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Biology 103 Web Paper 2

lcorhan's picture

The Vestigial Organ

            Without a doubt, everyone knows of someone who needed to have his or her appendix removed. Certainly, this begs the question, “What does the appendix do?” Although some people might seem as though they have had their brain removed, that is not a realistic procedure; nor can one have his or her heart removed. Many organs can be transplanted, to be sure, but why do we human beings have an organ that we can simply do without? Plenty of organs can be removed without fatal consequences, but there are almost always consequences. Yet this is not the case with the appendix.

Yashaswini's picture

Love: A Narcotic High?

Love: A Narcotic High?

 

cmcgowan's picture

Insulin: Breaking it Down

 

asavannah's picture

Does our genetic make up determine who we become?

       Have you ever wondered where you get your physical or behavioral traits from? Well I have and I decided to do more research on this topic which is what this paper would be about. I am going to discuss the difference between nature versus nurture and whether one or the other has a greater impact on the way an individual behaves. This topic also became of interest to me when I decided to focus more on the study of identical twins who have the same genetic make up but not necessarily the same interests.

ctreed's picture

Lethe In A Pill

Throughout history and across cultures, the force of memory has always held a prominent position in our concept of humanity and self.  The ancient Greeks embodied memory in a goddess – Mnemosyne, the mother of the nine inspiring Muses.  But what if a person possessed memories so upsetting and intense that they caused him to not be able to function as himself?  If you had the option, would you choose to forget or to distance yourself?  This dilemma is now a source of debate among scientists and medical practitioners.  Propranolol, a drug previously prescribed to people suffering from hypertension, has also been found to bring some relief to victims of traumatic events by manipulating their memory of the experience.

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