Author Archives: Carlynne Anne Wagner

How much wood could a woodpecker peck before he gets a headache?

woodpecker

 

As humans, we have an extremely strong bone that surrounds are brain, called our skull. We can think of our skull as if it were an egg, except for how fragile an egg obviously is. An egg is oval shaped, so if you hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze it, it’s hard to crack. In the same way, our skull is shaped as an oval. This allows blunt force to be distributed around our head, which prevents concussions or brain damage. However, if you get hit in the head by a baseball, it is inevitable that you would be get a concussion. Does this theory apply to everyone? Even woodpeckers? How come woodpeckers can smash their tiny beaks against the hard bark of a tree countless times, and still be able to fly away perfectly unharmed? A human would easily receive a concussion, so what is the woodpeckers’ secret?

A group of scientists held an experiment to solve the mystery of how woodpeckers somehow resist any type of brain damage. The scientists placed a woodpecker in a metal cage that had a slow-motion camera and a force sensor attached to one of the cage walls. By studying the force, path and strategy of the bird, scientists were lead to believe that the answer lied in the shape of the birds skull, and also the strength of their beak.

Scientists used CT scans to model the shape of the woodpeckers skull. They then made realistic models of these skulls, and smashed them. By smashing the models, scientists were able to study how the impact was distributed across the skull. They discovered that woodpeckers’ heads are almost like bike shocks. The bones in the woodpeckers skull have the ability to keep the brain comfortable, thus avoiding any type of brain damage or discomfort. Woodpeckers’ contain one specific bone in their skull called the hyoid bone. This particular structure acts as a seatbelt for their brains, by wrapping around the entire skull.

All in all, a woodpecker’s skull and beak have evolved to be able to safely take the brunt of impact that is caused by pecking a tree constantly. By using plate-like bone structures, and a low contoured beak, the birds are able to accept harsh impact without any damage.

Maybe one day humans will be able to smash their heads against trees over and over again without any harm. Maybe that’s also just wishful thinking right?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070605145716AA3X3lB

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/plosable/woodpeckers

What exactly is dust made of?

When I was young, still living in a house with my parents and not a dormitory, I was forced to do chores. I believe that the majority of the kids around my age were also told to take out the trash, clean your room, wash the dishes and even dust the living room. I was told to do the latter a lot, but mostly because my mom was sensitive to dust. She would start to uncontrollably sneeze, and she would immediately have to stop dusting. I always wondered why this was. Why was my mother so sensitive to dust, while I was almost immune to its sneeze causing powers?

 

dust

Apparently, dust is not just one thing. It is the combination of a million things. The range of dust could go from dead skin cells, dead hair, or even space rocks. Does that mean my mother could be potentially allergic to space rocks? Some scientists have researched the idea of these space rocks being harmful. However, the only thing that they’ve found is that most space rocks contain an amazing amount of organic material.

Therefore, it’s extremely unlikely that my mom is allergic to the teeny tiny space rocks that could possibly be found in house dust. Although it would be cool to think that you are allergic to materials that fall millions of miles to our Earth and wind up on our living room floor. Sadly, my mom is most likely sensitive to the hair particles or dead skin cells that she would inhale while dusting off the table in the living room.

Next time you decide it’s a chore to dust your house, think about all of the potential dead skin and space dust that you could encounter!

http://www.space.com/24720-space-dust-life-building-blocks.html

http://www.highlightskids.com/science-questions/what-dust-made

Does coffee actually make you tired?

 

coffee

Have you ever drank a venti Starbucks coffee and received an extreme caffeine high from it? They usually last a few hours, and you feel superhuman. You get an immediate surge of energy, which is so extreme that it can make your whole body shake with excitement. This feeling of heightened energy is used to wake up from a night of little sleep, to stay awake in order to finish a huge exam paper, or to simply make it through your day without the feeling of grogginess. However, after the caffeine high, a sudden crash inevitably hits. You start to feel exhausted, almost as if you have no energy to possibly use. Most people solve this energy withdrawal with another large cup of coffee. Although coffee is used as the solution to this problem, could it also be the antagonist?

According to a chemist, caffeine is categorized as a purine. Purines are generally organic compounds that are based around a simple base structure. More specifically, caffeine is a hexagonal compound that is tightly encased by oxygen molecules. When ingested by animals, this structure becomes activated. The activation of this molecule creates an energized feeling.

