Ethical Dilemmas of Genetic Prenatal Screening Essay

One of the questions that has recently plagued me has been that of which is about the genetic structuring of our offspring. I ask myself, will we able to choose the physical features our child? If so, do we as a society think this will be an ethical practice? Perhaps, scientifically, this might be entirely possible, but law will most likely restrict it. An article written by Frederic Golden helped me draw some understanding on this hot topic. Golden commences his article with a brief story of a mother and father who have been through prenatal testing. They tested for Down syndrome and an inheritable neuromuscular disease. While it was a straightforward procedure that was deemed valid by their doctor, Blue Cross (their insurance†¦show more content†¦submit to some prenatal screening. Usually this involves a blood sample of the mother’s blood in order to determine whether she is likely to have a child with spina bifida, neural-tube defects, or Down syndrome (Golden). United States genetic centers now offer DNA tests for over 30 or 40 of the more commonly inherited disorders. Those including cystic fibrosis, susceptibility to breast cancer, X syndrome, Huntington’s disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and many other various disorders (Golden). Also, with recent developments, couples are able to have a pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This procedure allows the testing of genetic disorders bef ore germination. It consists of â€Å"petri-dish† testing of sperm and egg cells donated by the soon to be parents. This procedure prevents the idea of abortion, for if genetic problems occur, you are not destroying a fetus, but simple flushing away embryo cells. Another article that I have recently acquired has more to do with the ethical standpoint of genetic tailoring, than the scientific. In recent years, a rather large sum of attention has been placed on whether or not the possibility of genetic testing will harm our communities (Gooding). â€Å"The teaching of Bioethics often relies on difficult cases. Indeed sometimes the ethical dilemma is developed by altering the details of the case that is otherwise intuitively straightforward,Show MoreRelatedEthics Of Computing And The Internet1173 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity of the People Inside the topic of health care system ethic is implicit the pregnancy dilemma. This wide topic can include hundreds of pages; herein we are going to cover principal’s data of this essential topic in today’s lives. Pregnancy includes a debate for more than 4 decades and some topics that affect not only mothers even child, there are many dilemmas surrounding this controversial topic, where some argue one specific thing and much other argue another thingsRead MoreEthics Of Computing And The Internet1173 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity of the People Inside the topic of health care system ethic is implicit the pregnancy dilemma. This wide topic can include hundreds of pages; herein we are going to cover principal’s data of this essential topic in today’s lives. Pregnancy includes a debate for more than 4 decades and some topics that affect not only mothers even child, there are many dilemmas surrounding this controversial topic, where some argue one specific thing and much other argue another thingsRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Genetic Testing1088 Words   |  5 Pages Genetic Testing Bethany Espinosa Chamberlain College of Nursing July Session 2015 Genetic testing has brought about many changes in the way many couples look at conceiving and raising families. Through genetic testing you are able to screen for the increased chance that a fetus may have one of many congenital disorders, or even identify gene changes that are responsible for a disease that has already been diagnosed (Genetic Testing, March 2015). Unfortunately genetic testing is notRead MoreThe Field Of Reproductive Technology1484 Words   |  6 PagesToday’s culture has a growing fascination with biotechnology and genetic engineering. This is especially true within the field of reproductive technology. Advancements in this field has expanded family options significantly with the advent of reproductive technologies such as in vetro fertilization, embryo transplant, and varying genetic testing and screening (Finsterbusch, 2008). However, what drives humanity to want to modify humankind? Should there be limits placed on these modifications? AndRead MoreGenet ic Testing : Types Of Medical And Forensic Tests1715 Words   |  7 Pages Genetic Testing WHAT IS GENETIC TESTING? Genetic Testing is the process of using medical and forensic tests to identify and analyse a human, animal or plant DNA sequence. It can reveal changes or mutations in your genes that may result in illness and disease. TYPES OF TESTING Presymptomatic and predictive testing If you have a family history of a condition, undergoing genetic