School Curriculum Controversy

"A Move is Afoot to keep Climate science out of Classrooms"
by Eugene C. Scott and Minda Berbeco
ScientificAmerican.com

School science curriculums has been a long-standing source of controversy. Evolution, in particular, has been
frequently debated and in some schools sorely neglected by teachers. Climate change is another topic that is being discussed in the context of what children should be taught in school. Many scientists argue that the theory of climate change holds solid and is so relevant to modern science and the Earth's future that it must be taught. Other argue the validity of the theory when claiming that the topic should not be taught. Political, economic, and religious motivations are chief among those who fight against Global Warming being taught in schools. A lot of this rises from the notion that climate change is a liberal, even socialist, idea that holds false. On the other extreme side of the debate, some believe that alternative theories about global warming should not be taught, so that only data corroborating with the theory is taught. The Next Generation Science Standards dictate that both evolution and climate change are a mandatory part of the basic science curriculum. This will apply to 26 states within America.

In my opinion, a diverse science education is the best types; it prepares students to become scientifically literate and contemplative members of society. Also, I believe that climate change and evolution are essential to that. Evolution is an important theory regarding both the past and modern world. However, when teaching this theory, I think schools should be able to briefly discuss creationism, but in a more humanistic way, rather than scientific with no heavy reliance on a single religion's views. It is important to acknowledge alternating theories and learn about the religious of the world and their cultural values regarding existence since it makes students more aware of the diversity of thought and history in the world. I also think that studying Climate Science is incredibly important, especially to my generation and those after us. Data shows that our environment is getting harmed, most likely by humans, and actions must be taken to combat it and secure a future where the different biomes and temperatures can stabilize. However, in the spirit of scientific debate, I think alternative theories for global warming should be mentioned, since it would help forge independently thinking people,which is what is desperately needed to bring the climate debate front and center in modern society. In conclusion, climate change and evolution are two incredibly important aspects of science that need to be taught in schools to ensure students will grow up to be scientifically literate and debate-engaged citizens, capable of taking care of our planet. 

Genetic Study Pushes Back Timeline for First Significant Human Population Expansion

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130924174338.htm

This article is about the idea that we as humans had our first rapid and significant expansion much before then we previously thought. Scientists thought that humans as a species had the first significant expansion when we had successfully started farming and herding, but recent findings show that the first successful human expansion dates back to the Pal eolithic period which was 60 to 80 thousand years ago rather than the Neolithic period as previously thought. This is really interesting because 60 to 80 thousand years ago we had still been hunter gatherers. The reason this is interesting is that we were pretty much animals who lived in colonies so that just had happened to evolve differently because of our large brains. Back then we were just blank slates with the possibility, the capacity to evolve in a way that was separate from just the physical. The really interesting thing is that in areas where there was a large Pal eolithic expansion at some time or another the Neolithic expansion was much more successful. The article gives the following example: “ Indeed, the authors also demonstrate that the populations who adopted a sedentary farming lifestyle during the Neolithic had previously experienced the strongest Paleolithic expansions. Conversely, contemporary nomadic herder populations in Eurasia experienced moderate Paleolithic expansions, and no expansions were detected for nomadic hunter-gatherers in Africa.” This shows us that the areas with the most prosperous Pal eolithic period formed some of the greatest civilizations later on. The reason I had chosen this article is because we are doing a unit of population now and I thought that it was interesting that the prosperity of a part of the world is linked to something that happened 60 to 80 thousand years ago.

The New Allure of Electric Cars: Blazing-Fast Speeds

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130909104656.htm

Sept. 9, 2013

Electric cars and their efficiency were discussed at the recent 246^th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. The switch to electric cars has been one anticipated for close to a decade now, and perhaps we’re getting closer than ever. Many believe that typical combustion engines are superior in every way when it comes to electric vs. gas, however this is a complete misconception. John E. Waters, an electric vehicle pioneer of the American Chemical Society said “Experimental electric cars already have achieved sustained speeds of more than 180 miles per hour, and established world speed records above 300 mph. Electric cars have inherent advantages in efficiency and torque over gasoline-powered vehicles. Energy storage-to-torque on an EV platform is above 90 percent efficient, compared to less than 35 percent for internal combustion engines. I have no doubt that battery-powered race cars will be attracting race fans in the immediate future."

