Graduate
level researchers at Yale University have been researching a phenomena they
have dubbed "cute aggression." Essentially, this phenomena describes
the aggression that one feels when they see an image of something adorable, say
a kitten or puppy. It's not necessarily that people feel angry at the animal;
it's just that they begin to say phrases like: "I just can't handle
this", "It's so fluffy I want to die", or want to squeeze
something.
To
come to this conclusion, researchers gathered 109 participants and had them
look at pictures of animals, which were cute, funny, or neutral.It was shown that peoples' responses
were most aggressive when the pictures were "cute." To further secure
their results, the researchers had 90 of their participants to look at the
images again, and this time pop the bubbles on Bubble wrap as many or as few
times as they would like. The results showed that the cute images resulted in
people popping an average of 120 bubbles, while the neutral resulted in an
average of 100 bubbles, and just 80 for the funny images.
This
research seems to contradict the common notion that when an animal is cute, we
strive to protect it and treat it more gently than other creatures. The researchers
aren't sure why this phenomenon occurs, but they have some ideas. One idea is
that this aggression may come from the fact that we want to hold or cuddle the
cute animal, but we can't physically reach it. This in turn leads to
frustration and aggressive behavior. It could also be similar to the reaction
of children to pets - we focus on not hurting the animals so much that we end
up hurting them. The last hypothesis is that when there is an overwhelming
positive emotion, the response is apparently negative.
Arsenic
is element number 33, and a metalloid. It is found in minerals and alone as a
pure crystal.Albertus Magnus
originally documented its existence in 1250, but it has been known of since the
Early Bronze Age. Magnus, was also known as Albert the Great, and was the
teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas. The element is most famously known for being exceedingly lethal
in humans and other multicellular creatures.
The
name "Arsenic" comes from the Greek word "arsenikon," which means
yellow orpiment. An orpiment is a mineral that contains sulfur and arsenic.
Apparently, early Chinese, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations mined compounds
containing arsenic.
There
are three common types of arsenic - one gray, one yellow, and one black. The
gray allotrope is the most common of the three. Arsenic has one stable isotope
and numerous radioactive
isotopes.
It can also be found in foods and soil,
but is absorbed by all plant life. Arsenic in the groundwater is a very serious
problem, and in bottled water in the United States it is allowed in
concentrations between 10 and 5
ppb (parts per billion).
Some
common uses of arsenic are in agricultural insecticides, and it is still
sometimes used in animal foods to prevent disease. Arsenic was common in
medications prior to the 21st century - it was even used as a stimulant in the
mid 1700s (though in subatomic doses). There are some modern
medical uses of it - such as treatment of cancer.
DINOSAURS!
Ever since I was a child, I have been obsessed. I loved learning and reading
about them, I loved watching movies about them, and especially loved Jurassic Park.
Though I preferred the idea of the non-carnivorous dinosaurs to the scary
carnivores.I also always felt
sorry for the more goat that got eaten by the T-rex. AND.... Jurassic Park 4 is coming out
in 2014 (supposedly).
Some
of my favorite childhood memories are the Dinofours books, the
Mark Teague and Jane Yolen Dinosaur books, the Land Before Time
movies, and I currently have a T-rex and a mini T-rex pillow pet!
In
Australia, there is an area called the Lark Quarry, which is home to
the only recorded dinosaur stampede. There are more than 3300 fossilized
footprints. A recent study done by researchers at the University of Queensland
has provided evidence that the animals were not actually running away from a
large predator(the previous story),
but instead were using the area as a water crossroads or type of
"superhighway."
They
seem nearly certain that the dinosaurs were smaller, ranging in size from a
chicken to an emu. By analyzing the tracks as they were, and then using a
three-dimensional computer modeling software, the researchers came to the
conclusion that the tracks were not actually from long-toed dinosaurs, but
instead from short-toed dinosaurs that dug there toes into a river body. One of
the scientists claimed that the dinosaurs were moving on the tippy-toes.
Cobalt has an atomic number of 27. It is a silver to gray transition
metal, but is never found by itself in nature. Rather, it is found in chemical
compounds. The name cobalt comes from the German word for evil spirit (goblin)
"kobald." Cobalt is
generally isolated as a bi-product of mining copper and nickel.
Cobalt
is known for giving a distinct blue color in glass,
ceramics, and glazes. It was from this fact that it was initially discovered. In
1735, Georg
Brandt, a Swedish chemist, was trying to prove that some element -
not bismuth, as was believed - caused the blue color mentioned above. An
interesting fact about this discovery is that it was the first new element
discovered since ancient times.
