Forensic Chemistry- Podcast

This is a "radio station" that gives a brief description on forensic chemistry.

http://omegapride.podOmatic.com/player/web/2009-12-11T11_25_55-08_00

Ship Trails Seen From Space

On October 5th, a NASA satellite captured pictures of ship trails. Ships can leave tracks in the sky, a small bank of clouds. These banks look like condensation trails left behind by airplanes, but it is really ship exhaust. These clouds appear whiter than their surrounding clouds, for they contain smaller cloud droplets. You see, ship exhaust has more particles, and each particle can act as a nucleus for water vapor to condense around. The available water is divided up among the larger number of particles. Therefor, tracks of ships cause smaller and more abundant droplets.
I wonder whether these "clouds" will affect the environment. Are they remnants of pollution? Hmmm...
To read more, go to:
http://www.livescience.com/environment/091012-ship-exhaust.html

Extra Credit

"In Science, the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man whom the idea first occurred."


~Sir William Osler, Canadian Physician

There are many instances this quote brings to mind. For example, Isaac Newton and his idea of planetary motion. Edmund Halley paid Newton a legendary visit, and discussed planetary motion with Newton. Newton had to convince Halley of his theory, so he gave Halley a fresh set of calculations that he used to arrive at the discovery. This is only one instance of many. The straight forward meaning of this quote is that, in science, a person must convince one of an idea, and they will receive the credit, even though they didn't discover it. If the scientist whom the idea first occurred to isn't them, then the scientist who did discover the fact didn't convince the world. Therefore, in science, the credit goes to the man who who convinces the world, not to the man whom the idea first occurred.

Hyenas Hard-Wired for Cooperation

Hyenas may not be as smart as chimps, but they are better at cooperating. Captive pairs of spotted hyenas were lead into a pen and presented a challenge of tugging ropes in unison to receive food and treats.

There were two platforms that had a rope suspended from each, about ten feet apart. When the hyenas tugged down hard on the ropes in synchronization, a trap door opened, spilling food and treats as a reward.

The hyenas learned the steps quickly and without training, whereas chimps would have needed extensive training. The first pair walked into the pen and figured out how to get food in less than two minutes. The animals showed that they understood that they needed a partner. Many times, the challenge was solved in silence. The time in which they figured out how to get food depended on the hyenas. If there was an audience of hyenas watching, the challenge was solved faster. If the animals in the pair were both dominant, then they would perform poorly. When a dominant hyena was partnered with a naive one, they would switch social roles. After the inexperienced animal became experienced, the carnivores switched back. Surprisingly, the hyenas were strongly inclined to help each other. They are more hard-wired social cooperation than primates. Studies found that carnivores, including dogs, are better at cooperative tasks than primates.

Many people would focus more on the abilities of primates, but I feel that studies should be directed towards the ability for all of the animals. To read more about this article, go to : http://www.livescience.com/animals/090928-hyenas-social-tasks.html

Current Events- Hurricanes Spawning More U.S. Tornadoes

Recently, more tornadoes have been sighted hundreds of miles inland from places where hurricanes have just hit. Meteorologists have been wondering what the cause of these tornadoes are, and they have just reached a discovery that was known some years ago. Oddly enough, these deadly funnel-like winds are caused by hurricanes that arrive through the Gulf of Mexico and hit land. The tornadoes seem to be spinning off the hurricanes, and can last for up to two days- while doing so, traveling hundreds of miles inland from the area that the tropical storm hit. However shocking this may be, meteorologists have known that tornadoes may form in the vicinity of a hurricane that just struck.

Now, with some observations from the NEXRAD Doppler Radar Network, a group of scientists from Georgia Tech have found a way to accurately tackle this hazard. The scientists developed a proportionate model that uses the four main factors of hurricane-created tornadoes to determine the cyclone activity in the area where the tropical storm hits. They tested their machine, and found that their model was quite accurate. For example, when Hurricane Ike collided with Galveston, Texas, their model predicted the exact number of tornadoes that sprouted: 33. Now, as their machine proves to be flawless, the team plans to research how, not only intensity, but size of the hurricane impacts the damage experienced by residents.

My opinion on this article is that if the team is able to predict where and when the tornadoes will appear, and how devastating they will be, then the people living near the Gulf of Mexico will be able to either evacuate or be prepared for the deadly funnel-like winds. Also, the team of scientists will have helped people survive through these storms. Now I understand the reason why these twisters are showing up more often than usual.

To read more about this, go to:

http://www.livescience.com/environment/090916-more-tornadoes.html