1.a. It makes sense that early ancestors continued to spend time in trees after they began walking on two legs. At this time much of their food source still came from fruit, nuts, etc from the trees. To me, it seems like evolutionary pitfall that we came down out of the trees altogether. It seems like it would be in our best interest to be able to still climb in the trees for food. Unfortunately, being a mostly sitting culture, people are loosing their agility which is making us a more and more feeble species.
1.b. It's strange to me that bacteria have a somewhat difficult time reproducing, but still seem to be taking over. I am curious how this happens if bacteria are traveling at 30mph and once they have sex females turn into males. Also, if their genes are so different than any other life form, wouldn't the body instantly recognize them as foreign and therefore attack them?
2. I find the fact that most of our present day mtDNA came from a woman 200,000 years ago interesting. It amost goes along with the creationist belief of Adam and Eve. I also find it interesting to look at the genetic origins of cultures. It seems we have traveled far before the creation of planes and automobiles.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
biology week two
1. I find evo-devo interesting. The more studies are done, it seems that we are not all that much different than other animals although we may have evolved more over time. It gives me hope that although the climate is changing once again, that we might be able to evolve as a species to adapt to our changing environment. My fear though is that the direction of our change at this point might be into a half human/half robotic species.
2. Darwinism makes sense to me, although with the interference of modern medicine, its rules no longer seem to apply. Natural selection gets overridden by pharmaceuticals and the weak are kept alive. Fertility drugs also are also making sure that most people can continue to have offspring even if their genetic code is weak. It seems to me like Darwinism vs modern medicine and I wonder if we are doing ourselves a favor.
2. Darwinism makes sense to me, although with the interference of modern medicine, its rules no longer seem to apply. Natural selection gets overridden by pharmaceuticals and the weak are kept alive. Fertility drugs also are also making sure that most people can continue to have offspring even if their genetic code is weak. It seems to me like Darwinism vs modern medicine and I wonder if we are doing ourselves a favor.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Physics week three
1. I find evidence of sychronicity in life all the time. I feel like it is present more often when we can let go and let life guide us more than to have a tunnel focused approach. I traveled the world through most of my twenties and felt like synchronicity would find me everyday. One example: When I traveled to Argentina to study aerial dancing in Buenos Aires, I got overwhelmed by the city as soon as I arrived and felt as if I might have made the wrong travel choice. I found myself wishing that I could study circus arts in nature rather than a city environment. I then met a man at a dance jam who was heading out on a camping trip in the mountains with a few friends and he asked if I wanted to meet them out there. The next day I left in search of mountain air and calmer surroundings and arrived that night in the town he had told me about.. Their car broke down on the way to the mountian town so they never arrived. A day later I saw a poster for an aerial dance troop doing a performance in town. I went to see the show, met the women in the troop and a day later found myself living, training and performing with them for the next three months. Synchronistic!
2. Connectivity is an interesting concept because there is at the same time the view that everything is connected (ie: energy), as well as, that certain things are more connected than others (mother and child, etc). And when quantum entanglement is brought into the mix, I get extremely confused. How can some things be naturally entangled while others are not? And what is the process of entangling something? Connectivity makes the most sense to me when I think of it in terms of nature. All things were at one time part of it, even chemicals and plastic, and all things will eventually become part of the natural world again, although some things, like synthetics, take a longer time than others.
2. Connectivity is an interesting concept because there is at the same time the view that everything is connected (ie: energy), as well as, that certain things are more connected than others (mother and child, etc). And when quantum entanglement is brought into the mix, I get extremely confused. How can some things be naturally entangled while others are not? And what is the process of entangling something? Connectivity makes the most sense to me when I think of it in terms of nature. All things were at one time part of it, even chemicals and plastic, and all things will eventually become part of the natural world again, although some things, like synthetics, take a longer time than others.
Physics week two
1. Uncertainty, as a principle, is the very nature of life. I love that scientist continuously try and quantify it and make certain the very changing nature of life itself. It brings to light that reality is truly a made up thing depending on how you are viewing it and that beauty, as well as many other things, is in the eye of the beholder. If life was a certain journey it would take the mystery out of it and leave little reason to keep on living.
2. Causality is interesting when thinking of whether or not an aspect of something would even be in existance if it was not being observed. It goes along with age old questions like "What came first the chicken or the egg?" and " If a tree falls and no one is around to see it, does it make a sound?" I find these types of questions interesting because it poses that what we observe makes up our reality. Can't we then choose to make up any version we would like to live?
3. Is the Universe weird? I think that as humans, we deem anything weird if we cannot explain it. The universe is infinite, does that make it weird? Trying to make rational sense out of it may be.
2. Causality is interesting when thinking of whether or not an aspect of something would even be in existance if it was not being observed. It goes along with age old questions like "What came first the chicken or the egg?" and " If a tree falls and no one is around to see it, does it make a sound?" I find these types of questions interesting because it poses that what we observe makes up our reality. Can't we then choose to make up any version we would like to live?
3. Is the Universe weird? I think that as humans, we deem anything weird if we cannot explain it. The universe is infinite, does that make it weird? Trying to make rational sense out of it may be.