Although Waters talks about electric engines in racing cars, there are certain advantages to this. To begin with, the racing industry has an estimated number of 90 million fans in the US alone. The racetracks are often used to test new electric cars, which the public is invited to witness. Public interest ensures the success of these new cars in the future market, seeing as this technology has been accepted and embraces by racing fans across the nation.

Waters explained that one of the main reasons why electric engines are superior is simply because they utilize energy much more efficiently than a typical combustion engine does. This allows electric engines to reach incredible speeds. The third law of thermodynamics is the inherent cause for the lack of efficiency in combustion engines. The law states that energy goes from a concentrated form to a dispersed form, meaning that energy is lost in each transfer. In a typical gas powered car, there are many transfers for the energy to go through before actually getting to the wheels. This leads to a significant loss of energy. In en electric car the transfer of energy to the wheels is more direct, although still going through a simplified gearbox. An electric car can provide up to 15,000 rpm compared to a gas combustion engine which typically only reaches up to 6,000 rpm in consumer cars. The speed however is not what is remarkable about these cars, although they can reach incredible speed; it is the torque, which seems to stand out the most. This allows electric cars to go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

A definite down-side to these racing cars, however, is that they can only last around 10 minutes of a sustained speed of 150 mph on an oval racing track due to the aerodynamic drag created at those speeds. This has actually raised discussion about changing the racetracks so that electric cars can actually charge while racing.

I truly believe electric cars are the future, and this article restores my hope that these cars will soon be a part of every day life. To think that these cars can compete with the top of the line racing cars is extremely appealing. These cars are paving the road for a sustainable future. 

Molasses Spill Suffocating Hawaiian Reef Fish

Recently, a spill had dumped hundreds of thousands liters of molasses into the Honolulu Harbor. This has been suffocating the marine life, and has cause the dying out of a drastic amount of fish and other inhabitants. All of those inhabitants need oxygen- rich water in order to survive, and this oxygen was displaced due to the accidental spill, which is why most of the fish died (their guilds were blocked) and also this is why most corals did not survive either. The Hawaii Department of Health was monitoring the spill and trying to control it, and trying to make it cause the least amount of damage. They are allowed to remove the dead fish and corals from the water, but have no way to extract the molasses causing the problem. The spill occurred when a ship's tank burst by accident, making the water filled with this thick substance that is suffocating the reef fish, and endangering the food chain. An underwater video shows a massive die- off of many marine creatures, and because of the thick nature of the molasses, it has sunk to the bottom of the harbor, ruining coral and other creatures that live there. It is also causing the multiplying of marine bacteria, that can be deadly to some types of fish. Lab workers have tested the oxygen and bacteria levels, and the good news is that the bacteria levels are slowly dropping, and the oxygen levels rising, but even with this positive change, there might be no time to regenerate the marine life that is still dying out, causing  ruination of the food chain. A marine expert defined this situation very clearly- "It illustrates how fragile marine ecosystems can be, and how they can be impacted by our activities". In the future, people must be more aware of how quickly an accident can cause a dangerous ecological issue. 

Solar-powered system used to produce clean water in rural villages

Name: Solar-powered system used to produce clean water in rural villages
Publication: Environmental News network
Author: Debra Goldberg
Date: 11.09.2013.

It may be hard to imagine to those of us who think of drinking water as something that is always available, but in rural places such as those of the Yucatan Peninsula, people often have to drive for a whole day to get to it, and it is also very expensive.

A team of researchers form MIT, led by the professor of mechanical engineering and aeronautics and astronautics - Steven Dubowsky, have developed an easy and economic way to solve the problem. They built an efficient system for purifying water powered by the solar energy.

Teh system's pumps are powered by solar panels, so the well water is pushed through semiporous membranes which then filter out slats and heavy minerals. The results is clean drinking water, and the system can produce up to 1 000 liters of it every day. This is enough for all residents of a small village.

