The Good ,The Bad ,and The Ugly

Hey guys welcome back thebestscienceblog here and today I will be talking about antibiotics and how they effect our everyday life.

Bacteria are helpful and nonhelpful to us for an array of reasons. Bacteria help us because they help  digest food in our intestines.They have helped our food industry make foods like cheese, pickles, and vinegar. Bacteria are also not helpful because they are the reason we have many diseases today.

Antibiotics have proved to be the same way as bacteria. They are good and bad depending on how you use them. Antibiotics  are  drugs used to kill bacteria or stop them from reproducing. 

Doctors prescribe these to  you when you are sick and have a disease inside of you. Antibiotics are becoming less useful to fight  bacteria because they are being overused. When they are overused the antibiotics only kill the weak bacteria and let the strongest survive instead of killing all of them.

Now I will be talking about how some bacteria are harmful and get into the human body.Bacteria multiply at a fascinating rate of one new bacteria every twenty minutes. Since  bacteria reproduce so often things called genetic mutations happen a lot. 

Genetic mutations are changes in its genetic code that alter its development and growth. When this happens the bacteria can become either weaker or stronger. When they become stronger they have a higher chance of being antibiotic resistant. At this point the bacteria can make copies of themselves and make a whole community sick. 

Three bacterial diseases I will be talking about  are MRSA, Tuberculosis, and Diphtheria.

 MRSA is a super bug that has been springing up around the world. MRSA causes infections on the skin including sores and boils. It is caused by staph in our body getting infected.

Tuberculosis is a disease in which it breaks down your respiratorial tissue and forms cavities in the lungs.It often causes the person to cough up bright red blood.

Diphtheria is caused when droplets of respiratorial secretion are passed through the air. This usually happens when you cough on somebody. Symptoms are moderate fever, fatigue, or chills.


Nitrogen fixing bacteria help plants and animals by changing atmospheric nitrogen  into  fixed oxygen. This helps because  it makes it easier for the plants to give humans and animals  oxygen.

Pasteurization is the process of heating  a food, usually a liquid, to a specific temperature and time then immediately cooling it. it is important because it helps kill bad microorganisms in the food. 

Links

antibiotic pills pic

strong bacteria pic

MRSA pic

Tuberculosis pic

diphtheria pic

pasteurization pic

Bacterial diseases information

For more information on Antibiotics

                        The wonderful world of Bacteria

Hello guys thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about the wonderful world of bacteria.

Originally there were only five kingdoms. Until recently all bacteria were grouped into one kingdom. This was because they had similar cell structure. The Monera kingdom  is made up of two groups called phyla. Both of them are made up of one-celled organisms called bacteria.

Bacteria were the first living things on Earth. Bacteria have always been Prokayotic cells, their nuclear material is not surrounded by a membrane. Some bacteria are able to get their  own energy through photosynthesis while others have to go out and catch it.

Bacteria  reproduce asexually through fission (shown in gif).In fission one parent cell makes a exact replica of its cell creating a baby.Bacteria also reproduce sexually through a thin tube where the two bacteria exchange genetic material. Bacteria can reproduce very fast at one every 20 minutes.






Bacteria tend to have three different shapes, sphere shaped bacteria (cocci), rod shaped bacteria (bacilli), and spiral shaped (spirilla).

The two different types of bacteria are archaebacteria and eubacteria. 

Archaebacteria were the first living things on earth. Archaebacteria can live in extreme environments including hot springs and acidic environments. They have also been found in the intestines of animals.

Eubacteria are also one celled prokaryotes. These bacteria, scientists believe, added oxygen to the Earth's atmosphere billions of years ago.


                                      Links

bacteria pic

fission gif

shapes of bacteria gif

information for article

                                         Let There Be Fire !!!!!!!!


Name of article: Why does Italy's Mount Edna keep erupting?
Source: for more facts about my article

Hey guys Thebestscienceblog 12 here and today I will talking about this eerie volcano found in Sicily,Italy.This article is about a constant erupting volcano that is terrorizing Sicily.

Mount Etna has been continuously been erupting in Sicily for the past 2,000 years. The last eruption was on November 28, 2013. The amount of lava that has been spewed can fill up the Chicago's Willis Tower ( the  former Sears Tower). 

Geologists are still trying to figure why this volcano erupts in so many different ways. Over the 2,000 years the volcano has been erupting in ways including quiet lava streams, spewing fire mountains, and even the dangerous pyroclastic flows(super heated mix of ash, lava fragments, and gases that run down volcano slopes). 

Geologists have come to the conclusion that when the magma deep below the volcano rises towards the surface it ascents at different speeds therefore effecting the eruption type. 

A fast lava ascent results in the lava keeping its air bubbles and making the eruption similar to that of a fizzy drink. While a slow lava ascent makes the magma lose air its bubbles resulting in lots of lava but little to no explosions.


