Hello to all our readers and supporters!
We thank you all for supporting and following our blog. We appreciate that with your help we got to 3rd place on the blog popularity poll! So anyway, now that we are about to close this blog and there will be no more further posts, we would like to share our insights and reflections on this project.
So this project, The Blogging Project is about sharing our knowledge and experience with other people. It's about enlightening others and most importantly, alerting them to some troubles on Earth. One of the aims as well is to be the best blog.
This project was pretty hard to prepare for. The team of five hear at TSJ has gone through a lot of preparation for each post. We went places and all that just to give you the information we presented to you in the previous posts. We went through troubles when were trying to contact each other for each person's response on a certain question. Sometimes, only few would participate and the opinions wouldn't be authentic. In the end, we overcame these obstacles and we pushed through as a team to bring to you the posts you now know.
If this project were to be brought up again, we would do it because of the fun of making your own blog and sharing with others what you have learned. Sharing is a part of life, for man is a social being. So far this project is very good in its concept and for us, it can be improved only very little. Some of us would prefer doing the blog individually so that we won't have contrasting opinions, making the blog much cleaner and more creative due to having only one person running it.
The Science Journal has gone through a lot of work, stress, and more work. Overall, we think we did a good job together. Together is an important word because the most important lesson we learned from this project is teamwork. We were lacking that in some places. We were lacking that a few days ago which is why this post is late (we apologize). After this post, we have learned that teamwork is a very important role in making any group project. So, as a team, we, The Science Journal proudly present to you our blog, one of the entries to The Blogging Project 2.0! It is now complete and we await your responses.
Sincerely,
The Science Journal
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Politics Behind The BNPP
Hello to everyone!
We, The Science Journal have become the president of the Philippines. There is a power crisis in the Philippines and we wish to solve this problem. There is one major issue though. It is the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The opening of the plant will remove all problems of the energy crisis but if it fails, the safety of the people and animals will be compromised. Meltdowns such as the one at Chernobyl, can occur again. So we will walk you through the opinions of each and everyone of us.
If Arphados was president:
"I would definitely open the plant for the convenience of the people to help them with the power crisis. Failures such as meltdowns like in Chernobyl have a very slight chance of occurring and if so, there are many safety procedures to contain them."
We, The Science Journal have become the president of the Philippines. There is a power crisis in the Philippines and we wish to solve this problem. There is one major issue though. It is the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The opening of the plant will remove all problems of the energy crisis but if it fails, the safety of the people and animals will be compromised. Meltdowns such as the one at Chernobyl, can occur again. So we will walk you through the opinions of each and everyone of us.
If Arphados was president:
"I would definitely open the plant for the convenience of the people to help them with the power crisis. Failures such as meltdowns like in Chernobyl have a very slight chance of occurring and if so, there are many safety procedures to contain them."
If Zanurak was president:
"No, I wouldn't because I would rather open up a solar or wind powered plant because it is more eco-friendly. There is also no risk of dangerous occurrences like meltdowns! This will protect the wildlife and the people around the vicinity."
If Derp was president:
"Well this is a quite a hard thing to decide. I looked at the pros and cons and decided that overall this is a good idea to open the BNPP. This will help the Filipinos overcome the power crisis and no brownouts ever again!
If Iuad was president:
"I would side with Arphados on his decision because I feel it will benefit everyone. If something goes wrong though, there are many back-up systems to control the situation and the wildlife and people will be spared."
If Charlie was president:
"No because of the many risks to humans and wildlife like at the Pawikan Conservation Center (PCC). Even though the output of this plant is high, I would not open it for the safety of all living things in the area. I would instead resort to other, more eco-friendly sources of power."
So overall the new parliament of the Philippines, The Science Journal, votes to open the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant for the benefit of all the Filipino citizens. No brownouts, no power-cuts, power which will last a very long time, and only a slight risk of failure.
Bataan Nuclear Power Plant will be officially opened by The Science Journal!
This is our conclusion!
TSJ
Saturday, March 3, 2012
The Predicament of Nuclear Energy
Hello there all!
This is the Science Journal again and we're here today to talk about a very important topic: nuclear energy! So let's start off with what nuclear energy is exactly. Well it is basically the energy given off by nuclear reactions. There are two sides of the controversy though that should be taken into account. So let's start with the advantages or the pro-nuclear energy side.
