Cognition

"To live is to know"
Yes, to live is to experience, to experience is to learn, and to learn is to know. We are altered by every experience in a way that defines our evolution. We are cognitive about which perturbations we allow- hopefully we allow the right ones, to evolve optimally!


Memory and Magic
I like the "Memory: From Mind to Molecules" article. It made me think of the "Brain's Darwin Machine" article in our Physics reading. It all makes sense. We are continually adjusting ourselves, through every interaction, in a way that conserves autopoiesis (life) and adaptability. (Adaptability is longevity.) Anything new or surprising gets encoded.
Does magic get encoded? Yes. I think in our biological evolution, we've been exposed to people, places, things that are extraordinary and our genes, our cells, and our consciousness allow for 'miracles.' Life is a miracle, isn't it? I think a magician is capable of- suspending our disbelief (we want to be entertained,) really fooling us (our brain edits what we 'think' happens,) or actually doing something that can't be explained rationally.

Cell Biology and TCM

I think this cellular perspective is rewarding. Each cell within our bodies is a living system in its own right. We all arose from one single cell (amazing!) to become a unity of one hundred trillion cells. Metabolism and heredity occur within each. Energy is supplied to each.
Cells are miracles and I am amazed by their (our) organization! Connections happen locally and abroad. TCM attracts me because it is holistic- I like dealing with the larger patterns of the body- but I am definitely inspired by the cell.

Mitosis vs. Meiosis
Loved the flash feature. (my son was amused too- he thought it was spiders and worms)
Growing through mitosis, and creating sex cells through meiosis- simply (or not so simply) incredible!

Avogadro's Hypothesis
I liked this sight (and got all the questions correct- yay!) Although, when I followed the 'scientific revolution' link, I had to look up 'phlogiston theory.' Guess I don't need to know elements proven not to exist- but it's interesting history!
It's incredible that Avogadro was not recognized for all he contributed in his lifetime, because it certainly was a contribution! Chemistry flourished after people figured out the difference between atoms and molecules, and how to measure their respective weights. And Mendeleev was able to conceive our handy periodic table.
Thanks Avogadro!

Checking out the Mole
This site was a big block of words (graphics usually help with chemistry digestion) but it did explain everything I wanted to know about moles pretty clearly. And it piqued my interest in the chemistry of glaze design work in the ceramics industry too.

Alchemy- Science, Magic, Art

A unity of all three. Alchemy exists on various 'levels.' The chemical transformations taking place can be explained scientifically (and it could appear as magic to someone who doesn't understand of the science of chemistry.) Magic also exists in the associated spiritual transformations- internal alchemy, where inner potential is actualized. Art is the skillfulness and inspiration involved.
I can relate alchemy to music. There is a science to sound and the 'way' to play an instrument. There is the art of becoming adept at playing (talent) and being able write/create music. And I believe the 'magic' happens when a player 'loses themself' in the music. Oftentimes, artists will serve as a medium and the music will play 'through' them. Very exciting.

Electrochemistry (wk.6)
This site is cool. I tried to make the simple heat engine a couple of times. (I'd try again right now, but I don't have any aluminum foil.) The flame burst right thru the foil instead of making it shoot off. Probably an error in my execution- need to fold the aluminum snugly so air can't get it.
The film can cannon Lise made was awesome! I'm going to print up some of these for later use with my son, when he's a little older. (although I'm sure he would love that big *Boom!* now!)

Semiconductor of the Week (Wk. 8)
A semiconductor has electrical conductivity somewhere between a conductor and an insulator. Sometimes it conducts, sometimes it doesn't. This is an important feature in technology. One such semiconductor is Germanium (Ge,) atomic #32.
Ge is chemically similar to tin, and has the same crystal structures as diamond. (Never thought I'd compare something to 'tin' and 'diamond'!) Some diamonds can actually be used as semiconductors- but I guess that can get expensive... Ge is found in coal and zinc ores. ($1.24 per gram) It was commonly used in transistors from the 50s thru the 70s, until silicon's popularity grew in the market. It is still used in fiber optics and infrared night vision. A fun fact from Wikipedia- guitarists who want that 'fuzzy' early rock tone can seek out vintage effects pedals that contain germanium transistors. I'll have to ask my husband about that!

