Alarming Acidification How Ph Drops in Monterey Bay May Contribute to Proliferation of Dangerous Algal Blooms
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 | FEBRUARY 2020 emerginginvestigators.org Alarming acidification How pH drops in Monterey Bay may contribute to proliferation of dangerous algal blooms Biases in malaise trap investigations Different attractants can affect the results of insect diversity studies Are young people more optimistic? Assessing the correlation between age and outlook Bubble behavior The peculiar phenomenon of sinking bubbles Does Wi-Fi affect insect reproduction? Looking into the impacts of electromagnetic fields on flies The Journal of Emerging Investigators is an open-access journal that publishes original research in the biological and physical sciences that is written by middle and high school students. JEI provides students, under the guidance of a teacher or advisor, the opportunity to submit and gain feedback on original research and to publish their findings in a peer- reviewed scientific journal. Because grade-school students often lack access to formal research institutions, we expect that the work submitted by students may come from classroom-based projects, science fair projects, or other forms of mentor-supervised research. JEI is a non-profit group run and operated by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors across the United States. EXECUTIVE STAFF EDITORIAL TEAM Brandon Sit executive director Jamilla Akhund-Zade editor-in-chief Michael Mazzola coo Olivia Ho-Shing chief learning officer Qiyu Zhang treasurer Michael Marquis managing editor Caroline Palavacino-Maggio Laura Doherty managing editor director of outreach Chris Schwake managing editor Naomi Atkin head copy editor Eileen Ablondi head copy editor BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Situ head copy editor Sarah Fankhauser, PhD Alexandra Was, PhD proofing manager Katie Maher, PhD Erika J. Davidoff publication manager Tom Mueller Lincoln Pasquina, PhD SENIOR EDITORS Seth Staples Sarah Bier Nico Wagner Kathryn Lee Scott Wieman Contents VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 | FEBRUARY 2020 Assessing Attitude Across Different Age Groups in Regard 5 to Global Issues: Are Kids More Optimistic Than Adults? Adrian Luck (1) and Thomas Keane Doherty Middle School, Andover, Massachusetts Effects of Ocean Acidification on the Photosynthetic 14 Ability of Chaetoceros gracilis in the Monterey Bay Kelly Harvell and Jason Nicholson Monterey High School, Monterey, California Effects of Coolant Temperature on the 20 Characteristics of Soil Cooling Curve Dawei Wang and Yida Zhang Boulder High School, Boulder, Colorado Efficacy of Mass Spectrometry Versus 1H Nuclear Magnetic 26 Resonance With Respect to Denaturant Dependent Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange in Protein Studies Srish Chenna and Walter Englander Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington, Delaware Do Attractants Bias the Results of Malaise Trap Research? 32 Arnauld Martinez, Nick Reeves, Ryan Perry, and Michael Horton Western Center Academy, Hemet, California Effects of Common Pesticides on Population Size, 36 Motor Function, and Learning Capabilities in Drosophilia melanogaster Alejandra Abramson and Leya Joykutty American Heritage School, Plantation, Florida Understanding the Relationship Between Perception and 41 Reality Related to Public Safety: A Case Study of Public Opinion on Local Law Enforcement in Andover, MA Alexander Luck and Thomas Keane Doherty Middle School, Andover, Massachusetts The Effect of Neem on Common Nosocomial 49 Infection-Causing Organisms Manav Shah, Danielle Ereddia, Jyoti Shah, and Nanette Reese Wheeler High School, Marietta, Georgia Threshold Frequency of a Bubble is Positively 54 Correlated to the Density of the Surrounding Fluid Alexander Han and Eric Samson Korea International School, Pangyo, South Korea The Effects of Various Plastic Pollutants on the 58 Growth of the Wisconsin Fast Plant Nathan Sobotka and Karissa Baker Saint Paul Academy and Summit School, St. Paul, Minnesota Effects of Wi-Fi EMF on Drosophila melanogaster 64 Mary Anand and Herm Anand Anand Homeschool, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Article 1 2 Assessing Attitude Across Different Age Groups in 3 4 Regard to Global Issues: Are kids more optimistic than 5 6 adults? 