Author: marinscienceseminar

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Interview with Chemical Engineer Eric Stevenson of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District

by Shoshana Harlem, Terra Linda High School

Eric Stevenson is a chemical engineer who works with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He helps figure out air quality issues such as how to reduce greenhouse gases. To find out more about his work, we interviewed him.



1. How did you first become interested in being a chemical engineer in the environmental field?

 I was always interested in the environment, even as a child.  As I progressed through school, I had an aptitude for math and chemistry, so chemical engineering seemed the logic choice.


2. What air quality issues are you currently working on? 

Right now, we are working on a rule to reduce risk from air pollutants at facilities throughout the Bay Area to the lowest levels achievable.  In addition, we are also working on a way to regulate and reduce greenhouse gases, first from refineries and then from other high GHG emitting facilities. 

3. How do you think the new presidential administration will impact your organization?
 Luckily, while we interact with EPA on a large number of issues, we do not receive much funding from them and we also have stricter regulations than them.  While I anticipate that the next four years will be difficult, the fact that we’re in California should help us weather the potential issues with EPA.

4. What does a typical work day look like for you? Also, what is the best and worst part of your job? 
I go to a lot of meetings and work with my staff to get them what they need to get their jobs done.  I do my best to anticipate issues and problems and plan for successful outcomes.  The people I work with are the best part of the job, as they are dedicated public servants, doing their best to protect the health of Bay Area residents.  The worst part of the job is difficult to define, but it’s hard trying to anticipate all of the issues that might come up, and that can make the job more difficult.

5. What advice do you have to people that want to be a chemical engineer in the environmental field? 

 Learn to work with data and listen to what the data are telling you.  Develop your ability for critical thought.

Want to hear more about Eric Stevenson and his job? Come join us on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at Terra Linda High School from 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM in Room 207!
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The Intelligent Sea Lion

The Intelligent Sea Lion
By Shoshana Harlem, Terra Linda High School


The brain of a sea lion!

Can an animal still be a good scientist without thumbs? The answer is yes, because the sea lion is in this exact situation. Although sea lions have no thumbs, they have a big brain. Their brain is about the same size as a chimpanzee brain. They are one of the few mammals besides dolphins, humans, elephants, and whales that have brains that weigh more than 1.51Lbs. Scientists are not sure why the sea lion has such a big brain, but they think that it might be because they have a large body size and those two usually correspond. Other theories have to do with the weightlessness of the marine environment, coping with cold water temperature, or perhaps it is just a random outcome of evolution.

The sea lion’s brain consists of different regions for processing information from their whiskers. A specific, corresponding, area in the brainstem is devoted to each whisker on the sea lion’s nose. The areas in their brain that are responsible for processing touch information from the whiskers and the skin are the thalamus, cortex, and brainstem. Likewise, the human brain has specific areas which correspond to the individual fingers of a person. The whiskers on the sea lion assist with sea lion behavior and sensation. There are certain areas in the sea lion’s brain which are made for processing touch sensations from their flappers and tail. Scientists don’t know a lot about the sea lions cerebral skills. The sea lion has a particular part of their brain called the Bischoff’s Nucleus, which is very well-developed. It is surprising that sea lions have this part of their brain because it is usually found in animals with prominent tails such as kangaroos, raccoons, and whales. But the sea lion’s tail is tucked and small behind its hind flippers.
A sea lion’s very important whiskers!
On each side of a sea lion’s face, are 38 whiskers. The whiskers can grow to be eight inches in length and are really sensitive. The sea lion produces more nerve fibers than any other animal in the animal kingdom. Its whiskers can be helpful in many ways too. One way is that they use their whiskers is to spot a fish by looking for changes in the flow of the water. They can find fish that are swimming up to 590 feet away from them. The whiskers can also help a sea lion know the differences between shapes and sizes up to as far as a fraction of a centimeter.
Amazingly, the sea lion’s brain is capable of higher cognitive functioning. A sea lion can play a game of Concentration. Through trial and error, they can match unrelated symbol pairs. They can also recognize signals, which is really useful in the wild. In this way they can find food, and know if someone is their friend or their enemy. Sea lions also have the ability to think logically. The can know that if a=b and b=c, then a=c.