Neon Lights
Ne is a noble gas, atomic #10, group 18, inert (inactive) because of its completely filled outer valence shell. It is the 5th most abundant element in the Universe, but rare on Earth due to its lightness and inertness. It was discovered in 1898, by a Scot in London, who chilled a sample of the atmosphere to a liquid, then captured the gas (among others) as the liquid warmed. It emits a distinct reddish glow- attractively displayed in neon advertising signs, and it is also commonly used in vacuum tubes.
An isotope of neon, 20Ne, if found in volcanic gases and diamonds, suggesting a solar neon (Ne made in the Sun) reservoir in Earth. It would have traveled here as ions in solar wind. Cool.

Catching Up with the Elements

What's up, Br(o)?
Bromine is a Halogen, atomic # 35, group 17. It is the only liquid nonmetallic element, and only one of 6 liquids (at or close to room temp) in the periodic table. It is heavy, volatile, red. Its red vapor has an unpleasant odor that inspired its name, from the Greek, 'bromos'- stench of he-goats. (lovely!) It was discovered in 1825, in the south of France, in the ash of seaweed. The bromide in seawater is oxidized to bromine by chlorine gas.
Ironic that its main application is in fire retardants- we read the article about the 'disappearance of the Arctic boys' (wk.1) where flame retardant chemicals were found in birds, seals and polar bears of the Arctic. Seems bromine may have found its way back into the water in an unwelcomed way-along with a host of hormone-mimicking chemicals. As a result, many industrial bromine compounds were or are being discontinued for use.
One more note- bromine is also used in production of 'brominated vegetable oil' which I've noticed on a label of Mountain Dew before. (Mountain Eww)

Links: Cell Bio & Aquatic Life
The links on cell biology were great. Love the graphics (much better than the textbooks of yore) and oh-so-much information. I thought the virus description really helped me understand the nature of 'living' organisms, which we are discussing in Physics. Viruses are not 'living' because although they reproduce quite readily, it is only possible to do so using components of the host cells. Nasty non-autopoietic parasites.
Ok, the aquatic life is beautiful and creepy (sacred geometry in those labrynthine shapes.) I wish there was a little more info on which types of waters the organisms would be found. As an avid swimmer, it's funny to think that if I carried a microscope around and took a sample before I took a dip, I'd probably never get in the water! I'm sure Lake Anza has a few of those critters. (but I'm not going to think about it...)

Diversity of Species
In my home, we have 2 adults (one male, one female, both 34 years old) and a male child, age 3. There's a bird (greyish brown) that just flew in the living room, eating seeds off the carpet that must have trailed in on the bottoms of our feet after we put food out yesterday. In years past, our dog would have chased after the bird, but we lost our beloved Chico (a pit/elkhound mix) last year. We're missing the animal companionship, but we're waiting to get a place with a yard (in a couple of months, hopefully!) and, besides, we get our 'fix' when friends visit with their dogs. Hubby won't allow a cat until we're in a house, either. (Our place is too small for a litter box!) We have a sliding glass door that leads to a balcony and courtyard with pool. I love the big trees and plants in the courtyard, most notably the thick palm that reaches across a few of our windows. I've got some houseplants (pineapple, bouganvillea, ivys) on the balcony and I plan to get some window boxes of herbs & veggies. (hmm, gonna get on that SOON)
I just visited a friend's house that is filled with orchids, so mine seems so plain right now! (except for all of the instruments which certainly come to life in the right hands!) :)

