...confirmed the presence of life beyond Earth, what would you imagine that newfound life to look like? I would imagine that the newfound life would like green men with a bumpy textured skin. They would the same face features as human beings and they would wear space suits. 2. If future astronauts encountered a “being” on some distant planet that acted like a robot but not quite, how could they determine if it was “alive” or not? They could determine if it was “alive” or not...
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...on another entity inorder to convert that entity into its own form and function, and does so in order to persist and reproduce itself. In this paper I will discuss the nine properties and how things like a virus, prion, and viroid can reproduce, but are not considered to be alive. Also how things like these that are not considered to be alive can “evolve”? Viruses reproduce via bacterial gene transfer. Prions are proteins so they replicate with the rest of the genome. Viroids are small RNA plant pathogens that do not code any protein products, therefore replicate by stealing what is needed from the host. However, it may be important to keep in mind that there is a great deal of discussion about whether viruses should be defined as live or not. They contain some of the structures and exhibit some of the activities that are common to the definition of organic life, but are missing others. Unlike viroids and prions, they contain both RNA and DNA. Scientifically they are classified in a place between supra molecular complexes and extremely simple biological entities. Viruses are composed of a single strand of genetic information encapsulated in protein. One of the most compelling arguments against viruses being live is that they lack most of the organelles necessary for biosythesis, thus reproduction. In order for a virus to reproduce it must find a suitable host. A virus is a bacteriophage, or intracellular parasite that multiplies inside a bacteria making use of the biosythetic...
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...For something to be consider alive it must meet all nine of the properties of life. The first property of life is order. Order is when each structure or activity lies in a specific relationship with all other structures and activities (Hopson, 2011). The next property is metabolism; this is when an organized chemical breaks down molecules to make energy and needed parts (Hopson, 2011). Motility is the third property; it allows the organism to move themselves or their body parts. Responsiveness allows the organism to react to the environment it is in. Reproduction allows the organism to make others like it, this is the fifth property. Development is when the organism makes progressive changes result in an individual acquiring increased complexity (Hopson, 2011). Heredity is the sixth property; this is when the parent organism passes genes to their off spring. Evolution is where organisms change over time, acquiring new ways to survive, to obtain and use energy, and to reproduce (Hopson, 2011). Adaptation is the ninth property it is where the organism adapts to their surroundings to be able to survive. Some of the nine properties do relate to viruses, prions, and viroids, they are not consider to be alive. We do not consider them to be a live because they are not responsive and passive. Their existence all depends on the cell that they encounter. Viruses, prions, and viroids are not considered alive yet the do evolve. Depending on the cell that they encounter depends on what...
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...1 1. Viruses are both living and non-living as they share characteristics of both. A major non-living characteristic is that viruses do not have cells and cannot reproduce on its own. However, the virus can reproduce if it has a living host, which gives viruses their living characteristics. 2. Viruses cannot be grown agar as bacteria are because they cannot metabolize on their own. They need at least one host cell where it could input its DNA and infect it. After that, both those viruses would commence by infecting other living host cells. 3. Antibiotics work to get rid of the replicating function of bacteria so it cannot spread. However, viruses cannot replicate on their own unless they have living hosts, therefore since the viruses do not replicate, the antibiotics have no use. 4. Viral specificity means that the virus chooses and selects the type of cell, organism to infect and which disease to invoke onto it. 5. a) A-Virus, B-Cell DNA, C-Cell/Cell Membrane, D- Nucleic Acid (DNA or RNA) b) Bacteriophage Life Cycle c) I believe it doesn’t matter what they infect, as they are non-living and as long as they find some kind of living host, they’ll inject their nucleic acid to replicate into many more viruses. 6. Antibiotics literally will have no effect and will not cure the patient. All that the patient will gain are the side effects, for example: drowsiness and such. They will not get cured, as their problem is that viruses aren’t alive and antibiotics...
