Jordan Fisher - GOT IN TO WATERLOO

Video Updatey

2007-11-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

Yeesh....it's been a while. To compensate for not posting for a long long time, I made a video on saturday night. Hope you enjoy! I miss you all way too much!

Waterloo

2007-09-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would video blog on the road, but that just didn't happen. Sorry!

Anywho, I'm in Waterloo now. I mailed out my contact information (if you didn't get it, let me know). Orientation week was very exhausting, but also very fun. I attended a Science Luau, North America's largest Toga Party, the Science Olympics and learned the SSD (secret science dance). There were plenty of fun and exciting events to help you meet people, but I found I've met my better Waterloo friends in more unconventional ways:

The Dorm Family: Oh, how I love these people. My roommates are like my immediate family. The don is like some amazing aunt. And the rest of us are just really tight knit. We hang out together, head to events together, do pretty much everything together. There's about 70 of us on the floor. South E rocks!
The Loan Line: Last tuesday I spent 3 HOURS standing in line to get all of my finances arranged. 3 HOURS. I of course became well-acquainted with everyone around me.
Toga Tieing: Turns out, I was the only one on the floor who actually knew how to tie a toga.

It's been a lot to take in, but I'm having a blast!

The Departure

2007-08-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
Well, I leave for Waterloo today in about 15 minutes. We're stopping in Roblin, then carrying on to Winnipeg tonight. I can't keep this very long, but here's the low-down.

I have only slept 4 hours in the last 2 days.

I have a bajillion hour drive ahead of me.

I'm going to video blog some of the trip!! yaaaaaay.

But, I think I'm just going to sleep first.

Just a little "ha-ha"

2007-07-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

This isn't a full update, just something I needed to share.

Since I have become a Domestic Maverick, I've started to hate the dogs a little bit. You know why?

They shed.

Angus sheds little sharp black and white hairs (black for light coloured clothing, and vice versa). They embed themselves into clothing and upholstery, and are nearly impossible to remove.

Riley sheds ginormous downy puffballs, that gather in the corners within hours. This means that I have to vacuum. Every. Day.

I got fed up today, rummaged through the bathroom cupboard, and found the hair buzzer clipper thing. Noting my fury, Riley didn't dare fight back.

Within an hour, Riley was shorn.

And, oh, how I laughed.

An exhausting day of hair loss.

Of course I left his forearm hair. He prizes the condition of his forearms.

He didn't fight with me, but I still wouldn't do his tail. Scary stuff, dogs and their tails

I didn't shave Angus...but isn't he cute?

Mid-Summer Update

2007-07-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hey all!
Well, I finished Harry Potter. It broke my heart, made me laugh, made me cry, and provided some great closure. Thank you, J.K., for giving me Harry to grow up with. I remember staying up all night on my 11th birthday, waiting for my owl from Hogwarts.

Moving away from such nerdular nerdance, Grandma Bunni (accompanied by Ali and a friend) are passing through on their way from Calgary to The Pas. I think we'll be going down on thursday. Conner, Jenn, Stu, Serani and Baby are all coming down. I couldn't miss that! I'm sure I'll have many pictures to post.

Since I've become a Domestic Maverick, I've become addicted to three things:

1.) the View
2.) Ross the Intern's Blog (www.nbc.com/rossblog)
3.) Coffee

It's freaking nuts!

I've also been talking to some fellow future Waterlooigans on the Forum for Admitted Students. It's cool getting to know these people before I move in.

That's all for now, but definately check out Ross's blog. It's hysterical!

Tres Short

2007-07-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

Can't say much, reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Only about 250 pages to go. So far so good.

I got the kids up early and took them down to the Paper Trail to get my preordered copy.

It's a good thing the torrential downpour/ terrifying thunderstorm decided it would like to co-operate and end at precisely the time we had to leave the house by bicycle to make it to the store at opening time.

Haha, I'm a nerd! And, today, not a very good babysitter!

Free-for-all for Kenz and Fras so I could read.

Here's some music to keep you happy. (sit back and allow the music video to trip you out)

"God's Away on Business" - Tom Waits

Updatey

2007-07-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm officially done at the co-op. My first day with the crazed ones was today. It's raining, so we're building a model of Hogwarts out of popsicle sticks. (I'm one obsessed nerd these days) We have the dungeons built (potions room, and slytherin common room) and painted. We've also furnished the potions room with teeny little desks and cabinets, and the common room has a fireplace. I can't wait to papeir mache the hillside tomorrow!!(and add the great hall/hufflepuff common room/DATDA Room).