SF Recycling & Disposal

This was a fantastic field trip for kids and adults of all ages. Eye-opening and informative- and certainly having an artist-in-residence at the facility is one of a kind! (Paul is having a carnival-themed art showcase on May 23rd & 24th!) The powerpoint presentation at the beginning of the tour gave interesting facts. SF pays $8m a month (correct me if my memory disserves me) to have its waste sent to the Altamont Landfill in Livermore. Big 'pot-belly' trucks make a hundred trips a day! I was just driving alongside one yesterday, going over the Bay Bridge to the airport. Then I passed the facility and saw all of the sea gulls. I'll never look at those sea gulls the same! Sure, I used to associate the birds I've seen there for years with the bay, but now I know the ones I see in the water are just taking a break- their gullets full of trash! These birds (in obscene numbers) voraciously rummage through the garbage. Really a sight to be seen and smelled. (not with a hangover, I advise) At first I thought it harmless that the birds retrieve foodstuff from the garbage, but the truth is that they often eat small bits of styrofoam, obviously unhealthy. The woman heading the tour (and the artist program,) Diane, said they were trying to prevent the birds from accumulating- but it's hard to see how that would be possible! The most surprising part of the tour was the gorgeous sculpture garden- a miracle in the middle of the dump. Just steps away from the stenchy, sea gull free-for-all, up on the hill, is a garden filled with beautiful landscaping and art made from recycled waste by the residential artists. Really a pleasure. You could have a picnic there and easily forget about the trash just yards away! I'm so happy they created such a peaceful sanctuary. SF Solid Waste Transfer and Recycling Center is a model for all dumps. I mean, 'transfer stations.'
I was curious how the facilities in the East Bay would compare. Alameda County has a wonderful website http://www.stopwaste.org/ and they have goals similar to SF- to reduce waste going to the landfills by 75% by 2010. The Davis Street Transfer station in San Leandro is having an early Earth Day celebration filled with fun and education on April 12 from 10a-2p. (not sure if they have an art program, but their education center was constructed using green building methods- yay!)
Check it out on the website- see you there! :)

Definitions:
Biochemistry is the chemistry of life.
This is my favorite because it is succinct, yet all-encompassing. The other defs have may contain a little more useful information, but I think this one is poetic. ("Biochemistry is poetry?"-hmm...)

Animations:
Yes, poetry in motion! I viewed the animations of carbon- graphite, diamond, buckyball. It was helpful to see them from a variety of angles. Diamond really has an interesting configuration of staggered hexagons.. I'm looking at one of my son's toys right now- it's a buckyball! :)
The catalyst animation was pretty cool to see how molecules 'hook up' on the sticky surface.
After pondering gene therapy, I had to check out some of the bio animations. The protein synthesis one was entertaining. I think I was able to discern what the flying pink clovers and fortune cookies were suppose to be. (labels are for rookies, huh?)

Gene Therapy

I think there are amazing possibilities for gene therapy, but we must navigate this unchartered territory with caution. Mapping the genetic codes of deadly, parasitic microbes in developing countries has shown promise for effective drugs and vaccines that can specifically target these microbes. I am comfortable using genetic coding for this purpose, although ethical considerations would still include how the drugs are created, tested, to whom the drugs become available, environmental impact, etc. I get a little more uncomfortable when talk turns to altering or determining a person's genome. As geneticists get more adept at tinkering with those strands of lettered proteins of which we are comprised, we'll have more choices about what to do with our genome, and that of our offspring. I personally want to leave that up to Nature. I have no desire to rid or enhance my genetic predispositions from the inside out. I'd rather influence the expression of my genes in a more holistic manner. (environment, diet, meditation) When and if cutting and pasting of the genome becomes commonplace, it will be a strange time indeed. Ethical considerations here will include definitions of disability, which patients are primary candidiates, and who pays the bill. (And to what extent do we allow eugenics??)

Yay! I won at Brain Boggle Chembalancer!
- a great site to hone your skills. Fun, and cool the way they give you chem diagrams, and then take them away when you've proven yourself. :)


The tutorial was alright, but it was a little rote having to list every atom. This would be a good method if you were having a hard time keeping track of all the reactants and products. (understandable in the long equations!)

Color of Minerals (discovery)
Atomic bonds are responsible for absorbing or emitting certain wavelengths of light. Bonding to different elements will affect the energy states of the electrons, in turn affecting the wavelengths of light absorbed or emitted, and produce different colors.

