The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity ... Exp… · 06/05/2014 · Anahit...
Transcript of The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity ... Exp… · 06/05/2014 · Anahit...
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing” ~ Albert Einstein
About The ElRo Experiment
We are a group of students eager to explore the world of science. There is a vast universe of
unknown information that remains to be answered. Our everyday lives consist of science, as
it exists all around us. As time progresses, new minds challenge science phenomena and
make huge contributions for mankind. As students, we strive to become a larger part of this
process. We will delve into the science that excites us, and share that joy with you.
Anahit Hovhannisyan
Editor-in-Chief
WRITERS/CREATORS
Sarah Altman-Ezzard
Sabrina Carrero
Anjeli Chapman
Isabelle Greenberg
Anahit Hovhannisyan
Flora Lao
Brenda Mandel
Violet Morrison
Alistair Ramirez
Peter Ribeiro
Raquelle Sewell
Margaret Yannopoulos
Xiaojin Zheng
Freyja Golbach – Cover Artist
Yeajin Choi – Cover Editor
Ms. Angela Sterling
Would you like to contribute?
It is never too late to become a part of The ElRo Experiment! Submit articles, art, brain teasers, or responses
to published work at [email protected].
New Brain Discovery, It’s Cranial by Anahit Hovhannisyan
Come Back Down to Mars by Raquelle Sewell
Kitty-Kat Time by Sarah Altman-Ezzard
Against All Odds: The Story of Mae Jemison
by Anjeli Chapman
Woman Carrying 238 Pounds on Her Legs
by Flora Lao
Why Do We Sleep? by Peter Ribeiro
The Science Behind Blushing by Isabelle Greenberg
Deadly Coffee by Alistair Ramirez
Top 5 TV Shows the Satisfy the
Science Geek in You by Xiaojin Zheng
Lymphoma: An Inflated Cancer by Margaret Yannopoulos
Alien Attacks In Ender’s Game by Sabrina Carrero
2482 – A Sci-Fi Original by Violet Morrison
Fun Science Crossword! by Brenda Mandel
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“Sellars, 38, is diagnosed with Proteus syndrome, an
extremely rare condition thought to only be known
in 120 people in the world”
“It was just a number, on a screen; and no one knew what it meant. Absolutely no one on the entire planet could figure it out, and that wasn’t an understatement; all 58 inhabitants of the desert planet were absolutely dumbfounded.”
“Why can humans communicate cohesive
ideas in distinctive dialect?” 1
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NEW BRAIN DISCOVERY, IT’S CRANIAL
by Anahit Hovhannisyan
The brain is the most complex organ in
the human body. Its capability to store incredible
knowledge, emotion, thought, and a conscience is
difficult to fully grasp. Many scientists have
researched neurology – the study of the brain –
and continue to do so today. In fact, new
discoveries are made every day that either support
an existing theory, or are categorized as an
individual concept that will advance mankind’s
understanding of the brain.
During the end of January 2014, reports
published insight into a new discovery that
specialized in human uniqueness. The
experiment was conducted by a group of scientists
at Oxford University, led by Matthew Rushworth.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner tests
were run on 25 healthy people of age 20, twice.
With these results, 12 regions in the ventrolateral
frontal cortex were found common for each
participant. The same MRI scans were processed
for 25 rhesus macaque monkeys.1
The brain scans
of humans and monkeys were then compared,
and the results showed that every region of the
ventrolateral frontal cortex matched for both
species, except for one. According to the scientific
journal Neuron, this region is called the lateral
frontal pole prefrontal cortex.
What makes finding this region special to
humans is that it has been tied to ADHD and
compulsive behavior disorders. With this new
discovery, scientists can further study psychiatric
disease. Franz-Xaver Neubert of Oxford
University states, “This area has been identified
with strategic planning and decision making, as
well as, ‘multi-tasking’”2
. Furthermore, it
specializes in language, which may hint to answer
the question: Why can humans communicate cohesive ideas in distinctive dialect?
1 Sample, Ian. “Researchers Discover New Area in Your Brain That May
Control Your Bad Decisions.” The Raw Story. Guardian News and Media 2014, 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2014 2 Ghose, Tia. “Newly Discovered Brain Region That May be Unique to
Humans.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtomPost.com, 29 Jan. 2014. Web.
07 Feb. 2014.
COME BACK DOWN TO MARS...
by Raquelle Sewell
MARS – An often talked about and
heavily anticipated step in the way for
humankind. Advancements in spaceship journey
design and practicality are bringing scientists
closer and closer to the reality of a manned
spacecraft to mars. However, there are numerous
health risks being revealed from previous space
trips. Yet, these health risks are not deal breakers
for the expedition. That being said, the risks
could potentially set NASA back. The scientists at
NASA, however, plan to find solutions to the
health issues while also continuing with the
preparations for the mars expedition.
