The big thing that happened in class was the PCR lab. We were able to use PCR and electrophoresis to determine the presence of a gene sequence in the individuals in our lab station. The biggest struggle for me in this lab was trying to correctly prepare the solution to be injected into the gels. I must have messed up along the way somewhere because my band did not show up in the gel at all. If I were to do the lab again, I would try harder to take my time and to read the instructions clearly to hopefully result in a more successful end result. The coolest part of this lab is that we will be able to compare the class data to data found in different parts of the world, which is also something I am excited to see in the near future.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Weekly Reflection for February 27 - March 3 2017
The main focus for the past two weeks has been biotechnology with emphasis on PCR and electrophoresis. Starting out with the basic information, we looked at the three part biotechnology vodcast which covered tools and techniques, applications, and ethics of biotechnology. The set up of this vodcast made it easier for me to work with all the information because of the amount of content in the total vodcast as well as my busy schedule that probably wouldn't have allowed me to sit down and watch all forty-five minutes of vidcast in one sitting. In addition, we also looked at the next vodcast which talked about viruses.
The big thing that happened in class was the PCR lab. We were able to use PCR and electrophoresis to determine the presence of a gene sequence in the individuals in our lab station. The biggest struggle for me in this lab was trying to correctly prepare the solution to be injected into the gels. I must have messed up along the way somewhere because my band did not show up in the gel at all. If I were to do the lab again, I would try harder to take my time and to read the instructions clearly to hopefully result in a more successful end result. The coolest part of this lab is that we will be able to compare the class data to data found in different parts of the world, which is also something I am excited to see in the near future.
The big thing that happened in class was the PCR lab. We were able to use PCR and electrophoresis to determine the presence of a gene sequence in the individuals in our lab station. The biggest struggle for me in this lab was trying to correctly prepare the solution to be injected into the gels. I must have messed up along the way somewhere because my band did not show up in the gel at all. If I were to do the lab again, I would try harder to take my time and to read the instructions clearly to hopefully result in a more successful end result. The coolest part of this lab is that we will be able to compare the class data to data found in different parts of the world, which is also something I am excited to see in the near future.
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Weekly Reflection for Week of February 6, 2017
On Monday we discussed standard 4.2 and genetic mutations. I feel I grasped this concept pretty well in regard to the different kinds of mutations that can occur as well as what their overall impact will be in the genetic sequence. On Tuesday this standard was further elaborated on, which was beneficial in furthering my understanding even more.
On Wednesday we began our Play Dough animation projects, where I get to work with the lovely Becca to bring out made up gene to life in all of its colorful, doughy glory. This is what the main focus was for the rest of the week, which was fun, although I find myself being lost in the processes sometimes. Many things are very similar with slight changes, and that's something that throws me off and something I plan to improve on. The stuff that especially tripped me up was the first three part Vodcast of this domain.
Doing the second three-part Vodcast on the side of this was interesting. I sat down and did the whole thing in one go (which I was very proud of) and it was something I found very interesting since technology has always been something I have been fascinated with. I look forward to collaborating with my peers on Monday (or maybe Tuesday *crosses fingers for snow*) to see if they share the same excitement, as well as to hear their ethical thoughts in regard to genetic testing and modification.
On Wednesday we began our Play Dough animation projects, where I get to work with the lovely Becca to bring out made up gene to life in all of its colorful, doughy glory. This is what the main focus was for the rest of the week, which was fun, although I find myself being lost in the processes sometimes. Many things are very similar with slight changes, and that's something that throws me off and something I plan to improve on. The stuff that especially tripped me up was the first three part Vodcast of this domain.
Doing the second three-part Vodcast on the side of this was interesting. I sat down and did the whole thing in one go (which I was very proud of) and it was something I found very interesting since technology has always been something I have been fascinated with. I look forward to collaborating with my peers on Monday (or maybe Tuesday *crosses fingers for snow*) to see if they share the same excitement, as well as to hear their ethical thoughts in regard to genetic testing and modification.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Weekly Reflection for Week of January 30, 2017
The first day of this week started out with our big ol' midterm exam. Though I felt pretty confident whilst taking the exam, my grade just kind of looked at me and said "ha, I beg to differ". On the bright side, I got higher than a fifty, so my "grade" was pretty okay. On the not so bright side, I've been far too busy recently to actually look at what I did wrong, which I need to be better at for exams in the future.