To learn more about why sea lions are such good scientists, come to the Marin Science Seminar at Terra Linda High School in room 207 on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. Claire Simeone DVM of the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito will be speaking. Join us and learn!

Sources:


         

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Paper Planes and World Record Breaking: An Interview with John Collins

by Zach Griggy, San Marin High School, Novato

Inside a hanger at McClellan Airfield, a crowd gathered to watch an attempt to break the World Record in paper aircraft distance. Following a throw, the airplane began to climb into the air. Halfway across the hanger, the paper aircraft stalled briefly, beginning a glide towards the concrete floor below. Approaching the ground, the plane pulled out and sailed across a white line. In those nine seconds, the World Record for Paper Aircraft Distance was broken.

John Collins, the maker of that record-breaking paper airplane, has been designing paper planes for years. He has written books and appeared on many television programs, including the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. On January 11th, 2017, John Collins gave a talk at Marin Science Seminar about aerodynamics and paper airplane design.

Following his talk, we interviewed Mr. Collins about his profession and his design process.

1. How did you first become interested in making and paper airplanes?

I just never got out of paper airplanes.  Most people get over it a few months after getting into it.  I started with planes, moved into origami, and then took all of those folding tricks back to paper airplanes.

2. How many attempts did you make in order to achieve the World Record for Paper Airplane Distance? How did these earlier attempts influence later attempts and designs?

Countless.  I worked on it for 3 years.  Joe (the thrower) was with me for the last 18 months.  We went through Moffett Field, Mojave, and finally succeeded in McClellan Airfield.  We started out with a ballistic style dart, but Joe couldn’t beat the old world record with that kind of plane.  We switched to a glider strategy, and immediately knew we were on the right track.  It took a lot of tinkering with the design and taping scheme to come up with the winning plane.  The folding pattern ended up being my very first try with A4 paper three years before.

3. How has the Maker Movement influenced you and/or your design process?

It was inspirational to be sure.  They asked me to participate in the very first Maker Faire in San Mateo, 13 years ago.  I’ve been part of every one since.  My first book was published 13 years before that first Maker Faire, so perhaps we influenced each other.  My design process hasn’t really changed, but it’s been fun interacting with high end tinkerers.  

4. What are the best parts of your job? What are the worst?

Easy; the best part is the audience reaction.  When kids light up and start asking questions, it makes it all worthwhile.  Every once in a while, I have to fold hundreds of the same kind of plane for an event.  That’s a bit tedious, but I put on some music, find my comfortable work chair, lay out the paper and get to work.  I count the sheets of paper before I start making the planes.  When I make it to the bottom of the stack, I’m finished.

5. What advice would you give to makers or students who wish to become makers?

Find something you enjoy and follow it.  Don’t be afraid to change paths, even more than once.  I started in planes, moved to origami, and then discovered my real passion was taking one technology and throwing it at the other.  If you’re going to be the best at anything, you have to love it.  Nobody can force you (at least in this country) to give up food, sleep, or being with friends to accomplish a big goal.  You can’t really compete with someone who’s willing to do that.  You have to be that passionate about your craft.  That passion is self-imposed; it comes from deep inside.  External forces will try to resist it. 

Video Footage of the seminar will be available on Vimeo*. The Spring 2017 Schedule can be accessed here. 

*Please note that it takes some time for footage to be processed and uploaded. A link will be added to this page when the video has been uploaded

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An Interview with Dr. Tobias Marton – MSS Speaker 11/9/16

By Shoshana Harlem, Terra Linda High School

Did you know that each year about 20 million people in the United States get diagnosed with depression? Worldwide, more than 350 million people suffer from depression. Depression is a mental illness where a person’s sadness lasts more than two weeks. Depression can lead to all sorts of problems including suicide. Dr. Tobias Marton, Assistant Professor at UCSF, studies and helps people who suffer from depression.

