NASA Astronauts Go Underwater to Test Tools for a Mission to an Asteroid

Hey guys thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about an important preparation to travel to an asteroid.

NASA is planning to send astronauts to an asteroid in the early 2020's  and the astronauts are already undergoing preparation and drills for their trip. Two astronauts named Steve Bowen and Stan Love have spent 62 hours in space on 9 space walks. They will be aiding NASA on telling the astronauts what they will and will not to bring on the shuttle.




Wearing modified versions of the Orange suits for space, the two men went underwater on May 9, in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. NASA used a 40-feet-deep swimming pool to help provide the lack of gravity needed for astronauts to practice for spacewalks on the asteroids. Once underwater a  close replica of the Orion spacecraft will be used to carry astronauts to the asteroid.  Then  they will bring the asteroid into a stable orbit  near the moon with a backdrop provided for it to feel more real.

Some of the main goals of NASA For of visiting an asteroid will be to obtain a core sample that shows its layers intact. If such a sample could be found it would provide information on the age of the solar system and how it was formed. But the tools geologist use to collect core samples or even chips of rocks aren’t a good idea in space. Swinging a hammer in front of your face isn’t safe when the sheet of glass between you is necessary to keep you alive. Instead Love and Bowen tried out a hammer that would give them a feel for whether a battery-powered version might be more useful

They also tested a version of the spacesuit that  could be worn on an asteroid. Orion astronauts already needed a launch and entry suit to protect them during the most difficult  phases of their flights. Rather than add to the weight,  Orion has to carry into orbit and take up additional space inside the crew module. Engineers have been working to turn the Advanced Crew Escape Suit  (Aces) into something more usuable for spacewalks.

NASA is already working to identify an asteroid that could be reached by a robotic mission to capture  bring it into a stable orbit around the moon. Once it’s there, the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket will launch a crew of astronauts to explore the asteroid and gather samples. The strategy makes good use of capabilities NASA already has, while also advancing a number of technologies needed for longer-term plans including another mission to Mars.

My reaction to this was that I am glad that NASA is sttarting to find new missions in the galaxy to carry out. I hope that their mission will be successful and that they find a good sample on the asteroid. I chose this article because I wanted to learn about up coming space missions.

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                                                              Cloning 



                              Clones

Hey everybody the bestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about clones and animals that have been cloned. Clones are organisms that share the exact same genetic material. A clone would look exactly like you but depending on its environment it would pick up a different personality and actions.

Animals that have been cloned include sheep, buffalo, monkeys, African Wildcats, carp, mice cows, and many more.

One of the most famous clones is Dolly the Sheep. Dolly was made from a single piece of DNA but three female sheep helped make her. Dolly was made when scientists took one egg cell and extracted the nucleus from that cell. Then they proceeded to take a cell sample from the udder of a second sheep. Using tiny needles they injected the DNA from the first sheep into the egg cell of the second sheep. Finally this new egg cell is put into the uterus of the third sheep.


Dolly died at the age of six which is very young for a sheep. She also developed Arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints.

Cloning will also bring the possibility of cloning extinct animals like saber-tooth tigers.

Many people have different views on cloning. The goods effects of cloning include being able to give people that can't have children be able to have some and people can make their babies look the way they want to. The bad effects are that people think others are acting like god playing with the human race. Many people also think this is un-ethical.

Links
brainpop video on Dolly the sheep
For more cloned animals
clone gif
naruto cloning gif
Dolly the sheep pic
pic of athritis

                                              Genetic Mutations


    Hello everyone thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about genes and genetic mutation. Genes are strands of material inside of DNA that control daily body functions.They are important because they determine what physical traits you inherit from your parents.

    Genetic mutations are a permanent change to a cell's RNA or DNA. When a mutation happens they are corrected by DNA repair. The DNA repair does this so the changes don't become permanent.

    When mutations become permanent they affect your health health in a bad way. Three examples where mutations infect your health are Sickle Cell Anemia, Cancer, and, Tay-Sachs Disease. Sickle Cell Anemia is a blood disease caused by a mutation in a protein-encoding cell. Cancer is caused when cells grow way to fast.

    Occasionaly a genetic mutation can be beneficial. When this happens scientists think that this is a force of evolution. An example is when a bird gets a longer beak to catch worms.

    Mutations can be caused during cell division when ther is an error in the copying of genetic material. Mutations can also be caused by exposure to harmful  chemicals or radiation.

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bird evolution pic
cancer cell
sickle cell anemia pic

                                            

Hello boys and girls the bestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about RNA.RNA stands for  Ribonucleic Nucleic Acid. It is different from DNA because it looks like a swirling ladder that was cut in half instead of a full ladder.

The imporatant thing about RNA is that it takes messages from DNA to tell to your body's cells.

RNA is also different than DNA because it has one different base. Instead of Adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine RNA has Adenine, guanine, uracil, and cytosine.The Adenin Guanine still pairs up with cytosine but now the Adenine pairs up with the Uracil.

First the mRNA takes the message from the DNA and conveys it to the tRNA. The mRNA basically acts as a messenger for the DNA. Then the tRNA translates the code and prepares it for the rRNA. The tRNA's only job is to translate the message from the mRNA and  give it to the rRNA. Lastly the rRNA uses the message to give to the ribosomes.

The ribosomes are an organelle inside side the cell in charge of making the proteins of the cell.

All living things have RNA and without their cells coudn't read instructions from their DNA. RNA is ancient and has been here since the beggining of the world


Links

bases gif

DNA

                      

Hello everbody its thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about DNA. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is important because it determines your eye color, the sizes of your ears, or whether or not you will develope a certain disease.

