Earth Day

Honestly, I usually don't do anything different on Earth Day. Many years, the day has passed without me realizing for a moment that it was anything other than an ordinary day. The only thing different about this year was that I saw a movie called "Earth" was coming out on Earth Day. Although I haven't seen it yet, and it really isn't the sort of movie I'd typically run out to see, I'm considering renting it when it comes out on DVD. It's about three different animal families and their journeys across Earth. From the trailer I saw, it looks like it has amazing footage. I'd like to think a lot of people have seen or will see the movie, and maybe it will give people a greater appreciation for the planet we live on and the beautiful creatures that inhabit it.

What Motivates Me to Learn Chemistry

To be honest, I'm not a science person at all. In the past, there haven't been any units or activities in science class that even remotely interested me. On top of a lack of interest, I was never very good at science, especially a class that is entirely conceptual, like biology. But when I learned that chemistry was more math-based than bio, I was excited. Math has always been something that came relatively easily to me, and I was eager to see how math could be applied to science.

I think the fact that chemistry combines so much mathematics is a motivational factor for me because I find it more interesting and less challenging. I'm also motivated because chemistry has such an impact on everday life, and I think that the lessons learned in this class will benefit me in the future.

While I'd like to say that grades aren't a motivational factor, they definitely are. I know that I have to maintain my GPA in order to get into a good college, so this also motivates me to do well in chemistry.

Science & Politics

Science and politics are two areas that are constantly finding new ways to overlap. Issues such as abortion, cloning, and stem cell research are currently at the forefront of political debates, but they are based in science. This interconnected relationship shows how important it is to have scientific background knowledge, because whether you are planning to be a scientist, a politician, or just an average U.S. citizen, this knowledge is necessary in order to be an active, informed member of society. 

Nuclear Power

Personally, I don't think nuclear power is a good idea. For one, it seems rather dangerous. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't feel particularly comfortable living by a nuclear power plant. Also, I'm concerned about the effect nuclear power would have on the environment. Couldn't it cause pollution? And don't we have enough of that already?

I understand our desperate need for new energy sources, but I'm just not sure this is the right one. Or, maybe, scientists could find a better plan for housing the nuclear power, and then maybe I could be convinced.

Quantum Mechanics

Quantum mechanics totally confused me. I'm pretty easily confused when it comes to most areas of science, but this was definitely the most complicated scientific subject I've learned about so far. I think the most difficult concept for me to grasp was the one about how electrons are in one place at one time, and then they suddenly appear somewhere else, without seeming to travel through the space in between. That seems to defy so many rules and just doesn't make any sense to me. My only comfort is knowing that even scientists struggle to comprehend quantum mechanics.

I don't feel like I can really formulate an opinion on the matter of quantum mechanics because I really don't understand much of it at all. I guess, as of now, my position is that I don't disagree with the theories behind it, but the processes behind the theories are still rather unclear to me.

Video Response

Wow! To be honest, I expected that video to be much more, for lack of a better word, "scientific", and much less interesting. Instead, I was left shocked and amazed by all the things going on in the world that I've been completely unaware of! Seriously, I got goosebumps while watching it. I can't tell if the video made me feel insignificant or inspired...maybe a combination of the two. I had no idea that so many discoveries have been made in the past year alone!

In a way, the video made me feel optimistic, because it seems that the human race's knowledge base is exponentially expanding, which will hopefully lead to further innovation and improvement. On the other hand, some of the statistics really worried me. The one that sticks out most in my head was something like "1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met online." Is that where our society is heading? Is my generation going to depend on the internet to connect to other people, rather than going out into the world and having face-to-face interaction?

Regardless of the concerns the video raised, I think the topics covered were things that we can all relate to and extract meaning from. Whether it inspired you, astounded you, or scared you to death, I'm willing to bet every single viewer was moved by that video.

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