In advance of his talk at TLHS, he provided the following information:

1. What made you become interested in being a Psychiatrist and studying depression?

 I became interested in medicine and biology during my junior year of high school while taking AP biology and harboring a mild obsession with the hit TV show ER. Prior to then, I really hadn’t thought too much about becoming a scientist or doctor and was actually much more interested in history and music. The summer between my junior and senior year I was able to get an internship working at a local biotech company that studied genes relevant to neurobiology, and from then on I became very interested in the complexity of the brain. I worked in a couple of different neurobiology research labs during my undergraduate years at Berkeley while taking my premed courses and knew I wanted to practice medicine in either neurology or psychiatry because they both involved different aspects of brain function. It became clear to me during medical school that I was a natural fit for psychiatry because I really enjoyed talking to people and trying to understand their stories and how they came to be who they are today, in addition to having a good temperament in sitting with patients that can pose behavioral challenges.

My interest in studying and treating depression really developed during my psychiatry residency. Depression is very common across all age groups, genders and socioeconomic groups and it’s also a leading cause of suicide in the United States. Many mental health professionals regard the current situation with depression and suicide in the U.S. as a public health crisis, and yet it’s not an illness that we as a society are comfortable discussing and addressing in the open, like we do with other diseases such as cancer and heart disease. We’ve made considerable advances in the last decade in our understanding of the brain and how it changes during depressive illness. These insights are starting to generate new treatments that I am excited to help bring to our patients and their families.

2. What is it about your work that led, you to be given the National Institute of Mental Health Outstanding Resident Award in 2012? 

The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) are very committed to supporting psychiatrists with scientific training in developing a career as a physician-scientist in order to help bring new treatments to patients struggling with mental illness. Based on the quality of my PhD work, I was identified by the NIMH during my residency as someone whom they wanted to support and encourage to continue in psychiatric research.


3. What are the hardest parts of your job?
At a very basic level, the practice of medicine is to sit with, and help alleviate, human suffering on a daily basis. For most physicians, this is the very reason we chose a career in medicine and feel it is a great privilege to be present with a patient and family during times of suffering. That being said, this can be an emotionally and physically exhausting line of work. To have a sustainable career in medicine and avoid burnout, it’s really important to have a balanced, positive and rejuvenating life outside of the hospital. Finding that balance on a daily basis is crucial to one’s personal job satisfaction and happiness and is also a constant challenge to maintain.

4. What kind of research are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on publishing some research I conducted during my research fellowship which used optogenetic technology to study the neural circuitry of the prefrontal cortex in mice during a cognitively challenging task. I am also getting started now on a project at San Francisco VA with Dr. Wallace (former Marin Science Seminar speaker) which will investigate the effects of ketamine administration on blood flow to prefrontal cortex in patients with treatment-resistant depression.
5. What advice would you give to people who are suffering from depression?

The biggest challenge mental health professionals face in treating depression and preventing suicide is that many people suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts never seek help. The important thing to know is that there are many effective treatments available that can really help people feel better and like their best selves again, so there is no need to continue suffering in silence. Seek help! Recovery is very possible but only if you make the first step to reach out for help – this first step could include talking to family members, counselors, teachers or your primary physician who can then start the referral process to a mental health professional. You can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 which is staffed 24 hours/day. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI – www.nami.org) is also a great organization with many resources available on line and in person.

Join us for his free Marin Science Seminar talk on Wednesday, November 9th, 2016, 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda High School, Room 207, 320 Nova Albion, San Rafael, California

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An Interview with Dr. Maggie Louie

By Zack Griggy, San Marin HS

           Cancer is a widespread problem. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year over 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and another half a million are expected to die from it. Dr. Maggie Louie is an experienced researcher in the fields of cancer. Currently, she runs an active cancer research center that studies breast cancer.

To find out more about Dr. Louie’s work and her research, we conducted an interview:

1. How did you first become interested in studying cancer?

I did a medical internship the summer of my junior year in high school and I got to shadow two surgeons.  One of the surgeries that I observed was a 40-year cancer patient undergo double mastectomy.  At the age of 16, just thinking about how breast cancer can take away an organ that partly defines someone’s women-hood had a significant effect on me.  At that moment, I became quite interested in cancer.