One of the many alarming risks that have
been experienced by a few astronauts is the
squeezing of the eyeballs. This issue presents
more questions than it does answers; however,
scientists do know that it’s a result of the change
in pressure of eye fluid. This does not cause
major health issues besides moderate
farsightedness. Even still, much is unknown about
why this occurs in more men than women and in
the right eye more significantly than the left.
Scientists are discussing a return to an
artificially made gravity vacuum in the spacecrafts.
However, the money, time and effort in order to
do this would set the team back immensely.
Another health risk includes the loss of
bone mass when the body is not put under any
gravity. This has long since been solved with
treadmills that astronauts are strapped down to;
but, the issue still remains as to whether this is a
proper and sufficient way to prevent loss of bone
mass.
Scientists believe aircrafts could launch to
mars as early as 2020. The trip would last 2.5
years, longer than any manned spacecraft journey
yet. The longest being 435 days.
Much is left to chance and mystery when it
comes to manned trips to Mars, but what cannot
be disputed are the strides NASA has taken and
the advancements it has made in the way of space
travel.3
3 Chang, Kenneth. “Beings Not Made for Space.” New York Times. New York
Times, 27 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Feb 2014.
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KITTY CAT TIME!
by Sarah Altman-Ezzard
There are many things that cats do that have
confused and bewildered scientists for years.
Before we can begin to understand cat behavior,
we must first trace the development of the
domesticated cat we all know and love today.
BEHAVIOR
In Ancient Egypt, cats were seen as gods. The
joke is that they’ve never forgotten this. In Egypt,
killing a cat was punishable by death. Cats were
mummified, a process generally saved for
pharaohs (ancient Egyptian rulers). Since the
Egyptians appreciated cats (mostly because they
killed mice, and thus diseases), they didn’t try to
change their traits. They coexisted with cats
peacefully.
Later on, many cats were used primarily as
mouse-catchers. In return for a clean barn, they
were given shelter. Again, there was no need to
change the traits of the cat.
This is important because humans often
choose which animals to breed, a process known
as selective breeding. For examples, humans
dictate which dogs will breed to get the desired
pup. This breeding generally does not occur with
cats, and thus they have remained, for all intents
and purposes, feral.
Selective breeding has caused many issues in
dogs. Since breeders want to create a certain type
of dog, they will often inbreed two dogs (from the
same family). This means that the pups have a
larger risk for inheriting a recessive genetic
disease.
Since cats have never been bred for specific
traits (such as friendliness), the cat could, in some
respects, be considered feral. This accounts for
much of their behavior.
THE SYMPHONY OF THE PURR
Probably one of the most infuriating things a
cat lover can hear is that their beloved kitty is
“antisocial and mean.” Quite frankly, this is
completely and utterly inaccurate. Cats happen to
show affection in a different way than dogs. While
they won’t slobber all over you when you come
home, they’ll find a way to demonstrate their love
in a different way. For example, by purring.
Cats purr. Everybody likes the sweet rumble
they emit. Everyone assumes it’s because they’re
happy. However, there are many reasons for their
purr.
Kittens and cats purr to signal to their mother
that they want her to stay and give them
something, generally milk (they will then use
their paws to knead gently on the mother’s
stomach to promote continuous milk flow;
this explains why cats often knead their paws
when they purr).
Cats grow up and remember this. So, when
they want something from their owners, they
may purr. It could be that they want the owner
to stay and pet them, or that they want to be
fed.
Sometimes, cats purr to console themselves. If
they are in pain, the cat may purr for comfort
(or imitate another comforting maternal
aspect and lick the area of pain).
Cats also purr when they are stimulated. This
stimulation occurs when cats are petted for
long periods of time. If Fluffy no longer wants
to be pet, s/he may walk away, swat you, or
gently bite you.
WHY FLUFFY BRINGS DEAD ANIMALS
Another common misconception is that a
cat brings in dead animals as gifts to his/her
owner. John Bradshaw, an anthrozoologist
(specializing in the interactions between animals
and humans) has conducted research that
indicates that the cat, by nature, hunts. In the
wild, cats bring their captured prey to a place
deemed safe in order to make sure it won’t be
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touched by predators. In actuality, Fluffy is saying
that s/he is safe in your home. The reason
Fluffster doesn’t eat the dead animals is because
s/he realizes by the time s/he is home that Oh! I
can eat canned cat food. That tastes much better than dead mouse.
And so, kitty goes to his/her bowl and eats some
Chow Meow instead.
INDEPENDENCE OF CATS
Many people have also wondered why the
cat is so independent. In reality, this is not so.
They just aren’t as expressive as dogs are with
their affection. According to Bradshaw, the best
way a cat can demonstrate his/her affection is by
his/her straight tail. (A wagging tail generally
indicates irritation. The tail can be used as a
means to balance as well.)
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An upright tail can be used as a greeting, but
most importantly, it’s a sign of trust and
friendship. In the wild, cats greet one another
with a straight tail. They rub their bodies together
to show familiarity and friendship, which is why a
cat that likes you will rub itself on your legs.
