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Issue 1, Volume 2 --- Winter 2016

Editors In Chief:

Lauren Quinn

June Yin

Section Editors:

Tony Liu

Jordan Pincus

Copy Editors:

Alyssa Dang

Olivia Kuang

Ahir Verma

Editorial Consultants:

Mr. Fornale

Mr. Weber

Graphic Designers

Jordan Pincus

June Yin

Lauren Quinn

Thank you to all of our wonderful

writers, who worked hard on these

informative pieces. Special thanks to

Mr. Weber for a work station and help

on publishing. And of course, thanks to

Mr. Fornale for guiding our writing.

Espresso is completely designed,

written, and published by Mr. Fornale’s

sixth-grade Gifted and Talented

Education English Language Arts class.

©2016 Green Brook Township School District

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Contributing

Authors

Leo Affouf

Katie Chen

Alyssa Dang

Sarah Kasar

Olivia Kuang

Tony Liu

Jordan Pincus

Lauren Quinn

Devan Sutaria

Ahir Verma

June Yin

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Table of Contents

History Section………………………..... 11

The History of Numbers………………..13

Leo Affouf

World War I…………………………...15

Leo Affouf

The Evolution of Halloween…………….17

Olivia Kuang

Nine Eleven…………………………....19

Tony Liu

Coffee………………………………....21

Jordan Pincus

The Evolution of Handheld Technology….23

Ahir Verma

People Section………………………..….25

Paleontologists………………………...27

Katie Chen

Kitty White………………………….…29

Alyssa Dang

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The Aborigine Tribe of Australia……..…31

Lauren Quinn

Medical Scientists Who Have Changed the

World…………………………………33

Devan Sutaria

Science Section………………………….35

Cell Biology…………………………..37

Leo Affouf

The Beginning of Genetics…………….39

Leo Affouf

The Dangers of Soda…………..………41

Sarah Kasar

Relativity………………………..……43

Ahir Verma

Autism (ASD)……………………..….45

June Yin

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SaimGraphics

Pixabay.com

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Numbers that we use today

are a part of everyday life.

Students use them in

mathematics, adults at their

jobs, buying things, telling

time, and in so many other

occasions. While people are

using them, nobody really thinks

about their origin. Numbers’

backgrounds are much more

interesting than what someone

would think. People from all

over the world: Arabs, Indians,

Greeks, Romans, helped shape

numbers into the way that they

are now (The Book of Numbers).

The first step towards the

making of numbers were cavemen

drawings.(The Book of Numbers).

Proof shows that they actually

attempted to make word and

number symbols in their

paintings.(The Book of Numbers).

Perhaps it was to keep

track of how many animals they

hunted that day, or how many

berries were gathered. Nobody

truly knows the reason, although

there are many theories about

it.

Each civilization had its

own contribution to numbers. For

example, the Arabs brought in

the number zero.(The Book of

Numbers). Also, the modern

numbers that we use today are

actually Arabic numerals. This

is so because the amount of

angles in the number creates the

number (The Book of Numbers).

For example, one has one angle,

two has two angles, etc.

While there are quite well-

known ways to express numbers,

such as 1, 2, 3, 4, there are

also strange ways. One such

seemingly random system is: wan,

twan, tethera, methera, pimp,

sethera, lethera, hovera,

dovera, dick…. This is what is

one, two, three, etc, in this

system.(The Book of Numbers).

However, there is a reason for

this, and it actually comes from

a nursery rhyme. Hovera, dovera,

dick, probably came from

Hickory, dickory, dock.(The Book

of Numbers).

Mainly, it was the Greeks,

Indians, and Arabs who helped

shape up the number. However,

Egyptians came up with the idea

of rational numbers, Germans and

Americans proved transcendentals

and reals, etc. (The Book of

Numbers). People use numbers

every single day, but nobody

really pauses to think about

them. They just go about using

them in everyday life, day after

day. But really, their history

is much more fascinating than

what people would think.

Work Cited

The Book of Numbers, by John H.

Conway and Richard K. Guy

The History of Numbers

Leo Affouf

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World War I is known as the

Great War, and for good reason.

It killed off and wounded

millions of people from one

country alone. At the beginning

of the war, the world was filled

with flourishing empires: The

Ottoman Empire, the Habsburg

Empire, the Russian Empire, the

German Empire, etc.(World War

I). Most of these empires had

vanished by the year of 1920.

The Ottoman Empire was utterly

destroyed and replaced by a

nationalist dictatorship which

is now modern-day Turkey.(World

War I). Other empires were

changed into republics that

thrive today. World War I had

effects that changed the world…

mostly for the worse. For about twenty years

before World War I occurred,

Europe was creating weaponry and vehicles to arm itself in

anticipation of a major

conflict. For instance, the

Krupp works, a company that

produced weapons, created

Germany’s heavy artillery.(World

War I). These naval guns were

destined for Germany’s brand-new

fleet, which was created in 1898

to 1914, before World War I

began.(World War I). As Kaiser

Wilhelm II said, “Recklessness

and weakness will plunge the

world into the most horrible war

aimed to destroy Germany. For

there can no longer be any

doubts: England, France, and

Russia have conspired….to wage a

war of annihilation against us.”

He wrote this in a memo sent

when he learned that Russia had

begun to mobilize troops. But

when the spark came and lit the

powder keg, none of the

combatants realized how large

the scale of the conflagration

would be until it was too late. After Napoleon was defeated

at Waterloo in 1815, 19th-

century Europe had six wars

between major powers, three of

which involved Russia and the

Ottoman Empire.(World War I).

Alliances were made before the

war; Some of which were: the

Triple Alliance, between

Germany, Italy, and Austro-

Hungary, and the Franco-Russian

Alliance, between France and

Russia.(World War I). These two

alliances were key to later

events in the war. Machine-guns

were developed in France and the

USA in the 1860s.(World War I).

The Balkan Wars came and went,

its cause to free Macedonia from

Turkish rule in 1912 (World War

I). Macedonia was supported by

Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and

Montenegro (World War I). Most

countries’ industrialization

rapidly increased, societies

were stratified, and things were

somewhat what people had

expected. Then came the fateful

visit of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand and his wife to

Sarajevo…. Archduke Franz Ferdinand

was the nephew and heir to the

well-known Habsburg Emperor

Franz Josef, and his wife, the

Countess Sofia, were heading to

Sarajevo for the maneuvers of

the Austro-Hungarian army.(World

War I). Meanwhile, members of

the group Young Bosnia, had

plans for their assassinations.

Young Bosnia’s goal was to

liberate Slav lands from

World War I

Leo Affouf

Espresso 16

Habsburg rule, so they decided

to assassinate the heir to the

throne.(World War). The first

attempt failed, when the bomb

thrown bounced off of the

archduke’s car, injuring two

policemen and some bystanders.

Still, the car continued, and

the second attempt

happened….successfully. Young 19-year-old Gavrilo

Princip was a Serbian member of

the group Young Bosnia. He

watched and waited for the

archduke’s car to come, and when

it did, Princip was ready. He

quickly whipped out a gun and

fired it twice in rapid

succession. The result was the

death of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand and of the Countess

Sofia. The countries of Europe

did not begin World War I mainly

because of these assassinations,

or any other political attempts,

but also because of economic and

social changes in Europe in the

last 40 years.(World War I).