I chose this story because I wanted to learn more and share about this interesting volcano. I predict that this volcano will keep on its current path and keep spewing lava over the Sicilian city. A question I have for you is in your opinion do you think geologists have the right reason for the constant eruptions or do you think there is a different cause for this? 

My opinion is that the geologists have the right reason for the cyclic eruptions.



                                        Links
volcano gif

pic of Mount Etna

video of Mount Etna

                                              The mysteries of Algae


                      Do you know what algae is??
Today I will be talking about the plant-like protists called Algae. Algae are the things you see in the spring and summer growing on ponds, rivers, and sometimes even lakes.

Algae are similiar to plants in ways like that use photosynthesis to gain food and that most algae are eukayotic, meaning they have nuclei. They differ because they don't have roots systems, leaves, and stems.

The different types of algae are diatoms, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, red algae, green algae, and brown algae. I know that sounds like a lot but they are actually quite easy to explain. 

First I will be talking about the three types of algae. The most important is the green algae. Green algae makes up almost half of the world's oxygen and is the most common type with many sub species.

 Red algae is found deep under the sea and gets its food from photosynthesis. Carrageen, a substance found in red algae, helps make everday products like toothpaste and pudding smooth.

Brown algae live in the ocean and different types include seaweed and kelp.

Diatoms are gold brown in color giving them the name gold-brown algae. Diatoms are rich in silica which is a major ingredient in glass.

Dinoflagellates  have two flagella that help them move.  One acts as a belt while the other acts as a tail but they both rotate. Dinoflagellates are also available for red tide.  Red tide occurs when large amounts of dinoflagellates get together in the ocean.  This result in many deaths of fish from not getting enough oxygen.

Euglenoids have animal like features including flagella and eye spots that are sensitive to light.

Lastly some good things about algae are that they benefit humans in food and medicine. They also help by reducing harmful chemicals and carbondioxide emissions in the environment. In conclusion algae are great for you and me !!!!!

                                          Links

• for more facts about algae
• pic of brown algae
• pic of red algae
• second pic of green algae
• first pic of green algae
• pic of dinoflagellate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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            Protists!!!!!! Read All About it!!!!!

Today I will be talking about these wonderful things called protists and more specifically protozoa. Protists are Single or multi celled organisms that live in wet environments. The three main groups of protists are animal like, plant like, and fungi like protists.

Protozoa are the animal like protists. The same characteristic all protozoa share is that they all are eukaryotic, their cells have a nucleus. Most of these species are found in wet environments including lakes, rivers, ponds, and even in tiny puddles!!






Scientists classify these protists by how they move. The four main types of protozoan are ciliates, amoebas, flagellates, and sporozoa.





Ciliates are the most complex protozoans.They have  two nuclei, the micronucleus and the macronucleus. The micronucleus controls reproduction and the macronucleus controls day to day functions.

                                                                                                                                                      Ciliates move by tiny little hairs called cilia. These cilia are most effective in water. 


  

Second I will be talking about amoebas. Amoebas move by  using temporary extensions of their bodies  called pseudopods meaning "false foot". They also use their pseudopods to capture food by surrounding it then capturing it. Many ameboids wear exoskeletons to protect their soft bodies.

Next comes the flagellates. Flagellates use a whip-like tail to move and capture food around them. Their tails only work in water so you will only find flagellates in water environments.              
                            
Lastly are the sporozoan group. Sporozoan are parasitic with  no means of moving by themselves for most of their life. They give no help to the host organism they are in and often hurt it.




Some diseases that are caused by protozoans are Babesiosis and Malaria. The commonly known disease Malaria is caused by a sporozoan spread through mosquito bites. Symptoms are aches, chilles, headaches and can sometimes result in death. Babsiosis is caused by the babesia parasite that is transmitted through ticks. This disease is common in the northen cities of the U.S including New York and New Jersey. Symptoms are nausea, fatigue, and weight loss.

Some positive things about protozoa is that they help keep down the bacteria population and that they help other animals survive by providing food.

                                                Links

• pic of protozoan
• pic of ciliate
• gif of ciliate
• pic of amoeba
• pic 1 of flagellate
• pic 2 of flagellate
• pic of sporozoan
• more about protozoan diseases

             Big asteroid buzzes past Earth and will again in 19 years

 * Breaking News !!!!!!!! *   One of the most dangerous asteroids on record zipped close by Earth last month. It first made headlines when a reporter said that there's a chance it could hit our planet in l9 years. A collision this big is about the same as a couple thousand atomic bombs!! The space agency is 99.998% that when it  circles back around the planet in 2032 it will  simply fly past us again.

The likely hood of it striking Earth currently stands at 1:63,000. Those odds are decreasing fast as scientists find out more about the asteroid. The scientists named the asteroid TV135. TV135 was discovered on October 8 while NASA was closed during the government shutdown.This asteroid has been joining the ranks of the 10000 known near Earth objects that cause no harm.