(Additionally, the mouth of the cat contains small
scent glands, so the cat may rub against you with
his/her mouth to put part of his/her scent on you.
They want all other animals to know that you
have their scent, and thus their protection, on
you.)
BRIEF DISCUSSION OF ANATOMICAL
MAKEUP
While this definitely isn’t everything about
cats, there are a few interesting facts concerning
their anatomy that may be of some interest. The
front paws of cats contain five “fingers”, and the
back only four. The ears of a cat can turn 180°.
Cats have twelve whiskers on either side. It’s
true that whiskers grow back, but the whiskers
serve a very important purpose and should never be cut off, trimmed, straightened, or
meddled with in any way. Cats use their
whiskers to sense things. Imagine not being able
to feel. Cats need their whiskers. Don’t mess
with them.
Speaking of changes to the cat’s
composition, the claws are another aspect that
should never be meddled with. Many people
have their cats declawed, believing this causes
no harm or pain to the cat and yay! The
furniture is saved! This is completely inaccurate. Declawing a cat isn’t simply cutting off the nail.
Imagine cutting the nail on your own finger. It
will grow back. So will a cat’s claws. So, to get
rid of the claws completely, the spot where the
nail meets the finger must be cut off. A human
would be left with a nub for a finger. This is
similar to the situation of declawing. The cat is
left with a nub where their claw should be. This
causes discomfort for the cat. Also, it renders it
defenseless, and often times more aggressive.
Not only will s/he have more trouble fighting off
predators, but the cat won’t be able to catch
prey to feed itself. Long story short, it’s best not
to try to change a cat’s anatomy.
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If this same process were conducted in humans,
we would see something like this model:
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Many people think it is okay to declaw cats
because they’re kept as indoor pets and therefore
have nothing from which to protect themselves.
However, sometimes cats run away. Or they go
outside and get into a fight with a stronger animal.
It’s not right to take away an animal’s defense.
They were born with claws for a reason.
The only exceptions as to when it’s
appropriate to alter the anatomy of the cat or any
being, for that matter, is a) when necessary for
medical purposes (tumors, discomfort of the
animal, etc.) and b) to neuter/spay the cat.
NEUTERING AND SPAYING CATS
Granted, there is a lot of controversy
concerning the neutering (for male cats, the testes
are removed) and spaying (for females, the
ovaries are tied) of cats. Some believe it is
unethical. The ASPCA has embarked in a new
program, where it takes feral cats, neuters/spays
them, and releases them back to the wild. This
helps curb much fighting that occurs between
male cats over territory disputes, thus averting
painful injuries. Besides this, neutered and spayed
cats generally live longer.
But what exactly does it mean to neuter or spay a
cat? The answer is relatively simple.
First of all, it’s not just cats that undergo this
surgery. Dogs do as well, in a very similar
procedure (also known as neutering and spaying—
the anatomy of the dog is very similar to that of
the cat in a few aspects).
In neutering, the male’s cat’s testicles are
generally tied and cut off. Sometimes, they are
just tied. It’s much easier to neuter a cat than to
spray one because everything is outside of the
body. In order to spay a cat, a cut must be made
in the vicinity of the ovaries so that the surgeon
can remove them. This is a much more invasive
process. Luckily, veterinarians have years of
training and are therefore quite adept at what they
do. The vital signs of the cat are monitored
throughout the whole surgery. Afterwards, the
general area of the surgery will be a little sore, so
it’s best to avoid it for the comfort of kitty.
In the next issue of The Elro Experiment,
we’ll take a closer look at the way cats in general
tend to behave. We’ll also touch on some
common behavioral problems that erupt. See you
then!
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4"What's Mittens Thinking? Make 'Sense' Of Your Cat's
Behavior." Interview. Audio blog post. Www.npr.org.
5"Cat Disection." Cat Disection. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
6"College of Veterinary Medicine - Cornell
University." Fun Feline Facts. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
7Goldschein, Eric. “A Parasite Found in Cats Could Be
Manipulating Our Brains.” Business Insider. 09 Feb. 2012.
Business Insider, Inc. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
8"Katzen Kleinanzeigen." VW-Fahrerin weicht Katze aus –
und landet in der Böschung -. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
9"Clawsforever." : I'm all for Declawing. Web. 11 Feb.
2014.
10"Declaw Your Cat in Israel, Get Year in Jail." Cat
Lifestyle Mousebreath Magazine. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
11"A Day Without Cats: Searching for New Sources of
Online Cuteness." SparkNotes. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
AGAINST ALL ODDS:
THE STORY OF MAE JEMISON
by Anjeli Chapman
Mae Jemison is one of the seminal female
figures in the scientific community. It is therefore
astonishing to note how little recognition she
receives for her work. Perhaps, like Lise Meitner
and Marie Curie before her, Jemison was facing
public resistance because of the fact that she was a
woman in a male-dominated field (even in this day
and age, the lack of female scientists is shocking).