Not else new. The fair's in town until wednesday. We went to the parade and got rained on, and we're going to the hypnotist tonight. Excitement extrordinairre!

Also, here's a video for Franz Schubert's "Death and the Maiden (part 3)" for string quartet. One of my favourite Schubert pieces. The melencholy of it really suits rainy days.

Finale

2007-07-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

My Grade 12, Semester 2 marks are as follows:

Calculus 30: 86%
Physics 30: 81%
ELA B30: 87%
History 30: 81%
Computer Science 30: 87%

I'm especially happy about History. I brought it up from a 72.

Well, there!

2007-07-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

That's it!

I'm done!

Finito!

That has been the craziest month of my life, thus far. But I got through it. I'm still kind of exhausted, but I'm sure I'll wake up eventually.

We went to Regina for Canada Day fireworks, and they were pretty good. I must admit, though, I enjoyed the Dog Agility display that was going on before them a little bit more.

I only have Wednesday-Saturday, and then 5 days next week, and I'm done at the Co-op for the summer. I'll stay at home and babysit Kenz and Fras (plus do a little bonding time before I leave).

My classes start on September 10th, and we have about 9 billion stops to make on the way down to Waterloo!

Waay too exciting.

June

2007-06-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

It has, all in all, been a month of Life. Beginnings, Endings, and Continuations.

On Sunday, June 10th, my Great Grandma Carol passed away in The Pas hospital. While 80 years are too few in this era, she lived a remarkable life. I am forever amazed that I was able to have such a strong relationship with a great grandmother, while most people hardly knew theirs. I am so honoured to be a descendant of hers and to have her name. She didn't want a funeral, any fuss, or for anyone to be sad. But I am so sad. I can only think of all the little babies to come in the family, and how they'll never cuddle with her in her heated bed (in a freezing room) out at the lake.

New Life has also begun. Uncle Stu and Serani(spelling's probably wrong) had a baby boy on June 18th. His name is Gavin Glen Arthur Campbell, and we already love him very much!

And finally, Continuations. Tomorrow is my last day of high school classes before exams. Last one ever. I ate the last cookie of the year that will ever be sold in the cafeteria. In History, we walked to Par-A-Mart and got slushies. I can't believe that I will be soon continuing life on my own, in independance. Thank you so much to my family for getting me ready for the real world.

The Official Longest Day of School Ever

2007-06-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Urgh. I'll be glad when I can go home and have a nap.
Stag/Stagette was last night. It's sort of like an unofficial grad party. Why they decide to have it on a Thursday, forcing everyone to go to school on Friday, I don't know.
It was crazy-fun anyway, and well worth the over-tiredness and tummy ache.
In other news, grad's in 20 days!! WOW! My farmer's tan is almost completely gone...I wish it would hurry up and go sooner.
That's all for now. I'm doing a Harry Potter Moviethon tonight, only one more month and there'll be a new movie AND THE FINAL BOOK! WOOO!

P.S. Gramma Sharon, I've been trying to e-mail you...but all my e-mails are getting sent back. Is there something wrong with your account?

Glasses

2007-05-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Not a big update, just thought I would post a picture of me and my glasses. They shift between lime green and yellow. I love them.

Excuse my shabbier-than-normal appearance. I have a strict no-makeup/hair product policy when it's raining. To apply either would mean waking up before 7:30.

Few things:

2007-05-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
Well, I now wear glasses. I'll put out a picture tomorrow, maybe. I cannot believe how I simply settled for blurry before. Glasses are a miracle. I'm glad I got them before I headed off to Waterloo.
I also booked some time in the tanning booth. I realised that my thin-strapped grad dress and farmer's tan weren't going to match very nicely!
Not much new in Saskatchewan, other than it's been raining endlessly. I love it! The farmers, however, are not so happy.
I've been brushing up on my Harry Potter. I've got a book and a movie to be ready for in July! Eek! My little brother pre-ordered the book for me for my birthday.
Here's a song (and crappy video, made by yours truly) by one of the guys my dad works with. I must warn you, the song is about a man who has a slightly offensive nickname. Don't judge me, I only make the videos!:P
My dad is the one referenced to as "Egghead". Just click on the big "play" button.

