The Bering Land Bridge Between Russia and North America

The Bering Land Bridge Between Russia and North America The Bering Strait is a waterway that separates Russia from North America. It lies above the Bering Land Bridge (BLB), also called Beringia (sometimes misspelled Beringea), a submerged landmass that once connected the Siberian mainland with North America. While Beringias shape and size while above water is variously described in publications, most scholars would agree the land mass included the Seward Peninsula, as well as existing land areas of northeast Siberia and western Alaska, between the Verkhoyansk Range in Siberia and the Mackenzie River in Alaska. As a waterway, the Bering Strait connects the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean over the polar ice cap, and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. The climate of the Bering Land Bridge (BLB) when it was above sea level during the Pleistocene was long thought to have been primarily a herbaceous tundra or steppe-tundra. However, recent pollen studies have shown that during the Last Glacial Maximum (say, between 30,000-18,000 calendar years ago, abbreviated as cal BP), the environment was a mosaic of diverse but cold plant and animal habitats. Living on the Bering Land Bridge Whether Beringia was habitable or not at a given time is determined by the sea level and presence of surrounding ice: specifically, whenever the sea level drops about 50 meters (~164 feet) below its present position, the land surfaces. The dates when this happened in the past have been difficult to establish, in part because the BLB is currently mostly underwater and difficult to reach. Ice cores seem to indicate that most of the Bering Land Bridge was exposed during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (60,000 to 25,000 years ago), connecting Siberia and North America: and the land mass was above sea level but cut off from east and west land bridges during OIS 2 (25,000 to about 18,500 years BP). Beringian Standstill Hypothesis By and large, archaeologists believe that the Bering land bridge was the primary entryway for the original colonists into the Americas. About 30 years ago, scholars were convinced that people simply left Siberia, crossed the BLB and entered down through the mid-continental Canadian ice shield through a so-called ice-free corridor. However, recent investigations indicate the ice-free corridor was blocked between about 30,000 and 11,500 cal BP. Since the northwest Pacific coast was deglaciated at least as early as 14,500 years BP, many scholars today believe a Pacific coastal route was the primary route for much of the first American colonization. One theory gaining strength is the Beringian standstill hypothesis, or Beringian Incubation Model (BIM), the proponents of which argue that instead of moving directly from Siberia across the strait and down the Pacific coast, the migrants livedin fact were trappedon the BLB for several millennia during the Last Glacial Maximum. Their entry into North America would have been blocked by ice sheets, and their return to Siberia blocked by the glaciers in the Verkhoyansk mountain range. The earliest archaeological evidence of human settlement to the west of the Bering Land Bridge east of the Verkhoyansk Range in Siberia is the Yana RHS site, a very unusual 30,000-year-old site located above the arctic circle. The earliest sites on the east side of the BLB in the Americas are Preclovis in date, with confirmed dates usually no more than 16,000 years cal BP. Climate Change and the Bering Land Bridge Although there is a lingering debate, pollen studies suggest that the climate of the BLB between about 29,500 and 13,300 cal BP was an arid, cool climate, with grass-herb-willow tundra. There is also some evidence that near the end of the LGM (~21,000-18,000 cal BP), conditions in Beringia deteriorated sharply. At about 13,300 cal BP, when rising sea levels began to flood the bridge, the climate appears to have been wetter, with deeper winter snows and cooler summers. Sometime between 18,000 and 15,000 cal BP, the bottleneck to the east was broken, which allowed human entrance into the North American continent along the Pacific coast. The Bering Land Bridge was completely inundated by rising sea levels by 10,000 or 11,000 cal BP, and its current level was reached about 7,000 years ago. The Bering Strait and Climate Control A recent computer modeling of the ocean cycles and their effect on abrupt climate transitions called Dansgaard-Oeschger (D/O) cycles, and reported in Hu and colleagues 2012, describes one potential effect of the Bering Strait on global climate. This study suggests that the closing of the Bering Strait during the Pleistocene restricted cross-circulation between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and perhaps led to the numerous abrupt climatic changes experienced between 80,000 and 11,000 years ago. One of the major fears of coming global climate change is the effect of changes in the salinity and temperature of the North Atlantic current, resulting from glacial ice melt. Changes to the North Atlantic current have been identified as one trigger for significant cooling or warming events in the North Atlantic and surrounding regions, such as that seen during the Pleistocene. What the computer models seem to show is that an open Bering Strait allows ocean circulation between the Atlantic and Pacific, and continued admixing may suppress the effect of the North Atlantic freshwater anomaly. The researchers suggest that as long as the Bering Strait continues to stay open, the current water flow between our two major oceans will continue unhindered. This is likely to repress or limit any changes in the North Atlantic salinity or temperature, and thus lessen the likelihood of sudden collapse of the global climate. Researchers caution, however, that since researchers arent even guaranteeing that fluctuations in the North Atlantic current would create problems, further investigations examining glacial climate boundary conditions and models are needed to support these results. Climate Similarities between Greenland and Alaska In related studies, Praetorius and Mix (2014) looked at the oxygen isotopes of two species of fossil plankton, taken from  sediment cores  off the Alaskan coast, and compared them to similar studies in northern Greenland. Briefly, the balance of isotopes in a fossil being is direct evidence of the kind of plantsarid, temperate, wetland, etc.which were consumed by the animal during its life. What Praetorius and Mix discovered was that sometimes Greenland and the coast of Alaska experienced the same kind of climate: and sometimes they did not. The regions experienced the same general climate conditions from 15,500-11,000 years ago, just before the abrupt climate changes that resulted in our modern climate. That was the onset of the Holocene when temperatures rose sharply, and most of the glaciers melted back to the poles. That may have been a result of the connectivity of the two oceans, regulated by the opening of the Bering Strait; the elevation of ice in North America and/or the routing of freshwater into the North Atlantic or Southern ocean. After things settled down, the two  climates  diverged again and the climate has been relatively stable since then. However, they appear to be growing closer. Praetorius and Mix suggest that the simultaneity of climates may presage rapid climate change and that it would be prudent to monitor the changes. Sources This glossary entry is part of the About.com  Guide to Populating America  and the  Dictionary of Archaeology. Bibliographic sources for this article are on  page two. Ager TA, and Phillips RL. 2008. Pollen evidence for late Pleistocene Bering land bridge environments from Norton Sound, northeastern Bering Sea, Alaska.  Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research  40(3):451–461. Bever MR. 2001. An Overview of Alaskan Late Pleistocene Archaeology: Historical Themes and Current Perspectives.  Journal of World Prehistory  15(2):125-191. Fagundes NJR, Kanitz R, Eckert R, Valls ACS, Bogo MR, Salzano FM, Smith DG, Silva WA, Zago MA, Ribeiro-dos-Santos AK et al. 2008. Mitochondrial Population Genomics Supports a Single Pre-Clovis Origin with a Coastal Route for the Peopling of the Americas.  The American Journal of Human Genetics  82(3):583-592. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2007.11.013 Hoffecker JF, and Elias SA. 2003. Environment and archeology in Beringia.  Evolutionary Anthropology  12(1):34-49. doi:10.1002/evan.10103 Hoffecker JF, Elias SA, and ORourke DH. 2014. Out of Beringia?  Science  343:979-980. doi:10.1126/science.1250768 Hu A, Meehl GA, Han W, Timmermann A, Otto-Bliesner B, Liu Z, Washington WM, Large W, Abe-Ouchi A, Kimoto M et al. 2012.  Role of the Bering Strait on the hysteresis of the ocean conveyor belt circulation and glacial climate stability.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  109(17):6417-6422. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1116014109 Praetorius SK, and Mix AC. 2014.  Synchronization of North Pacific and Greenland climates preceded abrupt deglacial warming.  Science  345(6195):444-448. Tamm E, Kivisild T, Reidla M, Metspalu M, Smith DG, Mulligan CJ, Bravi CM, Rickards O, Martinez-Labarga C, Khusnutdinova EK et al. 2007.  Beringian Standstill and Spread of Native American Founders.  PLoS ONE  2(9):e829. Volodko NV, Starikovskaya EB, Mazunin IO, Eltsov NP, Naidenko PV, Wallace DC, and Sukernik RI. 2008. Mitochondrial Genome Diversity in Arctic Siberians, with Particular Reference to the Evolutionary  History of Beringia and Pleistocenic Peopling of the Americas.  The American Journal of Human Genetics  82(5):1084-1100. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2008.03.019

Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to rise. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions. Did You Know? You can  substitute  baking powder in place of baking soda (youll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you cant use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking Soda Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to expand or rise. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat! Baking Powder Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven. How Are Recipes Determined? Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe. The ultimate goal is to produce a tasty product with a pleasing texture. Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as buttermilk. Youll find baking soda in cookie recipes. Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Recipes that call for baking powder often call for other neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk. Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes and biscuits. Substituting in Recipes You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (youll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you cant use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda. Related Reading 5 Simple Buttermilk Substitutes: Most buttermilk you buy is made using chemistry. You can make homemade buttermilk yourself by simply adding an acidic kitchen ingredient to milk.Common Ingredient Substitutions: Baking powder and baking soda arent the only cooking ingredients people run out of!How Baking Powder Works: Learn how baking soda makes baked goods rise and why its used in some recipes but not others.How Baking Soda Works: Learn how baking soda works and how this affects how quickly you need to bake a recipe once you mix it.Baking Powder Shelf Life: Baking powder doesnt last forever. Learn about its shelf life and how to test it for freshness so your recipe doesnt fall flat.

Business Analysis Report - Flight Centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Analysis Report - Flight Centre - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the culture and structure of a well-known Australian company, the Flight Centre. The firm is based on a unique principle: the establishment of small operational centers is preferred instead of large departments; autonomous and flexible small units are used for developing the firm’s operations worldwide. At this point, the firm is strongly differentiated from its rivals – which are likely to use large operational units which can handle a high volume of work but which are characterized by lack of effective communication among their members. Despite its success until today, as explained in the case study, the firm needs to update its culture and structure in order to respond to the challenges of its external environment. The key elements of the firm’s culture and structure are critically evaluated in this paper using relevant literature; the choices available to the firm in terms of culture and structure are also presented, taking into consi deration the conditions in the global market but also the firm’s existing resources and characteristics – meaning its current culture and structure. 2. ... that should be used for managing the various business activities; from this point of view, culture can promote ‘integration and cohesion across the organization’ (Nickson 2007). From a similar point of view, Deal and Kennedy (1988) note that organizational culture indicate ‘the way we do things around here’ (Deal and Kennedy 1988, p.4, in Nickson 2007). Robbins (2009) refers to a quite common definition of culture, which is based on the view that culture, as an element of modern organizations, is ‘a system of shared meaning held by members, distinguishing the organization from other organizations’ (Robbins 2009). Moreover, Dessler (1976) uses three different approaches for defining culture: ‘the structural, subjective and synthetic approaches’ (Dessler 1976, in Dwivedi 1995). The above approaches could be analyzed as follows: the structural approach perceives culture as ‘a set of characteristics which differentiate an organiza tion from another one’ (Dessler 1976, in Dwivedi 1995). At the next level, the subjective approach refers to culture as ‘the view of employees on their organization’ (Dessler 1976, in Dwivedi 1995). Finally, the synthetic approach is based on the combination of the two previous approaches for defining organizational culture (Dwivedi 1995). On the other hand, Schein (1992) describes culture as the ‘perception of a group of individuals/ employees on their organization’ (Schein 1992, in Miller 2008). In the context of the above definition, organizational culture can be successfully defined only if the communication across the organization is satisfactory. The close dependency of culture on communication is also highlighted in the study of Inceoglu (2002); in the above study, reference is made to the sharing of beliefs and

As instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

As instruction - Essay Example Moreover, we will examine how previous knowledge affects how we perceive what we see through examples demonstrated by authors. It might occur to many people that the words seeing and looking can be regarded as synonyms. Identifying the difference between these two terms will help one understand perception and reality. These two words can appear as interchangeable terms that can be used to define a person’s ability to perceive with the eye. In the case of art, the words seeing and looking are different. When people are looking at something then, it can be viewed as noticing few details or glancing at it. In other words, to look at something is examining the outer part (surface) in terms of structure and layout. According to Berger, seeing the work of art is not only a means to understand it but also observe it to go far from the surface. â€Å"When we see a landscape, we situate ourselves in it. If we saw it the art in the past, we situate ourselves in history.† (p. 11). Berger suggests that seeing an object places one in that scenario to relate. The title of the book Ways of Seeing denotes tha t the author has effectively the art of seeing, not only the perception on certain subjects which is seen in the world of art, but also goes to a prodigious extent to define the importance of seeing and transformation of seeing throughout the years. The author also delivers another example in which seeing can occur before words. It is seeing that helps to understand the place of an individual in the world. People explain the world with the help of words. Moreover, words by no means can deny the fact that people are encircled by words. Seeing comes before we speak. To speak, we need to understand what we are seeing. The sight of an object is brought through our experience and knowledge. Berger discusses the perception of seeing art, which is different than it was the past. Traditionally, paintings are viewed as static and stationary. They are only at one time

Nerds Essay Example for Free

Nerds Essay America Needs its Nerds In the passage from America Needs Its Nerds, author Leonid Fridman dissect his argument by comparing and contrasting Americas on-going social beliefs and perceptions of the geek and the actual positive role taken on by the nerd and why the role that they play is so vital to our society. Since we live in an anti- intellectualist society, nerds are ostracized while athletes are idolized. And this all starts from elementary or middle school. We rarely have a child who will grow up to be the next Albert Einstein, but have many children in schools who will be Kobe Bryant or Ronnie Brown. This is because some children in schools prefer playing sports rather than studying at home. They prefer staying outside and have fun with friends rather than stay home watching Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. In short, they prefer being socially active. But nerds and geeks are completely opposite; they prefer working on homework rather than playing sports. They prefer being alone and not getting involved in any social activity. And this kind of behavior is the main reason why nerds and geeks are most commonly known as social outcasts or abnormal. Just because nerds or geeks dont get wasted or party hard, that doesnt mean they shouldnt be accepted in the society. They are people like us, Just with high intelligence. Sports are not bad professions to approach towards, but you dont learn anything besides making touchdowns or three pointers. But for the people who dont want sports to be their profession, their goal is to make touchdown and three pointers in their life by ontributing to America. As a result of people teasing nerds and geeks, many nerds and geeks are ashamed of themselves. Due to this, they become very upset with their life. Even parents are sometimes ashamed of their children, if they study too hard and not hang out with their friends. They expect their daughter to go to dancing class and not stay home studying mathematics all the time. They expect their son to go play baseball and not spend most of his time studying. These expectations are not ust from one family, but its scattering across the United States. The solution to this problem is to fght the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society. Since America is an anti-intellectualist nation, athletes are idolized more than professors. But in other countries like East Asia, professors are treated as Gurus. They are the ones who are idolized. In fact they are set up as an example rather than put down or teased. In short, nerds and geeks are looked up to and supported so that their country can improve.

Effects Of Technology :: essays research papers

The Effects of Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no escape from technology. In most cases this is not a problem though. Many people respect and admire technology because it is there to benefit them. Without the technological advances we have had over the years, the world would not be what it is today. What people don’t understand is that technology can actually be a bad thing. In society today, people are looking for more and more ways to be entertained, and all it is doing is causing problems. People are doing less and less thinking and more and more watching, listening, and playing, all because of technology. Forms of entertainment like the Internet, television and even video games seem harmless to people, but they are really not. When the Internet was first introduced, people never thought it would be as big as it is today. The Internet is an easy to use technology that can do just about anything. But what people don’t understand is that the Internet is not all good. Much of the information posted on sites on the Internet is merely opinions, not factual information. When people look at this information, it looks and seems like trustful information, but most of the time, it is not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the Internet is a relatively new technology, television has been around for about fifty years. There are many problems with television though, mainly with the content of the shows. Many of the shows on television portray violence, drugs, sexual activity, and profanity. People who watch these shows see what the actors and actresses are doing and then feel it is all right for them to do the same things. If a kid is watching a show were one of the actors or actresses use profanity, they will feel it is all right for them to use the same language. When television first came on the market about fifty years ago, families had one television at the most in the household, and most families only used the television for the news or for an occasional show or two. Today, it is a rarity if you find only one television in a household. Most families have numerous televisions in their house and use it more and more for entertainment purposes. People of all ages are addicted to television. On average, people watch about thirty hours of television a week. But the people who go beyond this mark are known to society as “couch potatoes';.

