Matt Klein
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
Research Question
To what extent should the United States be held responsible for upholding human rights in less-developed countries, and how much can that responsibility be overlooked during times of conflict?
Matt Klein
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
Research Question
To what extent should countries be held responsible for upholding human rights in foreign regions? Can a county overlook responsibility during times of conflict?
Matt Klein approximately 250 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
The Heart of the Antarctic Response
By Matt Klein
I looked at parts of Appendix IV in Shackleton’s The Heart of the Antarctic. Since I have an interest in physics, I focused on the passages concerning the formation of Antarctic ice and the Southern Lights. The beginning of Appendix IV explained how large ice crystals and hard, compact snow can form from the vaporization and recrystallization of smaller pieces of ice. This process created some beautiful ice crystal structures, some of which gave the scientists some trouble when it formed on their equipment. The section also describes how the salinity and movement of ocean water can lead to stunning ice caves with stalactites and stalagmites.
The end of this section also interested me. It discussed the behavior of the Earth’s southern magnetic pole as well as the Aurora Australis. Since the crew was so near the pole, they had to measure both the horizontal and vertical components of the Earth’s magnetic field to determine the rough location of the pole. The Southern Lights, described as yellowish-green curtains of light, were observed to move in the general direction of the pole. James Murray also described the various shapes of the Aurora.
Appendix IV shows a clear connection between art and the sciences. Through scientific processes, beautiful ice structures and dazzling displays of light are created. However, I’m not sure if this topic can provide a suitable research question. I am curious if there are environment factors such as pollution and global warming that affect the aurorae and the formation of ice crystals, but a quick Internet didn’t reveal any current discussion on the subject.
Matt Klein approximately 200 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
“The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders”
By Matt Klein
Since speaking and singing share many similarities, researchers have begun to test the effectiveness of singing as a treatment for neurological conditions. In “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders,” Harvard students summarize the ways singing is being used to treat stuttering, Parkinson’s disease, aphasia, and autism. In the various studies, they describe, it was found that singing can increase cardio-physiological health and improve connections between the sensory, motor, and multimodal parts of the brain. Since singing also isolates the phonemes in words, those struggling with fluency have more control time to correct their speech. Overall, treatments involving singing increased fluency in all the disorders examined. This success illustrates how arts, like singing, can bring great contributions to fields science.
Despite the large amount of success described in this article, I’m curious as to how long-term the effects are. As a stutterer, I know that singing does help with fluency while singing, but I don’t notice any permanent changes. I’d also like to know what studies have found about the effectiveness of instrumental music, as I have been playing the cello for ten years.
Matt Klein approximately 200 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
“Whisper of the Wild” Response
By Matt Klein
In “Whisper of the Wild,” Kim Tingley describes her personal experiences in Denali National Park and Preserve. She had journeyed there with Davyd Betchkal, the park’s physical-science technician. Betchkal’s goal was to set up equipment that would record the natural sounds—the “soundscape”—of the park. This was part of his work in soundscape ecology, a relatively new field of science that works to record and study the acoustics of ecosystems to determine their health. Since human noise is increasing in wild areas, soundscape ecologists such as Betchkal hope to use their findings to preserve the natural acoustics of these ecosystems, thereby protecting the sound-reliant species that live there.
Just as Betchkal is searching for natural soundscapes free of human noise pollution, I have always wanted to see the night sky free of light pollution. Since I have always lived by large towns and shopping malls, I have only ever been able to see a fraction of the stars. Someday, I would like to go some remote area and see the beauty of the night sky in its entirety.
Matt Klein approximately 250 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
“Land Divided, Coast United” Response
By Matt Klein
In her article “Land Divided, Coast United,” Josie Glausiusz demonstrates how political tension can blind national leaders from the needs of the people. Due to the conflict between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip, Gaza is unable to obtain the resources it needs to maintain a clean water supply. As a result, “over 90,000 cubic meters of raw or partially treated sewage [is dumped] into the Mediterranean Sea every day.” This leads to serious problems as the sewage pollutes beaches and the water supply, leading to disease. The sewage is also wasted because it is too saline for agriculture. Though Gaza is working with outside organizations such as EcoPeace, Israel refuses to cooperate, denying Gaza the proper equipment because it could also be used for military purposes. Those struggling with the water problem argue that Israel should look past the political situation and realize that, since they share the same coast, what is good for one country is good for the other.
Although there is no major political conflict in the United States, the issue of pollution control is similar to Gaza’s water issue. US manufacturers produce lots of waste in the form of chemicals and greenhouse gases that need to be disposed of properly. If the government allows these businesses to have their way, there is a much larger chance of global warming effects and damage to the environment. Our government does work to prevent this, though, in the form of controlling how much waste factories produce and how it must be disposed of.
