Blogs

Our RESEARCH DESIGN was modeled after a paper that studied spider web production in terms of web mass and temperature. Fruit flies were dropped into the web with a relatively complex apparatus that was beyond the scope of our project, so our inverted cup and straw apparatus will serve as a practical substitute. The methods we will follow also closely resemble Barghusen’s paper. We will run the experiment over the course of five days because six days gave indicative results in one of the papers we studied (Barghusen et al). In that paper, a temperature gradient was created using Aluminum pans and a hot plate. Our experiment will create a similar temperature gradient using styrofoam boxes and a heat lamp for the warm condition and ice for the cold condition. The Barghusen paper found that web mass was significantly lighter in the colder conditions, so we expect similar results.

Our RESEARCH DESIGN is modeled after a paper that studied spider web production in terms of web mass and temperatures. Fruit flies were dropped into the web with an relatively complex apparatus, beyond the scope of our project, so our inverted cup and straw apparatus will serve as a practical substitute. The methods we will follow also closely resemble Barghusen’s paper. We will run the experiment over the course of five days because six days gave indicative results in one of the papers we studied (Barghusen et al). A temperature gradient was created using Aluminum pans and a hot plate. Our experiment will create a similar gradient using styrofoam boxes and a heat lamp for the warm condition and ice for the cold condition. The Barghusen paper found that web mass was significantly lighter in the colder conditions, so we expect similar results.

Another famous experiment that supports General Relativity is the deflection of light by the sun. Previous theories of gravity held that light would not be affected by gravity since it has no mass. However, Einstein thought otherwise. His Equivalence Principle predicts that light will curve in the presence of a gravitational field. The principle states that the effects of a gravitational field are the same as the effects of those in an accelerated frame of reference. Gravity would cause a person in a gravitational field to accelerate with g, the acceleration due to gravity. However, if the person’s frame of reference were to be accelerated at g when they were not in a gravitational field, all of the effects on them would be “equivalent” to how they would be in a gravitational field. Thus, in essence, a gravitational field can be created. Now, if a person was in the accelerating frame of reference and was to shine a beam of light out into an inertial reference frame of space, it would appear as though the light is curving downward since the particles of light emitted earlier would be lower than those emitted as the acceleration proceeds higher. And since this accelerated reference frame is equivalent to a gravitational field, the same thing would apparently happen in a gravitational field; light would curve. But according to classical physics, the force due to gravity is mass times acceleration… so how would light be affected since it has zero mass? And the curvature of spacetime explains this problem perfectly since light doesn’t need mass to follow the curve of spacetime. Thus, according to Einstein, light is deflected by gravity.

Another famous experiment that supports General Relativity is deflection of light by the sun. Previous theories of gravity held that light would not be affected by gravity since it has no mass. However, Einstein showed this idea to be incorrect. Taking a look at Einstein’s Equivalence Principle which relates to gravity, we can imagine this idea. Einstein’s equivalence principle states that the effects of a gravitational field are the same as the effects of those in an accelerated frame of reference. Gravity would cause a person in a gravitational field to accelerate with g, the acceleration due to gravity. However if the person’s frame of reference were to be accelerated at g when they were not in a gravitational field, all of the effects on them would be “equivalent” to how they would be in a gravitational field. Thus, in essence, a gravitational field can be created. Now if a person were in the accelerating frame of reference and were to shine a beam of light out into an inertial reference frame of space, it would appear that the light is curving downward, since the particles of light emitted earlier will be lower than those emitted as the acceleration proceeds higher. And since this accelerated reference frame is equivalent to a gravitational field, the same thing would apparently happen in a gravitational field; light would curve. But according to classical physics, the force due to gravity is mass times acceleration… so how would light be affected since it has zero mass? And the curvature of spacetime explains this problem perfectly, since light doesn’t need mass to follow the curve of spacetime. Thus, according to Einstein, light is deflected by gravity.

(1).Another study described spider webs as depending upon the mechanical performance of capture threads, and states that web function arises from the architecture and mechanical performance of silk (3.) This study also used microscopy, and measured the web thickness of different web types: orb webs, funnel webs, dome webs, and irregular mesh webs. The different types of webs yielded different thicknesses on average, with orb webs being the thickest. Since spider webs must be strong enough to withstand the weight of the spider on the web, and be durable enough to support the spider’s movement, it is plausible that spider weight could also be a factor in web thickness, in addition to web type.   