For years, scientists weren’t sure if caffeine was the actual cause of this sudden surge of energy. However, in 1980 an experiment proved that caffeine caused the brain cell receptors to activate and become increasingly energized. However, over time, the caffeine would actually block the brain cells normal functions. This would cause a type of sedative.

To more easily explain this idea, caffeine follows a system called first-order metabolism. This means that no matter how much coffee is ingested, as time passes a part of what was originally there will be gone.

Therefore, although coffee is used as a tool to stimulate our bodies, it contrastingly produces a reverse effect. This fact doesn’t mean that one should stop drinking coffee. Knock yourself out! However, lower the intake of caffeine you ingest daily. This will in turn prevent an extreme crash of energy throughout the day.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/how-does-caffeine-affect-nervous-system-health-research/Content?oid=875717

http://www.livestrong.com/article/468290-why-does-drinking-coffee-make-you-tired/

 

Are seedless watermelon a mutant fruit?

watermelon

 

Watermelon, being a common summer treat, is widely eaten throughout the country and overall world. There are multiple different types of watermelon including seedless watermelon and regular, seeded watermelon. More often than not, people will decide to eat the seedless watermelon, because who wants to be cautious about those pesky little seeds?

However, I doubt that most people have put some serious thought into the seedless watermelon they’re quickly devouring. If seedless watermelon are considered a fruit, why don’t they have seeds? Do the seeds naturally not occur in the watermelon, or are they specially plucked from the food? These are the questions you should ask yourself before you divulge in a possible mutant fruit.

Overall, a food is defined as a fruit if it has a fleshy inner body and either a large pit or regular sized seeds. Examples these types of fruits are peaches, or even avocados. So if a watermelon is a fruit, how come a seedless watermelon doesn’t have seeds, yet is still classified as a fruit?

The answer is yes, a seedless watermelon is a fruit. However, it is in fact a hybrid fruit. Seedless watermelon are the product of cross-breeding a male watermelon pollen with 22 chromosomes per cell, with a female watermelon flower with 44 chromosomes per cell. This mixture of cells creates a sterile fruit that is incapable of further producing seeds. Therefore, you can not grow a watermelon from a hybrid, seedless watermelon.

The process of creating these fruit hybrids are fairly simple. Each fruit is produced from a plant/flower. Each of these flowers produce a pollen that can be transmitted to another flower. In order to do so, the male flower is cut at the stem, and then the pollen producing section of the male flower is rubbed against the female flower. This exchange of pollen wont immediately create the hybrid. Instead, it will create a seed that holds the new hybrid fruit. Plant that seed, and grow the brand new fruit!

This fact also negates my other question of how the seeds are taken out? The seeds don’t need to be removed from the watermelon due to the lack of seeds that the watermelon produces. Therefore, the seedless watermelon is not a chemically produced mutant fruit. But rather a genetically created hybrid.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7439008_fruit-fruit-vegetable-vegetable_.html

http://www.whataboutwatermelon.com/index.php/2010/09/the-truth-about-seedless-watermelon/

http://www.wikihow.com/Cross-Pollinate-Different-Vegetables-to-Create-Hybrids

Being a twin, I’ve always been a firm believer in twin telepathy. To be clear on the definition, telepathy is communication through nothing but thoughts, and no actual spoken words.Many people may find this kind of mind-reading power as a hoax, which is fine. But I have experienced it many times first hand. My twin sister and I have been inseparable since birth, which has allowed us to create a special, and abnormally deep connection with each other. For this reason, I believe that we have the ability to almost read each other’s minds.

Without any form of gesture or sign, I can tell with almost complete accuracy, what my twin is feeling or thinking. Without spoken words, I know exactly how to read her. Why is this though? Is it only because I spend so much time with her? Or is it a result of an actual mutation that all twins possess?

According to the Institute of Noetic Sciences, there are signs that twin telepathy is actually a viable action. Being a twin himself, Professor Newman held a study in which he interviewed 14 pairs of twins as well as 7 single members of a twin pair. 1/3 of the participants admitted to feeling a sense of telepathy between them and their paired twin. Some even claim to having the ability of seeing the location that their twin is, even without it being described. twins

Another type of telepathy that has proven realistic between twins is crisis telepathy. An eerie example of such can be described by Martha Burke. One day, while her twin was on a plane ride, Martha felt a searing pain cutting through her abdomen. At that moment, her twin’s plane was coincidentally crashing, thus killing her twin. Martha’s pain occurred with no hint or knowledge of her twin’s death.

