Sunday, December 9, 2012

Compound Microscope - Squash the Boredom of Biology Lectures

Biology lectures may be dull because they reek of new words and speak about stuff students have not noticed anyway. These lectures, having said that boring, prepare students for an lively engagement using the compound microscope to view, of all items, bacteria. Would not that excite them?
Biology Lectures and the Compound Microscope
A class lecture is a classic teaching methodology. With a number of subjects to go through in the course of a school day, would you count on students to be in major listening type non-stop? A investigation carried out on student boredom shows that 60% of students obtain their lectures boring and half of these confessed that all lectures had been similarly boring.
Biology lectures are usually not distinctive; these may be tedious because of its one-sided approach. The teacher does all the talking and fire inquiries inside the middle of nowhere and there is hell to spend when a student can not give the correct answer.
Biology instructors are hard put to interest students with the abstractions of biology. Visuals aids can put some life in to the lectures plus the microscope can do over the visual help to assist students recognize the mysteries of cellular division or the characteristics of microorganisms. The compound microscope in Toronto lab supplies and equipment shops, have high-powered microscopes with camera and video systems.
This is a superb instructional media explaining why the compound microscope in Toronto outlets, are snapped up by schools. Here's to illustrate the point -- after the lecture/viewing, students appreciate their activities in the school lab.
The motions of preparing the specimens and slides, managing the Biological Microscope on the net , plus the latest lecture nonetheless ticking in their minds, students get the larger image from the biology lecture. Undertaking the set-up and controlling the microscope and viewing the specimen are part of the studying approach for the reason that students are in manage of the experiment.
Using the Compound Microscope in Teaching Biology
Studying residing organisms underneath the microscope might not normally be fascinating. You'll find factors for this. Very first, the student will not know ways to handle the controls and sees nothing intriguing by means of the eyepiece. They should really master the parts of your microscope and understand how each part operates and they are manipulated or controlled.
Basically, it is easy to deal with a compound microscope; in Toronto lab supplies outlets, there are numerous types of compound microscopes and students should be able to know ways to use the upright and inverted microscopes to appreciate their different makes use of in lab investigation. Students really should be offered the chance to see specimens from different high-powered microscopes, which include the polarized light microscope for different applications - tool generating, nanoelectronics, textiles, and minerals.
Inquire from dealers of digital microscope?suite in Toronto if they are able to give demos of the different microscopes to a class - who knows, this technique will spark interest in biology as well as other study fields. This request may not be entertained but if it can be, teaching biology will be a lot more helpful and listening to biology lectures wouldn't be too significantly of a bore.
As a biology instructor willing to go beyond the traditional teaching approaches, you never ever can tell but someday some students will thank you for generating your biology classes an interactive exchange, informative however exciting. How about checking out dealers from the compound microscope in Toronto now?For a lot more information, please feel free to visit our webiste www.microscopebiz.com.

Compound Microscope - Squash the Boredom of Biology Lectures

Biology lectures may be dull because they reek of new words and speak about stuff students have not noticed anyway. These lectures, having said that boring, prepare students for an lively engagement using the compound microscope to view, of all items, bacteria. Would not that excite them?
Biology Lectures and the Compound Microscope
A class lecture is a classic teaching methodology. With a number of subjects to go through in the course of a school day, would you count on students to be in major listening type non-stop? A investigation carried out on student boredom shows that 60% of students obtain their lectures boring and half of these confessed that all lectures had been similarly boring.
Biology lectures are usually not distinctive; these may be tedious because of its one-sided approach. The teacher does all the talking and fire inquiries inside the middle of nowhere and there is hell to spend when a student can not give the correct answer.
Biology instructors are hard put to interest students with the abstractions of biology. Visuals aids can put some life in to the lectures plus the microscope can do over the visual help to assist students recognize the mysteries of cellular division or the characteristics of microorganisms. The compound microscope in Toronto lab supplies and equipment shops, have high-powered microscopes with camera and video systems.
This is a superb instructional media explaining why the compound microscope in Toronto outlets, are snapped up by schools. Here's to illustrate the point -- after the lecture/viewing, students appreciate their activities in the school lab.
The motions of preparing the specimens and slides, managing the Biological Microscope on the net , plus the latest lecture nonetheless ticking in their minds, students get the larger image from the biology lecture. Undertaking the set-up and controlling the microscope and viewing the specimen are part of the studying approach for the reason that students are in manage of the experiment.
Using the Compound Microscope in Teaching Biology
Studying residing organisms underneath the microscope might not normally be fascinating. You'll find factors for this. Very first, the student will not know ways to handle the controls and sees nothing intriguing by means of the eyepiece. They should really master the parts of your microscope and understand how each part operates and they are manipulated or controlled.
Basically, it is easy to deal with a compound microscope; in Toronto lab supplies outlets, there are numerous types of compound microscopes and students should be able to know ways to use the upright and inverted microscopes to appreciate their different makes use of in lab investigation. Students really should be offered the chance to see specimens from different high-powered microscopes, which include the polarized light microscope for different applications - tool generating, nanoelectronics, textiles, and minerals.
Inquire from dealers of digital microscope?suite in Toronto if they are able to give demos of the different microscopes to a class - who knows, this technique will spark interest in biology as well as other study fields. This request may not be entertained but if it can be, teaching biology will be a lot more helpful and listening to biology lectures wouldn't be too significantly of a bore.
As a biology instructor willing to go beyond the traditional teaching approaches, you never ever can tell but someday some students will thank you for generating your biology classes an interactive exchange, informative however exciting. How about checking out dealers from the compound microscope in Toronto now?For a lot more information, please feel free to visit our webiste www.microscopebiz.com.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Amazing CoQ10