DNA looks like a twisting and turning ladder. The rungs of the ladder are made up of hydrogen bases. The bases are Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine,and Adenine. The bases can only pair up with specific other bases. The Adenine can only pair with the Thymine and the Guanine can only pair with the Cytosine. The sides of the ladder are made of phosphates and sugar.

James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin were all great contributor in DNA. They figured out that DNA looks like a double helix on a x-ray.

When DNA is being copied it splits directly down the middle. New halves on the inner side form. After that they connect with the old pieces of DNA and form two new pieces of DNA.

DNA is also used at crime scenes to figure out who committed crimes. They do  this because no two people have the same DNA except for identical twins.














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DNA gif
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Pic Finger print
Pic of Body on Ground

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                           Mitosis                                        



Hey guys the bestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about Mitosis and cell division. Mitosis is important because it helps your body grow and it replaces old cells with new ones.

Mitosis is the process in which the nucleus divides to form two identical nuclei. Mitosis is in relation to cell division because it is one of the two ways cell divide. The other is miosis.

Before the stages of mitosis begins the genetic material in the nucleus of the cell copies its self. This makes it so that each daughter cell gets the same genetic material as its parent cell.

The first step of mitosis is called interphase. The cell is preparing for mitosis by replicating each chromose in the nucleus. The two copies are called chromotids.

The second phase is called prophase. The genetic material in the cell shortens and thickens. Then little things called centriols spread to oppisite ends of the cell and thread like spindle fibers begin to stretch across the cell.

Third comes the Metaphase. During metaphase the two copies of each chromosome line up in the center of the cell. The chromosomes r then attached to the spindle fibers.

The fourth phase is anaphase. During anaphase the complete sets of chromoses are pulled to oppiste ends of the cell and a new nuclear membrane forms around each set of sister chromosomes.

We finally made it to the last stage of mitosis, the telophase. In telophase the chromosomes begin to unfurl and the cytoplasm grabs the center of the cell. The membrane closes in on each divinding the original cell in half. The very final stage of cell division is when the cytoplasm divides. This is called cytokinesis.

                                                                        Links

second mitosis gif

first mitosis gif

telophase pic

anaphase pic

metaphase pic

prophase pic

interphase pic

for more information on mitosis

Scientists Discover Flying Snakes


Hey guys thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about a spectacular discovery made by scientists.

Reptiles that are able to "fly" are usually called flying snakes and are located in SouthEast Asia. The five flying snake species belong to the Chrysopelea genus.

The snake has a body that looks like it can't fly but it transforms its body to do so.When the flying snake jumps, it flattens itself from head to toe by making its  rib cage smaller . This causes the body to double in width and forms a cross-sectional shape body that is circular in form.

Scientists put this transformation to the test by a similiar copy of it. They found out that the snake simulates the flying forces of a planes wings. Researchers believe that between air forces and the transformation the snake would be able to fly.

My reaction to this is awe. I think that it is really cool that reptiles can fly.

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For more on my article
snake gif

                              Viruses!!!



Hey guys thebestscienceblog12 here and today I will be talking about viruses. Viruses are the things that cause life threating diseases.

A virus is made up of a strand of DNA or RNA, surrounded by a protein coating called a capsid. Sometimes the capsid is surrounded by a fatty membrane used to protect it. The main purpose of a virus is to make you sick and infect you. They infect you by multiplying in you body.

For a virus to multiply it must first enter the body through wind, inhaling or touching your face. Once there it must get past you bodies defences including mucus in your nose. Once they get into your body they enter the blood stream and travel to find a host cell for it to multiply in( shown to the right). 

Once it finds a host cell it attaches itself to the cell and injects it with its own genetic information.  When it gets inside the cell the virus's DNA or RNA uses the cells machinery to make copies of its self. When there are too many viruses in the cell the cell explodes and lets all the new viruses out.


Virus's can be either active or latent. When they are active it causes the host cell to make new viruses. This process destroys the host cell.

Latent viruses are viruses that enter a cell and  makes its hereditary material become part of the cells hereditary material. It does not immediatly make new viruses. As the host cell reproduces the viral DNA is copied. After some time something like certain time and conditions can activate the virus. A cold sore on your lip is an example of a latent virus.

Three types of viral diseases are Smallpox, Warts, and the Flu.

Smallpox is a disease caused by the Variola major virus. Many scientists say that over the centuries it has caused more deaths than all other infectious diseases combined. Symptoms include high fever, backache, and fatigue.

Warts are growths on you skin caused by an infection with humanpapilloma virus or HIV. Common Warts  usually appear on your fingers.

The Flu is a respiratory infection caused by a number of viruses. The viruses pass through the air blowing around in the air and can get into your body by your nose or mouth. Symptoms of the Flu include fever, cough, and sore throat.

We wouldn't have the means to cure diseases like smallpox if it weren't for Edward Jenner. Edward was born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire on May 17, 174. He tested his famous experiment on an eight year old boy to prove that once you contract a disease you cant get the same disease again. His ideas were laughed at and considered ridiculous  until he came back with undisputable proof that it was true. Edward came up with the first vaccine used to cure diseases.

A vaccine is something used to combat viruses. Vaccines use weakened forms of the virus to help your body become immune to it.


                                         Fun Facts

• The name virus comes from the Latin word meaning slimy liquid or poison.

• Walter Reed discovered the first human virus, yellow fever virus, in 1901.

• Viruses are not alive

                                           Links

• For more fun facts on viruses
• For more on Edward Jenner
• For more about viral diseases
• Pic of Edward Jenner
• Pic of smallpox virus
• Pic of Warts virus
• Pic of Flu virus
• Virus entering cell gif