Researchers consider genetics, environmental factors and the interaction between the two, in trying to pin point an exact cause to twin telepathy. Through experimentation, scientists have discovered that we can contribute a great deal of these findings to genetics.

Sadly, in science, Andrew has taught us that nothing is 100%. Chance is always a variable in any “concrete” finding.

Maybe me and my twin were born with genes that allow us to read each other’s minds, maybe our natural surroundings conditioned us to have the ability, and maybe it’s simply chance. It’s clear that the world may never know the true cause of twin telepathy, but what I know is that it exists, and in my life it is extremely prevalent.

http://www.noetic.org/noetic/issue-twenty-one-april/twin-telepathy-and-the-illusion-of-separation/

Do you feel love in our heart? Or your brain?

 

Heart shape in doctor's hands

Have you ever had that moment when you see another person, and your heart starts to immediately beat faster, your hands become clammy, your throat suddenly can not form words, or even breathe for that matter? It’s the feeling of love at first sight. You feel it from the tip of your body all the way to your toes, but most importantly, in your heart. Or do you?

The feeling of love is not exactly an act of the heart. Although, it definitely seems like it to most people, especially when it involves having your “heart broken” by love. Even on holidays honoring love, there are hearts involved. However, the brain is the major organ at use when the feeling of love is endured.  According to “The Science of Love”, there are three different stages of love, and all include major actions from the brain.

The first stage of love is lust. Lust is defined as a very strong sexual yearning for someone. This feeling is the cause of sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen being released. The brain recognizes this strong sexual desire, and releases these specific hormones so that the feeling can actually be recognized and felt.

The next stage of love is attraction. Attraction, being similar to lust, performs similar actions. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin are released, and cling onto the synaptic cleft. The release of these neurotransmitters creates a feeling of temporary exuberance and insanity. Love, can quite possibly be described as just that; happiness with a touch of insanity.

Finally, attachment is the final stage of love. Important in this stage are two hormones that are released by the nervous system called oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin is released by both partners sex organs while in orgasm. This creates a strong type of bond between partners. Vasopressin also has been proven to play a major role in the feeling of long term commitment.

All in all, the next time you fall in love; thank your brain, and not your heart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/love/

Does popcorn cause cancer?

You eat it at movie theaters, fairs and even at home. It is light, fluffy, and coated in layers of salty butter. It’s a childhood snack, and a timeless treat; it’s popcorn. However, this seemingly innocent snack is known to be a likely cause of cancer.

microwave-popcorn_0

How could something so fluffy and tasty be so harming to one’s body? Popcorn that is made on the stove, or in a professional popcorn cooker is perfectly healthy. Obviously besides the immense amounts of salt, artificial flavoring, and calories that it contains. On the other hand, microwavable popcorn has multiple risk factors that have been linked to causing cancer.

For starters, the bag that the popcorn is held in is lined with chemicals that allow the paper to be heated without catching fire. By heating this chemical it has been known to cause infertility or cancer. Also, the companies that produce microwave popcorn aren’t forced by the government to advertise the type of kernels they are using. These kernels that are covered in soybean oil are also known as GMO kernels. GMO kernels have multiple preservatives that have been connected to different types of cancer. Lastly, many microwavable popcorn producing companies coat their popcorn in a chemical called diacetyl. Some companies have banned the use of that chemical due to situations in which it possibly caused lung cancer.

Next time you decide to eat a microwavable bag of popcorn, take a second to look at the ingredients and make sure you’re not ingesting the deadly chemicals that some companies get away with using.

http://naturalon.com/10-of-the-most-cancer-causing-foods/

Infectious yawning

It’s very common to be completely awake, but see another overly tired passerby yawn, and immediately yawn. It’s also very common to describe a yawn as infectious. However, when compared to certain things like the plague, and ebola virus, it doesn’t seem like the same kind of infectious does it?

At the ripe age of four humans begin to feel the effects of an infectious yawn. This is due to the fact that at that time humans begin to develop feelings such as empathy. Due to this, it is said that the need to yawn after another person yawns is actually a sign of social bonding.

contagious-yawns03

This type of social bonding doesn’t necessarily have to be obvious to the person mimicking the yawn. It is subconscious. Yawning as a reaction to another passerby yawning is a primal instinct, which allows humans to connect with each other on a deeper level.However, humans aren’t the only organism to perform this ritual. Lizards and snakes also display this phenomenon.

It is true that yawns are contagious. Not in the way a common cold is, but in a more habitual way.