There was no doubt about it: War

had begun. On the date of July 28,

1914, Austria-Hungary declared

war on Serbia, and that was the

starting point. Germany then

declared war on Russia, France,

and Belgium. Montenegro declared

war on Austria-Hungary, Serbia

declared war on Germany, and

Austria-Hungary on Russia. The

final ‘war declarations’

happened when Montenegro

declared war on Germany, and

Britain and France declared war

on Austria-Hungary. What could

have been a small-time war

escalated into a huge massacre

when Germany declared war. Battles were fought, plans

were made. Men were killed,

cities were bombed, mutiny

occurred, and oh, the horrors of

battle that occurred in that

war. One of the most famous

massacres in World War I was the

Kindermord. Young and old were

slaughtered at Ypres, and there

were very few survivors. One

recalled of the events, “The men

were too young and the officers

too old.” One highly powerful weapon

used in the war was mustard gas,

which was very dangerous,

despite its humorous name. It

was first used by the Germans,

and then by all. Mustard gas

almost always killed, and if

not, the victim would be scarred

for life, quite literally. This

certain type of gas would rot

the body both inside and out if

it came in contact with the

body. After four whole years of

bloodiness and torture, the

armistice was signed. The date

was November 11, 1918 when the

war ended. People were extremely

relieved when the war was over.

Little did they know that

another one was soon to come….

Work Cited

World War I, by DK: Dorlan

Kipling

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Halloween is, according to

www.history.com , a time of

irrational fear and festivity.

Over the years, its style of

festivity has changed

dramatically. When a holiday,

place, or object changes, it is

usually a good thing, since when

it changes, it becomes more

modern. For example, Halloween

was once celebrated by Celtics

for religious reasons, but it is

now an occasion for children and

adults to dress up in costumes

and collect candy from

neighbors. To truly understand

how Halloween has evolved, we

must delve into this more

closely.

First, when Samhain, or

Halloween, was created by the

Celtics, the new year was

celebrated on November 1st, and

October 31st, the last day of

the year, was religiously

thought to be a day where dead

spirits would come back to

mingle with the Celtics, since

the last day of the year was

believed to be the day the dead

would travel to the otherworld(

www.loc.gov ). The Celtics

feared the dead, and therefore

dressed up to pretend that they

were also ghosts so the real

ghosts would not bother, or

haunt them(www.loc.gov) . They

also left sacrifices for the

ghosts (www.loc.gov ). That way,

the ghosts would leave them

alone as a bargain for the

offerings. We can see

similarities between Samhain,

the original holiday, and

Halloween, the holiday we

celebrate today. For example,

people would dress up in

costumes, and give out food to

others. This shows that some

traditions of the old holiday

and the new holiday stayed the

same.

Later on, Samhain was

adapted by the Christians (

www.loc.gov ), one of the most

well-known religions in the

world. This helped spread the

holiday to even more people

around the world, and it brought

the traditions more up to date

and Christian(www.loc.gov ). The

ancient deities from Celtic

belief were decidedly associated

with the devil, and November 1st

was renamed as All Saints’ Day(

www.loc.gov ). The day before

this celebration was known as

All Hallows’ Eve. Eventually,

the name was shortened into the

well-known title: Halloween.

This also made the holiday more

modern by giving it a new name.

When this happens, we see that

some major parts of Samhain have

changed, such as the religion.

This change is very large, and

it makes the entire concept of

the two celebrations different.

For Samhain, it was to protect

oneself from ghosts. Later, it

was to protect oneself from the

devil.

One of the last steps of

making this celebration the

popular holiday that we all love

is trick-or-treating. Trick-or-

treating was created sometime

during the Great Depression

(www.history.com ). During this

era, very few people had food.

Because of this, parents would

urge their children to beg for

food on Thanksgiving, in order

to have enough rations to

The Evolution of Halloween

Olivia Kuang

Espresso 18

survive (www.history.com ).

Similarly, children nowadays go

door-to-door, collecting candy

from neighbors. This makes

Halloween more about

festivities, and not about

protecting oneself from

mythological beings or using the

rations to survive.

So, in conclusion, there is

more to this holiday than what

meets the eye. Halloween

underwent several changes, but

all of those changes helped make

Halloween the enjoyable, fun

night it is every year. Dressing

up, becoming Christian, and

inviting the tradition of trick-

or-treating all had an important

role in the evolution of

Halloween. Halloween is not the

only celebration to have evolved

due to religion, changing times,

or cultural circumstances. It

is merely one holiday out of

many that will continue to

evolve. Tracing these changes

adds to our appreciation of our

holidays.

Works Cited

"History of Halloween"

History.com. A&E Television

Networks, Web. 14 Dec.

2015.

"Halloween: The Fantasy and

Folklore of All Hallows”

(The American Folklife

Center, Library of

Congress). Jack Santino.

Web. 15 Dec. 2015.

"History of Trick-or-Treating"

History.com. A&E Television

Networks. Web. 16 Dec.

2015.

Espresso 19

September 11, started off

like a day that was normal and

like any other day in 2001.

However later that day on

September 11, 2001, the world

all stood in shock. Airports

nationwide closed, schools

closed, banks closed, and every

single attraction in Washington

DC was closed. America was on

lockdown. Tuesday, September 11,

2001. Children were boarding

school buses and getting ready

for another regular Tuesday. In

states that are in the Eastern

Time Zone, people are all

scrambling to get to work.

Traffic builds up as the rush

hour starts. In New York City,

it’s 7:00 and like other major

cities located in the Eastern

Time Zone, the rush hour has

started. Cars and buses fill the

roads and create huge traffic

jams. The subway, path train,

and NJ Transit trains are

getting packed as people stand

next to each other, shoulder

pressing on shoulder. NYPD

officers all are on high alert

because of the sudden increase

of people on the roads, streets,

and trains. This is the normal

procedure that everyone was

going through on a weekday

morning. Everything was running

smoothly until 8:46 AM when

American Airlines flight 11

slammed into one of the Twin

Towers in the World Trade

Center, it was the North Tower.

The flight had 92 passengers and

crew on board, and crashed into

the North Tower going at 470

miles per hour. New York City

was in shock. They couldn’t

believe the accident they were

seeing, but they didn’t know how

wrong they were thinking it was

an accident.

Within minutes,

firefighters and police officers

were at the towers securing the

area and rescuing people on the

inside. The fire there was huge

and emergency services were

struggling to rescue everyone

and put out the flames. It’s just 17 minutes after

New York saw the North Tower get

hit when another plane is seen

heading straight for the South

Tower. At 9:03, United Airlines

flight 175 with 65 passengers

and crew on board, going at 595

miles per hour, crashes into the

South Tower. Frightened screams

of horror are heard all around

the Twin Towers. New York now

realizes that this is no

accident. Rescuers scramble to get

everyone to safety and rescue

everyone from the towers. 56

minutes after the South Tower

was hit, it started falling at

9:59, a couple seconds later,

the South Tower is nothing but a

huge pile of debris. The scene

was like a volcano erupting.

There was a gigantic ash cloud

eating up blocks and blocks of

the area around it. New York

City was in chaos with people

running everywhere and emergency

vehicles all heading in

different directions. At 10:28,

Nine Eleven

Tony Liu

Espresso 20

the North Tower goes down

sending another huge dust cloud.

