CH 12 Journal Case study Big Data and the Internet of Things Drive Precision Agriculture By 2050, the world will be populated with an estimated 9 million people, and in order to feed all of them, agricultural output will need to double. Information technology, in the form of the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless and mobile technologies, and automated data collection and analysis is likely to provide part of the solution to this problem. Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is one of the organizations leading the way toward more data-driven farming. The College has developed an agriculture-oriented network with advanced IoT sensors and devices that will allow researchers to study and improve plant growth and food production processes. According to Pat Smoker, director of Purdue Agriculture IT, in West Lafayette, Indiana, every process from farm to table has potential for improvement through better use of information technology. Purdue College of Agriculture partnered with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on a digital agriculture initiative. In fall 2016, the university began installing an Internet of Things (IoT) network on its 1,408-acre research farm, the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE). The system captures terabytes of data daily from sensors, cameras, and human inputs. To collect, aggregate, process, and transmit such large volumes of data back to Purdue’s HPE supercomputer, the university is deploying a combination of wireless and edge computing technologies (see Chapters 5 and 7). They include solar-powered mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, an adaptive weather tower providing high-speed connectivity across the entire ACRE facility, and the PhenoRover, a semi-automated mobile vehicle that roams throughout ACRE research plots capturing real-time data from plant-based sensors. Purdue is also experimenting with drones for plant-growth data collection. ACRE researchers can enter data into a mobile device on-site and transmit them via the wireless network to an HPE data center for analysis. Previously, Purdue’s faculty had to figure out how to transmit data from the sensors back to the lab, and assign someone to write the software for analyzing the data. The new system is faster and responsive. For example, researchers using mobile devices in the field can transmit data about seed growth back to ACRE labs to analyze the impact of water levels, fertilizer quantities, and soil types. The labs can then communicate the results of their analysis back to the field to allow quick adjustments. Computerized instructions control how planting and spraying machines apply seed and nutrients to a field. The Purdue project is an example of “precision agriculture,” in which data collected and analyzed with digital tools drive decisions about fertilizer levels, planting depth, and irrigation requirements for small sections of fields or individual plants, and automated equipment can apply the ideal treatment for specific weeds. Large agricultural .

1. CH 12 Journal Case study Big Data and the Internet of Things
Drive Precision Agriculture
By 2050, the world will be populated with an estimated 9
million people, and in order to feed all of them, agricultural
output will need to double. Information technology, in the form
of the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless and mobile
technologies, and automated data collection and analysis is
likely to provide part of the solution to this problem.
Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is one of the
organizations leading the way toward more data-driven farming.
The College has developed an agriculture-oriented network with
advanced IoT sensors and devices that will allow researchers to
study and improve plant growth and food production processes.
According to Pat Smoker, director of Purdue Agriculture IT, in
West Lafayette, Indiana, every process from farm to table has
potential for improvement through better use of information
technology.
Purdue College of Agriculture partnered with Hewlett Packard
Enterprise (HPE) on a digital agriculture initiative. In fall 2016,
the university began installing an Internet of Things (IoT)
network on its 1,408-acre research farm, the Agronomy Center
for Research and Education (ACRE). The system captures
terabytes of data daily from sensors, cameras, and human
inputs. To collect, aggregate, process, and transmit such large
volumes of data back to Purdue’s HPE supercomputer, the
university is deploying a combination of wireless and edge
computing technologies (see Chapters 5 and 7). They include
solar-powered mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, an adaptive weather
tower providing high-speed connectivity across the entire ACRE
facility, and the PhenoRover, a semi-automated mobile vehicle
that roams throughout ACRE research plots capturing real-time
data from plant-based sensors. Purdue is also experimenting
with drones for plant-growth data collection. ACRE researchers
can enter data into a mobile device on-site and transmit them