[insert clever headline]

2007-05-27T19:36:00.001-07:00

Hey all,

My mom has been complaining that I don't update enough, so here goes!

It was a good weekend. Saturday night, Kent, Nikki and I went out for ice cream. Promptly afterwards, we went for a walk beside the driving range and picked up golf balls that people had hit over the fence. We had a grand total of 77 by the end of the night (I know, pretty scummy of us). Later on, Nikki and went out to a fire were we ate too much and talked too loud. Fun was had by all.

Today was a Yard Day at the Fisher house. Mom planted flowers, Dad mowed the multitudes of lawn, McKenzie and Fraser had a monumental waterfight, and I set up the fire-pit and painted the doors in the garage. We're all pretty dirty-looking, but our house looks unreal.

My song for you to download is "Mushaboom" by Fiest. It's really good, and very summery.

I had some fun editing the colour values of this picture of Kenz and Fras.

Insane in the Membrane

2007-05-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. 19 school days until I ditch this high school! How exciting is that?!?!

However, including weekends and exams, it's 33 days until I graduate. 107 days until I start University (September 10).

I've been thinking of majoring in Biochemistry, and then going into medical research. It's funny, because I remember being about eight years old and promising myself that I wasn't going to go into medicine, to spite the fact that my mom and grandma Bunni were in the field (how sad is it when an eight-year-old thinks that carrying on a tradition is cliche?).

Maybe it's something in our blood, but I really want to do it!

On another note, try out some new music. Download "Rehab"-Amy Winehouse, "Disconnect the Dots"-Of Montreal, and "Cellphone's Dead" - Beck. They're all pretty fun songs with catchy beats, and you'll enjoy them.

Yup, I have brown hair again. I like it better like this.

Just a nice little update!

2007-05-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share this with you guys. It's a horse I made out of tomato sauce. The fork scraping gave my father much grief. I, however, think it's beautiful and well worth it!

University

2007-05-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

OK!!!!

Here is some great big news!

I got into the University of Saskatchewan for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering....but
I also got into the UNIVERSITY OF FREAKING WATERLOO for Computational Sciences.

It's so exciting!! Also, Waterloo is offering me a $1000 entrance scholarship.
I can't believe i got in!!

Little Update

2007-02-20T07:40:00.001-08:00

Mom is healing very well, and doing way better than expected! We're all so grateful for the doctors, and friends who have helped so much (mostly those of you who made it your personal priority that Kenzie, Fraser and I didn't starve to death.)
I bought a grad dress! It's beautiful!!! But I have to wait for it to come in...boo! I hate waiting.
I finished all of my essays for my Waterloo application, and sent it on its way for real. Now I just have to do super good in all my classes, get an awesome score on the Euclid, and I'm good to go!
The Nipawin Hawks are LOSING all of their games to the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Tonight may be my last one volunteering at the rink. If they lose this game and their next one in LaRonge, they're out of the playoffs.

Just a quick little post, I'll add a bit more later if I think of anything I miss.

P.S. Uncle Roy: I can't believe you read that super nerdy String Theory essay...and ENJOYED it!! Thanks for checking out my blog though!

New Semester

2007-02-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

I'm really loving my new semester of school, and I thought I'd share some things with you:

My mom's surgery is finally booked. Dad's taking her to Edmonton tomorrow, and she'll be back in a couple of weeks. Relief!
I got all my marks from last semester back. Chemistry: 82%, ELA: 84%, Bio: 84%, Math: 78%. (I know...UGH math...I bombed my exam. Oops.) and I got an 82 on my MathA30 re-write. So now my transcript is all honour-ey and glorious.

It's going to be a bit busy around here for a while. I'm the sole caretaker for Kenz, Fraser, Riley, Angus, and Muddy until my dad comes back. I also have six essays to write for my Software Engineering application. Boo.

Crazy with E.C.'s

2007-01-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

So, I've come to think I have too many extra-curriculars. They look really good on resumes...but I have such a full/heavy semester starting Monday. Some of the things I'm doing are:

Student Representative Council: Every Tuesday we meet. We then plan various school events.

Student Community Council: We meet once a month. We plan and execute fundraisers, and act as a laison between school and community.

Fundraising for Impoverished Groups and Humanity Today (AKA FIGHT Foundation): As founder and Administrative Director, I've always got something to do with FIGHT, every day. The group itself meets every Thursday, and we're slowly growing in numbers.

