The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Science

  • Deadly mussels in Humboldt County

    Deadly mussels in Humboldt County

    Paralytic shellfish poisoning causes a quarantine of locally harvested mussels

    By Alexandria Hasenstab

    Eating only four locally harvested mussels in Humboldt County could be fatal. On Feb. 14, the Yurok Tribe’s Facebook page released a warning about consuming mussels that read, “Important Mussel Update. Do not eat mussels right now. Please help get the word out.”

    The message also said that mussels from Wilson Creek Beach were sampled by the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program on Feb. 7. Mussels from this area had detections on paralytic shellfish poisoning.

    Native American Studies assistant professor Kayla Begay said that mussels are not only an important food source, they are also a big part of the Yurok Tribe’s culture. According to Begay, eating and gathering mussels is a way to keep tradition alive.

    “It’s an important part of the culture to know how to do these things and to still do them,” Begay said.

    Begay said that the mussels the Yurok Tribe gather are different than commercial mussels that are sold in stores. Although restaurants and grocery stores can still safely sell mussels, locally harvested ones must be carefully watched.

    “It’s something that the tribe monitors for the safety of the people,” Begay said.

    This isn’t the first that paralytic shellfish poisoning has been found in mussels and it won’t be the last. According to Pete Kalvass, the senior marine biologist for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and an HSU alumni, the phenomenon happens annually. Kalvass said that paralytic shellfish poisoning in mussels is caused by a group of algae they eat called diatoms. This algae is always present in the water but increases in warmer temperatures.

    “This tends to be a seasonal thing,” Kalvass said. “Its unusual to see it this time of year. We always used to say the months with the letter R in them are safe.”

    Contrary to usual patterns, February’s waters were not safe from high levels of diatoms. Kalvass believes this is due to increases in oceanic temperatures over recent years.

    The diatoms that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning are consumed by mussels through filtration. The diatoms produce a biotoxin that is harmless to mussels, but with enough accumulation in the human body it can cause serious problems.

    “This biotoxin affects the central nervous system,” Kalvass said. “You lose muscle control and that would essentially mean death by asphyxiation. That would be in a very rare and severe case.”

    According to Kalvass, less severe symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include tingling around the mouth and fingertips.

    The California Department of Public Health and the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program test local mussels once a month. Both of their websites post updates on the safety status of local seafood. Kalvass is unsure whether next month’s oceanic concentration of diatoms will allow for safe local mussel consumption.

    “It’s possible they’ll all be fine next month, but since we’re coming into the normal quarantine season they probably won’t be safe to eat until fall,” Klavass said.

  • Birding at the marsh may cure those mid-term blues

    Birding at the marsh may cure those mid-term blues

    By Ali Osgood

    Right now you’re probably enduring the long, drawn-out end to a wet Humboldt winter. You’ve been cooped up inside for months and you’re almost certain that you are on the verge of a psychotic break.

    A great blue heron. Graphic Illustration by Ali Osgood

    Midterms are threatening to push you over the edge and you’ll do anything to get away from that 3-inches thick chemistry book. Have you considered bird-watching?

    Just a mile and a half from the Humboldt State campus is a safe haven for over 300 bird species. According to its website, the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, located on the southwest corner of Arcata, is 307 acres of freshwater marshes, brackish ponds, salt marshes, mud flats, grassy fields and over five miles of trails. This makes it an excellent location to observe birds and enjoy a quick escape into nature.

    HSU wildlife senior, Cedric Duhalde, walks through the Arcata marsh with his roommate, gripping a spotting scope over his shoulder. He has been coming to the marsh to bird watch since he was a freshman.

    “It’s training grounds of what Humboldt birding is like,” Duhalde said.

    He explained that because the marsh has open wetlands and easy viewing points with a large number of bird species, it is a great place to cultivate appreciation for avian wildlife.

    A North American river otter track identified by the webbing between the toes. Graphic Illustration by Ali Osgood

    The marsh is a popular stopover point for migratory bird species. This is a chance for birds traveling north or south to stop and rest for a while before taking flight once again. It also means that birders have a great opportunity to observe different birds throughout the seasons.

