ISAT 131

Kayla, Will, Cole, Daniel

[thebeautyofscience2013]

A huge undercover study revealed the truth that is related to false information published in online science journals. It revealed that the false information would at least trouble doctors, policy makers, patients, academia and anybody who relies on the scientific journals. Science contributor, John Bohannon, intentionally sent a fake research article to 305 online journals to observe how common the practice of publishing fake articles is. More than half of the online journals reviewed it and accepted it. According to the fake report that was sent for publishing, a chemical extracted from lichen to kill cancer was discovered. The new drug was only tested on cancer cells, not on healthy cells. Thus, giving no clue related to its effect i. e. whether it was specific to cancer cells or all cells. This fake report was accepted by 157 publications.

http://austriantribune.com/informationen/132578-online-science-journals-have-been-under-scrutiny-publishing-false-information

- Published by Helena Rudhart

(via thebeautyofscience2013)

     This article demonstrates how imperative it is that those in the scientific community always need to evaluate and replicate any experiments/theories before confirming it as a discovery. Even though John Bohannon purposely sent this fake article to various scientific journals, the fact that over half of them accepted this theory on killing cancer sells makes one question whether some areas of science or theories made in the past are true. It is the perfect example of how proof and demonstration are essential.

[genqueue]

Hubble at 25: Space Telescope’s Top Science Discoveries

Hubble’s scientific bounty has benefited a wide range of astronomical and astrophysical fields, including the study of planets, moons and small icy bodies in the outer solar system and the cosmological history of the universe. Here’s a look at a few of Hubble’s greatest hits.

Read article

Image:

This is a Hubble Space Telescope composite image of a supernova explosion designated SN 2014J in the galaxy M82. At a distance of approximately 11.5 million light-years from Earth it is the closest supernova of its type discovered in the past few decades.

NASA, ESA, A. GOOBAR (STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY), AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (STSCI/AURA)

[laroatonson-blog]

The Hubble Space Telescope is the perfect example of how the world of science and our understanding of the natural world is ever expanding. It also is a primary example of how we use observation and solely observation to derive new information.

[mindblowingscience]

Chemists Confirm the Existence of New Type of Bond

Chemistry has many laws, one of which is that the rate of a reaction speeds up as temperature rises. So, in 1989, when chemists experimenting at a nuclear accelerator in Vancouver observed that a reaction between bromine and muonium—a hydrogen isotope—slowed down when they increased the temperature, they were flummoxed. Donald Fleming, a University of British Columbia chemist involved with the experiment, thought that perhaps as bromine and muonium co-mingled, they formed an intermediate structure held together by a “vibrational” bond—a bond that other chemists had posed as a theoretical possibility earlier that decade. In this scenario, the lightweight muonium atom would move rapidly between two heavy bromine atoms, “like a Ping Pong ball bouncing between two bowling balls,” Fleming says. The oscillating atom would briefly hold the two bromine atoms together and reduce the overall energy, and therefore speed, of the reaction. (With a Fleming working on a bond, you could say the atomic interaction is shaken, not stirred.) At the time of the experiment, the necessary equipment was not available to examine the milliseconds-long reaction closely enough to determine whether such vibrational bonding existed. Over the past 25 years, however, chemists’ ability to track subtle changes in energy levels within reactions has greatly improved, so Fleming and his colleagues ran their reaction again three years ago in the nuclear accelerator at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in England. Based on calculations from both experiments and the work of collaborating theoretical chemists at Free University of Berlin and Saitama University in Japan, they concluded that muonium and bromine were indeed forming a new type of temporary bond. Its vibrational nature lowered the total energy of the intermediate bromine-muonium structure—thereby explaining why the reaction slowed even though the temperature was rising. The team reported its results last December in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a publication of the German Chemical Society. The work confirms that vibrational bonds—fleeting though they may be—should be added to the list of known chemical bonds. And although the bromine-muonium reaction was an “ideal” system to verify vibrational bonding, Fleming predicts the phenomenon also occurs in other reactions between heavy and light atoms.

