Tuesday, December 31, 2019
How Many Animal Species Are There
Everyone wants hard figures, but the fact is that estimating the number of animal species that inhabit our planet is an exercise in educated guesswork. The challenges are numerous. Species counts are biased by our tendency to study certain organisms more than others. Birds, as a group, have been extensively studied, so scientists believe that the estimated number of bird species alive today (between 9,000 to 10,000) is a relatively good approximation of the actual number. On the other hand, nematodes, also known as roundworms, are a little-studied group of invertebrates and consequently, we have little grasp of how diverse they may be. Habitat can make counting animals difficult. Animals that live in the deep sea are not easy to access, so naturalists have less understanding of their diversity. Organisms that inhabit the soil or parasitize other animals are likewise challenging to locate and therefore difficult to quantify. Even terrestrial habitats, like the Amazon rainforest, can present insurmountable obstacles to a species census. Animal size often complicates the detection and counting of species. In many instances, the smaller species are more difficult to find and count. Ambiguities in terminology and scientific classification affect species counts. How do you define a species? Its not always easy, especially when supposed species are capable of cross-breeding. Additionally, different approaches to classification influence species counts. For example, some models classify birds as reptiles, thus boosting the species count of reptiles by as much as 10,000. Despite these challenges, its desirable to have some idea of how many species inhabit our planet. This gives us the perspective necessary to balance research and conservation objectives, to ensure that less popular groups of animals are not overlooked, and to help us better understand community structure and dynamics. Rough Estimates of Animal Species Numbers The estimated number of animal species on our planet falls somewhere in the vast range of three to 30 million. How do we come up with that whopping estimate? Lets take a look at the major groups of animals to see how many species fall within the various categories. If we were to divide all the animals on earth into two groups, invertebrates and vertebrates, an estimated 97% of all species would be invertebrates. Invertebrates, animals that lack backbones, include sponges, cnidarians, mollusks, platyhelminths, annelids, arthropods, and insects, among other animals. Of all invertebrates, the insects are by far the most numerous. There are so many insect species, at least 10 million, that scientists have yet to discover them all, let alone name or count them. Vertebrate animals, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, represent a puny 3% of all living species. The list below provides estimates of the number of species within the various animal groups. Keep in mind that the sub-levels in this list reflect the taxonomic relationships between organisms. This means, for example, that the number of invertebrates species includes all the groups below it in the hierarchy (sponges, cnidarians, etc). Since not all groups are listed below, the number of a parent group is not necessarily the sum of child groups. Animals: estimated 3-30 million species||--Invertebrates: 97% of all known species|   |--Sponges: 10,000 species|        |--Cnidarians: 8,000-9,000 species|        |--Mollusks: 100,000 species|        |--Platyhelminths: 13,000 species|        |--Nematodes: 20,000 species|        |--Echinoderms: 6,000 species|        |--Annelida: 12,000 species|        |--Arthropods|            |--Crustaceans: 40,000 species|                 |--Insects: 1-30 million species|                 |--Arachnids: 75,500 species||--Vertebrates: 3% of all known species|--Reptiles: 7,984 species|--Amphibians: 5,400 species|--Birds: 9,000-10,000 species|--Mammals: 4,475-5,000 species|--Ray-Finned Fishes: 23,500 species Edited by Bob Strauss
Monday, December 23, 2019
Negative Effects of Technology Depicted in Aldous...
