Saturday, May 23, 2020

Is Natural Selection Random

Natural selection, the process by which species adapts to their environment through changes in genetics, is not random. Through years of evolution, natural selection boosts the biological traits that help animals and plants survive in their particular environment, and weeds out the traits that make survival more difficult. However, the genetic changes (or mutations) that are filtered by natural selection do come about randomly. In this sense, natural selection contains both random and non-random components. Key Takeaways Introduced by Charles Darwin, natural selection is the idea that a species adapts to its environment through changes in its genetics.Natural selection is not random, though the genetic changes (or mutations) that are filtered by natural selection do come about randomly.Some case studies–for example, peppered moths–have directly shown the impacts or processes of natural selection. How Natural Selection Works Natural selection is the mechanism by which species evolve. In natural selection, a species acquires genetic adaptations that will help them survive in their environment, and pass those favorable adaptations to their offspring. Eventually, only individuals with those favorable adaptations will survive. One notable, recent example of natural selection is elephants in areas where the animals are being poached for ivory. These animals are giving birth to fewer children with tusks, which may give them a better chance of survival. Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, figured out natural selection by witnessing several key observations: There are many traits–which are qualities or properties that characterize an organism. These traits, furthermore, can vary in the same species. For example, in one area you may find some butterflies that are yellow and others that are red.Many of these traits are heritable and can be passed from parents to offspring.Not all organisms survive since an environment has limited resources. For example, the red butterflies from above tend to be eaten by birds, causing there to be more yellow butterflies. These yellow butterflies reproduce more and they become more common in the next generations.Over time, the population has adapted to its environment–later on, the yellow butterflies will be the only type around. A Caveat of Natural Selection Natural selection is not perfect. The process does not necessarily select for the absolute best adaptation there could be for a given environment, but does yield traits that work for a given environment. For example, birds have more effective lungs than humans, which allow birds to take in more fresh air and are overall more efficient in terms of air flow. Furthermore, a genetic trait that was once considered more favorable may be lost if it is no longer useful. For example, many primates cannot produce vitamin C because the gene corresponding to that trait was inactivated through mutation. In this case, the primates typically live in environments where vitamin C is easily accessible. Genetic Mutations are Random Mutations–which are defined as changes in a genetic sequence–occur randomly. They can help out, harm, or not affect an organism at all, and will occur no matter how detrimental or beneficial it may be for a certain organism. The rate of mutations can change depending on the environment. For example, exposure to a harmful chemical may increase an animal’s rate of mutation. Natural Selection in Action Though natural selection is responsible for many of the traits we see and encounter, some case studies have directly shown the impacts or processes of natural selection. Galapagos Finches During Darwin’s travels in the Galapagos Islands, he saw several variations of a type of bird called a finch. Though he saw that the finches were very similar to one another (and to another type of finch he had seen in South America), Darwin noted that the finches’ beaks helped the birds eat specific types of food. For instance, finches that ate insects had sharper beaks to help catch bugs, while finches that ate seeds had stronger and thicker beaks. Peppered Moths An example can be found with the peppered moth, which can only be either white or black, and whose survival depends on their ability to blend in with their surroundings. During the Industrial Revolution–when factories were contaminating the air with soot and other forms of pollution–people noted that white moths dwindled in number whereas black moths became much more common. A British scientist then performed a series of experiments showing that black moths were growing in number because their color allowed them to blend in better with the soot-covered areas, protecting them from being eaten by birds. To support this explanation, another (initially doubtful) scientist then showed that white moths were eaten less in an unpolluted area, while black moths were eaten more. Sources Ainsworth, Claire, and Michael Le Page. â€Å"Evolution’s Greatest Mistakes.† New Scientist, New, 8 Aug. 2007, www.newscientist.com/article/mg19526161-800-evolutions-greatest-mistakes/.Feeney, William. â€Å"Natural Selection in Black and White: How Industrial Pollution Changed Moths.† The Conversation, The Conversation US, 15 July 2015, theconversation.com/natural-selection-in-black-and-white-how-industrial-pollution-changed-moths-43061.Le Page, Michael. â€Å"Evolution Myths: Evolution Produces Perfectly Adapted Creatures.† New Scientist, New Scientist Ltd., 10 Apr. 2008, www.newscientist.com/article/dn13640-evolution-myths-evolution-produces-perfectly-adapted-creatures/.Le Page, Michael. â€Å"Evolution Myths: Evolution Is Random.† New Scientist, New Scientist Ltd., 16 Apr. 2008, www.newscientist.com/article/dn13698-evolution-myths-evolution-is-random/.Maron, Dina Fine. â€Å"Under Poaching Pressure, Elephants Are Evolving to Lose Their Tusks.â €  Nationalgeographic.com, National Geographic, 9 Nov. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/11/wildlife-watch-news-tuskless-elephants-behavior-change/.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The United States Economy During The Great Depression

