Discussion 1 Blue GoldRead the paragraphs below and respond to .docx

Discussion 1: Blue Gold
Read the paragraphs below and respond to the questions.
Environmentalists believe that the world is running out of clean
drinking water. Over 97% of the world's water is salt water
found in the oceans. Salt water is unsuitable for drinking
without expensive desalination. Of the fresh water in the world,
most is locked in frozen form in the polar ice caps and glaciers
and therefore unavailable. This leaves only a small percentage
in groundwater, lakes, and rivers that could be available for
drinking, industry, and irrigation. However, some of that water
is polluted and unsuitable.
Water has always been the most valuable commodity in the
Middle East, even more valuable than oil. But as fresh water
becomes limited and the world's population grows, the lack of
sufficient clean water is becoming a worldwide problem.
The combination of increasing demand and dwindling supply
has attracted global corporations who want to sell water. Water
is being called the "blue gold" of the twenty-first century, and
an issue has arisen regarding whether the water industry should
be privatized. That is, could water rights be turned over to
private companies to deliver clean water and treat wastewater at
a profit, similar to the way oil and electricity are handled?
Private companies have the resources to upgrade and modernize
water delivery and treatment systems, thereby conserving more
water. However, opponents of this plan claim that water is a
basic human right required for life, not a need to be supplied by
the private sector. In addition, a corporation can certainly own
the pipelines and treatment facilities, but who owns the rights to
the water? For example, North America's largest underground
aquifer, the Ogallala, covers 175,000 square miles under several
states in the southern Great Plains. If water becomes a
commodity, do we allow water to be taken away from people
who cannot pay in order to give it to those who can?
Clovis has water concerns as well. Check out the links below

for information and feel free to do your own research to bring
into the discussion.
https://www.epa.gov/pfas (Links to an external site.)
https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-
water/drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-and-pfos (Links to
an external site.)
https://www.kcbd.com/2019/02/25/cannon-air-force-base-water-
contamination-shuts-down-clovis-dairy/ (Links to an external
site.)
https://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/air-force-responds-to-
questions-surrounding-contaminated-water-in-clovis (Links to
an external site.)
https://www.cityofclovis.org/?p=6241 (Links to an external
site.)
Questions:
1. Do you agree that the water industry should be privatized?
Why or why not?
2. Is access to clean water a "need" or a "right"? If it is a right,
who pays for that right?
3. Because water is a shared resource, everyone believes they
can use water, but few people feel responsible for conserving
it. What can you do to conserve water?
4. Do you think the drinking water in Clovis is safe? Support
your answer with evidence. What do you think needs to be done
about this situation?
Discussion 2:Stem Cells: It's What For DinnerRead and do
questions 1, 2, 3
In August 2013 beef stem cells used to grow hamburger meat
were given a public taste test.
Check out the video here:
http://www.today.com/video/today/52675206#52675206 (Links
to an external site.)
or here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/burger-grown-from-cow-stem-
cells-in-laboratory-put-to-taste-test-in-london/

And the article that appeared in the New York Times here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/science/a-lab-grown-
burger-gets-a-taste-test.html
Questions:
1. What questions and concerns does this (growing hamburger
meat in the lab) raise?
* What are the pros?
* What are the cons?
2. What are some experiments that could be designed based on
these issues?
*On a microscopic level?
*On a macroscopic level?
3. What type of data would be the most meaningful to you?
4. Would you eat it? Why or why not?
Discussion 3: Gene banks versus privacy invasion
Gene Banks Versus Privacy Invasion
In 1999, the Icelandic parliament passed an act to establish a
national gene bank, a large-scale genetic database composed of
blood samples from each of its 275,000 citizens. DNA isolated
from this blood was to be used as the basis for genetic studies.
But lately, privacy concerns have caused Iceland to rethink the
project.
Iceland was the first country to create a gene bank, followed by
Estonia and then Tonga. Iceland is unique in that it has a fairly
homogeneous population in which little immigration occurs, and
several natural disasters have contributed to similarities in the

