Just before we're about to go out onstage, a great surge of energy rushes through us all and gives us a sense of invincibility. This is called an adrenaline rush. Adrenaline rushes are common before performances, games, or near death experiences. Adrenaline, also known as Epinephrine, is a hormone and neurotransmitter. It causes increase in heart rate, contracts blood vessels, dilates air passages, and triggers the flight-or-fight response. Adrenaline is produces by the adrenal gland, specifically from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.

A Visit to the Barn

Last week, I went to Little Brook Farm with Leanne. I learned many things about baby bunnies, horses, ponies, chickens and even miniature horses.

The first activity we accomplished was grooming a horse named Chelsea who is 32 years old. Chelsea has Cushing's Disease and Uveitis. Because she had Uveitis, her eye popped and now because it is dead, it shrinks each day. Cushings disease causes her to not to be able to control shedding, so she is a lot of work to groom!

Chelsea-

After Chelsea, we groomed Rosy, the pony. She is an example of a different type of horse, thus showing a different combination of gene alleles.

Rosy-

After grooming Rosy and a few more healthy horses, we went and checked out the 3 week old baby bunnies. They are a cross between a completely white rabbit and a black/brown rabbit. As you can see, they are white, black and gray.

baby bunnies-

Overall, we saw a variety of biological concepts. Between gene information, diseases, and new life we realized that a farm is a great place to learn about biology!

( i even made a new friend with Katie the horse! Here i am giving her a big hug!)

I had so much fun!

Welcome to Omaha, NE (aka Big Rockaway)

Hey hey hey, over the weekend, I traveled with Kevin to Omaha, Nebraska so he could compete in the NCFL Grand National Forensics Tournament. He's awesome.

But anyway, Omaha really has nothing there, it's a lot of flat land. But we did go to Creighton University, which has a teaching hospital on campus.

In the teaching hospital, interns learn the anatomy of humans and the science of medicine. For some unfortunate humans are inflicted with diseases such as cancer, which mess up the mitosis process of cells, and these interns are the ones who learn to rid of such deadly mutated cells.

Omaha also happens to have a lot of cows, who are part of the Anamalia kingdom, and apparently produce enough CO2 for it to actually be harmful to the E

arth's ozone layer. That's kinda bizarre.

We had also ventured into a vintage clothing store that smelled a lot of "pharmaceuticals" that are part of Plantea kingdom.

But really, the first things I saw while landing in Omaha was a barn and a tractor.

A Biking Trip

Last week i went bike riding with Zev. While bike riding I realized that biology is everywere. We passed by trees that where making energy through a proccess called photosynthesis. Because Zev does not have and leaves or chloraphyll, he breaks down food into Glucose which is then broken down for energy or stored. Like the trees, Zev is using and making energy. Energy is the capacity to perform work, in this case, pedal his bike. The are two kinds of energy: kinetic and potential. When Zev is on his bike sitting at the top of a hill, that is an example of potential energy. ATP or, Adenine triphosphate, is the cells choice of energy source. In the mitochondria a process called respiration breaks down compounds such as glucose from foods to obtain ATP. When the ATP is used by the body, phosphorylation recharges the ADP, or Adenine Diphosphate, to return it to its original state. Using ATP Zev taking me on a fun and exiting 15 mile bike ride along the Randolph trails. Because i am the Traveling PBWiki Shirt, I reminisce about the past adventures I have had.

By Zev Leopold

Last weekend I went to the beach with Carly and her family and friends. Biology was EVERYWHERE. First as we walked onto the sand we saw all the components it is made up of with minerals and tiny pieces of rock that have come from the erosion and weathering of rocks. Also we went to the freezing water and saw various and fish in the clearer parts of the water. I was especially fascinated when I saw a turtle swim past us in the water. Sea turtles are classified as kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class reptilian and order testudines. They are almost always in the water and have an anaerobic respiration. Also, when Carly was in the ocean, she was stung by a jelly fish. Jelly fish are actually not fish. They are from the kingdom Animalia, phylum crindaria and class scyphozoa. They are very interesting creatures. I learned and observed many interesting things at the beach today and saw biology everywhere I looked!