2. What studies have you conducted in the past? How have they led you to where you are today?

My lab has conducted many studies.  One of the studies that we did was to study how exposure to chronic low-levels of cadmium impacts on progression of the disease.  Our results show that even at low levels, cadmium promotes more aggressive cancer characteristics and alters the gene expression patterns of the cancer cells.

3. How is tamoxifen used to treat breast cancer? How does a tumor develop resistance to it?

Tamoxifen is an estrogen receptor antagonist and blocks estrogen from activating the receptor and promoting breast cancer growth.

 4. How do metals such as cadmium activate estrogen receptors? How might these metals influence the development of a tumor?

Cadmium is a metalloestrogen and is known to bind and activate the estrogen receptor.  It has also been shown to promote breast cancer growth.  While we know that heavy metals like cadmium promote cancer growth, scientists are still working to understand how it works.

5. What are the best parts of your job? What are the worst?

The best parts of my job are working with students and using research to inspire them to be interested in science.  The less attractive side of my job is that research is very repetitive and redundant, and sometimes you don’t see an impact for many years.

6. And finally, do you have any advice for students who aspire to study cancer?

 Students should definitely consider studying cancer as this disease will touch everyone in some way, directly or indirectly, and they will be making a difference.  

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Space Travel: How Does Outer Space Affect Your Body?

By Rachael Metzger, MSS Intern

          Have you ever wanted to become an astronaut? Travel to space? Have you dreamed about finding extraterrestrial life or communing with aliens? If your answer is yes, I can assure you that you’re not alone. Countless children dream of becoming astronauts, and many movies and TV shows have revolved around exploring space. The exploration of the unknown is a wonderful idea on paper, but it is a lot more complicated than jumping into a spaceship and traveling to Mars, even if we have the technology to do so. Space travel can take a huge toll on a human’s body if certain precautions are not taken; any error could result in death.
        The human body was not made to travel in space, nor has it had time to adapt to such an environment. When launched into space, some effects of that changed environment on the body take longer than others to be felt. Immediately one might experience nausea and/ or vomiting. This is caused by the sensitivity of the inner ear which affects balance and orientation. Thankfully, in a couple of days the inner ear will have adapted to the new environment and the nausea will dissipate (BBC “future”).
        In about two days, bodily fluids will rise to the upper body and face, causing a bloated appearance, and tissues will swell in the head, making a person feel like they are hanging upside down. This makes the body think that it is over–hydrated and it forces the liquid out through urine, causing astronauts to have 20% less fluids in their body while in space.  

Bodily Fluids in Space 
        Spaceflight can also quickly affect eyesight, creating anomalies such as optic nerve swelling, retinal changes in the shape of the eye, and other negative effects to the eye 
        In a week’s time muscle and bone loss can start to occur, and this sometimes includes heart muscle because not as much effort is needed to pump blood in anti-gravity. The lack of gravity can have such an extreme effect on bones that they can become very brittle; this is called “disuse osteoporosis” (The Dallas Morning News “Preparing Bodies for Liftoff”). Even astronauts’ skin will get thinner, making them more prone to cuts and infections which take longer to heal in space. Sleep deprivation is another problem among astronauts. Because of the change in the light-dark cycle, it can be a challenge for the body to adapt to the new sleeping schedule (NASA).  
The Effects of Space Travel on the Body

