Frosh Issue 2013 - Volume 4 Issue 1

Volume 4 — Issue 1

The SSC’s Official Science Newspaper

thecurrent@westernssc.ca

THE SCIENCE STUDENTS’ COUNCIL

Get out of my dreams and into my science students’ council

A message from your president Meghan Bhatia SSC President

As President of the Science Students’ Council, I would like to welcome you to the Faculty of Science at Western University.The Science Students’ Council is here for YOU.

Do YOU want to know where to go when you need extra help on that final project? Do YOU need to know good places to interview for positions? Are YOU completely chill with school and want to contribute to the overall excellence and supremacy of your department, campus and entire university? Well, I’m glad to hear that. We should talk.

The SSC can do a lot for you. Whether your passion is academics, your community, or your career, we’re here to serve. But there will be those times when things simply do not go the way you expected. Bad marks happen. Studying gets irritating.

You missed that really important lecture that no one has the notes for. Whatever, stuff happens.

Keep your chin up. Life isn’t easy, and it’s not going to get any easier feeling sorry for yourself. The best thing to do is remember why you’re here, what all your

hard work is for and that, when all is said and done, you will be a better, stronger, and more confident person in the end. A complete stranger once told me, “if it ain’t tough, it ain’t worth doing.” I challenge any of you to tell me he’s wrong.

And if you find that one trivia club, that one intramural basketball team, that unexpectedly thought-provoking feminist theory minor that just clicks with you, go for it with everything you’ve got! Show your teammates why they need you on their team! Prove to yourself that you’re capable of doing something you never thought possible! Don’t roll with the punches; throw them!

I know the next few years look daunting, and it’s not terrible to feel anxious.

Let me assure you, 99% of the people you walked by to get to your first class feel the same way. Just as a few trickles of water and streams came together to carve out the Grand Canyon, each new friend you make, every club and event you attend, and the small and big lessons your professors impart shall all come together to make an amazing university experience you’ll remember when you move on to bigger and better things.

Enjoy it while you can before it’s just a memory!

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The best thing to do is remember why you’re here.

MEGHAN BHATIA SSC President 2013-2014

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STUDENT SUCCESS

Succeed in Western Science with four simple tips Tips to keep you on top Caitlin Martin Newnham Editor-in-Chief

I’m not going to say welcome to Western, I’m going to say: you’re home. I have splendored and suffered in the respective ups and downs of studying science at Western for four years, and I have some advice for you: 1. Do not let the ‘Welcome to Western’ greetings fool you into thinking that you are a guest. This is your home now. You may have the opportunity to visit where you came from frequently – or not at all – but when it comes down to it, you will be sleeping, eating, breathing, studying, and

relaxing at Western for the next four years. When you are stressed about that biology exam, you need friends to turn to and study with. When you are confused about what career path you want to continue on, Student Development Centre is there for you.

This leads me to my next point; get to know your resources.

2. If you know where to go for help you’re already improving your chance of success. There are services for everything… and I mean everything. If you need help with academics, emotions, nutrition, health, internships, etc. do not hesitate to ask your soph or an academic councilor for directions to the best resource.

3. Get involved. Get involved, get involved, and get involved. I cannot

say this enough. Getting involved in clubs, sports, sophing, newspapers, etc. that interest you force you to get outside the stresses of schoolwork.

Also, you’ll meet new friends with similar interests – some of whom will inevitably become your friends for life. Friends are important to keep you balanced, to pull you away for a break from work, and to listen when you need to vent.

4. Physical activity is a must. I am by no means an athletic person, but I do make sure to keep myself moving.

Even if it’s just biking to the grocery store instead of taking a car, or taking three flights of stairs instead of the elevator. Exercise increases the amount of endorphins in your body, and, therefore, increases your mo-

tivation and improves your mood.

You’ll want both of these things in your first year – trust me.