Monday, May 13, 2013
biology week one
1. I am a 33 year old Sports and Occupational Injury Rehab Therapist. I work with a technique called NeuroKinetic Therapy. I also do Nutritional Counseling, Herbalism, and Yoga Therapy. I love what I do and am always looking for ways to make what I do more effective. The only downside is that it is extremely physical and therefore can be really taxing. I love to travel, hike, bike, climb, dance, garden, and play. I keep a really active life and usually don't know how to slow down, although as I get older my adrenals are telling me to.
2. Week one's class discussion was on the ways in which we are destroying and bettering our biological world. It is quite a sad topic since even in the ways that we are trying to improve the future of our planet and ourselves, as a culture, we are a bit short sighted. I don't think enough thought is put in to the longevity of solar panels or what will happen to the wildlife around a large solar field, not to mention what to do with the disposal of solar batteries. I fear that the future of such large alternative energy projects might end up like the bees and neonicitinoids. At once that seemed like a good idea as well until the cumulative effect was seen on the bees. The article about growing a kidney in a test tube also brings up the question as to whether the fact that a kidney can be grown might make someone take less care with the organs they are born with. I have seen this to be true with my father who keeps wearing out body parts and getting them replaced, hips, discs, etc.
2. Week one's class discussion was on the ways in which we are destroying and bettering our biological world. It is quite a sad topic since even in the ways that we are trying to improve the future of our planet and ourselves, as a culture, we are a bit short sighted. I don't think enough thought is put in to the longevity of solar panels or what will happen to the wildlife around a large solar field, not to mention what to do with the disposal of solar batteries. I fear that the future of such large alternative energy projects might end up like the bees and neonicitinoids. At once that seemed like a good idea as well until the cumulative effect was seen on the bees. The article about growing a kidney in a test tube also brings up the question as to whether the fact that a kidney can be grown might make someone take less care with the organs they are born with. I have seen this to be true with my father who keeps wearing out body parts and getting them replaced, hips, discs, etc.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
physics week one
1. I have been attracted to studying Chinese Medicine for a long time. As it stands I am an Herbalist, Occupational and Sports Injury Bodyworker, Nutritionist, and Yoga Therapist and have a successful practice both in Oakland and Fairfax. Chinese Medicine feels like it will round out my skill set and give me a new set of tools to better aid people in healing. It has been extremely useful to me in my healing journey and at times has been the only system that actually worked for me. In my practice currently, I use a technique called NeuroKinetic Therapy which uses applied kinesiology to uncover muscle inhibition patterns. I then release the muscle which is over compensating and help my client strengthen the muscles that are inhibited. It's an incredible technique! I am excited to be able to add needling in to my sessions and let the energy do what it would take my hands most of the session to do. I am also curious to look into how the blockages in the meridian system could be affecting the inhibition patterns that I am finding.
2. I find aspects of physics fascinating and other aspects frustrating. For me, the fascinating parts have to do with the human body and how we use it. Momentum vs force, etc. The more obscure parts of physics frustrate me. At times it seems like scientist are in a race to create and disprove theories and that we, as a human race, are trying to measure things that may be better left unmeasured. I personally like for some things to remain a mystery. ;0)
3. Time speeds up and slows down all the time. Although, as I get older, time seems to speed up more often than slow down. I feel like I don't even know where the last 10 years went. I still can't believe that I somehow made it deep into adulthood. Time only slows down for me these days when I get into nature or meditate. It really makes me want to be more aware of slowing down and being present.
4. This weeks class was interesting. I really enjoyed the part about cultural differences with time. I have spent many years in Latin America and feel more in alignment with their sense of time. Everything seems slower. I had the experience of being on a bus for a few days and when the bus broke down in the middle of no where, everyone got off, talked with each other, helped fix the bus, and enjoyed the moment. No one was caught up with where they had to be or who would be upset when they were late. I tried imagining the same scene in the US. Here everyone would be on their cell phones, yelling at the bus driver, calling for a new mode of transport etc. I definitely prefer the Latin way.
2. I find aspects of physics fascinating and other aspects frustrating. For me, the fascinating parts have to do with the human body and how we use it. Momentum vs force, etc. The more obscure parts of physics frustrate me. At times it seems like scientist are in a race to create and disprove theories and that we, as a human race, are trying to measure things that may be better left unmeasured. I personally like for some things to remain a mystery. ;0)
3. Time speeds up and slows down all the time. Although, as I get older, time seems to speed up more often than slow down. I feel like I don't even know where the last 10 years went. I still can't believe that I somehow made it deep into adulthood. Time only slows down for me these days when I get into nature or meditate. It really makes me want to be more aware of slowing down and being present.
4. This weeks class was interesting. I really enjoyed the part about cultural differences with time. I have spent many years in Latin America and feel more in alignment with their sense of time. Everything seems slower. I had the experience of being on a bus for a few days and when the bus broke down in the middle of no where, everyone got off, talked with each other, helped fix the bus, and enjoyed the moment. No one was caught up with where they had to be or who would be upset when they were late. I tried imagining the same scene in the US. Here everyone would be on their cell phones, yelling at the bus driver, calling for a new mode of transport etc. I definitely prefer the Latin way.
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