The Nipawin Junior Hawks: I volunteer at every hockey game, selling tickets at the door. I'm usually there from 6 to 10 on game days.

The Pineland Co-op: Can't forget my part-time job. Every week-day from after school to 6:00, and from 9 to 6 on Saturdays

If I don't get into Waterloo with this list, I'll be sooo sad.

University, ahoy!

2007-01-24T18:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it.

For about a week now, my online application to Waterloo has been sitting around doing nothing (obviously not on its way to Waterloo). I've been fiddling around with all the minor details, and I finally worked up the courage to press the "Send" button. (Oh, and ask for my dad's credit card to pay the $165 application fee)

I'm so nervous! Hopefully I get in! They let you apply to three different courses (so, you basically get three chances to get in to the university). I applied to Software Engineering, Computer Science, and Computational Science (a branch of physical science. I was tempted to apply to Pure Physics).

One more exam tomorrow!! So, I best be cramming.

Exam Week

2007-01-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

Well, it's time to get down to the nitty gritty. Final exams start on January 22nd and run to the 25th. In Nipawin, students with no inexcused absences are eligible to apply for an exam exemption in the ONE class of their choice. The application must be approved by the teacher of the particular class.

It looks as though Chemistry 30("30" means Grade 12 level) is my preferred exemption, because currently my schedule looks like this:

Monday Morning: Chemistry 30
Monday Afternoon: ELA A30

Tuesday Morning: Math A30 Upgrade Exam

Wednesday: Biology 30

Thursday: Math C30

I don't want to do two exams in the same day, and I think I can do much better on an English exam than a Chem. one.

Along with the end of semester come all the fabulous "Major Project" marks. On my major Chem. essay (worth 20% of your mark) I wrote about String Theory. I know what you're thinking...String Theory's physics, not chemistry! But my teacher happens to be both a chemistry and a physics fanatic. I managed to rake in an 87% on the essay, 3rd highest in the class.

In Biology, we were required to write an essay accompanied by a tangible project. I did mine on "Mutations"...just because I wanted to incorprate the X-Men somehow! I wish I had a picture of my X-Men-themed poster to submit, but it's up on the wall in the bio lab. That project got me a 93% .

I posted both of the essays below, if you want to take a gander!

I'm looking foreward to the new semester. Along with it come some of my favourite subjects. I'm signed up for Calculus, Physics 30, Computer Science 30, ELA B30, and History 30. It's going to be a full semester!

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A Mutation Sensation

The world is changing. It has always been changing, and will continue on doing so. Although it is difficult to document (because it happens so gradually) many different species are changing as well. The Theory of Evolution has become the most widely accepted theory explaining our existence today. Scientists believe that useful mutations, combined with natural selection, are the core of evolution.

One important thing to note when discussing mutations is that all mutations are random. This means that organisms will not mutate for survival, the mutations just happen totally by chance. Some mutations will be beneficial: the mutation will be useful to the organism’s survival, and the gene will be carried through to the next generation. However, some mutations can have a negative effect (for example, sickle cell anemia). When a negative effect is apparent the organism often will not find a mate (in natural selection, weak organisms are last to reproduce) and the gene will not be passed on.

What exactly are mutations?

Mutations are, simply put, a change in DNA. As DNA is the basic hereditary material required for all functions of life, mutations will affect every part of an organism. There are two types of mutations; germline (these can be passed on to future generations) and somatic (these can not be passed on in animals, but can in plants).

Mutations can be further divided into specific groups. Some of the groups of mutations lead to major changes, while some lead to none at all. These groups include:

Substitution. In this form of mutation, a nitrogenous base is exchanged for another one. It does not have to be its natural base pair. For example, adenine can take the place of guanine. These mutations lead to codons that encode different amino acids and change the potential protein.

It could also cause the codon to encode the same amino acid, resulting in no change in the protein. These are known as “silent mutations”. The final effect it could potentially have is the ability to change the codon to a “stop” codon, and result in an incomplete protein.

Insertion. In this mutation, genetic code is inserted into the DNA strand during replication or reparation.

Deletions. These occur when genetic code is lost or deleted during replication or reparation.

Frameshift. This occurs when a deletion or insertion of a nitrogenous base so that the gene is no longer correctly aligned. These mutations are usually useless to an organism. They cause codons to incorrectly code proteins.