The United States economy has never been as great nor as equal as it was during the late 1940s-1970s, a period commonly known as the Great Compression. It is extremely ironic that the United States economy boomed and strived after only a few years succeeding the Great Depression. One may ask what stirred this dramatic change from a damaged economy to one that was striving and strong in so little time. To answer this question, one must look closely at the history of the United States economy. To be more specific, one must take a close look at how damaged the economy was during the Great Depression and how much the New Deal and other political and social factors impacted society to ultimately create the Great Compression. To begin with, the United States economy during the 1920s, prior to the Great Depression, was one that consisted of individuals pursuing to live the American dream at all costs. The time period of the 1920s was also known as the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age suffered fr om immense inequality. There were rich individuals and many poor individuals, and yet hardly any class in between. Many individuals were consuming immensely in order to live the American dream. Individuals were taking credit. Doing so allowed them to borrow and spend whenever they pleased which is great for capitalism. However, individuals were borrowing much more than they could afford to pay back. Many individuals were in great debt and could not afford to pay it back. Capitalism needs debtShow MoreRelatedThe Real Causes of the Depression1020 Words   |  5 PagesStatistics show right now in the United States the unemployment rate is high. A lot of people are saying that this is bad and the economy is slowly going downhill, but most people forget to think that these things are normal and is nothing worse than the Depression of the 1930s. 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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Economic, Political, and Social Factors Related to Aids in Africa Free Essays

Without a single doubt, one can say politics has been the main driving forces in the spread of this disease. Once the â€Å"triple cocktail† was discovered by doctors, it managed to signal an era in which AIDS was no longer a fatal disease. Nevertheless, the high costs of this drug meant that it was unaffordable to patients from the undeveloped countries where stigma and desperation flourished. We will write a custom essay sample on Economic, Political, and Social Factors Related to Aids in Africa or any similar topic only for you Order Now Additionally, patients in developed countries such as America were incapable of being introduced to this remedy if they were incompetent in affording health care. Patients felt defeated, restless, isolated, and accepted that there is a social disorder accommodated with this disease. There was a political conflict in subordinating the expenses of this medicine in countries such as Brazil where health care is guaranteed for all its citizens. South African government further encountered a tragic failure in battling with this epidemic that was overwhelming its country. President Mbeki came into power with an unconventional message and promised solutions for AIDS. When Mbeki was leading a nation with more infections than any country in the world, he affirmed throughout his speech that HIV is not the causation of AIDS but an environmental or social condition such as poverty, and banned the cocktail claiming it was toxic for the population. Hence, the fundamental proposition that arose was if HIV doesn’t cause AIDS, then how would anti-HIV drugs lead to such dramatic improvement in one’s well-being and how does AIDS get passed on to a child from a mother who is infected with HIV. This evidently proved that denial and neglect in African government for covering the cost burden of these drugs in order to save the lives of its citizens. Indubitably there is a monumental controversy regarding the funding for AIDS drugs globally. If our mission is to reach equity and justice in our society, we must ensure funding for AIDS drugs and also ensure practical preventative factors are provided for all our citizens regardless of their socioeconomic status. How to cite Economic, Political, and Social Factors Related to Aids in Africa, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

SURGEON GENERALS WARNING Environmental Tobacco Smoke Causes Lung Canc Essay Example For Students

