Honey Bee Project
When you look at most of the food around you, you may think about the farms it came from and how it got to your table, but most people rarely think about how much of that food is pollenated by bees. Bees do so much more for us then make delicious honey to put in our tea and on our pancakes and our lives would be so different without them. We need the bees to keep sending their old worker bees out in the world to pollenate and keep our world going. The bees are starting to disappear and become extinct and we need to do everything in our power to help keep the bees alive for their and our sakes. They are an amazing species with complex bodies that can do amazing things in the hives and in our flowers that make our food.
For this project I focussed on the anatomy of a bee. After our last project, the dissection project, I realized how interesting the body can be and was interested in working and looking at the bees body. This also seemed like something I would be able to dissect without feeling so queasy. This also seemed like a really cool thing to learn about because I could then compare and contrast the bee's anatomy to ours and the cat's. By using the three sources I found and reading them deeply was knew enough to do a bee dissection by myself. It turns out a bee is very different then our or a cats body. First they have an exoskeleton and an open circulatory system and they are much much smaller. Each type of honey bee has different strengths and weakness, for example the drones have the strongest wings because all mating happens in the air. I ended up dissecting my bee and stabbing each body piece with a label beneath on display. I was proud that I was able to learn so much about bees through this project and actually become less afraid of bees. I wish that I had been able to get deeper into the bee and possibly dissect more bees so I could have seen the differences more clearly.
Dissection-Cat
In this project we had the choice to dissect a cat, pig fetus, or a shark. Though they all would have been very interesting a fun to dissect, I went with dissecting a cat with three other class mates. I am not the biggest fan of cats, but thought it would be super cool to dissect one and compare our anatomy to theirs. When we dissected our cat we started with the muscles and slowly but surely worked our way into the depths of the cat. We learned about four different exterior muscles before cutting away to her insides. We learned about all of her organs and were surprised to find that her uterus was full of four babies who were only a week away from being born. Learning about the circulatory system was very interesting and cool to touch and actually see. Though this project I realized I love learning about how our body and other body types work and that physically working with them is not the best for me. Working with the outsides of the body and just knowing about the insides better fits me.
Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science
In this project we learned about our justice system, exoneration, and how forensic sciences help to exonerate people. We started this project by watching the documentary, The Memphis Three, which showed us how unfair our justice system can be and why DNA testing can be so helpful in an investigation. We also got to speak with an exoneree, Ken Marsh, about how his sentence in prison and release affected him in his life now. Talking to Ken was very helpful in making us angry and more passionate about this subject. In our project we were put into pairs to learn more about the forensics used in crime scenes and how to use them in a crime scene of our own. We were each assigned a crime scene and four technical writing pieces that would (hopefully) help us uncover the criminal and story of the scene.
In our crime scene we had found Aaron Lee dead, drunk, with a gun between his hand, and fallen over his kitchen table. Our first steps were to use blood spatter analysis and to determine the trajectory of the bullet. After we had done this we could conclude that Aaron Lee had been shot because his body would have had to been slumped over before the shooting. After that we did fingerprinting and and analysis of the wound to determine that Michelle Lee, Aaron’s wife, had fingerprints on the pill bottles and that Aaron had been shot at close range. Next we looked at different blood types found at the crime and the toxicology level of Aaron Lee. From these we could see that there was Aaron Lee’s blood on Michelle’s shirt, that Scott Henderson(the stepson) had the same blood type as Aaron, and that the toxicology level in Aaron’s blood was very highly intoxicated with painkillers. Our last steps were to examine the autopsy report and go through the process of extracting DNA from blood that was found in Scott’s home sink. The blood found in that sink indeed was Aaron Lee’s blood and Scott tried to admit to the crime, but Michelle also admitted and did commit the crime with assistance from her son.
My favorite forensic science that I learned and used was the extraction of DNA. Not that we got to do it for real for our crime, but the fake processes where very fun and engaging. Extracting the DNA of our own saliva, going through the PCR of DNA, electrophoresis to determine if the blood at Scott’s house was his or Aaron Lee’s, and then analyzing what the electrophoresis told us was what we did. I think that what I did well in this project was grow grow in my skills of writing, even thought that was what I wish I could have done better with. I wish I could have spent more time to revise my papers and done better to understand what I was writing about.
Forensic Sciences:
Mikayla Wright
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Blood in Scott Henderson's sink
Forensic Science Used: Nuclear DNA
Summary of Science:
Friedrich(Fritz) Miescher, a Swiss biologist and physician, was the first to discover and separate the nuclei molecule from the cell’s nucleus. The lymph membrane of the cell had been hard to break through and understand where and what the DNA was. When Fritz found pus, from a clinic where he scraped the pus off of bandages, the white blood cells were found in great quantities from the infection. This helped him understand that the membrane was made of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus which gave the capability to to break down normal cell’s membranes easier and get to the actual DNA. Fritz laid down the basic knowledge of Nuclear DNA and molecular discoveries.