    As walkers pass by George Allen Marsh or Klopp Lake in the marsh, they might see six different bird species foraging on the glassy waters. As the mallards pluck through grasses and a pair of ruddy ducks dive underwater in search of food, a Great Egret stands patiently waiting to strike at a juicy frog. Marsh wrens sing in the brush along the path, while groups of shorebirds pick through the muddy shoreline for bugs.

    Sara Schneider, a recreation and administration major, regularly runs at the Arcata Marsh on weekends. However, on Saturday she walked around just to observe wildlife.

    “It was cool because we were looking at this bird, and it was almost like it was looking at us, and then people were walking on a path behind it,” Schneider said. “It didn’t seem agitated by the people, but then after they passed the egret caught a fish!”

    For those visiting the marsh who are unsure about where to go or what to look for, the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center is a great place to look for guidance. The center offers maps and brochures, field guides, interpretive exhibits and a log of recent bird sightings.

    The Audubon Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, hosts a guided birding walk at the marsh every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at Klopp Lake. It is free to join and helps visitors new to bird watching identify the many species inhabiting the marsh.

    “It has great leaders and is always a good time,” Duhalde said of the guided walk.

    Before you lose your mind studying what constitutes an alkaline earth metal or the quirks of quantum mechanics, try putting that textbook down and taking an hour to explore the marsh. Birding is a hobby that requires nothing more than an open mind and a will to be outside, though a field guide and binoculars may enhance your experience. Your mind will thank you, your roommate will thank you, and the birds will… well, they probably won’t care either way.

    See how many species you can check off! Here is a list of birds currently hanging around the Arcata Marsh:

    Arcata Marsh bird checklist

    Arcata Marsh bird checklist.
    Graphic by Ali Osgood
  • The battle against English ivy

    The battle against English ivy

    By Kelly Bessem

    HSU student Tim Scully pulls ivy from the ground near HSU’s Natural Resources Building while waiting for other HSU Natural Resources Club members to gather for Saturday volunteering events. The area around the building was restored with native plants many years ago and lies in stark contrast to the opposite side of the pavement still completely smothered by a non-native plant, English ivy.

    Scully is an environmental management and protection major and president of the HSU Natural Resources Club. The Natural Resources Club has spent countless Saturday mornings clearing ivy from areas along the Northern California coast.

    “Sometimes I feel like we’re just the ‘ivy club’ because that’s all we do,” said Scully. “We remove ivy like 30 to 50 percent of the time.”

    Several Humboldt based coalitions petitioned on Feb. 15 to ban English ivy from being legally sold in California. These coalitions are rooted in over 20 groups, including government agencies, businesses and conservation agencies such as the Humboldt No Ivy League and the Environmental Protection Information Center.The Environmental Protection Information Center pointed out in a recent press release that Washington and Oregon have already classified English ivy as a noxious weed. This petition hopes to compel the California Department of Food and Agriculture to follow suit.

    English ivy winds around a tree by Mill Creek Falls in McKinleyville, Calif. Photo by Kelly Bessem.

    The Environmental Protection Information Center found that government agencies in California spend thousands of dollars each year removing the plant, yet nurseries and garden centers within the state are still allowed to sell it. Cutting ivy from invaded areas is intensive, time consuming work.

    According to the Weeds Gone Wild website that is headed by the National Park Service, English ivy is endemic to Europe and is known for its fast growth rate and ability to adapt to adverse growing conditions. It creeps and climbs among a plant community by sending shoots up from an underground rhizome stem and by producing an extensive amount of seedy berries. Due to these characteristics, ivy usually needs to be removed from an invaded area multiple times.

    “It’s super invasive and hard to completely get rid of,” said Scully. “You have to keep returning to sites.”

    English ivy is used for home gardens and urban spaces because it provides a reliable and attractive ground cover. Its flowers and fruits are enjoyed by some pollinators and birds. It also aids in carbon sequestration and air purification in areas previously without greenery.

    Kevin Maurer is an HSU geography major who volunteers with the Natural Resources Club.