Geneticists use “the fat cat sat” example to explain frameshifts. These three letter words represent protein-coding codons. If one letter is deleted, the whole sentence (or genetic sequence) is altered. If the first base is deleted, the phrase becomes “hef atc ats at”.

What causes mutations?

There are a number of reasons that mutations occur. One is when DNA is not replicated accurately. When an imperfect copy of DNA is produced, no matter how small the error, that is a mutation. The other cause of mutation is that of a mutagen. These mutagens break down the DNA in the cell. If the cell repairs the DNA, and it is not identical to the way it was prior to exposure to the mutagen, it becomes a mutation.

Sometimes DNA can be altered permanently by a mutagen. Mutagens are all of the factors that lead to the mutation. These include chemical mutagens, radiation, and sunlight.

Mutagens do not directly cause mutation. Rather, they damage the DNA and mutations occur while it is being repaired. While being repaired, sometimes a base will be coupled with a base that it does not naturally pair with (Example, thymine with cytosine).

Mutations usually occur when DNA polymerase makes a mistake in copying the genes. The chances of this occurring are about 1 in 100,000,000 bases. This number is further decreased by DNA repair proteins that fix mistakes made by mutagens.

When do mutations occur?

Most mutations occur continuously throughout a normal person’s lifespan; however most of them are immediately repaired. These mutations are not dramatic, and are more often then not unnoticeable. This could be explained by the fact that most mutations take place in the “junk” DNA, or the 95% of DNA in our bodies that doesn’t actually code for anything.

Mutations that occur earlier on in development will have a more dramatic effect on the offspring. This is because most of the cells produced in growth will be daughter-cells of the mutated ones. Common instances are Turner’s Syndrome or Down’s Syndrome, where a chromosome is lost entirely.

Are mutations genetic?

Most of the cells in our body are somatic (will not be passed on to the next generation), therefore most mutations are also somatic. However, some mutations are germinal. However, an offspring may have some of the same somatic mutations as its parents occurring in its DNA. Some biologists have defined aging as the build-up of many somatic mutations, and all organisms age.

A well-known mutation is that of cancer. Some types of cancer are hereditary (like colon or ovarian cancer) while others can present themselves in the form of a spontaneous mutation. The positive side to these spontaneous mutations is that they most likely are somatic, and will not be passed on to the next generation.

Most mutations are recessive. That is why they sometimes skip a generation, or may never appear in future generations. However, some mutations tend to be dominant. This occurs when the normal allele is tampered by the defective gene. More often than not, the gene is recessive at a cellular level, but as an organism it is dominant.

Genetic mutations usually take place in the egg or sperm cells and, contrary to popular belief, do not need to occur during meiosis. They can occur at any time during the sex cell’s life span.

What is the link between mutations and evolution?

Scientists use mutations to explain evolution. They theorize that human beings and all other creatures on earth evolved from basic bacteria through a series of gradual mutations.

These species are said to have “adapted” to their environment, but that is only partially true. The so-called adaptation is actually a series of random mutations. The mutations that happened to be beneficial to the organism’s living condition were carried on, but the species did not mutate to better cope with the environment. That is called directed mutation, and is not widely accepted by scientists.

A very large percentage of the billions of mutations occurring are actually negative. However, biologists believe that, over the course of time, beneficial mutations have occurred and accumulated to produce the organisms that exist today.

The problem with actually achieving a “good” mutation is that your DNA is being damaged or corrupted. DNA already codes for something specific and useful, and it’s a long shot that by damaging it you could improve it.

A common example of evolution being observed today is that of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Every now and then a bacterium will mutate in such a way that it is resistant to antibiotics. When the bacteria population is then exposed to antibiotics, all but the resistant bacterium will be killed. This bacterium then divides over and over, creating a resistant strain of bacteria. In simpler terms, the bacteria population itself has changed into an improved species.

It is also important to note that new information is never created within an organism’s DNA. Rather, pre-existing information is changed in some way. That is why you may develop cancer (cells that were already there multiply at a rapid rate) but you will not grow an extra limb (the genetic information for an extra limb was never there).
That being said, it is possible for human beings to be born with extra limbs. Polydactyly is the word used to describe persons having more than the usual number of digits on their hands or feet.

Rates of polydactyly are higher in countries like Japan that have been exposed to nuclear radiation. As radiation is a mutagen, it makes a possible link very obvious. Some scientists believe that parents exposed to the radiation had a mutation occur in their sex cells. While the mutation was never present in the parents, the resulting children were abnormal.