Biological Dentistry evaluates patients in terms of the "tooth-body connection." Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) reveals one of these connections.
CoQ10 functions as an excellent antioxidant to prevent free radical damage to your cells. It's a vital component in the synthesis of cellular energy production. Therefore, CoQ10 is essential for the health of virtually all human tissue and organs.
If you know about CoQ10, you are among the well informed minority. Most people in this country have not heard of CoQ10 largely because of the slow acceptance of nutritional benefits by the traditional western medical establishment.
Many significant CoQ10 studies trace back to the late 1960s. CoQ10 has been shown to be effective for combating the degeneration of aging, allergies, asthma, candidiasis, cardiovascular disease, deafness, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, impaired immunity, multiple sclerosis, obesity, respiratory disease and, yes, even periodontal disease.
Periodontitis (deterioration of the gum and bone around the teeth) affects about 60% of young adults and 90% of individuals over the age of 65. Although proper oral hygiene is helpful, many people still suffer from compromised gingival (gum) irritations and chronic infections that may require surgical procedures and eventually result in the loss of teeth.
The body's ability to heal and repair periodontal tissue depends in part on an adequate supply of CoQ10. Gingival biopsies have revealed subnormal tissue levels of CoQ10 in 60% - 96% of patients with periodontal disease. These findings suggest that periodontal disease is frequently associated with CoQ10 deficiency.
If you're experiencing persistent gum problems, i.e. bleeding and inflammation or even halitosis (bad breath), do your own experiment. Begin taking CoQ10 for at least three months. Remember, nothing changes overnight. You be the judge. Do your gums look and feel better? Has your general health improved? If the answer is yes, you might want to consider adding this supplement to your daily regimen.
A good measure of the health of your gums can be obtained from a complete periodontal charting as performed by your dentist. Regrettably, I've found that approximately 75% - 80% of the adult population has never had this recorded. In our office, this is checked every two years.
We also use our phase contrast microscope to identify specific bacteria which exists in the oral cavity. This is bacteria that can lead to periodontal disease. The impact on our patients of seeing their own bacteria, if any, in a live, moving image seen through the microscope is a strong motivator for thorough brushing and flossing. The periodontal charting and the microscope images provide valuable insights to understand your biological "tooth-body connection."
CoQ10 is found naturally in many foods, such as spinach, broccoli, sardine and mackerel. After the age of 35, our natural ability to synthesize CoQ10 from foods slows down. As a result, a gradual deficiency of CoQ10 develops over time. Compounding this action, poor eating habits, stress, and infection all negatively impact the body's ability to provide adequate amounts of CoQ10.
It's probably a wise decision to consider taking CoQ10 supplements after age 40 for its health benefits for the whole body. CoQ10 has an excellent safety record without any side effects. Daily dosages can vary but usually 60 - 100mg/day is suggested for general maintenance and 200 - 600mg/day is better for therapeutic purposes.
Clinical improvements take time. However, the paybacks from this remarkable substance can be amazing.

