Jellyfish

I was not able to find a specific latin name for Jellyfish because there are so many different types, but one that came up often was Medusozoa. Jellyfish are in the family phylum Cnidaria. They are free swimming and found at both the top and the bottom of the ocean. Jellyfish are not vertebrates nor do they truly belong to the fish family, hence the name “jellyfish.” A group of jellyfish can be called a bloom or a smack, and you do not want to run into one! Their sting is very painful, and I can vouch for that. Jellyfish do not have a central nervous system or a respiratory system but instead has a loose group of nerves called a nerve net. The appearance of jellyfish increases with temperature and sunshine, so they tend to be a seasonal creature. And that sums it up for now. Sidenote: If you are ever surfing in San Diego, do NOT take off your wet suit at any cost! Jellyfish inflict a lot of pain if you get in their way.

Antibiotics & Animals in Factory Farms

I think the use of antibiotics in animal factory farms should definitely be regulated. It is bad enough that we resort to antibiotics so often as an easy and quick fix, and if were are going to use that as a solution, we better make sure it’s done properly. If the usage of these drugs are not being overlooked, it puts the people consuming these products at a great risk for illness. I do not exactly agree with using the antibiotics in the first place, but us Americans are all about supply and demand! Whatever makes the cow grow faster and stronger I suppose! I think it is wrong, and I think we will see the consequences of it sooner than later if we don’t starting putting some regulations on it’s usage. 

Thermodynamics

It would be nice if it were only as simple as “let’s recycle our energy.” However, it is more complicated than that. While they say that energy can not be destroyed, it can not actually be created either. Rather, it can be altered from one form to another, and therefore, yes recycled, but only in a few ways. In regards to thermodynamics, it is possible to recapture energy after is has been used, considering  that “energy can be exchanged between physical systems as heat or work.” Mechanical energy is another way to recycle energy by converting the energy from a mechanical system to electrical. Lastly, you can recapture energy from the expansion of gas and use it else, essentially, re-directing or altering the form of energy from one purpose or usage to another. Still, all of these ways of “recycling” energy are not extremely efficient, and it does take work. The energy crisis is of concern, but there also many ways to conserve energy, as well as other options to produce it. It is important to utilize any natural forms of energy such as wind and solar in order to avoid a lack of efficiency in energy usage. That is in my opinion anyway.

Food Rules

Michael Pollan's book, "Food Rules"is extremely intriguing to me. I have recently really started to pay attention to what I am eating and I have begun keeping track of my daily eating habits and counting my calories. I am realizing that this is not exactly beneficial by any means, because even if I am eating less and in smaller portions, what truly matters is what you put into your body. I am currently attempting to get back into shape and I am noticing that it is very difficult to choose and decide what foods to eat. Perhaps the main issue today is not that there is too much junk food available, but that people do not have enough knowledge on what to eat and where to obtain these healthier foods. It is difficult for me to plan full well rounded meals when I am always on the go, and I can see why so many people resort to the foods that are the most readily available to them. We live in a much faster paced society than our grandparents had, and we are expected to squeeze a lot into one tiny day. It makes sense that it is difficult for people to eat healthy. Not to mention, healthy food is typically more expensive, and people are always trying to find ways to save money; especially in this economy. Still it is scary to think about how many chemicals we are putting into our bodies because of all of the processed foods that surround us. In my cupboard, I took out a cereal/protein bar that I thought was a good thing to start eating as a snack before my workouts. After reading the labels, I was shocked at how many unnatural ingredients it is made up of. This makes me want to slow down and really figure out what my body needs in order to be healthy. Time to do some research! And I think I am going to buy that book.

Intro

Hi Bio 11 Class! I finally got my blog working. Yay!