Negative Effects of Technology Depicted in Aldous Huxleys Brave New World Imagine a life where the technology is so great that no one ever has to be worried about being sad or bothered by all the day to day stress. In Brave New World published in 1932, Aldous Huxley brings the reader into the future of London to see just what technology can do to a society. As the novel opens, the reader learns about how the futuristic London is a Utopia, what life is like, and all about the great technological advancements. After Bernard is introduced to the reader, he goes to the Reservation and meets John, the Salvage, where he finds out how different life is between the two societies. In the end, the Controller Mustapha Mond sends Bernard and†¦show more content†¦Another way dystopia is reveled in the novel is through the actions of John. When he is brought back to London, he does not understand how and why the people live that way. The author makes it seem as if the people have no feel for what freedom is, it is almost as if they are slaves, trained and condi tioned to do what they are supposed to do. In an attempt to get the people to believe and rebel against the civilized world, John throws the soma out the window. Soma is a pill that is given to the workers to take them to a soma holiday, a place where one is always happy and can not be bothered by the outside world. After throwing the soma out the window, John and Bernard are taken to Mustapha Monds office, a controller of London. John and the Mustapha Mond get into a discussion about what makes London so great. On page 263 Mustapha Mond says, [the people are] ignorant of passion and old age. He is wondering what more anyone could one want besides never getting old or fat and never having to worry about all the heartaches of passion. The final way the characters show dystopia is through their speech. Mustapha Mond says, [the people are] plagued with no mothers or fathers . . . or lovers . . . theyre so conditioned that they practically can not help behaving as they ought to behave (264). How can life be perfect if one does not have a mother or a father or be able to have any kind of feelings ofShow MoreRelatedBrave New World: Warnings Pertaining to Technological Growth 1305 Words  | 6 PagesTechnology today is more relied upon than ever before. If one needs to call someone half way around the world, simply take out a cell phone and dial their number. Within thirty seconds, one can be speaking to that person just as if two people were conversing face-to-face. In the same manner, one has access to endless knowledge and resources by the pushing of a few buttons or the click of a mouse. The usage of social media today is becoming more prevalent than ever before because of the convenienceRead MoreAldous Huxley s Brave New World1904 Words  | 8 PagesAldous Huxley’s Brave New World, published in 1932, is a masterpiece of science fiction. His imagined, dystopian state creatively employs facts and theories of science, as well as his very own thinly-veiled commentary on the future of society. His family background and social status, in addition to molding Huxley himself and his perspective, no doubt made impact on his writing and contributed to the scientific accuracy of his presentation. However, Huxley certainly qualifies as a social commenterRead MoreJean Jacques Rousseau s Brave New World1574 Words  | 7 Pagesleaves and the fluttering of wings. In a time where kids sit indoors on their computers playing games or working on papers rather than exploring the vast expanses of nature, more and more people are realizing the potentially negative side effects of the advancement of technology and the progress of society. One philosopher who was quite outspoken in his opinion on the matter is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In response to the increasing organization of society and our constant need for more, Rousseau postulated
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Canadian Diamonds, Back in the Rough Free Essays
At this point in time, the then lucrative diamond business in Canada is suffering a rough blow as the Canadian dollar continuously increases versus the U.S. dollar, as several investors back out their support for the diamond business, and as the U. We will write a custom essay sample on Canadian Diamonds, Back in the Rough or any similar topic only for you Order Now S., the largest consumer of diamonds, undergo recession. The popularly known diamond mogul, De Beers, was strained by the escalating Canadian dollar and its results to construction costs. These factors led De Beers to sell off their assets in Canada that amounts to nearly $ 1 billion U.S. dollars. (Hoffman, 2008) The representative of De Beers based in Canada, Derek Teevan, justified the decision of investors to withdraw from the diamond sector. He argued that the costs for operating a diamond business is sustained in Canadian currency, which is higher compared to its cost in U.S. dollars. In addition, diamonds are bought in U.S. dollars. This spells out an unprofitable diamond business. According to Mr. Lindsay, president of Teck Cominco Ltd., the diamond sector will suffer until such time that costs are regulated within five years. As of press time, negotiations continue as Teck Cominco Ltd. attempt to purchase Canada’s diamond businesses. (Hoffman, 2008) The author reveals the major concern of the Canadian diamond sector. Based on research and recent information about diamond investors and businesses in Canada, the author was trying to inform his readers about the declining diamond sector and the effect that the rising dollar posits in this issue. The concerns that were presented in the article is of importance to businesses who are planning to invest in the Canadian diamond sector thus, needing to be well-informed about the economic standing of the different business sectors in the country. Atlantic Premiers Sign Energy Framework The premiers in New Brunswick have released a statement indicating their attempts to develop Maritime’s access to Labrador’s hydro resources. According to them, the Maritime’s use of these resources is cost-effective and is instrumental in the minimization of their dependence to fossil fuels that originate from other parts of the globe. This would be possible through the Lower Churchill Falls Project. The premiers and cabinet ministers in Canada drafted and signed an outline that contains the concepts aligned with the project. They also requested for the help of the members of each province to further their aims and objectives. (Tutton, 2008) The premier of New Brunswick has been communicating ideas about the transfer and generation of energy through the use of undersea cables with the premier of Newfoundland. If this pushes