7 Adrian Luck, Thomas Keane 8 Doherty Middle School, Andover, Massachusetts 9 10 11 12 13 SUMMARY presented with evidence to the contrary (2). With age, this 14 The world faces many problems. This study “stubborn optimism” is tempered and many studies reported 15 attempted to determine to what extent people are a decreasing level of positive future perception with increase 16 aware of the current global issues and whether people in age. Several researchers concluded that adults have a 17 believe some of them may be successfully addressed. more realistic outlook that is practical and functional than 18 The main objective of the study was to understand if having an overly positive and hence unrealistic perception of 19 there is a correlation between the age of a person and their life (3, 4, 5). One study analyzed the results from the 20 their outlook. We hypothesized that a positive outlook, Life Orientation Test, evaluating different factors of optimism 21 i.e. a general belief that many issues can be resolved, and pessimism among middle-aged and older adults (5). The 22 would be common among children, from elementary 23 results suggested that life stressors may affect disposition through high school, whereas adults would have and showed a trend toward pessimism over age, especially 24 a more negative perspective. This research was among caregivers. Interestingly, the research pointed out that 25 conducted using a survey-based study. The results 26 it is pessimism, not optimism, that has a stronger influence on supported the hypothesis and showed that children 27 outcome and may predict psychological and physical health appear more optimistic than adults and believe that 28 (5). 29 most issues can be addressed in the future. Adults are less optimistic and believe that, even with time, Element of time has a definite impact on outlook and 30 the trend of negative view increases over age (7). Exploring 31 it is impossible to resolve many of these issues. optimism and pessimism in terms of age and in the context of 32 Regardless of age, many respondents commented that 33 technology, improved communication, kindness, and current global issues and problems may clarify differences in 34 general willingness to change, along with an effective approach between children and adults. A large body of literature 35 political agenda led by non-corrupt politicians, are indicates that people who have positive expectations for the 36 essential for successfully resolving major problems. future respond to difficulty and adversity in more adaptive 37 On the other hand, greed, selfishness, and the corrupt ways than people who hold negative expectations (8, 9, 10, 38 political system largely prevent any improvement. 11, 12, 13). Expectations influence how people approach both 39 stressors and opportunities, and they influence the success 40 INTRODUCTION with which people deal with many challenges and even 41 Optimists are people who expect positive outcomes and design solutions. In lieu of the many different global problems 42 43 have positive view of the world around them and pessimists described below and as studied in the presented survey, the 44 are people who expect negative outcomes and have connection between outlook and age was explored. 45 negative view of the world around them. Anticipating positive The world today faces many serious issues and challenges: 46 versus anticipating negative seems to be linked to different global warming, pollution, rapidly declining bee populations, 47 underlining attitudes and behaviors among people. The ways energy crisis, health care crisis, immigration, wars, poverty 48 in which optimists and pessimists differ in their view of the and hunger, overpopulation, political corruption, and more. 49 world has an impact on their lives and consequently the world The global problems in the survey were selected based on 50 they live in. Several psychology studies demonstrate that current news and what the major non-profit organizations 51 optimists and pessimists differ in how they confront problems, believe to be of concern (14, 15, 16). The United Nations 52 53 cope with adversity, and utilize social and socioeconomic is a global organization dedicated to safeguarding peace, 54 resources (1). protecting human rights and international justice, promoting 55 Furthermore, research in psychology shows that economic and social progress, addressing immigration and 56 optimism is observed more frequently in children and climate change. In addition to United Nations, two smaller 57 less in adults (1, 2). There is “positivity bias” in children as scale organization, the Borgen Project and GVI, were 58 early as three years of age (2). This bias peaks in middle reviewed to understand what common global issues different 59 school and weakens later in high school, presumably due types of organizations align on. The Borgen Project is a non- 60 to education and experience. Research also indicates profit organization mainly focusing on addressing poverty and 61 that children may remain stubbornly optimistic even when hunger, while he GVI is an organization dedicated to building 62 Journal of Emerging InvestigatorsInvestigators • • www.emerginginvestigators.org www.emerginginvestigators.org 13 DECEMBERFEBRUARY 20202019 | VOL 32 | 51 1 worldwide partnerships in order to facilitate global citizenship even lead to armed conflicts such as terrorism and wars. 2 3 and teach leadership skills