Though it seems Earth is safer for now there is such a thing as a dooomsday asteroid. Scientists say it is likely that the impact of and astreoid over six miles wiped out dinosaurs on Earth 65 millions years ago. NASA says more will come but only every few million years.

My reaction to this article was that I was relieved the asteroid wasn't on a collision course with Earth. I also thought that it was good that the scientists found out more about the solar system around us.Overall I thought the article was interesting.

    news story

asteroid pic

 dinosaur pic

 

                  Why do leaves change colors the fall

Did you know  leaves change colors in the fall? You probably said yes but for the wrong reason. Leaves change colors in the fall because night time comes earlier and earlier and  there is not enough sunlight for the plant to use photosynthesis.  Once this happens the green pigment in plants called chlorophyll  is not produced any it stops making the tree green. This is when the interesting part happens. The trees change into orange, red, brown, and yellow colors because of carotenoids and anthocyanins inside the plant.

Carotenoids are brown, orange, and  yellow pigments. Some examples of carotenoids are carrots and  corn. Anthocyanins produce red, pink,blue and purple. Examples of anthocyanins are berries and apples.

Have you ever wondered why some fall leaves are brighter some years and duller other years?  Leaves are brighter when  the autumn days are hotter and the night are cooler because the hot days help them make food and the cool nights keep the energy and food in the leaf making them healthier and brighter.

Chlorophyll in plants absorb and reflect different colors and types of light. Chlorophyll absorbs violet, blue, and red light. It reflects green light in turn making the leaf green in color.

In the winter leaves  fall off and  die. There are some cases however that are different including the pine  and evergreen tree that keep their leaves on year round They do this because they are used to climates where there is limited water and sunlight.







                                                        Links

   pic of berries
   pic of carrots
   pic of pine tree
   pic of evergreen

   autumn leaves

                                                                Carnivorous Plants



Heyyyyyy guys it's Thebestscienceblog12 and today I will be talking about carnivorous plants. I know what you are thinking, carnivorous plants are impossible but they exist. Today I will be talking about these mutant plants bwhahahahaahahbwhahahahabwwbhahahah. :)

To be a carnivorous plant you have to attract, catch, and eat insects. Carnivorous plants eat meat because they don't get enough nutrients from the soil for them to survive.  Most carnivorous plants are found in swampy wetland areas. The soil in this environment does not provide enough nutrition especially nitrogen.The lobster pot trap, dewy pine, sundew, Venus flytrap, pitcher plant,  and bladderwort trap are only some of these fantastic plants but these are the ones I will be talking about today.

First I will be talking about one of my more favorite carnivorous plants, the sundew trap plant. :)

 




There are 100 species of sundew. Half of the sundews are found in Australia, but they are found in every continent around the world except Antarctica. It's just a tad to cold there for them in Antarctica. A sundew catches ants and other bugs in sticky drops on their leaf.   The tips you see wrapped around the bug have sticky ends which attract and catch the  insects.The scientific  name for a sundew is  Drosera .      






Next I will be talking about the commonly known Venus flytrap. The Venus flytrap only grows naturally in North Carolina. This carnivorous plant catches flies and other small insects when they  brush against little hairs on the edges of the leaf. When this happens the fly trap goes CHOMP
trapping the fly inside. One of the cool and unique things about this plant is that you can see it digest its food if you put  it under the light. The digestion process takes 8-10 days.



       

Next I will be talking about one of the lesser known carnivorous plants, the bladderwort . The bladderwort plant  is found underwater in places all over the world. They catch small insects, usually water fleas by first attracting them with their smell. When the fly gets close enough a trap opens carrying water and the prey inside. Once inside the fly is doomed for all eternity to die in the stomach of a plant. This process all happens in about 1/30 of a second.  




 Now comes the pitcher plant. The pitcher plants are found in Southeast Asia and they eat bugs, frogs, and once in a while birds and rodents. These plants have thin tubes to catch prey and some have lids to ensure success in catching an animal. The prey slides down the slippery inside of the tube  and falls into pond of digestive juice. Yummmy!!!

 

Lastly comes another one of the least know carnivorous plants. The dewy pine plant is basically a wanna- be  sundew plant. The dewy pine plant first attracts insects with sweet honey smell then  catches any insects that lands on it's leaves. It acts as a living fly paper.

 

                                                    
Carnivorous plants like all other plants start out as seeds. They then germinate and grow and sprout flowers. The flowers then spread their seeds and the process starts all over. This is how carnivorous plants reproduce.



                                                                          Fast Facts

• There are over 600 different types of meat-eating plants

• Pitcher Plants are sometimes called monkey cups

• Bladderworts have about 220 different species

• The scientific name for a Venus fly trap is Dionaea Muscipula

                                                                    Links


http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0932475.html

http://www.gardenguides.com/86984-carnivorous-plants-reproduce.html

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5280.html