Tuesday kicked Domain Four into gear with standard 4.1. The packet done on the experiments of Mesleson and Stahl made sense to me. Light things should indeed be higher up than heavier things. I also thought that disruptive replication (I think that's what the name was at least) was a really funny hypothesis to have on DNA replication. However, I guess back then they didn't really know better.
Wednesday brought the J-man himself, Jeff M into our lives. Though many were very harsh on the poor guy, when Nina, Gridley, and I accused him of being a delusional man with little sense of who he truly is, we tried to do it in the most polite way possible.
Thursday brought talk of replication, which is a personal favorite. I think coding RNA to proteins is super fun just because I like looking at charts and feeling like I'm doing big fun puzzles. This day also wrapped up the Official Roast of Jeff M.
With Friday came talk of replication, another thing I feel like I'm pretty solid on. However, one thing from Friday that I wish I could've done better was to write my homework down correctly so I'd remember to do this journal entry on time. But so it goes. There's always next week.
Tuesday kicked Domain Four into gear with standard 4.1. The packet done on the experiments of Mesleson and Stahl made sense to me. Light things should indeed be higher up than heavier things. I also thought that disruptive replication (I think that's what the name was at least) was a really funny hypothesis to have on DNA replication. However, I guess back then they didn't really know better.
Wednesday brought the J-man himself, Jeff M into our lives. Though many were very harsh on the poor guy, when Nina, Gridley, and I accused him of being a delusional man with little sense of who he truly is, we tried to do it in the most polite way possible.
Thursday brought talk of replication, which is a personal favorite. I think coding RNA to proteins is super fun just because I like looking at charts and feeling like I'm doing big fun puzzles. This day also wrapped up the Official Roast of Jeff M.
With Friday came talk of replication, another thing I feel like I'm pretty solid on. However, one thing from Friday that I wish I could've done better was to write my homework down correctly so I'd remember to do this journal entry on time. But so it goes. There's always next week.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Misconception About Scientific Process
Taylor Bouchard
Misconception About Scientific Process
It is a well known fact that the human brain is split into two halves: the right side and the left side. The right side of the brain is known for being intuitive and working with pictures and creativity, while the left brain is more analytical, and focuses on words, numbers, and facts (“Left Brain Vs Right Brain”). A common misconception about the human brain is that these two hemispheres seldom work in harmony, but in fact, this is not the case. These two parts of the brain work together nearly every chance they get. For example, when one looks at a house, the left brain helps in picking out specific pieces (windows, doors, etc.) while the right brain assists in things like the building's contours and the overall appearance (@PsychToday). The same principal can relate both the scientific method and the creative process to one another. Though one may think that the two are polar opposites that do not attract, the creative process is more necessary in the scientific process than one may think.
The scientific method is a way of conducting an experiment in order to answer a specific question. One must come up with a question, which would be researched and tested in the experiment. A hypothesis would be created as well which would establish the predicted outcome of the experiment. After the experiment itself had been done, data would be collected to determine whether or not the hypothesis could be accepted ("Steps of the Scientific Method."). The same tends to apply for the creative process.
In the creative process, one will start with a hunch: a hypothetical idea for a piece. From there they would get the word out about their idea, as well as finding muses for their projects. This can be done in the form of going to art museums, theater shows, etc. The actual creation of the piece requires trial and error. One will find things that they love, and things that they hate, and they will accommodate that in the piece by taking the time to improve its flaws and emphasize its high points. Only then, after countless hours of hard work, will the project be complete (Popova, Maria).
As it can be seen by the amount of similarities in the two processes, the creative process is definitely required in the scientific method. The creative process assists in suggesting new ideas when something has backfired, helping select word choice in lab write ups, and helping to figure out what to do better next time to improve the experimental design. For example, if Johnny were to be adding salt to an enzyme to see how it affected the reaction rate, and the increments he was adding salt in did not vary the data in any way, he might try adding them in greater or lesser amounts to change his results and see how those compare. The creative mind is required for both experimental design and to determine what will be done if failure occurs.