    “I think that pulling English ivy from native trees should be the only way we deal with it; I don’t think we should be banning it,” Maurer said. “I’ve heard that ivy has a pretty good reputation for being an air-cleaner… also as a carbon fixating plant. This definitely outweighs the detrimental effects.”

    Though English ivy may be beneficial in certain applications, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests native alternatives such as Alumroot. For the Pacific Northwest specifically, the Vancouver-based environmental nonprofit Evergreen suggests the plant sword fern.

    Comparison of the unrestored north side (top) and restored south side (bottom) of 17th Street on the HSU campus. Photo by Kelly Bessem.

    The California Department of Fish and Wildlife already includes English ivy on its “Don’t Plant Me!” list. English ivy reduces native biodiversity, adds weight and wind sensitivity to trees and doesn’t control soil erosion because of its shallow roots.

    Tom Wheeler is the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Information Center and is involved in moving the petition forward.

    “The first step in fighting against an invasive plant is to not make the situation worse. Prohibiting the sale of ivy is a common sense measure to protect California’s unique places,” said Wheeler.

    The petition sprouted from the efforts of a volunteer group known as the Humboldt No Ivy League. The volunteer group hand-pulls ivy from Humboldt County State Parks every weekend.

    said Kim Tays, Humboldt No Ivy League member.”It’s time for our state leaders and land managers to take a hard look at the serious threat that English ivy poses to California’s biodiversity,”  “If we fail to get the English ivy problem under control, we are going to see tremendous damage done to our important native plant communities, including our Sitka spruce and redwood forests.”

    For additional information about the petition, contact the Environmental Protection Information Center’s Tom Wheeler at tom@wildcalifornia.org or the Humboldt No Ivy League’s Kim Tays at kimkat067@gmail.com.

  • Voices of student science

    Voices of student science

    By Bryan Donoghue

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    Voices of student science aims to highlight individual Humboldt State students majoring within the widespread realm of the sciences.

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    Thomas McBrinn, a HSU fisheries biology major. Photo provided Thomas McBrinn.

    Thomas McBrinn is a junior fisheries biology major with an emphasis on freshwater fish. McBrinn grew up in Lompoc, California, within Santa Barbara County.

    McBrinn chose his major for a couple of reasons.

    “One, is because I’ve been an angler since I was a kid, and it’s me and my father’s favorite thing to do,” McBrinn said. “It got me fascinated in biology and fish specifically at a young age. I’m also an all-around outdoorsman with a respect for all life.”

    McBrinn is working in an independent study with three other students at the HSU marine lab where they are breeding and rearing ornamental fish. McBrinn and his colleagues practice raising ornamental fish, which are species typically found inside a home aquarium.  

    “I hope to in some way increase the love and respect everyone should have for mother nature,” McBrinn said. “And to help preserve the gorgeous gifts this world has to offer, so generations to come can enjoy its beauty too.”

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    Matt Davis, a HSU general biology major. Photo | Bryan Donoghue

    Matthew Davis is a junior general biology major who was raised in Modesto, California.

    Biology has always captivated Davis’s interest.

    “There’s just something about living things that gets me excited,” Davis said.

    Davis references universal entropy, which the Institution of Creation Research defines as, “indicating that the whole universe of matter is running down, and ultimately will reduce itself to uniform chaos.“

    “The existence of any type of life actively defies the fundamental concept of universal entropy,” Davis said. “Natural order states that things then should become less ordered and more chaotic, but as life develops, it becomes inherently more structured, and hierarchical.”

    Davis goes to Trinidad twice a week for his invertebrate zoology class. He finds the class to be rewarding since he works with live specimens of species he’s learning about.

    “I would never be able to identify Anthopleura Elegantissima [known as aggregating anemone] if I hadn’t witnessed them utilizing their acrorhagi [tentacles] right before my very eyes.”

    Davis hopes to use his diploma to get hired into research jobs so he can sustain himself without the help of his parents.

    “All I want is to be able to live my life without being dependent on other people,” Davis said.

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    Brittany Myrhang, a HSU general biology major and her pug Molly. Photo | Bryan Donoghue

    Brittany Myrhang is a junior general biology major from San Jose, California.