Source
BNPP
So first of all nuclear energy releases much, much more energy than other sources of energy do. This then produces much more electricity in turn. Currently, 12-18% of the world's energy is produced by nuclear power plants. Second, there is no release of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), in the reaction. Third, there is enough fuel (Uranium) to last for a few hundred years and it is easier to transport than other fuels. Coal will last us only for a few more decades and ironically, it emits more radiation into the atmosphere than a NUCLEAR power plant.
Now let us begin with the disadvantages of nuclear power. First of all, nuclear energy is very powerful (obviously) and it can be used by evil people in evil ways. Like the production of nuclear bombs and missiles to cause destruction in times of war. Second, even though the production of power is high, which will lead to lower electricity prices, the initial input for construction is very high as well (millions of dollar$$$$!) and the time it takes to construct one plant is 15-20 years! There is a risk of fuel strikes while constructing the plant so it might go dormant just like the BNPP (will be discussed later on). Third, we have the used fuel.
Used fuel is very radioactive and can harm humans and the environment. It remains this way for thousands of years and can only be disposed of underground. The spent uranium will stay there until scientist find a way to recycle or somehow do something about the used fuel.
Source
Fourth and final drawback, meltdowns! Meltdowns are very dangerous to the environment and to us too! They can cause cancer and cell mutation because of radiation poisoning!
Source
Overall, for us, the advantages outweigh the drawbacks so we are in favor of using nuclear energy to benefit society. Even though there are some drawbacks like meltdowns, there are many security procedures and emergency reserves that can prevent these.
Now continuing our discussion, we will now talk about the BNPP, the closed power plant at Bataan, Philippines. As we mentioned, we are in favor of opening plants like these that use nuclear energy to supply the needs of the people. We also mentioned previously that we went on a field trip. On that trip we did not only visit the sea turtles at PCC, we also went to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant! Before the trip we were expecting to learn about all the machines and mechanisms at work within the plant and why it was closed down and how the plant management plans to reopen it.
What we expected to learn were the things that we indeed learned. When we arrived, we went through an orientation presentation on the BNPP where we learned most of the advantages of opening the BNPP. When we got inside the plant, we saw all the machines, just like we expected. We saw the control room, the reactor, the storage tanks for the coolant water and lots of other cool stuff.
This is the Westinghouse Turbine at BNPP
Source
For us, we all enjoyed the Control Room best because of its complexity. Many buttons, levers, switches, maps, phones and everything else you would expect to see in a control room. Since it was very warm at the plant when we visited, we also enjoyed staying by the electric fan while waiting for our tour guide to move on.
Source
After that trip we have been enlightened about nuclear energy with its advantages and disadvantages. We have learned how it can benefit society and how it can sometimes harm humankind. We hope you have learned what we have learned. Finally, we hope you can decide for yourself on which side you are on in The Predicament of Nuclear Energy.
Until next time!
The Science Journal
This is the Science Journal again and we're here today to talk about a very important topic: nuclear energy! So let's start off with what nuclear energy is exactly. Well it is basically the energy given off by nuclear reactions. There are two sides of the controversy though that should be taken into account. So let's start with the advantages or the pro-nuclear energy side.
| The BNPP |
Source
BNPP
So first of all nuclear energy releases much, much more energy than other sources of energy do. This then produces much more electricity in turn. Currently, 12-18% of the world's energy is produced by nuclear power plants. Second, there is no release of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), in the reaction. Third, there is enough fuel (Uranium) to last for a few hundred years and it is easier to transport than other fuels. Coal will last us only for a few more decades and ironically, it emits more radiation into the atmosphere than a NUCLEAR power plant.
Now let us begin with the disadvantages of nuclear power. First of all, nuclear energy is very powerful (obviously) and it can be used by evil people in evil ways. Like the production of nuclear bombs and missiles to cause destruction in times of war. Second, even though the production of power is high, which will lead to lower electricity prices, the initial input for construction is very high as well (millions of dollar$$$$!) and the time it takes to construct one plant is 15-20 years! There is a risk of fuel strikes while constructing the plant so it might go dormant just like the BNPP (will be discussed later on). Third, we have the used fuel.
Used fuel is very radioactive and can harm humans and the environment. It remains this way for thousands of years and can only be disposed of underground. The spent uranium will stay there until scientist find a way to recycle or somehow do something about the used fuel.
Source
Fourth and final drawback, meltdowns! Meltdowns are very dangerous to the environment and to us too! They can cause cancer and cell mutation because of radiation poisoning!
Source
Overall, for us, the advantages outweigh the drawbacks so we are in favor of using nuclear energy to benefit society. Even though there are some drawbacks like meltdowns, there are many security procedures and emergency reserves that can prevent these.