The Twin Towers were gone. In Washington

DC, officials are trying to

solve this issue as fast as they

can. However at 9:37, their

fears are getting worse when

American Airlines flight 77

crashes into the Pentagon. The

whole country is wishing it’s a

dream and fearing that it was

going to get worse. They were

right. At 10:03 AM, United

Airlines flight 93 crashed into

a field in Shanksville,

Pennsylvania. It had not reached

its destination because the

passengers on board fought back.

The United States has had enough

and was done playing games. It

ordered all planes flying over

the United States at that time

to land. 5,000 planes over the

US were all told to land no

matter what, and just over an

hour later, no planes were over

the US. This included all

helicopters doing city tours and

airplanes carrying banners. Back in New York, the

collapsing buildings caused

other neighboring buildings to

catch fire. Three other

buildings catch fire including

World Trade Center 4, 5, and 6.

World Trade Center 7, however,

also is on fire but nobody

notices. At 5:20 pm, that

building too, falls. September 11 was the worst

attack on American soil ever. On

that day, almost 3000 people

died in Washington DC and in New

York. War was happening and the

United States was preparing for

it. In 2004, construction

started on the USS New York, a

military ship used for deploying

troops. This ship is made from

7.5 tons of steel that was taken

from the World Trade Center.

Also on board that ship, there

is a gigantic poster with every

single person’s name on it that

died in September 11. This truly

shows that America will honor

the tragic events of September

11 and the brave heroes.

Works Cited http://www.history.com/topics/9-

11-attacks http://www.ussnewyork.com/ http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story

?id=123822&page=1 http://911research.wtc7.net/plan

es/attack/flight11.html http://www.ducksters.com/history

/us_1900s/september_11_attacks.p

hp

Espresso 21

Coffee is one of the most

demanded beverages in the world.

Many adults cannot get through

the day without a mug full of

it. There are lines at Starbucks

Coffees out the door and down

the road. Coffee has influenced

modern society in three

different ways. It has made

people money; improving their

work ethic. It has improved

people’s health, and it has also

brought more friendship and

love. Coffee was a beverage

discovered in the form of

berries by a herder, Kali.

(ncausa.org) He fed it to his

goats, and it turned out they

were so energetic they could not

sleep at night. (pbs.org)

Because of these hyperactive

goats, coffee is now used to

reenergize and improve the work

ethic of adults. Most

businesses, whether they are

cubicle offices, coffee house

themselves, or anything in

between, have coffee makers.

Adults who like to have a mug-

full every morning can be awake

and alert to take on their day.

It also works for those unlucky

enough to be working a graveyard

shift, keeping them up

throughout the night. Also, a

good work session means a good

salary. When coffee was still

just being discovered, Kali

shared the coffee cherries he

fed his goats with monks at a

local monastery. (ncausa.org)

They made a drink with the

berries, which kept them awake

for the long hours of their

evening prayer. (pbs.org) Just

like it was then, coffee will

always be an energizer to the

world.

Coffee has improved

people’s health, too. This may

seem preposterous, but this is

not a lie. Coffee actually can

improve your mood. The caffeine

in coffee blocks a

neurotransmitter called

Adenosine. (popsci.com) By

blocking this, other

neurotransmitters are fired,

like dopamine, which makes you

feel happier and more alert.

(popsci.com) But not only that,

coffee is addicting. And because

it is addicting to many adults,

it can slowly stop them from

smoking, or doing drugs. Even

the smell of coffee can help

relieve stress. Researchers at

the Seoul National University

examined the brains of rats who

were stressed with sleep

deprivation and discovered that

those who were exposed to coffee

aromas experienced changes in

brain proteins tied to that

stress. (huffingtonpost.com)

Drinking a mug a day can help

you stay relaxed, happy and

healthy.

This world as it is could

use a little more peace and

friendship, what with countries

deep into feuds. It does not

have to be that drastic, though.

Huge problems can start with

just a little quarrel. Coffee

can bring some friendships

together that could have never

been. People can meet over

coffee, improving a

relationship. Not only that, but

relationships can form in a

bunch of different and unique

ways. A barista and a customer

Coffee

Jordan Pincus

Espresso 22

can hit it off, for example.

Coffee is a form of social

currency; it provides an avenue

for catching up with an old

friend, or forging new

relationships with prospective

friends or romantic partners.

(westandgrand.com) A mug of

coffee can end up changing our

world little by little, causing

people to come together and

prevent hate and suffering.

Coffee has its charm, with

its magnificent aroma and its

appearance. But what really

makes coffee special is how it

can drastically affect this

society, changing it for the

better. It can improve work

ethic, it can improve health,

and it can improve

relationships. From a crowded

Starbucks shop to a calm diner,

this beverage is a way to unite

the world, one cup at a time.

Espresso 23

At this point in the

evolution of technology, the

average adult’s life is centered

around a smartphone. Any

smartphone today can call, text

message, connect to the

internet, display media, take HD

photos and videos, download

external applications, and store

files. Supercomputers 45 years

in the past had tens of

thousands of times less memory,

tens of thousands of times less

processing power, but still tens

of thousands of times larger

price tags than an average to

high end smartphone today (Phone

Arena). It is truly remarkable

that in only a few decades,

smartphones, being hundreds of

times smaller than old

supercomputers, can perform

tasks thousands of times faster,

perform thousands of times more

tasks, and all at a thousands

of times less of a price. It is

also amazing that a small piece

of machinery could become such a

huge part of our lives. The Apollo 11 Guidance

supercomputer, the most powerful

computer of 1975, had only 64

kilobytes of RAM memory, meaning

it could only carry out 64

kilobytes worth of tasks at a

given time (Phone Arena). When

we compare this to modern

smartphones today, we find that

most of our smartphones have two

to four gigabytes of RAM, which

is 30,000-60,000 times more than

the oldest supercomputer

(Specout). The oldest

supercomputer also only had one

processor which ran at a speed

of 43 KHz (Phone Arena). Most

smartphones today have one or

two processors, each with

multiple cores (AndroidPit).

These processors can run at a

speed of 1-3 GHz, 20,000-70,000

times faster than the Apollo 11

supercomputer (Phone Arena).

This computer was 70 pounds,

compared to the four to seven

ounces of new smartphones (Phone

Arena). The first ever phone call

from a mobile phone was made in

1973 (Computer Science Degree

Hub). The first cell phone sold

10 years later, for almost

$4,000 (Computer Science Degree

Hub). The IBM Simon, the first

“smartphone,” was released in

1994 for $1100. It had 1

megabyte of RAM and a 160x293

touchscreen with a stylus for

input (Phone Arena). However,

this product was discontinued

after a year, and though the IBM

Simon was technically a

smartphone, the first phone

actually referred to that way

the Ericsson R380 (Phone Arena).

This was released in the year

2000 for $700, and weighed only

164 grams (Phone Arena). This

product had access to the

internet. The IBM Simon,

however, was limited to email in

terms of internet use (Phone

Arena). From here on, many manufacturers

entered the mix, a few examples

being Apple, Samsung, and

Motorola. Since 2000, phones

have developed multi-touch

touchscreens, advanced cameras

and processors, advanced

connectivity, and easy to use

software. They have capabilities

The Evolution of Handheld Technology

Ahir Verma

Espresso 24

so advanced, they would have

seemed like magic in 1983 when

the first mobile phone was

released. 64% of American adults

now own a smartphone, and that

number is on the rise (Pew

Research Center). Smartphones

have revolutionized the way we

interact with technology, each

other, as well as how we consume

media. They have replaced books,

calendars, maps, cameras, paper

files, music players, and phone

books, all while doing each of

their jobs more efficiently and

easily. Smartphones may truly be

the most remarkable use of

technology to date.