Interstitial Cystitis - A Female Medical Mystery Syndrome

Research suggests that approximately 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, and possibly millions more. Similar rough estimates are given in other countries due to the nature of the condition. The confusion apparently stems from the lack of a concise definition. As a result, misdiagnosis of the symptoms has become a growing problem. Of the millions of people diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (IC) approximately 9 in 10 are women.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic painful syndrome that usually is mistaken for an infection belonging to one in a variety of urinary tract infections (UTIs). The majority of UTIs are caused by bacterial infections. One such common type of UTI is cystitis that affects many women of any age, and is caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) in approximately 90% of women. In contrast, IC is an inflammation of the urinary tract not linked to any microorganism and apparently occurs most often in women during their peri-menopausal and menopausal (40s-50s) phase.
Because so many other subtle changes are happening to a woman as she is ushered into a new phase of life, the signs and symptoms of IC seem to blend into one. In addition, when a woman finally makes an appointment to see her doctor about her concerns, much of what is happening with her never seems to get fully addressed and is therefore not forthrightly explained to her doctor. Information on: initial onset, regularity, type of symptoms, what lessens or worsens the discomfort and irritations are also not simple to express and often not quite understood.
So what is IC and how is it diagnosed? Scientists are not united on a universal definition of IC however one agreeable description is that it is not a bladder infection, as ruled out by specimen examinations. A urine sample is the customary procedure in diagnosing the condition. In the absence of any infectious organism, IC is described formally as an inflammatory syndrome of the bladder, usually chronic with an unknown cause.
Symptoms of IC are similar to cystitis:
• Frequent and painful urine, which worsens as the bladder fills
• Feelings that you need to void (pass urine) urgently
• Ulcers and bleeding in the bladder
• Pressure of tenderness in the pelvic area and genitals
Urine may contain pus or blood, visible through a microscope. Symptoms may vary for each person. Some ladies have painful symptoms just prior to menstruation while other ladies may have symptoms that range from mild to severe on a regular basis.
This is an extremely sensitive time for a woman who is experiencing biological changes, much of which is outside of her control. Depression and antisocial behaviour are natural consequences of this syndrome.
Personal care:
There is no cure for IC and no one (1) treatment that fits with everyone. Sometimes symptoms disappear for no reason or get better with change in diet or treatment.
Home Therapies:
• Bladder retraining, and pelvic exercises to tighten the muscles
• Eliminating stimulants from the diet: coffee, sugary products, chocolate and sharp cheeses, acidic foods, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives (positive results are achieved from this change)
• Wearing loose clothing
• Low impact exercise, such as stretching and walking
Although there is no known cause, one correlation posited is the role of lowered oestrogen during menopause that contributes to symptoms. But more than ever it is a time to take special care of you.

Monday, October 15, 2012

How to Choose the Best Dental Office for Dental Treatment/Services?

Are you looking for a good dental office? How to choose a dentist overseas? How to choose a dental care centre which offers good service? Searching for the right dentist? These may be some of the questions on your mind if you're looking for a well qualified dentist.
There are a few key points one should keep in mind when selecting a good dental office.
The most important is the qualification of the dentist. Ensure that the dentist is licensed in the country where he/she is practicing. Look for the credentials, dental school he graduated from and their experience in this field. It is definitely very important to find the right dentist for your dental needs whom you're comfortable with. When searching for a good dental clinic, be sure you pick a place in which you will receive the attention that your require. It needs to be open conveniently and offer extended and emergency services to its patients. Low cost, affordable dental treatment and maintenance visits to the dental office are equally important factors.
If you are looking for a best dental clinic to solve your teeth problems, look for one which can provide quality dental services with client satisfaction. A good dental clinic should be well equipped with the latest in technology like Digital X-rays, Intra-oral cameras, microscopes, patient education video and monitors, latest equipment and a good quality dental chair. It is extremely important that they maintain 'High Sterilization Standards', list their 'Clinical Protocols', use branded and tested 'Materials and Products', and have a primary and experienced Dentist with other Dental Specialists in-office. A good and qualified dentist along with his team and other specialists should be able to provide a comprehensive and complete dental care for the individual and the entire family.
Most reputable and good dental offices have their own websites with provision for making appointments. Both Domestic and International Appointments can be made using these forms available on their websites. Some good dental offices will also have the provision for 'Online Consultation', 'Live Chat' and 'Patient Feedback Forms'. Reading 'Patient Testimonials' either available in their websites or on Google is a very useful tool in assessing the quality of dental service and reputation of the dentist. Check for Memberships, Affiliations and other Certifications of the dental office.
To keep your teeth healthy, it is essential that you visit your dentist every six months called as 'recall' visits. During this visit the dentist will re-examine your teeth and gums, check for any decay or cavity, clean your teeth, and discuss tips to maintain your oral hygiene and emphasize on preventive dentistry. A good dental examination with proper X-rays is a must for proper diagnosis.
Today dentistry has evolved tremendously and even for those people who have lost their teeth, many affordable treatment options are available to stay healthy and regain their beautiful smile. Missing teeth can be replaced by implants, bridges, dentures or partials. With Teeth-in-an-Hour by Nobel Guide the patient can go home with a new set of teeth immediately after implant placement. You can get a new set of teeth right away and be able to eat immediately after the treatment. The Nobel Guide System means you can now replace your missing teeth with permanent solutions using dental implants - easily, quickly and comfortably.
Dentistry had diversified into various specialties and many treatment options are available for 'Dental Care'. Some treatment options include Implants, Metal Free Crown and Bridges, Veneers, Root Canal Treatment (single sitting) using rotary endodontics, Tooth colored filings, Cosmetic Gum Treatment, Invisible Braces, 1-Hour Zoom Whitening, Children's Dentistry with prime focus on Preventive Dentistry, Dental Spa etc.
'Cosmetic Dentistry 'also called as 'Esthetic Dentistry' is offered by experienced dentists who strive to combine function with esthetics. People with inborn defects can also approach esthetic dentists for restoration of the deformation. Even celebrities and models visit esthetic dentists to make their teeth more beautiful in photo shoots. Esthetic dentistry caters to many people either for necessity or for enhancing their smile.
Teeth and gums are the gateway to one's oral health. This means that dental care cannot be assumed and requires regular visits to prevent problems arising from cavities or unhealthy gums. Hence it is important to take time out to help prevent future dental problems.

