The Goals of This Blog

     Thanks to everyone who has followed my blog since the beginning.  Blogging has been an amazing experience.  When it first became popular a few years ago, I was just not interested in becoming a blogger.  I am a rather private person, so I hardly see the need to broadcast myself and my opinions online for the world to see.  I have not joined many of the popular social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram for the same reason.  With this assignment, I am, in a way, coming out of my shell and stepping out of my comfort zone.  Through this blog, I hope to accomplish the following goals:

• introduce the reader to the fun, interesting, or unusual aspects of science that are often not taught in the traditional classroom
• convince the reader that science can be interesting and that it will be worthwhile to pursue a career in science
• and of course make my online presence more noticeable

    Once again, thanks for reading.

Evolution in the Classroom Attacked AGAIN!!!

     Among all the controversial topics in science education, the teaching of evolution has to be the one that rouses the most fervent emotions and elicits the most crazed debates.  To the mainstream scientific community, evolution is fact and the controversy surrounding it is about how it occurs instead of whether it occurs.  Evolution is a reality!  To the creationists, however, evolution is practically heresy because it directly challenges their view that God created all the perfect specimens ever existed.  Evolution is a problem to the creationists also because it reduces the human species to just one of many competing for survival rather than upholding the view that the human species is that special creation by God.

     While the teaching of evolution in public schools is seldom an issue in liberal states such as New York and Massachusetts, the situation is entirely different in the more conservative states such as those in the South.  Recently the controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution made news again when the Texas Board of Education postponed the approval of a biology textbook because one person on the review panel expressed concern that the textbook erroneously presented evolution as fact instead of theory.  This reviewer, Ide P. Trotter, is a chemical engineer who is also honored as a "Darwin skeptic" on the website of the Creation Science Hall of Fame.  In accordance with his religious views, Trotter questions the validity of evolution in favor of the religiously-infused Creationism.

     Teaching evolution in public schools has always caused much controversy in the more conservative Southern states.  In 1925, the famous Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee brought the issue into the national spotlight for the first time.  While I respect the personal religious views of individuals, the repeated attempts at shoving evolution out of the classroom or undermining the effective and accurate teaching of it have to stop.  From a purely legal perspective, this obstruction is clearly a violation of the separation of church and state as guaranteed by the Constitution.  More important, however, this obstruction hampers the education of our students, deprives them of a thorough and comprehensive understanding of biology, and curtails their true potential in the real world.  This obstruction has to be stopped.

     Here's to hoping that the textbook will be approved during the final review. 

The textbook at the center of the controversy

The link to the New York Times article that talks more about the issue can be found here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/education/texas-education-board-flags-biology-textbook-over-evolution-concerns.html?_r=0

Image link: http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mTcUibODeGUkBPVFsXVNslQ.jpg

"Coldblooded" Equals "Stupid"? Or NOT?

     If one were to accuse that humans are arrogant, that person would actually not be too far from the truth.  The belief that we humans are an intelligent, if not the most intelligent, species on Earth is held by many scientists and non-scientists.  With the human species on top of the intelligence ladder, we place species that are more closely related to us higher on that ladder than species that are more distantly related to us.  Consequently, we think other primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas to be highly intelligent.  Likewise, we also think mammals such as dolphins and elephants and other endotherms (organisms who use internal metabolic processes to account for much of their body temperature) such as birds to be intelligent as well.  On the other hand, we deem the "lowly", "cold-blooded" reptiles to be stupid, lacking in superior cognitive ability and intelligence (for your information, "cold-blooded" is actually a misnomer because the body temperature of reptiles is not always low.  The more appropriate term is ectothermic, meaning that the body temperature fluctuates with the ambient temperature).  Some even go so far as to say that the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was inevitable given those reptiles' supposedly inferior intelligence.

      But research is challenging the notion that reptiles, which include the now extinct dinosaurs and the extant organisms such as lizards and snakes, are lacking in intelligence.  According to a recent New York Times article titled "Coldblooded Does Not Mean Stupid", researchers found that reptiles are actually smarter than we think, capable of carrying a heavy memory load and adapting their behaviors to problem-solve and meet the demands of the environment.  For instance, a researcher at the University of Lincoln in England found that red-footed tortoises were able to rely on navigational cues to navigate themselves in a radial arm maze.  In addition, a researcher at Duke University found that Anole, a tropical lizard that normally strikes at its prey from above, could alter its normal method of acquiring prey when the environment is changed (in this experiment, the researcher hid the prey in a hole covered by a cap).  These and other studies show that "cold-blooded" is not synonymous with "stupid" and that reptiles are actually smarter than we give them credit for.  

     So the next time you see a lizard, snake, or any other reptile, remember that it may actually be up to something........Be careful......

I am so smart I can just relax in the sun and enjoy life

The New York Times article mentioned in this post can be found at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/science/coldblooded-does-not-mean-stupid.html?ref=science&_r=0

Picture Source: http://jonlieffmd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/frog-lying-on-lily-pad-1.jpg

Better Science and Math Instruction

     It may or may not be a well-known fact that on average American students perform less well on international math and science tests than their peers from other developed countries such as Japan and Singapore.  For a country that prides itself on technological advancements and medical discoveries, this underachievement of American students is a cause for concern.  The recent emphasis on math and science education in K-12 schooling in this country is a direct reflection of what some are calling a need for the U.S. to regain its position as the technical leader of the world.

