Biology of climate change

There is sufficient evidence that recent climate change is a result of human activities. â€Å"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal; as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level (L9).†Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Biology of climate change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The presence of excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes global warming due to the greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, the key driver. Industrialisation has increased demand for consumer goods. This increased demand fuels the production process which releases these gases. Deforestation is also a contributor to climate change. Few trees mean little carbon dioxide converts to oxygen through the natural process of photosynthesis. â€Å"The Greenhouse Effect is a natu ral and valuable phenomenon, without which, the planet would be uninhabitable (L11).† It follows that an excess of these same gases would result in a rise in temperature and by extension, climate change. The top polluters are transport fuels, coal in power generation and water and space heating. Existing records since the industrial revolution show a matching increase in the level of atmospheric greenhouse gases and global warming with the increase in human development. â€Å"Carbon dioxide has increased by 40 % since the beginning of the industrial revolution (L2).† â€Å"Global change affects terrestrial organisms and ecosystems (L13).† It is the cause of some extreme weather patterns. The frequency with which heat waves, tropical cyclones, floods and droughts occur has been on the increase. The polar ice caps and the glaciers have been on a steady decrease occasioned by high global temperature. The melting glaciers and ice caps introduce a tremendous amount of hitherto locked away fresh water into the oceans. This will result in the rise of ocean level and the attendant flooding of low-lying settlements, leading to migration. â€Å"Terrestrial systems and organisms are responding to recent changes in climate (L14).† Climate change will continue to have an adverse effect on human health across the globe. A global temperature rise increases the range of disease vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and flies causing diseases like Malaria and Dengue. Human health is also certain to be negatively affected by extreme weather like heat waves and flooding.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fall in food supplies due to the vagaries of climate change will also cause a rise in cases of nutritional maladies. Higher temperature and altered rainfall regimes are already disrupting agricultural production systems across the world and affecting food security. Climate change has also led to conflict between communities fighting over access to resources. It has also led to many instances of migration. Any preventative or mitigating measures will have to tackle climate change by providing alternative energy sources, aimed at reducing emissions to a sustainable level. The alternatives are wind power, solar power, bio fuels and hydroelectric power. Considerable savings could be realised from effecting energy saving solutions. These two approaches are suitable economically because they replace or increase energy. Reforestation is also a key mitigating measure. Forests have the capacity to cleanse the atmosphere of CO2. â€Å"Land-use conversions from forests generally cause a loss of carbon to the atmosphere (L4).† According to Weart our â€Å"response to the risk of global warming will affect our personal well-being, the evolution of human society, indeed all life on our planet† (vii). This essay on Biology of climate change was written and submitted by user Payton Sherman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

English 102 Essays

English 102 Essays English 102 Essay English 102 Essay Essay Topic: Communist Manifesto Kathleen Ahlgrim HST 142-001 March 15, 2010 Communist Manifesto 1. Two things gave the manifesto its force: first its vision and second its recognition of the necessary long term historical tendencies of capitalist development. 2. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Born in Trier, Prussia, Marx was a German philosopher, economist and sociologist. Marx was the principle author of the Communist Manifesto and also his ideas created the foundation of modern communism. Frederick Engels (1820-1895) Born in Barmen, Prussia, Engels was social scientist, author, political theorist and philosopher. Engels edited and assisted Marx on the Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto was written in 1847 as a commissioned piece on the behalf of a group of radical workers call the Communist League, who met in London. The content was meant to spread information about the communist movement. It was a piece written for a particular moment in history, but became less useful because of the change in language and the historical point of which is written. 3. 3. Bourgeoisie is the upper middle class of society. They also tended to be the business owners. the epoch of the bourgeoisie, possess, however, this distinctive feature: it has simplified the class antagonisms. (pg 35) the bourgeoisie historically played a most revolutionary part. (pg37) Proletariats were the workers; The Industrial Revolution created a group of workers who were living in poverty and under terrible working conditions. They had little or no political representation. Of all the classes that stand face to face with the bourgeoisie today, the proletariat alone is a really revolutionary classâ„ ¢ (pg 21) it is coming into being in Germany only as a result of the rising industrial developmentâ„ ¢ (pg 23) 4. 5. New methods of production diminishes the worth of handicraft because of the new means of production (44) The bourgeoiese unfit any longer to b a ruling class because incompetent to assure existence to it slave ( 50) 6. Communism is already acknowledge by all European powers to be itself a power ( pg33)