Works Cited

"A Modern Smartphone or a

Vintage Supercomputer:

Which Is More Powerful?"

Phone Arena. Web. 14 Dec.

2015. "How Much Memory Does the

Samsung Galaxy S6 Have?"

Samsung Galaxy S6. Web. 14

Dec. 2015.

"Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4

Comparison: Notably

Different? - Android PIT." Android PIT.Web.

14 Dec. 2015. "U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015."

Pew Research Center

Internet Science Tech RSS.

1 Apr. 2015. Web. 14 Dec.

2015. "From Bricks to Brains: The

Evolution of the Cell

Phone." Computer Science

Degree Hub. Web. 14 Dec.

2015.

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Espresso 26

Espresso 27

Paleontologists are

scientists that dig up and study

fossils, especially dinosaur

bones. Being a Paleontologist

takes a lot of work and studying

in school on, fossils, physical

training, and gaining

experience. Although

Paleontologists search for

fossils often, they usually find

common fossils, while their

training is hard, and pay is

low, Paleontologists still work

hard camping out in harsh

conditions to find fossils for

us to learn more about nature's

history. They travel all over

the land trying to discover new

fossils and the area they search

in is not very hostile.

The most common fossils

found by paleontologists are

Ammonites, Trilobites,

Brachiopods, etc. Ammonites are

coiled up shells whose colors

can vary from red, orange,

yellow, green, blue, purple,

pink, and brown. Trilobites are

bug-like creatures whose colors

can be black, white, grey, or

brown depending on the type of

rock in which they are preserved

in. Brachiopods

are shells. They colors can vary

depending on the type of rock

they are preserved in, like

Trilobite fossils.

Paleontologists also discover

other fossils such as insects

and small animals that became

stuck in sap, which harden and

become amber.

In order to become a

Paleontologist, the first thing

you need to find out is whether

it is the right career path for

you, because the worst thing to

happen is getting the job, then

not enjoying it. Also they earn

around $67,300-$153,120 yearly.

(http://www.academicinvest.com/s

cience-careers/geology-

careers/how-to-become-a-

paleontologist) It is important

to find a job that is enjoyable,

instead of torture. The next

step is the education. In order

to become a knowledgeable

paleontologist, everybody will

have to get a PhD in

paleontology which stands for

Doctor of Philosophy, and a

certain body coursework in your

undergraduate years.

(http://www.academicinvest.com/s

cience-careers/geology-

careers/how-to-become-a-

paleontologist). A strong

background knowledge about

natural science is which

includes nature and outside

surroundings. These skills are

critical in the process of

becoming a Paleontologist.

Being a Paleontologist

isn’t easy, they have to camp

out when on the search for

fossils in deserted areas or

anywhere they decided to start

searching. It could take weeks,

even months. Most of the times

when Paleontologists are on the

hunt for fossils, they find

either common fossils, or none

at all. To be able to find

fossils and carefully take them

out is a very frustrating and

difficult task itself. Fossils

are very fragile and can be

broken easily, so when a

Paleontologist and his/her crew

Paleontologists

Katie Chen

Espresso 28

find fossils, they use tools

like the rock hammer to hammer

loose the soil or rock around

it, then a sharp knife to get

the bones out . Meanwhile they

do that, Paleontologists have to

keep the area clean with a

brush(http://teacher.scholastic.

com/activities/dinosaurs/expert/

transcript.htm). Doing that

takes a long time as well,

depending on the size and age of

the fossil(s). Some fossils are

older than others, so naturally

they are more fragile. Most of

the times, the bones fall apart

and the Paleontologists have to

carefully put glue to make sure

the bone stays together.

(http://teacher.scholastic.com/a

ctivities/dinosaurs/expert/trans

cript.htm).

If one wants to become a

Paleontologist, that is his/her

choice. This job, as stated

above, is not that easy. Hard

work is needed if one wants the

skills to become a great

Paleontologist. Although

Paleontologists search for

fossils often, they usually find

common fossils, while their

training is hard, and pay is

low, Paleontologists still work

hard camping out in harsh

conditions to find fossils for

us to learn more about nature's

history. Being a Paleontologist

takes a lot of work and studying

in school about, fossils,

training, and experience.

Although some people think of

Paleontology to be easy, it is

not as easy as one might think.

though these fossils are common,

it still can take a lot of work

and effort to find and separate

them from all the hard

compressed rock they have been

preserved in for millions and

billions of years.

Works Cited

http://teacher.scholastic.com/ac

tivities/dinosaurs/expert/transc

ript.htm

http://blogs.plos.org/paleo/2013

/06/17/how-to-find-a-fossil/

http://education.nationalgeograp

hic.org/encyclopedia/paleontolog

y/

http://work.chron.com/much-

money-paleontologists-make-

21918.html

http://www.academicinvest.com/sc

ience-careers/geology-

careers/how-to-become-a-

paleontologist

Espresso 29

Hello Kitty: somebody

living with a fake identity.

Even though she lives in fame,

she still has her own life, her

family, and her friends. She has

her secrets. Secrets that would

turn the world upside down if

they were to be unveiled.

First off, according to the

facts, Hello Kitty is not a cat

(www.popsugar.com), nor is her

name actually Hello Kitty, and

as a matter of fact, she is also

British (www.latimes.com). She

is called Hello Kitty because

saying ‘hello’ is how to greet

somebody, and her appearance is

supposed to welcome people. Her

real name is Kitty White

(www.popsugar.com). Even though

she is famous and lives in the

limelight, she is like any other

young girl. She has a family,

she eats food, she has a

boyfriend, and she has a height

and a weight

(https://.weebly.com). In

fact, because she is so normal

and loves the world, she also

has loving pets.

Her parents’ names are Mary and

George. She would seem like an

only child since no one else

besides her in her family is

famous, but she actually has a

twin sister called Mimmy White

(https://.weebly.com). She also

has a boyfriend named Dear

Daniel, she owns a cat named

Charmmy Kitty. She also has a

hamster named Sugar

(www.popsugar.com). Funny, she

used to be thought to be a cat,

yet one of her pets is a cat.

In Hello Kitty’s world, things

are just completely flip

flopped. The differences are

like two different universes

which have different languages

trying to communicate with one

another. For instance, the way

to measure weight and height are

completely different. It is

measured in apples. Hello Kitty

weighs three apples and is five

apples tall(www.popsugar.com).

This may be or may not be a

coincidence, but, her favorite

food is also

apples(http://viralscape.com).

Most surprising of all, she was

intended to be a boy at

first(http://viralscape.com).

That would explain why her twin

sister called her Onii-chan

meaning “big brother” in

Japanese

(http://viralscape.com).

Hopefully, after reading

this, Hello Kitty will be seen

differently. She should not be

seen as just another animation

character; nor should she be

seen as a cat. She will be able

to be her true self because now

the world knows. She will not

have to live a life that is not

true. She has a family, and her

own life. So, next time the

topic of Hello Kitty comes up,

spread Hello Kitty's real life

story.