The above example is hard to classify as either a harmful or a good mutation. Some people with polydactyly have well-functioning and beneficial extra digits. Others have non-functioning digits, that may not do harm but get in the way of every day life. Some other children of parents who have been exposed to radiation have developed with missing limbs or have been born deformed. As the human body is coded for living with a certain number and size of extremities, these mutations can be classified as negative.

Also, these mutations carry on in many future generations. It has been 61 years (approximately two to three generations) since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and children are still being born with deformities at a higher rate in Japan. This leads to the assumption that the radiation mutagen caused a permanent change in the DNA that was repaired imperfectly by the DNA polymerase.

Can mutations be forced (man-made)?

A growing industry, and something that we as humans deal with on a day-to-day basis is that of genetic engineering. Genetic engineers splice or manipulate genes to produce a new and improved species. While it is not mutation in the classic sense of requiring a mutagen, it is the changing of genes.

Genetic engineers will isolate, manipulate and then reintroduce DNA into cells (usually sex cells). The mutation will carry on through the generations. One main use of this manipulation is that of modifying bacteria to become human insulin, a necessity for diabetics. It has also led to many vaccines, pesticides, improved crops, and even the engineering of specific animals to make them better for slaughter.

In the future, genetic engineers plan to be able to engineer humans themselves. They will be able to alter homo sapiens DNA in order to prevent against hereditary diseases and disorders. Many people argue about the ethics of such a move, with the mindset that it is wrong to alter any living thing, let alone humans.

What is the future of evolution?

The planning and predicting of what humanity may be in the future is a bit of a craze right now in science. Because society environment and technology have changed so dramatically in such a short period of time, many scientists feel the need to try and understand what the next change will be.

The Metasystem Transition Theory is a popular look at the evolutionary future. They predict increased intelligence, improved quality of life and general life expectancy. However, most evolutionists argue that this is not evolution. This is merely acquired information from trial and error. Life expectancy can be explained by advances in health care. Quality of life can be explained again by the trial and error factor. What may be because of mutation, however, is that of increased intelligence.

It is not so much the things you learn throughout life as it is about brain capacity. In society today, positions of power and monetary stability often come from an occupation that demands intellectual prestige. Monetary stability in the modern world means survival. The organism best adapted for survival is often the first pick in natural selection. That is why so many people marry for power or money. It is natural instinct to want to give future offspring the best chance they can for survival.

An organism may have a mutation occur that encodes for a greater brain capacity. If the mutation turns out to be germinal, future generations also have a chance to have that brain capacity. However, this type of mutation usually occurs in somatic material in the body and will not be passed down the line.

However, the fundamental principles of mutations state that it is uncommon for a mutation to be entirely beneficial. For example, the organism’s DNA may have mutated in such a way that the brain capacity became greater in one area of expertise, but developed to have a much lower-than-normal brain capacity in other areas. Some geneticists are trying to prove that this may be the cause of autism. They have strong theories supporting the fact that it is, if not a mutation, genetic.

Does the thought of mutation inspire controversy?

If one were to research “mutation and evolution” almost half of the search results would be people refuting the notion that there are positive and negative mutations, and that they are the reason we exist as sentient beings today. While these websites are mostly Creationist ones, it is interesting to note that most of them actually agree to some degree with the theory of mutation. What they do not believe in is that it is in any way connected to evolution. That is to say that a creature may change to adapt to an environment, but entire species to not evolve from previous and more primitive species.

The most controversial side of mutations is that of genetic engineering. Many people do not believe that it is right to tamper with the natural world. They argue that scientists assuming to know which mutations are going to be most beneficial to the world area actually causing more harm than good. They justify this by stating that when the genetic engineer changes a strand of DNA, they change something that has been programmed for a very specific task, and has withstood the tried-and-true test of time. DNA is ancient (all cells come from pre-existing cells), and scientists are taking it upon themselves to skip decades worth of mutation and evolution.

In conclusion, it is hard to assume that humans actually understand the complex structure of the environment. The universe has been around much longer than homo sapiens have, and maybe in the future the humans won’t be around anymore. Perhaps they’ll have mutated and evolved into a totally different and better creature, or maybe tampering with DNA will have led to their ultimate extinction. It is difficult to predict, and impossible to know what the future holds for all of the species existing. The least one can do is try to understand the “how” and “why” they are there today.

