Population Life Tables

A life table is basically a chart that tells you when your expected to die. They have separate charts for guys and girls and other factors like smoking and occupation can be calculated into the chart and calculate the life expectancy with that. The chart might not be such a good idea because then you give people an idea of how long they will live and they might not see any future after that age since they believe they are to die. I don't think anyone can predict the age at which anyone will die. When the times comes it comes.

Making biodiesel and bioethanol

Bioethanol today is made mostly from sugar and starch crops. New technologies have also allowed for this fuel to be made with things like trees and grasses. Ethanol can be used as a fuel for cars in its pure form, but it is usually has to be mixed with gasoline. It is usually mixed in there to improve the emissions of the car. 

Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled greases. In the US most of it is made from soybean oil or recycled cooking oils but things like animals fats and other kinds of oils can also be used to produce the biodiesel.

Mitochondrial Eve

This idea is basically the idea that all human beings descended from "Eve." Mitochondrial DNA is genetically passed from mother to child without it being recombined, so it stays exactly the same. So this idea is saying that all our mitochondrial DNA is descended from her, Eve. They also use this idea to trace the ancestors of people today. 

Amphioxus

The amphioxus is also known as the lancelet and it is an interesting creature in that it is believed to hold clues to the evolution of vertebrates. Since they split from the vertebrates so long ago they think that they can look at the lancelets genes and compare them to that of modern vertebrates. This would give them an idea of how vertebrates have evolved from that point. 

Macon Dog Park

The dog park is a good way to socialize with other dog owners and at the same time get your pet some exercise and outside time. I think the dog park is a really good idea especially in a small town like Macon. It can really bring the community together. There might be problems though with sanitation and the risk of transmitting diseases if the park isn't kept clean like it should be.

Darwin's Dilemma

In this case the discovery of the Burgess Shale has revealed that there was an explosion of different and new animals in just a short time during the Cambrian. So how could Darwin's theory of evolution fit to this time frame and explain such an explosion? Darwin himself could not explain such an explosion because there really was no evidence of any ancestors that came before those species. It is an interesting mystery.

Hitchiti Experimental Forest

The trip the forest was quite interesting. We got to look at the different plants that they had there and took special interest in the sassafras which is a unique tree. It had three different types of leaves. 

One thing I did not know was that experimental forests existed but it is interesting that they would use them to study the wildlife and the plants. It is actually a good idea and hopefully they will help in the future.