Controlling Evolution?

Is it really possible to control evolution? Well, I was recently sent a video from a website called Ted.com that said it is. The video featured a scientist named Juan Enriquez, and he began his speech by talking about the economy. I immediately thought, What does this have to do with science, and why am I watching this? Though the clip is almost twenty minutes long, I am so glad I stuck with it.
    In a humorous and intriguing way, Enriquez begins to talk about stem cells. He explains some of what we already know, that stem cells can be used to grow body parts. He shows an ear, he even mentions a woman who used her own cells to regrow a trachea that allowed her to breathe. Then, he tells of a heart that had all of its living cells taken off, leaving only cartilage. Other cells were put back onto the heart, and it began to beat. It doesn’t end there.
    Enriquez moves on to the topic of technology. He talks about cochlear implants that help a deaf person see. He shows eye implants that allow people to see the difference between dark and light. Then he blows my mind.
    He begins to speak of the future. How this is only the beginning of our knowledge. How the deaf person with an advanced cochlear implant may one day hear with superhuman ability. How the blind person may one day see with extraordinary clarity. How we are evolving into a new species of human, that has the ability to control our own advancement and evolution as a species, and the evolution of other species, as well.
    The idea that as we speak, this new species of human is being developed, has staggering ramifications. Not only scientifically, but spiritually, morally, and in almost every other aspect of life. With the ability to regrow body parts, or fix birth defects, or give someone without sight microscopic definition, are we playing god? This twenty minute video is definitely worth the time, because it brings up questions that are so hard to answer, but it’s so important to try.
The Video.
  

The Egyptian Revolution

I’m sure most of you have heard about the current revolution occurring in Egypt right now. Its people are rising up against their government, and calling for their president, Hosni Mubarak, to step down. While the world awaits the outcome of this uprising, I cannot help but thinking about the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the saying, “History repeats itself.” High inflation, high food prices, unhappy people, rioting, countless signs and symptoms of a revolution. And recently, we are seeing the same poor economic status, coupled with tyrannical leaders, leading to the riots in Tunisia, and now Egypt.

Hopefully, with a democratic government, Egypt can receive the responsive leadership it is searching for. A government that focuses on its people. I find it amazing that after studying the French Revolution from the eighteenth century, we can see history being made, in the Tunisian and Egyptian Revolutions of the 21st.
   

Stampede in Cambodia

When I asked my fellow Torch students for ideas to write my blog about, my friend Jessica Hoffen had quite the answer. During the water festival in Cambodia's capital in late November, hundreds were killed in the panic that followed when a few people were electrocuted on a bridge. The crowd ran and either drowned jumping off the bridge, were suffocated, or trampled. This event was utterly shocking to me not just because of the scale of the tragedy, but the way this occurred. I am confused as to how so many people could be driven to such hysteria and no one was able to help. Furthermore, I got way too many results when typing "stampede" into cnn.com.I couldn't help but think of the death last year that occurred in our own country from a stampede, on Black Friday. Need I say more?

Global Warming Still On Track

Carbon dioxide emissions only fell by 1.8% due to the recession, which is not as much of a drop as expected. Even worse, the increase of 3% carbon dioxide is said to be restored by next year. In short, global warming and greenhouse gases are still a huge problem.
To learn more about this predicament go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11799073
So what is being done? Oh I know! Facebook is making a second coal-powered data center. For $450 million. I think this is worth mentioning because corporations, especially those like Facebook which influence millions of people all around the world, should think of themselves as role models. They should be advocating for clean energy to inspire individuals to do the same.

Personal Impact

I'm sure many of you have seen the Facebook event Support Sorkin Blog Commenting. Many students are choosing to participate this Wednesday to support Mr. Sorkin, a spanish teacher who is now undergoing treatment for cancer. I have heard many great things about this teacher, and have tried to support him through the many little projects our school is doing. Then I came across his blog, read every post in one sitting, and was inspired on a whole new level. He speaks of his daily struggles with such strength and even though I don't know him personally, I completely understand why his former students and other teachers have so many great things to say. I highly recommend reading the blog.
To those of you who know someone whose parent is suffering from cancer, understanding can be powerful. I have a friend in that position and I try remember when they can't spend time with me, the incredible hardships they must be dealing with at home. It is important to try to be understanding and supportive every chance you get because little things can make a world of difference.

The Real Global Impact

I was surfing the internet this morning looking for some inspiration and I stumbled across the website http://www.charity.org/ which led me to a foundation actually called Global Impact. I read on and discovered that this organization has raised over $1.2 billion for "the world's most vulnerable people." The charities that Global Impact funds provide education, disaster relief, health care training and more to those in need.

Learning about the charities on this site and what they do in countries all over the world really ignites my passion for service. It is my dream to someday become either a doctor or journalist so that I can use my abilities in less fortunate areas to make a difference. I would love to join forces with a program like Doctors Without Borders because there are so many people who lack medicine and basic medical care. Children without simple immunizations for diseases that already have cures. Malnutrition affects 195 million children worldwide and mostly in areas not affected by armed conflicts.
Journalism is another passion of mine because awareness sparks action and journalists raise the awareness. Without dedicated reporters to tell the stories of the people who are so often overlooked, it would be incredibly difficult to help.

No matter what career you choose to pursue, anyone can help better the world.
(And I'm not trying to be preachy and pretend like I have been, or even will be, flying to a third-world country anytime soon, I'm just saying that pitching in to help organizations like Global Impact is a great way to help others from home!)

Water

Google water. Any website you visit about lack of clean water will give you a statistic like this: One billion people don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. Now think about that for a second. Water is everywhere; oceans, rivers, all living things. I'm willing to bet that some of you, like me, have some kind of water or water-based beverage with you right now. So how can we explain that statistic? Well, it has to do with poverty, which leads to lack of sanitation and education. Lack of education leads to more poverty, and so on. It's an endless cycle that has been going on for ages.
What I would like to focus on is the women and children effected by this. The task of collecting the disease-ridden water often falls to them. (The water happens to cause 80 percent of diseases killing more people then all kinds of violence, including war.) So, women are forced to walk miles every day. There are countless problems with this. First, the carrying of heavy containers and walking through harsh terrain causes many different health problems. Second, women and children are subjected to sexual assault and other dangers along the way. Third, spending all of their time and energy trying to find dirty water, keeps women from getting an education, which is one of the main tools people need to get themselves out of bad situations to begin with. Every additional year that a woman receives an education is thought to reduce child mortality by 5-10 percent.
The only thing that gives me hope in regards to this situation, is that because there are so many problems related to lack of water for men, women and children, that means there are also endless ways to help. Donating money may help ship clean water to refugee camps. It may help build wells to be used for years to come. It may provide medical care for children suffering from diseases brought on by lack of sanitation.
We know how important water is, we just need to care.