Kitty White

Alyssa Dang

Espresso 30

Works Cited

White, Hilary. "10 Hello Kitty

Facts That'll Forever

Change the Way You See

Her."

Popsugar.com. POPSUGAR Inc., 25

Dec. 2015. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

Miranda, Carolina. "Hello Kitty

Is Not a Cat, plus More

Reveals before Her L.A.

Tour."

Latimes.com. Los Angeles Times,

26 Aug. 2014. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

"Hello Kitty Fun Facts and

Trivia." Weebly.com. Jr. 88

Rules. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.

"11 Surprising Things You Never

Knew About Hello

Kitty."Viralscape.com.

Viralscape. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

Espresso 31

The Aboriginal tribe of

Australia has the oldest

cultural history of the world

(australia.gov). This culture

goes back between 50,000 and

65,000 year (australia.gov). The

Aboriginal culture is still

alive today with many traditions

staying the same and many

changing as well. These

traditions are very important

for the Aboriginal culture since

they are the basis for this

culture’s history and future.

Some of these include the use of

art, the land, and rituals such

as dances and festivals. These

not only keep the culture alive

today but have also kept the

culture alive for the past

60,000 years (australia.gov).

The most important course

of survival was living off the

land(survivalinternational.org.

The Aboriginal culture had a

unique way of having a

continuous supply of food. The

tribes lived in a certain part

of their land for a season or

until the food was not plentiful

anymore (www.utas.edu.au. Next

they would move on to a

different part of their land.

The next season they would

travel to another part of the

land and continue this process

until they got back to their

first destination. By the time

they got back here, the food

would have regrown and they

would be able to find enough to

survive until they repeated the

process again

(www.utas.edu.au).They always

lived with the land as their

greatest friend (australia.gov).

They believed that they had to

protect the land for it to give

them what they needed

(australia.gov). This has now

changed with modern ways of

getting food, however, this did

keep people alive for most of

this culture’s history.

Another way that the

Aboriginal tribes have conserved

their traditions is through the

arts. They practice art types

such as rock carving, body

painting, and ground designs

(australia.gov). These forms of

art date back to over 30,000

years (australia.gov). These art

forms have grown and developed

highly since then. One current

art form is dot painting. When

using this style, people will

express themselves through

paintings made entirely out of

dots (australia.gov). These

works of art express the

artist’s experiences and life

through symbols constructed from

dots (australia.gov). These are

highly detailed paintings. There

are many other styles as well

including slightly less

extravagant ways. These include

bark paintings and weaving

(australia.gov).

Another important aspect of

this culture is its separate

tribes. Each of these tribes

have unique languages, art

forms, performances, dances,

stories, and entertainment

(australia.gov). There were

about 600 different clan

groups(australia.gov). However,

this was before Europe invaded.

In the present, there are about

500 different Aboriginal peoples

in Australia

(survivalinternational.com).

The Aboriginal Tribes of Australia

Lauren Quinn

Espresso 32

Each of these groups is its own

in a way. One example of a

language is Aboriginal English.

Today this is a commonly spoken

language for the Aboriginal

culture, but there used to be

many more languages that were

spoken. With the rapid decrease

of Aboriginal people, many

languages have left with the

people that spoke them.

The Aboriginal Culture is

very important because of its

methods of survival, art, and

knowledge. This is the reason

that it has survived for such a

long time. Aboriginal culture is

also very important because it

formed a path for other

civilizations to follow. Many of

the traditions of this culture

have not stayed the same. Still

many practices stay the same due

to a deep concentration on

preserving the culture and its

ideas. This culture has many

ways of enduring threats to its

people and will continue to do

so for many more generations.

Works Cited

“Australian Indigenous Cultural

Heritage”. australia.gov.

Australia government. March

31, 2015. December 14,

2015.

“Aboriginal People”. survival

international.org. Survival

International. 2016.

December 14, 2015.

Patsy, Cameron “Aboriginal Life

Pre-Invasion.” Aboriginal

Life Pre-Invasion. 2006.

January 4, 2016.

Espresso 33

As we speak, the field of

medicine is evolving to be more

and more advanced. For over four

hundred years, scientists have

been attempting many tests to

keep the world running with

healthy human beings. There have

been many scientists who have

had a lasting impression in the

field of medicine, but there

have been three essential

physicians who have saved

hundreds of thousands of lives.

This group of extraordinary

scientists include William

Harvey, Francis Crick, and Louis

Pasteur. These scientists have

revealed major breakthroughs in

the field of medicine and are

saving several lives every

single day.

William Harvey was an

English physician who was born

in 1578

(www.famousscientists.org). He

is responsible for many

scientific feats, but he is most

known for developing the

information that the heart pumps

blood throughout the

body(zephyrus). Before

Harvey, people around the world

had many theories of where blood

comes from, but they were all

incorrect. Harvey drew out the

diagram that showed the arteries

and veins coming to and from the

heart

(www.famousscientists.org).

However, Harvey was also

recognized for more medical

advancements, also incorporating

the circulatory system. William

Harvey accomplished one of the

first major breakthroughs in the

field of medicine and his work

is very appreciated today by

cardiologists.

William Harvey had broke

the ice for more discoveries to

come in the near future; just

under four hundred years later,

Francis Crick made the most

important discovery involving

the building blocks of life:

DNA. DNA is a recurring material

in all living organisms, from

humans to prehistoric

creatures.(ghr.nlm.nih.gov) In

1953, Crick and his companion,

James D. Watson, tried to expose

the structure of DNA

(www.famousscientists.org).

Francis Crick’s discoveries were

well known throughout his

nation, and in 1953, Crick won

the Nobel Peace Prize

(www.famousscientists.org). Even

today, scientists throughout the

world are using DNA to revive

past creatures and learn more

about them. They can also study

about DNA being passed onto

creatures who are living today,

such as the wooly mammoth’s DNA

being similar to the those of an

elephant (www.nature.com). As

time progressed, Crick’s

disclosure led to many, many

more theories consisting of DNA

came to existence. For example,

Oswald Avery discovered that DNA

is hereditary and that one’s son

is fifty percent related to his

or her father, and the other

half is linked to their mother

(www.nature.com). Francis Crick

revealed a groundbreaking

discovery that changed the way

scientists view past creatures

and opened up many doors for

future experiments.

Medical Scientists Who Have Changed the World

Devan Sutaria

Espresso 34

In 1822, the world would

look down upon one of the

greatest scientists of all time.

Born in that year was a

scientist who had saved hundreds

if not thousands of lives by

bringing forth the process of

“pasteurization.” His name was

Louis Pasteur. Pasteur first

brought forth his “germ theory”

in 1845 and it stated that some

diseases are passed between

humans when bacteria carry them

through the air

(www.abpischools.org.uk).

Despite the fact that Louis

Pasteur was able to prove his

theory correct with the

assistance of a microscope, this

theory took a long period of

time to be accepted

(www.explainthatstuff.com).

During that time, after the milk

was taken from the cows, it went

straight into a bottle and it

was being sold in markets. Again

with the help of a microscope,

Louis Pasteur was able to find

tons of bacteria in that milk

and many other items as well

(www.explainthatstuff.com). That

is when Louis Pasteur revealed

his ingenious idea.

