The Glass House of the Scorpion

Pictured is me with a mounted scorpion (probably Pandinus imperator) in a clear plastic case. This photo was taken in my biology 11 classroom. Scorpions are members of the class Arachnida (animals with four pairs of jointed legs) with a front pair of legs modified into grasping claws and a tail ending with a venemous stinger. They are strict carnivores, and can be found in regions all around the world.

Biosphere Jar

I have embarked on a project to create a self-sustaining (almost) ecosystem in a jar which will reside in my biology 11 classroom as a collection of live specimens alongside the numerous preserved specimens already on display in the room. The jar itself is glass and holds approximately two litres of water when full. The inhabitants of this "biosphere" in a jar are a shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda), a Java moss plant (Taxiphyllum barbeiri), algae, various species of beneficial nitrifying bacteria, and other microorganisms. The concept behind this biosphere is that the nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into nitrite and then nitrite into nitrate. The plant photosynthesises from light coming through the jar's glass, absorbs carbon dioxide and excretes oxygen, and takes in fertiliser in the form of nitrate. The shrimp eats algae and microorganisms growing on and off of the plant, breathes in oxygen and breathes out carbon dioxide, and excretes waste that break down to form ammonia. The algae fulfills the same role as the plant (except it is eaten by the shrimp). Because of this interdependent food web, this biosphere requires no outside input except light to maintain life inside itself.

This biosphere, however, is not a perfect ecosystem. Because the shrimp does not actually eat the plant, the plant will eventually need trimming back in order to prevent it from taking up too much space in the jar. Also, I determined that the light in the classroom was not supplying the biosphere with enough thermal energy, and so the jar is now placed atop a small raised pane of glass with a heating pad attached to its underside. My homemade biosphere was officially sealed on 5 November 2010. It will reside in my biology classroom for the rest of the school year.

The Case of the Mysterious Bug

This is one of only two pictures taken of a mysterious bug captured inside my high school on 27th October 2010. I apologise for the photo's poor quality, as it was taken on my cell phone. After doing some research, I have tentatively classified this mysterious creature as an assassin bug, family Reduviidae, though it is possible it could be a species in a related family. Assassin bugs are a group of carnivorous insects so named because of their method of hunting: they jump onto their prey and stab them with a single mandible (known as a rostrum) that can be folded in against their body when not needed. They then inject their prey with their saliva through their rostrum, which, like a spider's venom, turns their prey's insides into liquid, which is then sucked out through the rostrum. They thus "assassinate" their prey. Assassin bugs, if provoked, will also "assassinate" humans, which, while not harmful to the humans, is very painful for them. In hindsight, it was thus quite foolish for me to handle this specimen with my bare hands! This mysterious bug was released outdoors on 29th October 2010.

Why Lamarck's Theory Is No Longer Accepted

No matter how many flying lessons I give this chicken, her future chicks will not be any better at flying as a result. This is because her experiences during her lifetime do not alter her genes. Unless she somehow teaches her chicks to fly using the experience she has gained through flying lessons, they will most likely be as poor flyers as their parents would've been without flying lessons.