Since the purifier is installed directly in the village, the stress of purchasing expensive water and transporting it is eliminated. Water which used to cost 20 peso will now cost only one, and the only input is brackish water which is delivered twice a week by local authorities from wells, or taken from the collection of rainwater by the village residents.

The system was tested for four months and the team is currently training the locals in order for them to learn how to use and maintain it. According to Dubowsky - "The maintenance of the system is going to be in the hands of the community, the idea is to give people a real sense of self-worth and self-reliance. This project approach is somewhat unique in work for small communities in the developing world. It is based on bringing to people the best technology to meet their needs. The challenge is to provide the training so they can operate and maintain the system."

In the system turns out to be successful it could spread to other parts of the world which are in need of clean drinking water. As Dubowsky said - "There may be 25 million indigenous people in Mexico alone. This is not a small problem. The potential for a system like this is huge."

Urban Planning: City Dynamics Yield to Computer Modeling

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130911125313.htm

September 11, 2013

Population growth presents a fast-approaching dilemma in terms of urban planning. As the population increases, it’s getting more and more difficult for cities to accommodate for an ever-growing population. Things such as water use, energy consumption and transportation among many other essential factors are growing in demand, and how governments tackle this issue is still somewhat of a mystery.

A*STAR’s institute of High Performance Computing, based in Singapore, have devised a computer modeling program to analyze different land-uses of cities. Currently they have analyzed 8 major North American cities as well as Singapore. The software identifies land use patterns based on high-resolution satellite images, as well as statistical information about the city. It then compares and contrasts the acquired data from each city and indentifies present patterns.

Christopher Monterola stated that “"Understanding the underlying simplicity in the growth of cities will allow us to model the emergence of city dynamics more accurately and, more importantly, learn to shape a city's growth based on our desired outcomes." This data will in turn help as understand how best to accommodate for the growing population.

The project identified land-use of each city by categorizing different sectors of each city into either business, residential, or industrial zones. The computer model then analyzed the spatial entropy, how clustered or dispersed an area is, and the index of dissimilarity, how divided the different sectors are from one another. These parameters identify patterns present in different areas of different cities and helps assume the most ideal solutions to population growth. The index of dissimilarity helps us understand the use of transportation and energy consumption. Based on this data the team was able to accurately estimate many factors of each city, such as the use of public transport at any given time. 

The project aims to add more and more information to the model, eventually creating a mathematically accurate model of a city. By manipulating certain variables they will then be able to see how efficient and sustainable a city is, helping governments plan cities in the most effective of ways. "We will add more details, including schools, churches and so on, with the aim of capturing the day-to-day routines of people in a city."

Alpine Glacial Retreats and the Industrial Revolution

"How Soot Killed the Little Ice Age"
by Quirin Schiermeier
Scientific American Online

 After the end of the Little Ice Age, which lasted from the late 1200s to 1850, the Alpine glaciers started shrinking, even though global temperature had not risen. This contradicted the predictions that the glaciers would have continued to grow until 1910. Recent studies from the University of Innsbruck indicate that the

Gnifetti glacial saddle

air pollution from the Industrial Revolution could play an important role in the retreat of the Alpine Glaciers. This is because the dark soot can accelerate the melting of the ice because it absorbs more heat. Samples from the Gnifetti glacial saddle and the Fiescherhorn Glacier show that ice from 1860 had high amounts of soot. After 1970, climate change became the leading cause of glacial melting, since the air quality had improved significantly. This new theory offers an answer for a  longstanding geological conundrum and can answer why some glaciers started melting before global temperatures dropped.

I think this is a fascinating development in climate science; it provides a new theory of glacial issues taking into account their historical context. It brings into question the extend of long-term damage the Industrial Revolution had on the planet, which could be different than previously estimated. It also acts as a warning sign for modern global warming; we can take this discovery as a warning against the dangers of excessive air pollution, as well as the eventual impacts rising temperatures. I think glacial studies should be more heavily funded. It is unfortunate that the Alps were the only region with enough data to conduct this study. Glaciers can help us estimate the results of climate change globally and eventually help us gain a more accurate perception of our impact on the environment.