Elephant Smartness

    Do you ever think we are the smartest on planet Earth? This might be true for now... but if animals continue being this smart there is a possibility that in some 100 years they could gain a lot more smartness then we think they could. Being locked in a cage outside for your whole life is not exactly the most fun thing to be doing is it? I'm specifically talking about Elephants, they are very smart animals, if you investigate deeper into their life you will learn that they can either learn things from seeing them, and then can use the trial and error system, the last option would be insight. You use insight when you are making a hard puzzle, you have to think at the moment (problem solve) and after add all the pieces together. In our whole history we know of no observation such as this has been made. In Washington D.C. a young Asian Elephant came up with a method to grab something he can't reach by him self. How the project was created and looked like was:

1. A cube was placed in Kandula's (Elephant) cage
2. Fruits were hung up on a bamboo tree in the middle of the cage
3. Then it was all up to Kandula to find a way of getting the fruits from the tree

After 6 tries of reaching for the fruits the clever elephant came up with a way of reaching the fruits: He pushed the cube to the fruits, stood on top of it and slowly reached for the fruits until he got them down.
“It’s the light bulb going on,” said Preston Foerder (one of the scientists working on this)
They say this elephant most likely used insight which has never been shown before, some other experiments were tried on his mother and a 61-year old neighbor elephant, except the food was placed on top of a wall and sticks next to it, they were testing if the elephants were smart enough to get the sticks and pull the fruits to each other. Unfortunately they didn't reach that level yet but they tried to hit the wall with the sticks which is progress. Why and how the elephants come up with these ideas isn't clear yet but hypothesis have been made.

    In my perspective, I find it very interesting that elephants are able to use their brain and actually problem solve. I chose to do my current event on this topic, because I found it the most interesting of the ones involved for these past weeks and I like elephants in general. I know many people in the world are animal lovers and love to know what is new so I decided to share with everyone.  Here is a video of the Elephant:

The website:
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2011/09/an-elephants-aha-moment/

Written by: 
Stephen Ornes
Published on:  
September 7, 2011

Why so over hungry?

  Do you ever feel like you can't stop eating? Like without food your life wouldn't be complete and you just NEED food!? I think everyone has, and this week I read a post about eating and obesity. People find it hard to limit fats, too much fats or too less can make you die thought, well then why does our body do this to us? Scientists have been experimenting on rats to see how their molecules react to sugar and fats. Why would scientist do something like this, you might be wondering. They do this so they can figure out some sort of drug that when ever we eat fats they wont send any messages to our brain as in if our brain wants more. While preforming the studies, it came out that endocannabinoids molecules that help the brain when it is time to eat are the molecules that make the brain want to eat more or not eat at all.
“It was a very striking effect,” Daniele Piomelli told Science News

The scientists working on this project compared the molecules with other body systems and how they interact. Thing brought up were: THS, the molecule in marijuana. This molecule activates the endocannabinoids, this is why people who smoke are most likely to feel the need to smoke.
  "For the new study, the researchers divided rats into four groups and fed each group a different diet. Three of the diets were rich in a particular nutrient. One group gobbled corn oil, a kind of fat. Another group ate a sugar-rich diet. A third group devoured a protein-heavy diet (protein found in meats, nuts and dairy products helps rebuild damaged cells in the body). The fourth group received a well-balanced diet."
 Observing all the results and rats, the scientist found out that the system was mostly activated in the high-fat diet. The reason for this study was to help overweight people loose some weight. Now people are working on making these drugs so life can be easier.
  In my perspective I found this topic interesting because I have read something like this before but it had a whole different idea behind it. I am curious to see if the drugs will actually work and how many people will believe in them and buy them. I choose this topic because I thought a lot of people now a days have problems with eating and staying fit and I thought you would like to find out why it is so. I hope the study will continue in a good way and soon people will be living a happier life in their body.
"POWER WORDS
protein A fundamental component of all living cells, including many substances — such as enzymes, hormones and antibodies — that are necessary for an organism to properly function. Foods that are high in protein include meats, eggs, nuts and soy.
pharmacology the branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects and modes of action of drugs.
molecule A group of atoms bonded together. A molecule is the smallest piece of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.
biology The study of living things."


http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2011/07/fats-encourage-overeating/