Barriers in International Communication at Workplace Research Paper

Barriers in International Communication at Workplace - Research Paper Example In the field of social intelligence and leadership, without a doubt, having a multilingual workplace has its very own advantages, for the reason that according to Goleman, social intelligence is the capacity to understand people in order to manage them effectively and act wisely in human relations. However, such also poses a challenge in effective communication since Backman, Baldwin and Cross, decoding a message can come at to a point that it would entirely break. In this regard, the focus of this paper shall delve at exploring the barriers in intercultural communication in the workplace. Specifically, this aims at exploring the impacts of interpersonal challenges it presents. This would shed light on the recommended strategies in order to remedy the challenges of intercultural communication at the workplace. On the one hand, this paper is of significance especially that diversity of culture, language and others has thrived in our society, especially in the workplace. Moreover, effe ctive communication in this diverse society is challenged especially for the parts of those coming from different country of origin like in my case, I come from Saudi Arabia and work in Ministry of Defense with employees with different nationalities and speak different languages other than English. Given this overview, this phenomenon must be understood. Barriers in Intercultural Communication at Workplace and Its Impacts Ethnocentricity results to some people assuming that language, for instance, English is a universal language (Dyers and Wankah, 2001). However, this assumption can be considered as a barrier to effective communication in every part of the world, especially in the institution of workplace, because not all people can speak and understand English smoothly and may need time to process one’s thought first before being able to interpret the meanings of the message correctly. On the one hand, Peltokorpi (2009) suggested that apart from ethnocentricity, jargon and s lang serve as barriers as well to effective communication because the members of a particular culture may have developed their distinctive jargon and slang. While it is the case that the members feel at ease using their jargon and slang, the newcomers may possibly not understand the communicated meanings accurately. Such interpersonal challenges to effective communication at the workplace affect not only the individual having difficulty understanding what the conveyed message is all about and the one who speak the message as well, but most especially, these challenges affect the entire institution itself. In the study, â€Å"The attitudes toward the culturally different: the role of intercultural communication barriers, affective responses, consensual stereotypes and perceived threat,† Rodgers and McGovern (2002) claimed that the current and most immediate impact to the individuals belonging to a different culture is that they may feel alienated from the rest of the

The Relationship between the International Court of Justice and other Essay

The Relationship between the International Court of Justice and other International and Regional Courts and Tribunals - Essay Example It shall also discuss any conflicts between these courts, and the challenges and issues which are seen with the emergence of these multiple courts. An evaluation of what this relationship should be will also be discussed. Body Hybrid domestic-international tribunals International courts also operate within the context of hybrid domestic-international tribunals which provide another approach to transitional justice, where societies consider accountability for mass atrocities1. These hybrid courts blend both international and domestic laws and the international courts recognize their existence in so far as they do not conflict with the principles of international law. These courts include foreign judges sitting with domestic judges and hearing cases which are argued by local lawyers within the countries where the cases are being tried2. The judges apply the domestic laws which have been fashioned to accommodate international legal provisions. They operate in an ad hoc manner based on o n-the-ground innovations and processes3. These courts have been seen as tools in the management of mass atrocity, especially seen in instances where there are no political tools for the international tribunals or courts to use. ... his lack of general acceptance is mostly based on the fact that hybrid courts have faced much resistance on both sides – from both the domestic and the international scene. Moreover, hybrid courts who do favour the more international brand of adjudication see these courts as alternatives to the international tribunals. Many national governments, including the US, and other western nations, reject the view that hybrid courts represent trends for the future5. These governments seem to believe that the hybrid courts may eventually end up as replacements for international justice, and that these hybrid courts may undermine the better application of international justice. States who resist international justice, on the other hand view hybrid tribunals as â€Å"carrying too many of the trappings of international courts†6. This general resistance towards hybrid courts is considered unfortunate because they present better adjudicatory benefits based on international and local j uridical concerns. Hybrid courts adjudicating in the Kosovo case The NATO launched an attack in 1999 which sought to end the ethnic cleansing goals of the Serb forces against the Albanian population in Kosovo. This prompted a declaration from the UN Security Council forming the UN Mission in Kosovo, where the mission was assigned to establish peace and security in the region and to carry out administrative functions, as well as to coordinate humanitarian and disaster relief efforts and to promote human rights. The responsibilities of the mission specifically included the establishment of law and order, as well as the apprehension and prosecution of those who committed war atrocities7. This goal was however not adequately met by the mission because many of the court infrastructures and equipment in