Pasteurization was the process

of heating an item to a certain

degree to kill the bacteria

(www.britannica.com). Finally,

five years before Louis

Pasteur’s death, Paul Puvrez

invented the pasteurizer, which

is a machine that completes the

pasteurization process without

much effort

(www.explainthatstuff.com).

Scientists throughout the

world are changing the way we

view our society. Scientists

such as Louis Pasteur are saving

lives by unveiling their

discoveries. Another group of

physicians are helping future

experiments by providing the

structure of medicine itself.

This group primarily

incorporates William Harvey and

Francis Crick. Even currently,

the field of medicine is

evolving until it comes to the

state in which there will be a

vaccine for almost every single

disease and sickness in the

world.

Works Cited

"William Harvey." Famous

Scientists. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

"Francis Crick." Famous

Scientists. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

"Famous Scientists." Famous

Scientists. Web. 5 Jan.

2016.

"Pasteurization." Of Milk and

Food. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.

"Pasteurization | Heating

Process." Encyclopedia

Britannica Online.

Encyclopedia Britannica.

Web. 5 Jan. 2016.

Espresso 35

Wikipedia

Espresso 36

Espresso 37

In the beginning of the

world, there was a lone cell.

All life on Earth evolved from

single-celled organisms 3.5

billion years ago(Science of

Everything). These organisms

formed clusters and slowly began

to evolve into our species: Homo

sapiens. The cell today is a new

frontier, and scientists are

trying to save, improve, and

even create new lives from it.

To go through all of the

experiments, scientists need to

know the definition of DNA and

what it does, not to mention how

it works. DNA is short for

deoxyribonucleic acid, which

holds the instructions for life

and makes every person

unique(Science of Everything).

DNA is made up of strands of

nucleotides, and ribonucleic

acid instructs amino acids to

form into and control almost

every process in the body

(Science of Everything).

Everyone has unique DNA, except

for identical twins and clones.

Speaking of cloning….

Livestock breeders are only

able to choose a mother and

father, but that’s just about

it! Cloning, however, provides

an exact genetic copy of the

subject(Science of Everything).

Ever since Dolly, the first

cloned sheep ever, was created

in 1996, scientists have also

cloned cattle, pigs, goats,

etc(Science of Everything). Most

clones are created using the

somatic cell nuclear

transfer(Science of Everything).

This is a very expensive process

that is used to create high-

quality breeding stock, not

animals to be killed and eaten.

By 2008, there were

approximately 600 animal clones

in the US. Cloned animals’ meat

are just assafe as regular

animals’ meat, too(Science of

Everything).

However, there is still one

bad thing about cloning, besides

the fact that it’s very

expensive. Compared to bred

animals, clones suffer more

health issues and most die at a

young age(Science of

Everything). Also, the mother in

the cell transfer is more likely

to go through complications than

a regular mother. Cloning is

beginning to help farmers and

scientists deal with problems

that have to do with meat and

breeding issues. Bioengineers

are also doing something else

with meat, except you don’t have

to kill a single living

creature….

A small group of

bioengineers, environmentalists,

and animal-rights activists are

hoping to produce ‘test tube

meat’(Science of Everything).

This is the nickname for meat

grown in a lab, using cells,

inside of test tubes. It started

with stem cells, which are cells

that can continuously divide and

develop into any number of

specialized cell types(Science

of Everything). In 2012, a

scientist announced that he had

created muscle using cow

‘myosatellite’ cells(Science of

Everything). He did prove that

it was able to work, but only

time will tell, as the saying

goes…. Crops are also being

Cell Biology

Leo Affouf

Espresso 38

modified using cell

biology!(Science of Everything).

For thousands of years,

people have bred crops to taste

better, have resistance to

drought, etc. Since the 1980s,

though, a new idea has come to

mind: Directly inserting genetic

material into a crop. The most

common crops that this happens

to are, i.e., corn, soybeans,

cotton, canola, and

potatoes(Science of Everything).

Genetic modifications are meant

to boost crops’ resistance. This

method is a tough and

complicated one, from isolating

gene sequences to using either

Agrobacterium tumefaciens, or

gold and tungsten(Science of

Everything).

Genetically modified crops

are what the world hopes to be

the end to hunger, and at less

expense. These crops pose no

health risk to people, as the

World Health Organization says.

Unfortunately, people are

concerned that they might

produce new bacteria or

allergens. Also, insects are

also getting used to the

modified version, so farmers

might have to use bug-killers

anyway.

Cell biology is being used

to create lives, unprocessed

meat, and resistant crops.

Overall, scientists are

beginning to learn about the

cell, although they still have a

lot more to go. People are being

fed, helped, and more animals

are being made through cloning.

Cell biology might be the thing

that saves the world.

Work Cited

Science of Everything, by

National Geographic

Espresso 39

A long time ago, in ancient

times, our ancestors had a

first-hand knowledge of nature.

After all, there were no

electronics around, and the most

modern thing there was probably

a bow or spear. It is supposed

that people made no actual

distinction between living and

nonliving things.(The Cartoon

Guide to Genetics). A ‘rule’ of

theirs would be: If it moves,

it’s alive. Naturally,

everything moved….trees moved in

the wind, animals moved, and

rocks moved, thrown out of, say,

volcanoes.

Not to mention, our

ancestors must have noticed that

some things tended to reproduce

themselves. People did it,

animals did it, and to the

primitive mind, it may have

seemed like rocks gave birth to

little pebbles. Eventually,

practical genetics were

discovered for animal herders,

or selective breeding,

as it is called nowadays.(The

Cartoon Guide to Genetics). At

the same time, people

domesticated plants, and farmers

used the same methods as animal

herders.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).

Anyways, early on in time,

people began to notice that

pollination was actually highly

important. Of course, people had

no idea why pollination

occurred, so they believed in

mythology, or in other words:

gods did everything.(The Cartoon

Guide to Genetics). The

combination of science and magic

is illustrated in a Bible story:

The Case of Jacob’s Flock. In

this story, Jacob agrees to look

after his father-in-law,

Laban’s, flock of sheep.

As payment, Jacob is

permitted to take all of the

speckled animals while Laban

keeps the pure black ones. The

Bible described Jacob’s

‘fertility magic’ as such: He

would strip the bark from willow

rods, make the white appear, and

set them near the watering hole.

The idea behind this is: Like

Begets Like: By showing the

white in the willow rods, he was

trying to bring out the white in

Laban’s animals!(The Cartoon

Guide to Genetics). This is

called sympathetic magic, and

the result was what Jacob

wanted.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).

The point is that,

genetically speaking, the pure

black animals gave birth to

speckled lambs. So, this

happened because of recessive

genes, which was learned later

on in time.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics). Later on, Greeks were

pondering the question of

heredity. The most coherent

Greek theory was made by

Hippocrates, the famous Greek

doctor.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics). Unfortunately,

Aristotle’s ideas influenced

later society, even though

Hippocrates’ were more

accurate.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).

The Greeks’ mantle went to

the Romans, who only added one

genetic idea. Then came the

Middle Ages, with tales of

The Beginning of Genetics

Leo Affouf

Espresso 40

monstrous births. Some of these

might have been true, such as

Siamese twins connected at the

hip, but some were just foolish.