A Discussion of Paulo Freire’s Banking Concept of Education Essay

Freire implies that teachers are only telling students what to know rather than conversting with them, which explains why Freire insists that â€Å"education is suffering from narration sickness†(Freire 71). This means that he believes that educators only fill student’s minds with information, that the teacher feels is important, without providing the students the meaning and personal relevance that information has. By using this method, the student is oppressed by the teacher and unable to fulfill a complete state of consciousness. I can remember several times in my educational experiences where I have been the â€Å"depository† in Freire’s Banking Concept of Education, but no experience is more relative than my Organic Chemistry class three years ago where I learned that problem-solving education is vastly superior to banking-education because it allows students to acquire true understanding of their world and the ability to reach consciousness. During the summer of 2009, I took a summer semester of Organic Chemistry at University of California Berkeley. When I first entered the lecture hall, there were masses of people fighting for seats and some even resided to sitting on the floor or going into the side room to watch the lecture on television. As soon as the clock hit 9:00 am, five faculty members walked into the room: Professor Francis and four Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs). From the start, Dr. Francis went over the course structure, what it entailed, and how we as students could obtain help. While he was going over the syllabus information, he made one point extremely clear: â€Å"I cannot answer your personal questions during lecture time. If you have questions, please visit me during my office hours or please ask one of the GSIs. † After making that point, he transitioned into his lecture on functional groups; however, I was not following him. I immediately knew that this would be a lecture-only class, and I knew that I would need to write down every single note, diagram, or graph he showed us and memorize it for future examinations. Freire would acclaim that I would become a â€Å"depository† because I would simply allow Professor Francis to deposit his ‘knowledge’ into my mind without further question or thought. I would become a slave, oppressed by the very person who was supposed to free me (Freire 74). Dr. Francis continued in his slide show and a large slide labeled ‘Hydrocarbons’ appeared on the screen, and below the title were several different organic hydrocarbon functional groups, such as alkenes, alkanes, alkynes, benzenes, and toluene. He discussed each hydrocarbon in great depth and showed us students how to recognize them based on their bond sequences and patterns, how they react in the presence of other organic molecules, and how their chemical bonds affect water. After an exhaustive lecture of copying everything he said into my 12Ãâ€"8 notebook, he announced that we must memorize all of the hydrocarbon groups, and to be able to recognize them for an exam setting. Never once did he explain what what makes them important. I raised my hand at the end of the lecture, and asked him what the application of hydrocarbons are in the ‘real-world’. He replied not to worry about that, and that we needed to be able to recognize them and know how they function chemically, not practically, and why would he take the time to explain how hydrocarbons function? In order for Dr. Francis to keep his job, Freire asserts that, â€Å"the teacher must assume all of his students as ignorant†(Freire 72). This implies that if Dr. Francis had gone straight to the point and explained why hydrocarbons were important in the real world and in a laboratory setting, he wouldn’t have a job. It was his job to pick out extremely detailed and ‘useless’ properties and functionalities of hydrocarbons and make them seem important to us. By continuing to explain and confuse us students, he was able to maintain a shroud of ignorance over the student body, and from this, he justifies his job as absolute. This is what Freire refers to as the â€Å"cycle of ignorance† that continuously allows the teacher to keep his job because society believes that the ignorant students need him for their self-betterment. For the next several weeks, I adhered to Dr. Francis’s ‘Banking Style of Education’, and it worked. I received an A on every exam and test I took because I memorized and accepted the information Dr. Francis gave me without second thought. Freire feels that my total submission to the instructor was the reason for my success because he suggests that â€Å"The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are†(Freire 72). Freire’s explanation worries me because to know is not to know. Just because I could recognize different functional groups, which in the banking concept would make me a better student, did not mean that I could apply my understanding of organic chemistry to a real life situation because I hadn’t been taught to apply the information to anything at all. My ignorance and inability to grasp the true meanings and concepts of organic chemistry became extremely clear in the laboratory because the lab is where students take all of their knowledge and apply it to solve a problem or set of problems. After the first quarter of the summer semester, the laboratory portion of the course opened. My first assignment was to estimate the bond angles of methane, and at first I had no idea what to do because I had only been instructed to recognize methane and its bonding patters. I was never asked to manipulate the molecule’s properties to gain further understanding, and this caused me to realize that I was flawed because the ‘knowledge’ that I acquired was not mine, but Dr. Francis’ deposits of impractical segments of knowledge. With no idea where to start my laboratory or how to assess the assignment, I asked the Teaching Assistant (TA) for help. She simply replied, â€Å"Think about what you know about methane’s properties, and manipulate your knowledge so you can measure the bond angle. Needless to say, this was not helpful because I had no idea how to apply my knowledge and understanding because I was not taught to. I was simply an object who, according to Freire, â€Å"is in the world,† implying that I was not conscious of my own being and awareness (Freire 78). This is why I allowed Dr. Francis to continue depositing information into me because he posed himself as my liberator, my educator, but he was my oppres sor. By not being able to use and apply my knowledge, my critical consciousness and inner will to understand began to diminish. This is why Freire announces, â€Å"The more students work at storing the deposits entrusted to them, the less they develop the critical consciousness which would result from their intervention in the world as transformers of that world†(Freire 73). Freire implies that students lose the will power, the motivation, to develop awareness when they are force-fed information, so he argues that students must develop this ‘critical consciousness’ themselves through problem solving. This is when I realized that Dr. Francis couldn’t and won’t teach me how to understand what I have learned; I needed to learn how to apply and master the information I was taught by myself, not some other individual. Education is supposed to empower individuals; however, since I was ‘in-the-world’ I let the banking concept oppress me and my true understanding of knowledge. I failed the first Organic Chemistry lab. I didn’t know how to solve the problems and apply my knowledge, nor did I have the willpower to, so I simply gave up. I was incredibly frustrated after the first lab, not because I couldn’t get the right answer, but because I couldn’t apply my knowledge to solve the problem. I spent the next several lectures gathering notes, expanding on them, and making sense of the information; however, I was still unable to understand the information in practical terms. My frustration grew because I felt that all my efforts studying information and memorizing its contents was wasted. How could education provide all of this knowledge that we, as students, are unable to apply? What was the point of education? At the time, I felt education was society’s largest flaw because it wasted the time and severed the creativity students put into it. Freire agrees with me because he argues, â€Å"The capability of banking education is to minimize or annul the students’ creative power†(Freire 73). This implies that Freire agrees that education is flawed because it severs student creativity; although, it does not answer why we must learn meaningless and impractical information obtained in our lives. Freire responds that not everyone will find meaning through their education; however, he believes that people should continue to pursue the parts of education that students find interesting, such as in a higher education setting (Freire 76). I knew most of the information that I obtained in chemistry was impractical for most individuals and even myself in a day-to-day scenario, but chemistry was interesting to me. It was something that I wanted to pursue and gain further understanding of because every piece of information left me wanting more. Giving up and throwing my knowledge away was not an option because I wanted and worked my entire life to make sense of what I learned in this world, and it keeps on changing and reshaping every day. As a last effort, I went to the tutoring help desk at the university to get help, so I could understand my information and knowledge and apply it to the lab. I was assigned a tutor, Kevin, and he brought me and two other students into a small concealed 10Ãâ€"10 room with a large foldup table in the middle. We all sat down and Kevin asked us what we needed help with. The other students didn’t look like they were forced to be there and kept quiet, so I took the opportunity to obtain help. I told him that â€Å"I have a hard time applying the lecture notes in the lab. † Kevin explained that my situation was very typical because the lectures and exams were based on memorization where the labs relied on the interaction between what you know and how to solve the problem. He brought out an organic chemistry book and questioned, â€Å"Why is water polar? I immediately responded that water is polar because the oxygen atom has more elections than the hydrogen atoms at any one time giving the hydrogen molecules a positive charge and the oxygen a negative charge. Kevin told me that I was right, but this occurred due to the extreme differences in electronegativity. We continued to solve problems together and critique one another on our answers, and from this he was teaching me and I was teaching him. Freire would call this interaction, â€Å"problem-solving-education† because â€Å"The teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teaches, but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students†(Freire 80). This implies that both teacher and student work together to solve problems, and by doing so, they gain a greater understanding of the topic. This is exactly what Kevin and I were doing because we were teaching each other and able to create a more significant understanding and meaning of chemistry that allowed me to visualize a topic and solve it logistically instead of memorizing the topic and solving it formulaically. This is why Freire belives that â€Å"the conditions under which knowledge at the level of the doxa is superseded by true knowledge, at the level of the logos†(Freire 81). Freire’s text implies that common knowledge and understanding (doxa) can be transformed into true mastery of the subject and reason (logos). Since Keven and I were taking basic information and each giving it new meaning in our problem-solving tutoring sessions, I was able to acquire a true mastery and understanding of chemistry. Working with Kevin several times a week gave me a true understanding and relation of chemistry, which allowed me to pass my lab course with an A. Overcoming the problems of the banking-concept and learning the problem-solving method changed my life forever. I took the problem-solving method that I learned with Kevin and applied it with other students, colleagues, professors, and friends, so I could continue to problem solve and gain true understanding of knowledge throughout my life. Problem-solving education continues to be vastly superior to banking-education because in addition to learning and understanding information, problem-solving-education forces individuals to retain information they acquire so they can apply for future use. Since I was able to take knowledge and apply my understanding of it, Freire would conclude this type of understanding as â€Å"being with the world†(Freire 78). Being with-the-world means that the individual is conscious of their surroundings and is able to fully interact in the world they are in. Instead of being an object or vessel, the individual is able to make conscious decisions and interpret the world as they see it. This induces self-freedom and liberation in a person because when a person learns something, they retain that information forever and no human being in the world can take that information away. It also provides a mental salvation because if the physical realm is too harsh to live in, those who have mastered problem-solving and acquired pure consciousness can escape from their physical realm into their consciousness where they have stored all of their memories, techniques, and information, and no person can get to them besides themselves.