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...want to gain from the attack. People write computer viruses. The person has to write the code, test it to make sure it spreads properly and then release it. A person also designs the virus's attack phase, whether it's a silly message or the destruction of a hard disk. . There are at least four reasons why this is done. The first is the same psychology that drives vandals and arsonists. For some people, that seems to be a thrill. If that sort of person knows computer programming, then he or she may funnel energy into the creation of destructive viruses. Secondly the reason has to do with the thrill of watching things blow up. Some people have a fascination with things like explosions and car wrecks. Creating a virus is a somewhat like that, it creates a virtual bomb inside a computer, and the more computers that get infected; the more "fun" the explosion. The third reason involves bragging rights; some people enjoy the status it holds. Certain types of programmers see security holes that could be exploited, and are compelled to exploit the hole themselves before someone else beats them to it. The reason that drives many people on a day-to-day basis to commit crimes, get easy cash, obtain illegal money, a fast payout; the idea of easy money. Viruses can trick you into buying fake software, steal your personal information and use it to get to your money, or be sold on the digital equivalent of the black market. Powerful viruses are valuable and potentially lucrative tools. Of course...
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...NanoTouch is the world’s first and only manufacturer of NanoSeptic products that constantly kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. NanoTouch also serves the hospitality, travel, education, and food service industries with products such as travel mats, counter and tray table mats, TV channel guides, and menu covers, in addition to facility touch points such as door push pads and handle wraps, portable mats for counters and bathroom vanities, and custom products like grocery cart and public transportation grab-handle wraps. NanoSeptic with tagline The New Clean™ is the latest advancement in continuously self-cleaning surfaces. NanoSeptic surfaces are engineered with a proprietary blend of material science, nanotechnology and green chemistry to constantly kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, without the use of toxins, heavy metals or diluted poisons. And NanoTouch products offer more than a way to provide customers with cleaner surfaces, it's a way to visually communicate the commitment to them well-being at every contact point. NanoSeptic® surface products by NanoTouch Materials have been recognized for making a positive difference in education by K12 leaders who named it to District Administration magazine’s “Readers’ Choice Top 100 Product for 2013.” To begin with the history, in three years ago, NanoTouch Materials went from a couple of guys with an idea to a company with international appeal. The product, the removal NanoSeptic Surfaces marketed at Lynchburg's YMCA or the Craddock...
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...Biodiversity - variety & # of life forms on earth Species - breed that can interbreed naturally Morphological Species Concept: species r organisms that look anatomically similar Recognition Species Concept: species r organisms that can recognize each other as potential mates Biological Species Concept: species r individuals in a population that can breed under natural conditions and produce fertile offspring Hybridization- crossbreeding between species (rare) (ex, liger, mule) Types of Biodiversity * genetic diversity: sexual reproduction cases unique inherited combinations of traits * ecosystem diversity: variety of organisms and their environment * diversity of interactions: interdependence of species = stability * diversity of habitats: structural diversity increases biodiversity Loss of biodiversity -affects food -medicine -economics -carbon cycle ______________________________________________________________________________ Taxonomy (to arrange) - the science of identifying, classifying, and naming organisms - classification based on similarities in structure and function - classifying helps us find/identify and understand Seven Levels Remember Katy Perry's Cat Ordered Fine Guacamole Sunday King Phillip Came Over From Germany, Stinky 1. Species 2. Genus 3. Family - animals end in "-idae" , plants end in " -aceae" 4. Order 5. Class 6. Phylum 7. Kingdom Classification for humans: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata ...
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...It could cost upwards of 10 million dollars to try to clone the wooly mammoth. The money needs to be spent on saving the animals that are currently going extinct. Even if the extinct animal is brought back, “having the species solves only a tiny, tiny part of the problem” notes Stuart Pimm conservation biologist. Since the population hasn’t fixed the habitat problems these cloned animals don’t have somewhere safe to be. If the money was spent trying to stop pollution or climate change, then maybe there would be a safe place for the animals that are currently alive. Many animals are still going extinct in our current day an age, so we’re not ready to try and bring more animals back into this world. “As far as I can see, there is little urgency for bringing back extinct ones. Why invest millions of dollars in bringing a handful of species back from the dead, when there are millions still waiting to be discovered, described, and protected?”(“Bringing them Back to Life”). This National Geographic article covers the animals that have been cloned, and how they’ve already gone extinct. It is important to know that there is little money left, “conservation budgets around the world are already strained, and most endangered species do not have any direct conservation funding devoted to them” (Platt). Scientists...