       After a while aboard a spacecraft, astronauts may find their immune system becoming less effective, making them more susceptible to diseases. Cosmic radiation is another huge issue facing astronauts. Astronauts seeing flashes of light in their brains is proof of the cosmic radiation. Astronauts’ brains could suffer brain damage from cosmic rays over long periods in deep space, affecting their mental performance (BBC “future”).
        All these dangers could be fatal and might make space travel seem impossible, but there are many precautions being taken to allow us to explore our universe in a safer way. Nausea and vomiting can not always be avoided, but anti-nausea pills and a strong stomach help towards inner ear balance in space. To battle losing 20% of bodily fluids, astronauts must stay well hydrated while their bodies adjust to the new climate. The rising of bodily fluids to the upper body may be uncomfortable but has not  been linked to long lasting negative effects on astronauts, and it subsides after a couple of days. Bone and muscle loss is one of the largest problems facing astronauts. On the International Space Station, astronauts stay fit with a machine for weight lifting, a treadmill adapted for microgravity, and a Cyclergometer, which is a modified cycler for microgravity (NASA). Astronauts have a very strict sleeping schedule to try and achieve the maximum hours of sleep possible. Astronauts have to be very careful of keeping waste and bacteria contained that could contaminate their lowered immune systems. For long expeditions such as to Mars, radiation  protection is being experimented with in the forms of water, waste, plastic, and many other substances.
         Being an astronaut involves more than just knowing about your area of study, it requires knowledge of how the human body operates. If your dream is to become an astronaut, consider the risks, know about your body, but don’t be scared off. Medical and technological advances continue to make space flight safer and easier on the human body, presenting an opportunity to explore space to a further extent.


Sources:
1. http://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/f_workout.html
2. http://www.space.com/29309-space-radiation-danger-mars-missions.html
3. http://nsbri.org/the-body-in-space/
4. http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2015/spacebody/
5. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140506-space-trips-bad-for-your-health
6. http://www.nasa.gov/content/study-compiles-data-on-problem-of-sleep-deprivation-in-astronauts/


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An Interview With Diara Spain, Ph.D

By Rachael Metzger, MSS Intern

 Ocean acidification is an issue becoming apparent in the effects on both sea creatures and humans. Diara Spain, the Associate Professor of Biology at Dominican University, came to Marin Science Seminar to talk to us about her studies in marine invertebrates and the damage ocean acidification is causing them. 

 To learn more about Diara Spain and what inspired her studies we conducted an interview:


 1. How did you get interested in biology? Is there a time, event, 
or person in your life that inspired you to pursue the study?

I’ve always been interested in biology, really science in general. I grew up in rural North Carolina and as a kid it was expected that you’d spend most of your free time outside playing with your friends and pets.  One thing that sparked my interest in marine organisms were the summer vacations at the undeveloped beaches in North Carolina. 
2. Why did you specifically decide to focus on functional morphology, locomotion in echinoderms, and the mechanical properties of crustacean exoskeletons? How do studying these subjects help expand your view on the ocean and how humans are affecting it? 
The essence of functional morphology is “function from form”, this gives us insight into how biological structures can actually work mechanically or physiologically. I find this compelling, especially when you consider marine invertebrates which have a wide array of morphological features. At first glance locomotion in sea cucumbers and properties of crustacean exoskeletons may seem to have little in common, but both topics are based on skeletal support systems which is my major interest. I’ve learned quite a bit about different marine habitats as well as how populations size and  species diversity has changed from my studies.
3. What is the most interesting study you have done to date?
I’d have to say my work on locomotion in echinoderms, specifically sea cucumbers. These are very unusual organisms and the average person may not know much about them, but when I describe them it never fails to amaze. My students enjoy watching the time-lapse videos, I actually gave a talk at the seminar several years ago titled “Life in the Slow Lane”. My studies on crustaceans are just beginning but I fully expect some interesting stories in the future.

4. How do you hope the ocean will look in 20 years and what are some steps we can take to get there?
The oceans are important for the functioning of our global ecosystem as well as the global economy. I’d like to see a habitat that is healthier for animals (including humans)  to live, play and work. 
An example of a smaller step is decreasing the widespread use of disposable plastics while increasing the usage of recyclable/reusable materials. A much larger step is the approval of ocean friendly policies that support conservation and sustainability while restricting damage and pollutants. 
5. What is your advice to teens and young adults who want to help preserve our oceans and the creatures that live in it? 
The best advice is to become involved, this can be done at multiple levels from local and regional up to globally in a way you feel most comfortable. Every fall there is a International Coastal Cleanup Day, San Rafael’s Volunteer Program coordinates people with specific sites locally. Volunteers and donations are also welcome at marine conservation organizations, some focus on a specific animal like sea turtles or dolphins while others focus on a issue such as ocean pollution or habitat restoration. 

