Stay Away From the Ocean Garbage

The next time you're swimming in the ocean and thinking about picking up some plastic trash, think again. According to the article, "Secret World of Ocean Garbage Patch Microbes Revealed" microbes are clinging to ocean trash. How the microbes are surviving on the plastic is currently unclear, but finding out could lead to some interesting discoveries. As most of us know, because of the oceans substantial size, humans are unable to know very much about the ocean. Luckily, a case such as the article presents, could lead to some insight into the ecosystem of the ocean. Unfortunately, the microbes that were found on the plastic could be potentially harmful to humans and animals.
Tia Ghose, who is the author of the article, states the facts of this event in a very advantageous way. The only criticism I would have is that she waits until the end of the article to present what the significance of finding the microbe filled plastic is. When first reading the article, towards the beginning I was thinking to myself, "Now... why does this matter?..." Luckily, towards the end of the article she tells us why this story is relevant when saying, "Unlocking the mysterious world of these microbes could help scientists understand the role of plastic in the ocean as a whole."
I find this subject to be very compelling. Seeing that we know so little about the ocean, its very exciting to know that that there may be something to open up the oceanic world to our human world. When comparing human life to nature and the organic environment, humans are such a small part of what the world is naturally made up of. I'm hoping this finding of microbial life on plastic takes off and studies begin to be conducted.
Since the found microbes could be harmful to humans, the next time I find any plastic in the ocean I'll just keep swimming. 

Who Needs Crops When You Have Microbes?

Finding an alternative to using oil for fuel production has been a strenuous battle. When the discovery that certain crops, like soy and corn, could be used to make fuel it was a big deal. Unfortunately, it is now being acknowledged that there simply isn’t enough space for these crops. What do we do now? Microbes are the answer. Specifically the Streptomyces bacterium. A microbe commonly seen in antibiotics, Streptomyces is a soil bacterium and may be the solution to the problem.

The article “How Scientists Could Expand The Menu Of Biofuel-Making Microbes” discusses how this concept was discovered and how scientists plan to move forward with this finding. The author, Jeff Spross, is arguing for the usage of microbes in the production of biofuel. Seeing that there doesn’t seem to be any negative results of using microbes as an alternative, it’s hard not to agree with Spross’ argument. The issue of limited amount of arable land space for crops is identified in the article, but there is also another issue. Spross states, “…the feedstocks also double as human food, so the demand for biofuels can drive up food prices.”

I completely agree that using microbes as an alternative source for biofuel is a brilliant idea. It’s an all-natural source, which I am always for, and producers know how to produce the Streptomyces in large quantities. As mentioned prior, Streptomyces is used for antibiotics, so producers are familiar with the production process. This seems as if it would be an easy transition and production process, so, why not?

This is definitely a concept that I think should be pursued. Any chance we get to improve the economy and find better alternatives for fuel should be taken. Spross does a good job go getting his argument across clearly and effectively. After reading his article, I am convinced that using microbes for biofuel is an excellent idea.

"Lemon? No Thank You!"

We’ve all heard about the germs in bar peanuts, but in lemon slices? According to the article, “Ice and a Lemon Slice? The Germs That Go With the Garnish” traces of E.coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis were found in lemon wedges. Researchers conducted tests from 21 eateries and 46 different visits to restaurants. Author, Kate Henderson states, “Lemon juice itself is a powerful and cleansing antimicrobial agent, but it seems the skins can teem with “potentially pathogenic microbes.”” The fact that something that has its own cleaning agent can’t be resistant to these microbes is a scary thought. You’re probably wondering where these dangerous critters are coming from. According to the article, the E.coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis could have came from raw meat or poultry in the restaurant kitchens. Dr. Philip Tierno from the Journal of Environmental Health has done similar tests and found germs on a majority of the lemon wedges tested. Tierno tested other drink toppers such as olives, cherries, and table condiments like ketchup. One of the most disturbing parts of this article is that Tierno chooses generally clean restaurants to take samples from. The same bacteria found on the lemon wedges are found in human feces. The fact that there could be the same bacteria in FECES in my water- will definitely make me think twice about getting a lemon wedge with my water. The good news is, the chances of the bacteria on the lemon wedges making you seriously sick, is slim. Although I wouldn’t be guaranteed an illness from the bacteria in lemon water, I’d rather not take the chance. Also the fact that restaurant’s lemon wedges will forever gross me out from now on is enough to say, “No thank you!”

Don't breath, Beijing.

Until reading the article, "Beijing Smog Contains Witches' Brew of Microbes" (January 31, 2014) I took for granted the amount of fresh air we have in the United States. We are all fully aware that lots of fresh air is vital to our existence, but its easy to forget that some people don't get this privilege. According to Chinese researchers, there are 1,300 different microbial species in a smog that struck Beijing in January 2013. The researchers used a process called genome sequencing to observe the amount of microbial species in the Beijing air. Luckily, a majority of the microbes are fairly harmless, but some are still responsible for allergies and respiratory disease. The author of the article, Mark Peplow, states that, "the scientists took 14 air samples over 7 consecutive days and filtered out two types of particles: those measuring less than 2.5 micrometres across, and those up to 10 micrometers across..." From the tests, the scientists found three species of microbes: Geodermatophilus obscures, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Aspergillus fumigatus. The most abundant species was Geodermatophilus obscures which is, according to the article, "a common soil bacterium." The other bacteria, unfortunately, don't sound as mild. Streptococcus pneumoniae causes pneumonia, which becomes clear from its name "pneumoniae". Aspergillus fumigates is a, "a fungal allergen; and a range of other bacteria typically found in feces." Its very obvious to me why this strange Beijing smog is being studied. Breathing in pneumonia and feces microbes is not something I want to do every time I step outside. Sadly, this article does not come with a very happy ending. Peplow states at the end of the article that, "In the past few years, public pressure has persuaded the Chinese government to tackle the country’s growing air pollution problem. But for now the smogs continue." He also says that the, " PM2.5 levels in Beijing rose above 600 micrograms per cubic meter" and people have been advised to stay inside. If you ask me, this isn't something to just ignore. If you are being forced to stay inside your home because you might die from breathing outside, its time to take action. Hopefully, these studies can lead to some resolutions. Until then, stay inside people of Beijing.