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...November 11, 2013 Generally people have a tendency to adapt to their environments and the changes occurring around them. This has also been the case with the criminal element and the way they commit crimes. Computers and their functions had taken on an entirely new level of advancement in their capabilities with the introduction of the Internet to the general public. This Internet for most can be a useful resource. From gathering research for an academic project to attending a board room meeting remotely, the Internet has proven to be key in many aspects of human life today. The Internet has also given way to a slue of new crimes and negative activity. Cyber stalking, Cyber bullying, exploitation, sex crimes, financial fraud and the use of viruses and malicious code are just a few things that have become prevalent on the information super highway. One of today’s largest concerns among parents is protecting their children from becoming victims of bullying. There was a time when you had to worry about the school bully running into while in the hallways of your school or out and about around your neighbor, but the situation surrounding bullying been given a technological advantage. Social media sites such, as Facebook.com, Twitter and Instagram have become the avenues for bullies to invade their victim’s homes and lives. In a recent cyber bullying case in Lakeland Florida, a 12-year-old Rebecca Sedgwick jumped to her death at a local cement plant. She had been the victim of at least...
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...BACTERIA Morphology Unicellular Prokaryotic Extracellular Appendages flagella, fimbriae, pili Peptidoglycan alternating NAG and NAM protein reinforced by peptide crosslinks Plasmid extra circular DNA used for transferring resistance and toxicity Physiology Nutrition photoautotroph and chemoautotroph Metabolism- aerobic and anaerobic Reproduction - Binary Fission rapid transverse cell division resulting to two equally sized daughter cells Habitat Ubiquitous Soil Water Air Living Organisms Pathogenicity Adhesion bacteria uses fimbriae to attach to surfaces ; sex pilus to attach to other bacteria Resistance increased by the type of cell wall, and presence of endospore, capsules, slime layers Toxin the lipopolysaccharide upper layer of Gram negative bacteria is released as toxins Taxonomy Domain : Bacteria Kingdom: Monera Phyla : Firmicutes Gram-Positive e.g. cocci Staphylococcus Streptococcus bacilli Lactobacillus Gracilicutes Gram-Negative e.g. cocci bacilli spirochete obligate intracellular parasites Tenericutes No Cell Wall e.g. Mycoplasma Ureaplasma Obligate Intracellular Parasite under phylum Gracilicutes 1. Rickettsia Pleomorphic Requires arthropod vectors ticks mites fleas Pathogenic Typhus Q Fever Trench Fever Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever 2. Bartonella Opportunistic Intracellular Parasite Vectors: Cat Flea Sandfly transmits Cat-Scratch Fever 3. Chlamydia Obligate Intracellular Coccoid Elementary Bodies...
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...itself only within cells of living hosts. (Webster Dictionary) Along with being classified as a virus West Nile shows that it only infects certain and specific cells [Secondary Source]. Since Dmitri Ivanovsky's 1892 article describes a non-bacterial pathogen infecting tobacco plants, and the discovery of the tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, about 5,000 viruses have been described in detail. [Secondary Source] Although there are millions of different types, viruses also undergo cycles in order to reproduce and harm and/or help organisms. There are two types of viral cycles known to men, the lytic cycle and the lysogenic cycle. In the lytic cycle the virus attaches itself to the host cell and nucleic acid is inserted into the cell. Next it makes copies of DNA and capsid and more viruses are assembled. Finally the viruses are released by bursting the cell and destroying it. The lysogenic cycle is slightly different than the first cycle only by a few characteristics. During the lysogenic cycle the virus also attaches and inserts nucleic acid into the cell, but instead of creating new viruses and let them be released, viral DNA is made along with the cell's DNA. That is called Provirus and the nucleic acid replicates with the cell. After that the cell can go to the lytic cycle at any time. While in the...
