Ouch!

A recent explosion of jellyfish related incidents on beaches surrounding the Mediterranean and elsewhere is a sign of ocean decline, scientists say. A few weeks ago, over 300 people on Barcelona beaches were treated for jellyfish stings in just a few hours, and beaches in France, Australia, Hawaii, and elsewhere in the United States were closed due to the hazard presented by these unique creatures. A combination of overfishing, global warming, and pollution have changed the ocean habitat in such a way that jellyfish are getting closer to coasts around the world. Overfishing of the animal's competitors for food as well as natural predators, including tuna, sharks, and swordfish, has allowed jellyfish populations to grow rapidly. Warming sea temperatures have contributed too, since they breed faster and better in warmer temperatures. Reduced rainfall in tropical regions due to global warming has led to less runoff from land, which would normally decrease salinity in coastal waters, thus serving as a barrier against organisms like the jellyfish that lives in salt water. Lastly, pollution has played a major factor: it leads to lower oxygen levels and visibility in coastal waters. While most fish suffer under these conditions, jellyfish thrive in low oxygen areas and are not affected by low visibility; they filter food passively from the water and thus can get nutrients in complete darkness. If this bizarre jellyfish dilemma is not a blatant sign of human damage to the marine ecosystem, I'm not sure what is. See the video below for news coverage on this story.

An Exercise Pill?

Multiple news outlets have reported today on a so-called "Exercise Pill." It is being hailed as a pill that can mimic the effects of exercise, negating the need for a workout. The pill increases the body's ability to burn fat, helps remove sugar from the bloodstream, and could help treat some heart conditions with its ability to change muscle from "sugar-burning, fast twitch muscle... into fat-burning, slow-twitch muscle". In addition, it has been found to increase endurance in mice; those animals that took the pill ran 40% longer on the treadmill than other mice. While there are some scientists who are doubtful that the pill will provide all the benefits of exercise, what if you could actually take a pill and replace exercise? Pros and cons? Yea or Nay? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

To read the complete story, visit the article on SciAm.com.

Muscle Contraction Animation = Edutainment!

(If you have trouble reading the text on this animation, you can view a larger version here.)

Science Update

New links are now posted on the "Neat Articles" section. The topics of these articles range from genetics to endangered penguins to bovine growth hormones. In addition, discussion always adds to things; feel free to comment, leave your opinion, or ask questions!

UPDATE - July 9: Eighteen and a half minutes of NYT science goodness. Listen here or read the articles discussed on the Times' Science News page.

For those interested, I've also included a quick video about DNA mutations.

New Feature: Submit-A-Review

I am pleased to announce the addition of a new feature to Galumpher's Life, Submit-A-Review. Because it's summer, we obviously cannot turn in notecards with book reviews. But for those interested in continuing this fun past-time into the summer months, this feature is for you.

Just go to the Submit-A-Review form (also available through the right sidebar), type in the required information and your review, and click submit. Your review will appear in the Reviews section shortly thereafter. New reviews will be displayed with an image marking it as new, so interested readers can find the newest reviews easily. There is no minimum or maximum length for the reviews, so whether you want to briefly let people know about a good book or do a more detailed analysis, feel free to submit your opinion.

The Wonderful World of Coloring Books

Have you thought of buying a coloring book lately? I think it's safe to say, you probably haven't. However, you might want to reconsider. During a cursory trip to a Boise bookstore, I discovered nothing less than The Microbiology Coloring Book.

The illustrations in the book should be very familiar to all of us. This is one book in a series that includes the Biology and Zoology Coloring Books, from which we received those sheets on the frog, DNA, worm, etc. that we worked on in Biology. Each picture is accompanied by a text with basic coloring directions (like where to start) as well as information that explains the illustrations.

So far, I have found this book to be an excellent way to learn. If you take time to carefully color the images, then read the text, you will be able to recall the diagram and thus the information. You should give any of the books in the series (Microbiology, Biology, Zoology, Anatomy, Human Brain, Marine Biology, Human Evolution, and Botany Coloring Book) a look. It's a pretty fun way to further your scientific knowledge over the summer.

Have a Great Summer

We have quickly come to the end of a year that proved science can be fun and exuberant. But Galumpher's Life is not over, and will continue over this summer, providing interesting science stories, notable books, and other neat things. Visit often; updates should be posted weekly. See everyone next year, and have a great break.

The Admin

Question of the Week: April 19

This school year has been one filled with countless remarkable experiences and unforgettable personalities. Like every time period in life, we will remember certain aspects of these experiences and take away some fascinating pieces of information. What are at least two new things you learned this year in Biology that you found interesting? And what was the most memorable moment in class for you?

(This is the last Question of the Week. Thank you for your participation, and we hope that these discussions provided you with an enjoyable new twist on the academic experience. We would appreciate if you would take the time to answer a short survey to help us improve the design of Galumpher's Life. Thank you.)

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Photographs, Platypodes, and Podcasts

The New York Times has featured several interesting articles this week for those interested in keeping up on science news. This slideshow has six unique photographs of frogs, supernovas, methane eating bacteria, and other diverse topics, with fascinating facts to accompany each.

Last week, scientists completed deciphering the platypus genome. As we know, the platypus is a unique mammal; it and the echidna belong to their own group of mammals known as monotremes. See the article for more information on the implications of the recent genome decoding.

Lastly, the New York Times presents their weekly Science Times Podcast that explores some of the week's science news. Listen to it here or subscribe to the podcast using iTunes.

These and several other fascinating articles are listed under our "Neat Articles" section on the right sidebar. They're updated weekly, so check back often.

Question of the Week: May 12

We all have visions of our ideal life years from now, however vague; you may hope to go to college, to publish a piece of literature, or to own your first home. Our dreams are as unique and varied as are individuals. But regardless of what you want to achieve in the future, it is imperative to plan in the present. What goals can you set for your Junior year to ensure that you achieve your dreams? Explain how these plans relate to your future.

Posting on this Question of the Week is now diabled.