testing before you have symptoms may reveal if you re at risk for developing that condition Carrier testing If youRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome1415 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic and Reproductive Sciences Abstract This paper is based on genetic and reproductive science and their benefits and limitations regarding individuals, families, and society. The paper covers the screening and treatment for diabetes and what methods are used to prevent it development. The paper also contains information regarding In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and its benefits for individuals and families. The use stems cells and its advantages and disadvantages are also mentioned. Read MoreMy Role As A Genetics Counsellor1913 Words   |  8 PagesMy role as a genetics counsellor. As a genetics counsellor I will provide you and your family the necessary information and support regarding any health issues or concerns that you may have. I will provide you with a diagnosis of any genetic conditions and supportive advice and guidance to your concerns. I believe you two appear to be healthy, but are concerned about a disease that runs through one of your families, sickle cell anaemia. You are concerned about any future children that you may haveRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemmas of Genetic Testing for Huntingtons Disease3496 Words   |  14 PagesThe Ethical Dilemmas of Genetic Testing for Huntingtons Disease INTRODUCTION Huntingtons Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder (Walker, 2007 and Harmon, 2007). The gene that causes the disease is located on the fourth chromosome and causes an abnormal number of repeats in the patients genetic code (Harmon, 2007). Huntingtons Disease can have devastating effects on patients quality of life. The first symptoms of HD generally start between the agesRead MoreThe Human Genome Project : A Research Project1097 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding of how to build an individual (Genetics Home Reference 2014a). The Human Genome Project made several claims which included to complete sequencing and mapping the genomes of organisms and the ethical, legal and social consideration related to it. (U.S. DOE Human Genome Project 2013). One example of a claim made by the human genome project is to be able to map and sequence the genome of standard organisms. Maps are used to identify the genetic arrangement of organisms. It’s not possibleRead MoreThe Effects Of Prenatal Testing On Children With A Birth Defect2006 Words   |  9 PagesPrenatal testing was designed to allow a mother with a possible high risk the option to ensure the health of their unborn child with a birth defect. The testing will also detect harm to the unborn fetus if the mother was exposed to a disease or sickness. There are multiple levels of screening and testing that can be done to provide to give results to an unborn child. The screenings are safe non-invasive procedures that will detect particular birth defects.1 The types of screenings that can be provided

Sumerians, Egyptians, and Chinese Contributions - 868 Words

Did you know that Sumerians developed the world’s first form of writing? That many of todays household objects were invented or used by the ancient Egyptians (lock and keys, combs, scissors, wigs, makeup, deodorants, toothbrush and toothpaste)? Or that for the last 4,000 years China has been the oldest continuous civilization on Earth? The Sumerians, Egyptians, and Chinese created flourishing civilizations filled with many achievements in writing, architecture, and technology that made lasting contributions to humankind. Sumer is referred to as the cradle of civilization† because there were many important inventions. Writing was one of Sumerians most important invention. Sumerians developed the world’s first known writing, cuneiform,†¦show more content†¦Only a small, educated elite had the time to master this system. Despite some changes made through the years, the fundamental principles of the Chinese system still endures today. As a result, the legacy of the Chinese system is that people speaking essentially different languages, such as Mandarin and Cantonese, can read and understand the same text. The Chinese had a very unique form of architecture. A Chinese structure is based on the principle of balance and symmetry. Office buildings, residences, temples, and palaces all follow the principle that the main structure is the axis. Other structures are positioned as two wings on either side to form the main room and the yard. The distribution of interior space reflects Chinese social and ethical values. China had a very advanced technology development. Bronze and iron played a major role. Weapons, chariot fittings, musical instruments, and religious ritual vessels were made from it. One of the most important contributions China made to humankind was its writing system that united all parts of China. Other contributions