Overall, the percent yields were high and the melting points were close to the literature values, suggesting a good return on product and a relative purity in the samples. The first recrystallization experiment used a set amount of acetone, 1 ml for every 50mg of crude product from the isolation. As a result, the percent yield was the lowest of the experiment. If the experiment were to go about obtaining the purest samples, this stage of the experiment should have been conducted by using the minimum amount of acetone necessary to dissolve the product. This would have given a higher percent yield and may also have given a better purity and thereby a closer match for melting point. In the end, the identity and purity of the products were assessed for what they were, and the product after both recrystallization steps was identified as trimyristin and the product after the hydrolysis and acid addition was identified as myristic acid.

Figure 1: This is the basic setup for the LED during this study. Multiple resistors and multiple different colors will be used.

Putting up a finished project onto a poster board to present has been a part of science forever now and some things constitute a good poster while others bad, and some combination can land most posters in between.  A scientific poster can be viewed as good to different people for different reasons, like the opinion of the article or if that's a field the reader is genuinely into. These are important but also some things across the board that make a good poster board are things such as, the title must sum up the experiment is an understandable way.  The bear minimum requirement for the title should be that, but a good title will also intrigue the reader and almost trap them into wanting to read the rest. The title “ Using zebrafish larval models to study brain injury, locomotor and neuroinflammatory outcomes following intracerebral haemorrhage [version 2; referees: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]” is a basic title, just getting the point across, barely simplifying it.  Compared to this title,

“Are we aiming to miss in translational autoimmunity treatments?[version 1; referees: awaiting peer review]” which involves the reader and tries to grab their interest with a question.   Another important aspect of a poster is the display of the data, if it is hard to see or make sense out of, the reader is more inclined to lose interest.  Having the entire project be displayed in such a manner that someone who has no clue on the subject can generally figure it out is the aim. This means using words that are not unique to the field of study or if used explaining them in everyday terms.  Another good key for quality posters is length, if the poster is too long it can scare readers away and if too short make them not see the point in the project. Many good things contribute to the quality of posters, these are just a few.

While reading the scientific posters, I noticed three positive and negative characteristics of a poster that authors should pay attention to when creating posters. Firstly, researchers should avoid overlapping textboxes or images on the poster in order to keep the text easy to read. Positioning the text incorrectly makes it difficult to read and is distracting to the reader. Instead of overlapping sections, the text boxes and images should flow in an organized order. I noticed a few posters that had text boxes scattered randomly on the poster. These authors should have created distinct margins for each text box and visual on the poster. Having distinct rows and columns makes the poster easier to follow.

Similarly, another common mistake to avoid on posters is having too much text. Including text boxes on a poster is necessary in moderation; however, long blocks of text can be boring to look at and make the reader uninterested. Rather than writing long paragraphs of text, the author should add images or graphs to break up the text. Visuals can make the research easier to understand and give flow to the poster while still adding valuable information. Additionally, the text boxes should be limited in length so that the reader can easily follow the author’s work.

Lastly, authors should avoid creating a poster with only black and white text and visuals. The first impression of a poster is very important in telling whether a reader will be interested in the poster or not. That being said, a dull poster does not catch the eye of the reader. A poster with colors and visuals make it interesting to look at and creates a fascinating first impression. Colors are important because they can be used to highlight different paragraphs or characteristics on a poster. This type of color coding is a useful tool in highlighting areas of a poster to help with organization. It is also important to note that while colors are important, neon colors and confusing patterns should be avoided as this can be distracting. A balance of visuals and color can enhance the poster; this tactic could be as simple as making the background of the poster a light color. 

SIGNIFICANCE  

    The findings of this study will be very beneficial for multiple reasons. The data we collect will give us insight into the behavior and lives of the small cellar spiders that live in basements and homes right alongside humans. Today and going forward, LED lights are the new light bulb, they are more efficient, cheaper and easier to install and use. This means that the LED light will began to have a much larger presence in the outdoors as street lamps, lights in the park, etc.. With LEDs becoming more and more prominent and mixed into our surroundings, this study will show some of the effects LED lights can have on spiders creating their webs, eating, sleeping, and just their overall behavior. Comparing the results of this study to studies about regular light bulbs effects on spiders can be very useful  in helping decide where to put LEDs up, how intense to have them, and the schedule for the LEDs. Many people also face fears of spiders, both rational and irrational. Cellar spiders are one of the most common species of spiders to reside in homes and buildings. The results of this study could be helpful for people to repel spiders from living and coming into their homes and other place. Depending on the results of this study, potentially, differences in color, brightness, and/or the duration of LEDs could be used by anyone who wants keep spiders away.