Because of their many cross overs in steps, it is clear to see that science does indeed require creativity. Science itself would cease to exist if people weren’t coming up with ideas on what to test and how to test it. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. It is being emphasized now more than ever: if the results of an experiment were not expected, go back and try it again, after figuring out what was done wrong and how to fix it (@NewsFromScience). And even in scenarios where it is a student being handed a paper with exact instructions, they must creatively come up with writing pieces about it when they are done collecting data. From entire processes of experimental design, to determining how to design a poster board or what colors to make a graph, creativity is necessary in the processes of science.
Works Cited
"Left Brain Vs Right Brain." UCMAS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
@NewsfromScience. "If You Fail to Reproduce Another Scientist's Results, This Journal Wants
to Know." Science | AAAS. N.p., 04 Feb. 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
Popova, Maria. "The 10 Stages of the Creative Process." Brain Pickings. N.p., 28 Sept. 2015.
Web.
21 Dec. 2016.
@PsychToday. "Left Brain, Right Brain: Two Sides, Always Working Together." Psychology Today.
N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
"Steps of the Scientific Method." Science Buddies. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
Friday, August 26, 2016
EASH - #1 FINAL
My final two stories that I read over the week were firstly about the burkini ban happening in France, as well as a story about a cute autonomous octopus robot. (I finally figured out how to link things without posting the URL. I'm so smart.)
Whatever the dates were for the final weeks in August
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Leaf Me Alone
The article I read was the one discussing the new bionic leaves. These leaves are the brainchildren of a few wicked smart Harvard kids who decided having regular old leaves to photosynthesize just wasn't good enough. These bionic leaves can (if I'm understanding this correctly) burn the CO2 directly into fuel and also are ten times more efficient at photosynthesizing than actual leaves.
This article (obviously) reminded me of the photosynthesis unit we did in bio. And as interesting as I personally found the unit to be, it was also absolute hell in its purest form. There was always something or other that I would forget about or I would leave a small detail out. I can honestly say is was the hardest out of all the units for me and at that time the decency of my grade was living on a prayer.
I do have a few questions though. Does the bionic leaf look like an actual leaf? In the article. pictures of the leaf aren't actually featured. Will we start seeing these in places like busy cities soon? If we start implementing these new "leaves", what kind of impact will it have on the world? All of these things are things I am genuinely curios about.
This article (obviously) reminded me of the photosynthesis unit we did in bio. And as interesting as I personally found the unit to be, it was also absolute hell in its purest form. There was always something or other that I would forget about or I would leave a small detail out. I can honestly say is was the hardest out of all the units for me and at that time the decency of my grade was living on a prayer.
I do have a few questions though. Does the bionic leaf look like an actual leaf? In the article. pictures of the leaf aren't actually featured. Will we start seeing these in places like busy cities soon? If we start implementing these new "leaves", what kind of impact will it have on the world? All of these things are things I am genuinely curios about.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
EASH - #1 (5 + 6/10)
Last week I followed lots of articles on the RNC, just because I find it interesting. And my favorite part of the whole thing was when Ted Cruz didn't endorse Donald Trump.
http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/ted-cruz-has-something-important-to-say-to-the-american-1784010435
And this week I was especially fascinated by the Korryn Gaines police standoff, where a black woman was shot and killed in her home for threatening police. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/korryn-gaines-five-year-old-son-shot-dead-killed-randallstown-baltimore-police-during-arrest-traffic-a7167651.html
Weeks of July 26 and August 2, 2016
http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/ted-cruz-has-something-important-to-say-to-the-american-1784010435
And this week I was especially fascinated by the Korryn Gaines police standoff, where a black woman was shot and killed in her home for threatening police. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/korryn-gaines-five-year-old-son-shot-dead-killed-randallstown-baltimore-police-during-arrest-traffic-a7167651.html
Weeks of July 26 and August 2, 2016
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