    Myrhang has been interested in science ever since she could remember and holds a fondness for animals.

    “I’ve always liked science and had a curiosity for the world. I like how everything breaks down in the world, even down to the smallest molecule, to the atoms, and down to cells,” Myrhang said. “I have a passion for animals, so what better way than learning about life and about animals than learning about all of it together?”

    Following her passion, Myrhang hopes to pursue an internship that allows her to work with animals. “I’m hoping to get into an internship, working with wildlife possibly, or doing some shadowing for some vet schools.”

    Myrhang hopes to fulfill her ambition once she graduates. “Once I get my own degree, I hope to go to veterinary school, and then go on to have my own practice.”

  • This week in science (Feb. 15 – Feb. 22)

    This week in science (Feb. 15 – Feb. 22)

    By Claire Roth

    Graphic Illustration by Claire Roth

    Astronomy – Deep space beats

    Today’s music seems to be getting more and more space-age, but scientists recently came across the cause of a sound that really is out of this world.

    Around 10 years ago, astronomers detected strange sounds from within the far-reaches of space. It was not until recently that scientists at Cornell University discovered that the sounds, known as fast radio bursts, had come from 3 billion light-years away.

    Fast radio bursts, much like their name suggests, happen so quickly that they are oftentimes missed. They only last for several milliseconds and because of this only 18 have ever been documented. The way that the recent fast radio bursts were detected is that the bursts repeated and allowed astronomers to get a more accurate reading of where they came from. The origin of the waves is thought to have come from a dwarf galaxy outside of our own and astronomers hope to use the new data to study how radio waves move through different gases and conditions in space.

    Source: The Verge

    Wildlife – Crabby Potter

    CRTwis 02
    Graphic Illustration by Claire Roth

    A new species of translucent crab was recently given a name honoring not only the researcher who first discovered it 16 years ago but also a character in the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling.

    Upon confirmation that it was indeed a new species, researchers at the National University of Singapore named the crab Harryplax severus. The researcher who had originally happened upon the crab 16 years ago off the coast of Guam, Harry Conley, unfortunately passed away in 2002 before the new species status was confirmed. The species designation of the crab, severus, was chosen as a nod to the “Harry Potter” character Severus Snape. In the book series, Snape had been seen as mysterious and villainous until the end of the series when it was revealed that he had a bigger heart than many had expected. Similarly, Harryplax severus had to wait just over a decade and half until being recognized until what it truly was – a species never before identified.

    Source: ScienceNews

    Environment – Chemicals in hiding

    CRTwis 03
    Graphic Illustration by Claire Roth

    Harmful chemicals that had been banned back in the 1970s have been detected in a place far beneath the ocean’s surface.

    Research vehicles positioned over the deepest oceanic trench in the world, the Mariana Trench, and one of the deepest trenches in the world, the Kermadec Trench, were sent to monitor these areas and bring back lifeforms for testing. The lifeforms that were brought back are known as amphipods and are an order of crustacean. What troubled the scientists who led the study, a team from the University of Newcastle, was what was found in the fatty tissues of the amphipods; pollutants banned over 40 years ago.

    The presence of the pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, could be explained by the fact that they cannot be broken down through the natural processes. Polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers had been used as ingredients in flame-retardants and insulation for electrical units until it was discovered that they may be connected to increases in cancer rates.

    The bright side of this discovery is that it may provide further proof that all parts of the world are connected, no matter how deep or seemingly isolated.

    Sources: British Broadcasting Corporation, Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry

    Geography – The Old Zealand

    CRTwis 04 copy
    Graphic Illustration by Claire Roth

    Though there is no consensus on how many islands our planet has, scientists recently found that there may be one less major island than originally thought.

    New Zealand is a country that is home to about 4.47 million people and has been defined throughout geological history as an island nation. That definition has gone without challenge until now. A research group in New Zealand known as GNS Science discovered that the landmass that makes up the island of New Zealand is actually part of a much larger, sunken landmass. If still above water, Zealandia, as researchers are calling it, would have met all of the criteria of being called a continent. Some of these criterion include the thickness of the crust of Zealandia in relation to the thinner crust of the surrounding ocean floor and also more elevated (yet still sunken) areas in relation to the surrounding oceanscape.