population’s gene pool. In addition, the country provides
national medical care for its citizens, so it has extensive
medical records dating back to 1915. Furthermore, genealogies
of many Icelandic families are available for as far back as 500
years.
Concerns arose when Iceland’s parliament decided to sell
exclusive rights to all its genetic data and medical and
genealogical records to a U.S. company, deCODE Genetics, for
the purpose of gene discovery. In turn, deCODE promised to
provide any treatments and diagnostic tests developed from this
research free of charge to Icelanders for the life of the patient.
In a very short time, deCODE signed a $200 million contract
with Hoffman LaRoche to search for several common human
genetic diseases. So far, several genes have been successfully
identified, including a gene linked to osteoarthritis.
Opponents of this agreement felt that it allowed a scientific
monopoly on a veritable gold mine of genetic information. But
even more seriously, they objected to the gene database on the
basis of patient’s rights regarding informed consent and genetic
privacy. In the United States, you must give permission to have
your samples used for research. In Iceland, everyone would be
included in the genetic research unless they “opted out,”
although the data were to be encrypted so that no sample could
be linked to a particular person. Even though researchers are
commonly allowed access to medical databases as long as the
data cannot be linked to individual patients, the commercial
nature of this data bank and its for-profit research caused some
people to feel that individual consent should have been required
before the medical records were released to deCODE. In April
2004, Iceland’s Supreme Court ruled that “the 1998 law
governing the creation of the database is unconstitutional
because it fails to protect personal privacy adequately.”
In addition to gene banks used for scientific and medical
purposes and research, the popularity of genetic testing in the
private sector is a booming business. Read this
article https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/dna-testing-

is-popular-but-many-are-unaware-of-privacy-concerns-2019-01-
02 (Links to an external site.)
Questions
1. Do you think any for-profit company should have a monopoly
or preferred position with regard to genetic databases or
medical records? Why or why not?
2. What concerns should the Icelandic citizens now be
discussing with their parliament?
3. Should individuals be allowed to "opt-out" of genetic
records? How can the rights of children or mentally disabled
individuals be protected? Should sensitive information
concerning inheritance of a genetic disease be on record? How
can privacy be protected while still allowing researchers access
to complete genetic data?
4. Have you or would you want to get a genetic test with a
private company here in the US to either learn about your
families history or possible genetic concerns? What are the
major benefits you see in this kind of test (give me at least 3)?
What are some major concerns you have with the company
having access to your data (give me at least 3)? Do you think
the company can protect your data from hackers or that they
could be forced to share your data with the government?

Discussion 4: What is science and evolution
What is science and what is not? This video is a good summary
of what is science and what is not, which is a helpful place to
start the discussion. Michael Shermer is a skeptic, author and
speaker. His TED talk is a little older, but he compares, and
contrasts evidence verses belief.
Why people believe weird things | Michael Shermer (Links to an
external site.)Creationism and Evolution
Evolution is a cornerstone theory in which most of biology
assumes the mechanisms of evolution and natural selection are
the drivers of life on this planet. Misunderstanding of scientific
theories and fallacies in logic, as well as impassioned opinions
on both sides have lead to a major clash between science and
religion when it comes to teaching about the origins of life on
earth. Science must be able to use inference from previous
scientific studies to make predictions about future scientific
studies or predictions about how life will work in a given set of
circumstances. The theory of evolution helps us do that.
Here are some videos with popular scientists discussing some
aspects of evolution.
What is the Evidence for Evolution? (Links to an external site.)
Neil Tyson on God Driven Evolution (Links to an external site.)
Bill Nye Explains Darwin's Theory of Evolution (Links to
an external site.)
Creationism and Evolution

The week before the start of the new semester would be a busy
one for Sandra Maxwell. As one of three biology teachers at
Irving Community College in Marshall, Alabama, she would
have to meet with the entire science department, get her
laboratory ready, and review the new textbooks.
Last year the department had gone through the long, tedious
adoption procedure that involved reading and rating over fifteen
different books. They had narrowed the fifteen down to three,
and the community college board picked from those. Sandra
really didn't care which one they had picked; no matter what,
she would have to redo her lessons to fit a new book.
There was even more about her new textbook that Sandra didn't
know. The Alabama State Board of Education had adopted an
anti-evolution insert to go in all high school and state college
biology texts. The insert stated that evolution is a "controversial
theory" accepted by "some scientists." When Sandra saw the
insert, she was upset. Could she teach creationism?
Creationism, broadly speaking, is the view that God (the Judeo-
Christian God) created the universe, life, and the various kinds
of life. Some creationists have sought to undermine the theory
of evolution by claiming, for example, that the earth is only
10,000 years old, not 4.5 billion, and that therefore evolution
hasn't had time to occur. They also have argued that DNA could
not have developed on its own without the help of an
"intelligent agent"-namely, God.
Ever since State v Scopes, the famous Tennessee "Monkey
Trial" in 1925 (dramatized in the 1960 film Inherit the Wind),
the biology classroom has been the site of a battle pitting
science against religion. In the era of the Scopes trial, American
fundamentalists had pressed for, and achieved in some states,
the passage of anti-evolution laws. More recently, as reported in
Science magazine in 1996, creationists have attempted a new
strategy: persuading local school boards to give "equal time" in
school curricula to alternative theories such as "scientific
creationism." In several states-Ohio and Georgia being two-
legislatures are considering bills that will require biology

