The Impact of Ancient DNA Discovered in Siberia Essay -- Exploratory E

The Impact of Ancient DNA Discovered in Siberia For many decades, there has been an overwhelming curiosity about what life was like before humans ruled the earth - back when life on land, off land, and even the very land itself was very different than it is today. Pieces of this puzzle have been discovered all over the world, ranging from perfectly preserved skeletons at the bottom of bodies of water to fragments discovered in vast deserts. Due to the conditions of the ancient finds, there is only so much that can be deciphered about the past, which leads to the creations of various theories of what life was like in different areas and why and when it changed. However, in at least one stretch of land, there is a lot that can be told thanks to one of the best finds in recent history: some of the oldest DNA ever recovered. This amazing find was first reported in April of 2003, when it was told that animal and plant DNA was found in the permafrost of northeastern Siberia (Thomas 2003). The permafrost was located between the Lena and Kolyma rivers of former western Beringia and was drilled out under scrupulous conditions – using extreme care not to let any of the precious samples become contaminated. In fact, strains of specialized bacteria were used to ward off any possible contamination (Willerslev 2003). The event was led by Eske Willerslev of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark (Thomas 2003), who’s international team looked towards drilling for sediment deposits in the layered ice when other areas containing possible ancient DNA samples provided only rare samples that were highly susceptible to extraction and examination difficulties (Willerslev 2003). Fortunately, luck was with the international t... ...nd, oddly enough, the frozen digestive remains of prehistoric animals, important questions have been answered and fierce debates have been settled. This just goes to show that you never know where the next big ancient discovery is going to come from and gives hope for others to keep searching. Works Cited Thomas, Abbie. â€Å"Ancient Dung Reveals a Picture of the Past.† News in Science 18 April 2003. 24 March 2004 . Willerslev, Eske, Anders J. Hansen, Jonas Binladen, Tina B. Brand, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Beth Shapiro, Michael Bunce, Carsten Wiuf, David A. Gilichinsky, and Alan Cooper. â€Å"Diverse Plant and Animal Genetic Records from Holocene and Pleistocene Sediments.† Science Magazine 17 April 2003. 25 March 2004 .