But Jemison faced even greater antipathy as both a
woman and as an African American. Jemison came
of age in the 1960s, a time of terrible racial
inequality. And yet, despite these seemingly
insurmountable odds, she managed to achieve
things others could never even dream of.
Jemison was incredibly dedicated from a
very young age, which is obvious from the fact that
by the age of 16, she was enrolled in Stanford
University. Her lifelong dream was to become an
astronaut for NASA, but she thought that achieving
such a dream would be next to impossible for her
to achieve, given the pervasive inequality of the
field. But Jemison was spurred on by the story of
Sally Ride, the first American woman to go to
space. Jemison now felt that her gender would be,
in her own words, “less of a deterrent” for the
board of NASA.12
She resolved to achieve her goal
of becoming an astronaut. Although her first
application was denied by the board of the space
station, she persevered, and her second one was
eventually accepted. In 1992, she took her first
steps on the moon as part of the United States
Space Shuttle’s fiftieth mission. As the first female,
African American astronaut, she was one of
NASA’s foremost pioneers in the fight towards
equality. Even today, Jemison continues to travel
the country, speaking on the importance of
investing money in scientific research. Despite the
fact that she has already achieved an incredible
amount in her lifetime, Jemison never ceases to
strive in the name of science, despite the fact that
she has already achieved an incredible amount in
her lifetime.4
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Jemison, Mae. Find Where The wind Goes: Moments from
my life. New York: Scholastic, 2001. Print.
WOMAN CARRYING 238 POUNDS ON
HER LEGS
by Flora Lao
Born February 20, 1975 in Lancashire,
United Kingdom, Mandy Sellars had a rare
genetic mutation, evident in one out of seven
million people, that would change her life forever.
Sellars, 38, is diagnosed with Proteus syndrome,
an extremely rare condition thought to only be
known in 120 people in the world. Proteus
Syndrome involves the abnormal growth of
bones, skin, or of the head. Specifically for
Sellars, the bones in her legs would not stop
growing. Sellars’ disease was evident since the day
she was born; her left leg was three inches longer
than her right.
"There was clearly something dramatically
different about me when I was born as my legs
were so much bigger than my body. Doctors
didn't know what it was and whisked me away-
they didn't let my mother see me for two weeks.
They didn't think I would survive," Sellars told
ITV's This Morning. Despite this condition, Sellars flourished
and grew up like any other child; she enjoyed
football and could walk normally.
"I had friends and went to a
comprehensive school for my GCSE's (General
Certificate of Secondary School which is a
qualification test for a specific subject in England).
But I found it harder to deal with as a teenager as
you become more self-aware. Some people would
stare and laugh at me," Sellars reminisces at ITV's
This Morning. However Sellars stayed strong with the
encouragement and support from her family. At
the age of 19, Sellars left home to attend the
University of Lancashire where is got a BSc in
psychology. After graduating, Sellars volunteered
in various places; unfortunately, she was
hampered by chronic arthritis, deep vein
thrombosis, and a blood clot in her leg. In
addition to these symptoms, Sellars suffered a
spinal stroke in 2002 and was paralyzed for two
months. In 2005, she got a blood infection which
resulted in failure in her kidneys. During this
whole time her legs continued to grow at
astounding rates; by 2008 both of her legs were
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210 pounds, her leg was five inches longer than
her right, and one foot had grown to be
backwards. Sellars had to have an amputation of
her left leg in 2010 when it developed blood
poisoning or septicemia without the amputation.
Doctors told her she would die. Sadly, this had
no effect as Sellar's stump continued to grow on
its own and within 3 years it has become 42
pounds. According to the Daily Mirror, 22
months after her surgery, her limb began to grow
to look like balloon and Sellars was horrified.
"Almost straight away the stump began
increasing in circumference and I was finding it
harder to fit inside my prosthetic leg. Then the
stump got so heavy that it nearly broke the
prosthetic leg," Sellars recalls.
Doctors have done all that they could to
find a treatment to her rare condition. Through
the mapping of her DNA doctors are hopeful that
they could develop a promising treatment for her
rare condition. Unfortunately Sellars is now
informed that through her genetic testing, her
condition is the first one in the world. Scientists in
Cambridge were willing to take on this new study.
For several years Dr. Robert Semple, who
mapped Sellars' blood and tissue samples,
believes that Sellars has a unique disorder that
causes doctors to be in a state of bafflement and
amazement. Doctors have tried to create
prosthetic legs; however, her legs grow
uncontrollably so new legs have to be constantly
made to fit her. Sellars’ upper body is only about
46 pounds; as result, she is unable to walk now
with her bulky and cumbersome legs.
Sellars expresses her thoughts with ITV's
This Morning, "I find it incredibility frustrating. I
have such a zest for life and I really want to get
out there and live it. I keep suggesting Dr. Semple
to call it Sellars Syndrome!"
Subsequently, Semple's team was able to
create a medication that attempts to replace her
mutated gene with a restorative gene.
"I started taking it in September and the
aim was to stop my limbs from growing further.