[laroatonson-blog]

     The discovery of this new type of bond is one that become revolutionary in the world of chemistry and the world of science. Although it was theorized that this type of bond existed years ago, this recent discovery between the bond of bromine and muonium could very well confirm it. However, like with Linus Pauling and Vitamin-C, it may take years of testing to confirm it.

[historical-nonfiction]

After 800 nuclear tests from 1951 and 1992, this is the view over the Nevada Test Site (formerly known as the Nevada Proving Grounds).

[laroatonson-blog]

This reminds me of when we talked about scientific innovation in class. It does not just happen, it is a long grueling process. after seeing this picture, I am just wondering if it is worth the risk.

[divineirony]

In the ongoing conflict between science and creationism, evolution is usually a main point of contention. The idea that all life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor is a major problem for creationists. As a geologist, though, I think that the rocks beneath our feet offer even better arguments against creationism. For the creationist model doesn’t square with what you can see for yourself. And this has been known since before Darwin wrote a word about evolution…

[laroatonson-blog]

Although by now this is mostly basic knowledge, it always great to find more evidence to support already known theories. This is much like what we have discussed in class with boundary work. At want point this article would have been ground breaking when religion was accepted over science, now it is just another fact.

[laboratoryequipment-blog]

Video Captures Living Algal Embryo

Researchers have captured the first 3-D video of a living algal embryo turning itself inside out, from a sphere to a mushroom shape and back again. The results could help unravel the mechanical processes at work during a similar process in animals, which has been called the “most important time in your life.”

Researchers from the Univ. of Cambridge have captured the first three-dimensional images of a live embryo turning itself inside out. The images, of embryos of a green alga called Volvox, make an ideal test case to understand how a remarkably similar process works in early animal development.

Read more: http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/videos/2015/04/video-captures-living-algal-embryo

[laroatonson-blog]

Now that scientists have finally captured this image in 3D, does that make it more real? Does it count as scientific discovery if we knew it already existed and are just seeing it for the first time now? i would argue that it does.

[explore-blog]

What hopes and fears does the scientific method imply for mankind? I do not think that this is the right way to put the question. Whatever this tool in the hand of man will produce depends entirely on the nature of the goals alive in this mankind. Once these goals exist, the scientific method furnishes means to realize them. Yet it cannot furnish the very goals. The scientific method itself would not have led anywhere, it would not even have been born without a passionate striving for clear understanding.

Einstein on the common language of science. (via explore-blog)

In this quote i believe Einstien very well sums up what we talked about in the first week. Science is a way of reaching our goals, but wwe must be the ones who recognize what are goals are.

[sixpenceee]

Frankenmouse!

Remember this little mouse with the ear on top? Creatively dubbed “earmouse,” this little guy was originally held up as evidence that genetic engineering had gone too far. In reality, a better name for him may have been frankenmouse—he’s the product of simple stitching, not genetic engineering. Earmouse’s creators molded sterile, biodegradable mesh into the shape of a human ear, which they seeded with bovine cartilage cells. To grow the ear, they needed a power source, so they stitched the ear-shaped scaffold onto a nude mouse (pictured above), a mouse with no immune system. Once it was stitched on, the mouse’s own blood vessels infiltrated the scaffold, nourishing the incipient ear. By the time the scaffold dissolved, the ear was sturdy enough to stand on its own—and thoroughly creeped everyone out.

(Source)

[laroatonson-blog]

After looking farther into “earmouse”: it is apparent that they did not create the amount of genetic engineering they originally claimed. them having to stitch the space on top of the mouse means they falsified there evidence slightly to get publicity.

[peashooter85]

A Terrifying Monster in France,

In the late 18th century French scientists and aviators first expirmented with flight by developing the first lighter than air craft, such as hot air balloons and balloons filled with lighter than air gasses such as hydrogen or helium.  In 1783 Professor Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers conducted an unmanned test flight of a hydrogen filled balloon named “Le Globe”. The balloon successfully ascended 20,000 feet, traveling 16 miles from Paris to Gonesse.  The test flight of Le Globe was a great success for the French aeronauts, however for the people of Gonesse it was one of the most terrifying of ordeals in generations.