Freedom Writer S Film Review Essay

The film, Freedom Writers, directed by Richard LaGravenese captured the lives of underrepresented and at risk students whom lived in Long Beach, California, that were born into gang life and didn’t see their lives past than age eighteen. Erin Gruwell was a passionate young teacher keen on social change. Wanting to make a difference, she decided to teach at the newly voluntarily integrated Woodrow Wilson High School. The movie’s portrayal of stereotypes was emphasized through its technical aspects, the recurring themes of segregation and racial profiling, and the characterizations of individuals, while at the same time, the humor in the film was able to keep it lighthearted and enjoyable for the audience. The main theme of the movie â€Å"Freedom Writers† was about the prevalence of racism in public school and breaking away from the stereotypes. In the beginning of the movie, the students that were in Mrs. Gruwell’s class were clearly segregated from each other and isolated themselves into cliques. Gang wars were a part of their daily lives. The wars stemmed from older generations teaching and portraying that violence and hatred was normal. Growing up, the kids were raised to hate and fight anyone, even in school, that was a different race from them. While the other teachers had given up on these students, Mrs. Gruwell saw their true potential. Her classroom became a place where students could feel physically and emotionally safe. This film’s social relevance pertains to today. Although as a society we have improved, racial tension and gang violence still exist in public schools, but it’s important to recognize that those students are not hopeless causes. They may be considered the outsiders, but their backgrounds make them strong enough to overcome the stereotypes that have been placed on them, obtain an education, and invite change into their communities. The value of this film was teachers shouldn’t judge, or give up, on students no matter their background. Teachers need to see that these students just need a chance to show that they are capable. With the 1992 Rodney King Riots of Los Angeles in the not-so-far past, the plot of Freedom Writers became very realistic. The racial tension in the Los Angeles area had reached an all time high. This racial tension carried over into Mrs. Gruwell’s classroom. The Blacks, Latinos, and the Cambodians had all segregated. It wasn’t hard to realize that could have very well have been what many high schools in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area looked like after the 1992 riots. The way Mrs. Gruwell brought the students together did not seem realistic. When you’ve been in rival gangs for the majority of your lives, it seems like it would have been hard to be brought together over a few journal entries and a trip to the Museum of Tolerance. However, we did not grow up in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area during that time period, so we’ve no idea what the situation was like for those kids. Overall, the film was well assembled and the plot was convincing and believable. Freedom Writers had a mission. Nothing about the film was subliminal, and the characterizations were blatant. They could have helped or hurt the film’s message. The characterizations were warring factions with a mutually bred hatred for each other. The primary metaphor was war between the ghetto, little Tijuana, little Cambodia, and white people. Everyone fought for their own people, but never their own identity as they were willing to throw their lives away to be â€Å"respected†. The stereotypes of each ethnicity defined the characters at first, but as the story progressed, their characterizations became more unique and tragic. Both society and the teachers looked down upon these kids, never expecting them to go anywhere in life. The stereotypes placed upon the youths of Long Beach brings empathy from the audience because they can somewhat compare to being looked down upon. So through the horrible environment you understand the kid’s stagnancy and ignorance, but also their will to survive. With such a hard hitting subject matter and great performance, the film provoked emotions such as understanding, sympathy, inspiration, and discontent with the education system. At the beginning of the movie, you hardly ever see any of the Blacks, Latinos, or Cambodians in the same scenes. LaGravenese does this to show the racial tension that existed in Long Beach following the 1992 Rodney King riots. The different ethnic groups were only in the same scenes when they were fighting. Scenes shot in Mrs. Gruwell’s classroom did not even show different racial groups in the same shot. Once Mrs. Gruwell broke down the racial barriers at the end of the movie, LaGravenese then started to show all the students in the same scenes. LaGravenese also used lighting to help emphasize the racial divide. At the beginning of the movie, the scenes are very dark. As the movie progressed and Mrs. Gruwell began to tear down the racial divide, her classroom became lighter. She always had the blinds open and flowers scattered around the room to emphasize peace and tranquility. The choice of background music for the film subtly helped to show how the racial divide in Mrs. Gruwell’s classroom was eventually broken. At the beginning of the film, music by Tupac that talked about violence, suffering, and living in poverty was played. By the end of the movie, LaGravenese played some of Tupac’s music about hope, wealth, and prosperity. This music was played once Mrs. Gruwell had finally torn down the racial divide between the different ethnicities. The film captures the viewpoints of several students in the classroom, each fighting their own personal battle all the while capturing the relationship that is being formed between each other. With determination and passion brought by Ms. Gruwell, the students are focused on the phrase â€Å"Toast for Change,† and being a hero although just an ordinary teenager. The film’s value is to open the eyes of the audience to understand their surroundings and realize that there is much opportunity for one to make a difference just as Ms. Gruwell did as a teacher and just as her students did in each others lives. To conclude, Freedom Writer’s wonderfully portrayed how a group of students, with the help of their teacher, were able to drop their previous stereotypes and hatred of each other to live peacefully. This hatred was derived from generations of gang wars based on ethnicity, and although each teen fought for their people, they had their own personal battles as well. As students were able to open up more to Ms. Gruwell about their lives, they realized they weren’t all that different from each other. This helped form the close relationship of Classroom 203. The stereotypes of each group of students masked the identities of each individual, which invoked feelings of sympathy and disbelief from the general public. Different styles of Tupac’s music and the way scenes were shot helped to subliminally explain the divisions between ethnic groups and how they became united. While the film may not be the most theatrically beautiful, the message it gives holds a priceless value.