Poverty in Guatemala Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poverty in Guatemala - Essay Example In 2012, only eleven point percent of the taxes reached the Central Bank. Of the 215 countries ranked in the CIA World Fact Book, the collected GDO is at position two hundred and four. However, the problem does not have any relations with too low value-added tax or income, but the inefficiency from government authorities and corrupt public servants. Now that majority of the population surive in informal economy makes it easy for the tax collector to hide behind little collection. The informal sector means that a bigger proportion of the population does not have formal businesses and formal jobs therefore; they do not operate with registered licences. Based on this, the tax authorities cannot levy taxes on them. Registered businesses also have the tendency of evading tax adding to the complication. Comparatively, Honduras, an immediate neighbour to Guatemala spends 15.8% of the GDP after collection, Kenya; a country in Africa collects and spends 18.4 % of its GDP, and Germany, an economic powerhouse spends 40.6% of the GDP (Zakaria 36). In other case studies, Mexico spends 29.7%, South Africa 26. 8%, Costa Rica 21%, and Canada 32.3% of its GDP. Data collected from economic sources shows a hitherto correlation (positive) between the proportion of GDP channelled through government spending and the standards of living of a country. Good public services and infrastructure explain factors behind established business activity. Senior economists from the World Bank hold that the economy of Guatemala continues to with typical support from private consumption. However, they also hold that the rate of investment is on a steady decline with little progress in the rate of productivity. Normally, lack of or minimal productivity affects the incomes for workers negatively. The growth rate of the country’s GDP is less impressive taking into account demographic trends of the country. While the population continues to grow at an average of 1.9%, the

