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Hot Zone Part 4

Hi guys,
 Hot Zone.....what a great read......if only I could remember it. Just kidding. But legitimately, I finished it over a month ago. Anyway, Part 4 included a breakdown of the author's trip to Africa and his journey inside the cave. Due to his lack of training and inexperience, this seemed like a sketchy decision. I would have paid one of the scientists, who were probably very interested in the book, to travel with me in order to maintain safety. And then, Richard Preston didn't find a thing. This didn't particularly bother me as much as it did my classmates. I liked how it added some mystery and a threat to an ever-increasing risk. All in all, as has been previously said by others, the book was a good read. Once I actually got started, I was very interested as Richard Preston does a great job at making you want more.
Thanks,
JD

Alas the book finally comes to an end. I think that Richard had a lot of guts to go into the cave and overall, the book was really informative and captivating despite how it ended. I agree with everyone else that it was sort of disappointing but I feel that the knowledge that it contains makes it worth reading. I'm definitely going to recommend this to everyone I can.

Scavenger Hunt Post #8

Hydrophilic is something that can be dissolved by water and polar substances. Sugar and salt are examples of hydrophilic.

 The flower ovary is where  the embryo seed lies and it is the same place where the pollen is received. It is located below the petals.

A gymnosperm cone is a vascular plant that has seeds not in a ovary. Males are usually located at the top of the tree while females are located at the bottom of the tree.

 Hydrophobic is the tendency of non-polar objects to exclude water molecules. This vocabulary word describes the separation of water and the leaf in the picture above.

A long-day plant is a plant that flowers after being exposed to light periods longer than a certain length. Basil is an example of a long-day plant. 

Hot Zone Part 4

            I hate to sound like I'm copying what everybody else is saying but I was a little let down with the way the book ended. I'll admit I wouldn't have gone in that cave like Richard Preston did at the end. Knowing everything that had happened in there, I would never go anywhere near that place. I believe this book was a GREAT source of information about viruses and I have a feeling it will have helped us prepare a little bit for when we study them later on in the year. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that shows an interest in science.

Scavenger Hunt Post #8

           1. Ectotherm - the short definition for this would be a "cold-blooded" animal. Such animals that could be classified as this are reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc.

           2. Homeostasis - this is the property of an organism that is able to maintain and regulate its own internal environment. My dog has been able to do this for almost 12 years, equivalent to 61 human years.

           3. Gibberellin - these are certain plant hormones that regulate growth and influence various developmental processes. This is a plant in my back yard.

          4. Long-Day Plant - this is a plant that flowers after being exposed to light periods longer than a certain critical length, as in the Summer. Spinach, lettuce, potatoes, and some types of wheat are examples of long-day plants.

 I forgot to include this one last week so I'm doing it here.



          5. Cambium - this is a type of plant tissue that is present in a thin layer which forms new cells on both sides. Once again, this picture is of the opening of a cut plant from above.