Beautiful Things Essay

The poem A Thing of Beauty by John Keats conveys the message that Beauty is everywhere, and upon examination may be found. The theme of this work is largely centered on nature, as were many of Keats’ works. In this particular poem Keats describes the affects that beauty can have on a person. â€Å"Some shape of beauty moves away the pall / from our dark spirits† (12-13). According to Keats this beauty never diminishes and its affect is felt long after it is gone. Keats emphasizes that beauty is, â€Å"Made for our searching,† meaning that some people may find beauty in places that others may not (10). The theme of this poem is that beauty can be found anywhere, and when appreciated can be used to raise your spirits in times of gloom. One of the poetic elements Keats uses to express his theme is rhyme. One example of how rhyming can be helpful in conveying the meaning of the poem to the reader is found in the very first two lines of the poem. â€Å"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: / its loveliness increases; it will never† (1-2). Not only do these lines help the reader to understand the theme of the work, the fact that they rhyme makes them even more meaningful. Another example of how Keats used rhyme to express his theme can be found in the very last line of the poem. The poem was written using rhyming couplets; however the last line does not have another line after it with which to rhyme. â€Å"They always must be with us, or we die† (33). This line stands out due to the fact that every other line in the poem is part of a rhyming couplet. By purposely having this line is the last line and by stopping the rhythm that had flowed throughout the poem Keats emphasizes his theme of a need for beauty. Keats used many other poetic elements in this poem. One other poetic element used by Keats in this poem is imagery. Since the poem is about beauty it is important for imagery to be present in order to give the reader a mental picture of what the speaker feels is beautiful. â€Å"Such the sun, the moon, / trees old, and young sprouting a shady boon / for simple sheep; and such are daffodils / with the green world they live in; and clear rills† (13-16). Within these lines the speaker describes things which he finds beautiful. It is imperative that these lines be present so that the reader can imagine  this beauty and begin to relate with the speaker. Enjambment was also used by Keats in the poem. Through the use of enjambment Keats is able to keep his rhyme scheme in tact while still conveying his theme. â€Å"[un]till they become a cheering light / unto our souls† (30-31). The meaning of these lines are very important to the theme of the poem, however, without the use of enjambment Keats would have either had to sacrifice his rhyme scheme, or change the lines which could have potentially altered their meaning. Although much of the world has changed in the time between now and when the poem was originally written, the poems theme still holds true today. With the growth of cities, and urban areas it has become much more difficult to appreciate nature and its beauty. However, even in cities today people can find places to get away and appreciate the nature around them. Such is the case in New York City where residents can travel to central park to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature and open up their souls to the, â€Å"cheering light.† Although it is still possible for people to appreciate nature as Keats did years ago, many people today are lost in the hustle and bustle of the city. The communicative power of nature will always be present for those who wish to observe it, as Keats did, however many people have become oblivious to nature, taking it for granted, and becoming overly obsessed with technology and the man made world in which they live. It is understandable that this has happened in the almost two hundred years since Keats has lived because of the evolution of our society. Although much of nature may go overlooked by some people it will always be there for those who wish to immerse themselves in its beauty.

Impact of the Constitution essays

Impact of the Constitution essays The Federal Convention convened in the State House in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation (Burns 19). This was the beginning of one of the most impressive, adaptable, and symbolic document ever written in human history. Before this, Thomas Jefferson drafted The Declaration of Independence. This happened between June 11 and June 28, 1776 (Mount 3). It was and still is the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty. Both of these documents were written to serve different purposes in the 18th century and yet, their meanings have adapted over time. They continue to be very relevant documents that we live by even today. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are important to us now, but they served an even greater purpose in the beginning. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson as a means of expressing exactly what was in the hearts and minds of the colonists at the time. In essence, it was a list of grievances written to the world to give reason as to why the colonists of the New England territories were going to revolt against their King in England. The intention of the document was to gain support; not only the support of the people in the thirteen colonies, but also the support of other nations around the world (About 1). Not only did it serve this purpose, it gave the people of the United States a tangible written object that laid down exactly what rights the people had. This gave them a sense of unity and pride in themselves and each other. The Constitution, on the other hand, was a bit different. The Constitution was written to replace the Artic les of Confederation. That documents purpose was to provide the structure for the Union and give the people the law during the time of the Revolutionary War (Henick 2). After the war, the Continental Congress knew that the Articles would not be sufficient enough to provide the framework for a new go...