Actually they have started to shrink a little. I just
kind of accepted my condition would get worse
and keep growing but I am more optimistic
following the discovery," Sellars replies.
Sellars tries to be as hopeful as she can
possibly can but at times people can be really
inconsiderate and unsympathetic.
Five years ago Sellars had an interview with
ITV's This Morning and she spoke about the
downsides about living with her condition.
"Adults can be very hurtful. In a restaurant
one blurted out, 'Look at the size of those feet.' I
don't mind children staring, but adults should
know better."
Even so, Sellars continued to uphold a
positive attitude as she told Mirror, a popular
celebrity gossip magazine in England, "I will not
let these things beat me. I'm determined to stay as
mobile as possible and fight for my
independence. I just have to live day to day, week
to week. I have got a life and I have to live it as
best as I can. There are people far worse off than
me."
Today Sellars continues to fight strong.
She created a website, www.mandysellars.com
and she strongly supports the Proteus Syndrome.
In addition, scientists at Cambridge University
have discovered that she has a mutation in her
PIK3CA gene that causes an overgrowth in her
leg and foot. Sellars has a documentary called,
"Shrinking my 17 Stone Legs." Competent and
adept doctors are eager to help anyone suffering
with this condition. The medication that the
scientists in Cambridge have developed continues
to work well for her and she continues to stay a
resilient and optimistic woman. We will update
you on her condition.
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Sellar, Mandy. “Welcome to Mandy Sellars.com.” Supporting the
Proteus Syndrome Foundation. Web. 09 Jan 2014.
Bates, Claire. “Shrinking my 17 stone legs: Hope for woman
whose limbs wouldn’t stop growing after doctors develop pioneering
treatment.” Hail Online. 15 Feb 2013. Web. 09 Jan 2014.
“Mandy Sellar.” Wikipedia. 22 Jan 2014. Web. 09 Jan 2014.
Reynolds, Emma. “I had my FIVE STONE leg cut off…but now
it’s growing back.” Hail Online. 11 Nov 2011. Web. 09 Jan 2014.
“Woman tells of leg amputation after it kept on going.” Mirror
News. 24 Aug 2011. Web. 09 Jan 2014.
WHY DO WE SLEEP?
by Peter Ribeiro
Duh, because we’re tired. Well, that’s the
simple answer. However, there’s still a lot we
don’t understand about sleeping. About one third
of our lives are spent sleeping and we don’t know
exactly why. So, if you live to be 90 years old you
would have spent 30 years of your life sleeping.
This is truly astonishing! As a teenager, I
understand that sleep is truly a blissful experience
and that most of us love to do so on a Saturday
morning. Why do we partake in such an activity
for such a long time?
First, let’s begin with the brain. Contrary to
common belief, our entire body does not shut
down while we sleep. Our brain does not stop
working and in fact, some parts are more active as
we sleep than when we are awake. Sleep does not
arise from one area of the brain but is in fact
caused by a series of messages and connections
sent out within the brain. It could be described as
a network action. So, why exactly does our brain
decide to go through these messages and
connections? Well, the human race has not yet
reached a conclusion to understand why we sleep.
However, there are dozens of ideas and theories
to explain the action of sleep. I’ll outline three of
them here.
The first being quite obvious: restoration.
We go through this process to restore what we
have lost throughout the day. Our bodies heal any
injuries that we might have obtained. Recent
research has shown that some genes are only
turned on as we sleep. This is how our body
begins to restore itself. Those genes are
associated with metabolic pathways within the
body and restoration.
The next reason is energy conservation.
Keep in mind that this does not mean restoring
energy. This means saving the energy left over.
What does this really mean? Well, throughout
the day we eat in order to gain energy from the
consumption of calories. We burn those off
through exercise and simple actions. So
essentially we sleep to save calories. In fact, on
average, people save 110 calories each night. One
could argue that if a person does not sleep and
simply does not move, they will save the same
amount of calories. Also, 110 calories isn’t a lot of
saved for such a complex process. Clearly, there
are holes to this theory.
The third reason is to improve brain
function. What exactly do I mean by brain
function? Simply put, I mean the processes that
our brain goes through on a daily basis, such as,
the building of memories, information intake and
processing, and problem solving. We have
learned that sleep deprived individuals have a
very difficult time learning new tasks. Their ability
to take in information and learn from it is
impaired. Research has also shown that the task
to create a long term memory becomes more
difficult as a person has less and less sleep. The
ability to come up with new solutions to complex
challenges and problems is greatly enhanced by a
restful night of sleep. Important neural
connections are strengthened as we fall into a
deep sleep.
There are many more theories as to why
we sleep and we will probably never have only
one answer. It is important to realize that we do
in fact need sleep. Many people nowadays are
sleep deprived. Research shows that the average
teenager needs 9 hours of sleep. It clearly seems
that some of us don’t get nearly enough sleep. On
average, in 2013, teenagers had around 5 hours of
sleep per night. Teenagers are not the only ones
that suffer from sleep deprivation. It affects all age
groups throughout the world. What tends to
happen when a person is sleep deprived is that
they will fall under what is called “micro-sleeps”.