Studying the Human Body's Anatomy - For Human Anatomy Students & Educators

In reality there are some things that you will be studying in the human anatomy that are sort of like a warm up to the topic. These are important because they are your general starting points. An example of this is anatomy sections, or terms of position and direction. They all have to do with your human anatomy studies, but there are sort of a side line of the main topic.
Yet you must understand them in order to enter into your studies. A good example of this is the body cells. You can't categorize these into one part or organ because the entire body is made up of cells. So before you can delve into the deeper workings of the body, you must study the basics first.
You obviously entered the study of human anatomy because it intrigues you to the point where you want to know all about it. This is most probably because you intend to utilize it in some form of profession, such as a Doctor, Nurse or even a Para medic. This means that you are interested and enjoy the field. That is the first step into being successful in your studies. It is much easier to learn something if you have a keen interest in it, because you will retain more of the facts that you are learning. A word of warning, know when to take breaks from your studies. If you become frustrated too often, and for long periods of time, you could lose your interest because of this. Then your studies will suffer.
As we mentioned ,you need to know all about a cell. Now here's where it gets interesting because there are different shapes of cells, and each shape has a name. You have probably heard the term , dna. Well this is it. Everybody has unique cells, and its that uniqueness in the cell that makes up your dna.
You are really going to get excited when you see a cell under a microscope and know by the shape of it what part of the body it came from. To know this you have to learn how to identify them. As you read about them in your text book ,draw a picture of them in a column. In another column next to them write the name of what the cell is. Now leave a large 3rd column. Here you can write notes about that particular cell each time you come across information relating to them. Once again you have a good block of information. Studying in blocks is a perfect way to learn.
When you get to the point of studying an individual cell and all its components ,draw a large cell on a piece of paper , with the front of the cell cut off so you can see the inside of the cell. Now as you learn about each part of what that cell is made up of, draw it on the cell and color it. Now put the details about that part in a block of text, under the cell. Border the block of text in the same color you used on the part in the cell. You will now be able to read your notes, see the color, and quickly reference where it is in the cell. Using the colors is helping you to visualize and link information.

Friday, October 12, 2012

You Can Have Your Own Digital Microscope At Home?

If you grew up before the digital revolution, you may recall have spent afternoons in the biology lab squinting into a microscope as you fiddled with the dials trying to focus it properly. Or maybe you had a home science kit with an even less sensitive microscope.
But those days are gone for good, and the simple compound microscope invented by Dutchman Zacharias Janssen in the sixteenth century, with its 9X magnification, is a far cry form the digital microscope of today. The digital microscope not only magnifies objects to levels unimaginable in the time of the Janssens, it allows the magnified images of those objects to be saved in digital format, for closer examination, printing, and preserving. The digital microscope ensures that whatever shows up beneath its lens can be interpreted by more than a single pair of eyes, and have a much higher chance of being accurately recorded.
Digital Microscope Photography
The magic of a digital microscope is in its digital camera capacity. The images picked up by the digital microscope's lens can be uploaded to a computer by a variety of means, including Bluetooth, USB, or other wireless or cable processes. Once on the computer, he images can be examined in a number of different ways, to extract as much information as possible from them.
The digital microscope, in other words, guarantees that you can preserve the images from every specimen you observe with the microscope, spend as much time as you like observing the image, and share the image with others who may have different insights into what it reveals. Even more impressively, if the specimen you are observing is undergoing changes, you can preset the digital microscope to record those changes as they occur.
Digital Microscope Software
The software available for digital microscope images will let you edit both videos and still shots of your specimens, display them on your monitor or a projection screen, and save them to email in image files. The software, amazingly, can also count the cells in a biological specimen, and let you prepare both time-lapse and composite images.
All the features available with digital microscopes are not, of course, without their price, but once you use one and understand how much more versatile than a regular compound microscope it is, the extra expense will not seem like such an obstacle. You can shop for a digital microscope on the Internet, and trust the vendor from whom you make your purchase to exercise the proper care in shipping it to you.
For more information, welcome to visit www.microscopebiz.com