The
metal and its compounds are slightly toxic if it comes in contact with skin,
and more so if ingested. It is also highly magnetic, even up to very high
temperatures (Curie
Temperature). Cobalt is quite chemically active, and this is one of the
reasons that it is a component in many alloys. It has one stable isotope.
There
are numerous uses
for cobalt. One of these is the coloration of glass, ceramics, and glaze as
previously mentioned. When it comes to alloys, cobalt is used in numerous
compounds. Cobalt superalloys are particularly stable, and are occasionally
used in jet aircraft engines. These alloys are also used in many different
implants and joint replacements in the human body.
Cobalt
is also used in batteries and its radioactive isotope is used as a medical
radioactive tracer. Cobalt is also essential to all animal life. One of the
most common supplements that contains cobalt is vitamin B12.
Before
I begin, I need to explain the fact that myself and both of my older brothers
are all studying some form of Chemistry. So, for Christmas this year our family
board game was "Periodic Quest,"
which is a board game that involves moving along a Periodic Table, using die,
and cards (one for each element) to play different variations of the game -
some based on properties of the elements and others simply on atomic number.
We
finally all sat down to play the game a few nights ago and it was...enlightening
to say the least. My brother Stephen and I had forgotten that not everyone has
an extensive working knowledge of the Periodic Table. My parents had both taken
Chemistry courses before, in High School and College, but after years of doing
nothing with Chemistry they were very very rusty.
So,
to help my parents out, I am doing this post about the Periodic Table - its
history, uses, and organization.
The history
We
need to go back all the way to 1869 and a Russian chemistry professor named DmitrI Mendeleev. When
he was teaching, there were around 60 known elements (compared to the 118 of
today) and he began his table by ordering the elements by atomic weight - the
heaviness of an atom of an element compared to an atom of hydrogen. Mendeleev
was writing his own Chemistry text, and as he ordered the elements horizontally
he found that if he left gaps he found periodic (see what he did there)
vertical trends in the properties of some elements.
From http://www.aip.org/history/curie/periodic.htm
He
left these gaps and claimed that there were yet undiscovered elements that
would fill in the table and adhere to both the horizontal and vertical trends
identified. With this as a guide, some early Chemists (later
1800s) were able to discover elements that fit within the gaps that
Mendeleev had claimed would be filled. After these elements were discovered,
his table began to grow in importance.
The Uses
The
first
huge use of the Periodic Table is the atomic weight. This means the weight
of the nucleus of an atom of the element. This is generally around double of
the element's atomic number - i.e. Hydrogen is number 1, etc. The atomic number
is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of an element. The atomic
weight is generally double that of the atomic number because protons
(positively charged particles) and neutrons (neutrally charged particles) both
exist within the nucleus and are approximately the same weight. The electrons
(the negatively charged particles) exist outside of the nucleus in orbitals and
have a minimal weight.
The
horizontal trends of the Periodic Table or the "periods" reveal the
trends of atomic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, and
electronegativity. As you move across a period, the atomic radius decreases, as
the additional protons and neutrons cause the electrons to be draw closer to
the nucleus. The other trends all act opposite to the atomic radius and
increase as you move across the period. Ionization energy is the amount of
energy required to remove an electron. The electron affinity is the amount of
energy released when an electron is added to an atom to make a negative ion
(from neutral to negative). The electronegativity is how much an atom wants
electrons.
The
vertical trends or "groups" (or "families") show some more
significant properties. It must be realized that elements in the same groups
have the same number of valence electrons or electrons in the outermost orbital
and this corresponds to the trends the exhibit. The most recognized families
are the Alkali metals (1), the Alkaline Earth metals (2), Halogens (17), and the
Nobel gases (18).Groups 3 to 10
show less strong relationships and thus don't get cool names.Some of the trends revealed by the
Periodic groups are: the atomic radius increases as you move down a family, a
decrease in ionization energy (since they are bigger and are held together less
tightly), and a decrease in electronegatitvity. A fun trend found inFamily 1 or the Alkali metals is that
they are exceedingly reactive with water (see below).
The
two rows set of by themselves at the bottom of the Table are arranged as such because
they do not quite fit the trends of the rest of the table. This is because they are
radioactive, and it makes the table more aesthetically pleasing.
I
think that is enough of an overview for today. Needless to say, we didn't
really end up playing the game. Instead, my brother and I got to spend the time
explaining the Periodic Table and its many uses to our parents. And you know
what - we had a blast.