Unknown Paper

The objective of these â€Å"unknown† experiments was to take a mixed culture, which contains two unknown species, and identify those species through a series of tests. The group was informed that one species of bacteria would be a gram-negative bacillus and the other would be a gram positive coccus. The tests to be conducted ranged from streak plate isolation to biochemical tests. Each test to be conducted was discussed and agreed upon by all group members. The results of each test were analyzed by the group and led to selection of the next test that would further narrow the possible identity of the unknown species.On September 16, 2010, our group was given a mixed culture in which we were to identify two organisms within the mixture, by running several biochemical tests. On this day our objective was to prepare the specimen of the mixed culture into discrete colonies. Each member of our group then conducted a streak plate and we would later pick the best plate of isolated co lonies. To perform a streak plate, aseptic technique was required. We had our mixed culture in the form of a broth therefore our inoculating instrument would be a loop.We also needed our agar plates each marked into four quadrants and a Bunsen burner. We then proceeded to transfer the mixed culture to the plates aseptically. In preparation for the transfer of the mix culture to a plate we placed the tube of broth in our non-dominant hand. The loop was sterilized by placing it into the fire of the Bunsen burner until the entire wire became red hot, â€Å"red is dead†. The tube was uncapped facing the cap downward along with the inoculated loop in the dominant hand.We then passed the tube through the flame of the Bunsen burner briefly to burn off any contaminates that may be present at the opening of the tube. The inoculated loop was then inserted into the broth of the mixed culture to obtain the organisms to be transferred to the plate. The tube was then passed though the Buns en burner again, capped, and put aside. With the sterilized loop containing the organism we proceeded to transfer the organism to the plate of quadrant I in a zigzag movement. We then re-flamed the loop till red and cooled the instrument to the side of quadrant II.Then from quadrant I we made four lines crossing into quadrant II. We re-flamed the loop till red and then cooled the instrument again to the side of quadrant III. From quadrant II we made four lines crossing into quadrant III. From quadrant III we continued making four more lines crossing into quadrant IV. We inoculated our loop once more, freeing the instrument of any organism by re-flaming till red. Once we each completed a streak plate, the plates where taped and marked with the date, initials, and group number. On September 23, 2010, we obtained our plates made from September 16.We identified discrete colonies into two organisms that we named yellow and beige. The yellow organism was an obvious yellow pigmentation, mo derate in size, entire, circular, raised colony and the beige was an off-white pigmentation, small, entire, circular, umbonate colony. We next chose the best representative colony of each organism to be transfer to a nutrient agar slant. Again we aseptically transferred the organisms, yellow and beige, into individual agar slants. Our instrument that we used was a loop along with two slant tubes and a Bunsen burner.With our selected plate ready and available, the slant in the least dominated hand, we inoculated the loop till red, uncapped the tube, flamed the tubes, obtained the yellow organism from the plate, and transferred it to the slant in a zigzag motion. We then re-flamed the tube, capped the test tube, and flamed the loop. Then we proceeded with the same procedures for the beige organism. The purpose of transferring the organisms was to evaluate the abundance of growth, pigmentation, optical characteristics, form (not applied due to the use of a zigzag rather then a straight line), and consistency.On October 7, 2010 our third day of our Unknown’s project we conducted a Gram stain procedure. From last week’s test, we achieved pure cultural characteristics from the two slants we made. The growth we saw on the agar slant that contained the yellow specimen was a soft, smooth, yellow growth. The growth we saw on the beige specimen was a thin, even, beige growth. Both cultural characteristics were achieved in the appropriate categories. The categories we were looking for contained abundance of growth, pigmentation, optical characteristics, and consistency.Today we will be preparing two bacterial smears from each specimen and Gram staining them. The reason we are conducting this test is to differentiate between two principle groups, gram positive and gram negative and to further know if a pure culture from both organisms was achieved. This is important for classification and differentiation of microorganisms. The Gram stain reaction will help us tell the difference of the chemical composition of bacterial cell walls. The Gram stain procedure uses four different reagents such as crystal violet, gram’s iodine, ethyl alcohol, and safranin.Before the Gram stain is performed we must make two bacterial smears of the two specimens. We placed one loop of distilled water on a clean slide aseptically. He transferred the specimen from the agar slant that contained the yellow growth and placed it on the slide with the water and gently mixed it together in a circular motion approximately the size of a nickel. He let the smear air dry for one minute and gently heat fixed it by quickly passing the slide through the flame 3-5 times with a clothes pin. The same aseptic transfer and Gram stain procedure was performed on the agar slant that contained the beige specimen.After we successfully performed the bacterial smear, we started the Gram Stain procedure. The first step in the Gram stain procedure is flooding the bacterial smear wit h crystal violet and letting it sit for one minute. After the crystal violet has set we rinsed the reagent off with distilled water. Next, we flooded the bacterial smear with Gram’s Iodine for one minute. After we let the Gram’s Iodine set we rinsed the Gram’s Iodine off of the slide gently with distilled water. The next step in the Gram stain procedure contained 95% Ethyl alcohol.Drop by drop we let the alcohol run onto the stain until the color of the stain was almost clear. After this step we rinsed off the alcohol with distilled water once again. The next step in finalizing the Gram stain procedure is counterstaining the smear with safranin for 45 seconds. Once the counterstain has set we rinsed the stain gently one last time with distilled water and used bibulous paper to blot dry the stain. After we completed the Gram stain procedure we looked at both Gram stain’s under a light microscope at 100X with immersion oil. The steps in preparing the light microscope are very simple.First we plugged in the microscope and turned it on, second we made sure the light intensity has been adjusted and the stage is all the way down. Then we placed the slide on the stage and clipped it into place and raised the stage all the way up with the course adjustment knob. We made sure the objective lens is started at 4X also known as the scanning objective. While we were looking through the oculars we slowly lowered the stage until we could see our specimen. It was not clear so with the fine adjustment knob we turned the knob away from us and fine focused the specimen until we could see it much clearer.Then we change the objective lens to 10X and again turned the fine adjustment knob away from us until the specimen became clearer. We remembered to not touch the course adjustment knob once we have moved away from the scanning objective lens or we would lose our specimen. After we saw our specimen clear under 10X, we turned the objective lens to 40X an d turned the fine adjustment knob until we once again saw a clear specimen through the oculars. Once we saw the specimen under 40X we turned the objective lens between 40X and 100X, this is where we used immersion oil only.We did not lower the stage to put oil