Now continuing our discussion, we will now talk about the BNPP, the closed power plant at Bataan, Philippines. As we mentioned, we are in favor of opening plants like these that use nuclear energy to supply the needs of the people. We also mentioned previously that we went on a field trip. On that trip we did not only visit the sea turtles at PCC, we also went to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant! Before the trip we were expecting to learn about all the machines and mechanisms at work within the plant and why it was closed down and how the plant management plans to reopen it.
What we expected to learn were the things that we indeed learned. When we arrived, we went through an orientation presentation on the BNPP where we learned most of the advantages of opening the BNPP. When we got inside the plant, we saw all the machines, just like we expected. We saw the control room, the reactor, the storage tanks for the coolant water and lots of other cool stuff.
This is the Westinghouse Turbine at BNPP
Source
For us, we all enjoyed the Control Room best because of its complexity. Many buttons, levers, switches, maps, phones and everything else you would expect to see in a control room. Since it was very warm at the plant when we visited, we also enjoyed staying by the electric fan while waiting for our tour guide to move on.
Source
After that trip we have been enlightened about nuclear energy with its advantages and disadvantages. We have learned how it can benefit society and how it can sometimes harm humankind. We hope you have learned what we have learned. Finally, we hope you can decide for yourself on which side you are on in The Predicament of Nuclear Energy.
Until next time!
The Science Journal
Friday, March 2, 2012
Vote For Us!
Hey Guys,
This is The Science Journal and we need your help to make us the Number 1 Science Blogger for our school. To vote, please go to http://www.sciencebloggingproject.blogspot.com/ and scroll down a little. You will see the question, "Who should win The Blogging Project 2.0's 'Best Blog Award'?" Under that, you will see the name of our blog, The Science Journal, and please click on our name and vote for us. Thank you!!!
The Science Journal : )
This is The Science Journal and we need your help to make us the Number 1 Science Blogger for our school. To vote, please go to http://www.sciencebloggingproject.blogspot.com/ and scroll down a little. You will see the question, "Who should win The Blogging Project 2.0's 'Best Blog Award'?" Under that, you will see the name of our blog, The Science Journal, and please click on our name and vote for us. Thank you!!!
The Science Journal : )
Monday, February 27, 2012
The World of Marine Turtles
Hello there!
It's The Science Journal again and we're going to give you some more information on the world of marine turtles. As you know, we had a field trip recently to the Pawikan Conservation Center (PCC) and we gave you some details about that. Now we have a very important matter to discuss. TURTLES GOING EXTINCT. It's very sad. You guys may think you have nothing to do with it but, the cause of this predicament are HUMANS. HUMANS kill turtles for their products. HUMANS are the ones who constantly throw their trash in the wrong places not just leading to the deaths of marine life but also THEIR OWN. Because of humans these sweet, gentle, loving creations are decreasing in number.
You may not know this but sea turtles, or in Filipino pawikans are VERY important creatures. They are not useless. They play a very important part in our world. And besides sea turtles are cute! Who wouldn't want to save them?! So we begin by introducing to you the threats to these creatures.
First of all, these sea turtles are all endangered or threatened due to many reasons. First there is the threat of humans. Many illegally catch these turtles for ornaments such as their shells. Others catch them for food and eat their eggs as well. Consumption of these turtles dates back many years when the Chinese first tried them. Next is global warming. Global warming is part of the Earth's natural cycle but what humans are doing is speeding up the process!
So the turtles are also affected by this. Since the temperatures of the waters in the oceans are increasing, the food of the sea turtles turn out to be less plentiful. This causes them to slow down their metabolism and also stresses them out. Over time, their numbers will get lower and lower. We don't want that now do we?
(turtle says, "*sad face* No we don't!")
We want to conserve them right?
(Squirt says,"Yes we do!")
So how do we conserve them and why? Well firstly, sea turtles maintain sea grass beds, especially the green turtle as you can see here:
(turtle says," Om nom nom nom.")
They also help maintain the population of their other prey so that there is balance in the ecosystem. So how can we, students, help conserve them? Well first of all, like we did in the field trip, we released some hatchlings (we were lucky enough to be able to). This will ensure that those turtles will not get poached or harmed on the way to the vast ocean. Next and very simple, do not throw trash into bodies of water that can lead out to seas! The turtles can confuse trash like pieces of plastic for jellyfishes! After ingesting, they will eventually die of indigestion like this poor fellow here:
So these poor turtles deserve our help for what we our constantly doing to them everyday. Like the simple car you drive or the electricity you use. All these contribute to the factors that lower the numbers of the turtles. It is predicted that we cannot restore the turtles' population back to its original, all we can do is try to help them the best we can. Right?