With all of the above being said, the two most important goals are: 1. Stay on top of your work, and 2. Be happy. I can’t tell you what makes you happy, but strive for happiness daily – even treating yourself to that vanilla bean Frappuccino will do!

Look at all the people who haven’t contributed yet!

Email thecurrent@westernssc.ca to contribute!

The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. Its contents do not reflect the opinion of the University Students’ Council of the University of Western Ontario (“USC”).

The USC assumes no responsibility or liability for any error, inaccuracy, omission or comment contained in this publication or for any use that may be made of such information by the reader.

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The Current— Frosh Issue 2013

LIFE NOT AS WE KNOW IT Our planet is home to many awe-inspiring organisms. If you’re fascinated with life on Earth, but don’t want to get out of your chair to explore the world, here is a glimpse of a few bizarre, exotic, or unconventional creatures your lazy eyes may not have seen otherwise.

THE NARWHAL

The Narwhal is more commonly known as the unicorn of the sea. Their distinctive feature is their spiral tusk that can grow up to 8.8 feet long for males. This ivory tusk, however, is one of two teeth found in the porpoise and grows through the upper lip of the Narwhal. Females have a shorter, less prominent tusk. Although rare, sometimes two tusks may be seen.

Besides being super awesome looking, what is the significance of this tusk? It seems to play a role in male dominance when fighting for a suitable female. Ongoing research by the Narwhal Tusk Research shows that the

tusk may also have sensory capabilities.

Not only are they prey to walruses and polar bears, but Narwhals are also hunted by the Inuit for their tusks and skin (called maktaq by Canadian Inuit), which is high in vitamin C. The tusks are carved and sold, while the skin is a source of food for the Inuit and their sled dogs. These majestic creatures, related to bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales and orcas, are found in the Arctic coastal waters and are often seen swimming in groups of 15-20, but sometimes even hundreds or thousands.

— Jameera Mohamed

THE MANTIS SHRIMP

The mantis shrimp is a fascinating marine crustacean that – unlike its name may suggest – is not a shrimp at all. One of the most impressive features of the mantis shrimp are its colour-receptive cones. Humans have three types of colour-receptive cones: green, blue and red. However, the mantis shrimp has colour-receptive cones for green, blue, red, and 13 colours that we can’t even see!

The mantis shrimp also has two terrifying predatory appendages jutting out from the front of its body. It extends these limbs forward at the same acceleration as a bullet being shot from a twenty-two-caliber

rifle. This force is so great that it boils the water around the mantis shrimp, then the boiling bubbles collapse and cause a shockwave so intense that it can kill surrounding prey without the mantis shrimp even needing to aim. Once the mantis shrimp has killed its prey, it proceeds to dismember and smash its food until the most delicious parts fall out.

Finally, what would a flamboyantly colourful murdering machine be without extremely tough armour that is currently being studied by the military for its resiliency?

—Caitlin Martin Newnham

Image Courtesy of life-sea.blogspot.ca

Image Courtesy of Klaus Stiefel

GENETICS

Resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth The furry project of de-extinction Jameera Mohamed Current Contributor

I remember spending my childhood days fantasizing about a real life “Jurassic Park”.

Imagine the opportunity of bringing dinosaurs back to life from extinction! Well scientists may have found the next best thing— resurrecting Mammoths! Stewart Brand, the co-founder and president of The Long Now Foundation and creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, has been working on a new project “Revive and Restore” that has the potential to do just this.

His new project has the possibility of de-extinction of species that have been extinct for up to 200,000 years. Any species older than this do not have viable DNA for recovery and, sadly, this includes dinosaurs.

However, eight remarkable species that have been tossed around that could possibly be returned from extinction include: Woolly Mammoths, Passenger Pigeons, Dodo Birds, Pyrenean Ibexs, Carolina Parakeets, Woolly Rhinoceroses, Moas, and Thylacines (Tasmanian Tigers).