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...first appearance. The numbers of deaths are the highest (WHO.Int). The spread began in Guinea before spreading to the bordering nations including Liberia and Sierra Leone, then to Nigeria through one traveller on air, and to Senegal through on traveller on land. Ebola hemorrhagic fever also the Ebola virus disease or simply Ebola is a disease of primates including humans whose cause is Ebola viruses. Fever, headaches, muscle pain and sore throats are the initial signs and symptoms that develop between two days and three weeks upon contracting the virus. Decreased function of the kidney and liver then follow in addition to rash, diarrhea and vomiting. At this time, it is likely to observe both external and internal bleeding. The risk of death in relation to Ebola is significantly high. Killings between 25% and 90% are recorded of those infected which extends to average at 50% (Prevention CDC). The reason is that, there is significantly low blood pressure from loss of fluids. Upon the appearance of the symptoms, the deaths typically follow in 6-16 days. Ebola Causes The major Ebola viruses that in humans are five, namely; Sudan Virus(SUDV), Zaire Ebola Virus(EBOV), Reston Virus(RESTV), Tai Forest Virus(TAFV) and the Bundibugyo Virus(BDBV). Zaire...
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...Science has changed our world in many different ways, such as transportation, the telephone, and the computer. Of course these are the most obvious of technology, but there are more things that can relate to technology in a good way. Science will most likely keep improving as time goes by, and if people keep thinking of ideas. Without creativity in the world we wouldn’t have had this amazing technology that we have today. This is why technology will keep advancing as long as we keep thinking of stuff that will make our lives easier. Science and technology has changed our world in many good ways; for instance, transportation, such as the car, and airplanes. There are other more useful forms of technology such as the computer, telephone and other forms of communication. Telephones have become more advanced over the years; the cell phone is an example of this. These also became more advance, making a more interactive, hand held, touch screen device. This advancement led to Skype, a program that allows you to talk to other people face to face, long distance. These are the most fundamental of technology that we use often today. But before this, life was different. Before the modern technological advancements, people used stone tools to defend themselves, cook, and discover. This is what led to the Iron Age, where people discovered the technology of smelting iron, which replaced bronze. As technology advanced even more, they used iron and bronze to make weapons to go to war with...
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...These observations ultimately gave rise to the cell theory, as postulated by Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow, about two centuries later. The major points of the cell theory are as follows: 1. All organisms are composed of a fundamental unit, the cell. 2. All organisms are unicellular or multicellular. 3. All cells are fundamentally alike regarding their structure and metabolism. 4. Cells only arise from preexisting cells (“life begets life”). Life begets life is a refutation of the once popular idea of spontaneous generation, a doctrine that proposed life could arise from non-living components (which was disproved in the late 1800s). Viruses and prions are not composed of cells; they are acellular or subcellular infectious agents. Neither of these two agents is considered to be alive by most biologists. Metabolic Diversity Living things possess several attributes commonly associated with life, as summarized in Table 2.1. The attributes common to life include the following: being composed of one or more cells, requiring energy, being able to reproduce, being able to respond to stimuli, and having the ability to grow. Most cells obtain energy through a complex series of biochemical reactions termed metabolism. Cells metabolize organic compounds (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) in food and capture the energy stored in chemical bonds by forming high-energy bonds in adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Most microbes are heterotrophs...
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...for everyone. In order for people to decide whether the influenza vaccine is right for them or their families, they need to know some of the basics about influenza viruses. Influenza viruses are spread by having contact with someone or something that has the influenza virus. When a person has a confirmed case of the influenza virus, the individual can spread the virus to others by not covering when he or she coughs or sneezes and by not washing his or her hands and keeping containers or tissues around that may contain vomit, sputum or nose secretions (Center for Disease Control, 2010, Oct.). The four types of vaccines available to any individual who would want to obtain the vaccine for preventive measures. The first one is, Whole virion inactivated vaccine, and this has complete viruses which are not alive. This one is not infectious and once injected keeps their antigenic properties. The second one, Subunit inactivated vaccine; this is made up of surface antigens only usually a H or N surface strain. This one is usually not very effective. The third one; Split-virion inactivated vaccines, has a disrupting agent that breaks up the viral structure of the viruses used and it contains both the internal and surface antigens. The fourth and final vaccine; Live attenuated, cold adapted vaccine, contains live viruses and can only multiply in cooler nasal...
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