today, however, it just is not likely.

 

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/review/dr-marc-solar-system/life-on-mars.html

http://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/SEMR09WJD1E_OurUniverse_0.html

 

Do carrots really Improve Eyesight?

carrotSince I was a little girl, my father has always told me to “eat carrots because I will be able to see better”. I HATE carrots, but when my dad tells me that my eyesight will improve as a result of eating these nasty veggies, I always force myself to eat a few a day. However, after looking into it, I found out that improving eyesight isn’t exactly what carrots do.

According to Web MD, carrots contain beta-carotene. With beta-carotene our bodies create vitamin A, and as many of you know Vitamin A helps to promote healthier eyes.  People with anything less than perfect vision cannot consume carrots for perfect vision. However, the health of their eyes can be strengthened. So, in a way carrots are allowing you to see better, but in the sense that they are creating healthier eyes, not actually improving vision.

During my research on carrots and vision, I came across a story that I found rather interesting. I’ll share it below.

During World War Two the British Royal Air Force released a story that talked about how one of their top pilots ate a lot of carrots in order to have good vision. He was amazing at flying planes at night, and he said it was all due to the fact that he consumed a large amount of carrots. As a result of the story, many British people started eating more carrots. Although the story published was strictly propaganda to conceal the fact that they were using radar, it is most likely the reason why so many people think carrots allow you to see better today.

Sources:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/eye/carrots-eyesight.htm

http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/fact-fiction-myths-about-eyes

 

 

Hey guys!

I. I am doing this course because it was recommended to me by my academic advisor. I needed a science course and he told me this was a very interesting and fun one to take. After reading a little bit about it, it sounded like a class that I would enjoy.

ii. I am not planning on being a science major because science is a subject that hasn’t really sparked my interest in middle or high school. I dreaded going to Chemistry, Biology, Physics, AP Environmental, etc. I am still undecided and maybe this class will change my mind about science but as of right now I am leaning more towards a business major. sc200_lion.png