To carry out this project and revive extinct species, the genome of the species must

be reconstructed with undamaged DNA. This has been a challenge, but once conquered the process can continue. In the case of the mammoth, the process will involve replacing the nuclei of elephant egg cells with nuclei of a mammoth’s marrow cells. These cells will then be used to produce embryos that will be implanted into an elephant’s womb for delivery, since the two species are closely related.

This fascinating possibility in science has brought along some controversy with it and, of course, some very good points from both opposing sides. Those who oppose the idea of de-extinction, including Stuart Pimm (Doris Duke Chair of Conservation Ecology at Duke University), state that de-extinction does not solve the core problems that we face. Pimm says conservation is about finding alternative solutions for sustentation of ecosystems but de-extinction won’t address the fundamental problems that cause destruction to our ecosystems. They also worry about the return of theses species to the wild, which is the ultimate outcome of this project. How and where are they going to re-introduce these species into the wild? Are they going to be introduced into their “native habitat”? But the land has changed vastly

Current Staff

Caitlin Martin Newnham — Editor-In-Chief

Your name could be in this box....it’s a pretty awesome box.

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over the years, so what is their “native habitat”? Another possibility is that de-extinction will cause a decrease in efforts to conserve endangered to species, instead people will just think “we’ll restore them later”. This can just lead to exploitation of species, those endangered and resurrected from extinction.

However, many people, including Stewart Brand, have proposed that by using de-

“

I’m baaaaack.

The genome of the species must be reconstructed with undamaged DNA.

”

extinction, we can help preserve biodiversity, restore ecosystems, replenish endangered species, undo the harm that humans have caused over the years and even prevent future extinction. Reviving extinct species can also help us advance our scientific knowledge in the process of extinction. It can assist scientists in understanding causes of extinction, such as determining if limited genetic variability was a factor, and how do they differ from their close relatives that have survived.

Image Courtesy of l Jackie Björnert

Most often, along with controversy, come morals and ethics. Many philosophical questions that have arisen with this project include: When is a mammoth a mammoth?

Is the genome the species? Is it “cheating death”? Or playing God?

While this project is surrounded by debate, you can’t deny the fact that it would be a very cool idea! It would definitely amaze me to go to a zoo a see a live woolly mammoth or a giant moa!

Current Contributors Ahmad Al-Askar, Meghan Bhatia, Jameera Mohamed, Demetri Pananos, Matt Renaud Make like an acid and contribute to our base: thecurrent@westernssc.ca

The Current— Frosh Issue 2013

OPINION

MEDICAL SCIENCE

Discover science you didn’t know existed

... bacteria, that is

Why math matters Demetri Pananos Current Contributor

Dear Freshman science students,

This is a letter from a fourth year science student telling you what you have to look forward to. This past summer I got a job with a professor researching how human sight works. If you have ever come into a building from a sunny winter day, you are more than familiar with my research. We are studying how you get your sight back after being snow blinded.

Now, here is a question for you readers; Can you guess my major? If you guessed biology, chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, or anything related to biology at all, you would be wrong! Would it surprise you to know that I am an applied math student? Applied math does not have the same meaning as it did in high school.

Usually, applied math is perceived as a less rigorous math -- perhaps for students who are not very proficient in mathematics. But in university, it means the exact opposite. I apply math to everything from physics to biology; from neuroscience to economics. In this case, I use mathematics to model the chemical reactions in the

ADVICE

human eye.

What I meant for this letter to demonstrate is the direction science is heading.

Biological questions are no longer solvable purely though biology. Now physicists, computer scientists, engineers, and mathematicians have their hand in solving important questions in biology. Furthermore, the biological fields in which physical and computational scientists are working are the fastest growing ones fields. Science is no longer compartmentalized into biology, chemistry, and physics. Now, scientists from all three fields, mathematicians and computer scientists, get together to solve each other’s questions. There is no longer just biology or computer science, now there is BIOINFORMATICS; no longer just biology or physics, now there is MEDICAL PHYSICS; no longer just biology or mathematics, now there is MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY (this is my field)!

