I'll Have Another Round of Water Please!

The article I read was entitled, "Drink More Water, Says FLOTUS—But How Much?" It was written by Marc Silver, and it explained the early beginnings of the eight glasses a day motto. Is it myth or fact?

I'm going to need many more of these to fulfill my 67.6 oz of daily water

Marc looked into this common advice given by your mother and doctor, and he found a surprising twist. Apparently, the eight ounces of water each day rule came from scientists in 1933 who stated that in order to replenish the body each day with adequate amounts of water we need to consume 67.6 oz. 

On glass 5, only 3 more to go!

However, Marc debunked this common claim. He spoke with Douglas Casa, an exercise physiologist at the University of Connecticut, who told him that hydration also comes from other beverages humans drink. This includes soda, so go ahead and enjoy your diet coke at lunch!

I can still enjoy my coffee without regret!

Marc did explain that athletes and those who are anticipating working out should drink more water due to greater amounts of sweat and exertion. 

I loved this article because I enjoy working out and trying to stay fit (emphasis on the "trying" part of that sentence!) I try to carry a water bottle with me everywhere, and I get in kicks where I say I am going to follow the eight ounces rule. However, like most fad diets this ends miserably. I end up feeling bloated, puffy, and water logged. The best advice was given in this article: listen to your body and drink water when you are thirsty! 

This article is important to everyone because dehydration can affect a wide range of health issues. Feeling tired, being overweight, being out of shape, exhaustion, sickness, etc. can all be induced by a lack of proper hydration. Everyone should strive to be better hydrated because their overall health will increase as well!

They look happy, healthy, and hydrated!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130913-water-eight-glasses-michelle-obama/?source=mem_lpnews_20130916-water

He Brews Bud, Not Coors

This article will scare those with weak alcohol stomachs, but send the hard core drinkers into cheers. I am just kidding, but seriously this is one of the strangest human medical conditions I have ever read about. The article is entitled, "Beer Gut: Man's Belly Brews Own Beer," and it was written by Dan Vergano. It seems a man was hospitalized with an incredibly high blood alcohol level, but he had not consumed any alcohol. What a mystery!

How much of this would give you a .37 blood alcohol level...

The man was sixty-one years old and did not have a history of drinking, but he seemed to have unusually high BAC's over five years. It turns out he had gut fermentation syndrome, a condition in which brewer's yeast (scientifically called saccharomyces cerevisiae) inhabits the gut and produces fermented alcohol within the body.

This was not the kind of beer the man was producing

The doctors realized that whenever the man ate starch, the beer yeast would start to break the starch down and ferment it into alcohol. All it took was a big bowl of pasta for this man to become intoxicated. The problem was easily fixed with medication to kill the yeast and a specific diet for a couple of weeks.

This article is relevant to scientists and doctors' abilities to identify and treat patients' diseases or illnesses. Although this article may seem silly or quite humorous, there is a slightly serious message. If the doctors had not known about gut fermentation syndrome, the man could have died of alcohol poisoning or liver disease. The knowledge that doctors and scientists have and continue to build upon is the reason that humans' life expectancy has continued to be prolonged. 

I chose this article because I thought it was entertaining and odd. I find animal and human body mysteries to be downright compelling. I wonder if he ever thinks about his condition? Probably only when he has to fork over the $20 for two overpriced martinis. 

Now the man can enjoy these, within reason of course!

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/21/beer-gut-mans-belly-brews-own-beer/

Can Animals Change Gender?

The article that I chose for this week is entitled, "7 Gender-Bending Animals." It was written by Liz Langley for National Geographic online. The article was incredibly interesting, and the title grabbed my attention. I enjoy reading about weird animal phenomena, and this definitely qualifies as odd and unique!

The Animal Kingdom is very diverse, made up of interesting species with different characteristics

The article began with connecting humans and animals' ability to change, "bend", or hide genders. Then we are introduced to each of the seven animals the article would discuss: Cuttlefish, Garter Snakes, Spotted Hyena, African Bat Bug, Anemonefish, Parrotfish, and Hawkfish. Apparently, the cuttlefish actually changes his appearance to woo the female species on one side (male), but preoccupy other males on the opposite side (female). It is a fabulous dating strategy!

The Male Cuttlefish (right) is pursuing a female with one side, yet keeping other males on his right female side. 