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? Q10. A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? The search for knowledge is an ongoing process through which certain humans intend to find answers and confirmations to questions and statements which continually arise in our society. The use of models as representations may help this task; however these may come in many forms. Different people will have a different opinion on what can be considered a model. I believe the word model implies people as role models of a community, recreation of happenings, exemplary of ideas and any possibly fitting set of information which can be made to represent something. These may be divided into categories such as physical, conceptual or mathematical amongst others depending on the way they have been brought together, what they represent and when and how they are used. An Area of Knowledge in which models may be thought to help is in the Natural Sciences. Scientists try to prove laws and theories with them but there is a great jump between a model and the real life situation. For example, a few months ago I was doing the capture/recapture method estimating population size of an organism. In order to do this we used boxes to represent habitats and beans to represent specie. We tried to prove that the smaller the habitat the less percentage error as well as the greater the habitat the more specie found in it. This was the result expected, nevertheless we all had different ways of looking for the beans, some students did not follow the rules and others had their boxs sides flop out. Consequently, our data was not accurate. The environment had been controlled and human fault made results less realistic. This model helped understand the concept and attain knowledge from its simulation but also hindered the latter as there was room for error. Another example is maps. These are a representation of the world on paper; they transmit geographical information and specific characteristics. Maps guide and help to understand the placement of things on earth. They help the search for knowledge as they are easy to comprehend; they show clear and important objects through which an individual can know where he is standing or going to next visually. However, maps also hinder as roads may be added or changed and information is limited as if absolutely everything was to be drawn on them things would overlap each other and make the search for knowledge difficult rather than clear and easy. Interpreting symbols may be confusing, scales may not be accurate and maps may not always be updated. All these factors alter the quality of knowledge that this model provides. Another example is when a company is to manufacture a product to launch onto the market. Before the real product is made, a prototype is produced. This is the closest representation to the final product. It may be used to change functions or features like shape and colour. It is a base which offers knowledge on how the final product will be like and therefore allows people to work on it to achieve the desired result. This however can be limited by technology, scarcity of adequate resources or perception in the sense that it may not come across in the same way to different people. Some may think the prototype is perfect while others may argue it is not exactly what they wanted. Another important area of knowledge where models are used is in history. Historians try to reconstruct the past with sources such as books written at the time, pictures or other documents. They create models for events to acquire knowledge from an earlier period of time. Here we should question to what extent are models accurate and therefore reliable. For example, the plane crash into the Twin Towers on September 11th was not perceived by everyone in the same way. People who were inside the building and survived will give a different account to that of someone who just witnessed the event on the street or on the news. Based on perspective and emotion, these two people would provide a different re-enactment of what they claim to know. How do we know which one to trust? In this case the accuracy of media and its manipulation of language will also have to be an important factor in the search for knowledge for what really happened and how. In addition, the use of ways of knowing is fairly important when attaining knowledge from a model. Are we using reason or emotion and whether this reason is deductive, Everyone who eats chocolate is fat. John eats chocolates. Therefore, John is fat. Or inductive, All of the Spanish girls we have seen are brunettes. All Spanish girls are brunettes. The latter implies a generalization in which assumptions are problematic because truth is suggested but not ensured. Consequently, the conclusion reached may not be right and result in misleading knowledge which then may be preceded by a wrongful model. Models are created by humans who are led by either language, reason, emotion or perception which make them somehow biased. Models have an input, a processor and an output. Hence, the way we intake information is vital as it will vary our way of seeing the model and detecting to what extent our findings are being hindered or helped. The language in relation to models is also significant. We must examine whether professionals in each field of the areas of knowledge would refer to models in the same way. Would an artist see a model and the information it provides with the same eyes a mathematician would? The same model may not be equally useful to both and the extent to which it hinders or helps what they are looking for may be different to each. This may depend on what they are seeking and what they already know. Take for example Mozarts music. If a mathematician and an artist where to listen to it, a mathematician may be finding a mathematical structure in terms of notes, beat or rhythm whereas the artist may be looking at the emotion the harmony provides. The model is the same, but they both look into it differently. We could think that if they were both to find the same specific information from it which was more inclined to one area of knowledge than the other; one would obtain better results as he is more of an expert in it. Another example of models helping the search and understanding of knowledge is in economics. Graphs, for example, help students understand trends and social behavior. However, these may not always be right as they tend to generalize. Not all people concerned with the study represented may have had a say in it so assumptions have been taken. When thinking of models we should consider whether there are any for resolving ethical situations. Is there a model we can look at for moral direction? For example, if someone comes up to you and asks what they should do if a ship were sinking and they had to save either a relative on one side or a newborn on the other, Is there a model to which we can refer to, to solve this dilemma? We should consider whether models can tell us how to behave, if so, who is to design such models and can they really be universally trustworthy to lead us to a right decision. A table of results may be considered a representation of a community in some aspect. Take for example a set of data which shows a survey on whether the death penalty should be adopted in a country or not. This would help the search for knowledge of peoples opinion on this. Similarly, it would hinder it as different people would have based their answers on different principles. How do we know that the methods used to obtain the results are precise? Can we be certain that it is a true reflection of the countrys view on this topic? Have we considered peoples backgrounds, culture or religious beliefs and if this affects the answer given? Likewise, stereotypes may be seen as role models. For example, Homer, a character from The Simpsons may be seen as a white American stereotype. He is a negative example of what some people may think is the typical American; fat, lazy and not very bright. This may help to understand the qualities and characteristics an American may have, but is it right for people to prejudice a group of individuals on the image a series gives of them? Does this mean they are all like that? How do we know to what extent the series portrays the real American or provides a misleading view of it? In conclusion, models are an important part of our daily life. They may be treated differently in the distinct areas of knowledge and may help or hinder to different extents. When looking at models some of the key factors are baring in mind assumptions, limitations, perspectives and reliability. Can we define the accuracy of knowledge? Probably not, but models do help attain a close representation of reality which contribute significantly to the search for knowledge.