(turtle says,"Yes indeed!")
Till next time!
The Science Journal
Friday, February 24, 2012
Turtles in Bataan
Hey guys!
It's The Science Journal and we're back with more news! Recently, we went on a fieldtrip to Bataan where we learned more about turtles and nuclear energy. Today we're going to be focusing more on the turtles known as "Pawikan" in the Philippines. We all joined this field trip because we thought that this would be a good experience to learn and be with our batchmates. We expected different things though. Iuad said,"I expected fun!" while Derp said,"I expected that there would be enough babies to hatch on Feb. 3, 2012.". Zanurak had another idea about the trip. He said,"Go places and chaos on bus!". Before the trip, obviously, we were all very excited and some sleepy too because it was early in the morning.
Picture Source
So first we tackled the long roads of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). We did have a good time on the bus, spending time with our classmates.
Picture Source
So we arrived at our first destination, the Pawikan Conservation Center (PCC). We expected too see turtles immediately! We also expected to learn everything about these turtles and we did at the orientation. So basically, the PCC aims to conserve and save the turtles (pawikans) from the threat of extinction due to the demand of the turtle's shells and other parts. The turtles are very quickly vanishing because of this. So what we did learn was the how the turtles are slowly dying and how the PCC aims to stop this. So here are some details of a particular species that nests at the shores of Bataan. Here is the outline:
So that's it guys! We really enjoyed our trip and we hope you enjoyed reading! We'll see you again soon with more Science updates!
The Science Journal
It's The Science Journal and we're back with more news! Recently, we went on a fieldtrip to Bataan where we learned more about turtles and nuclear energy. Today we're going to be focusing more on the turtles known as "Pawikan" in the Philippines. We all joined this field trip because we thought that this would be a good experience to learn and be with our batchmates. We expected different things though. Iuad said,"I expected fun!" while Derp said,"I expected that there would be enough babies to hatch on Feb. 3, 2012.". Zanurak had another idea about the trip. He said,"Go places and chaos on bus!". Before the trip, obviously, we were all very excited and some sleepy too because it was early in the morning.
Picture Source
So first we tackled the long roads of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). We did have a good time on the bus, spending time with our classmates.
Picture Source
So we arrived at our first destination, the Pawikan Conservation Center (PCC). We expected too see turtles immediately! We also expected to learn everything about these turtles and we did at the orientation. So basically, the PCC aims to conserve and save the turtles (pawikans) from the threat of extinction due to the demand of the turtle's shells and other parts. The turtles are very quickly vanishing because of this. So what we did learn was the how the turtles are slowly dying and how the PCC aims to stop this. So here are some details of a particular species that nests at the shores of Bataan. Here is the outline:
1. Olive Ridley Turtle
A. Olive Ridley
B. Lepidochelys olivacea
C. Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Lepidochelys
Species: olivacea
2. Characteristics
A. Interesting Facts
1. The olive ridley is considered the most abundant sea turtle in the world.
2. Estimated 800,000 nesting females annually.
3. Gets its name from its heart-shaped olive carapace.
B. We chose this turtle because of its interesting features.
C. Pictures Below
3. Ecological Relationship
A. The Olive Ridley is an omnivore
B. Relationship With Other Organisms
1. The Olive Ridley turtle has an important role in the food chain.
2. Without it, all of its prey will be abundant and will overpopulate the ocean.
4. Release of Hatchlings
A. We were able to release
B. The species was Olive Ridley
Picture Source
1. The Olive Ridley turtle has an important role in the food chain.
2. Without it, all of its prey will be abundant and will overpopulate the ocean.
4. Release of Hatchlings
A. We were able to release
B. The species was Olive Ridley
The Science Journal
Saturday, February 18, 2012
About Us
Hello there science bloggers,
It's us, Iuad, Arphados, Zanurak, Derp, and Charlie. We are The Science Journal and we will share with you all the things we have learned in Science over the past year. This first post is just an introduction to what we will be doing and what we will be sharing with you in the near future. Please stick with us as we share our knowledge with you about the very vast and interesting topic of Science.
The Science Journal
It's us, Iuad, Arphados, Zanurak, Derp, and Charlie. We are The Science Journal and we will share with you all the things we have learned in Science over the past year. This first post is just an introduction to what we will be doing and what we will be sharing with you in the near future. Please stick with us as we share our knowledge with you about the very vast and interesting topic of Science.
The Science Journal
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