The UFO Extraterrestrial Hypothesis Withstands Scrutiny

Whether you're a UFO ETH (extraterrestrial hypothesis) supporter, a UFO ETH debunker, or you don't give a damn either way about the UFO ETH at all (so then why are you reading this?), you'd be aware that overall the professional scientific community, including for some odd reason SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) scientists - the very clan who profess an intense interest in ETI - pooh-pooh the very notion of the UFO ETH.
So, let's go onto the specific objections, and examine why they are in turn, objectionable.
OBJECTION: We are the proverbial IT - there are no other advanced extraterrestrial civilizations because there are no extraterrestrials of any kind, even microbial, therefore UFOs can not have anything to with extraterrestrial intelligence.
ANSWER: With 13.7 billion years to play with since the origin of our Universe (the Big Bang event); with billions of stars in our own galaxy alone; with billions of galaxies scattered throughout the cosmos each with billions of stars therein, with extra-solar planets being discovered around many of those stars in our own galaxy (and by implication other galaxies as well); with the chemical elements required for life commonplace throughout the Universe; with the principles of Darwinian evolution given as universal, what odds that we are really the proverbial IT?
Of course when it comes down to the UFO ETH it's only our galaxy we need concern ourselves with. Even I acknowledge that though extraterrestrial civilizations exist in other galaxies, travel times between galaxies quickly exceed logical transit times available. Interstellar travel however is quite another matter. Still, our own galaxy gives us some ten billion years to play around with; billions of stars and no doubt planets, those abundant chemical elements, and Darwinian principles. Again, it would be a very brave soul to suggest again those sorts of statistics that we are, even in our own galaxy, the proverbial IT; not just the new kid on the block, but the first and only kid on the block.
Not even a UFO ETH skeptic SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) scientist of my acquaintance would argue we're the proverbial IT - it would make a mockery of his own chosen career path.
OBJECTION: Extraterrestrials exist; extraterrestrial intelligence doesn't. No alien intelligence means no-go to the UFO ETH.
ANSWER: Again, not even respectable SETI scientists would propose this an objection to the UFO ETH since that would undercut their own work. Clearly the evolution of intelligence, albeit being just one of many competing traits for biological survival of the fittest, does have ultimate survival value. The Earth provides a practical example of that as many species can be attributed a reasonable degree of an ability to figure things out, and that it is possible to evolve extremely high levels of intelligence is witnessed by ourselves. If Mother Nature can evolve one biological highly intelligent species, she can do it again, and again, and again on other worlds.
OBJECTION: They (the aliens) can't get from there (wherever there is) to here - interstellar space is the ultimate no-fly quarantine zone and since superluminal velocities (i.e. - Star Trek's warp drive comes to mind here) are a violation of Einstein's special theory of relativity (though there's nothing theoretical about that inconvenience anymore) that takes care of that. ET exists but can't get here; therefore UFOs can't be the products of ET.
ANSWER: I can not believe this old and totally outdated chestnut is still bandied about. The idiotic assumption here is, in a very anthropological way, is that ET must have a lifespan equal to that of humans. Humans cannot travel to the stars because we can't travel fast enough in our short life-spans to make the journey from start to finish, and I assume here that if you start the journey you want to be around to finish the journey. Now there is no law in biological science that says an intelligent flesh-and-blood entity must kick-the-bucket after roughly three score and ten years. If you recall from mythology, the cosmic and sky 'gods' were (at least from a human perspective) as close to immortal as makes no odds. Quasi-immortality makes interstellar travel quite feasible. Of course any alien intelligence that can visit us will have technologies far beyond our own. Genetic or other forms of bioengineering could artificially extend life-spans by many orders of magnitude. Perhaps flesh-and-blood has morphed into silicon and steel. There's the standard sci-fi scenarios of the multi-generation starship or hibernation that passes the time away without much additional aging. Then too perhaps a super-civilization of the extraterrestrial type has been able to approach luminal velocities; perhaps have physics and engineering that can go superluminal. But one doesn't need such extreme possibilities. All it takes is the first initial journey. Once here, our quasi-immortal ET (the 'gods' of mythology) sets up shop, say even a lunar outpost. No further interstellar journeys required.
OBJECTION: It's unlikely in the extreme that we (humans) would just happen by chance be the lucky generation, after 4.5 billion years have passed Earth by in cosmic isolation, for us to now experience on-site cosmic company. If you were to throw a dart randomly at 4.5 billion balloons, what odds that it would hit a balloon that co-existed with humanity's existence, even being generous and giving us (humanity) an existence of say two million balloon years, far less hitting the balloon labeled 1947 (the accepted start of the modern UFO era)?
ANSWER: This is IMHO actually the best anti UFO ETH argument going but when taken to its logical conclusion provides the very answer which makes the UFO ETH nearly inevitable. Indeed, it would be utterly extraordinary in the extreme if that tiny niche of terrestrial time, say 1947 to the present, were the first and only niche of terrestrial time to host a visit by extraterrestrial intelligence(s). The obvious answer is that there have been previous niches in time, intervals of time, probably lots and lots and lots of them, when ET paid a visit. ET had had billions of years to randomly (or selectively) explore the (our) galaxy. At 1% light speed it only takes 10,000,000 years to cross the galaxy edge to edge. But the galaxy is ten billion years old. If there's lots of space-faring alien civilizations, or even if there is just one, they are probably a lot closer to us than the worst case scenario of edge-to-edge (obviously, since we're not on the galactic edge). Those who have pondered this issue and crunched the numbers, suggest that 10,000 to 100,000 years is a rough estimate of time intervals between random visits from ET. Still, 1947 to date could easily and probably would on probability fall outside that range. Maybe the last random visit was 9,000 years ago, or 90,000 years ago. We'd still have a bit of a wait (one thousand to ten thousand years) for the next call. But, and there's always a "but"...
It doesn't take much imagination - and many have imagined it - that ET has been in Earth's hair on a nearly ongoing basis. The key point is once that initial chance discovery has happened, and that could have been billions of years ago, we're charted, noted and logged biological real estate. We're now a colored pin on the galactic map, say green for simple biosphere; yellow for complex life, orange for intelligence and red for here be a civilization. Within 100,000 years of that first contact (even if it were ET greeting our microbial ancestors), light speed radio communications would have notified all potentially receptive (and future receptive) alien civilizations that here was one of those rare abodes, a planet with a biosphere, and thus one worth ongoing routine (not random) investigations - for scientific reasons if nothing else.