    The discovery of Zealandia as meeting the requirements for being a continent, though under water, could better help geologists understand the history of our planet’s plate tectonics.

    Sources: Phys.org, The Washington Post

  • Recyclemania at HSU

    Recyclemania at HSU

    By Molly Gilmore

    As of Feb. 6, HSU has taken part in a recycling and composting challenge known as Recyclemania. It is an eight-week long tournament involving hundreds of schools in the United States and Canada and the goal is to see who can divert the most waste from the landfill through recycling and composting. In order to help HSU excel in the tournament, all you have to do is be mindful of your waste habits and make sure you put your trash in the right bins. All on-campus bins are counted. This is week three of the competition and the results of the first week are in. HSU came out with a 58.34 percent diversion rate and ranks 18 out of 115 in the overall tournament. The HSU community is proud of its mindfulness when it comes to the environment. Prove it! Get your heads in the recycling and composting game! For more information on the competition, check out recyclemaniacs.org or HSU WRRAP media.

  • Voices of student science

    Voices of student science

    By | Kelly Bessem

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    Voices of student science aims to highlight individual Humboldt State students majoring within the widespread realm of the sciences.

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    Alycia Padilla is a 27-year-old wildlife major from Bakersfield, Calif.

    Alycia Padilla, wildlife major. Photo by Kelly Bessem.

    Padilla’s desire to protect and take care of animals helped her choose her major.

    “When I was a child I was only allowed to watch television like National Geographic and Discovery Channel,” Padilla said. “That became all I wanted to watch and I fell in love with animals.”

    Last summer, Padilla set camera traps and collected recordings of bat sounds as part of a decade-long ecological survey. She worked with the California Department of Fish and in the mountains near Sacramento, Calif. 

    Though Padilla wants to get a job in Arcata after graduating, she has considered moving back to Bakersfield because she believes the area needs more wildlife expertise.

    “I feel like I could make some sort of change there,” Padilla said.

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    Sarah Franzen, 26, is a senior marine biology major. She’s originally from Lake Havasu, Ariz.

    Sarah Franzen, marine biology major, holding sea fan coral. Photo by Kelly Bessem.

    Franzen’s love for the ocean began with television shows such as “Planet Earth.”

    “That’s when I first decided that I wanted to learn how to scuba dive,” Franzen said. “So I got certified when I was 14.”

    It wasn’t until Franzen’s freshman year in college that she saw the ocean for herself. It was during a dive trip for Dixie State University in St. George, Utah.

    “That’s when I really fell in love with the ocean,” Franzen said.

    Last semester, Franzen worked in HSU’s Paul E. Bourdeau Lab making wax snails that are used for crab surveys.

    After graduating, Franzen will study manta rays in Australia and contemplate applying to masters programs.

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    Erica Siepker, 27, is a wildlife major and scientific diving minor from Long Beach, Calif.

    Erica Siepker, wildlife major and scientific diving minor. Photo by Kelly Bessem.

    Siepker was originally a zoology major but switched to wildlife after discussing her interests with a Humboldt State advisor. 

    “For me the wildlife degree had more practical, hands-on aspects that would take me beyond taxonomy and lab,” Siepker said. “Little did I know that HSU’s wildlife program was so widely known.”

    Siepker experiences many hands-on wildlife studies within her classes. These include the use of raptor perches to combat gopher problems, the relation between crows and human food sources and the habitat selection of salamanders in the Arcata Community Forest.

    Siepker plans to apply for an internship at Disney’s Animal Kingdom after graduating.

    “With an internship there I can study animal behavior, wildlife education and research,” Siepker said.

  • Potential pipeline meets resistance

    Potential pipeline meets resistance

    Story by | Emily Owen

    Since the 1970s, a Canadian-based energy company called Veresen Incorporated has been working on a plan to build a pipeline to carry natural gas through Southern Oregon, just 200 miles north of Arcata. After being repeatedly turned down, documents are currently being prepared to be re-submitted with the expectation of eventual approval. 

