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I would advocate for genetic modifications to prevent disease. Some people might argue that gene-editing technology is unnatural and interferes with natural evolution. To this I would argue that humans have already altered their own evolution in significant ways. For example, antibiotics have saved people throughout history from dying of infections, and yet they are also unnatural according to the article ““Pro and Con: Should Gene Editing Be Performed on Human Embryos.” Like antibiotics, gene-editing is also unnatural, but unnatural can be a good thing if it prevents disease and increases human survival. According to the NYT article “These Patients Had Sickle-Cell Disease. Experimental Therapies Might Have Cured Them” clinical trials for sickle cell anemia are already underway and have shown initial success in a few patients. I think there should be more research in gene therapy for single gene disorders such as Sickle Cell Anemia and Cystic Fibrosis than for diseases that are polygenic or have a strong environmental component. The causes of the latter are more complex and might require more than gene modifications to be cured. 

I don’t think we should genetically modify humans for purposes beyond disease prevention. Using gene-editing to select for traits related to appearance and personality to make the perfect human being can come with dire consequences. For one thing, classifying genes as “good” or “bad” is arbitrary. Genes that control psychoticism for example can confer advantages such as creativity or open mindedness (according to the article “How Gene Editing Could Ruin Human Evolution”). The article also mentions that influential people such as Carrie Fisher, David Foster Wallace and Kurt Cobain can benefit society despite them all having psychiatric risks. On a more personal note, artificially selecting genes to make a designer baby would detract from a person’s individuality. According to the Wired article “You’re only human but Your Kids Could be So Much More”, having a baby would turn into a “model building exercise” or a “project.” People would wonder if their successes are because of their own hard work or because they were genetically programmed to succeed. Everyone would choose the same traits that are considered to be the best, and we would no longer be diverse or unique. 

A microbiome is a very important community of microbes that live in and on the organs of the human body. Microbes living on your organs sounds like cause for concern but the human microbiome is actually very important in both defending the body against disease maintaining normal bodily functions such as digestion. Microbiomes change often, however, if the balance of populations of microbes in the human body are disrupted, then disease may follow. Microbes start to colonize every inch of the body as soon as you are born; the first batch of microbes comes from your mother. If you are born vaginally, you would be covered in your mother’s vaginal microbes. If you are born via a cesarean section, then you would be covered in skin microbes; a different type of microbe entirely. Some microbes in the birth canal actually help an infant digest its first meal. Functions like digestion are not the only purpose of the microbiome. The microbiome also protects you from harmful bacteria and one example of this is acne. Acne is caused by a bacteria called P. acne, that if more prevalent than good microbes, will cause the widespread blemishes observed in people with acne. These imbalances of microbes can be seen in more communities of organisms besides those residing on the face, which is why it is important to remain mindful. Antibiotics, drugs designed to kill bacteria, can be a problem for the balance of healthy microbes. While antibiotics are effective at ridding the body of harmful bacteria, they also kill beneficial bacteria. This collateral damage can often lead to declines in the immune system, especially in children with developing microbiomes. The nuances of the microbiome are becoming a more prevalent research field as we continue to uncover the importance of the film of protective bacteria covering our bodies.

I walked from the front entrance of Morril 3 down the stair case that was slightly to my left and I then crossed the street. Once on the sidewalk, I turned right. After taking 8 steps, I veered left and walked down the hill towards a tree. I positioned myself facing the side of the tree that was labled "black oak". I then took a step to my left and squatted down about six inches from the tree. Keeping my back at a 90 degree angle to the ground, I took a picture of the moss holding my camera tilted downward at about a 45 degree angle. I then stood back up and took half a step to my right. Still about 6 inches away, I took a picture of the tree with the left edge of the "black oak" sign lining up with middle of the camera screen and vertically centered. I then squatted back down and took a close up picture of the brightest section of moss right in front of me. I took this picture with the camera about 1 inch away from the tree. 

In the bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), the gut parasite Crithidia bombiis related to the causes of Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis in the bumble bee. The parasite is transmitted via ingestion of cells in feces of infected bees, and is present in 80 percent of the Bombus impatienspopulation in New England. In the lab, we will be infecting bumble bees with the gut parasite through a nectar feeder and randomly assign which bees get the treatment. We will then leave them alone for a week, dissect their guts, and count the amount of Crithidia bombicells.

The hydrophobic effect is something that I did not understand until recently. Essentially what the hydrophobic effect states, is that hydrophobic molecules will clump together in an aqueous (water) environment. This is because by nature water prefers to be in a state of high entropy, meaning a highly disordered system. When hydrophobic molecules in water the water can not interact with them and the water molecules start to form ordered cages around the hydrophobic molecules. Water does not want to do this because that means that the system is more ordered. In response to this, water forces the hydrophobic molecules to clump together so that in total there is less surface area created by the hydrophobic molecules. This means that less water molecules will be taking part in making the ordered cage around the clump of hydrophobic molecules and since less water molecules are ordered the overall disorder (entropy) of the system is significantly higher. The hydrophobic molecules themselves are not what cause the clumping, rather it is the nature of the water molecules.