The terrestrial parallels are obvious. Once we discovered Antarctica it quickly became common knowledge. We went back, again, and again and again, finally setting up near permanent quarters despite the obvious costs and hardships, all in the name of science. We'll go back to the Moon too one day - maybe not anytime real soon, but eventually. Your great grandkids will see lunar settlements or outposts like we today see in Antarctica. ET and Earth may have had the same ongoing relationship. We might find we have ET for company on the Moon like we've had ET for company on Earth.
Now fast-forward and recall from our mythologies around the world - all races, all cultures, all geographical settlements - the tales of the sky 'gods' and beings associated with various constellations and stellar addresses. Those same 'gods', who often get around in aerial 'chariots', gave the gifts of knowledge and culture and rudimentary technologies to primitive (hunter-gather) mankind. They stick around to monitor their experiment.
Now fast-forward to 1947 through to the present. The 'gods' have become ET, and they are going to keep close tabs on us, since they know that one day, even if thousands of years down the track, we'll boldly go like they have boldly gone. We have our intelligence gathering agencies; ET has theirs as well.
OBJECTION: UFOs, if alien owned and operated, can only be here, on-site, in response to the modern human presence. That's actually advocated by many pro UFO ETH buffs that how can it be a coincidence that aliens have arrived just at the same time we started playing around with dangerous toys - nuclear weapons; going into space; and reeking environmental havoc upon ourselves. Skeptics counter that for humans to be known by those out there, they can only know of us via our electromagnetic (EM) signals, which propagate outwards out there at light speed. Thus, our EM signals (nuclear blasts, radio/TV broadcasts, radar emissions, etc.) haven't had much time to get very far out there, because prior to say 1900 Earth was pretty quiet in giving off human technological EM noise. Even our atmospheric pollution, potentially detectable from way out there via spectroscopic analysis, wasn't really at highly abnormal levels prior to 1900. It's only in the 20th Century did it really kick into high gear.
So, if you take 1947 as the start year of the modern UFO era - their arrival date - and assuming they left home as soon as they detected our EM signal then their home has go to be so close by to Earth as to be statistically unlikely in the extreme. Since ET's home is certainly not within our solar system, then by elimination, that leaves nearby stars. But only subluminal interstellar travel is possible, and even interstellar velocities of say 10% light speed are pushing the envelop. Our closest stellar companions are over four light years away, so it would take ET over forty years to reach us from the closest stellar abode. Add to that the four light years it took our EM signal to reach them in the first place, well that's about 44 years all up. Subtract that from 1947 - well, 1903 isn't known for our high intensity radio broadcasts, and radar, TV and nuclear lights are still future technology. Therefore, ET didn't arrive in 1947 due to any human activity, and since obviously only human activity would attract ET to travel here in the first place - therefore UFOs can not be anything alien!
ANSWER: The basic assumption here is so anthropomorphic (human centered) as to be laughable. Firstly, even if the aliens arrived out of concern to post-1900's human activities, that doesn't mean they weren't already here, if not on-site, in the immediate solar system area, like having a lunar base, or even an orbiting space colony ship as base of operations. One doesn't have to postulate them being a minimum of over four light years away. Secondly, let's forget the human element - as per the above argument, Planet Earth has been noted and logged in a galactic database for a minimum of millions of years, more likely as not an order of magnitude greater - billions of years. It's an egocentric inspired, but just coincidence, that alien UFOs are around when humans dominate Earth's environment.
OBJECTION: There's little or no credible evidence that any UFO event can be interpreted as an alien spaceship doing its alien flying thing.
ANSWER: Okay, so multi-tens of thousands of eyewitness accounts count for nothing, especially when many of those sightings were by trained observers, and multi-witness cases at that. Eyewitness cases are often backed up by a radar tracking or ground traces or physiological effects or (electromagnetic) EM effects or motion pictures or still photographs. Radar, ground traces, EM effects also exist by their lonesome. UFOs are a global phenomenon that cuts across all age, sex, racial, cultural etc. boundaries. If UFOs were just the province of one country or region, or only witnessed by those with an IQ less than 90, well that would be suspect. UFOs have been taken seriously enough to be an official part of government programs from around the world, unlike say poltergeist events which aren't, and expert military and scientific analysis can not explain, depending on where and time, between five and ten percent of all UFO reports.
The fact that there exists such a thing as the UFO ETH must suggest that there is some suggestive evidence in support. The UFO ETH only exists, post early 1950's, is because for the first three to four years of the then 'flying disc' or 'flying saucer' phenomena, late 1940's, 'saucers' or 'discs' were assumed to be terrestrial in origin - secret Soviet devices (to the Americans); secret American devices (to the Russians). When those ideas became untenable, the obvious conclusions were that it was all in the mind; misidentifications, hoaxes, hallucinations etc. But that became as equally untenable as solid case after solid case came in and proved to be unexplainable by any and all terrestrial possibilities. By elimination - well according to Sherlock Holmes, when you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth - one was forced to at least consider the ETH a plausible alternative. But the illogic of the scientific mind was made crystal clear in the ultimate debunking of the UFO ETH, the University of Colorado Scientific Study into UFOs [the Edward Condon study] which concluded it was all a lot of rubbish - except for the fact that that very study, that very report, couldn't explain away, with any terrestrial phenomena known, over 30% of the UFO cases it studied. It's like a jury stating 1/3rd not guilty; 2/3rds guilty - well the majority ayes have it - let's carry out the execution. So, what part of the word 'evidence' don't you understand?
I make one defense however for the UFO ETH since scientists counter that each of the threads of ETI having been then or now on Earth are weak-in-the-knees when it comes to solid evidence? Roswell is weak; UFO abduction cases are weak; the UFO conspiracy or cover-up case is weak; UFO photographs and videos are weak; UFO radar cases are weak; the case for Erich von Daniken's ancient astronauts is weak; the ghost rocket sightings (1946) are weak; contactee claims are especially weak; UFO eye-witness reports are unreliable, etc. But, put them (and much more besides) all together and like all good detective stories combine/integrate all the clues into one composite whole (after separating out the wheat from the chaff and eliminating the red herrings) then the whole is more than the sum of the parts. You get a fairly consistent pattern that emerges; not the radio signal patter-of-little-dots-and-dashes the SETI scientist wants but a nuts-and-bolts and a here-and-now pattern.
