Golden mean

In her article “The Ethical Dilemma of Genetically Modified Food”, Valeria Jefferson presents the conflict society is currently facing in the matter of the inherent ethics of genetically modified food (GMF). She addresses points on both sides of the argument, giving the reader a broad overview of the facts. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are defined as plants and animals that have been altered at the genetic level for a specific purpose. That purpose could be to enhance resistance to…

reason that the gummy bear in the distilled water experienced such a large change could be explained by the concept of hypertonic/hypotonic. Distilled water does not have any solutes in it and the gummy bear had solutes such as gelatin and sugar this means that the surrounding solution of distilled water is hypotonic to the gummy bear. To balance out the concentrations, the water diffused into the gummy bear resulting in a larger and heavier gummy…

In the play, a barbaric woman who suffered a great deal of loss seeks revenge and uses the vulnerability of three foolish men: Jason, Creon, and Aegeus to further her agenda. With manipulation, brutality, and scheming Madea successfully pinpointed and took advantage of each man’s weakness. Although it is perceived that Jason, the father of Medea’s sons, married Creusa for selfish reasons, Jason insisted that he did it out of his children’s best interest. His sacrifices for his children make it…

For as long as homo-sapiens have been on this earth finding sources of food had always been the number one priority. Humans, no matter the gender, spent most hours of each day hunting animals and foraging for edible plants and fruits. “That reliance on foraging characterized what historians and archaeologists call the Paleolithic era, or the “old stone age”.” (Jerry H. Bentley 7) During this time, and as the number of humans began to gather together forming a “community”, rules and regulations…

The biotechnology company Monsanto encapsulates all of the virtues and vices of the transnational corporation. Their connection to the cultivation and development of GMOs and pesticides has led to fervent criticism by many consumer advocates who question the biological effects that such chemicals have on the health of consumers. This criticism has led to many investigations on the inner workings and practices of Monsanto, and such investigations have brought to light corporate impropriety and…

Genetically modifying organisms sounds scary, especially when consumers find out it is in their food. For many, images of oversized chickens or unnaturally large tomatoes come to mind. This is because many do not know how a GMO is created or what is considered to be a GMO. Claims spew that what is inside genetically modified organisms are cancerous and unknown chemicals are injected into the organism. A common misconception is that any organism outside of society's idea of natural or organic is…

Southeast Asia and the South Pacific around 8,000 to 5,000 BCE, they keep discovering older bananas. One could say that these new discoveries “drive them bananas.” The banana gets it’s name from middle eastern soldiers referring to it as “bana” which means finger. It was likely called this for its long, finger-esque shape. There are many varieties of bananas, though you likely have only eaten the Cavendish variety, named after William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire. The Cavendish wasn’t…

When does an object become a patent? In some cases when a possession is not in your hands anymore it no longer belongs to you. But in other cases it can still be your possession no matter where it is. There are very odd cases where problems like this arise. In the case Monsanto V. Bowman, the company, Monsanto is suing a man because he took advantage of Monsanto’s patent wrongfully. Monsanto is a Company that produces and sells herbicide and genetically modified organisms, (GMOs) which are…

Invasive Species: Garlic Mustard An invasive species can be defined as any organism (including the organism’s seeds or eggs) that is not native to an area, but if introduced, can cause harm to the environment, economy, or to humans. These invasive species are usually introduced by humans either intentionally or accidentally and can very quickly and aggressively reproduce and take over an area. Plants that are considered to be invasive have certain characteristics in common that makes them…

Beetles, a group of insects are part of Coleopteran Order, they can be easily identified because of their dark colored body. Beetles mostly live in hot, cold, dry, or moist condition and because the Great Basin is the home of arid climate beetles can be easily found. Many of their food sources come from leaves, seeds, fruits, or dead wood. However, if beetles have good diets and potentially find other food sources they could benefit their population growth (Arbogast, et al. 2010). Beetles can…