The second animal with the special ability to morph itself is the garter snake. The garter snake mates in a large group (strange in of itself!), so male snakes pretend to be female in order to stay in the warm, protected center. What pranksters!

Garter Snake Mating Ball

Next, we have the spotted hyena. The female spotted hyena actually has a "pseudo penis" that resembles the male hyena's genitalia, yet it performs the female genitalia's functions. The female hyena's brutality helps fulfill the laws of nature: only the strong survive.

Spotted Hyena Female

The next animal is the African bat bug. The bat bugs originated with a violent form of "traumatic insemination," but now they have developed new genitalia. The females adapted with a hole in their bodies to allow insemination, the males copied, and the females followed the males. They are just trying to confuse everyone on their true gender.

African Bat Bug

Now, we move on to the Anemonefish. This fish keeps a healthy stock of males and females, yet all the animals are born male. If a female fish dies, a male will become a new female in order to keep reproduction a possibility.

Anemone Clown Fish: Male or Female? 

Next, the Parrotfish is born with both sets of genitalia. Therefore, females can become male at any time.

If they are not happy being female, they can try being male!

Parrotfish: Male of Female? 

Our last animal is the Hawkfish. This fish can actually change from one gender to the other and back again. Basically, if this fish gets bored they can try being another gender for awhile and change back!

Hawkfish: Male one day, female the next

These animals are all absolutely fascinating! They have adapted, evolved, or changed over time to make it so gender is a choice or an ever-changing process. I chose this article because it taught me something new, and it allowed me to reflect on humans' own behavior regarding gender.

It is important for us to realize these oddities because it allows our own science to study how the animals change, and if it is possible to manufacture. humans have begun this complicated process in the very recent past. We now have gender realignment surgeries for hermaphrodites or people who feel like they are not the gender they were born. The fact that science and medicine can change a person entirely from one gender to another is a relatively new science and is highly controversial. I wonder if it was controversial when the first Parrotfish female evolved into a male? 

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/22/7-gender-bending-animals/?source=hp_dl1_newswatch_gender_bender_animals20130924

Starfish Dying? Mystery in the North Atlantic

The article that I read this week was entitled, "Massive Starfish Die-off baffles Scientists," and it was published on September 9, 2013. The author was Carrie Arnold for National Geographic's Weird and Wild section. This article grabbed my attention because of the repercussions that a massive die-off of marine life could cause. The starfish is part of the marine habitat's ecological system; therefore, a large number of the creature dying is seen as a major issue. 

A healthy Sunflower Starfish

Initial Problems:

The article explains how the dying species of Sunflower Starfish were found by a diver, Jonathan Martin. He thought at first that it could be a mistake, but after seeing many dead or dying starfish he began to find the situation alarming. He contacted a researcher at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. for further information. 

A Sunflower Starfish with multiple missing limbs and dying

 

Hypothesis:

Christopher Mah at the Smithsonian Institute told Jonathan Martin that there was no clear evidence as to what is causing the numerous starfish deaths. One hypothesis is that there is a parasite that could be harming the starfish. Another hypothesis states that because of the overpopulation, the starfish are just naturally undergoing selection. 

However, these hypotheses do not explain why the southern neighbor to the Sunflower Starfish, the Morning Sun Star, is also producing a large number of unexplained deaths. The article goes on to explain the next steps that researchers and concerned citizens are going to take to figure out the cause of the Starfish deaths. 

A healthy Morning Sun Starfish

Reaction:

I chose this article because the beach is my favorite place. This may sound corny, but it is true. I care about what happens in my oceans, at my beaches, and to the organisms that inhabit the coastal areas. I grew up finding starfish on the coast of South Carolina and learning that they are not just part of Ariel's Disney princess world. They are living organisms, and they are often overlooked as important. This is a vast understatement as starfish are an integral part of the oceanic ecosystem. 

The starfish eat sea urchins and other poisonous ocean dwellers that harm human beings. If there were a huge depletion of starfish, there would be a large burst in the number of sea urchins. Imagine running into the ocean and stepping on a sea urchin: It would hurt very bad. Starfish and other organisms that we take advantage of actually help us in a multitude of ways; therefore, if there is an unnatural reason for the deaths of these starfish, we as responsible human beings should care and investigate. 

A South Carolina Beach Walkover

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/09/massive-starfish-die-off-baffles-scientists/