It is a short period of time when a person falls
under an involuntary sleep. Along with these
involuntary “micro-sleeps”, a sleep deprived
person will have poor judgment, increased
impulsiveness, and a poor memory. It gets worse.
At times, a sleep deprived person will search for
stimulants in order to make up for what the brain
is lacking. Caffeine and nicotine are some very
popular choices of stimulants. These obviously
cause so many more problems. These solutions
throw off your sleeping patterns because when it
reaches 10 or 11 o’clock at night the body is
completely wired. Sleep deprivation has also been
linked to weight gain and obesity. When the brain
is deprived of sleep, it seeks out carbohydrates
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because the hunger hormone, Ghrelin, is
released.
One final but very important side effect of
a lack of sleep is stress. Sleep deprivation leads to
sustained stress which causes poor memory. It
gets worse. This sustained stress can lead to
suppressed immunity. Sleep deprived people are
more likely to become ill due to awakened
immune systems.
Clearly there is much more behind sleep
deprivation than we thought. We don’t just
become tired and there is more behind a sleep
deprived body. There are clear long term health
issues that can arise from a constant lack of sleep.
People need to become more aware of their
sleeping habits in order to prevent such side
effects.5
THE SCIENCE BEHIND BLUSHING
by Isabelle Greenberg
Blushing: the cold blooded killer in high school,
the match that sets a rumor aflame. All it takes is
mentioning someone’s name, or an embarrassing
memory, and all of a sudden you’re cheeks are
redder than the sun. Happen to know the
explanation to this phenomenon?
The psychology behind this reaction is still not
understood, but we know the reactions that take
place.
Embarrassment releases adrenaline, and is
part of an involuntary response. Adrenaline is a
hormone that is like a natural stimulant to the
body. Your pupils dilate and your heart rate and
breathing increase. This is to help you in a
dangerous situation, and is part of something
called a fight-or-flight response. Adrenaline also
gives you the jolt you feel when you are
embarrassed. But, what really causes the red in
your face is when the veins respond to a signal
from the enzyme adenylyl cyclase. This signal tells
the veins to allow adrenaline in. Thus, the veins
allow more blood through and expand slightly.
13
Foster, Russel. "Russell Foster: Why Do We Sleep?" TED: Ideas wort
h Spreading. TED Ideas, Aug. 2013.
This is blushing, the reaction we all know and
love.6
DEADLY COFFEE
by Alistair Ramirez
(www.thesportmind.com)
When you wake up in the morning, you
are probably tired from a long night of staying up
and doing homework. The morning can bring
out your ugly side, because you are fatigued and
lack the energy to start your day off. Many
people have little energy in the morning, and
coffee is usually the solution they turn to. Coffee
is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It
is consumed daily by millions of Americans and
over eighteen billion dollars is spent annually
solely on coffee. Coffee may seem like a
convenient solution to start off your day, but
many people do not know that coffee can have
negative effects on one’s health.
Coffee is not a natural remedy for having
energy in the morning. Severe effects of drinking
coffee can include sleep deprivation, prolonged
depression, and even irregular heartbeat. Some
of the more mild effects of caffeine are: increased
blood sugar, restlessness, headaches, and
irritability. The next time you want to buy a cup
of coffee in the morning, you should reconsider
and maybe pass it up.15
14 Clark, Josh. "Why Do People Blush?" HowStuffWorks.
HowStuffWorks.com, 02 Jan. 2008. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. 15 Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. "What Are the Negative Effects of
Caffeine?" WiseGEEK. 2001-2014 Conjecture Corporation, n.d. Web.
13 Feb. 2014.
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13
14
TOP 5 TV SHOWS THAT SATISFY THE
SCIENCE GEEK IN YOU
by Xiaojin Zheng
1. BREAKING BAD
Type of Science: Chemistry
# of Episodes: 62
Channel: AMC
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn
Summary: Set against the backdrop of the serene
state of Arizona, Walter White, a middle-aged
chemistry teacher learns that he is diagnosed with
cancer. Knowing that he cannot afford to accept
death as an option, he resorts to applying his
knowledge in the field of chemistry to produce the
purest meth anyone has ever seen on the market.
Walter immediately becomes a god in the narcotics
industry, dubbing himself “Heisenberg”. Intending to
only make as much money he needed to pay for his
chemotherapy, Walter becomes too involved in the
world of drug trade. He finds himself in an
unmanageable bind, one where there’s no out.