Explore the physical sciences. There is intrisic value in learning them, but they may also give you deep insight into how to solve problems in your own field. And hey, who knows, you might just like them enough to commit your entire four years to one of them.

Poop kills

Ahmad Al-Askar Current Contributor

It may sound like toilet humour, but your feces could save someone’s life. More and more patients diagnosed with Clostridium difficile infections have been opting to undergo stool transplants, rather, than traditional antibiotic treatment.

Bacterial infections are typically treated using antibiotics. Antibiotics generally lack specificity due to the fact that they target functions carried out by the majority of bacteria, and not only those causing the infection. C. dificile is normally found in the human intestine, but in very small amounts that are kept in check by competing intestinal flora. C.dificile produces a toxin that causes life-threatening diarrhea, as well as agonizing pain. Generally, an individual on antibiotic medication will have their intestinal flora compromised due to the non-specific antibiotics, while C.dificile survives due to its antibiotic resistance.

The very delicate balance in the gut is disrupted, and C.dificile is allowed to colonize the intestine and outcompete the normal microorganisms.

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Patients who are treated for C.dificile infections with strong antibiotics usually don’t see improvements longer than a week, after which the symptoms return.

The new method of treatment aims to target the root of the problem by reintroducing a healthy balance of intestinal microorganisms. A stool sample from a healthy donor (usually a relative, but could also be non-relative) will be collected, diluted, and then introduced through a tube to the patient’s intestine. Once there, the normal flora can outcompete C.dificile and correct the imbalance. Patients at

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An individual on antibiotic medication will have their intestinal flora compromised.

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Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have been relieved of symptoms within two days of transplanting, and many more hospitals worldwide are starting to utilize this treatment method.

Rather than treat an infection caused by the same medication used to treat a previous infection, we have now started using our understanding of bacterial ecology to better treat diseases. With bacterial cells outnumbering human cells tento-one in the body, these interactions are not only vital to understanding how normal processes work, but how to fix them when they are abnormal.

Four sites to browse when you need a break

www.reddit.com This website is a fast way to find out what’s going on in the world and it has many sciencerelated ‘subreddits’!

www.stumbleupon.com With the click of a button you can be transported to corners of the internet you didn’t think existed. You can even ‘stumble’ by category!

www.ted.com This nonprofit organization provides the world with talks about every topic under the sun. Intelligent speakers inspire, educate and make you laugh.

www.youtube.com Most people have visited this videosharing site, but take some time to explore things other than the Biebs and Jenna Marbles. Search for inspiration and scientific discoveries!

ASTRONOMY

Space on ‘Roids

How afraid should we be of the space rocks hurling at the Earth?

Matt Renaud

Current Contributor For most people, the morning of February 15, 2013 was like any other. Except if you were from the Ural Mountains region of Russia, in which case you probably thought the world was ending.

Around 9:20 am local time, right in the middle of morning rush hour when many people were on their way to work, a meteor weighing around 10,000 tonnes entered the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk.

The meteor, which researchers say was the largest that Earth’s seen in a century, was travelling at a mind boggling speed of 30 kilometres per second (read that again, per second) and upon detonation gave off an energy blast of roughly 1.8 petajoules. To give you some perspective, that’s about the size of the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima… times 30.

If the 1200 individuals injured and $33 million USD in damages wasn’t enough to make people nervous about the potential dangers of extra-terrestrial objects, it didn’t help that the asteroid 2012 DA14 made the closest fly-by of Earth in recorded history shortly after with a proximity of 28000 km – closer than some orbiting satellites!