through, they would be expecting to spend as much as $ 25 million every year in the area alone. However, they are not keeping their options closed as they are thinking about energy transfers through Quebec and Ontario. If the transmission of power from Labrador to Maritime pushes through, this would mean that New Brunswick should establish more transmission capacity. (Tutton, 2008) The issues in this essay tackle the program drafted and signed by Atlantic premiers in order to develop the transmission of energy through the utilization of under sea cables. In addition, it also provides substantial information that states the advantages and disadvantages of the Lower Churchill Falls Project particularly in New Brunswick. Several options are available in this scenario and Shawn Grahm, the new premier of New Brunswick, should be able to go with a plan that is cost-effective and supportive of the interests of the area. Trucking Industry Facing Challenges The recently elected president of Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, Gordon Peddle, has claimed the development and enhancement of the image of the trucking business as one of his objectives during his term in office. The image of the trucking industry, as well as the improvement of the quality of service provided by these companies is the main concerns of APTA. (The Special Features Staff, 2008) Despite the flourishing financial statements of other people in the business all over the world, the trucking industry based in News Brunswick has been suffering too. This is due to the fact that the trucking industry is a very difficult business to handle. One of the primary reasons for the decline of the trucking industry is those people who leave the trucking business for higher income rates, thus leading to the lack in personnel. Another reason is that the increasing Canadian dollar versus the U.S currency influences the high costs of materials and parts that are used in developing trucks. As the new chairman of APTA, Peddle is putting on great efforts to solve this problem by collaborating with the Human Resources Sector and Trucking Human Resources Sector, and by being open to applications from foreign truck drivers. (The Special Features Staff, 2008) The author presents the readers the challenges that Peddle will be facing during his rule as the new chairman of APTA. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed in order to enhance and improve the trucking industry and with the challenges that are ahead, Peddle must be on his toes in order to achieve his aims, objectives, and general plan of action. The article would be instrumental in evaluating whether Peddle would be capable of addressing the needs of the trucking industry through comparison of past experiences and the new trucking industry under Peddle. Go West, Gang Members: Alberta Attracts Drug Dealers The growing economy of Alberta due to its oil market has attracted numerous investors. So much so, that even businesses who operate illegally are putting up their industry in the area. These illegal business enterprises involve gangs who thrive in Alberta because of the high demand for prohibited drugs and substances, such as cocaine. This has been the trend since 1977, as the Edmonton Police Department has strived hard to track down gangs and gang members in their efforts to eradicate drug pushing, trafficking and addiction in their area, thus leading to lower occurrences of crimes. (Chiang, 2008) To address this issue, the Edmonton Police Department has been collaborating with the RCMP in order to identify immigrants and determine whether they are involved in gangs and illegal businesses. They have also conducted an undercover operation that revealed a laboratory that manufactures ecstasy and cocaine that are sold in Alberta. (Chiang, 2008) The author reveals the effects of a booming economy to the increase in crime rates and occurrences in an area. People will be well informed that even if a country is successful in attracting investors that would further the stand of the economy, the price that the people would have to pay for this is the rising occurrences of crimes, such as drug trafficking and pushing. (Title Goes Here) The rising Canadian dollar has yet again proved its detrimental effects to the manufacturing industry in the country. As the dollar rises, lay offs would be implemented to cut the rising cost of manufacturing. Lay-offs will be done in the marketing industry in order to lessen the company’s expenses on wages for manpower services. However, on a positive note, the decline in the manufacturing industry has caused the improvement of the employment rate in the country. This fact is evident through the statistics interpreted starting 2001 until 2006. Professionals agree that the rise in employment would continue to improve in the following years. (Yew, 2008) The rising employment rate in Canada is due to the fact that new occupations are being opened for the benefit of the employment sector to compensate for the losses in employment in the manufacturing industry. In addition, new occupations are being opened for unemployed people because of the global changes, improvement and development which are highly in need of skilled employees who could be absorbed to work under a specialized job description. In contrast to the nature of manufacturing jobs, more people have been studying and working to enter jobs in the health care industry, social welfare and development organizations, finance services, mining and energy industries, which as of press time have experienced a high increase in employment. Canada has put its efforts to replace manufacturing jobs with jobs that are more profitable and adheres to technological learning and advancement.  (Yew, 2008) The advantages of the decline in employment opportunities in the manufacturing industry are revealed in the article by the author. This is a known advantage of having the dollar rise above the U.S. dollar. The surfacing of other occupations in the employment sector allows career development for the people. References Chiang, C. (2008). Go west, Gang Members: Alberta attracts drug dealers. Retrieved March 22, 2008, from Hoffman, A. (2008). Canadian Diamonds: Back in the Rough. Retrieved March 22, 2008, from The Special Features Staff. ( Tutton, M. (2008, January 19). Atlantic Premiers Sign Energy Framework. The Canadian Press, p. C2. Yew, M. A. (2008, March 5). Toronto Star, p. B 1 How to cite Canadian Diamonds, Back in the Rough, Essay examples
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Analysis of the Human Cultural Identity Essay Example For Students