teachers to present "alternative theories" to evolution.
Sandra Maxwell and her fellow biology teachers were confused
and unhappy about the situation. As a teacher, Sandra wasn't
sure what to do.
Questions:
1. Can science make claims about how life on earth started?
Why or why not? Support your position.
2. Some biology teachers are skipping evolution altogether in
order to avoid the controversy. Do you think evolution should
be left out of the curriculum? Why or why not?
3. Can biologists make predictions using the idea of
creationism? Can biologist make prediction using the theory of
evolution? Give an example of a testable hypothesis for either.
4. If you were Sandra, what would you do?
Discussion 5: Invasive Species
Killer Seaweed Invades United States
A killer alga has invaded the waters off California. In June
2004, biologists identified a Caulerpa taxifolia mutant as an
alien invader in the San Diego area. This alga normally grows
in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, but it can survive the
colder waters of the Pacific Coast, and if not controlled, could
spread from California south to Peru.
Where did this killer come from? As innocent as it seems, it was
bred for home aquariums, and then was probably dumped into
the water system, where it began to reproduce prolifically. The
alga is so adaptive that it can overtake the normal flora of an
area, outstripping and outcompeting all other living plants.
Currently, 10 patches of the killer alga have been sighted off
the California coast, and they are being watched closely by the

Southern California Caulerpa Action Team.
The U.S. government has placed this strain of C. taxifolia on
the noxious weed list, which means that any possible source of
contamination of the weed will be highly restricted. Shipments
that contain any type of C. taxifolia and pass through an area
where the variety is established, or thought to be established,
will be refused entry.
Questions:
1. Do you think this is really that big a deal?
2. Describe another instance in which an introduced species has
become a problem for the existing ecosystem - could be in the
area in which you live or anywhere else.
Discussion 6: This topic comes from the "Science in Your Life-
Ecology" found on page 630 in the 15th edition of your
textbook.
Destruction of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and
productive communities on Earth. Coral reefs tend to be found
in warm, clear, and shallow tropical waters worldwide and are
typically formed by reef-building corals, which are cnidarians.
Aside from being beautiful and giving shelter to many colorful
species of fishes, coral reefs help generate economic income
from tourism, protect ocean shores from erosion, and may serve
as the source of medicines derived from antimicrobial
compounds that reef-dwelling organisms produce.
However, coral reefs around the globe are being destroyed for a
variety of reasons, most of them linked to human development.
Deforestation, for example, causes tons of soil to settle on the
top of coral reef. This sediment prevents photosynthesis of
symbiotic algae that provide food for the corals. When the algae
die, so do the corals, which then turn white. This is called coral
"bleaching", and it has been seen in the Pacific Ocean and the
Caribbean Sea. Evidence suggests that climate change is one of
the factors that is leading to coral bleaching and death because

corals can tolerate only a narrow range of temperatures. As
global temperatures rise, so do water temperatures, and corals
can die as a result. Global warming also contributes to favorable
conditions for various pathogens that can kill corals, such as
those similar to pathogens that cause cholera in humans.
Increases in aquatic nutrients from fertilizers that wash into the
ocean also make corals more susceptible to diseases, which can
also kill them.
Scientists estimate that 90% of coral reefs in the Philippines are
dead or deteriorating due to human activities such as pollution
and, especially, overfishing. Fishing methods that employ
dynamite or cyanide to kill or stun the fish for food or the pet
trade can easily kill corals. Paleobiologist Jeremy Jackson of
the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama
estimates that we may lose 60% of the world's corals by the
year 2050.
Questions
1. What features of coral reefs help explain why they are so
biologically important?
2. Considering what is causing the loss of coral reefs, is it
possible to save them? How?
Discussion7: Sharks Get a Bad Rap
Sharks Get a Bad Rap
After seeing motion pictures such as Jaws, Deep Blue
Sea, and Open Water, many people curb their seaside activities
in fear of a vicious shark attack. Indeed, the popular media have
depicted the shark as an evil predator of the deep so many times
that it takes extra courage to don a snorkel and vest and go to
your favorite reef. But despite the shark’s reputation as a
terrible killer, only 32 of the approximately 350 shark species
have ever been known to attack humans. Sharks attack some 50–
75 people each year worldwide, with perhaps 8–12 fatalities—
far less than the number of people killed each year by elephants,
bees, crocodiles, lightning, or many other natural dangers.

