These examples illustrate how an interesting story may lead to a topic.
Effect of Space Travel On Humans
Because of the lack of gravity in outer space, deterioration
of weight-bearing muscles and bones is one of the damaging effects
of space travel on the human body. To study space travel's effect
on muscles, Dr. Robert Wolfe of the University of Texas Medical
Branch at Galveston in Texas, U.S., enlisted healthy subjects
to stay in bed for 28 days during a National Space Biomedical
Research Institute study. He and his co-investigator Dr. Arny
Ferrando found that when muscles are inactive, as they are in
space, they don’t make new proteins and therefore deteriorate.
These researchers found that when subjects received nutritional
supplements of amino acids, which are the raw materials of protein,
they were able to maintain muscle synthesis rates and muscle mass.
Thinking Questions: What other health risks are there to the human body
in outer space? What experiments have been or could be conducted
in space to provide insight into medicine and health? What would
be required for human beings to live healthy lives in permanent
space colonies?
Other Possible Categories: Science & Technology
Plants as Medicine
Plants are a source of medicine in just about every culture in
the world. Boiling and grinding plants creates various medicinal
teas, pastes, and ointments. Comfrey leaves, coriander, sage,
sarsaparilla root, and hot peppers are all used to relieve pain.
The stems and leaves of banana and aloe plants are used to treat
burns and blisters. Many of these botanical remedies have developed
into modern pharmaceutical medicines. For example, aspirin, commonly
used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever, was derived from
myrtle leaves, willow bark, and birch bark, which contain a pain-relieving
substance called salicin. One of the earliest salicin-based medicines
was a myrtle leaf treatment made by ancient Egyptians to soothe
back pain in 1500 BC.
Thinking Questions: What are the origins of other modern medicines?
What are the most recent plant-based medicines that have been
discovered? What is the difference between synthetic drugs and
plant-based drugs? Beyond medicine, in what other ways do humans
depend on plants for their wellbeing?
Other Possible Categories: History & Government, Social
Science & Culture
Guide Dogs
Guide dog organizations breed thousands of dogs each year to help
people with disabilities. However, less than half of these dogs
"graduate" to become successful working dogs. Most of
the dogs that fail have behavior problems or lack the qualities
to be good guides. Now, guide dog organizations are working with
the scientists who are mapping the dog genome. They hope to be
able to identify the genetic markers that will help them breed
more successful guide dogs, with the ability to remain calm and
focused during stressful or distracting situations. They must
be healthy, intelligent, and have good sensory skills, and above
all they must have the desire to please and the willingness to
work hard.
Thinking Questions: How could mapping the dog genome affect the breeding
of dogs? How might it affect the relationship between humans and
dogs, or the role of dogs in human society? What ethical questions
need to be addressed regarding the genetic alteration of dogs
or other forms of life?
Other Possible Categories: Science & Technology
Citations:
- Ansari, Rafat R. “Effects of Space
Travel on the Human Body.” 27 June 2000. National Aeronautics
and Space Administration. 7 Aug. 2003
<http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/MSD/GRC_MSD_Graphics/FluidPhysics/
80125SpaceTravelHumanBody.pdf>.
- Graham, Christine. “Nutritional supplements
may combat muscle loss.” SpaceRef.com. 27 Aug. 2002. National
Space Biomedical Research Institute. 7 Aug. 2003 <http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=9132>.
- Bleam, William, Donald McKinney, and Mark
Michalovic. “Before Aspirin: Plants.” Aspirin Adventures.
2001. The Chemical Heritage Foundation. 26 Aug. 2004
<http://www.chemheritage.org/EducationalServices/pharm/asp/asp24.htm>.
- Bleam, William, Donald McKinney, and Mark
Michalovic. “Timeline of Discovery.” Aspirin Adventures.
2001. The Chemical Heritage Foundation. 26 Aug. 2004
<http://www.chemheritage.org/EducationalServices/pharm/asp/asp180.htm>.
- “Year in Review.” Home page. 30 Jun. 2003. Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. 22 Mar. 2004 <http://www.guidedogs.comabout-YIR.html.>
- “Training a Dog to Be a Guide.” Home page. 30 Jun. 2003. Guide Dogs for the Blind,
Inc. 22 Mar. 2004 <http://www.guidedogs.com/train-formal.html>.
- “Current Research.” Home
page. Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society,
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. 22
Mar. 2004 <http://www2.vet.upenn.edu/research/centers/cias/research.html>.
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