     Despite the best intentions and numerous educational reforms, many U.S. students are still outperformed on many international tests by their peers from several developed countries.  The graduation rate of American high school students is still dismal.  The specter of failing schools is becoming less fantastical and more realistic as the 2014 NCLB deadline approaches.  It seems as if the U.S. has not found the right strategy to reform education and improve student learning.

     Except, of course, Massachusetts.  According to a recent New York Times education article, the state of Massachusetts is experiencing success at teaching math and science to its students.  Even for minority students coming from low-income families, success is still evident.  For instance, in the city of Chelsea, where about 90% of its students are poor and do not speak English as their first language, as many as 54% of its 10th graders were proficient or advanced on the math Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in 2012.

     Now what are the strategies for effective teaching of science and math?  The following are some strategies that the state of Massachusetts has used and ones that I think will work well to help students learn and appreciate science and math:

• hands-on instruction and activities (ex: taking students outside of the classroom to do experiments, experience the nature, etc.)
• clearly defined learning objectives and curricula (so that there is consistency in materials covered)
• making students accountable for their own learning (this conveys to students that they also have to put effort in the learning process)
• providing sufficient time for reform strategies to work (since a turnaround in student academic achievement does not happen overnight, the effectiveness of any reform strategy can be properly assessed only after sufficient time)

   
     So do you have any strategies that you think will work well too?  Feel free to share.

The following is the link to the New York Times article mentioned in this post:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/science/expecting-the-best-yields-results-in-massachusetts.html?_r=0

Picture Source: http://www.mcps.k12.mt.us/portal/Portals/0/images/ScienceMathAcademysummer2009.bmp

Are These Supplements Safe to Take?

     Recently while I was browsing the New York Times website, I stumbled upon an article on the herbal supplement industry.  The article detailed a study by a team of researchers on the misrepresentation and deceitfulness of the herbal supplement industry.  Using a technique called DNA barcoding that scans a species-specific section of a genome (basically a short genetic marker) to determine the identity of an organism, the researchers found that among the supplements examined, a majority of them were diluted with filler ingredients or showed "outright substitution" with plants entirely different from those advertised on the bottles.  However, proponents of the herbal supplement industry called the study misleading, saying that this problem is not as prevalent as suggested by the study.  Despite the supplement industry's objections and the limitations of the study (ex: DNA barcoding requires the detection of DNA, but that may not be possible for concentrated chemicals/ingredients that have their DNA removed or destroyed), the fact that this is a problem in the herbal supplement industry is unquestionable.
   
     I found this article fascinating because I know a lot of people who take herbal supplements.  As a part of alternative medicine, herbal supplements are popular in the Chinese community, so many of my relatives take them to treat various illnesses ranging from anxiety to memory loss.  This article made me concerned for the safety of those who take herbal supplements because these supplements may actually be toxic instead of therapeutic.  If the FDA's job is to ensure that the medicines we take are safe, then it should step up its oversight on the herbal supplement industry.  Being lax and negligent with the enforcement of rules just because there is insufficient funding or resource is not an acceptable excuse.

Article Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html?_r=0

Picture Source: http://www.smartechpy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/herbal-supplements.jpg

What Am I Expecting With An Expectorant?

     Some of you may recall that in my first post to my nascent blog, I mentioned that I am sick, experiencing runny rose and coughing.  When I cough, mucus usually comes out.  Sometimes however the mucus does not come out but instead it becomes lodged in the throat or the back of the mouth.  Yuck!!!

     A lot of us may recall that since we were little, we would drink this weird-tasting syrup to treat the coughs whenever we catch the cold or the flu.  Now is the time to shed the light on that strange liquid .  While I may be wrong, that liquid most likely belongs to a class of agents called expectorants, which promote the expulsion or discharge of mucus from the respiratory tract.  Expectorants work by thinning the mucus along the respiratory tract so that the mucus becomes easier to be cleared from the airway.  

     I have had Robitussin and Brotapp-DM before, but this time I decided to try a Chinese cough syrup. Compared to the American versions, the Chinese version is a lot sweeter and more viscous.  In terms of efficacy, however, I find the Chinese version to work equally as well.  I cough a lot less now and the mucus definitely comes out more easily. 

Chinese cough syrup

My Energizer Drink

     I have a midterm exam this Wednesday, and I am worried because I am almost running out of time to study for it.  Between working almost 40 hours a week and attending to other commitments, I often find it hard getting the time and the energy to study for my classes.  Today, I had to be at work at 9am, but I woke up at 4 in the morning so I could do some studying before work.  Nevertheless, I have to admit that getting out of my bed was a grueling task, especially in this frigid weather.  Even after I washed my face, I still felt drowsy.  I did not become fully energized for the day until I got to Starbucks and had my daily fix: a venti-sized cup of hot coffee. 

     For many people, especially adults, having a cup of coffee is part of their morning routine.  They need coffee to perk themselves up,  stop themselves from yawning, and so on.  Now the big question: what is in coffee that produces this stimulating effect in people?  Read on.

     The principal psychoactive chemical in coffee is caffeine.  Caffeine belongs to a class of drugs called stimulants.  As its name implies, caffeine stimulates the body.  It exerts its effect by targeting the central nervous system.  It produces increased alertness, increased focus and attention, and better motor coordination and movement.  If consumed in high quantity, it can also raise the body's metabolic rate and blood pressure. 

     So it is the caffeine in coffee that gives me and countless other people a jolt of stimulation every morning.

My daily cup of Starbucks coffee