Drafts

The theory of mind is interesting, it shows that what we understand is different from others, our minds are distinct. For example, if you ask a four year old what is inside a box of crayons, the child would answer that there would be crayons inside the box. When you go to open the box of crayons it is reveals that there are band aids inside the box. The child would then go to understand that there would be band aids inside the box of crayons. If we ask the child what other children would think would be inside the box of crayons, they would say that band aids are inside the box of crayons. If you were to ask an older person the same question, they would reply that another person would believe that there would be crayons inside the box of crayons.

The two major seasons that birds migrate are spring and fall. The first study that took place was in the 1960s and it was based on finding quantitative data about migratory birds. The radar that was used was a weather radar in order to figure out how birds move around. Bird cast is one of the famous bird tracking device. There are other ways to find how birds migrate by using microphones on roofs top to study birds migration and it can also record bird calls to locate them. Radar is a strong technique used to track birds. Military and weather radars can be used to track birds movement, how high and how fast they fly, also compass orientation. Weather radar can also monitor birds migration activity.

A single carbon bonded to four groups has eight electrons, a full octet. If one of the groups attatched to the carbon is a leaving group, and is capable of removing an electron from the carbon along with itself, a carbo-cation is formed. This carbo-cation will have six electrons. However, when the ectrons are taken by the carbon from one of the groups, this creates a carbo-anion, which will still have eight electrons attatched to itself. If electrons in one bond of the groups is split between the carbon and the leaving group, a free radical is formed. Free radicals that left the carbon leave the carbon with seven electrons.

    In terms of mass producing food for large groups of people, like in dining commons or buffets, it can be very difficult for cooks to feel a passion for cooking when the dishes are not made to order. Instead, in these kinds of environments the food is made in batches, and then kept warm in some form of a warmer until near closing. For a lot of cooks, that is probably one of the worst feelings, knowing that people are only going to be eating your food after it has been sitting for about an hour. Part of the passion that comes from cooking, is displaying a part of yourself that is a slice of your best self. In a dish there was thought and labor that was put into making the dish, and being able to eat it right when its finished so it can be eaten fresh is an important aspect of the dining experience. For your food to sit in a pan with seran wrap for an hour or two before being able to be eaten, affects how the food tastes overall. If a place like UMass Amherst wants to retain its spot for #1 dining for the college masses, a change could be implemented in order to keep the quality of the food fresher, while keeping the cooks of the hall more happy and passionate about their cooking. As of right now, the dining commons are using an outdated system (buffet style) in order to get food to the students, and a change should be implemented in order to maintain the quality and service that the title of #1 dining should have.

Lens are defined as a piece of transparent material that is designed to take in parallel photons. Many people may think of contact lens that individuals, who are farsighted, might wear as a correction for their vision. Contact lens correct farsightedness by converging light rays and increase the eye’s ability to focus. Converging lens are thicker at the middle while diverging lens are thicker at the edges and both types exist depending on what the lens is trying to correct. Since contact lenses rest directly on the eye, they are much thinner than eyeglass lenses that otherwise need to be resistant. They are also shaped to be thin and flexible to fit comfortably on the cornea of the eye. Lastly, lenses are also made to be gas-permeable to allow oxygen to reach the cornea. This explains, why contact lenses are not recommended to wear over a long period of time and advised to wear glasses once in a while to allow the eyes to ‘breathe’.

Chapter 12 of the Sixth Extinction, The Madness Gene, dealt with the various theories that have developed overtime to explain the Neanderthals themselves and also why they disappeared so suddenly. In a larger spectrum, Elizabeth Kolbert addresses the role that humans may have contributed in wiping out the closely related Neanderthals. Hence this chapter shows a bleak portrait of human nature, suggesting that humans are capable of destroying even beings that resemble themselves closely enough to breed with. In a both sad yet fascinating aspect, Kolbert explains that, “before humans finally did in the Neanderthals, they had sex with them. As a result of this interaction, most people today are slightly- up to four percent- Neanderthal” (238). The chapter begins by introducing paleogenetics, in which it is sometimes possible to examine prehistoric remains and find fragments of DNA. Using DNA samples, scientists like Pääbo can reconstruct what long-extinct creatures looked like, and their genome. Pääbo’s goal specifically is to sequence the entire Neanderthal genome, in order to lay out the human and Neanderthal genomes to find where they diverged.

Candida albicans are fungal pathogens that can be infected in humans. It can grow in various forms either a yeast form, which is unicellular or pseudohyphae form. Candida albicans are harmless in general, but can lead to diseases when they over grow. The Candida albicans are found mostly in patients with HIV, transplant recipients, and chemotherapy patients. The morphology of Candida albicans depends on the environment they are placed. Temperature, pH, salt concentration are all factors that determines the appearance of Candida albicans. Through a method called transition, Candida albicans can easily change their morphology. Unlike eukaryotic cell’s gene regulation, in bacterial cells the environment can easily manipulate the gene they are in.

The methods section of a scientific article allows researchers to determine the validity of a study based off of replicability. When developing an experiment, certain factors that may affect the replicability of a study should be controlled in an effort to minimize discrepancies between iterations. The methods project attempts to practice and develop these skills, as well as distinguish between observation and inference through the examination and replication of a multi-panel figure illustrating an interspecific interaction.

    The interspecific interaction between mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and canada geese (Branta canadensis) will be examined in this project. At UMass, mallard ducks and canada geese are commonly found around or near the campus pond during the winter months. As a result, both species often interact with each other in multiple ways. The most commonly observed interaction between these two species is the sharing of space on the campus pond. These two species are easily photographable together since they are typically not shy, in the same general region, and quite prevalent. Therefore, images of them in this environment would be feasibly replicable.

Elements of this process to take into account for replicability include photography, location, weather, time, and levels of specificity. The location of the ducks and geese are on the campus pond, which is in the center of campus, making it easy to find. Due to its vast size and the mobility of these two organisms, a camera with zooming capabilities should be chosen to document their interaction as well as the organisms individually. The ducks and geese are typically observed near the end of the campus pond closest to the Fine Arts Center, either swimming or along the shore. It may take a while for the ducks and geese to trust a human enough to get close for pictures. If it is raining or snowing outside, the ducks and geese are away from the campus pond, so photography should be performed on a day with fairer weather. Pictures of the geese, ducks, and their interaction should be made as broadly as possible to maximize the chances of successful replication. Out of these three images, the interaction especially should not be particular about exact location on the campus pond due to the mobility of these organisms and the size of their environment.

In the old times, naturalists did not have a solid explanation on how birds migrated. Aristotle found out that cranes migrated seasonally. Based on discoveries and technology, we all know that land birds fly one place to another depending on the seasons. When migration season happens in North America, birds usually to move north to south direction. It is known that most migratory birds breed in the south and returns to the north. Birds living in the southern hemisphere will not migrate to the north as much as the northern birds travel. Some birds only travel during the day, others at night, or even both such as the waterfowl and shorebirds. Birds can fly as high as 2000-4000 meters and sometimes much higher and every bird has different altitude level that they can travel.