2. GREY’S ANATOMY
Type of Science: Medical, surgical
# of Episodes: 196
Channel: ABC
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Ellen Pompeo
Summary: Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama that
follows the lives of the doctors and interns at Seattle
Grace Hospital (later re-named Seattle Grey-Sloan
Memorial Hospital). The show, despites its wide
range of cast members, focuses mainly on its original
cast of the first season, details their lives and
relationships with each other and with the other
doctors and interns at the hospital. Grey’s Anatomy
offers drama and ongoing suspense while providing
viewers with interesting knowledge about rare diseases
and surgical procedures. It accurately represents the
complexities of human lives and at the same time, is
incredibly inspiring. Show creator, Shonda Rhimes,
has a clever way of spinning realistic and ordinary
lives of humans into something that captivates and
glues viewers’ eyes to the TV during Grey’s Anatomy
time slot on ABC.
3. ORPHAN BLACK
Type of Science: Cloning biology
# of Episodes: 10
Channel: BBC
Cast: Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce
Summary: Orphan Black is a scientific drama series
that explores the dark side of science. When Sara
Manning, the show’s protagonist, witnesses the suicide
of a woman, who, coincidentally—or so she thought,
looks exactly like her, she decides that the only way to
find out more is to assume her doppelgänger’s
identity. The world she uncovers is a startling
realization and discovery that leaves her wishing she’d
never let her curiosity get the best of her.
4. REVOLUTION
Type of Science: Post-power outage
# of Episodes: 31
Channel: NBC
Cast: Tracy Spiridakos, Billy Burke, David Lyons
Summary: Revolution follows the series of events that
occur in a hypothetical situation in which power is no
longer an existing factor of the human world. One
day, the power mysteriously and unexplainably runs
out. Within a week, chaos spills across the nation and
makes its way throughout the rest of the world.
Formidable militias rise up and aspire to dominate
the world while there are forces that work against
them. In compelling forty seven minute episodes,
Revolution keeps its viewers guessing on the fate of a
world that relies so heavily on the existence of
electricity.
5. HELIX
Type of Science: Virology, epidemiology
# of Episodes: 3
Channel: Syfy
Cast: Billy Campbell, Jeri Ryan, Jordan Hayes
Summary: The series surrounds a team of scientists
from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) who
investigate a possible outbreak of an unknown disease
in the Artic. The team of scientists attempt to unravel
the secrets of this disease, and encounter many
struggles that meddle with their fear of ever finding a
cure. They discover that the disease’s behavior is
unpredictable and constitutes a life or death situation
for the ones that are infected. The race against time to
find a cure becomes a matter of life and death.
1"List of Breaking Bad Episodes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation,
02 Dec. 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. 2 “Grey’s Anatomy Episode Guide.” ABC. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb.
2014. 3"Wikia." Orphan Black Wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. 4"Revolution (TV Series)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 Dec.
2014. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. 5"Helix | Syfy." Helix | Syfy. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
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LYMPHOMA: AN INFLATED CANCER
By Margaret Yannopoulos
1,700 people under the age of 20 are diagnosed with
Lymphoma in the United States per year, thus
making Lymphoma the most common cancer in
young adults.
WHAT IS LYMPHOMA?
Lymphoma is a type cancer that originates in
the body’s lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white
blood cells that travel through the body and move in
fluid called lymph. Lymphoma occurs when mutant B
or T lymphocytes undergo uncontrollable cell growth.
These cancerous cells collect in one or more lymph
nodes or in lymph tissues and eventually form a mass
of cells called a tumor. Malignant, or harmful, tumors
grow and compete for space and oxygen with
surrounding tissues and organs.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT STAGES OF
LYMPHOMA?
There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin
lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Malignant
Reed-Sternberg cells present in the lymph nodes, or
in other lymphatic tissues, is characteristic of
Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma occurs when there
is a malignant growth of lymphocytes. This malignant
growth is also seen in specific forms of leukemia,
which makes it hard to distinguish between the two.
However, in people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma it
rarely affects the bone marrow, whereas leukemia
patients have extensive bone marrow involvement.
WHAT ARE SOME SYMPTOMS OF
LYMPHOMA?
The first symptom of Hodgkin’s lymphoma is
an enlargement of the lymph nodes- also known as
swollen glands – in the neck, underarm, or groin. If
the cancer has affected the lymph nodes in the chest,
pressure from this swelling may result in unexplained
cough, shortness of breath, or blood flow problems.
Other symptoms may, but do not necessarily include
fatigue, lack of appetite, itching and/or hives.
Unexplained fever, night sweats, and weight loss have
also been attributed to Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
HOW IS LYMPHOMA TREATED?
Common lymphoma treatments include
chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy, or any
combination of the three.
HOW CAN ONE PREVENT LYMPHOMA?
Scientists do not know exactly what causes
lymphoma; however, people with inherited immune
defects, such as HIV, or those who have been treated
with immune-suppressive drugs have a predisposition
to getting lymphoma. Exposure to certain pesticides,
herbicides, and solvents such as benzene has been
associated with lymphoma. (www.cancer.gov)
ALIEN ATTACKS IN ENDER’S GAME
by Sabrina Carrero
SPOILER ALERT!
In many alien movies, the reason for
multiple outsider attacks on Earth are to enslave the
human race, to use humans as a food source, or for
revenge for whatever evil thing we have done to
their civilization. But in Ender’s Game, their goal
was to seize Earth’s water supply to themselves.