My Food

There's alot of colorful food in my kitchen- red bell peppers, apples, broccoli, zucchini, bananas, carrots. Every color is represented numerous times except blue. (Yes, I've been inspired to buy blueberries, but I forgot!) Thank goodness my friend served me purple cabbage at her house on Sunday, and I've recently had seaweed, too (glad that qualifies as a blue, indigo, violet food!) The only violet foods I'm representing at home are the sugar and alcohol.
Everything in moderation!
I have quite a bit of white too- potatoes, dairy, coconut milk, garlic, mushrooms.
And where's the black/ brown category? chocolate, tea, nuts ... mmm

Radium

Radium (Ra) is the heaviest alkaline earth metal and extremely radioactive. It was discovered by Marie Curie in 1898 in uranium ore from the Czech republic. (Her handling of radium was reasoned to be the cause for her premature death.) In fact, the harmful effects of radioactivity would be understood in years to come (peaking around 1930) when deaths and bone cancer would be linked to exposure to radium in certain products- luminescent paints, some foods, toothpaste and hair cream. Since Ra is chemically similar to calcium, it does great harm by replacing Ca in bones. (Interesting that Ra decays into radon gas, also radioactive, which is used in cancer treatment.)
Ra has more recently fell out of favor again (even for those practical uses embracing its radioactive properties) by scientists who are choosing to work with more powerful and safer radioisotopes. However, experimental physicists continue to use radium- when combined with beryllium, neutrons are produced.

Green Economy

We (consumers) are seeing 'green' alternatives for various products and services at an ever-increasing rate. Thanks to responsible research, society is becoming well aware of the long (and short) term effects of toxic chemicals in our environment. We're understanding the consequences of pollution, dependence, inefficiency, waste, and making the choice to support sustainable businesses. Luckily, many people are becoming informed and, as a result, prices can be competitive (or even low cost!) sealing the deal for the cost-conscious buyer, and putting more money in the hands of responsible businesses.

Accountability plays a huge part. There should be complete transparency concerning an organization's production materials and waste disposal methods. Pressure should be put on all industry to exercise 'atom economy' whenever possible. Waste should be reduced at all levels, from the atom on up. We should reward efficiency and environmental and health considerations, and not tolerate inefficiency and ignorance.

Catalyst of the Week

I was curious about catalytic converters in automobiles. This device, the 'catcon,' is situated close to the engine and uses a combination of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh) as catalysts to convert toxic combustion emissions into less toxic substances. In the three-way conversion for gasoline-powered vehicles, Pt and Rh are used as reduction catalysts, reducing nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and oxygen. The other two conversions involve oxidation catalysts, Pt and Pd, to oxidize carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and also oxidize unburnt hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water. During the conversions, gas molecules 'stick' to the surface of the metals (lots of d-orbitals, very easily forms bonds) and the electrons of the gases get rearranged, resulting in a 90% decrease in the amount of pollution coming out in the exhaust. Yay.

Review: Water Concepts
I'll never drink a glass of water the same again! This page had helpful images as well as description of events. It's very cool that water's polar property is why it can dissolve so many substances. Also, it is very interesting to note how even though hydrogen bonds are so much weaker than covalent bonds, it is their 'strong contributory effect' that gives the 'tightness' of water. Strength in numbers.
Cheers!

Molecular Structure of Different Forms of Carbon
Carbon can form very different substances, all by itself, depending on the way its atoms bond. In diamond, one of the hardest substances known to man, carbon atoms are fixed in a rigid 3-D network of covalent bonds. In graphite, a soft and slippery manifestation of carbon, strong covalent bonds exist in layers. (and only a weak force exists between the layers, allowing them to move, resulting in graphite being a lubricant)
In addition to graphite and diamond, there are some fairly new carbon structures on the scene, including the 'buckyball,' which consists of 60 carbon atoms, bound together in hexagonal and pentagonal shapes ,to form a hollow sphere. There are also carbon materials, called Fullerenes, which are being constructed to form larger spheres, ellipsoids, and nanotubes to be used as microscopic filters and catalysts.

Transitional metal- Tantalum

Meet #73 in the PT of E. It's Tantalum (Ta), weighing in with an atomic mass of 181. This rare, heavy, hard, grey metal is renown for its corrosion resistance. (It 'tantalizes' scientists with its general non-reactivity.) In fact, its bodily-fluid resistance and non-irritating qualities lend its use in surgical applications. It has a very high melting point (exceeded only by tungsten, rhenium, and carbon) and thus, high heat and electricity conductivity. Ta is used mainly in electronic components (capacitors, resistors.) Tantalum carbide (TaC) is one of the hardest man-made substances and can be used as turbine blades, cutting edges of high speed tools, nuclear reactors, and aircraft and missle parts.
Tantalum was discovered in 1802 in Sweden, but it was not until 1844 that it was actually proven to be different from Niobium (positioned directly above Ta in the Table, found in the same ores, and chemically very similar.) Ta is found primarily in the mineral columbite-tantalite in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Zaire, Nigeria, Portugal.
Ta-da!