Huygens Principle of Diffraction

Huygens Principle of Diffraction Huygens principle of wave analysis helps you understand the movements of waves around objects. The behavior of waves can sometimes be counterintuitive. Its easy to think about waves as if they just move in a straight line, but we have good evidence that this is often simply not true. For example, if someone shouts, the sound spreads out in all directions from that person. But if theyre in a kitchen with only one door and they shout, the wave heading toward the door into the dining room goes through that door, but the rest of the sound hits the wall. If the dining room is L-shaped, and someone is in a living room that is around a corner and through another door, they will still hear the shout. If the sound were moving in a straight line from the person who shouted, this would be impossible because thered be no way for the sound to move around the corner. This question was tackled by  Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695), a man who was also known for the creation of some of the  first mechanical clocks  and his work in this area had an influence on Sir Isaac Newton  as he developed his particle theory of light. Huygens Principle Definition The Huygens principle of wave analysis  basically states that: Every point of a wave front may be considered the source of secondary wavelets that spread out in all directions with a speed equal to the speed of propagation of the waves.What this means is that when you have a wave, you can view the edge of the wave as actually creating a series of circular waves. These waves combine together in most cases to just continue the propagation, but in some cases there are significant observable effects. The wavefront can be viewed as the line tangent to all of these circular waves. These results can be obtained separately from Maxwells equations, though Huygens principle (which came first) is a useful model and is often convenient for calculations of wave phenomena. It is intriguing that Huygens work preceded that of James Clerk Maxwell by about two centuries, and yet seemed to anticipate it, without the solid theoretical basis that Maxwell provided. Amperes law and Faradays law predict that every point in an electromagnetic wave acts as a source of the continuing wave, which is perfectly in line with Huygens analysis. Huygens Principle and Diffraction When light goes through an aperture (an opening within a barrier), every point of the light wave within the aperture can be viewed as creating a circular wave which propagates outward from the aperture. The aperture, therefore, is treated as creating a new wave source, which propagates in the form of a circular wavefront. The center of the wavefront has greater intensity, with a fading of intensity as the edges are approached. It explains the diffraction observed, and why the light through an aperture does not create a perfect image of the aperture on a screen. The edges spread out based on this principle. An example of this principle at work is common to everyday life. If someone is in another room and calls towards  you, the sound seems to be coming from the doorway (unless you have very thin walls). Huygens Principle and Reflection/Refraction The laws of reflection and refraction can both be derived from Huygens principle. Points along the wavefront are treated as sources along the surface of the refractive medium, at which point the overall wave bends based upon the new medium. The effect of both reflection and refraction is to change the direction of the independent waves that are emitted by the point sources. The results of the rigorous calculations are identical to what is obtained from Newtons geometric optics (such as Snells law of refraction), which was derived under  a particle principle of light- although Newtons method is less elegant in its explanation of diffraction. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Response 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response 2 - Assignment Example The information in the EHR applies even when there is patient transfer between different healthcare facilities. The post shows clearly that the availability of previous patient information to the health care providers may limit some danger hence improving life expectancy in the society. The article gives instances where the use of informatics in accessing healthcare records is important in providing quality services and making a decision. The use of the electronic healthcare records has become crucial in improving services to the patients. Electronic healthcare records (EHR) mainly include previous medical information of the patient to assist especially nurses in providing better healthcare through decisions and services. Achievement of these quality services is through minimal errors in making fast decisions. The article also mentions the achievements of the EHR in upholding the patients’ privacy. However, the author fails to mention the importance of EHR in the follow-up of patient actions and efficiency in minimization of labor. The follow-ups may include appointments to the doctors or recovery process. The post acknowledges the contribution of EHR in improving services in the healthcare

European Union Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

European Union Law - Essay Example In its logical form, the treaty seeks to promote free movement of goods to bridge the cross-border gap that exists between different European Union countries. Even regardless of such laws and treaty, some countries have been found to be putting undue restrictions on fellow European Union countries so that there would be a concentration of market in those countries. The strategy used by those who put the restrictions has been to place huge charges on cross border goods to discourage free movement. In response, Articles 23(1) and 25 (9(1) and 12) ECT of the treaty touches on prohibition of charges having an effect equivalent to that of customs duties, which discourages all such charges to the exclusion of a similar domestic product (European Parliament Fact Sheets, 2012). Relevant primary and secondary legislation From CJ Case 8/74, 11 July 1974, it could be seen that with reference to Olio Nuovo, Article 28(30), ECT of the Treaty on the Functioning on the functioning of the European U nion (TFEU) can be applied to its logical conclusion to give him a lot of legal redress to the current situation in which he finds himself. In the first play, there is a primary legislature on the free movement of goods and services within the European Union region (Kuyper, 1993). As a marketer from Greece to Italy, Olio Nuevo is covered by this primary legislation because both countries are within the European Union zone. This is a very strong basis for Nuevo to begin any legal process with an ambition of putting forth legal damages for any losses that he might have recorded. This is because according to the case in which Nuevo finds himself, there is being an unconstitutional attempt of hindering, directly or indirectly, actually or potentially, intra-Community trade, which the European Parliament Fact Sheets (2012), states that â€Å"are to be considered as measures having an effect equivalent to quantitative restrictions.† What is more, there are secondary laws such as th ose that specify the kind of products and materials that could cross European Union neighbouring borders. Examples of such European Union laws are those on the forbidding of arms and drugs trade. Since Nuevo did not attempt to trade any of such illegal products, there also is a very strong legal case to be heard should Nuevo decide to pursue the case to its legal conclusion. Exceptions to the Rule As it is literary said, to every rule there are exceptions. The Treaty on the Functioning on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which makes previsions for free movement of trade across European Union members States borders also have its own legal limitation or exceptions as far as the application of the rules are concerned. Under Article 30 (36) of ECT of the treaty, factors such as protection of public health, public morality and public security are all captured as exemptions under which Member States may take personal measures on having effect equivalent to quantitative (Europ ean Parliament Fact Sheets, 2012). This means is that the interest of the consumer always comes first when dealing with the movement of good (Eeckhout and Govaere, 1992). The legal implication here is that the host country where Nuevo wants to start