          The article “A Complete Skull from Dmanisi, Georgia, and the Evolution of Early Homo” describes archaeological finds from a site in central Asia, detailing their relevance to early hominin evolution and potentially challenging prior assumptions about human migration and species distinctions. Excavation began on the Dmanisi site in 1999, with researchers first finding assorted fauna fossils, then stone tools, and finally hominid remains. These hominid fossils have been linked to H. habilis and H. erectus in Africa and H. erectus in East Asia. The hominid remains in Dmanisi are especially important because they have been dated to 1.8 million years ago, and thus represent the earliest hominid finds outside of Africa, casting doubt on previous knowledge as to when human ancestors first traveled to other continents. One of the main focuses of the article is a particular fossil known as skull 5, which is the first and only completely preserved adult hominid skull found from the early Pleistocene. This fossil is important because it provides evidence of the orientation of the face relative to the brain case, and serves as an intact sample of fully developed adult cranial morphology, which was previously unavailable due to earlier finds being either incomplete, damaged, or juvenile skulls. Skull 5 is described as having a small brain case, a large, prognathic face, and very robust features. Skull 5 in the context of the 4 other sets of remains, also shows distinct morphologic variations, despite almost certainly being of the same species, since they were all found in the same general location and dated to approximately the same time. The notable anatomical differences in the shape of the skulls led researchers to measure the morphological variation between the Dmanisi finds and compare it to the variation found in extant ape species, like chimpanzees and bonobos. This analysis led them to conclude that the variation in the Dmanisi fossils is well within the range of normal variation within a species population. The article went on to say that such a conclusion raises questions about whether previous finds from elsewhere in Asia and Africa, which were categorized as separate and distinct species, are in fact merely part of a single widespread Homo lineage.

Evolution and acclimation are two areas of biology that are often convoluted. The former is a change over time in a population or a species such that the descendants are different from the ancestors. However, acclimation is change in an individual's physiology. Other differences between the two include heritability. Evolutionary changes in populations are heritable, while changes in individuals due to acclimation are specific only to that individual. However, the ability to acclimate itself is due to evolution. An example of evolution is observed in polar bears, which have evolved clear fur, thus matching the color of the snow. Random mutations lead to this clearness, coloration that ressembles white snow, and because of the fitness advantage, the genes for clear fur were passed on, changing the population. An example of acclimation is the tanning of human skin after long durations in the sunlight. This physiological change came about for the individual who tanned, but is reversable, and cannot be passed onto the next generation. If a person tans, their child will not be born the skin color of the parent's tan. However, humans have the ability to tan because evolution allowed them to tan. Those who were able to tan were more protected from the sun, giving them a fitness advantage.

    In organic chemistry, the concept of aromaticity is very important in determining the stability of a compound. In order to determine if a compound is aromatic, anti-aromatic, or non-aromatic (there is a difference between anti- and non-), the number of pi electrons must be determined. This can be done by  using 3 rules that follow a hierarchy system. This means that out of the three rules, if one rule applies compared to the other, one of the rules will override the other due to it having a higher priority. The three rules are as follows; if a carbon is bonded to a double bond, then it’s counted as 1 pi electron. If the carbon has a lone pair of electrons, it is counted as 2 pi electrons. If the the carbon as a positive charge, then it is counted as 0 pi electrons. The priority of the rules follow the order in which the rules were explained earlier. For example, if a carbon was bonded to a double bond but had a positive charge, that carbon would be counted as 1 pi electron instead of 0. When a compound demonstrates 4n + 2 (n=number of pi electrons) pi electrons, then the compound is aromatic. If the compound is antiaromatic, it will exhibit 4n pi electrons. Any other number of pi electrons means that the compound is non-aromatic. In terms of stability, aromatic compounds are the most stable, non-aromatic compounds are the second most, and antiaromatic compounds are the least stable.

The invention of smartphones has led almost everyone to be constantly connected, whether that be through messaging or social media platforms. People have increasingly implemented time during the day to check applications on their phones to the point where it becomes instinctive. Moreover, there’s a constant desire to be involved in the lives of others and pressure to be in the know. The thought of not having a smartphone is no longer imaginable in today’s society as the age range of individuals with devices widened. Although phones have provided major facility and convenience to everyday life, they are unfortunately also a distraction for most. As for students, smartphones are being brought everyday and being continually checked at inappropriate times. For example, entire lectures or meals cannot be completed without checking their phones. A healthier way to continue the use of smartphones on a daily basis while lowering the distractions, is to set designated times during the day when one can check his or her device. These periods of time should not extend for over 30 minutes and should not be right before bed to avoid interference with sleep. Overall, even the slightest efforts to look up from one’s screen and admire the people and places around them is insightful.