Many people lack information about sharks, including their
important role in the ocean ecosystem and their many other
benefits to humans.
Sharks first appeared about 430 million years ago during the
Silurian Period. They are classified in the class Chondrichthyes
because their skeleton is made of cartilage. They also have
jaws, paired fins, and paired nostrils. Shark habitats can range
from shallow coastal areas to deep-water ocean floor habitats
and even the open ocean itself. The most important aspect of
sharks is their role in the marine ecosystem. As keystone
predators, they help control many fish and marine mammal
populations, and thus help keep the ecosystem healthy.
In addition, cultures around the world have found that nearly
every part of the shark can be used: Its flesh can be eaten; the
skin used as leather; the teeth made into jewelry and ornaments;
oil extracted from the liver used for high-grade machine oil,
vitamin A supplements, and ladies’ cosmetics; and the fins used
for shark fin soup and animal treats.
Many parts of the shark have medical value as well. Its cornea
has been used in eye surgery (since a shark’s cornea is similar
to our own). Shark cartilage can be used to make artificial skin
for burn victims. And after a rumor circulated that sharks do not
get cancer, it was thought that something in the shark’s system
must be a natural tumor suppressor. Thus, cancer researchers
have studied sharks to determine why they are resistant to
cancer in the hope of applying that information to people
someday. In their search, they have settled on cartilage, the
substance a shark's skeleton is made from. Each year, an
estimated 100 million sharks are killed for cartilage to be used
in health supplements for people seeking alternative cancer
cures. As a result, the massive sale of shark cartilage has now
exceeded $25 million per year, and certain species have been
placed on the international endangered species list.
Questions:
1. What happens if you remove a keystone predator from a
community?

2. Would you try a health supplement made from shark
cartilage? Why or why not?
3. If sharks are going to be used/studied, how can they be
protected so that their ecosystems remain in balance and they
are not driven to extinction?
Relationships between cloud characteristics (chapter 4) and
cloud mechanisms (chapters 7,8, & 9)
Cloud Characteristics Cloud Mechanisms
On – Demand Usage
Hypervisor
Virtual Server
Ready-Made Environment
Resource Replication
Remote Administration Environment
Resource Management System
SLA Management System
Billing Management System
Ubiquitous Access Logical Network Perimeter
Multi-Device Broker

Multitenancy / Resource Pooling
Logical Network Perimeter
Hypervisor
Resource Cluster
Elasticity
Hypervisor
Cloud Usage Monitor
Automated Scaling Listener
Load Balancer
Measured Usage
Hypervisor
Cloud Usage Monitor

SLA Monitor
Pay-Per-Use Monitor
Audit Monitor
Resiliency
Hypervisor
Failover System
Resource Cluster
Remote Management System
Relationships between cloud characteristics (chapter 4) and
cloud mechanisms (chapters 7,8, & 9)
Cloud Characteristics Cloud Mechanisms
On – Demand Usage
Hypervisor

Virtual Server
Ready-Made Environment
Remote Administration Environment
Ubiquitous Access Logical Network Perimeter
Multi-Device Broker
Multitenancy / Resource Pooling
Logical Network Perimeter
Hypervisor
Resource Cluster
Elasticity
Hypervisor

Cloud Usage Monitor
Automated Scaling Listener
Load Balancer
Measured Usage
Hypervisor
Cloud Usage Monitor
SLA Monitor
Pay-Per-Use Monitor
Audit Monitor
Resiliency
Hypervisor
Failover System

Resource Cluster
Remote Management System

Discussion 1 Blue GoldRead the paragraphs below and respond to .docx

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Discussion 1 Blue GoldRead the paragraphs below and respond to .docx

Similar to Discussion 1 Blue GoldRead the paragraphs below and respond to .docx (10)

More from cuddietheresa

More from cuddietheresa (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Discussion 1 Blue GoldRead the paragraphs below and respond to .docx