include paper making, printing, gunpowder, and the mariners compass. Small inventions like these have made a huge difference in our society today. Ancient civilizations all around have contributed something to the world we live in today. Sumer, Egypt and China have had manyShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On The River Valley Civilizations1489 Words   |  6 Pagescity-states depended on trade and farming, and later industry became a crucial pillar of the civilization. Sumerians were known for their metal handiwork, pottery, and woolen textiles. Sumerians imported tin, timber and copper which they traded for dried fish, wheat, wool and metal to ols. The Sumerian civilization is best remembered for the invention of the wheel that eased transportation. The Sumerian social structure was divided into three castes the Nobles, commoners and slaves. Slaves were owned byRead MoreCivilization : A World Without Civilization954 Words   |  4 Pageshunter-gatherers. Meaning that people hunted and foraged for their food, rather than depending on agriculture to feed them. (Merriam-Webster) The discovery of the mass amounts of people you can feed as a result agriculture can arguably be one of the leading contributions to early civilization. According to our lectures, around 11,000-7,000 years ago was when most humans stopped hunter-gathering and began to civilize. Civilization itself is sedentary, and based solely around agriculture. The land produces food,Read MoreTaking a Look at Pharmacists2543 Words   |  10 PagesThe Sumerian population lived in present day Iraq. They used plants such as myrh and opium for medicine. Similarly to present- day pharmacists, the Sumerians had people who prepared the medicine separate from the medics who diagnosed and treated illnesses (History of Pharmacy 1). In ancient Egypt, there were people who prepared medicines, known as ‘pastophors’. The Egyptians and Sumerians also played roles of priests while they prepared medicines (History of Pharmacy 1). The ancient Egyptians usedRead MoreThe Differences Between The Civilizations And River Valley Civilizations1710 Words   |  7 Pageswere constantly a threat, and so each civilization had a different view on nature’s aspects. Mesopotamians tried their best to please the kings and queens of nature, while Egyptians trusted supernatural powers. The difference in religious thoughts led to contrasting attitudes towards life after death and therefore burials. Egyptians displayed the majority of their wealth on their tombstones. Rulers of Egypt had several rooms dedicated to their passing, so as to provide a better afterlife. MesopotamiansRead MoreEarly Civilizations and the Dawn of the Medieval Age Essay3703 Words   |  15 Pagesthe Tigris and the Euphrates called Mesopotamia , the Indus (now in Pakistan) and the Nile in North Africa in Egypt. The Egyptian civilization is probably the oldest known to man. The world acknowledges the contribution of the Egyptians who were the first to give one a calendar and a shadow-clock to measure time; a census and postal system; glass; paper and ink. Distinctive Egyptian architecture emerged during the period 4000-30 BC. The best representatives of this architecture are Egypts tombs, pyramidsRead MoreCharacteristics Of Ancient Civilizations1959 Words   |  8 Pagessystem. In modern day geography it is roughly located in Iraq, the eastern parts of Syria, and Southeastern Turkey. First, mesopotamia used a writing system known as cuneiform. This writing system was considered one of the most significant contributions of the Sumerians as it was one of the first complete writing systems. Cuneiform grew from a system of pictographs that was used to record goods that were being traded. One of the most important things that the people of Mesopotamia wrote was The Epic ofRead MoreThe Birth of Civilization18947 Words   |  76 PagesNEAR EASTERN EMPIRES page 14 HOW DID conquest and trade shape early empires in the Near East? EARLY INDIAN CIVILIZATION page 16 WHAT INFLUENCES did the first Indus valley civilization have on later Indian religious and social practices? EARLY CHINESE CIVILIZATION page 23 WHY DID large territorial states arise in ancient China? THE RISE OF CIVILIZATION IN THE AMERICAS page 27 HOW DID agriculture influence the development of civilizations in Mesoamerica? 