This could lead to the extinction of the entire of the
human race. This motive does not make sense in
the real world, and it could be backed up with
science. According to Corey Powell of Discover
Magazine, recent astronomical research has
suggested that water is not as rare as we think it is.
For example, one of Jupiter’s moons called Europa
is covered with a layer of water and ice that is
roughly 100 miles thick. This is more than
equivalent to the total volume of Earth’s oceans. So
out of all of the planets in the world, why would the
aliens come to Earth?7
7 Powell, Corey S. "Watching "Ender's Game" With My
Science Goggles On - Out There | Discovermagazine.com." Out
There. Discover, 2 Nov. 2013. Web. 03 Feb. 2014. -10-
Crosta, Peter. “What Is Lymphoma.” Medical News Today.
MediLexicon International, 15 Apr. 2009. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.
“Lymphoma.” KidsHealth. Ed. Jonathan L. Powell. The
Numerous Foundation, 01 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
“Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.” Home Page. National Cancer
Institute, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
2482
By Violet Morrison
It was just a number, on a screen; and no one knew what it meant. Absolutely no one on the
entire planet could figure it out, and that wasn’t an understatement; all 58 inhabitants of the desert planet
were absolutely dumbfounded. That is, until Illiana Reed, the last of the sleepers, woke up. Everyone
had opened their eyes at one point, Marvin Quinn had been the first, and Illiana was the last. She had
looked right at the four-digit number and had wondered why everyone was so confused.
“It’s the year, isn’t it?”
How had they not realized that? None of them could remember that a number to four places was
a year? How absurd.
Now that that was sorted out, there was the larger problem of where, exactly, they all were, and
how they had gotten to be there in the first place.
It was definitely a planet; a big dusty, dry planet. The ground was a huge, orange, rocky, expanse that
stretched on and on. There were no mountains, no hills, and no craters, not even a single tree. The only
thing visible for miles was a small outcropping of silver buildings that glinted in the sunlight. They were
all breathing (thankfully), so it was either fit for humans or had been made so by a false atmosphere.
The sky wasn’t blue (it was a disgusting shade of green), which eliminated earth, but that was pretty much
the extent of it. Ultimately none of this was much help, considering just how many planets Earth had
colonized.
The prospect of how they had gotten there was (if possible) even more perplexing. There had
been no ship, no transport, not even a transmission, just the opening of many confused eyes to an alien
sky. They hadn’t even woken up in proper beds, just on the orange dirt with the wind blowing gritty little
specks in their faces.
In short they were stuck on a planet in a way that you get stuck in a dream; with no recollection of
what has transpired beforehand and in a land that could just as well be a real place or a place of your
own imaginings.
Perhaps it was a nightmare. Either way, Illiana Reed was determined to escape it.
“So . . . does anyone remember anything?” She asked once everyone had gathered inside one of
the mysterious metallic buildings that had been found, already established, on the surface of the alien
planet.
Blank stares were all she got in return.
“Before you woke up we all asked the same questions,” said an older woman with silver hair.
“But no one could answer them,” added an adolescent boy.
There were memories, of course; memories of people and places and things that had happened,
but no memories that told them how they had gotten to this odd planet.
The confusion continued.
“Well what are we supposed to do?” asked another woman, in her mid-forties.
Nobody knew.
Illiana thought though, and then, after a long while, she knew.
“We need to contact the Board of Interstellar Relations, or a ship, or a planet, or anything!
Maybe someone out there knows what happened to us,” she suggested.
No one argued.
They were lucky enough to find a rather archaic transmitting device mounted on the wall under a
raised metal panel and they used it to send the strongest signal they could.
They sincerely hoped that it was strong enough and that it would reach someone. If surviving on
a desert island was impossible, they imagined surviving on a desert planet would be immeasurably worse.
Waiting was hard. (to be continued in the next issue…)
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The answers to this crossword will be published in the next issue of The ElRo Experiment.
8
1 2 11
9 10 12
3
4
13
5 15
14
6
7
1. The only liquid metal on the Periodic Table 9. The first "A" in NASA
2. The proper name for a "killer whale" 10. The ____ Project mapped the body's DNA [2]
3. The body's filtration system 11. Inventor of the telephone [3]
4. E. Coli's home in the digestive system [2] 12. Human DNA chromosome count [2]
5. Length of the longest manned space mission [4]
6. A condition that relates senses to each other
7. The most abundant element in the universe 14. The female equivalent to neutering
8. The branch of science involved with crime 15. The minutes sunlight takes to reach the Earth
13. Number of letters the Periodic Table does
not include
Puzzle by Brenda Mandel
FUN SCIENCE CROSSWORD
Fill in the answers to the science themed
clues in the grid. Answers that are more
than one word indicate the total word
number in brackets after the clue, but
do not include spaces between each
word. If you need a starting hint, the
answer to number 5 is from one of the
articles.
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