SURGEON GENERALS WARNING: Environmental Tobacco Smoke Causes Lung Canc Essay SURGEON GENERALS WARNING: Environmental Tobacco Smoke Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy. Did you know that most people are at the risk of dying from just breathing the air around them? Every day at least ninety-five percent of American people suffer from (E.T.S.) Environmental Tobacco Smoke, or more commonly known as second hand smoke. For those that are not familiar with what second hand smoke is let me explain it to you. Second hand smoke is a mixture of the smoke exhaled by smokers and the smoke that comes from the burning ends of cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. This smoke contains about 4,000 substances in which about fifty percent of these toxic substances can cause cancer and other bodily problems. Environmental Tobacco Smoke has been a problem for many years, but through intense research from many physicians, non-smokers are finally getting the respect they deserve. Smokers now have to smoke outside of public places. While some non-smokers ignore the dangers involved with tobacco smoke others are struggling to live another day. Environmental Tobacco Smoke is made up of both a gas phase and a particulate phase. Together they include more than 4,000 substances. Automatic tobacco-puffing machines have been invented to collect and to study the smoke. In recent years studies have shown us the most hazardous of these chemicals. Tar is considered the deadliest of all the substances. Other chemicals found in tobacco smoke that are hazardous to us are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carboxyhemoglobin, and nicotine (Mendelson and Mello 33-35). During the burning process of tobacco the tip of the burning cone (the center of the pipe, cigarette, and or cigar) reaches a temperature of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit during a puff. This tiny blast furnace results in a miniature chemical plant, which uses the hundreds of available materials to produce many more. In fact, some of the most important part of tobacco smoke (including tar and carbon monoxide) are not even present in an unburned phase of a tobacco product, but rather are produced when a puff is taken (Mendelson and Mello 37-38). Other studies have shown that indoor environmental tobacco smoke changes the tobacco substance in the gas phase. As tobacco smoke is discharged into an indoor environment, diluted, re-circulated within and vented from the indoor environment, changes occur in both its chemical makeup phases. Making the gas phase substance more harmful than being in a outdoor environment (Ecobichon and Wu 3-4). Tobacco products produce two kinds of smoke, mainstream and sidestream. Mainstream smoke is the smoke that smokers inhale into their lungs. Sidestream smoke is the smoke that is exhaled by the smoker. The average smoker inhales ten two-second puffs of mainstream smoke from the tobacco product they are smoking. As the cigarette, pipe, or cigar sits it releases waves of sidestream smoke into the air. According to some scientists, sidestream smoke is even more dangerous than mainstream smoke. In a recent article produced by the Iowa Medical Society it states that sidestream smoke contains five times the carbon monoxide, three times the tar and nicotine, and up to fifty times the number of carcinogens found in mainstream smoke. A study reported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences confirms that second-hand smoke contains up to fifty times more carcinogens (Ling et al. 92). Carcinogens are described in the Websters dictionary as being a substance that produces a mali gnant tumor, or cancer in a living cell (Landoll et al. 71). In todays society people are aware that tobacco smoke is unhealthy, but most choose not to become concerned with what this chemical does to their bodies. With the amount of smokers in todays society, Environmental Tobacco Smoke has diluted are air with thousands of chemicals that causes severe damage to both our inner and exterior body components. Doctor Ameron of Atlanta Georgia writes that six out of ten non-smokers will end up with reduced lung functioning and or upper or lower respiratory problems. According to Ameron, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous than mainstream smoke. He also states that breathing tobacco smoke can aggravate the condition of people with allergies or with lung, heart, or respiratory problems. Sufferers with chronic bronchitis and emphysema, for instance, are made extremely uncomfortable by severe air pollution. Yet the levels of carbon monoxide and other pollutants in smoke-filled rooms may be as high or higher than those that occur during air polluti on emergencies (Berger 81-87). According to a Health Advocate Magazine, research from different physicians show that Environmental Tobacco Smoke can cause severe heart conditions, and assorted respiratory problems by being exposed to the smoke for a period of time. Even perfectly healthy people are affected by second-hand smoke. Their heart rate, blood pressure, and the level of carbon monoxide in the blood increase when they breathe in air full of tobacco smoke. Also, even after nonsmokers leave a smoky room, it takes hours for the carbon monoxide to leave their bodies. Unlike oxygen, which is breathed in and then out again in minutes, carbon monoxide remains in the blood for long periods of time (Smith 27-29). a journal on of mice and men EssayA recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed reduced lung functioning in children whose mother smoke cigarettes. There is also evidence that once lung disease begins in childhood, it can continue and even worsen over a lifetime. Other Scientific discoveries show that sixty-five percent of children that live with parents who smoke have chronic learning disabilities, and abnormal growth patterns. Researchers have recognized such problems as these to be a leading cause of depression amongst teens; leading to suicide (Lebowitz 171-172). In this research I have discussed the make up of environmental tobacco Smoke and the damages it can cause to non-smoking adults and children. It is clear that this deadly chemical is unhealthy to our everyday lives. Second-hand smoke is harmful to our society, and will continue to be unless we as people take a stand for our children and ourselves. Do not let this hazardous material control your life. Avoid all types of tobacco smoke to assure a healthy life for you and your families. This is one major step in making our world a healthier place to live. BibliographyWorks CitedBender, David et. al. Smoking: Current Controversies. Bender David. San Diego California. September 23, 1995. 362.29. Berger, Gilda. Smoking Not Allowed: The Debate. Business Week. Office Smokers Feel the Heat, November 29, 1982. Daily News. Smoking Bill Clouds the Issue, March 26, 1986. Journal of the American Medical Association. Nonsmokers Rights, May 19, 1978. Journal of the Israel Medical Association. Passive Smoking, April 1, 1981. 362.29. Cain, W. et. al. Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Sensory Reactions of Occupants. Atmospheric Environment. Massachusetts. July 03,. 1988. 347.35. Ecobichon, Donald and Wu, Joseph. Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Proceedings of the International Symposium at McGill University 1989. McGill University: Montreal, Canada. November 3 and 4 1989. 616.86. Fried, Peter and Oxorn, Harry. Smoking For Two: Cigarettes and Pregnancy. The Free Press. A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. New York, New York. Collier Macmillan Publishers. Canada. April 05, 1980. 618.32Hammond, s. et al. Collection and Analysis of Nicotine as a Marker for Environmental Tobacco Smoke. New York, New York. October 15, 1992. 457.46. Landoll, Inc et. Al. Websters Dictionary: New Revised and Expanded Edition. Landoll Inc. Ashland, Ohio. 1993. 71. Lebowitz, M.D., and Holberg C.H. Effects of parental smoking and other risk factors on the development of pulmonary function in children and adolescents. Am. J. Epidemiol. Massachusetts/ Toronto. February 24, 1988. 982.47Mendelson, Jack and Mello, Nancy. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs: Nicotine an Old-Fashioned Addiction. Chelsea House Publishers. New York, New York. 1985. 613.85. Sullum, Jacob. For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health. The free press: New York, New York. April 12, 1998. 363.4.