Before crash landing the hydrogen of the balloon, a highly combustible gas, burst into flames creating a magnificent fireball that crashed in a field outside the village.  Flight was unknown to the simple peasants, and the sight of such a thing was certainly terrifying.  Falling to the earth with blazing fires and giving off a potent chemical smell, two monks declared that the strange object was certainly a demon from Hell. Gathering their courage, the people of Gonesse banded together and assaulted the still half inflated “demon” with stones, pitchforks, and flails. When at last it seemed the demon had been vanquished, a local priest sprinkled it with Holy Water, it was harnessed to a horse, then dragged 6,000 yards away from the town where it was unceremoniously discarded.

[laroatonson-blog]

After reading this, i was reminded much of proof vs. demonstration and also boundary work. This was obviously a demonstration gone horribly wrong, but the reason it scared so many people is because it was on the boundaries of science. They reacted negatively to something they new nothing about, which is a common occurrence when science and society collide.

[compoundchem]

In light of Pepsi’s recent removal of aspartame from Diet Pepsi in the US, here’s a look at whether aspartame is really deserving of its bad reputation: http://wp.me/p4aPLT-18E

[laroatonson-blog]

This is much like falsification and norms. The norm of society now is that aspartame is bad for health and since this is diet drinks, diet drinks are bad for us. Before reading this i just believed it, but now I realize there is much more to the story and refuse to accept the societal norm...yet.

[sixpenceee]

Mariana Trench

Better known as the deepest point on earth’s surface, this trench lies in Pacific Ocean, at Challenger Deep. Located at a depth of about 10.91 km or 11,033 meter or 36,204 feet below sea level, this trench runs for 2,550 kilometer, somewhere below the expanse of water lying between Australia and Japan.

[laroatonson-blog]

This and the rest of the ocean remind me greatly of our discussion on scientific discovery. All the ocean is out there but we have definitely not discovered all of it yet. all we have done is slowly pulled back the curtain only revealing a portion of what is out there.

[laroatonson-blog]

Activity 4

[laroatonson-blog]

Research Summary for Technology and Natural Science Domain

[sixpenceee]

Stanford Prisoner Experiment Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prisoner experiment took place in the 1970s. The psychiatrist took 24 undergraduates and assigned them roles as either prisoners or guards, in a mock prison on campus. After just a few days, 1/3 of the guards exhibited sadistic tendencies, two prisoners had to be removed early due to emotional trauma, and the whole experiment only lasted six of the planned 14 days. It showed just how easily normal individuals can become abusive, in situations where it is encouraged. Source: Stanford University & i09

[laroatonson-blog]

This is a great example of how field science and public experiences may differ. The roles being played did bring out different behavior but i believe that the sample most likely did not represent the same sample that may be found in a jail.

[laroatonson-blog]

This video reminds me a lot of tacit knowledge. Everybody i am sure tried to explain to her what hearing was like since she was little but she never actually knew what it was like. No one could explain it. There was no list of instructions. She knew nothing until experiencing it for the first time.

[laroatonson-blog]

German car manufacturer Audi has reportedly invented a carbon-neutral diesel fuel , made solely from water, carbon dioxide and renewable energy sources. And the crystal clear 'e-diesel' is already being used to power the Audi A8 owned by the...

This innovation by Audi is amazing! it really shows that clean energy is an issue of the present. The only thing I am debating is whether or not the Audi driven by Johanna Wonka is a demonstration or proof. I feel as if it is too good to be true so it must be a demonstration, but then again they are driving this car every day.

[laroatonson-blog]

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Politicians Denying Science Is ‘Beginning Of The End Of An Informed Democracy’

Starting this Monday, 4/20, Neil deGrasse Tyson will be appearing weekly in what may be the first late-night science talk show.

This is combining the concepts of science and society, and leading to new scientific discovery by our youth and people that didn't even realize they liked science in the first place.  I am very excited to see the success of this show. though, I do think it is a little sad that we must combine science with comedy and pop culture to get people interested in science.