Potassium
is element number 19. It is a soft, light-colored alkali metal that reacts
violently with water. It is so soft that it can be cut with a knife. It is the
second least dense metal after lithium. Its name comes from the English word
"potash," as
it was originally found in this substance. Its elemental symbol K comes from the
neo-Latin (created after the year 1500) term "kalium,"
taken from the word "alkali" and before that, derived from the Arabic
word for "plant ash."
Potassium
salts were at first not differentiated from sodium salts, but George Ernst Stahl,
in 1702, obtained evidence that made him believe that there was a difference
between the two. Potassium metal was isolated in 1807 by the English Sir
Humphry Davy. He first isolated it from a plant ash (as had previously been
done) and then later from lye.
The
element is the eighth most abundant element on Earth and is about 2.1% of the
earth's crust.
Potassium
is necessary for the functioning human body. It is important in neuron function
and in maintaining the fluid and electrolyte levels in the body. Studies have
shown that diets high in Potassium can reduce
the risk of hypertension and stroke.
Potassium
is most commonly found in the human body, in fertilizers, and in foods. A
potassium salt is one of the main parts of baking powder. Also, in the
industrial setting, Potassium hydroxide (KOH) iscommonly used to neutralize acids.
I'm
back! Sorry for the extended holiday break, but now I'm back and ready to go.
So, while I was on my blog hiatus we survived the Mayan apocalypse (Congrats
guys). I think it is high time for me to start posting again. This week, I'm
not exactly reporting on any current science news, but am instead posting about Jackson's chameleons because I got to play with some recently and the
pictures are too adorable/awesome to waste.
We
have all been lied to! Chameleons don't actually
change color to blend into their surroundings - but rather depending on their
mood, health, and temperature. So, the fanciful chameleons of my childhood
becoming plaid, polka doted, or any other wacky pattern is just a figment of
our imaginations.
I recently did a story for my news
reporting class about my University getting two new Jackson's Chameleons (scientific
name:Trioceros jacksonii).
Their scientific name comes from the Greek words "tri" meaning three and "keras" meaning horns.
It is very similar to the name of the Triceratops dinosaur, as
they have a similar horn structure.
Jackson's
chameleons are easily recognized by the three horns that males (and some
females) have on their faces. You may remember Liz from the Magic School bus - she was
Ms. Frizzle's pet chameleon and has the look of a Jackson's chameleon. They
grow to be around 10 inches long and can live around 9 years in captivity. The
design of their eyes allows them to see nearly 360 degrees and their tongue is
nearly 1.5x the length of their bodies.
Jackson
chameleons were first discovered by a zoologist named George Albert
Boulenger in 1896. He discovered the common Jackson's chameleon subspecies (Trioceros
jacksonii jacksonii). The other
subspecies: the Dwarf Jackson's chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii merumontanus)
and the Yellow-crested Jackson's chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii
xantholophus) were discovered in 1958 and 1988 respectively.
These chameleons are actually native to Kenya and
northern Tanzania (Eastern Africa) and are invasive species in parts of
the United States - namely Hawaii. The yellow-crested Jackson's chameleons were
originally brought to Hawaii in the 1970s, so they could be bred as exotic
pets. They have since established populations on every major Hawaiian island
and are considered invasive, though they are not known as particularly harmful.
There have been reports
of the chameleons eating native Hawaiian insects and snails.
So
enjoy the photos and if you can't get enough of the crazy reptiles then there is always Rango in Rango (voiced by
Johnny Depp - so they have to be cool) and Pascal from Disney's Tangled. These are the most recent pop culture chameleons, though they aren't
Jackson's.
This week's element is atomic number 50 - Tin!
Obviously the elemental symbol does not coincide with the name, as most do. The
elemental symbol comes from the Latin word for tin, which is Stannum.
It
is not known who discovered Tin because it has been extracted since at least
3000 BC. Tin has a highly crystalline structure, and due to this when a piece
of tin is broken a small "scream" ca be heard.
Tin
is one of the few elements that has an alchemical
symbol. It also exists as 0.001% of the Earth's crust. Tin has two main
forms - gray tin, which exists below 13 degrees Celsius, and white
tin, which is the more normal form of the element.
There
are few uses for gray tin, but many for white tin. The "tin" can is
often made of aluminum these days, but even the original wasn't tin. These cans
were actually steel cans that had a thin tin coating to prevent corrosion.
The
most common use of tin is for the production of bronze (The Bronze Age), which is an
alloy of copper and tin. Pewter and solder are made out of tin and lead.
Superconductive wires are sometimes made of tin alloys.
