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Hello, my name is Romy Ruiz! I am currently 19 years old and I am from here in Miami. I am majoring in Political Science at MDC, but hopefully will change majors to Sociology when I attend FIU! I first became involved and interested in politics and how people operate in middle school around the 2016 presidential election and wanted to know more about the ins and outs of the field, but of course, I am still learning. I had always considered my interest in politics to be somewhat of a hobby, but I knew I felt passionate about it and took a chance! Besides my academic interests, I also love discussing all things pop culture. This can range from film and music to general art, or to basic happenings in the "celebrity world". More specifically, I love all things horror and spooky! In the future, I hope to become confident, travel, and continue learning in every aspect. I tend to be somewhat of a recluse and I hope to continue working to come out of my shell and learn to take criticism with stride rather than take it personally :)

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The word "science" is derived from Latin meaning

A. nature

*B. knowledge

C. power

D. system

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This video and its information can be used to deduce what is factual. Instead of taking information at its face value, question the legitimacy or intention one may have when spreading that information. Then, take that claim and see if any factual evidence supports it. Especially in the age of the internet, it is very simple to misinform others, or be misinformed, and promote mass hysteria, so it is important to know who to trust and how to inform yourself. Whether it be from friends, family, or any form of media, there is motivation, whether it be political or financial, that you must be somewhat aware of. We even live in an age where people do not trust reputable sources because of these ever-growing issues and conspiracies, so blindly trusting one post from a single individual is likely not going to be the most informative. Even when getting information from a place that you assume to be trustworthy, you should question things with reason.

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The Mountain Pygmy Possum, or Burramys parvus, is a small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial, weighing about 45 grams. These creatures are mostly native to Australia and are found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields. They were thought to have gone extinct but were rediscovered in the 1960s. Now, they are endangered once more with an estimated 2,000 of them found in the wild. Their prehensile tails are around 14 cm, ending up being longer than their 11 cm head and body length. Their diets usually consist of insects, fleshy fruits, nuts, nectar, and seeds.

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Cell vs. virus: A battle for health - Shannon Stiles

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Why is it so hard to cure the common cold?

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Video: When is a pandemic over?

What drew my attention while watching this video was how they explained the different methods that could be used in response to a virus. According to the video 'When is a pandemic over?', the best response method would be to "Delay and Vaccinate" where we try not to rush nor wait too long to come up with a solution. The first and least viable option of "Race through it" is undoubtedly the most deadly where the method is simply to build up immunity, which would likely cause hundreds of thousands of deaths. The other method "Coordinate and Crush" is seemingly the most likely to work, seeing as all the protocols are met; social distancing, quarantine, and other restrictions. However, there is no way to "crush" a virus if the main country affected and its surrounding neighbors cannot coordinate. If a virus is not eradicated, it usually has a high probability of returning once again, undermining efforts altogether, seeing as it was not a global effort.

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What caught my attention was the several "molts" a caterpillar experiences in evolving into a butterfly. They shed several times before reaching the cocoon stage, which leads to them shedding one last time into a butterfly.

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The life cycle of the butterfly - Franziska Bauer

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The Burramys parvus, more commonly known as the Mountain Pygmy Possum, is native to Australia, more specifically the southern mountain range. They can be found only in "alpine and subalpine areas on the highest mountains of Victoria and New South Wales", usually referred to as the Australian Alps. Mountain Pygmy Possums live in rocky areas on the ground where boulders have accumulated below mountain peaks. They are accustomed to cold and wet climates where snow is possible year-round. According to Animal Diversity Web, "Recurrent wetting and freezing of water on the rock surfaces has led to fragmentation of boulders" which has led to Mountain Pygmy Possums adjusting to these climates and terrains. These small creatures can also commonly be found nesting in between crevices of these fragmented boulders. As a result of climate change, Mountain Pygmy Possums have dealt with extreme changes in their climate and a decrease in snow cover, as well as being hunted by predators and a loss of their food sources, and suffering from the effects of bushfires.

Sources:

NSW Government Environment - https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10114#:~:text=The%20Mountain%20Pygmy%2Dpossum%20lives,four%20square%20kilometres%20of%20habitat.