Now admittedly any one of a hundred different and independent threads might in itself be not all that convincing, but then all 100 or so threads are woven together - that's a different duck of another color. It's like if it looks like a duck - it may not be a duck. If it flies like a duck - it may not be a duck. If it walks like a duck - it may not be a duck. If it swims like a duck - it may not be a duck. If it quacks like a duck - it may not be a duck. But if it looks, flies, walks, swims and quacks like a duck - then it's a duck!
What the UFO ETH debunkers are confusing here is the concept of 'evidence' vs. the concept of 'proof'. There are massive amounts of evidence for the UFO ETH as noted immediately above. For example, I'd consider as part of legit evidence documents released under the FOI Act that show that in 1947, the then Army Air Force (AAF) requested the FBI to assist in investigating 'flying disc' reports all as part of the developing Cold War hysteria at the time. The FBI (Hoover) responded that they would cooperate only if they were granted access to the "crashed discs", something the AAF refused. That's evidence; it's not proof.
In fact there's more than enough eyewitness testimony and physical evidence that would satisfy any court of law; any judge; any jury in just about any other set of circumstances to render a verdict of guilty. But the UFO ETH can not yet be rendered guilty, because though there's not yet to date a smoking gun. There's no absolute under-the-microscope, on the lab's slab, proof positive of the UFO ETH. If any UFO ETH buff says they have proof, tell them to 'put up or shut up'. If however they say they have evidence in favor of the UFO ETH, ask them politely what it is.
OBJECTION: If the UFO ETH is correct then obviously the 'land on the White House lawn and a take-me-to-your-leader' scenario would be the obvious course of action for ET. That hasn't happened; therefore the UFO ETH is ridiculous.
ANSWER: An alien by definition would have to have an alien mind, and alien psychology, and alien motives. We can't hold them to our standards, our motives, our behavior patterns. Half the time I can't figure out why my cats do what they do!
According to hundreds (probably thousands) of sci-fi writers and of course Hollywood (and equivalents around the world), alien invasion is even more a viable scenario - as entertainment anyway. But that hasn't happened either, but again that's no argument to suggest that because there's been no alien invasion that UFOs can't be alien technology. The U.S.A. hasn't invaded Canada anytime lately and America has appropriate technology to do so if it wanted.
That leaves other motives - scientific, economic, etc. Let's examine human equivalents. Humans have explored ever since we had the ability to explore. We've boldly gone, in person or via machine surrogates, to the depths of the ocean, to Antarctica, to the Moon, and to all of the planets (actual, or in the case of Pluto, on route). All this exploration for all practical purposes has been for the sake of just science, pure science, and nothing but the science. Of course there's usually an ulterior motive in the back of the mind - exploration leads to exploitation. We explore, we like what we see, we colonize, we exploit, we build resorts for R&R, we migrate to escape various forms of environmental/political pressures, we mine for resources, and we farm for food and do more besides. Today the Moon is for science; tomorrow we may exploit its resources. Why should the ET-Earth relationship be any different?
OBJECTION: Every cubic inch of the sky is monitored from above and below 24/7/52 by highly sophisticated electronic surveillance equipment, always on the lookout for sneak attacks and to track satellites and space junk. The orbits of thousands of bits of space junk are known with high precision, even if that bit is no larger than a ham sandwich! Any alien spaceships that large or (obviously) larger that's up there, well, we'd know about it.
ANSWER: Advanced stealth technology rules; okay anyone? It's a major and ever ongoing R&D into stealth technologies are of interest to the military, the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies on Earth. What might an advanced alien civilization 1000, 10,000 years in advance of our have in the way of such camouflage? They'd obvious use that technology to prevent being shot at by trigger-happy generals! In 'Star Trek' terminology, we'd call this sort of technology something akin to a 'cloaking device'.
OBJECTION: If ET is, or was here, there would be artifacts left behind, even if it's just ET's garbage and little else.
ANSWER: Unless we humans start launching our garbage into space, say the ultimate incineration in the solar furnace; well let's just say that option is going to increase waste disposal rates several thousand fold and therefore isn't a realistic option. Therefore, we have little option but to use Planet Earth as a garbage dump - much to the delight of archaeologists who base much of ancient human history on just such detritus. But of course time, natural forces and biological agents ultimately deal with most forms of human waste - solid, liquid and gaseous.
Those same natural forces and biological agents would also strut their natural recycling and breakdown stuff on ET's waste. But, in addition, ET can and does have the option of removing their detritus off planet. Secondly, would we of necessity recognize and distinguish ET's rubbish from all other forms of human rubbish especially without any obvious differences that would suggest such rubbish is somehow different and should be subject to complex analysis that would be required to confirm that this rubbish isn't ordinary rubbish but extraordinary rubbish? Lack of ET's garbage is not evidence of a lack of ET.
There's yet another solution. A technologically advanced ET is probably equally advanced in recycling technology. If you undertake interstellar voyages you'd better be damned efficient at recycling. Anyway, I don't recall anyone in 'Star Trek' for example leaving behind their litter - an artifact, maybe like a book on Chicago's gangsters yes, but not rubbish! But speaking of artifacts related to ET, there have been lots of authors, quite apart from Erich von Daniken, who have made careers out of pointing out archaeological evidence suggestive of ET. Now clearly much of that is embellishment and wishful thinking and often plain nonsense, but, as most of life's little mysteries are, this isn't an either/or situation. There are many shades of gray here and I've seen quite a few artifacts that are quite suggestive of an ET in our past, and of course if past tense, why not present tense? Now throw in some mythology...
FINAL FALLBACK OBJECTION: The UFO ETH can't be therefore it isn't; alright it might be but it still isn't; don't bother me with facts, my mind is made up; and in any event it's all pseudoscience and I just deal with real science. Trust me on this - I'm a scientist!
FINAL ANSWER: Once upon a time Galileo Galilei and Nicolaus Copernicus would have been considered pseudo-astronomers; Heinrich Schliemann (of Troy fame) someone who dabbled in pseudo-archaeology; Charles Darwin was a pseudo-naturalist; and Alfred Wegener, obviously put forth a theory (continental drift) that could only be described as pseudo-geology at the time. Even originally Albert Einstein was so far out in left field that his scientific seniors and superiors could easily have described his physics as pseudo-physics. Only time and history will be the judge whether or not the UFO ETH is or was pseudoscience or real science. The jury IMHO is still out on that issue.
CONCLUSIONS: Scientists rally against the UFO ETH and perhaps they are right - or maybe not. Scientists aren't all-knowing. They too are human with all the accompanying baggage that implies and they can, and do, make mistakes.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