Matt Klein approximately 200 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
“The Clan of One-Breasted Women” Response
By Matt Klein
In “The Clan of One-Breasted Women,” Terry Tempest Williams calls attention to the power the US government is abusing. As a Mormon, Williams was taught to “not ‘make waves’ or ‘rock the boat.’” However, once her father told her she had witnessed nuclear bomb testing, she “realized the deceit [she] had been living under.” Williams describes the injustices done to her clan and her people, and how the government avoided most of the blame using the concept of “sovereign immunity.” Though practically all the women in her clan contracted breast cancer from the radiation of the bomb testing, they were not compensated by the government. Williams and her people thus turned to civil disobedience to advocate their cause.
Williams’ story is tragic, but is not very relatable. I understand her call to avoid blind obedience to authority, but I and many others have never experienced such injustice. There are, however, still environmental issues that affect us. When searching for the facts to problems such as pollution and climate change, sharing Williams’ desire for truth will let us to sift through the politics and mass media surrounding the issues, allowing us to find a solution.
Matt Klein approximately 275 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
Making Science Writing Relevant to the Public
By Matt Klein
When describing scientific research to the public, writers must be careful to maintain their readers’ interests. One way to do this is to choose a topic that seems funny or strange—a sort of “click bait.” In Diana Crow’s list of articles, many stand out as potentially interesting reads. The titles “How Big is Fart?” and “The Birds and the Bombs,” among many others, are certainly bizarre enough to attract public attention. Besides the unusual, science writing can also focus on modern issues, such as in Ben Panko’s “Nuclear Physicists May Have Just Invented a ‘Zero-Knowledge’ Warhead Inspection System.” Many agreements have been made over the years to decrease nuclear arsenals and lessen the chance of a nuclear disaster, but to this day there has been no way to prevent cheating the agreements. If the process described by Panko is developed, inspectors will be able to check for compliance with disarmament treaties without compromising countries’ design secrets. Panko’s article appeals to the public because it offers a solution to the public fear of unstable nations with nuclear capabilities.
To maintain reader interest, writers must also describe their science in simple terms. Panko does this by generalizing the nuclear processes involved in the inspection system. The most scientifically complex process he discusses involves an “encryption foil” used hide the specific details of nuclear warheads during a scan. By simply telling the reader that x-rays used to scan the warhead cause the foil to emit gamma rays that can be detected, he avoids any complicated scientific explanation and allows readers to follow his description without becoming confused.
Source: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/07/nuclear-physicists-may-have-just-invented-zero-knowledge-warhead-inspection-system?utm_source=newsfromscience&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=zeroknowledge-5827
Matt Klein approximately 150 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
Potential Skepticism About the Role of the Arboretum
By Matt Klein
In my essay, I argue that Geneseo Arboretum can be considered both sublime and a frontier, but with definitions slightly different from Cronon’s. In the context of my essay, how much of a frontier a wilderness is defined by its separation and distance from human society, and the sublime describes how well the wilderness invokes feelings of wonder and awe. Skeptics could disagree with both of my classifications of the Arboretum. I argue that the Arboretum is a remote part of campus, but since it is a part of the campus one could assert that it is much closer to home than what we usually perceive as wilderness. As for the sublime, the Arboretum is not much different from the woods around us; one could claim that it lacks the sublimity of more impressive landscapes such as large mountains and valleys.
The significance of my essay is in proving the importance of the Arboretum. Cronon believes that the importance we give nature is false because it is actually all around us. I argue that the Arboretum, despite being part of a wild that surrounds us, can still provide an escape from society that Cronon overlooks.
Matt Klein approximately 350 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
William Cronon and the Geneseo Arboretum
By Matt Klein
In The Trouble with Wilderness, William Cronon refutes the modern concept of environmentalism and illustrates the true (but overlooked) interconnection between humanity and nature. If Cronon were to explain the Geneseo Arboretum in terms of his argument, he would describe the separation of the Arboretum from the rest of the campus. The Arboretum is celebrated as a natural sanctuary, a quiet place to go to retreat from college life. In the language of Cronon, the Arboretum is a frontier, a place to “escape the confining strictures of civilized life”. Cronon, however, would not believe the Arboretum to be necessary in this regard. Since the Geneseo campus is covered in nature, one should not have to go to the Arboretum to find it. Furthermore, Cronon would rebut the idea that the Arboretum shows the wild in its natural state. He would be sure to point out the many ways the Geneseo community has influenced the park. In this line of argument, Cronon is not incorrect; it is true that nature can be found everywhere and that the Arboretum is far from a pristine wilderness. However, speaking from the perspective of a Geneseo student, I do not believe these factors matter when it comes to how myself and others perceive the Arboretum.
Though the frontier of the nineteenth century has passed, the qualities of the frontier live in the parts of nature we attempt to preserve. It is true that in “preserving” nature we influence it and make it unnatural, but that does not mean that it cannot offer an escape from the even more unnatural world we leave behind when we enter. The ivy-covered buildings and beloved trees of the Geneseo campus, though also part of nature, are unable to offer this relief due to their proximity with the daily hive of human activity. Thus it is the separation of the Arboretum that provides the peaceful and calming experience that visitors are searching for. It is not that the nature at the heart of Geneseo lacks the autonomy and Otherness Cronon describes; it is simply easier to observe the autonomy an Otherness when distanced from familiar life.