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Ways Models May Help Or Hinder The Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? Q10. A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge? The search for knowledge is an ongoing process through which certain humans intend to find answers and confirmations to questions and statements which continually arise in our society. The use of models as representations may help this task; however these may come in many forms. Different people will have a different opinion on what can be considered a model. I believe the word model implies people as role models of a community, recreation of happenings, exemplary of ideas and any possibly fitting set of information which can be made to represent something. These may be divided into categories such as physical, conceptual or mathematical amongst others depending on the way they have been brought together, what they represent and when and how they are used. An Area of Knowledge in which models may be thought to help is in the Natural Sciences. Scientists try to prove laws and theories with them but there is a great jump between a model and the real life situation. For example, a few months ago I was doing the capture/recapture method estimating population size of an organism. In order to do this we used boxes to represent habitats and beans to represent specie. We tried to prove that the smaller the habitat the less percentage error as well as the greater the habitat the more specie found in it. This was the result expected, nevertheless we all had different ways of looking for the beans, some students did not follow the rules and others had their boxs sides flop out. Consequently, our data was not accurate. The environment had been controlled and human fault made results less realistic. This model helped understand the concept and attain knowledge from its simulation but also hindered the latter as there was room for error. Another example is maps. These are a representation of the world on paper; they transmit geographical information and specific characteristics. Maps guide and help to understand the placement of things on earth. They help the search for knowledge as they are easy to comprehend; they show clear and important objects through which an individual can know where he is standing or going to next visually. However, maps also hinder as roads may be added or changed and information is limited as if absolutely everything was to be drawn on them things would overlap each other and make the search for knowledge difficult rather than clear and easy. Interpreting symbols may be confusing, scales may not be accurate and maps may not always be updated. All these factors alter the quality of knowledge that this model provides. Another example is when a company is to manufacture a product to launch onto the market. Before the real product is made, a prototype is produced. This is the closest representation to the final product. It may be used to change functions or features like shape and colour. It is a base which offers knowledge on how the final product will be like and therefore allows people to work on it to achieve the desired result. This however can be limited by technology, scarcity of adequate resources or perception in the sense that it may not come across in the same way to different people. Some may think the prototype is perfect while others may argue it is not exactly what they wanted. Another important area of knowledge where models are used is in history. Historians try to reconstruct the past with sources such as books written at the time, pictures or other documents. They create models for events to acquire knowledge from an earlier period of time. Here we should question to what extent are models accurate and therefore reliable. For example, the plane crash into the Twin Towers on September 11th was not perceived by everyone in the same way. People who were inside the building and survived will give a different account to that of someone who just witnessed the event on the street or on the news. Based on perspective and emotion, these two people would provide a different re-enactment of what they claim to know. How do we know which one to trust? In this case the accuracy of media and its manipulation of language will also have to be an important factor in the search for knowledge for what really happened and how. In addition, the use of ways of knowing is fairly important when attaining knowledge from a model. Are we using reason or emotion and whether this reason is deductive, Everyone who eats chocolate is fat. John eats chocolates. Therefore, John is fat. Or inductive, All of the Spanish girls we have seen are brunettes. All Spanish girls are brunettes. The latter implies a generalization in which assumptions are problematic because truth is suggested but not ensured. Consequently, the conclusion reached may not be right and result in misleading knowledge which then may be preceded by a wrongful model. Models are created by humans who are led by either language, reason, emotion or perception which make them somehow biased. Models have an input, a processor and an output. Hence, the way we intake information is vital as it will vary our way of seeing the model and detecting to what extent our findings are being hindered or helped. The language in relation to models is also significant. We must examine whether professionals in each field of the areas of knowledge would refer to models in the same way. Would an artist see a model and the information it provides with the same eyes a mathematician would? The same model may not be equally useful to both and the extent to which it hinders or helps what they are looking for may be different to each. This may depend on what they are seeking and what they already know. Take for example Mozarts music. If a mathematician and an artist where to listen to it, a mathematician may be finding a mathematical structure in terms of notes, beat or rhythm whereas the artist may be looking at the emotion the harmony provides. The model is the same, but they both look into it differently. We could think that if they were both to find the same specific information from it which was more inclined to one area of knowledge than the other; one would obtain better results as he is more of an expert in it. Another example of models helping the search and understanding of knowledge is in economics. Graphs, for example, help students understand trends and social behavior. However, these may not always be right as they tend to generalize. Not all people concerned with the study represented may have had a say in it so assumptions have been taken. When thinking of models we should consider whether there are any for resolving ethical situations. Is there a model we can look at for moral direction? For example, if someone comes up to you and asks what they should do if a ship were sinking and they had to save either a relative on one side or a newborn on the other, Is there a model to which we can refer to, to solve this dilemma? We should consider whether models can tell us how to behave, if so, who is to design such models and can they really be universally trustworthy to lead us to a right decision. A table of results may be considered a representation of a community in some aspect. Take for example a set of data which shows a survey on whether the death penalty should be adopted in a country or not. This would help the search for knowledge of peoples opinion on this. Similarly, it would hinder it as different people would have based their answers on different principles. How do we know that the methods used to obtain the results are precise? Can we be certain that it is a true reflection of the countrys view on this topic? Have we considered peoples backgrounds, culture or religious beliefs and if this affects the answer given? Likewise, stereotypes may be seen as role models. For example, Homer, a character from The Simpsons may be seen as a white American stereotype. He is a negative example of what some people may think is the typical American; fat, lazy and not very bright. This may help to understand the qualities and characteristics an American may have, but is it right for people to prejudice a group of individuals on the image a series gives of them? Does this mean they are all like that? How do we know to what extent the series portrays the real American or provides a misleading view of it? In conclusion, models are an important part of our daily life. They may be treated differently in the distinct areas of knowledge and may help or hinder to different extents. When looking at models some of the key factors are baring in mind assumptions, limitations, perspectives and reliability. Can we define the accuracy of knowledge? Probably not, but models do help attain a close representation of reality which contribute significantly to the search for knowledge.