How to Make Science Fun and Exciting

Every child has a favorite subject in school - some love history, some math. For many, science is a fascinating course filled with miracles and wonder. For others, it's a boring tedium that they would rather avoid. But recently, numerous organizations and teachers have learned that adding science games to the curriculum can help make science one of the most fun, interesting, and entertaining classes that they take. If your child is struggling with science, adding some kids' science games to their daily life at home can be a great way to boost their learning and to spend quality time with them. And teachers adding games to their glass will notice a difference as well.
When most people say 'games' these days, they mean computer or video games. And there are plenty of science activities designed to be played on a computer. From online games that run in your browser to purchasable, downloadable science games, there's really no limit to what you'll find. Physics games or biology games are two of the most common, and can run the gamut from virtual animal dissection to a computerized microscope. You may even find kids science games that take you on a digital tour of the inside of the human body.
Of course, not all kids' science games have to be computer based. There are plenty of board games, card games, and even totally free science games that can help boost learning. Some of these are designed for large groups of kids and are perfect for the classroom, while others are well-suited for small groups or pairs and make great choices when you want to play a game at home with your child. Again, there are biology games that help your child learn about life, physics games that focus on space and the physical world, and many more.
Whether you have a child who's struggling to learn geology or have an entire classroom of kids who you think could learn more efficiently through fun, there are plenty of kids science games to choose from and they likely cost much less than you suspect. Take a few moments to review your options and you'll be certain to find the perfect kids science games for your needs. Whether it's physics, astronomy, biology, or something else, these are some of the most fun educational games on the market. You'll probably enjoy them just as much as your child.