    According to Veresen Incorporated’s website, the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline is proposed to be 232 miles long, cross under five major rivers and result in the clear-cutting of up to 30 miles of forest. At $7.5 billion, the project is worth twice as much as the Dakota Access Pipeline and is being praised for its potential in economic benefit.

    When Leonard Perry heard about the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline and that sections were going to pass through the Klamath River, he readied himself for the fight he knew was coming. Perry, an 18-year-old student attending College of the Redwoods, is a founding member of a group known as Humboldt Water Protectors. The group, now called Sacred Seeds, has made it their main goal to protect the abundance of natural resources in and around Humboldt County.

    “We see what’s happening to the world, what’s happening in our own backyard, and people are waking up,” Perry said. “We all drink water. This isn’t a party issue, we need to start looking out for our brothers and sisters. The minute we start coming together there’s change.”

    Mouth of the Klamath River in the fall. Photo by Emily Owen.

    The HSU Environment and Community Club is organizing an on-campus event titled Water is Life: The Standing Rock-Klamath Connection to publicize and spread awareness of the potential Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. The event will happen on March 4 in the Kate Buchanan Room from 12 to 6p.m. and will shed light on interconnectivity behind the movement for clean and safe water.

    Francesca Gallardo and Yojana Miraya, both graduate students in the environment and community program, are coordinating outreach for the event. Gallardo sees the potential to unite these communities and cross boundaries through building coalitions.

    “These movements are for everyone,” Gallardo said. “We are fighting the biggest fight of our lives. It is time for everybody and anybody to step up.”

    Miraya is from an indigenous tribe in Peru and recognizes the parallels in the global struggle to protect natural resources. 

    “Leaders aren’t working for the communities” Miraya said. “Educating people will bring consciousness and the parts of society that are marginalized can come together.”

    Cutcha Risling-Baldy professor of Native American studies at HSU, is Karuk, Yurok and an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, thinks of pipelines as last resort efforts from the nonrenewable energy industry to stay relevant in a world relying on a failing system.

    “There’s a Gold Rush mentality of wanting to make as much money as possible no matter what the consequences are,” Risling-Baldy said. “That’s why we need to always include an indigenous perspective. Native people consult with the land and we see those connections. You can’t account for the way nature plays with your best plans.”

    Risling-Baldy stressed the importance of divesting from companies and organizations that fund nonrenewable infrastructure. 

    “We’re finding out that people think with their money,” Risling-Baldy said. “The government is actively working against the people so you need to speak with your money. Take it out.”

    Michael Hinrichs, Director of Communication for the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, acknowledges the opposition that is growing and wants to assure people that the project is meeting all environmental standards set by the federal government.

    “We’re trying to avoid the impacts that people are worried about,” Hinrichs said. “I would encourage people with concerns to make them known.”

  • The pressure’s on to make metallic hydrogen

    The pressure’s on to make metallic hydrogen

    By Bryan Donoghue

    Within Humboldt State University, in the halls of Science A, there’s a cabinet that houses solid and metallic specimens of almost every element in the periodic table. One of the only absent solids is hydrogen, an element known for being gaseous. Hydrogen contains many impressive properties, one of which is its ability to form strong bonds, known as hydrogen bonds, with other elements. Just recently, two Harvard physicists named Isaac F. Silvera and Ranga Dias have created the correct conditions to form metallic hydrogen. This form of hydrogen is both a superconductor and metastable. If replicated, the results could be revolutionary.

    The process to create this metallic form of hydrogen is delicate, but requires an immense amount of pressure on a single point. According to Harvard’s website, a level of 495 gigapascal of pressure was needed before metallic hydrogen started to form. A gigapascal is a measurement of pressure.

    Robert W. Zoellner is a Humboldt State University chemistry professor who specializes in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. He has experience in using the device that gives off such pressure.

    According to Zoellner, the device is known as a Diamond Anvil Cell. The Diamond Anvil Cell is a contraption in which two diamonds face parallel from one another and push against each other at a single point.

