Journal #5: Diffusion and Osmosis in Real Life

Biology objective: for a day, I have decided to note some visible examples of diffusion and osmosis in real life (my life) to better understand the process (and actually relate to it). I was curious as to whether my daily activities partake more in diffusion, or osmosis. Or in any that I am aware of.

And what exactly do those terms mean?

Osmosis: Movement of water molecules from high concentration to low concentration, through a semi-permeable membrane.

Osmosis

Diffusion:  Movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration.

Diffusion

For Osmosis

1. Making myself a cup of tea: water moves through the semi-permeable membrane (teabag) and into the concentrated tea leaves

Tea: not just tea bags and boiling water

2. Watering my mom's dying rosemary: herb takes in water by osmosis
3. Taking a nice, hot bath: the skin on my fingers absorb water after prolonged exposure, before swelling, or,  "shriveling"
4. Soaking rice in water: rice will swell due to the level of water soaked in
5. Doing dishes: sponge expands when met with water


For Diffusion

1. Breathing: oxygen is carried to the lungs and diffused into my bloodstream
2. My brother stirring sugar into his black coffee: diffusing sugar for an even sweetness
3. Spraying perfume: perfume traveled from where I have sprayed, floating outside my room (or, too much perfume)

Diffusion of Odors

4. Baking cookies: smell of cookies filled the house by diffusion
5. Incense sticks in my bathroom: releasing scent from the little vase to the entire bathroom


To conclude, the little experiment was remarkable in the way that it applies something seemingly foreign—knowledge that only appears on textbook pages next to boring, small fonts—and into something I can relate the subject to more intimately. Moreover, I would like to extend this technique into other topics, as it was very helpful in familiarizing myself with the concept and make connections to real life.

Journal #4: The Unanticipated Appearance of The Recessive Gene

Below is a picture that will sum up the newspaper article I found, very concisely.

No, she is not adopted.

(Click to View the Original Article)

Here's a brief summary: Angela Ihegboro, wife of Ben Ihegboro and who are both Nigerian, had given birth to a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl called Nmachi. The baby is not an albino, and is perfectly healthy—she just happened to be white.


According to both parent, they cannot recall any white ancestry of their families and was in shock over the "miracle" baby, who is apparently "one in a million". The father insisted Angela's fidelity to him, and even if she was unfaithful, the baby "still wouldn't look like that".

Now, this event is faintly resembles a couple with the mixed-racial twins; and it is the genetic twists nature often execute that marks both cases in similarity. Assuming the wife was faithful, the Ihergboros would definitely have had genes of white ancestry, generations ago, that somehow ended up in both parents' gametes.

The random chance of these two partners meeting, and having the similar recessive genes, as well as having a specific sperm fertilize a particular egg, makes this occurrence incredibly fascinating. Although, something that stood out to me is Ben's words, "still wouldn't look like that". I find the possibility deriving from Angela's infidelity plausible, as if there were another man (note: hypothetical; no implications that she is cheating), he could very well have white ancestry on his side, or is white—and thereby, resulting in Nmachi. Of course, in order for that to happen, Angela would have to have white ancestry on her part too. But after all, that is an if.

Nmachi

Citations



Author Name: Virginia Wheeler
Title of Web Document:  Black Parents...White Baby
Title of the Hoisting Website: thesun.co.uk
Date Rretrieved: Nov 3rd
Date: January 12th, 2011

Journal #3: Genetically Engineered "Designer Babies"

We're all curious about what sort of technology or medical advances and opportunities (like flying cars) the world will offer in the future. Well, at least I am. And with a quick Google search on the futuristic upcoming to have a glance on the hypothetical situation, I found something very interesting.

(Life in 2050, take a look)

And it is the "Genetically engineered babies for the riches" portion of the very long list. With another quick Google search, I looked up more of this human genetic engineering business. On the whole, this performance is defined as the alteration of an individual's genotypes to for certain phenotypes. In other words, parents could now pick the hereditary traits of their child: gender, skin color, eye color, hair color, along with hundreds other characteristics to be programmed into their embryo before birth. The embryo is then grown in an artificial uterus. Supposedly, it could also modify the child's brain, therefore affecting the intelligence, behavior and even personality.


and then later, my inquisitiveness led me to this:

(More About Genetic Engineered Babies)

Growing a baby—not just in Sci-Fi 

Now, it is definitely ambivalence I feel about this practice. First of all, the possibilities this could offer is astounding. Individuals could be adjust just so they are less susceptible to genetic diseases along with other tragic mutations that are largely dependable on their families. And if we can  simultaneously give our children pretty blue (or brown, no discrimination) eyes, then why not?

The problem is the unknown. Our bodies are mazes of complex interrelationships and signals. Bettering one thing could lead to destruction of another. More importantly, it is also the controlled atmosphere that is especially troubling. If we could choose the model of our child, where would be the diversity and gamble with every birth? The spice of life our world takes so keenly, that enhances our ability to adapt and evolve and not be wiped out, or worse, extinct, if our planet were ever to experience a large catastrophe? But so far, human engineering remains a noble medical practice that eliminates only the harmful genes . It is the promises it holds that stirs up conflicted emotions amongst people.


Citations


Author Name: Arnold P.
Title of Web Document:  The Downside of Human Genetic Engineering
Title of the Hoisting Website: Brighthub.com
Date Rretrieved: Nov 3rd
Date: October 14th, 2009

Author Name: Will Fox
Title of Web Document:  2050 Demographics Projections
Title of the Hoisting Website: Futuretimeline
Publishing Organization: Will Fox
Date Rretrieved: Nov 3rd
Date: 2012