DEET (short for N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the most widely used insect repellent in the world for a very good reason – it works really, really well! Just a quick spray on exposed skin keeps mosquitoes, flies, fleas, chiggers, and ticks away. Developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and patented by the U.S. Army […]
Archive for the 'Life Science' Category
After 50 Years, Scientists Still Not Sure How DEET Works
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 1:48 pm
Written by: Kimberly Lightle
Coral Reefs Faced With Extinction?
Friday, July 18th, 2008 4:04 pm
Written by: Kimberly Lightle
A third of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction, according to the first-ever comprehensive global assessment to determine their conservation status. Corals produce reefs in shallow tropical and sub-tropical seas and have been shown to be highly sensitive to changes in their environment. The study findings were published July 11, 2008 by […]
Posted in Topics: Conservation, Coral Reefs, Ecology, Environment, Life Science, Marine Biology, Oceans
Crop Failures and Food Riots
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 4:58 pm
Written by: Mary LeFever
Many news outlets reported earlier this week that recent rice crop failures could have been avoided. An infestation of the brown plant hopper is the cause for the crop failure. The science knowledge and biotechnology needed to breed resistant rice plants have been in existence for several years. However, funds were not available to mass […]
Posted in Topics: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Food Supplies, Insects, Life Science, Science
Mechanism for Antibiotic Resistance Discovered
Friday, May 9th, 2008 8:32 am
Written by: Mary LeFever
Those of us born after World War II have take antibiotics for granted. Strep throat? Ear infection? Acne? Bronchitis? Not a problem. Take the full prescribed antibiotic dose and you are cured. The reality of antibiotic resistant bacteria however, disrupts that scenario. No longer can we always trust in a full recovery from a bacterial […]
Posted in Topics: Biotechnology, Evolution, Genetics, Life Science, Science
Master Gene Controlling Tumor Angiogenesis Is Found
Thursday, April 24th, 2008 2:21 pm
Written by: Mary LeFever
Typically, a middle school life science study of cells explores the parts of the cells, cell diversity and how cells reproduce through mitosis. Discussion of cancer at this time is appropriate since cancer cells share the needs of normal cells in terms of obtaining nutrients and getting rid of waste. However, they differ in their […]
Posted in Topics: Genetics, Life Science, Methods of Science, Science
Earth Day
Thursday, April 17th, 2008 10:14 am
Written by: Mary LeFever
This week’s blog focuses on Earth Day, April 22. There is no news article accompanying today’s blog. Instead, we provide you with an assortment of resources related to Earth Day. Do you know how Earth Day started? You can find the answer to that question and more in The History of Earth Day by Gaylord […]
Posted in Topics: Earth Science, Environment, Life Science, Science
How Is Species Defined and Why Does It Matter? The Politics of Conservation
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 6:48 pm
Written by: Mary LeFever
This week’s post focuses on the definition of species and its implications beyond science content knowledge—specifically, how the definition is related to species conservation and protection.
For example, the brown bear of the Iberian Peninsula is a different species compared with other European brown bears because it is geographically isolated, right? According to a press release, […]
Posted in Topics: Genetics, Life Science, Science
What Are Seed Gene Banks and How Do They Work?
Friday, March 7th, 2008 8:03 am
Written by: Mary LeFever
Seed gene banks exist throughout the world. As you might guess, their purpose is to catalog, store, and protect as many varieties of plants as possible. These banks are useful to plant breeders trying to find crop species that are more drought or disease resistant, for example. They also provide a resource for countries in […]
Posted in Topics: Biodiversity, Genetics, Life Science
One in Three Amphibian Species at Risk of Extinction
Friday, February 1st, 2008 6:58 am
Written by: Mary LeFever
No one wants to see pandas, polar bears, or penguins go extinct. Why have organizations like the World Wildlife Fund been so successful in garnering the general public’s support for their conservation efforts? Perhaps it is because we find these animals appealing on an affective level. In many people’s minds, they’re worth conserving for emotional […]
Posted in Topics: Biodiversity, Conservation, Evolution, Life Science
Mortality Rate of Captive-Bred and Released Carnivores is 70%
Thursday, January 24th, 2008 10:01 am
Written by: Mary LeFever
The American Association for the Advancement of Science news site, EurekAlert!, brings us this week’s topic. Increasing rates of extinctions have focused conservation biologists on finding the most effective means of preserving biodiversity. Releasing captive-bred animals is one. However, a review of 45 published studies of 17 different carnivores revealed the high mortality rates of […]
Posted in Topics: Biodiversity, Conservation, Life Science
Posted in Topics: Health, Insects, Life Science, Methods of Science, Nature of Science, Science
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