1 he earliest humans lived by huntingRead MoreHistory of Astronomy4015 Words   |  17 Pageslocated. A form of writing known as  cuneiform  emerged among the Sumerians around 3500–3000 BC. Our knowledge of Sumerian astronomy is indirect, via the earliest Babylonian star catalogues dating from about 1200 BC. The fact that many star names appear in Sumerian suggests a continuity reaching into the Early Bronze Age. Astral theology, which gave planetary gods an important role in  Mesopotamian mythology  and  religion, began with the Sumerians. They also used a  sexagesimal  (base 60) place-value numberRead MoreEssay on The History of Transportation1835 Words   |  8 PagesNow, Egypt is an impressive society as is, having invented papyrus, pictographs, and a social hierarchy, but the sailboat is going to be our main victim of scrutiny today. Back in the days of yore, the Egyptian sailboats were built from woven papyrus reeds, with linen acting as a sail. Why the Egy ptians were the first to create the invention is obvious for two reasons, one because they had an innovative society, two because the Nile River was an obstacle they were obligated to traverse. The calm currentRead MoreThe History Of Human Language2352 Words   |  10 Pagescity officials. The texts were chiseled onto clay and wood tablets. This earliest period of writing is referred to the Proto-writing period a pictographic style of writing is considered one of the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians. This is the prewriting phase that led to symbolic writing and eventually alphabets. This ‘Uruk’ style of writing was fueled by urban growth spread later to the east into the Zagros Mountains where clay tablets with numerals and word-signs

Dr. Faustus Essay Example For Students

Dr. Faustus Essay When I first began reading Dr. Faustus I did not even realize that there werecomic scenes. Only after being told and after watching the movie did I realizethat there were comic scenes. Many critics say that Christopher Marlowe did noteven write these scenes, but instead say that they were written later by otherplaywrights. After realizing that there was in fact comedy in the play, I beganto ponder why it was in the play. My first thought was that they were there tolighten the mood of such a dark and serious play. Any good playwright knows thatyou cant hold an audiences attention with hours of serious, deep and emotionalcontent without also having something to lighten the mood. With this point ofview I realized that it was very possible that Mr. Marlowe did not in fact writethe comic sections of this play (I really wanted to believe that he wrote them),maybe a later playwright found that the play was too serious. The fact that Iwanted Marlowe to be the author of the whole play (I dont like it when someonecomes along a changes a piece of art, or that people say that someone changed itbecause it is just too good to be true) made me dig deeper to try and findsomething that sounded more sensible to me. I would have to say that it waseight lines in scene five that were spoken by Mephastophilis in response to aquestion from Faustus. These Lines were (pg.442 lines 110-125): Mephastophilis. Now Faustus, ask what thou wilt. Faustus. First will I question thee about hell:Tell me, where is the place that men call hell? Mephastophilis. Under theheavens. Faustus. Ay, but whereabouts? Mephastophilis. Within the bowels ofthese elements, Where we are tortured and remain forever. Hell hath no limits,nor is circumscribed In one self place; for where we are is hell, And where hellis, there we must ever be. And to conclude, when all the world dissolves, Andevery creature shall be purified, All places shall be hell that is not heaven. Not only is this some very powerful poetry but it seems to say everything aboutthe comic scenes. After I read this part of the play I began to realize thereason why the comic scenes are in this play. What Mephistophilis seems to besaying is that everyone that is not in heaven, is in hell. This means thateveryone on earth is in hell. Mephastophilis says exactly this; forwhere we are is hell. How did these lines put the comic scenes intoperspective for me? It made me look at the whole play in a different light. Ifeveryone that is not in heaven is in hell, then everyone in this play is in helland has committed some type of sin. The scene in which Lucifer comes with theSeven Deadly Sins (Pride, Covetousness, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth andLechery) depicted the ways which people commit sins. When I went back throughthe play and looked at after I was enlightened, I noticed that the comic scenesvery much reflected the scenes with Dr. Faustus. Take for instance when Wagnerconjured up Baliol and Belcher (Scene Four) this is almost exactly what Faustusdid in the previous scenes. The comic scenes that seemed to reflect what Faustusdid, also seemed to increase the readers knowledge of how powerful Faustus was. In all the scenes that other people tried to conjure up the devil, they couldnot handle the devils and usually failed in their attempts. Take for instancescene eight, lines twenty to forty-five, when Robin and Rafe conjured upMephastophilis they could not handle the sight of him and he changed them intoan ape and a dog respectively, because they were just playing games. This sceneshows how powerful Dr. Faustus was and how seriously he took magic. The othercomic scenes either showed how everyone in the play had committed some type ofsin, or how Faustus used his magic to play childish pranks. Take scene five forexample when the Clown and Wagner are talking: Clown. But do you hear? If Ishould serve