    “The device is really easy to work with. Essentially it’s just a clamp that holds them,” Zoellner said. “It’s a very, very well built clamp, of course. With this clamp, you can literally turn a screw and increase the pressure on the diamonds.”

    The use of diamonds is not only due to structural resilience, but also their transparency. To test the state of matter that hydrogen is in within the Diamond Anvil Cell, scientists use a method called Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive way of characterizing diamond-like substances.

    According to Zoellner, Raman spectroscopy is when laser light shone onto a molecule scatters and creates a different frequency of light than before. The frequency of the light corresponds to the vibration of the molecule, so detecting a change in frequency is all that’s needed.

    Diamonds are an expensive commodity, especially the type IIA diamonds that Zoellner says are needed for this experiment. Due to the pressure being forced between them in the vise, these gems have an ability to break.

    “The diamond is also vibrating,” Zoellner said. “The high intensity laser light goes through the diamond, it can excite those vibrations as well. If it does it too much, parts of the diamond will get hot, expand, and they crack and break.”

    Zoellner says they use artificial diamonds which are cheaper than real diamonds, but still expensive.

    “And they have to be polished and carefully machined and everything to make them fit properly. So, the higher the pressure, the more likely it is the diamonds will fail,” said Zoellner.

    According to Silvera, the phase change happens at 495 gigapascal. This immense amount of pressure makes the hydrogen become reflective, indicating its transition into a metallic substance.

    “The reason a metal is reflective is because of the electrons that are in it. Those electrons form a reflective sea of electrons, essentially, that cause the light to be reflected,” Zoellner said. “That’s why all the metals are silver, because they are highly reflective.”

    The uses for metallic hydrogen may be vast with the possibility that it could eventually be metastable, meaning that it will stay in a metallic form for an extended period of time.

    “Here, think of it this way,” Zoellner said, “If you take an ice cube out of your freezer and put it on your counter, does it melt completely, instantaneously? Takes a bit of time, right?”

    Zoellner said that this is what the metallic hydrogen may be doing if it is metastable, only it will take a much longer period of time to change to a liquid or gas than an ice cube does.

    According to Silvera, this gives metallic hydrogen the possibility of being used in magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI scans) as magnets that can work at room temperature. Currently, magnets in MRI scans need to be cooled with liquid helium. Silvera also said that if metallic hydrogen is metastable and it can be converted to molecular hydrogen, it can release an enormous amount of energy. Seeing the potential use for this as rocket fuel, NASA supports Silvera’s research.

    “Whenever you form a bond, you release lots of energy,” Zoellner said. “If you take a metallic hydrogen with twelve relatively weak bonds, those bonds require energy to break. So you put in some energy, but this is kind of like compound interest.”

    According to Zoellner, we could call this proof of concept and that now people will begin thinking how to we make the process easier, faster and cheaper so that we can use it.

    According to a report given by Silvera to NASA, “To transform solid molecular hydrogen to metallic hydrogen requires extreme high pressures, but has not yet been accomplished in the laboratory. In the proposed new approach electrons will be injected into solid hydrogen with the objective of lowering the critical pressure for transformation. If successful the metastability properties of hydrogen will be studied. This new approach may scale down the pressures needed to produce this potentially revolutionary rocket propellant.”

    Once metallic hydrogen is one the market, Silvera and Zoellner predict that it will have great use as a superconductor, which means that it conducts electricity without losing any.

    According to Silvera, you could create power lines that conduct electricity across the country without dissipating.

    Zoellner said that Hoover Dam typically conducts its electricity to Las Vegas and possibly San Francisco and Los Angeles.

    “Every foot, every mile that the electricity moves, some of it gets lost,” Zoellner said. “If all those lines were superconductors, you could transport it around the world without loss.”

    In an article submitted to the Harvard community, Silvera said that metallic hydrogen is the most powerful rocket fuel to yet exist. Silvera has now taken steps to replicate the process. Soon, metallic hydrogen will have a place in the cabinet housed in Science A and continue to take the pressure off of our daily lives.