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Ocean Acidification: How the Ocean is Acidifying and Affecting the Organisms That Call it Home

By Zack Griggy, San Marin HS

             Pollution is a global problem. One way to find proof of this is to look to the seas. We all know that the oceans have suffered greatly from pollution, evidence of which can be seen almost anywhere, from areas suffering from oil spills to the huge cluster of garbage floating in the North Pacific Ocean. We also know that many aquatic species are dying and going extinct because of ocean pollution. However, oils spills and trash aren’t the only causes. Another cause is ocean acidification, which is caused by air pollution.
             Ocean acidification begins with carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is an essential part of photosynthesis in plants. However, it is also a greenhouse gas, and carbon dioxide emissions have become a global problem. Carbon Dioxide is one of the main contributors to both global climate change and ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide is emitted in huge quantities around the world. Part of these emissions are absorbed by the oceans. This leads to chemical reactions within the oceans to form Carbonic Acid from carbonate and hydrogen ions, which are formed using CO2 absorbed by the oceans. Carbonic Acid is the main cause of ocean acidification. For the past 300 million years, the oceans have had a pH of 8.2, but recently since the industrial revolution, that pH has dropped to 8.1. Estimates say that the ocean acidity may drop by another 0.5 pH
            The effects of ocean acidification can be very harmful to marine ecosystems. Many marine organisms such as arthropods, coral, and plankton will be impacted by ocean acidification. These organisms use the process of calcification to create shells, exoskeletons, etc. Calcification relied on using two ions, carbonate and calcium ions. However, Carbonic Acid also uses carbonate ions, which makes it more difficult for the aforementioned organisms to make their exoskeletons or shells. In addition, when more carbon is absorbed by the oceans, hydrogen ions become more abundant, which makes it increasingly more difficult for the organisms to make their exoskeletons.

Sources:
1. https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/oceans/acidity.html
2. http://www.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/news/150203-Ocean-Acid.html
3. http://www.co2science.org/subject/c/summaries/calcification.php
4. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification
5. http://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/hohonu/documents/Vol09x06OceanAcidification.pdf

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Insidious Air: Defogging Air Pollution and its Pernicious Effects

By Zack Griggy, San Marin HS

           We all know that smoking is harmful to us, but what if the very air we breathe also contains toxic chemicals? The truth is the air we breathe contains numerous chemicals that have harmful effects on both humans and the environment. As a result, the issue of pollution has been a very important and significant problem. It has driven us to invest in green fuels, manufacture in more eco-friendly ways, and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. However, the problem of air pollution still remains somewhat untouched. Although emissions have been significantly reduced from vehicles and manufacturing plants, the problem as a whole remains.  Air pollution is known to cause numerous issues for the environment and humans, but particulate matter and ozone pose more immediate threats to human health.
           Particulate matter consists of extremely small particles that are a result from burning and can have huge impacts on lung health. Particulate matter, if small enough, can breach through the body’s defenses (the nose, mucus in alveoli, etc.) and even enter the bloodstream. Clearly, this can cause catastrophic problems for human health, such as decreased lung function, irregular heart beat, heart attacks, or even premature death for people with lung or heart disease. In places like the Bay Area, where there is an abundance of hills, which can trap pollutants in small areas and with larger concentrations, pollution can easily accumulate. To make matters worse, particulate matter also has harmful effects to the environment, which include haze, acidification of water basins, depletion of nutrients in soil, etc. Clearly, particulate matter doesn’t just affect humans. Through depleting the nutrients in soil, particulate matter is capable of killing many sensitive plants and crops. In addition, freshwater acidification known to alter flora and fauna in affected ecosystems via increased acidity and toxicity.
             Ozone is an essential, but toxic, gas. In the stratosphere, ozone forms a protective layer that blocks UV radiation, and allows us to live on land. But the ozone layer and the stratosphere are both a considerable distance away from the Earth’s surface. When ozone is at or near Earth’s surface, it poses a threat to organisms that use that air. Ozone can affect entire ecosystems, beginning with plants. Ozone exposure may cause plants to have decreased photosynthesis, slowed growth, and increased risk of harm from disease, insects, storms, etc. But remember, in an ecosystem, damages at the bottom of the food chain can easily work its way up the food chain. Thus, damages from the plants can affect the entire ecosystem, causing a lack of biodiversity, reduced habitat quality, etc. However, in the case of humans, ozone can be much more pernicious. Humans exposed to smaller amounts of ozone or over a shorter period of time may have decreased lung function, airway inflammation, coughing, painful breathing, increased number of asthma attacks, increased risk of death from respiratory disease, shortness of breath, etc.
            These pollutants, and their effects, might seem unpreventable, but really it is the opposite. Both particulate matter and ozone are either emissions, or formed from other emissions. So, we return to the question: how do we prevent the effects of these pollutants? The answer: cut down on emissions. For example, particulate matter is often released during burning, especially burning wood or coal, so if we curtail our burning of wood and coal, we can reduce the effects and quantity of particulate matter. The choice of whether or not to poison our own air rests with everyone. Be sure to make the right choice