As many people know, this was not the first meteor to hit our planet, and it likely will not be the last. Most people associate meteors with the grand-daddy of all meteor impacts: the collision that wiped out the dinosaurs and created the 180 km wide Chicxulub crater in Mexico. While the Earth hasn’t seen a meteor strike of that magnitude since (thankfully), there have been incredibly powerful impacts that have occurred fairly recently, such as the Tunguska event in 1908 which uprooted 80 million trees over an area of 2150 km2 and released an estimated 63 petajoules of energy (or Hiroshima 1000x over).

Astronomers fully understand the power and deadly force of asteroids and meteors, and have taken steps to detect these extra-terrestrial objects. Scientists at NASA’s Near-Earth Object Program Office (NEOPO), a division devoted to tracking potential hazardous space debris, says meteor strikes such as the one on February 15 are relatively common place and it’s expected that “something like this happens every century”.

Astronomers at NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office (a sister division of NEOPO) have been studying the position and potential trajectories of asteroids and comets for years and have identified 4,700 they classify as “potentially hazardous, “ or at least large enough to enter our atmosphere and do damage. In addition, as telescopic and computational technology advance, they are discovering

more and more every day. In addition to identifying potential threats, scientists and physicists have also begun devising futuristic defense methods of avoiding collisions with dangerous near-earth objects, such using rocket engines to deflect an asteroids trajectory, and focusing solar energy to reduce their mass and size. If all else fails, we can always send Bruce Willis up there with a nuke to get the job done.

If all this discussion about asteroid impacts, chaos, and the end of the world has

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left you a little unsettled and nervous about humanity’s future, and our ability to deal with near-earth objects , take comfort in this quote from famed astronomer, physicist, speaker, and all around amazing individual Neil DeGrasseTyson: “If humans one day become extinct from a catastrophic collision, we would be the laughing stock of aliens in the galaxy, for having a large brain and a space program, yet we met the same fate as that pea-brained, space program-less dinosaurs that came before us.”

If all else fails, we can always send Bruce Willis up there with a nuke to get the job done.

” Image Courtesy of www.salon.com

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The Current—Frosh Issue 2013

Welcome to the

Comics Section

Where the rules are made up and being serious doesn’t matter.

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Image Courtesy of Cyanide and Happiness

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Across Down Across Down 1 The world's biggest source 1 The shape of a magnifying 1 The world's biggest source 1 glass The shape of energy for producing lens is _______ of a magnify electricity 2 Mercury haslens no _________ and of energy for producing glass is _______ 3 Fire requires ________ to therefore no wind burn scientific study of sound electricity 24 The Mercury has no _______ 6 Chambers of the heart that waves 3 Fire requires ________ to therefore no wind are not atriums 5 _______ dioxide is what you 7 Hot liquid rock under the breath out burn 4 The scientific study of surface of the Earth 8 The largest land-living 6 Chambers that waves 9 heart Sharks have no ________ mammal in the world HOW SOLIDS BECOME GASES of the She studied chimpanzees 13 ______ carries oxygen are not atriums10 5 _______ dioxide is what 11 He worked on the quantum throughout your body via 7 Hot liquid rock under the breath out theory of atomic motion in hemoglobin solids 15 Energy from the sun They do the harlem sublimation.surface of the Earth 8 The largest land-living 12 Antibiotics fight bacteria, originates from the fusion of not ______ hydrogen nuclei into 9 Sharks have no ________ mammal in the world 14 The world's largest desert 10 She studied chimpanzees 13 _________ ______ carries oxygen 16 One of the first video games 11 He worked on the quantum throughout your body v 17 The second longest river in theory of atomic motion in hemoglobin the world 18 Bacterium are ____cellular solids 15 Energy from the sun 12 Antibiotics fight bacteria, originates from the fus not ______ hydrogen nuclei into Shake up The Current -- but don’t stir -- by 14 The world's largest desert _________ contributing articles, graphics and comics...

16 One of the first video games 17 The second longest river in James Bond would. the world 18 Bacterium are ____cellular Send an email to: Image Courtesy of dmatthuse

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