immersion on the stage or our specimen would be gone. The reason we used oil immersion is so there was way for light to escape through the slide, and the 100X objective lens. It is used as a piece of glass that does not let the light bend and refract, so the image of our specimen is seen even clearer than before. We place two drops of immersion oil on the slide and turned the objective lens all the way to 100X and slid the objective back and forth a couple of times through the oil that way it is covered completely and there were no air bubbles.Using the fine adjustment knob we found our specimen once again and it was clearer than ever. We have found your specimen. Under the microscope the yellow specimen we stained was a purpl e gram positive stain with a tetrad arrangement. The beige organism we Gram stained was a pink gram negative stain with no arrangement. Once we were done with this part of the experiment we decided as a group that the next test we needed to run was the Carbohydrate Fermentation test. The reason for choosing this test was so we would be able to determine if the organism is able to degrade and ferment carbohydrates with the production of acid and gas.After finding our specimens we lowered the stage and took the slide off of the stage a cleaned the 100X oil objective lens with Kym wipes. We turned the objective lens back to 4X, the scanning objective, and turned the microscope off. On October 21, 2010 the Lactose Carbohydrate Fermentation test was previously selected and prepared for the week prior in order to reduce the probability of our organisms. We performed aseptic technique when transferring our unknown organisms which consisted of performing these previously perfected steps to ensure that our tests be inoculated properly.When performing aseptic technique you need to have all the proper materials necessary to ensure the highest level of sterility while maintaining safety. In sequential order these are the steps that we used to perform the sub culturing for our unknowns assignment. In preparation for the transfer, the stock tube and the tube to be inoculated both had caps loosened and properly placed in the non-dominant hand in a V formation separated by the third digit. An inoculating loop was apprehended and sterilized by placing it to the fire until the entire wire became red hot (â€Å"red is dead†).We uncapped the tubes simultaneously with the inoculating loop still in the dominant hand and immediately passed the two tubes through the flame of the Bunsen burner briefly. The inoculating loop then was inserted into the subculture tube and the inoculum was obtained and transferred to the tube that needed to be inoculated. Following the proper inocu lation and removal of the loop from the tube, the necks of both tubes were then again passed through the Bunsen burner, and then the caps were replaced on the proper tube. Lastly the inoculating loop was again flamed to destroy the remaining organisms on the instrument.After successfully transferring the broth culture with the organism to phenol red test tubes with Durham tubes in each, we reviewed our possible results to ensure we understood what was expected. â€Å"Anaerobic use of sugars produces pyruvic acid from glycolysis, and eventually lactic acid or lactic acid and carbon dioxide through the fermentation pathways. † Results after incubation should show negative or positive results. A negative result for sugar fermentation is shown as no color change and no gas in Durham tube. A positive result for carbohydrate fermentation is shown as color changed to yellow indicating acid production.Gas bubble in Durham tube indicates carbon dioxide production. Preparation for Nitr ate reduction test was performed and it consisted of us maintaining our initial broth of our G -unknown. The reason we did the Nitrate reduction test on our Gram – specimen was because according to our chart getting a positive or negative result would eliminate several organisms and would bring us closer to finding out which specimen we had. Some organisms have the ability to reduce NO3- to Nitrite NO2- or N2 or ammonia. ***Javance can you type out the procedure that was done for the Nitrate reduction test right here where this note is.We only did this test in our Gram negative organism. I found out where I made that mistake in my notes. So I fixed it for you. Just type out our transfer from our original broth to the tryptic nitrate broth step by step like you did for our carbohydrate fermentation test*** We added 5 drops of Nitrate A and 5 drops of Nitrate B to our Nitrate broth which contained our G- specimen and also had a Durham tube in it and incubated for one week. On O ctober 28, 2010, after a week has passed of incubation, we reviewed our results from our two previous tests; the Carbohydrate Fermentation and Nitrate reduction test.Carbohydrate fermentation test results were for the yellow G+, no gas bubble was present and the color did not change, it remained red which shows negative fermentation. For beige G-, no gas bubble or color change was seen so it also showed negative fermentation. According to our charts, our G+ specimen was the only one in our chart that had G+ cocci and negative fermentation so our result indicated our first specimen was M. Luteus. Our Nitrate reduction test result was our G- organism turned red which indicated a positive nitrate reduction to nitrite. We then prepared our Gram-negative organism for a Hydrogen Sulfide Test (H2S).We chose the H2S test because we found that it would illuminate our organism into a possibility of either two positive results or three negative results. In the H2S test we used a SIM agar deep test tube as our medium and aseptically transferred our Gram-negative organism from a broth using a needle to stab into the test tube. ***Veda can you type step by step right here the procedure done for the H2S test into the SIM agar deep, not just that we stabbed it***This medium contains peptone and sodium thiosulfate as the sulfur substrate; ferrous sulfate behaves as a H2S indicator and enhances anaerobic respiration.Since Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless and invisible gas, the ferrous ammonium sulfate in the medium combines with the gas producing FeS, which produces a black precipitate. After a week of incubation On November 4, 2010, we observed black precipitate leading to a positive result for H2S gas production, if there was no color change, then that would have indicated a negative result for H2S gas production. With a positive result of our findings, our Gram negative organism concluded a possibility of two organisms of Salmonella typhimurium or Proteus vulgaris.After we an alyzed our findings, we figured the next test that would reveal our organism would be through the Indole Production Test. An Indole Production test also uses a SIM agar deep medium and with the Kovac’s reagent we would get immediate results by adding ten drops of Kovac’s reagent. By adding the Kovac’s regent, a negative result for indole production by giving off a yellow or brown color. A positive result would show if there was a red pigmentation in the reagent layer.With gloves on we added 10 drops of Kovac’s reagent to our specimen and immediately observe a yellow/brown reagent layer, concluding a negative result. We finally discover that our Gram-Negative organism is Salmonella typhimurium. Based on the results of our biochemical tests, our two species of Unknown bacteria were found to be Micrococcus luteus and Salmonella typhumurium. M. Luteus was determined to be our Gram positive organism after a negative result on the Lactose fermentation test.This test ruled out L. lactis and S. aureus. To determine that Salmonella typhimurium was our Gram negative organism we needed to conduct a few more tests. The lactose test yielded a negative result which led us to conduct a Nitrate Reduction test that yielded a positive result. At that point we conducted a Hydrogen Sulfide test and it yielded a positive result and that allowed our group to conduct an Indole test. This finalized our identity for the Gram negative organism Salmonella typhimurium.

