What Darwin Never Knew

Image result for evolution Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who is famous for his work on the theory of evolution. There was no proof that his theory was correct during that time, until the discovery of DNA came along and proved his theory true. While travelling on the ship called the HMS Beagle, Darwin noticed many features about the animals. He learned that even though the birds from the different islands are the same, they had different beaks because of the different environments that they lived in. Not only that, but the tortoises that had different patterned shells and colours depended on which islands they lived on. Thus, Darwin created a new theory called natural selection, meaning that organisms will evolve by gaining traits that fits them into their environment to survive.

The discovery of DNA allowed us to study the different organisms and how they are descendants from other organisms. This showed that different organisms were similar at one point until they adapted to the different environments that they lived in. For example, the bones inside a human ear are developed from fish gills, showing the little changes in the DNA bases can create large changes in different species. Nowadays, scientists know that there are parts of DNA called switches that turn on and off specific genes. This is how all forms of life are related in their early stages of life, but evolves to be different if put into different environments. This proves that it is possible for more complex organisms to be related to simpler organisms.

DNA showed us how organisms evolve and adapt, and with DNA, we can check the ancestry of organisms. In the future, we can use DNA to keep and get rid of specific genes. The more knowledge we find from DNA, the more knowledge we have on life and evolution.

 

Foods 11 Reflection

Foods 11 Reflection

In this month of foods 11, I learned about the different types of waste and the different places they end up. What surprised me was how much damage wastes would do to our environment if they are not taken care properly. During the different labs, I learned about the different types of flour mixture and how they effect the product. The leavening agents play a big role on how the product rises, while the fat and other ingredients allow the product to have their unique texture and flavour. Liquid ingredients, like water and milk, are used to form the structure of the product. While knowing the different mixing methods, I had no idea on what role they play in creating the product. The mixing method is important in creating the product’s texture and how it rises. Many kitchen disasters can be caused by fires. The fireman taught me the different types of kitchen fire and how to put them out, and the danger it causes if not taken care of properly. Learning how to put out a fire is very important since you can prevent deaths and massive amounts of damage. There were also many other safety precautions to keep yourself safe in the kitchen that I learned. Besides kitchen safety, there were many food choices that affect your health, and many factors that influence your food choices. Being responsible for what you eat is important to keep a healthy lifestyle. Overall, I learned many methods on baking, and how to keep myself while cooking. The labs were fun and cooperation and consideration with your group members are important to get the job done.