Ozone
Well, most people I talked to about ozone knew of the layer in the stratosphere, how it protects us from UV rays, how it is thinning as a result of pollution. My husband attempted some stats- miles from Earth, % of atmosphere. He was off quite a bit, but he was a good sport for playing! Fewer comments were made about the "bad ozone" in our troposphere.
Review
The Atomic Properties Menu is a wonderful tool for learning all about electronic structures, ionizations, affinities, etc. It's step by step (in fact the author will encourage you to go back- or he'll offer up more links- until you're comfortable with particular concepts.) Equally helpful, he'll assure you when something doesn't have to be (or can't be) fully understood or explained.
Great resource!

And now introducing...

Rubidium! Call her Rubi, for short. (actually, Rb) This sexy siren of an element, #37, is very soft BUT highly reactive (sound familiar?) Like the other alkali metals in her group #1, Rb rapidly oxidizes- and can possibly ignite- when exposed to air, and reacts violently in water. She may look silvery/grey/white at first, but hold her up to a flame or spectroscope and you'll see the color that lends its name, L. rubidus "deepest red."

Rubidium was discovered in 1861, in Germany, by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff in the mineral lepidolite (which is also the same mineral from which cesium is extracted- and both are used in atomic clocks.) Rb is the 16th most abundant metal on Earth, and 23rd most abundant element, overall (on Earth.)

Rubidium is also used- this is cool- to produce the Bose-Einstein Condensate which was predicted by Einstein in 1925, building on the work of Bose, and finally demonstrated 70 years later in '95 by Cornell and Wieman @ UC Boulder. The condensate occurs when groups of rubidium atoms are supercooled to near Absolute Zero (170 nanokelvin) and the atoms merge together- collapse- making an "atom blob"... and start behaving less like particles and more like waves! A quantum mechanical effect! No practical applications yet, but physicists are having fun with it. :)

Rare Earth

Great band name... I hope not the direction we're headed.
So, I was staring at the Periodic Table of Elements for about an hour (we'd been out of touch for so long) and I was wondering what is significant about, and responsible for, the number and ratio of each energy level's max number of electrons- 2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 2, respectively?
Also, in the Rare Earth class, the 19th electron of the 4th energy level is skipped over in the Lanthanide series, and the 19th electron of the 5th energy level is skipped over in the Actinide series. Seeing as how the electrons are arranged fairly orderly (with the exception of the transition metals changing it up a little bit) I'm wondering about these mysterious electrons #19??

Quiz

1) check
2) Is Trader Joe's Sea Salt pure?
3) Got caught on whether coffee was homogenous or not. "It is not non-homogenous if it has been stirred." What if it wasn't stirred or there were some grounds settling on the bottom, etc.? Am I thinking about this too much?
4) check

Introducing...

My name is Alison Ruy. Married mother of a 3 yr. old. Oakland resident for almost 8 years. I've also lived in England and most of the states between Boston and Miami. I'm definitely grounded now. Well, almost. I'm a flight attendant for UAL. Keeps me in the air a couple of days a week, but I always love coming home to the Bay Area. I'm happy to be in school now, studying energy and life- and working toward a new career. Working for a big, inefficient company, experiencing the negative attitudes of management and labor toward each other, and working in a rather unhealthy environment (fresh air is my favorite) has directed me toward what I do want. Knowledge and training to encourage and promote health using traditional methods. Ability to work in a variety of settings- private and intregrative. A respectful and caring workplace. Mind you, I'll keep my foot in the door at United just long enough to keep those flight benefits and badge. (employee security lines rule) I'll have to get a few Asia trips in during our breaks!

I love playing guitar with my hubby, going to the beach, hiking, camping, gardening (I'm in an apt. but this year I am going to fill pots and baskets with herbs and veggies- my resolution!) and all kinds of sports. I aspire to draw more, finish writing a song, and apply a "use it or lose it" rule to the various collections inhabiting my closets and cupboards. (fabrics, beads, articles, magazines, sticks and stones)

Peace.