you, would you teach me to raise up Banios and Belcheos? Wagner. Iwill teach thee to turn thy self to anything, to a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, ora rat or anything. Clown. How! A Christian fellow to a dog, or a cat, or amouse, or a rat? No, no sir, if you turn me into anything let it be in th elikeness of a little pretty frisking flea, that I may be here, and there, andevery- where. O Ill tickle the pretty wenches plackets! Ill be amongst themifaith. The last five lines that the clown says here are almost exactly likewhat Pride, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, says in scene five, lines 284-288:Pride. I am Pride: I disdain to have any parents. I am like to Ovids flea, Ican creep into every corner of a wench: sometimes like a periwig, I sit upon herbrow; or like a fan of feathers, I kiss her lips. Indeed I do what do I not!But fie, what a scent is here? Ill not speak another word, except the groundwere perfumed and covered with cloth of arras. This points out that evil caninfect even the lowliest of creatures such as the Clown. The last function ofthe comic scenes that I was able to find is that of pointing out how trivialFaustus magic is. Many scenes point this out; scene seven when Faustus goesinto the Popes chamber, scene nine when Faustus puts horns on the knight, andsc ene ten where he gives the horse-courser a bum horse and lets his leg bepulled off, are all comic scenes that show how low Faustus has stooped in hismagic. In the end I did find that the comic scenes in Dr. Faustus did in facthave a definite purpose, and not just to lighten the mood (although this verywell could have been one of the reasons). Due to the fact that the comic scenesall fit in so well and had a lot of depth I do think that they were actuallywritten by Christopher Marlowe. After reading through this play and watching themovie, no matter how whacked out it was, I did really like this play.

Pierre De Fermat Essays (890 words) - Integer Sequences,

Pierre De Fermat Pierre de Fermat Pierre de Fermat was born in the year 1601 in Beaumont-de-Lomages, France. Mr. Fermat's education began in 1631. He was home schooled. Mr. Fermat was a single man through his life. Pierre de Fermat, like many mathematicians of the early 17th century, found solutions to the four major problems that created a form of math called calculus. Before Sir Isaac Newton was even born, Fermat found a method for finding the tangent to a curve. He tried different ways in math to improve the system. This was his occupation. Mr. Fermat was a good scholar, and amused himself by restoring the work of Apollonius on plane loci. Mr. Fermat published only a few papers in his lifetime and gave no systematic exposition of his methods. He had a habit of scribbling notes in the margins of books or in letters rather than publishing them. He was modest because he thought if he published his theorems the people would not believe them. He did not seem to have the intention to publish his papers. It is probable that he revised his notes as the occasion required. His published works represent the final form of his research, and therefore cannot be dated earlier than 1660. Mr. Pierre de Fermat discovered many things in his lifetime. Some things that he did include: -If p is a prime and a is a prime to p then ap-1-1 is divisible by p, that is, ap-1-1=0 (mod p). The proof of this, first given by Euler, was known quite well. A more general theorem is that a0-(n)-1=0 (mod n), where a is prime to n and p(n) is the number of integers less than n and prime to it. -An odd prime number can be expressed as the difference of two square integers in only one way. Fermat's proof is as follows. Let n be prime, and suppose it is equal to x2 -y2 that is, to (x+y)(x-y). Now, by hypothesis, the only basic, integral factors of n and n and unity, hence x+y=n and x-y=1. Solving these equations we get x=1 /2 (n+1) and y=1 /2(n-1). -He gave a proof of the statement made by Diophantus that the sum of the squares of two numbers cannot be the form of 4n-1. He added a corollary which I take to mean that it is impossible that the product of a square and a prime form 4n-1[even if multiplied by a number that is prime to the latter], can be either a square or the sum of two squares. For example, 44 is a multiple of 11(which is of the form 4 x 3 - 1) by 4, therefore it cannot be expressed as the sum of two squares. He also stated that a number of the form a2 +b2, where a is prime b, cannot be divided by a prime of the form 4n-1. -Every prime of the form 4n+1 is accurate as the sum of two squares. This problem was first solved by Euler, who showed that a number of the form 2(4n+1) can be always showen as the sum of two squares, of course it was Mr. Pierre de Fermat. -If a, b, c, are integers, a2 + b2= c2, then ab cannot be a square. Lagrange solved this. - The determination of a number x such that x2n+1 may be squared, where n is a given integer which is not squared. Lagrange gave a solution of this also. -There is only one integral solution of the equation x2 +4=y3. The required solutions are clearly for the first equation x=5, and for the second equation x=2and x=11. This question was issued as a challenge to the English mathematicians Wallis and Digby. -No basic values of x, y, z can be found to satisfy the equation xn+yn=zn; if n is an integer greater than 2. This thesis has achieved extraordinary celebrity from the fact that no general demonstration of it has been given, but there is no reason to doubt that this true. -Fermat also discovered the general theorem that was on the guess that a number can be found into the product of powers of primes in only one way. These were some interesting things that Mr. Fermat did in