 

“Bless you”

Ever since you were young, adults always told you to, “cover your mouth when you sneeze.” You would because they’re older, more experienced with life, and in simple terms: they know everything. However, did an adult ever reinforce you to close your eyes while you sneezed? No? That’s because out eyes naturally do that action for us. It’s simply first nature. 18ado51j9804mjpg

Did you ever wonder why our bodies naturally perform that action? I mean, our eyes naturally blink in order to prevent dryness, we sneeze to rid of a tickle in the nose, so why do out eyes automatically close?

A common wise tale told either by parents or jokester kids is if our eyes didn’t close when we sneezed, our eyeballs would fly out of their sockets. Now, a kid who hears this type of information is naturally going to want to prove it true or false. But is it even possible to prove it true?

If the eye was only held with a measly flap of skin such as the eye lid, then the eyeball would indubitably be launched from the head during a sneeze. However, the eyeball is able to produce movement and rotate around the eye socket, right? Therefore the eyeball must be attached to muscle. Thanks to the muscles that attach the eyeball to the eye socket, our eyes stay firmly in place. This fact remains true, even when the eyelids are open.

To be honest, the eyelids don’t play a part in keeping your eyeball in place even in the slightest. The eyelid is there to protect the eye against bacteria and dust, so if it was open while sneezing, no harm would be done.

Next time you pass a child about to sneeze, instead of saying, “cover your mouth!” just warn them to keep their eyeballs in their head.

Biggest_Eyes_02[2]http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/sneeze-with-eyes-open2.htm

Living an uneven life?

Have you ever been in a public environment and caught yourself staring at an enormous baby belly? We’ve all done it. It’s almost impossible not to wonder how it’s even possible to stand up straight with such a large, protruding stomach?

belly

I know that I’ve always wondered how a woman can grow another human inside of her stomach, and still manage to stand straight without falling over. To me, it’s never made much sense. I mean, if something is unbalanced, it should naturally lean to the heavier side right? That’s how it has always worked with a scale at least.

Well, science obviously has a different logic as to why these oddly weighted women don’t tip over, and the answer is the fact that they’re women.

A simple answer right? Women have the special ability to compact their vertebrae in their lumbar more easily than men can. For this reason, the vertebrae in women’s backs turn into a wedge-like shape. This allows the spine to support more weight than it previously could.

However, women’s backs weren’t always this evolved. Through time, women adapted to their body’s need to carry a baby. Therefore, the spine began shaping itself into an “s” form.

So the answer to this life-long question of mine is simply that women are in some ways, more able and stronger than men. Women simply have more of a backbone than the male population, and I sure am proud of that.

 

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/10-oddball-questions-scientists-tried-to-answer.htm#page

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17196618

Can my dog understand me?

Being an avid animal lover, I found a special connection with a cockatoo runt named Jet. I fell in love with this 5 pound bundle of pure joy while scouring the mall one Christmas Eve. My mother and I had recently lost our prior dog to cancer, and we figured that Jet had to be some kind of Christmas miracle.

Jet indeed was some kind of miracle. He was my best friend before I even knew how important a best friend could be. Jet and I formed a special type of bond due to this. I felt as though Jet and I could connect on a level deeper than just tossing the ball around and playing fetch. I had a feeling jet could possible understand me, but could this actually be true?

Studies show that an average dog can understand around 165 english words. Most of these words are simple, common commands such as “sit” or “stay”. However, with practice and much exposure, dogs seem to retain the amount of words that a toddler can.

However, dogs do not learn the meaning of words per say as humans would. They tend to link words to objects or treats. For example, a dog can learn the meaning of the word “leash” by having their owner show them a leash while saying the word. Also, trainers of dogs usually perform the action in front of the dog while giving them the command. Therefore, if a dog is being taught how to sit, the owner should command the dog while also performing the action themselves.

A dog is considered “man’s best friend, ” and rightfully so. After reading this blog, go home and talk to your dog, because he may just understand more than you think.Unknown

My First Blog

1. I decided to become a part of this class due to my interest in the world around me. I have never found a science that particularly interested me, but the description of this course seemed like it would be a perfect fit.  Also, I needed to fulfill a science requirement, so this class was extremely convenient.

2. As of right now I am clueless as to what my decided major will be, so science is a possibility. I don’t enjoy learning about ideas that are definite and concrete, because then you aren’t exactly learning them, you’re simply retaining them. It’s easier for me to be able to take evidence from other ideas or people, and through that, form my own opinion and answer. Thus, I believe this science could persuade me to become a science major.

 

check-in-minion