Nuclear DNA is a nucleic acid that is contained within the nucleus of a Eukaryotic cell. Nuclear DNA, unlike mitochondrial DNA, is not maternal and comes from both parents. The DNA is not an exact copy of one or the other parent, but is a mix of the two. Nuclear DNA has 46 chromosomes, 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. Nuclear DNA is a structure of a double helix that is built up by nitrogenous bases, phosphate, and sugars.
To get to the nuclei and decipher the DNA there is a process of that must be followed. The first step is extracting the DNA. DNA can be extracted from blood, semen, hair, or saliva. The human tissue is first mixed with a lysis buffer that breaks down the membrane of the cell. It is then combined with salt that breaks up the cell and neutralizes the charge of the DNA. A buffer is added and then cold alcohol is added which raises the DNA from out of the substance.
PCR, polymerase chain reaction, is the next step in extracting the DNA. This process copies the DNA thousands of time, but only the 0.01% that is wanted that connects the evidence to a person. The human fingerprint, this small percentage, is what differs human beings from each other. The other 99.99% of the cell is the exact same as every other cell of every other person. By going through the PCR enough of that 0.01% is creates enough substance to then analyze with.
To analyze the DNA, gel electrophoresis will determine and show the differences between the unidentified DNA to other known pieces of associative evidence. The first step in this process is to pour the heated gel into a container that has a divider that creates little divots into the gel once hardened. Once the gel has hardened the divider can be removed and a buffer is pour on top of the gel. After this a syringe is used with removable pipettes to squeeze the different DNA samples into the divots of the gel. Then electricity is added into the process to send currants and move the DNA strands. Because DNA has a negative charge the negative side that is charged must go on the side with the divots while the positive charge must pinch onto the opposite side of the container. This way the negatively charged DNA will move towards the positive charge and will then show the DNA strands and how long they are.
Then the really analyzing happens when the DNA is compared to the other pieces of DNA evidence. The DNA will leave one or more marks in the gel. DNA samples that leave the same marks from their strand can then determine that an unknown DNA is the same as a known person in a crime.
When the blood from Scott Henderson's sink was analyzed it was determined that it was not blood from himself. Aaron Lee’s blood matched the blood found in Scott’s sink that Scott had earlier claimed was his own blood that was there because of a cutting accident.
Sources used:
DNA, RNA, and Protein Extraction: The Past and The Present
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2789530/
Friedrich Miescher
http://www.dnaftb.org/15/bio.html
Mikayla Wright
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Bullet wound
Forensic Science used: Analysis of a bullet wound
Summary of a the Science:
When firearms were first used it was believed that they were poisoned because it wasn’t know that infectious material was on the bullet and then would be transferred into the victim’s system. The history of analyzing bullet wounds goes side by side with the growth of new firearms through time. As time has gone on new firearms have progressive become easier to use with different types of lockworks and load mechanisms. The amount of rounds shot per minute increased as well as bullet capability. Through these advance there are now many varieties of firearms available, but the wounds that are left on the skin are categorized into a few types based on their similarities.
In a crime scene working with gun wounds, a forensic pathologist is the investigator needed to produce conclusive evidence about the wound. Gun shot wounds can be classified by the three different ranges that the victim was shot at, contact, intermediate range, and distant range. Each of these ranges will create a different effect on the skin, muscle, and bones inside of the victim. Contact wounds are wounds left when the firearm is in contact with the victims skin. They leave considerable tissue damage, but unlike a shot that was taken farther from the victim it will leave less powder burns. Grey black soot, ring abrasions, and possibly a star shaped laceration can be left on the skin. Close range shots from the victim will look different then a contact shot. Powder tattooing will most likely be left on the skin of the victim. The pattern of the tattoo can help in determining the firearm used. There are different kinds of tattooing, so it helps in discovering the gun used. A distant range shot will leave a clearer shot without out many of the characteristics of the other shots. Also some wounds may be from a firearm that only grazed the skin that then requires careful inspection. These grazes are called skin tags and regularly the side of the tag will indicate lacerations from which side the projection of the weapon came from.
Entrance wounds and exit wounds are also to be analyzed and checked for, to not mix up one for the other and not get a conclusive examination. Though the entrance wound may have fractures, it will have distinct qualities whereas the exit wound will have an outer movement look without any features that come from a shot being fired closely.
When looking at a bullet wound for the most part it should be clear at what relative distance the weapon was held from the wound based on the characteristics of the different shots. Abrasions, powder burns and tattoos, and the shapes left on the skin and bone will create enough evidence to understand what may have occurred.
Through this process it was determined that the victim had been shot on contact with the skin because of the colored soot left around the entry wound on the victim and the bruising around the bullet wound left from the barrel of the gun.
Sources Used:
Forensic Pathology of Firearm Wounds
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1975428-overview
Patterns of Tissue Injury
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNINJ.html
Contact Shot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_shot
Mikayla Wright
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Blood in Scott Henderson's sink
Forensic Science Used: Nuclear DNA
Summary of Science:
Friedrich(Fritz) Miescher, a Swiss biologist and physician, was the first to discover and separate the nuclei molecule from the cell’s nucleus. The lymph membrane of the cell had been hard to break through and understand where and what the DNA was. When Fritz found pus, from a clinic where he scraped the pus off of bandages, the white blood cells were found in great quantities from the infection. This helped him understand that the membrane was made of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus which gave the capability to to break down normal cell’s membranes easier and get to the actual DNA. Fritz laid down the basic knowledge of Nuclear DNA and molecular discoveries.