Paints essays

Paints essays I Kayla J. R, am writing you, the National American International Livestock Exposition in order to attempt to persuade you to include our personal favorite breed of horse into your Exposition. This is our reasoning: The different patterns and the different colors will give a larger variety of choices for the judges. The different patterns may even have their own categories. Each and every paint has its own little history and own attitudes. Not only that, but they have a very pretty body type with obvious muscles. If you add them to your show, they need not have the World Championship Paint Horse Show, resulting in more money left over for the horses real needs such as food, tack, water and supplements. Read on to learn some great information on the Paint Breed. In 1519 a Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes sailed to North America with some conquistadors and horses only to leave behind a great legacy-which was the bloodstock that would provide the foundation for a variety of different, distinct, American-bred horses. A Spanish historian Diaz del Castillo who traveled with the entire expedition says that one of the sixteen war horses that carried Cortes and his men was a sorrel and white horse with spots on its belly. That spotted horse soon bred with Native American mustangs and laid the foundation for what is known today as the American paint horse breed. Near the early 1800s, the western plains were heavily populated with free-ranging herds of horses. These herds included a peculiar spotted horse. The spotted, flashy horses soon became a favorite mount of the American Indians because of the color and performance. The Comanche Indians, also known as the finest horsemen on the plains, favored the different colored horses and had a lot among their huge herds. The favoritism is exhibited in evidence by drawings of spotted horses on the painted buffalo robes that served as records for the Comanches. During the 180...

All About the Rock Called Chert

All About the Rock Called Chert Chert is the name for a widespread type of sedimentary rock that is made of silica (silicon dioxide or SiO2). The most familiar silica mineral is quartz in microscopic or even invisible crystals- that is, microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz. Learn more about how it is made and find out what it is made of. Chert Ingredients Like other sedimentary rocks, chert starts with particles accumulating. In this case, it happened in bodies of water. The particles are the skeletons (called tests) of plankton, microscopic creatures that spend their lives floating in the water column. Plankton secrete their tests using one of two substances that are dissolved in water: calcium carbonate or silica. When the organisms die, their tests sink to the bottom and accumulate in a growing blanket of microscopic sediment called ooze. Ooze is usually a mixture of plankton tests and extremely fine-grained clay minerals. A clay ooze, of course, eventually becomes claystone. An ooze that is primarily calcium carbonate (aragonite or calcite), a calcareous ooze, typically turns into a rock of the limestone group. Chert is derived from a siliceous ooze. The composition of ooze depends on details of geography: ocean currents, the availability of nutrients in the water, world climate, depth in the ocean, and other factors. Siliceous ooze is mostly made of the tests of diatoms (one-celled algae) and radiolarians (one-celled animals or protists). These organisms build their tests of completely uncrystallized (amorphous) silica. Other minor sources of silica skeletons include the particles made by sponges (spicules) and land plants (phytoliths). Siliceous ooze tends to form in cold, deep water because calcareous tests dissolve in those conditions. Chert Formation and Precursors Siliceous ooze turns to chert by going through a slow transformation unlike that of most other rocks. The lithification and diagenesis of chert is an elaborate process.   