Dinosaurs in Journal Club

This week we will be discussing about dinosaurs in Journal Club. For those of you who have not been to Journal Club, it is an experience that you should take. Not only do we get to chat with professors and part take in discussions but we get to talk about really awesome journal articles such as this week article about dinosaurs. We will be discussing the reproductive traits of Maniraptoran Theropods and egg taxonomy. Reading articles weekly and discussing them, I believe help me better understand articles and how to asses good and bad writing. Journal club opens your mind to different styles of writing in a scientific article while allowing input of others to better understand the information. Some say practice makes perfect, well at least a bit close to it, so by being able to read articles in journal club you'll get the practice of reading scientific articles and improve your writing skills. If you are interested in coming to Journal Club the article is posted on the biology web page in the link News and events, Journal club, and we meet on Fridays from 3:30-4:30 in room 2.288. Oh and did I mention FREE FOOD! Below I posted the website for Journal Club.

http://www.utpa.edu/dept/biology/journal.html

The Unknown

Lately there have been very significant finds in the animal world. I just read a news article describing the find of a rare species of tree frog, thought to have been extinct, in Costa Rica. The significance of this frog is not only that it is rare but that it has been able to survive in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. The first sited specimen of this frog was a male and when the female was found gave hope to researchers that the species might be reproducing successfully as the female was with eggs. The find of this female is very rare because they are hard to locate not only because the lack of call but because it spends most of its time in the upper branches of the trees. Preservation of these frogs would allow researchers to learn more about their ecology and their physiology and answer the question of survival against all odds. This rare find goes to show that their is still yet a whole world of exploration. From the finding of this rare tree frog to rarely seen African Okapi.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7609590.stm

Love and Science

Love... We have all felt it in some form or another. For instance one can feel love toward another person or an animal, but can one feel love for science? In my opinion i guess you can because I have a great love for science. The practice,research, even the theory of science I find to love. Its a love/hate relationship just like everything else in life. Yes there will be times when you get so frustrated that you just want to quit but you keep going and there will be other times when you feel so pationately about science that its all you ever want to do. The feelings that we do have for science can be interpreted as a range of emotions, feelings, states and experiences also to refered to as LOVE!

Conservation

The most recent issue in the valley has been the building of the Border Wall. Politicians believe that they are actually serving justice to the people across the Border and here as well. When in reality they are serving a great injustice not only to us, seperating us from the river that gives life to the Rio Grande Valley, but to the abundance of species that make the Rio Grande their home. From the Monarch butterflies to the Giant toad, reaching their most northern range limit, and finally to the elusive ocelot. These great animals were once found in abundance in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, now a small population seems to remain. By enforcing the border wall politicians have not only cut off our blood supply but they have stolen from our children the value of nature. Once that border wall is set in place, most of the different species found here would migrate north or stay across the border never reaching the Rio Grande. The Border Wall is essentially erasing our history, heritage and our uniqueness. Our mesquite trees containing spanish moss will be turned into a brick wall. Which would you rather see?