For example, the idea of half a

cow falling from the sky in a

thunderclap is idiotic, at

best.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).However, the Middle

Ages also brought the idea of

spontaneous generation.(The

Cartoon Guide to Genetics). This

is when something is created

from a nonliving object. For

example, maggots from decaying

meat, frogs and mice from slime,

etc.

However, this is obviously

not true, and in the 17th

century, an experiment countered

this idea. The experiment was

carried out by scientist

Francesco Redi. What Redi did

was place pieces of fresh meat

in jars, and then he closed one

of them tightly, while he left

the other one open.(The Cartoon

Guide to Genetics). Flies were

attracted to the open jar, and,

after a time, Redi found that

only maggots were in the open

jar.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).Maggots then

stiffened, formed cocoons, and

emerged as flies! Anton van

Leeuwenhoek then disposed of the

idea of spontaneous generation

completely.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics). Next, came the idea

that you could mate different

parents and form hybrids.

Despite a myriad of work,

no truly general laws of

inheritance were

created….until….. One day in a

monastery, a monk named Gregor

Mendel developed and found ideas

about genes.(The Cartoon Guide

to Genetics). Mendel bred pea

plants in his spare time at the

monastery. He experimented with

hybrids, creating a ‘genetic

square’, which is a diagram of

the possibilities of what might

happen.(The Cartoon Guide to

Genetics).

Genetics has gone farther

since Mendel’s work, even if

some of it was incorrect.

Geneticists have worked harder

with better technology,

uncovering more information.

DNA, chromosomes, and other

theories were well worked on in

the modern days. Today, genetics

is still in the process of being

discovered.

Work Cited

The Cartoon Guide to Genetics,

by Larry Gonick and Mark Wheelis

Espresso 41

According to Huff Post,

soda is one of the most consumed

beverage in the United States,

besides water (Huff Post). The

average person will drink about

57 gallons of soda per year

(Medical Daily). Some people

admit to drinking soda instead

of water on the daily. Not many

people know the harmful effects

of soda. Soda is harmful for

these three reasons, the amount

of sugar, the aspartame in diet

sodas, and the amount of

caffeine (Huff Post and Medical

Daily). With all three of those

elements in your body, soda can

be considered one of the worst

beverages for a person (Medical

Daily). So before drinking

another can, listen to the facts

about how soda is ruining

people’s bodies.

Soda, like many other

drinks has a high amount of

sugar. Soda companies are one of

the top users of sugar in the

United States (Wellness Mama).

Soda has an overwhelming amount

of sugar compared to other

beverages. One can is equivalent

to ten teaspoons of sugar

(Wellness Mama). This amount of

sugar, especially in liquid

form, can cause an insulin rush

to the body (Medical Daily).

Over time, this can cause

diabetes or insulin resistance

(Wellness Mama). Not to mention

that the amount of sugar can

cause weight gain and other

health problems. Especially in

children, sugar can affect

growth and health problems, more

than adults (Huff Post). Soda,

unlike water does not quench

thirst. This is because sugar

does not fill you up, instead it

makes you want more (Medical

Daily). Health experts say that

the amount of sugar is one of

the biggest reasons why soda is

bad for people’s bodies.

Soda has a very high

amount of caffeine (Wellness

Mama). Caffeine can cause

cancer, high blood pressure, and

irregular heart beat (Medical

Daily). A high amount of

caffeine, especially in

children, can cause problems

with growth (Medical Daily). It

is also proven that caffeine is

addictive, which makes people

want more and more (Wellness

Mama) . Caffeine is not only a

big problem in soda, it is a

problem in many other beverages

(Huff Post) .

Sources say most adults

drink diet soda rather than

children (Wellness Mama).

Aspartame, which is a substitute

for sugar, but can actually be

more harmful than sugar itself

(Wellness Mama). It is proven to

cause over one hundred different

health problem including,

seizures, brain tumors, and

diabetes (Wellness Mama).

Scientists think that aspartame

is linked to many different

types cancer, nobody knows the

long term effects of aspartame

(Wellness Mama). So, scientists

and health experts agree to

consume the least amount of

aspartame as possible (Huff

Post).

Soda is one of the

worst drinks on the market

(Wellness Mama). It has no

The Dangers of Soda

Sarah Kasar

Espresso 42

nutritional value and is

horrible for our bodies. It is

very important that people know

just how harmful soda really is.

Most children today do not know

or care about the facts behind

soda. It may be just a small can

but, it has many long term

effects.

Espresso 43

A friend once said to me,

“If you break the laws of man,

you go to jail. If you break the

laws of god, you go to hell. If

you break the laws of physics,

you go to Sweden and win an

award.” (Reddit) This statement

could not be truer. After all,

science is about replacing old

ideas with new ones. When a

scientist comes up with a

theory, he/she must try as hard

as possible to prove it wrong.

Sir Isaac Newton was one of the

greatest physicists ever to live

on the face of the Earth, known

for coming up with the

revolutionary theory of gravity.

However, there is something most

people do not know about his

work, and that is the fact that

in its essence, his theory was

wrong. Sometimes, intuition can

be wrong, and the unintuitive

can be the way of the universe.

Albert Einstein proved Isaac

Newton wrong with his theory of

relativity. The Theory of

Relativity contradicts the

common belief that when someone

sits down, that person is not

moving, or moving at a constant

speed since the Earth orbits the

sun and the sun orbits the

galaxy. But, according to

Einstein’s widely accepted

theory, when one is sitting

down, he/she is constantly

accelerating. (PBS Spacetime -

Is Gravity an Illusion?) On a

related note, when an object

falls, it is actually staying

completely still, and it is the

ground that is accelerating up

to meet it. (PBS Spacetime - Is

Gravity an Illusion?) This is

true because gravity is merely

the effect of the curvature of

spacetime. (PBS Spacetime - Is

Gravity an Illusion?)

Spacetime is essentially

three-dimensional space, however

thinking of time as another

spatial dimension, making our

universe to be four-dimensional.

Any object with “gravity” warps

this continuum. This can be

imagined as a bowling ball on a

large sheet of rubber. If

someone places a marble on the

same sheet of rubber, it will

naturally roll to the bowling

ball, since it has warped the

rubber. Einstein states that if

a person lets go of a ball, and

it moves, the frame of reference

that person is in is

accelerating. If that ball does

not move, that person is not an

inertial frame of reference, a

frame that is not moving or is

moving at a constant rate.

On Earth, if one lets go of

a ball, it drops, signifying

that by being “stationary” on

Earth, someone is actually

accelerating. (PBS Spacetime -

Is Gravity an Illusion?)

Scientists know that the force

of gravity is 9.8 m/s2, however

according to Einstein, that

means that by staying stationary

on Earth, an object is actually

moving about 22 mph faster every

second (Wikipedia - Gravity of

Earth). When a person is in a

car, and the car suddenly

accelerates, the person will

feel as though there is a force

pulling them backward. (PBS

Spacetime - Is Gravity an

Illusion?) This is the case with

Relativity

Ahir Verma

Espresso 44

gravity, where since the ground

is actually constantly moving

faster and faster up, someone

will feel as though there is a

force pulling someone down, when

really, the force of gravity is

nothing however an illusion. In

fact, it is the same force felt

when a car suddenly accelerates.

It is merely inertia.