Animal Diversity Web - https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Burramys_parvus/

Animalia - https://animalia.bio/mountain-pygmy-possum

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Messenger RNA, also known as mRNA, are single-stranded molecules that correspond to the genetic sequence of a gene. mRNA are read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein, where the information is then carried from the DNA in a cell's nucleus to the cell's cytoplasm.

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What caught my attention was the initial video we watched that explained that there are "millions of unicellular species" but few of them are visible to humans. However, there was also the 'Caulerpa Taxifolia' shown in the video which is claimed to be the largest single-cell organism in the world and each stem can grow up to nine feet long.

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Enzymes are proteins that act as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products.

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My species, the Mountain Pygmy Possum (Burramys Parvus), which belongs to the family Burramyidae, has had to evolve in order to survive. These evolutions include hibernating during the winter when their sources of food are scarce, though this process has likely had to elongate due to climate change. Pygmy possums find their sustenance from flowers, but when these are scarce, they will eat fruits, seeds, and insects. Their notoriously long tails, which are longer than their bodies, come into use when they eat nectar and pollen from eucalypts, banksias, and bottlebrushes. Studies of 30-million-year-old skeletons from fossils of the Herpetotheriidae, the sister group of all living marsupials, show that the evolutionary split between opossums and the ancestor of all other living marsupials occured at least 65 million years ago. There are also distinct differences between opossums and possums, which include the fact that opossums are notorious for their furless tails while possums will usually have more furry tails. Currently, the Mountain Pygmy Possum is the sole member of its genus Burramys, with only one other genus in the Burramyidae family; with only five total species of pygmy possum.

Sources:

http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/mountain-pygmy-possum/

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/uncovering-the-ancient-origins-of-modern-opossum/

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Mountain Pygmy Possums and How Climate Change Will Impact Them

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Mountain Pygmy Possums and How Climate Change Will Impact Them

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What made me decide to select my chosen species, the Mountain Pygmy possum, was my curiosity about the species due to my lack of knowledge about their existence and my general interest in possums. And so, upon further research, I found out many things about the species, but what shocked and saddened me was the fact that they are highly endangered; there are an estimated 2,000 Mountain Pygmy possums found in the wild. Of course, the contributing factors to this include poaching and hunting for the use of their fur, but there were also more "natural" causes adding to their endangerment. However, climate change is considered to be aided by human involvement. Other issues involved the bushfires that occurred in Australia where the possums live, as well as the ever-increasing climate there. Mountain Pygmy possums can be found specifically in the southern region of Australia, commonly referred to as the Australian Alps. This environment is rocky and the possums prefer to burrow and hide in the mountainous terrain. Although the Mountain Pygmy possums have adjusted to these extreme weather conditions, it is deduced that they will find it far more difficult to survive if they are not relocated. And so, scientists have recommended relocating the species to a warmer lowland rainforest environment in hopes of salvaging them.

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Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from a solution with a high concentration of water molecules to a solution with a lower concentration of water molecules. This occurs through a cell's partially permeable membrane.

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When taking this class, I was a bit intimidated; I've never been the greatest at science or biology. However, when I joined the class, I quickly realized that it would be a very helpful and easygoing environment. Now, after the helpfully paced topics we've covered, I truly do feel as though I have learned a lot. And so, I had been intimated before beginning this class, I became more comfortable during, and now, after, I feel that I have accomplished something I "feared" and learned a lot of new information!

Firstly, before taking this class I, honestly, only had the intention of taking it in order to satisfy a requirement, seeing as I've never been the best with science. I had fears that I would not be able to pass the class due to my presumed inability to learn "scientific" topics. During high school, I had taken a biology class and assumed that this one would be similar, but I was proven wrong.

Next, during this class, I was gladly proven wrong about my presumptions about the topic or my initial intimidation. The assignments, videos, and discussions were extremely helpful in learning words or ideas. Even the presentations felt very comfortable and educational, though I initially was opposed to the idea since I've never been much of a fan of presenting.

Lastly, after now nearing the end of this course, I feel like I have without a doubt come out of it having learned something and changed as a person. I now know that science is not an intimidating topic so long as the instructor and mode of education is suited to my learning style and is at a pace that is comfortable for me. I learned that I am more than capable of learning in terms of science and not to presume I am incapable of doing something before I have even tried.

In conclusion, I am extremely grateful I took this class and gave it a chance. I have thoroughly enjoyed the class and all of the assignments we completed. I also am thankful for the information that I have learned and hope that I can retain it all.