Making Biodiesel/ Bioethanol Lab

Alternative energy sources have gained a lot of attention over the past few years.  Biodiesel and Bioethanol are two of the most heard of alternative sources, but what are some more obscure sources?


Solar Power: Energy from the sun
Advantages: The energy is free.  You can get it most everywhere on the planet.  Maintenance of the system is very low maintenance. 


Disadvantages: Not available at night or when there are clouds out.  Expensive.  In order for it to be effective, you need to live in a very sunny place. 

Tidal Power: Power from the crashing waves at the ocean shore.


Advantages: Very predictable patters. The energy source will not run out for an estimated 2 billion years. Free and non-poluting energy source. Maintenance of plant is very low. 


Disadvantages: The barge that is placed in the ocean can cause increased sediment accumulation, decreased salinity and reduced volume.  The fish population will experience an increased mortality rate.  The power stations can only generate power during specific times during the day.  The startup cost of the energy plant is high. 

Mitochondrial Eve

Mitochondrial Eve is generally thought of as the Mother of all humans.  She is believed to have lived about 200,000 years in East Africa.  Mitochondrial Eve is believed to be the mother of al humans because Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to child. If everyone traced their lineage back through their maternal lineage, it is believed that everyone would converge to Mitochondrial Eve.

Over the years, mutations in DNA have caused the differences in appearances around the world.

Japanese Woman

Chilean Woman

French Woman

Gabonese Woman

Native American Woman

Darwin's Dilemma

The documentary Darwin's Dilemma explores one of the biggest kink's in Darwin's theory of evolution: the Cambrian Explosion." The Cambrian Explosion was when a bunch of new kinds of animals appeared in less than 10 million years, which is relatively minuscule in comparison to the rest of evolutionary history.  The fossils that were found provide one of scientist's greatest conundrums.  

The fossils showed the single celled Precambrian phyla abruptly turned into soft bodied multi celled organisms.  The animals were no longer microscopic, but instead were relatively large multi celled complex organisms.  




The Burgess Shale that was found in British Columbia, Canada and in
Chengjiang, China have puzzled ever since their discovery.  The 
Cambrian Explosion which occurred over 500 million years ago were recorded in the fossils of the Burgess Shale. 

Macon Dog Park

Dog parks have both a positive aspect and a negative aspect to them.  The Macon dog park is no different.  A good aspect is that they bring people together.  There are a lot of people who love dogs and dog parks provide a central location for people to meet other people who love dogs as well.  Also, they provide a place for dogs to be let off their leashes and run around with other dogs.  This provides for more freedom for the dogs and allows for dogs to get a lot of energy out.  Also, it provides more interactions between dogs and between dogs and strangers.  The interaction provides for a more well behaved dog.

There are also many down sides to dog parks.  For one, the possibility for dog fights increases with the number of dogs present.  Also, the possibility for dogs attacking and hurting humans is greater at dog parks over most other places. Dog parks are also a great place for bacteria and parasites to thrive and spread between dogs.

Over all, dog parks have their ups and downs, but they are a central part of social life in many communities.

Amphioxus

Amphioxus provides an important link towards the history of vertebrates.  Also known as Lancelets, Amphioxus are strange little critters.  They live in the surf of the warmer oceans.  They grow to about two inches long and have a somewhat underdeveloped but defined tail and also lack fins or limbs. Their translucent bodies allows for people to see inside them.  They have no skeleton in the true sense, however they do have some cartilage like material in the gills.

Similar to vertebrates, amphioxus have a hollow spinal like chord of nerves running up and down its back.  Although they split from vertebrates over 250 million years ago, they provide a lot of information about evolution.

Lakes

Personally, I have never been to a lake. I have heard about lake Hartwell near Clemson, South Carolina.  I know about this lake because when I go to Clemson to visit my cousin, I have seen signs for the lake.  From what I can tell, it is a lake the borders South Carolina and Georgia, that is fed from the Savannah, Seneca, and Tugaloo rivers and it runs out into the Savannah River going south towards the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a popular fishing and recreational spot for many including the Clemson student body, families on hot summer days, and the avid fisherman.  Striped Bass, Bream, and Catfish are common species of fish that will be found in the lake. Along with fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and sun bathing are also popular activities for the lake.

Hitchiti Experimental Forest

In the Hitchiti Experimental Forest, we learned about different plants and a few of the different practices that make the forest "experimental."

Wild ginger is a ground plant that gets it name from its ginger like bitter citrus taste.

Sassafras is a unique type of tree.  There are male and female trees. There are three different types of leaves: oval, tri-pronged and five pronged. 

The forest also does experiments on the effects of fire on forests.  They do experimental burns to see results and to measure regrowth.  

Here is a picture of me hugging a tree.