2. via the wireless network to an HPE data center for analysis.
Previously, Purdue’s faculty had to figure out how to transmit
data from the sensors back to the lab, and assign someone to
write the software for analyzing the data. The new system is
faster and responsive. For example, researchers using mobile
devices in the field can transmit data about seed growth back to
ACRE labs to analyze the impact of water levels, fertilizer
quantities, and soil types. The labs can then communicate the
results of their analysis back to the field to allow quick
adjustments. Computerized instructions control how planting
and spraying machines apply seed and nutrients to a field.
The Purdue project is an example of “precision agriculture,” in
which data collected and analyzed with digital tools drive
decisions about fertilizer levels, planting depth, and irrigation
requirements for small sections of fields or individual plants,
and automated equipment can apply the ideal treatment for
specific weeds.
Large agricultural companies like Monsanto and DuPont are big
precision agriculture players, providing computerized data
analysis and planting recommendations to farmers who use their
seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides. The farmer provides data on
his or her farm’s field boundaries, historic crop yields, and soil
conditions to these companies or another agricultural data
analysis company, which analyzes the data along with other data
it has collected about seed performance weather conditions, and
soil types in different areas. The company doing the data
analysis then sends a computer file with recommendations back
to the farmer, who uploads the data into computerized planting
equipment and follows the recommendations as it plants fields.
For example, the recommendations might tell an Iowa corn
farmer to lower the number of seeds planted per acre or to plant
more seeds per acre in specified portions of the field capable of
growing more corn. The farmer might also receive advice on the
exact type of seed to plant in different areas and how much
fertilizer to apply. In addition to producing higher crop yields,
farmers using fertilizer, water, and energy to run equipment

3. more precisely are less wasteful, and this also promotes the
health of the planet.
Sources: “Envision: The Big Idea,” https://ag.purdue.edu,
accessed April 26, 2018; “Precision Agriculture,”
www.farms.com, accessed April 26, 2018; www.monsanto.com,
accessed May 1, 2018; and Eileen McCooey, “Purdue Uses IoT
to Reinvent Farming, Boost Output,” Baseline, December 6,
2017.
Should alternatives to evolution theory be taught? 1
Should Alternatives to Evolution Be Taught? 2
Should Alternatives to Evolution Theory Be Taught?
Erica K. Fernandez
Louisiana State University Alexandria

4. For some time schools have taught the process of evolution
however they tend to ignore alternative aspects. Most educators’
focus Darwin's theory of Evolution but there are still many
other notions that should be discussed as well because all are
theories and all are nonetheless hypothetical. The theories
surrounding evolution have also not yet been confirmed by all
scientists. For this reason alone evolution should not be taught
in schools and should be learned at the discretion of the
individual on their own time.
Lessons surrounding evolution has several conflicting concerns.
Students who present from that of a Christian background could
state that some theories are unfair to their beliefs or even put
them in a position of questioning such. The Bible teaches that
God created the world out of a form-less void. The stories of
creation show God being the architect of creation but giving
human beings responsibility and stewardship over that creation.
(Bowen, 2017 p88) Darwin's theory of Evolution contradicts
this theory in its entirety. The Bible states that God made
beings in His image whereas Darwin's theory states humans
evolved from monkeys. Darwin’s theory suggests that God does
not exist which violates the first amendment of the constitution
which is the freedom of religion. While Christian students are
being taught about evolution they are being subconsciously
forced to conform their belief systems which confines them to
worship without obstacles.
Darwin's theory has been widely known for many centuries
however many scientist do not support it as in their opinion his
theory is a hypothesis and can be proven wrong. Scientist’s
ideas about how the universe was created have proliferated
throughout history. Science prides itself on providing physically
accurate descriptions of the observable universe; it seeks literal
truths about what really happen. (Fox, 2002. p11) From

5. scientific standpoint, Darwin's theory has several loopholes. It
contradicts the Law of Thermodynamics which states energy can
only be transformed into other types of energy as it can’t be lost
or gained. As for the Big Bang Theory, it suggests that Earth
gained burst of energy that created life, which is inconsistent
with the law theory.
While some can argue against several notions regarding these
theories there are many concepts that remain unexplained.
Evolution notes animals evolve through natural selection where
genes are passed through generations. It also states monkeys
slowly adapted into humans through advantageous genes. If this
were to be true, the question arises of why we do not display the
evolving process today when considering reproduction of
humans. These are more just a few additional reasons
demonstrating evolution theories being unsuitable for education
systems. Evolution is still a topic that is constantly evolving on
its own. All of the theories present with multiple errors. If
science is said to be the rational way of thinking,
inconsistencies should be minimal. Thus any theory that
suggests something that can be contradicted and to a certain
extent proven false should not be taught in our education
system.
References
Bowen, A. (2017). Christianity [Ebook] (p. 88). National
Highlights Inc. Retrieved from
http://resolver.ebscohost.com/Redirect/PRL?EPPackageLocation
ID=3329747.19354910.48877974&epcustomerid=s3561055&db
=3329747
Fox, K. (2002). The big bang theory what it is, where it came

6. from, and why it works [Ebook] (p. 11). New York: Wiley.
Retrieved from
http://ezproxy2.lsua.edu:2048/login?url=http://www.netlibrary.c
om/urlapi.aspx?action=summary&v=1&bookid=74497