White Pine Student Interest Essays: Science

 Welcome back to our Middle School English Class, where our students continue to amaze us with their insightful essays! Following our initial series on technology, we are excited to present the second installment: a dive into the captivating world of science. This collection of essays showcases our students' scientific exploration. Their writing combines research with personal reflection. Join us as we celebrate their inquisitive minds.

OCEANS By: Madison

Sea Animals

There are many different sea creatures, like fish, whales, dolphins, shrimp, sharks, etc. Lots of sea animals are endangered. Most sea animals live in coral reefs, sea caves, and trenches! One of the most common reefs that sea animals love is The Great Barrier Reef. Given the cast size of the ocean, it is impossible to know the exact number of species that live there, but there are lots of types of sea animals. Examples of sea animals that most people know are dolphins, sharks, fish, turtles, whales, shrimp and more! 

Recycling

Sea Turtles are endangered because of plastic that humans throw in the ocean, or when humans litter. Research suggests, however, that the number of species in the ocean is decreasing. Lots of companies on the east and west coasts have recycling centers that want to save many species of sea animals, the oceans and the ecosystems.

Aquarium

Many aquariums have different types of fish, sea mammals, etc. Given the vast size of the ocean, it is impossible to know the exact number of species that live there, but aquariums also help rescue those animals. There are many species in the oceans, and aquariums can help present them, spread awareness of them, and keep them safe. 

Light Pollution Article

By: Adelina Smith

People all over the world are living under the nighttime glow of artificial light, and it is causing big problems for humans, wildlife, and the environment. People stay up after the sun sets and it wrecks their schedule. Because of light pollution, sea turtles and birds guided by moonlight during migration get confused, lose their way, and often die. 

Lighting disrupts photosynthesis and the activities of insects, birds and other animals. The light affects insect movement, foraging, reproduction and predation, says the study which, however, suggests that insect biodiversity loss can be mitigated with better informed lighting practices. Habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive species and climate change have all played a role in insect declines globally, but that artificial light at night is another important, but mostly ignored, cause. So technically, we could be killing bugs with our artificial light.

Light pollution comes from excessive artificial light that causes the sky to glow and obscures the light of the stars. The most common kinds you see, the sort of bright white ones, are absolutely making the problem much worse. The eastern half of the United States is almost entirely blanketed by some level of light pollution. Now we can no longer see the stars in some spots of the world.

Some birds' migration paths take them into big cities and they stop there to rest and then die. Light makes them stop in big cities because they think it is the sun. The light draws them close and they die because they are exhausted and cars, humans, cats, dogs, and more things kill them. Therefore, birds die because of light pollution.

Moths die because of light pollution. They are attracted to the light and when they try to fly away something in their body makes them fly back towards the light. You will sometimes end up with moths dead in your lights.

Not All Blonde People Are Dumb: By Felicity Kerr

Not all blonde people are dumb. Some blonde students get A’s and A+’s and that proves that some can be smart. “While they are derided for their supposed stupidity, until now no one has actually investigated the question: “Are blondes actually dumb?” Just because someone said so doesn't mean it is.

Not all blonde people are dumb. If research says so it is more likely than if some random person says. “Research found that blonde-haired white women – as Witherspoon’s “Legally Blonde” role shows – are certainly not dumb, and blondes might actually be slightly smarter than those with other hair colors.” Research does not just go “oh, you're dumb,” and be done they actually see if it is true.

Not all blonde people are dumb. Research tests show blondies might actually be smarter than other hair types like a brunette. “Combining the NLS’s IQ data with the hair color information from the same group of teenagers provides the ability to answer the question: are blondes actually dumb? The surprising answer – at least given the prevalent stereotype – is that among white women, those reporting having blonde hair have the highest average IQ and the second-highest median, or midpoint, IQ. Plus both the mean and median are above 100, which is the value given to a person who has exactly average intelligence.” Science shows that blond people have a high IQ.

Not all blonde people are dumb. A certain science test shows that a myth is a lie. “The NLS data suggest the Hollywood myth of the dumb blonde is not only a cheap stereotype but in fact a lie. Unfortunately, while the NLS collects information on a diverse range of subjects, it cannot answer the follow-on question, “Do blondes have more fun?” Maybe the next 50 years of collecting data to answer some of society’s serious problems will provide enough information to also answer this question.” Science can take time but it is the truth. 

Not all blonde people are dumb. Some people might not like science but it is the truth. “In the meantime, if you have believed for years that blondes are less intelligent, stop perpetuating this myth. Regardless of your prior beliefs, spend a minute thinking about all the other prejudices society still blindly assumes are true. My guess is that many of them also will not stand up to careful scrutiny.” Most people do not stand up for the truth but rather what they like.

Pencil's Article

By: Adelina Smith

    It is estimated that over 8 million trees are being chopped annually. We use pencils on a daily basis. Over 13 million hectares of forests are lost to deforestation, out of which 36% is for paper manufacturing and 42% is for manufacturing timber-based products that constitutes about 18-20 billion pencils. We use pencils chopped from about 8 million trees only to throw them away when they get small.

    The first pencils were unlabeled and unpainted to show the fine grain of the wood used. They wanted to show how beautiful the wood that the pencil was made of was. Red cedar from Kenya and the U.S. was an early favorite, but today nearly all pencils worldwide are made from incense cedar, a species that grows in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains.

    The United Nations says some eight million trees are cut down every year to make pencils, contributing to deforestation. We do not plant the number of trees we cut down yearly. If you look at the present day, we are suffering from climate action and the best way is to reduce the number of trees that are cut for any purpose. So basically eight million trees are cut down every year to make pencils, and that contributes to deforestation and climate change.

    Pencils are filling up landfills QUICKLY. We throw away pencils when they are short. Since we throw away pencils they end up in a landfill or in the ocean because they have nowhere else to go. Your pencils could help fill up a landfill.