Y2k; Millennium Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL

Y2k; Millennium Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL Y2k; Millennium Bug The Millennial sun will first rise over human civilization in the independent republic of Kiribati, a group of some thirty low lying coral islands in the Pacific Ocean that straddle the equator and the International Date Line, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. This long awaited sunrise marks the dawn of the year 2000, and quite possibly, the onset of unheralded disruptions in life as we know it in many parts of the globe. Kiribatis 81,000 Micronesians may observe nothing different about this dawn; they only received TV in 1989. However, for those who live in a world that relies on satellites, air, rail and ground transportation, manufacturing plants, electricity, heat, telephones, or TV, when the calendar clicks from 99 to 00, we will experience a true millennial shift. As the sun moves westward on January 1, 2000, as the date shifts silently within millions of computerized systems, we will begin to experience our computer-dependent world in an entirely new way. We will finally see the extent of the networked and interdependent processes we have created. At the stroke of midnight, the new millennium heralds the greatest challenge to modern society that we have yet to face as a planetary community. I am describing the year 2000 problem, known as Y2K (K signifying 1000.) Nicknamed at first The Millennial Bug, increasing sensitivity to the magnitude of the impending crisis has escalated it to The Millennial Bomb. The problem begins as a simple technical error. Large mainframe computers more than ten years old were not programmed to handle a four digit year. Sitting here now, on the threshold of the year 2000, it seems incomprehensible that computer programmers and microchip designers didn't plan for it. But when these billions of lines of computer code were being written, computer memory was very expensive. Remember when a computer only had 16 kilobytes of RAM? To save storage space, most programmers allocated only two digits to a year. 1993 is 93 in data files, 1917 is 17. These two-digit dates exist on millions of files used as input to millions of applications. Programmers did whatever was required to get a product up and working; no one even thought about standards. The same thing happened in the production of microchips as recently as three years ago. Microprocessors and other integrated circuits are often just sophisticated calculators that count and do math. They count many things: fractions of seconds, days, inches, pounds, degrees, lumens, etc. Many chips that had a time function designed into them were only structured for this century. And when the date goes from '99 to '00 both they and the legacy software that has not been fixed will think it is still the 20th century not 2000, but 1900 Y2K Date calculations affect far more millions of systems than those that deal with inventories, interest rates, or insurance policies. Every major aspect of our modern infrastructure has systems and equipment that rely on such calculations to perform their functions. We are dependent on computerized systems that contain date functions to effectively manage defense, transportation, power generation, manufacturing, telecommunications, finance, government, education, healthcare, and more. The list is longer, but the picture is pretty clear. We have created a world whose efficient functioning in all but the poorest and remotest areas is dependent on computers. It doesnt matter whether you personally use a computer, or that most people around the world dont even have telephones. The worlds economic and political infrastructures rely on computers. And not isolated computers. We have created dense networks of reliance around the globe. We are networked together for economic and political p urposes. Whatever happens in one part of the network has an impact on other parts of the network. We have created not only a computer-dependent society, but, also an interdependent planet. We already have had frequent experiences with how fragile these systems are, how failure's cascade through a networked system. While each of these systems relies on millions of lines of code that detail the required processing, they handle their routines in serial fashion. Any next step depends on the preceding step. This serial nature makes systems, no matter their size, vulnerable to even the slightest problem anywhere in the system. In