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String Theory: A Theory of Everything

Most experts say that String Theory is "a theory to end all theories". They say this in the most literal terms. String Theory has been used to explain quantum gravity, particle physics and as an example of the most elementary particles glimpsed via experimental observation. The theory, however, is merely the beginning of what could possibly have the ability to explain all of the fundamental physics of the universe. The world is looking at what could be the first holistic explanation of physics since religion.

A common analogy used to explain string theory is that of the string instrument. When it is tuned, the string of the instrument is under tension. Varying musical notes depend on the amount of tension exerted on the string. When a musical note is made, the string is vibrating -- or in an excitation mode. These excitation modes also exist in the strings of the Theory. When a string is in an excitation mode, a particle will be observed. There are many different variations to the theory. They are defined by whether or not strings are in closed loops and whether or not the particle spectrum requires supersymmetry (for every force-transmitting boson, there must be a corresponding fermion -- the particles that make up matter). String theories will observe anywhere from ten to twenty six space-time dimensions. These dimensions must go through a process of compactification in order to reach the four dimensions observable to science. The compactification process (how one would go about it) tends to result in even more and varying theories.

While it seems as though the number of string theories is infinite, in actuality the number is getting smaller and smaller as time goes by. What used to be perceived as many completely different theories, is now being viewed as many different ways of looking at the same thing.

In 1984, Michael Green and John Schwarz showed that superstrings could unify nature.[1] They believed in a "superforce" with electromagnetic and nuclear forces forming two opposite "sides" of it. But that is not where the theory left off. In fact, it is hardly reminiscent now of what it used to be. Over the years, String Theory has evolved. It is deeply rooted in calculus and Classical Field Theory (the assignment of a physical quantity at each point of space and time. For example, the assignment of land locations of farms--only on a spacetime level). Quantum mechanics and experimental observation led to the discovery of bosons (particles that transmit forces) and fermions (particles that make up matter). These particles are the foundation of Paulsi Repulsion, a physical force that has influenced the current nature of String Theory immensely.

In the past, superstrings were used to explain the relationship between mass and spin of a hadron (a particle consisting of the proton and neutron). However, this became better explained by Quantum Chromodynamics. Superstrings were then used to explain Quantum Gravity instead. While they are still using superstrings to explain Quantum Gravity, theorists are mainly concerned with the existence and behaviour of elementary particles. They believe if these can be explained, the rest of the Universe's physical anomalies will be easier to sort out.

Theorists believe that string theory is going to evolve into a "theory of everything". This means a theory that is the base of all physics and requires no deeper explanation. A simpler theory is limited to explaining the properties of fundamental particles, and the forces with which they react. Reductionists (people who reduce everything to the most basic terms) would argue that knowing everything about the bricks means knowing everything about the wall, or that understanding the most elementary particles means understanding the universe. Of course, this view of the universe creates much debate in the scientific world. Even "steel-hearted" scientist do not want their emotions and actions to be reduced to a jumble of vibrating strings, and it is almost ludicrous to assume that the universe is simply mimicking its most fundamental particles.

A possible "theory of everything" should cause a mass-panic of scientists. It in no way means the end of scientific discovery, or the "solving" of physics. The Universe is vast and complex enough that one needn't worry about that. Instead, String Theory should be viewed as a solid foundation. By understanding the universe at a microscopic level, more theories and ideas are able to branch out strongly on their own. With a less fragile core, sciences will be more easily evolved, established and enforced.

One of the biggest challenges facing string theorists is actually proving the theory itself. Unless a theory can be asserted with experimental observations and tests, there's no chance of it becoming widely accepted in the scientific community. With superstrings being so tiny (less than 10-33 centimetres) current technology and financing is unable to make them physically visible. A particle accelerator is being constructed in Geneva, Switzerland. Theorist Brian Greene believes that if some predictions are proven true when the accelerator is finished (around 2007 or 2008), that it is possible that String Theory could be widely accepted. One of the hardest concepts to grasp in the theory is that of the possibility of more than three spatial dimensions. Greene suggests that these dimensions are too small for us to directly notice around us, or that they may only be present under certain circumstances. He believes that the particle accelerator will generate these circumstances. This does not mean that String Theory is proven, but the supersymmetry aspect of it would be. In the world of experimental science, every step counts.

