Last ENB Blog

Alas the year has come to an end and the final is looming. This has been a fun class and I am glad that I took it. So this blog is going out with a song and a funny scene from Psych. Thanks Dr. Rood!

This is an absolutely hilarious scene from a hilarious show!

I like the Spanish version more. 

Bio-Diesel Lab

This was the last lab of the semester, since iffy weather nixed the final one. This was pretty cool, we got to go to Dr. Rood's lab at the Mercer Law School, which is down a creepy hallway behind a door that say DO NOT ENTER. Who knows what those law students could be up to that they had to put a sign? That was my attempt at some humor and moving along. We got to see all the equipment and it took me back to my high school chemistry labs with all of the beakers and machines. It was interesting to say the least. Dr. Rood then showed us the thingy that they use to make ethanol. 

This is the machine I was talking about. It can also be used to make alcohol.

This is the chemical make-up for nitroglycerin I believe. 

And this is what the oil looks like after it has been through the machine. 

One of the alternative fuel sources that we have been hearing about all semester is using switch grass, in particular ardunodonax as a source for bio ethanol. It grows quickly, is very tall, and is better suited for this than corn. I would like to see something like that in our future. It would help with our dependence on fossil fuels, and keep greenery in the world. 

Mitochondrial Eve

Mitochondrial Eve is the source of mitochondrial DNA or mDNA in all of us and by default, mother of the human race. That explains her name, Mitochondrial Eve. From her all of the races of the world were sprung, since mDNA is passed down from the mother without the recombination that dna and rna have to go through. 

This is a representation of what scientists think she looks like.  

From her comes so many different types of people. 

Ecuadorian

Korean

Ethiopians

Scots

Cherokee

Kuwaiti 

Jamaican

American

We all came from the same mitochondrial mother, though changes and separations have made us different we are all still HUMAN

Amphioxus

The Amphioxus, is the  precursor to all vertebrates like humans and all other animals with spines. 

Today there are some that are known as Lancelet. They live in the sand, and are harvested in some parts of Asia for food. 

Macon Dog Park

       Our lab that was to take place at the Macon Dog Park, which is also called Tyler's Place, was cut short by a ridiculously bad thunderstorm. We made it about as far as Tatnell Square Park before taking cover under a tree and then walking/running back to our respective places of warmth and dryness.
       Before that however we talked about dog parks and how they are good ways to build community between dog owners since everyone there is a dog lover, it can be the basis for a friendship that otherwise would not have happened. I did learn however that taking puppies to a dog park is not a very good idea because of the risk of the puppy contracting Parvo, which is basically a death sentence for the puppy. So the moral of this story is take your dog not your puppy and make friends with the other dog owners, and always wear a rain coat if the weather looks iffy.

Here is the blog link for the Macon Dog Park http://www.macondogpark.org/

I've never had a dog, but if I did I think I would want a big dog like a Newfoundland or a Husky.

Darwin's Dilemma

Here is the link to the website about the movie we watched in lab called "Darwin's Dilemma"
http://www.darwinsdilemma.org/

It talked about the Cambrian explosion, and the fossil record that was found in the Burgess Shale, that is in British Columbia, Canada. It was discovered in 1909 by Charles Walcott, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.
And here is a website about the Burgess Shale http://www.burkemuseum.org/static/bshale/index.html

The video also had some interesting animations that depict what they think the animals looked like before they were fossilized. They look very strange to me, like something out of a really bad sci-fi movie.

Bad News about Timmy the Sunflower

My dear sunflower has died. He was over hydrated, but his lack in drainage is not in vain. He is now a part of the greater circle of plant life by being a part of my mom's compost pile. Soon he will be transformed into nutritious mulch for her blueberry bushes and live on. Goodbye Timmy you were an adorable sunflower.