Sources:
1. Sitting by a Cozy Fire – Wood Burning, Air Quality, and Your Health (from notes taken during seminar)
2. What’s Getting into Your Lungs? The Effects of Smoke, Ozone, Allergens, and More (from notes taken during seminar)
3. http://www3.epa.gov/pm/health.html
4. http://www.air-quality.org.uk/13.php
5. https://www3.epa.gov/apti/ozonehealth/population.html
6. https://www3.epa.gov/pm/
7. https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/ecosystem-effects-ozone-pollution

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Don’t Take Your Breath Away: Lung Diseases and What Causes Them

By Rachael Metzger, MSS Intern

The lungs are one the most important organs in the human body, so keeping them healthy should be a priority. Unfortunately, lung disease a leading cause of death in the United States, kills roughly four million people every year. Serious lung diseases might seem unpreventable, but in actuality, most are indeed preventable.

The most common cause of lung disease is smoking, with many deaths also resulting from secondhand smoke. When inhaled, tobacco smoke travels from the mouth through the upper airway and into the alveoli. As the smoke moves deeper into the body it is absorbed and particles are left behind in the airways. These particles contain carcinogens (cancer causing agents) and toxins, which put people at risk for disease when present in any part of the respiratory system.

Lung diseases resulting from smoking, such as lung cancer, are the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States. This means that the extremely high numbers of lung disease deaths could be cut down immensely if simple actions are taken to prevent them. A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that smoking took off approximately ten years of an average person’s life. But the study didn’t consist entirely of  negative outcomes, it also found that if a person stops smoking before the age of 35 they can gain most of that decade back onto their life. But why risk it? Don’t put a vital organ at such a high risk!
 

More than just tobacco smoke gets trapped in the lungs. Other irritants are ingested in our daily lives. One example is particulate matter which is particles made from a wide variety of chemicals and dirt that come in many shapes and sizes. The particles can be so small that they get deep into the respiratory system and cause lung diseases and other health problems (EPA).  
 
Another irritant to the lungs is the increase in pollen and molds, both of which negatively impact the lung disease asthma. When people with asthma inhale pollen and molds, they can have an allergic reaction which results in the airways becoming narrower, thus making breathing difficult (European Respiratory Review).

Similar to pollen and mold, when inhaled ground level ozone can make breathing challenging and worsen lung diseases. Ground level ozone is created by a chemical reaction between volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen in sunlight. Emissions of these substances mostly come from industrial facilities (EPA).
 
It is easier to stop smoking than it is to alter the climate. Cutting out cigarettes can add years onto a person’s life and prevent the pain and expense that comes from diseases such as lung cancer.
 
Environmental factors that contribute to lung diseases can seem more uncontrollable than they actually are. With some simple steps a person can lessen the effects of lung diseases. These include cutting back outdoor activity during high pollen seasons (particularly important for people with asthma), staying away from urban areas as much as possible, and wearing dust masks if needed. It is never too early to take care of your lungs, take the needed precautions to keep them healthy.

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