Famous Steven Wright One-Liners

Famous Steven Wright One-Liners Steven Wright is an American comedian who is famous for his deadpan expression while performing on stage. His one-liners seem intelligently designed, focusing on absurdities that we take for granted. In 1985, Steven Wright featured in an HBO special titled, Steven Wright Special, which had a huge fan following. Apart from comedy, Steven Wright has also created short films. He won an Academy Award for Best Short Live-Action film in 1989. Steven Wright does not use coarse language to create jokes. His one-liners make you marvel at his sharp wit. He shakes every belief system and pulls you out of your comfort zone. Steven Wrights one-liners create a riot of laughter. If you are good at dialogue delivery, use these one-liners to sharpen your speech. Use them as ice-breakers in a meeting or as a punch-line in your presentation. I wrote a song, but I cant read music so I dont know what it is. Every once in a while Ill be listening to the radio and I say, I think I might have written that.I brought a mirror to Lovers Lane. I told everybody Im Narcissus.I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.For a while, I didnt have a car... I had a helicopter... no place to park it, so I just tied it to a lamp post and left it running...[slow glance upward]For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier. I put them in the same room and let them fight it out.George is a radio announcer, and when he walks under a bridge, you cant hear him talk.Hermits have no peer pressure.I didnt get a toy train like the other kids. I got a toy subway instead. You couldnt see anything, but every now and then youd hear this rumbling noise go by.I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.I put my air conditioner in backward. It got cold outside. The weatherman on TV was confused. It w as supposed to be hot today. I rented a lottery ticket. I won a million dollars. But I had to give it back.I replaced the headlights in my car with strobe lights, so it looks like Im the only one moving.I saw a bank that said 24 Hour Banking, but I dont have that much time.I saw a close friend of mine the other day... He said, Stephen, why havent you called me? I said, I cant call everyone I want. My new phone has no five on it. He said, How long have you had it? I said, I dont know... my calendar has no sevens on it.I saw a sign: Rest Area 25 Miles. Thats pretty big. Some people must be really tired.I saw a small bottle of cologne and asked if it was for sale. She said, Its free with purchase. I asked her if anyone bought anything today.I saw a subliminal advertising executive, but only for a second.I spilled spot remover on my dog. Now hes gone.I stayed in a really old hotel last night. They sent me a wake-up letter.I still have my Christmas tree. I looked at it today. Sure enough, I couldnt see any forests. I think Gods going to come down and pull civilization over for speeding.I think its wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly.I took a course in speed reading. Then I got Readers Digest on microfilm. By the time I got the machine set up, I was done.I took a course in speed waiting. Now I can wait an hour in only ten minutes.I took lessons in bicycle riding. But I could only afford half of them. Now I can ride a unicycle.I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldnt park anywhere near the place.I was a peripheral visionary. I could see the future, but only way off to the side.I was born by Caesarian section... but not so youd notice. Its just that when I leave a house, I go out through the window.I was going 70 miles an hour and got stopped by a cop who said, Do you know the speed limit is 55 miles per hour? Yes, officer, but I wasnt going to be out that long...I was in a job interview and I opened a book and started reading. Then I said to the guy, Let me ask you a question. If you are in a spaceship that is traveling at the speed of light, and you turn on the headlights, does anything happen? He said, I dont know. I said, I dont want your job. I was in the first submarine. Instead of a periscope, they had a kaleidoscope. Were surrounded.I was in the grocery store. I saw a sign that said pet supplies. So I did. Then I went outside and saw a sign that said compact cars.I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything.I was sad because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet. So I said, Got any shoes youre not using?I went over to the neighbors and asked to borrow a cup of salt. What are you making? A salt lick.I went to a fancy French restaurant called Deja Vu. The headwaiter said, Dont I know you?I went to a garage sale. How much for the garage? Its not for sale.I went to a general store. They wouldnt let me buy anything specifically.I went to a haunted house, looked under the kitchen table, and found spirit gum.

How does the imagination of disaster (Susan Sontag) function in Essay - 1

How does the imagination of disaster (Susan Sontag) function in depictions of urban catastrophe in film I Am Legent' (2007) - Essay Example Susan argues that the film thrives on the sensuous connection with the audience through the arresting images and the immediacy of the experience as observed on the screen. The author traces the main stages of development of the sci-fi film in terms of the emergence of a situation that disturbs harmony, to the stages of disbelief, tragedy, threat, destruction, feelings of vulnerability, and the heroic antics of a lone actor who eventually designs some kind of remedy that prevails against the formidable foe. The main features in Sontag’s analysis are manifest in the post-apocalyptic film I am Legend, which was directed by Francis Lawrence with Will Smith featuring as the military virologist Robert Neville, the main protagonist (Lawrence, 2007). In the film, Neville finds himself facing the odds of a horrific destruction wrought by a scientific experiment gone awry leading to a virulent strain of a virus that has depopulated nearly 95 percent of the world population. Neville has to put aside his own pain of losing his wife and child and struggle to save his own life and the lives of the few surviving humans by developing an antidote that would rescue the infected and the few survivors. The task is daunting and the odds are nearly insurmountable for the lone hero but he has to endeavor to contain the horror. The film represents the good and bad of science in the sense that it captures both its threat to humanity and its near limitless potential to provide solutions to the same thre ats. Sontag argues that scientific films are mainly dominated by the theme of massive destruction (Sontag, 1966). The focus, she argues is the scale of destruction, which is usually captured on an enormous and shocking scale. Destruction is captured in grim details that involve the potency of powerful machinery, a determined destructive force, and great humanitarian suffering. Most of these films anticipate calamities and apocalyptic