AS Biology Coursework Idea: Hebridean Hedgehogs

Here is another good topic for the AS essay. Hedgehogs, originally introduced as a biological control, have themselves become a pest. Lots of prickly issues around whether to cull or relocate. Again from the Guardian Environment pages:

Hebridean Hedgehogs: A prickly issue

AS Biology coursework idea: Asian “Terminator” Carp

Asian carp are an invasive species in the American Great Lakes that is causing widespread devastation to the indigenous species. Below is a link to an article in the Guardian (and scroll down for other associated links) plus an audio file.

News article: Terminator Carp

Audio:

gdnenv100224tmed-pilkington

AS level coursework essay: Use of CT scans in general health checks

Recently in the UK there has been a growth in private health care companies offering CT and MRI scans as part of general health checks. However, there has been some doubt as to whether thse are beneficial to healthy patients. Indeed that the suggestion of increased risk of cancer due the high radiation experienced has certainly raised suggestions as to whether the risks, if these are used regularly, outweigh the benefits for otherwise healthy individuals.

A sensitive topic as obviously these are very useful diagnostic tools and one wouldn’t want to frighten people from having scans if their doctor deems it important. Obviously the coursework criteria must be checked closely to see if this is a suitable topic and whether it provides enough for an essay. However, it just occurred to me as I was popping up the videos for CT scans and thought I would suggest it. Some useful links are below:

BBC news “Scan may increase cancer risk”

USA today report: Radiation from CT scans

AS coursework idea: golden rice

The issues surrounding the development of the genetically modified rice, golden rice, maybe a useful topic for the AS coursework essay. Rather than discussion of GM foods in general a look at this particular food, and the campaign and controls against it, provides a rich source of discussion. Golden rice has been modified to produce high amounts of vitamin A, a deficiency of which causes many deaths a year in the developing world:

“According to the World Health Organization, dietary vitamin A deficiency (VAD) causes some 250,000 to 500,000 children to go blind each year. Blindness and corneal afflictions are but indicators of more severe underlying health problems: more than half the children who lose their sight die within a year of becoming blind. VAD compromises the immune systems of approximately 40 percent of children under the age of five in the developing world, greatly increasing the risk of severe illnesses from common childhood infections.”

Golden Rice Project

However, the severe restrictions have been placed on the use of golden rice and, as of, writing it has not been allowed out of the lab as yet. Is the need for supplements via rice needed? Are there alternatives? Are the fears of introducing the rice into the general agricultural system justified? Do the benefits outweigh the potential risks?

To find out more follow the links below and watch the videos.

The Golden Rice Project

BBC news: Golden Rice

Articles from the Science journal (will need to pay for access)

Golden Rice: A dangerous experiment (from BanGMfood.org website)

Video 1: Excerpt from Channel 4 Animal Farm series (looking at genetic modification and tissue engineering, recommeded viewing). It is 5 minutes long and shows the techniques involved.

Video 2: Slideshow and commentary on golden rice. Gives a greater voice to those who are against the use of golden rice.

Avian deaths and wind farms: potential AS essay topic

I have just read an article discussing the presumed devastating effect wind farms have on the bird and bat populations. The article does accept the assertions that the turbines do cause death but then discusses faults in the studies that produce these conclusions. The article then discusses the authors own research, which investigates the different forms of energy supply (fossil fuel stations, nuclear stations and wind farms) and the number of bird deaths atributed to each source. I can spot a slightly dodgy aspect to the research in that he extrapolates deaths caused by climate change (which cannot be solely attributable to fossil fuel staions) but that only adds to the discussion that can be created around this issue.

As well as straight forward biological discussions on habitat destruction and an interesting issue about barotrauma in bats this article does prompt a healthy debate about the scientific methods involved in the various studies. I think it lends itself very well to the AS extended essay coursework and so thought I would draw your attention to it. The link is below:

Save Birds by Promoting Wind Energy

I have also added the pdf file here: sovacool-contextualizing_avian_20mortality , in case the web-link disappears.