Physicist and Nobel laureate Sheldon Glashow described string theory as "the theory of everything that predicts nothing". This means that, seeing as it has no testable predictions, it is unbelievable. The possibility of a theory of everything, however, has got physicists drooling. They claim that they remain skeptical, but they continue to elaborate and perfect their theory. Many of them are terrified that all of their time and effort will be wasted if the theory proves to be untestable. While it seems like a new concept, the theory has actually been around since the '60s. When asked why he thought string theory didn't catch on earlier, James Gates replied "...old physicists accept new ideas when they die" and that a "societal norm has a lot of inertia -- it's very difficult to change the opinion of that community".

In Sheldon Glashow's point of view, string theory has failed. It is an untestable science and believes the only benefit it will ever have on society is the ideas it stimulates in related fields (like number theory leading to cryptography). He states that it failed to accomplish its main goal in becoming a consistent theory that explains gravity. He says bluntly that "there are physicists, and there are string theorists". He says that in general, string theorists are unconcerned by the world of experimental physics, and are instead to turned in to their own world of supersymmetry and multiple spacetime dimensions. He believes that string theorists are wasting their intellectuality on their theory, and their minds would be better put to use in experimental physics. Glashow says that, in order for him to become a believer, string theory would have to explain the origins of the universe -- or some other equally significant question.

Although string theory has made many significant advances in the last two decades, it’s not enough for the scientific community. Merely by stating something will happen, doing your homework and backing everything up by many elaborate scientific equations does not a theory prove. This essay is of the opinion that remaining skeptical of new theory is key to understanding it. Only with an unbiased eye will be able to spot problems and inconsistencies with a theory, whereas someone who is desperately trying to prove a theory true will be less likely to spot the flaws. Perhaps that is why string theorists have been unable to come up with any new and significant testing methods that do not require a particle accelerator. Perhaps they’re too focused on further elaborating their already complicated theory.

One could state that a "theory of everything" is a presumptuous and foolish concept, but it is an enticing idea. All of these intellectual minds can't be totally wrong. They ideas they present are very believable, logical and scientific -- but so is the opposition. Is string theory merely wishful thinking? Maybe if experimental physicists and string theorists were able to understand each other and simply get along, there would be tremendous progress in string theory. The string theorists need physical evidence, and who better to devise experiments able to obtain this evidence than experimental physicists? However, the experimental physicists refuse to "waste their time" on an improvable science and the string theorists are much too involved with having their very own "eureka moment". In a world of skeptics, maybe they all need to let down their guard. New ideas and theories need to be thought about and examined before being brushed aside as being "newfangled".

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P.S.
It took me FOREVER to get the HTML for the text boxes right! I just thought it would be nice to have those essays there, available for you to read if you wish.

Grad Update!

2007-01-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

Along with the graduation ceremonies, we're planning a big "Family Only" grad supper at our house. Seeing as how we have 100+ grads, they only allow parents and your grad escort to the grad supper. On June 27th (the Wednesday), we'll be having a big barbeque. So, if you're starting to make arrangements for where to stay...be sure to book that extra day!

Grad Picture Proofs

2007-01-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

Well, grad picture proofs came in the other day. I'm still not crazy about my hair 'do, but my mom likes it (and she's the one who's ordering pictures!) Here are some of the better ones. There were some truly horrendous ones...but you don't need to see them.

Yay Canada!

2007-01-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like it's Canada vs. Russia in the finals for the World Juniors. The shoot-out in the game today was pretty intense. My boss had his computer hooked up to watch the game, and found about five employees sharing his office space.

The Jamming Dahers

2007-01-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a little bit of footage from Christmas. I'm going to try and edit all my clips into a big montage, but for now this will have to do!

Ta-da! Behold my genius!

2007-01-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

When I got home from X-Mas in Winnipeg, I knew that I had to do a better job of keeping in touch with all my family, especially those of you more than 5 hours away. So, I created this little blog that will keep you up to date with the goings-on in my life.

**Important Memo**
Grad is on June 28th (the Thursday, after all). You can find a list of Nipawin accomodation here. Those of you who have campers that you'd rather bring, we have a couple acres for you to park them on.

Also, I am in dire need of the e-mail addresses from you folks in Winnipeg!

I love you all, happy New Years!

<--My friend Angela and I on New Years. I hope you all had fun, I sure did!