Since objects with gravity

not only warp space, but also

time, some strange effects can

be observed. For example,

satellites in orbit experience

less of Earth’s gravity, and

therefore less spacetime warp.

(PBS Spacetime - Is Gravity an

Illusion?) This means that time

will run faster on satellites,

and satellite clocks would be 38

milliseconds ahead each day.

(State of Ohio Astronomy) That

doesn’t sound like much,

however, if it is not taken into

account, GPS location would go

off by 6 miles each day. (State

of Ohio Astronomy). For this

reason, clocks in orbit are

calibrated to run slow. The

amount that an object will warp

the fabric of spacetime is

defined by a series of

equations, known as the Einstein

equations. (PBS Spacetime - Is

Gravity an Illusion?)

Einstein’s theory also

predicts space and time warp

beyond the cause of gravity. The

theory says that if one is

moving relative to another

person, he/she will each see

each other moving more slowly

than they truly are. (Veritasium

- Can You Go the Speed of

Light?) Relatedly, he/she will

see the other person with their

length contracted in their

direction of motion. (Veritasium

- Can You Go the Speed of

Light?) The cause of this is a

property of light: that it can

only be viewed as traveling at

one speed. (PBS Spacetime - Is

Gravity an Illusion?) Because of

this, an observer must see a

moving mass as slimmer and

slower, to compensate for the

object’s movement, which, if not

canceled out by these effects,

would cause the speed of light

to appear faster or slower than

it should. If an object were to

travel at the speed of light, it

would have zero length.

(Veritasium - Can You Go the

Speed of Light?)

Newton was wrong, gravity

is not a force, and falling

isn’t moving. Albert Einstein

made surprising, but nonetheless

revolutionary discoveries. His

ideas changed the way we live,

from GPS to space exploration,

as well as how physicists look

at our universe today.

Einstein’s ideas are being used

to expand our ideas in quantum

mechanics, and the search for a

quantum form of gravity.

Einstein and his theory of

relativity define our world, how

it works, and everything in it.

Works Cited

"Gravity of Earth." Wikipedia.

Wikimedia Foundation. Web.

14 Dec. 2015.

Muller, Derek. "Can You Go the

Speed of Light?" YouTube.

YouTube. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.

Web. 14 Dec. 2015.

"Gravity of Earth." Wikipedia.

Wikimedia Foundation. Web.

14 Dec. 2015.

"Is Gravity An Illusion? | Space

Time | PBS Digital

Studios." YouTube. YouTube.

Web. 14 Dec. 2015.

"GPS and Relativity." GPS and

Relativity. Web. 14 Dec.

2015.

Espresso 45

Autism is a complex

developmental disability that

affects a person’s ability to

communicate and interact with

others (Autism Society). Another

name for the many types of

autism disorders is the Autism

Spectrum Disorder, or ASD

(Autism Speaks). This is a very

complicated life-changing

disorder; it has many causes,

symptoms, and treatments, along

with many victims. One should

not discriminate against people

with ASD, but instead, try to

help them; autistic people need

support from the people that

they love to help overcome their

disorder.

Autism has many causes, as

there are many types of autism.

According to the Autism Society,

researchers do not know the

exact causes but are

investigating a number of

theories including links among

heredity, genetics, and medical

problems, and unstable genes and

different structures of the

brain. Also, many people develop

autism with certain medical

conditions such as tuberous

sclerosis (body tissue

hardening), untreated

phenylketonuria, (inability to

metabolize phenylalanine that

can cause brain damage); autism

can also be caused by harmful

substances injected during

pregnancy (Autism Society). It

can be generalized that autism

normally forms at a young age,

or after sickness. Judging by

how we know that children grow

up differently, development of

autism can also depend on the

child’s environment.

These many causes show that

autism is very complex, as are

the symptoms. A child with

autism may fail to respond to

his or her name, lack facial

expression and emotion, have

abnormal tone of speech, and so

on (Mayo Clinic). Bearers of

autism may also exhibit

repetitive movement, be

uncooperative, fascinated by

small details, clumsy,

sensitive, et cetera (Mayo

Clinic). Overall, children with

autism do not interact and do

not fare well when required to

exhibit bodily functions. Autism

changes the whole course of

relationships for a child (or an

adult). However, many autistic

people have exceptional

abilities. 40 percent have

average and above average

intellectual abilities (Autism

Speaks). It can be inferred that

autistic people also excel in

other areas, such as art and

music.

People can overcome autism,

but not one treatment works for

everyone. Autism can be best

treated when just formed,

preferably before relationships

and interactions are needed to

thrive. Applied Behavioral

Analysis (ABA) is a type of

treatment that teaches autistic

people positive behaviors

(Autism Science Foundation);

different types of ABA teach

different ages. People can also

attend speech therapy to improve

social skills and express needs

Autism (ASD)

June Yin

Espresso 46

and wants, physical therapy for

body functioning, and

occupational therapy to teach

life skills (Autism Science

Foundation). These are all done

with teams of professionals, but

family and friends can support a

person with autism. Autistic

people must be treated with

patience and kindness at home

and at school, as frustration

will not help a person in need.

Autism statistics identify that

around one in 68 American

children have autism (Autism

Speaks). Also, about one out of

49 boys and one out of 189 girls

have autism according to the U.S

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (Autism Speaks). The

exact reason why more males are

diagnosed with autism is

unknown, but one suggestion is

that females are better at

masking their difficulties to

fit in (The National Autistic

Society). It may not seem like a

large percentage, but the amount

of people overall who face

autism is a large number; ASD

affects over 3 million people in

the U.S and tens of millions

worldwide (Autism Speaks).

Autism is increasing too: 10 to

17 percent over the recent years

(Autism Speaks). We want to help

all the people out there who

face autism and have problems

communicating and interacting,

which changes their lives.

With this understanding of the

many causes, symptoms, and

treatments, of autism, we can

draw the conclusion that autism

is very complicated and it

changes a person’s life.

However, a person with ASD does

not have to be limited, even

with the many difficulties that

come with this disorder. There

are many examples of people who

managed to become successful,

even diagnosed with autism.

Temple Grandin is an autistic

woman who completed a Ph.D. in

Animal Science at the University

of Illinois and is now an

assistant professor of Animal

Science at the Colorado State

University (Autism Research

Institute). Grandin faced a lot

of frustration of not being able

to speak and having sensory

problems with oversensitivity to

touch and sound (Autism Research

Institute). She is an example of

how, even leading difficult

lives, autism people can

accomplish many things.

Works Cited

“About Autism” Autism-

society.org. Autism

Society. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.

“About Autism: Causes” Autism-

society.org. Autism

Society, 15 July 2015. Web.

11 Dec. 2015.

“About Autism: What is Autism?:

Gender and Autism”

Autism.org.uk. The National

Autistic Society. Web. 11 Dec.

2015.

"Diseases and Conditions: Autism

Spectrum Disorder"

Mayoclinic.org. Mayo

Foundation

for Medical Education and

Research, 3 June 2014. Web.

11 Dec. 2015.

“Temple Grandin: An Inside View

of ASD” Autism.com. Autism

Research Institute. Web. 21

Dec. 2015.

"What Is Autism?"

Autismspeaks.org. Autism

Speaks. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.

“What is Autism?: Treatment

Options”

autismsciencefoundation.org

. Autism ScienceFoundation.

Web. 11 Dec. 20

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