nchenda's blog

I agree with you that it has a lot of potential for abuse. This is why I'm sort of iffy about genetic modification especially before children are even born. Do parents truly have the right to choose what kind of life their children will live? In today's world, it's such a big thing where people think parents should let their children be what they want to be as long as they're passionate about it. Yet genetic modification goes against this so called "norm." We contradict ourselves so much with basically everything we do yet we want to create more and more contradictions and controversies. It's pretty much stirring the pot when you think about it. We can't even fix our first world problems where so many people are starving and in poverty, yet we want to think about genetic modification? Seriously? 

I agree with you that it has a lot of potential for abuse. This is why I'm sort of iffy about genetic modification especially before children are even born. Do parents truly have the right to choose what kind of life their children will live? In today's world, it's such a big thing where people think parents should let their children be what they want to be as long as they're passionate about it. Yet genetic modification goes against this so called "norm." We contradict ourselves so much with basically everything we do yet we want to create more and more contradictions and controversies. It's pretty much stirring the pot when you think about it. We can't even fix our first world problems where so many people are starving and in poverty, yet we want to think about genetic modification? Seriously? 

Religious forms of knowledge are more of the exaggerated ways in which people give explanations to what goes on in the world. This is why different religions started in different parts of the world, but seem to have somewhat similar beliefs in a way. This reminds of of convergent evolution, but in the form of religion. Despite living and growing up in different parts of the world, we still manage to come up with a certain religion in which we believe in. 

Scientific forms of knowledge are more of the evidential ways in which people give explanations to what goes on in the world. Science is for the most part, able to be proven true or not true. This is why I think scientists lean more towards to scientific explanations instead of religion explanations. Regardless there are still some knowledgeable people such as that MD in the video who uses the ways of religion to live his life. There are also popes like the one in the video who try to explain religion by using science. 

In the end I believe it's just what is said in Chapter 3 Evolution vs. Creationism is true. We humans always try to find explanations for everything that go on in this world. We believe whatever we hear or see for the most part. We can be skeptical but sometimes the need to want to know the reason for something outweighs the skepticism. 

I agree with you about people eventually pushing the limits with genetic modification. I'm not sure if I completely agree with doctors truly knowing what to expect with certain medicines. Sometimes there are medicines that get cheated into the system just like how certain variations of genetic modification today are being used to say, cure diseases. I'm not saying that those variations of genetic modification are being cheated into the system since they're already being used quite a bit. In a way I just think those medicines and genetic modification are similar and are already being used. Therefore, I don't think doctors completely know what to expect when it comes to certain medicines either, not to mention genetic modification.
 

Arthropod emergence could also be mainly driven by temperature. A change in temperature by only a few degrees will affect whether arthropods will be present or absent (Hannson et al. 2014). This information can be used to take into consideration the variation in temperature within both Morrill buildings and within the different floors. If the weather is hotter, there will be more insects or organisms present. If the weather is colder, there will be less. Therefore, if the temperature inside a certain part of the building is hotter, there will be more organisms present. If the temperature is colder, there will be less.  

I feel like you said this statement very well. A person cannot just blame their behaviors on their genes and in return people shouldn't blame others for everything because of their genes. People also shouldn't discriminate against others because of their genes. People should learn how to behave well in society in order to benefit themselves and others. They should get all the help they need and others should provide the help. People shouldn't discriminate and not help. 

I was also amazed at how we choose someone based on technically smelling their genes. I thought that it was natural to like someone who smelled good or a certain way. I didn't think it was because of their genes being different from you. I guess that's what made me agree with them since I personally feel that smell is a big factor in choosing a mate. I also think that genes make people act a certain way even if it's against their will. Maybe people who commit crimes actually don't want to commit them but have no choice because of their genetic makeup. Then again there are others who want to commit crimes despite not being forced. 

For our experiment, we will assign each of the eight groups from the Writing in Biology 312 course there designated floor in either Morrill building III or IV. They will observe and take note of five different surroundings in the window sills located in classrooms available and open to the students. They will collect data on the presence of different small organisms such as insects or arachnids. Insects or creatures will include fruit flies or other flies, carpenter bees, spiders, or ants. Exact location of the five window sills will be taken note of. In addition, whether the environment was hot or cold will be recorded. They will count insects or creatures and data collected will be inserted into the chart in Appendix A. Groups will remain in their designated floor and examine what they see overall. At the end of their observations, each group will submit their data into a document excel sheet. After all data has been recorded and gathered an analysis will be made to come to a conclusion of which Morrill building will be a great environment for many insects that surround us.

At the end of this experiment, it will illustrate what kinds of environments the insects thrive in within the buildings examined. This proposed project will provide insight into the Morrill buildings that students, professors, or visitors of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst visit on a daily and the diverse sets of insect or creatures that habit within them. In addition, it will enable colleagues to study window sills and take note of what they inhabit and how these conditions contribute to an infested place of organisms. This proposal suggested locations of studies is situated in a convenient place on campus where most biology students are present and have interactions on the daily basis. Overall, using this approach will benefit students into understanding the types of organisms they coexist with on a daily basis.

In the article “Experimental evidence for a mismatch between insect emergence and waterfowl hatching under increased spring temperatures,” it states that insect emergence is mainly driven by temperature. This article shows that even changing a few degrees of temperature will affect whether insects will thrive or not. This information can be used to take into consideration the variation in temperature within both Morrill buildings and within the different floors. If the weather is hotter, there will be more insects or organisms present. If the weather is colder, there will be less. Therefore, if the temperature inside a certain part of the building is hotter, there will be more organisms present. If the temperature is colder, there will be less.