Essay --

Step 1. Provide a summary of the scientific article addressing these questions: The publication Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society from the United Kingdom claims to be a publication devoted to a specific area of the biological sciences that aims to define a research frontier that is advancing rapidly, often bridging traditional disciplines. Hand before foot? Cortical somatotopy suggests manual dexterity is primitive and evolved independently of bipedalism, published October 7, 2103 by Teruo Hashimoto et al, certainly seems to support this publication’s claims. 1. What issues in physical and biological anthropology are addressed and why are they important? This newly published research from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute addresses a long-standing question in physical and biological anthropology; did manual dexterity evolve first in early hominins, as a requirement to make and use tools with their hands, or did it evolve in response to bipedal locomotion, after their hands were free to use? This mystery in human evolution is important to solve because by knowing what evolved first (dexterous hand or agile foot) researchers can better learn how early hominins lived and how they evolved into modern humans. This newly published research also addresses another very important issue in physical and biological anthropology; it introduces new scientific testing methods available to study evolution that can be used to re-evaluate long-standing evolutionary theories. In this case the study of comparative brain physiology for humans and monkeys was used to help establish the study findings. 2. What is the hypothesis or main question being tested? -The hypothesis/main question being tested is what evolved first, dexterous... ...arranted based on the new comparative brain physiology research methodology that was performed, and the study of the more recent hand and foot fossil remains of the species Ardipithecus ramidus support the findings. Step 2. Compare scientific article with press report addressing the following questions: How well did the press report accurately reflect the research article? I believe that the press report reflected the research article very accurately. The hypothesis was stated and was accurately answered. Is the information present correct or misleading? The information that is present in the press report is correct and does not mislead How would you have presented this report differently? The way in which I would have presented this report is I would have done more research along the lines of other evolutionary traits of monkeys and humans and then looked at