BioEntrepreneurial Idea: Genetic Modified Foods

My idea of a biological entrepreneurial company is a company that develops genetically modified foods. Some examples of these foods are chicken with 10 legs and plants that produce their own pesticides. The reason for the ten-legged chicken is so you can produce more drum sticks, which are many people's favorite part of a chicken to eat. The pesticide-producing plants can produce their own chemicals so people don't have to take their time spraying pesticides.
I think this will be a pretty successful company since you can produce food more efficiently and will not be a "pain in the butt." But this could also bring up controversies since its modifying animals and plants both physically and genetically. Also, it may be harmful to eat these foods, such as the pesticide-producing plants.

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Biological Breakthrough: Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, also know as TB, has been one of the world's most common and deadliest diseases. It is said that TB existed since human antiquity. It is characterized by chest pain, fevers, easily fatigued and coughing up blood. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus of TB, was identified by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. He later received the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1905 for this discovery. The first vaccine for TB was first developed at the Pasteur Institute in France between 1905 and 1921.
I think this discovery has saved many humans from dying from TB. If we did not find the cure for TB, we would still be having trouble to how to treat TB.

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Bio Entrepreneurs: Robert A. Swanson and Dr. Herbert W. Boyer

Robert A. Swanson and Dr. Herbert W. Boyer are the founders of Genentech Incorporated. Genentech is a biotechnology company. It manufactures many biological and medical equipment. It uses human genetic information to discover and develop biotherapeutics. I think this company is really important to us since it manufactures the latest biological technology. It will probably succeed in the future as they develop new biotechnology.

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Guest Lecturer, Dr. Pamela Fong, and Eye Dissection

Dr. Pamela Fong gave us a lecture about eye anatomy and pathology today. I learned many things about the eye that i did not know before. One thing is that we have a blind spot in the eye where the optic nerve is. Another thing I learned is that everyone has a unique design of the iris, just like our fingerprints. Another thing is that an expert can tell the general health of a person by just looking inside of the person's eye. It can tell the person's approximate age, if he/she has high blood pressure, and much more. The pictures in the presentation really made it easy to understand and enjoyable. Thank you Dr. Pamela Fong!

 

The second part was the sheep eye dissection, which I did not enjoy. It was really gross and smelled terrible, but I did learn some stuff. I learned that the lens is really hard. I also learned that the eye is filled with a transparent, jelly-like substance. In conclusion, I found out that the eye is a really complex organ in your body.

FERNS: How exciting

Come see my fern page on wetpaint.com

Editorial: Louise Mead

The presentation that Mrs. Mead put together for us was fantastic. She made a power point presentation which made the presentation more interesting and easier to understand. She talked about Darwin's Laws and evolution, which she studies at the National Center for Science Education. She used salamanders, which she mainly studies, as an evidence of evolution. I learned many new things about evolution and Darwin. One thing I learned was that about 70% of people reject Darwin's idea of evolution. I thought many people accepted the idea. Even though some parts of the presentation were a little confusing or advanced for me, I give the presentation a 8.5.