# data[].attributes.body
If economic, agricultural, social and even political practices went unchecked, this is exactly what I see the world becoming and it's scary. You know when you're on the phone with an insurance company per say, and the robot keeps asking you questions yet cannot seem to understand you, and you have to keep on repeating yourself? I see every company taking the "live agent" away and completely implementing a robot that is programmed to do everything the agent typically assists you with in a phone call. And that is.. terrifying.

# data[].attributes.body
I chose Aspirin for this assignments because I highly rely on it myself for  migraines. Aspirin is derived from willow bark and it is used all around the word for mild pains and even blood clotting. Aspirin is created by a chemical reaction between salicylic acid and acetic acid, which is the main component of vinegar apart from water.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today there are at least 120 important drugs derived from plants in use in one or more countries in the world. Discover some of the common drugs and medications which are derived from plants.

Caffeine - used to treat fatigue and migraines - Coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao pods, kola nuts and garana

Caffeine is found in multiple plants and is used in many medicinal and every day products. According to Chinese legend, the Chinese emperor Shennong discovered the curative powers of caffeine when he realised dropping tea leaves into boiling water created a restorative drink in around 3000 BCE. Kola nuts were traditionally chewed in West African cultures to reduce the feeling of hunger and increase energy. Cacao pod residue was first found in an ancient Mayan pot, whilst chocolate derived from cacao beans was also use to create a spicy drink called xocolatl which fought fatigue.

Sign up to

Get seasonal kitchen garden advice, special offers and recipes delivered to your inbox, for fruitful harvests this year!

The first people to harvest coffee beans for their energising properties were the Ethiopian ancestors of the Oromo people, but caffeine wasn't isolated from coffee beans until 1819 when a German chemist, Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge, researched the plant. Caffeine today is used to relieve the symptoms of a migraine, but most commonly is still enjoyed as an energising ingredient in food and drinks (who doesn't need a cuppa on a Monday morning?)

Aspirin - used for pain relief and anti-clotting - Willow Bark ( Salix)

Salicylic acid, which is a key component of aspirin, was first described by the father of medicine Hippocrates who referred to a white powder derived from willow bark which alleviated the symptoms of aches, pains and fevers. In 1763, Edward Stone at Oxford was the first chemist to isolate the active ingredient and it has since been used in medicine both for it's analgesic and anti-clotting properties.

There are many different varieties of willow tree and the bark of each carries a different potency of salicylic acid. Aspirin is created by a chemical reaction between salicylic acid and acetic acid, which is the main component of vinegar apart from water.

Cocaine - used for anaesthesia and illegal recreation - Coca plant ( E rythroxylon coca)

Cocaine was first discovered by the ancient Incas in the Andes, South America, when the leaves of the Coca plant were chewed. The Incas believed it gave them energy and strength but when the Spanish colonised the Americas they declared the practice of chewing was in the work of the Devil. However, after realising the claims of the Incas were true, the Spanish legalised chewing and taxed the leaf, taking a 10% cut from each crop.

Cocaine was first isolated from the leaf of the Coca plant when it was successfully transported from the Americas to Germany where chemist Friedrich Gaedcke extracted the alkaloid erythroxyline. The purification process gradually improved over the years until cocaine became used an an anaesthetic, as studies on frogs revealed the drug reduced sensation. The drug is still used medicinally but is also now one of the most popular recreational drugs, with London being the cocaine capital of Europe.

Digitalis - used to treat arrhythmia - Foxglove ( Digitalis purpurea)

Digitalis, or digoxin, was discovered in 1775 by Scottish doctor William Withering when a dying patient of his sought alternative treatment from a local gypsy and got better. William Withering realised the gypsy had used a herbal remedy containing a variety of components including foxglove, and extracted the active ingredient digitalis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Drugs Derived From Plants - The English Garden

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Caffeine - used to treat fatigue and migraines - Coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao pods, kola nuts and garana Caffeine is found in multiple plants and is used in many medicinal and every day products.

# data[].attributes.body
This short informative video helped me understand the Green Revolution which happened during the First Agricultural Revolution. This was a period in time when new agricultural practices were created to help farmers over the world. This was also a time where the development of GMO's began and that is a major innovation that was introduced to the world. The video below entails more about The Green Revolution in the Agricultural Revolution era.

# data[].attributes.body
Human population exploded in the Neolithic period. Since there was more of a technological transition in this era, I believe this is why the population developed so quickly and "exploded." Although a lot of this expansion of human population happened in the Neolithic period, it is also linked to the Paleolithic period. Paleolithic expansions may have favored the emergence of sedentary farming in some populations during the Neolithic

# data[].attributes.body
BIOME: DESERT

Climate change is threatening the Desert more than ever before. Although the livestock in this Biome has unique genetic ways to adapt to this intense dry and hot climate, they do not necessarily know how to react to this never before frequent heavy rainfall. Because a lot of the animals in the Desert have such a short life span as it is, a multi-year drought can be absolutely devastating. If the temperatures and weather continue to keep fluctuating, eventually there will be no where for these tortoises and camels and all the other Desert animals to go. These are only a few of the many reasons why I feel that the Desert is in most danger of ecological change.

# data[].attributes.body
Common name: maidenhair tree

An interesting characteristic of the Ginkgo is that most gymnosperms, and flowering plants, have both sexes on the same plant. The Ginkgo is a dioecious gymnosperm. This tree grows to about 70 feet tall which is why Georgia does not plant it underneath power lines. It can live to the age of 150 years or more!

# data[].attributes.body
I hope you enjoy this short, informative clip on the process of Photosynthesis as much as I did. In Unit 1, I learned how much we need plants to survive because we are eating them in one way or another. It was interesting that in Unit 2, where we touched on Photosynthesis and cellular respiration, still had a connection to the need of plants for survival. I chose this animation because it shows the connection between plants and food, yet still focuses on the process of Photosynthesis. The video tells us about cellulose which is a carbohydrates that are found in plants to keep themselves strong and yet is also in our foods such as broccoli and celery. Therefore, when you eat plants, you are benefiting from Photosynthesis!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The simple story of photosynthesis and food - Amanda Ooten

# data[].attributes.body
This picture perfectly depicts my understanding thus far of the role of plants in society and the environment. As I get older and learn more, I am realizing how necessary plants are for survival.  Foods are plants, plants contain nutrients, plants can

even be medicinal and help various kind of health disorders. They are important in various different ways and I am excited to learn about their evolution and more medical impacts of the many different plants in the world.