Nuclear DNA is a nucleic acid that is contained within the nucleus of a Eukaryotic cell. Nuclear DNA, unlike mitochondrial DNA, is not maternal and comes from both parents. The DNA is not an exact copy of one or the other parent, but is a mix of the two. Nuclear DNA has 46 chromosomes, 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. Nuclear DNA is a structure of a double helix that is built up by nitrogenous bases, phosphate, and sugars.
To get to the nuclei and decipher the DNA there is a process of that must be followed. The first step is extracting the DNA. DNA can be extracted from blood, semen, hair, or saliva. The human tissue is first mixed with a lysis buffer that breaks down the membrane of the cell. It is then combined with salt that breaks up the cell and neutralizes the charge of the DNA. A buffer is added and then cold alcohol is added which raises the DNA from out of the substance.
PCR, polymerase chain reaction, is the next step in extracting the DNA. This process copies the DNA thousands of time, but only the 0.01% that is wanted that connects the evidence to a person. The human fingerprint, this small percentage, is what differs human beings from each other. The other 99.99% of the cell is the exact same as every other cell of every other person. By going through the PCR enough of that 0.01% is creates enough substance to then analyze with.
To analyze the DNA, gel electrophoresis will determine and show the differences between the unidentified DNA to other known pieces of associative evidence. The first step in this process is to pour the heated gel into a container that has a divider that creates little divots into the gel once hardened. Once the gel has hardened the divider can be removed and a buffer is pour on top of the gel. After this a syringe is used with removable pipettes to squeeze the different DNA samples into the divots of the gel. Then electricity is added into the process to send currants and move the DNA strands. Because DNA has a negative charge the negative side that is charged must go on the side with the divots while the positive charge must pinch onto the opposite side of the container. This way the negatively charged DNA will move towards the positive charge and will then show the DNA strands and how long they are.
Then the really analyzing happens when the DNA is compared to the other pieces of DNA evidence. The DNA will leave one or more marks in the gel. DNA samples that leave the same marks from their strand can then determine that an unknown DNA is the same as a known person in a crime.
When the blood from Scott Henderson's sink was analyzed it was determined that it was not blood from himself. Aaron Lee’s blood matched the blood found in Scott’s sink that Scott had earlier claimed was his own blood that was there because of a cutting accident.
Sources used:
DNA, RNA, and Protein Extraction: The Past and The Present
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2789530/
Friedrich Miescher
http://www.dnaftb.org/15/bio.html
Mikayla Wright
Crime Scene: #1
Evidence being examined: Bullet wound
Forensic Science used: Analysis of a bullet wound
Summary of a the Science:
When firearms were first used it was believed that they were poisoned because it wasn’t know that infectious material was on the bullet and then would be transferred into the victim’s system. The history of analyzing bullet wounds goes side by side with the growth of new firearms through time. As time has gone on new firearms have progressive become easier to use with different types of lockworks and load mechanisms. The amount of rounds shot per minute increased as well as bullet capability. Through these advance there are now many varieties of firearms available, but the wounds that are left on the skin are categorized into a few types based on their similarities.
In a crime scene working with gun wounds, a forensic pathologist is the investigator needed to produce conclusive evidence about the wound. Gun shot wounds can be classified by the three different ranges that the victim was shot at, contact, intermediate range, and distant range. Each of these ranges will create a different effect on the skin, muscle, and bones inside of the victim. Contact wounds are wounds left when the firearm is in contact with the victims skin. They leave considerable tissue damage, but unlike a shot that was taken farther from the victim it will leave less powder burns. Grey black soot, ring abrasions, and possibly a star shaped laceration can be left on the skin. Close range shots from the victim will look different then a contact shot. Powder tattooing will most likely be left on the skin of the victim. The pattern of the tattoo can help in determining the firearm used. There are different kinds of tattooing, so it helps in discovering the gun used. A distant range shot will leave a clearer shot without out many of the characteristics of the other shots. Also some wounds may be from a firearm that only grazed the skin that then requires careful inspection. These grazes are called skin tags and regularly the side of the tag will indicate lacerations from which side the projection of the weapon came from.
Entrance wounds and exit wounds are also to be analyzed and checked for, to not mix up one for the other and not get a conclusive examination. Though the entrance wound may have fractures, it will have distinct qualities whereas the exit wound will have an outer movement look without any features that come from a shot being fired closely.
When looking at a bullet wound for the most part it should be clear at what relative distance the weapon was held from the wound based on the characteristics of the different shots. Abrasions, powder burns and tattoos, and the shapes left on the skin and bone will create enough evidence to understand what may have occurred.
Through this process it was determined that the victim had been shot on contact with the skin because of the colored soot left around the entry wound on the victim and the bruising around the bullet wound left from the barrel of the gun.
Sources Used:
Forensic Pathology of Firearm Wounds
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1975428-overview
Patterns of Tissue Injury
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNINJ.html
Contact Shot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_shot