Blog #1

Evolution is a theory not a law because it has yet to be proven and supported with evidence. The definition of a scientific law is that it is a phenomenon of nature that has been proven while the definition of a theory is that it is an explanation of scientific observations. Evolution fits the definition of a scientific theory because it is an explanation of what has been observed and tested over thousands of years. There's also not a lot of information to prove evolution since it can't be repeated.

Blog #14

Favorite Topic: My favorite topic of this semester was viruses and bacterias because we got to see how they work and how they affect us. The book we read and the movie was also really interesting because it showed how deadly viruses and bacterias are. This topic relates to us, especially me because I get sick easily so it shows us what to do and how it happens.

Least Favorite Topic: My least favorite topic of this year was photosynthesis and the photosystem because it was really confusing. I didn't really understand how the plants work. I also didn't understand how the calvin cycle and light dependent cycles came into the topic because I didn't really get what they do.

If I could change one thing, I think it would be on how we take notes. The assignment is simple and I'm glad we are able to take notes from the screen but it kind of goes too fast so I don't get to write it all down. Also I'm not able to listen to the teacher because I'm too busy writing down all the notes so I can't understand what I'm writing. I just hoped that we could've slowed down a bit so we are able to take in what we just wrote down.

Blog #13

DNA changed the way we investigate crimes by giving us an idea of who the suspect is and concluding the case. By using the DNA found at the crime scene, we are able to narrow down who committed the crime. The two main types of tests are PCR and RFLP. PCR (polymerase chain reaction test) isn't very accurate but it is quick to process, usually a week. Also the DNA evidence doesn't have to be recent. It could be years after the crime and you are able to still use the DNA sample. RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) is considered more accurate than PCR testing. It involves DNA fingerprinting or profiling and requires the DNA cells to be fresh, undamaged, and recently dead. Also, you would need large amounts of the samples, such as several strands of hair and large splatters of blood. Although this test is very conclusive and finalizing, it takes a long time to complete, about three weeks to three months.

Blog #12

In Gregor Mendel's pea plant experiment, he cross pollinated smooth yellow pea plants and wrinkly green pea plants. This is the parental generation (P). They are all alike because they are all purebred. When they cross pollinated however, they created the first generation (f1). They all ended up being like one parent plant than the other, all yellow and smooth. This is because they are heterozygous and the yellow and smooth trait were dominant genes whereas the green and wrinkly trait were recessive which made them all yellow and smooth but still carrying the recessive genes.

Blog #11

I don't think that parents should be able to pick the traits of their babies because they could harm the baby since it isn't natural. Changing the genes of the unborn baby could cause genetic diseases to take effect on them when they are born. When you give birth to a baby naturally, there's a chance that the babies won't take on any hereditary diseases. But when you purposely mix up the genes to create perfect traits for the baby, the genes could create some genetic diseases that could be avoided.

Blog #10

Ingredients

• 1 quart fresh milk, for a thicker product substitute 1 pint fresh cream and 1 pint fresh milk (see sources)
• 2 tablespoons Bulgarian or Greek starter (see sources) OR
• 2 tablespoons yogurt from a previous batch OR
• 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened, additive-free yogurt with live active cultures found at any grocery store

Equipment

• yogurt maker OR
• slow cooker or cooler and a 1-quart mason jar with lid OR
• food dehydrator (see sources) and a 1-quart mason jar
• thermometer, optional but advisable

Method

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over a medium-low flame until it reaches about 110° Fahrenheit / 43º Celsius.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons thermophilic starter culture such as Bulgarian or Greek starter (seesources), or use two tablespoons yogurt from a previous batch to inoculate the raw milk.
3. If you’re using a yogurt maker, simply pour the mixture of fresh milk and starter into the yogurt maker and culture it according to the manufacturer’s  instructions for about eight to twelve hours.
4. If you’re using a food dehydrator or slow cooker, first pour the mixture of starter and raw milk into a 1-quart glass mason jar and cover it with a lid.
5. If you’re using a slow cooker or cooler, place the mason jar full of milk and starter in the center of your slow cooker or cooler and pour  warm water (approximately 110° Fahrenheit, 43º Celsius) into your the ceramic insert or  until it reaches just below the lid of your mason jar.  Cover with a warm towel for added insulation and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen to culture for eight to twelve hours.
6. If you’re using a food dehydrator, simply place the mason jar full of starter culture and milk into the food dehydrator, set the temperature to 110° Fahrenheit / 43º Celsius and allow it to culture for eight to twelve hours.
7. Once the culturing period of eight to twelve hours is complete, remove your still warm raw milk yogurt from the yogurt maker, slow cooker, cooler or dehydrator and place it in the refrigerator to chill and solidify for an hour or two.
8. Serve plain as a sauce, combined with fresh fruit or nuts or sweeten it, if desired, with a touch of honey or maple syrup.

NOTES: Raw milk yogurt has a tendency to be runny; this is normal and is caused by the action of temperature-sensitive enzymes present in raw milk that would otherwise be killed by heat.  If liquid-like consistency is unappealing to you, consider substituting part of the milk for fresh cream or straining the yogurt through a fine butter muslin available from most cheesemaking suppliers (see sources).

Furthermore, due the natural presence of beneficial bacteria in raw milk which are likely to eventually out-populate the strains in your desired  starter, your yogurt starter will degrade over time.  For this reason, it is necessary to maintain a pure seed starter or to be mindful of the desired quality of your yogurt and to purchase new starters to periodically refresh your old starter.  This is generally not necessary when making yogurt from boiled milk.

YIELD: one quart, approximately eight servings

TIME:  10 minutes (preparation) and 8 to 12 hours (culturing)

Fermentation helps make the food by fermenting milk sugar or lactose with bacterias , Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, to lactic acid, causing the curd to form. The acid also restricts the growth of food poisoning bacteria. During the process of fermentation, the flavors of the yogurt is produced, giving it a sour taste.

Blog #9

I think that the extent of isolation depends on how lethal and contagious the disease is. If it is as high and dangerous as the Motaba disease in the movie Outbreak,  then they should go to an extreme isolation where the virus can't spread any farther through direct contact or through the air because it could spread and infect a lot of people. I think that they should have an army there because they could decrease the chaos and keep people safe but if people are escaping because they are scared then I don't think that they should shoot them or hurt them. They should have a system of thoroughly checking the healthy half of the population and letting them leave before they get infected instead of isolating them in there houses forever.