Analysis of the Human Cultural Identity Essay This paper is intended to contain the analysis of the human cultural identity, as seen in the following five historical cultural periods: Enlightenment Culture; Greco-Roman Culture; Judeo-Christian Culture; Renaissance-Reformation Culture; and Industrialization-Modernism Culture. It also embodies examples of each era that are clearly stated, and how they relate to the cultural period. The cultural identity of the Enlightenment can be described as emphasizing the possibilities of human reason. This idea can be illustrated with such examples as Thomas Jefferson, Denis Diderot, and Protestantism. Thomas Jefferson was considered among one of the most brilliant American exponents of the Enlightenment culture. He had the time and the resources to educate himself in many topics including history, literature, law, architecture, science, and philosophy. He had the motivation and the connections to apply Enlightenment political philosophy to nation-building. Denis Diderot was a French encyclopedist and philosopher, who also composed plays, novels, essays, and art. We will write a custom essay on Analysis of the Human Cultural Identity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now He greatly influenced other Enlightenment thinkers with his translations of Encyclopedie ou dictionnaire raisonne des sciences, des arts et des metiers, sually known as Encyclopedie. He used this translation as a powerful propaganda weapon against Ecclesiastical authority, and the semifeudal social reforms of the time. Protestantism is a good example also. It is one of the three major divisions of Christianity. It displays the release of traditional religion and the movement to worldly learning and the rise of protests against the controlled way of expressing ones self. It allows the human himself to reason out the way that he thinks, instead of an authority telling him how to do so therefore, extending his mind. The Industrialism-Modernism culture is a culture that represents social, conomical, and scientific advancement, as well as self-doubt, uncertainty, and alienation. These traits can be characterized with such examples as Werner Heisenberg, Epicureanism, and Eli Whitney. Werner Heisenberg was a German physicist known especially for his development in quantum mechanics and his principle of indeterminacy, or theory of uncertainty. This theory explained how it is impossible to know specifically the position and momentum of a particle, an electron for example, with accuracy. This demonstrates the distinctive uncertainty of the culture. It created a strong trend of mysticism among cientists who perceive it as a violation to cause and effect laws. Epicureanism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Greek philosopher Epicuris. His views coincide with those of Heisenberg in the way that they display the incertitude of how it is impossible to know exactly what things will do or go. In example, he suggested that even atoms are free to move around spontaneously, without order. Any invention or its inventor would fit nicely into this cultural topic. Eli Whitney, for instance, and the cotton gin. This invention was one of the most important, it created a very substantial movement n history. Whitney used scientific knowledge to produce a machine that produced economic progress along with the advancement of less manual labor, and more production for sales. The Greco-Roman culture is one of a male dominant society, and conflicting obedience views. The idea was that men were controlled by reason, and women were controlled by passion, and that if women were not controlled by the practical reasoning men, that disastrous consequences would occur. The male prevalence in this civilization was evident in all perspectives of life including the arts that were created during this time period. For instance, the women were portrayed as clothed, mysterious, and deviant looking and the men as nude, perfected, and authoritative. This philosophical belief, was taken to the absolute extreme. Men were in a sense, afraid, of the disastrous situations that women might create if given the chance to do so. Hellenism and Hebraism are other Greek philosophies that deal with the ideas of how to think and act. Hellenism is the stressing to see things as they really are, right thinking, reasoning for oneself, and Hebraism is the stressing of conduct and obedience, right acting, and obeying Gods commandments. These two conflicting views were struggled with by every individual. The Judeo-Christian culture is one of holy relics, gothic and Romanesque styles, and architectural advances. .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .postImageUrl , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:hover , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:visited , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:active { border:0!important; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:active , .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726 .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub620a21f19197ed76de30079d8afc726:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Atlanta Reconstruction EssayThe holy relics were used to establish a higher status among churches. Such tokens as John the Baptists head could be found in the cathedrals across the civilizations. Another way to achieve status for a church was to build the tallest facility that was possible. The idea was that the bigger the church, the better. This led to styles such as Gothic and Romanesque. The best example of the gothic form is Chartres. The cathedral sed advances like the pointed arch and ribbed vault. The Romanesque form was characterized by flying buttresses and stained glass. The flying buttresses not only enabled the churches to be built higher, but also gave them a majestic look. The Renaissance-Reformation culture is that of a revolution of changes in western civilization. Humanism, the revival of classical learning and speculative inquiry beginning in the fifteenth century in Italy during the early Renaissance, disabled the monopolies of the churchs learning, and spread the ability to gain knowledge. The invention of the printing press with moveable ype, enabled the supply of books circulating to expand, leading to increased ideas throughout Europe. The Reformation took many forms in society, but all of them mainly deal with the idea that knowledge is power, and power was obtained easier because of the creation of the printing blocks, therefore, enabling people to change society because they were more educated. In conclusion, the preceding information illustrates the cultural periods of Enlightenment; Greco-Roman; Judeo-Christian; Renaissance-Reformation; and Industrialization-Modernism. Each have examples clearly stated, and explain how they relate to the period.
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