In some settings, siliceous ooze is pure enough to lithify into a lightweight, minimally processed rock, called diatomite if composed of diatoms, or radiolarite if made of radiolarians. The amorphous silica of a plankton test is not stable outside the living things that make it. It seeks to crystallize, and as ooze is buried to depths greater than 100 meters or so, the silica begins to mobilize with the modest rise in pressure and temperature. There is plenty of pore space and water for this to happen, and plenty of chemical energy being released by crystallization as well as by the breakdown of organic matter in the ooze. The first product of this activity is a hydrated silica (opal) called opal-CT because it resembles cristobalite (C) and tridymite (T) in X-ray studies. In those minerals, silicon and oxygen atoms align with water molecules in a different arrangement than that of quartz. A less-processed version of opal-CT is what makes up with water molecules in a different arrangement than that of quartz. A less-processed version of opal-CT is what makes up common opal. A more processed version of opal-CT is often called opal-C because in X-rays it looks more like cristobalite. The rock composed of lithified opal-CT or opal-C is porcellanite. More diagenesis causes the silica to lose most of its water as it fills pore space in the siliceous sediment. This activity converts the silica into true quartz, in microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline form, also known as the mineral chalcedony. When that happens, chert is formed. Chert Attributes and Signs Chert is as hard as crystalline quartz with a hardness rating of seven  in the Mohs scale   maybe a bit softer, 6.5, if it still has some hydrated silica in it. Beyond simply being hard, chert is a tough rock. It stands above the landscape in outcrops that resist erosion. Oil drillers dread it because its so hard to penetrate. Chert has a curvy conchoidal fracture that is smoother and less splintery than the conchoidal fracture of pure quartz; ancient toolmakers favored it, and high-quality rock was a trade item between tribes. Unlike quartz, chert is never transparent and not always translucent. It has a waxy or resinous luster unlike the glassy luster of quartz.   The colors of chert range from white through red and brown to black, depending on how much clay or organic matter it contains. It often has some sign of its sedimentary origin, such as bedding and other sedimentary structures or microfossils. They may be abundant enough for a chert to get a special name, as in the red radiolarian chert carried to land by plate tectonics from the central ocean floor. Special Cherts Chert is a quite general term for noncrystalline siliceous rocks, and some subtypes have their own names and stories. In mixed calcareous and siliceous sediments, the carbonate and the silica tend to segregate. Chalk beds, the calcareous equivalent of diatomites, may grow lumpy nodules of chert of the type called flint. (Similarly, thick chert beds may grow nodules and pods of limer ock limestone or dolomite rock.) Flint is commonly dark and gray, and more lustrous than typical chert. Agate and Jasper are cherts that form outside the deep-sea setting; they occur where fractures allowed silica-rich solutions to enter and deposit chalcedony. Agate is pure and translucent whereas Jasper is opaque. Both stones commonly have reddish colors from the presence of iron oxide minerals. The peculiar ancient banded iron formations consist of thin layers of interbedded chert and solid hematite. Some important fossil localities are in chert. The Rhynie Cherts in Scotland contain remains of the oldest land ecosystem from nearly 400 million years ago early in the Devonian Period. And the Gunflint Chert, a unit of banded iron formation in western Ontario is famous for its fossil microbes, dating from the Early Proterozoic time some two billion years ago.

Scientific Method - Social Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific Method - Social Psychology - Essay Example Scientific method is highly instrumental to the success of social psychologists in carrying out their analysis. It is the application of scientific method of systematic observation that the conditions of humans are effectively studied. Through the scientific method of research, social psychologists are better informed on the way people feel, how they behave and the kind of thoughts that go through their minds (Feldman, 2009). Social psychologists cannot make observation without the use of scientific method and research as they make use of the advancement in technology to make precise and intricate observations about their subjects. This further emphasizes the role of scientific method in the field of social psychology as the more the improvement in research technology, the easier and faster the work of social psychologists would definitely be. It is therefore pertinent to note that social psychologists make use of different scientific methods of research, which includes; public opini on surveys, real world observations, case studies, and laboratory experiments to make their analysis and study. This further corroborates the role of scientific method in social psychology.