  • Love is in the brain

    Love is in the brain

    Where your butterflies get their wings

    By Claire Roth

    Like it or not, we as human beings are wired to fall in love, or at least to feel as though we are. That gooey, wonderful, frightening, upside-down-stomach feeling is actually your brain using the processes of chemistry against your good senses.

    According to biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, the three stages of falling in love are lust, attraction and attachment.

    Lust, involves some of our most primal hormones, estrogen and testosterone. These hormones are present in both men and women. They are responsible for the intense initial attraction when you first see someone without actually knowing who they are.

    Attraction, the second stage of falling for someone, is to blame for the times that you can’t think of anything else but the individual that you are crushing on and find yourself thinking of them when you have more pressing matters to focus on. According to an article in BBC Science, this distracting phenomenon is due to monoamines. Monoamine are compounds that are groups of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include three chemicals that are responsible for making you notice that special someone: dopamine, adrenalin and serotonin. Each chemical has a different effect on the body. Dopamine makes you feel like you want something and gives you a feeling of happiness and satisfaction when you get it. Adrenalin is what makes your heart beat harder and faster when you see your honey walking your way. Serotonin mainly affects your mood and concentration, specifically causing you to want to concentrate on nothing else but that one special person.

    When you feel as though you’ve become attached to someone, you’ve entered into the  third stage of falling in love. This stage is referenced as what can make or break couples in the long run; if both partners feel attached to one another they have most likely reached a level of emotional balance and need for each other.

    Two hormones from the nervous system, vasopressin and oxytocin, are largely involved with the stage of attachment. Vasopressin helps to create a bond between two partners and has been associated with monogamy. It has been observed in species such as the prairie vole that practice monogamous relationships. Oxytocin is released by the brain during important lifetime bonding experiences such as during childbirth when it is released by the hypothalamus in the brain. The chemical also helps to form a bond between partners when an extended amount of time is spent together.

    Almost everyone experiences crushes and love at one time or another in their lifetime. However, the next time you’re thinking of using that ‘we’ve got chemistry’ pick-up line, make sure to give some thought to the actual truth or falsehood behind that statement.

  • HSU’s Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program offers services to students

    HSU’s Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program offers services to students

    By | Kelly Bessem

    School can be a mental and financial struggle, but doing your part to reduce waste on campus doesn’t have to be.  Humboldt State’s student-run Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program, also known as WRRAP, has been in operation for almost 30 years.

    The campus services they maintain are free to all students. These services include campus compost bins, water refill stations, zero waste supplies, events such as the clothing swap. Additionally, students can visit the Reuseable Office Supply Exchange House, where students can find free school supplies such as notebooks and writing utensils.

    Environmental science major Crystal Singletari was glad to find out that the ROSE House was there to provide an option other than paying expensive prices for new school supplies. 

    “The first two weeks of school I didn’t have enough binders to reuse and was super unorganized so I went to the bookstore, but they’re so expensive,” Singletari said.

    Rangeland resources major Ishmael Guerrero believes helping to reduce waste is good, but it is often difficult to keep track of waste reduction programs on campus.

    “I’m usually focused on school, work, or sports,” Guerrero said.

    WRRAP is set up to direct students toward reducing waste on campus and in the rest of their lives in simple ways rather than having to figure it out alone. Isabel Sanchez, a business major and natural resources minor has been working for WRRAP for more than two years. Sanchez explained how WRRAP can make waste reduction easier for students to understand.

    “It’s a network that allows for exchanges of waste reduction methods,” Sanchez said.

    Need some encouragement to live a less wasteful campus lifestyle? According to a 2015 estimation, Humboldt State University students collectively dispose of 266,314 pounds of waste on campus each year. That’s about the mass of four humpback whales. Though HSU students always seem to strive for improvement, there is still a whale of a problem.

    Check out WRRAP’s website at http://www.humboldt.edu/wrrap or email their student staff at wrrap@humboldt.edu. The program is there so that reducing waste doesn’t become another daunting school task on your checklist.

  • This week in science (Feb. 1 – Feb. 8)

    This week in science (Feb. 1 – Feb. 8)

     

    Illustration by Claire Roth.

    Wildlife – A batty welcome

    At the San Diego Zoo, a critically endangered species of bat known as the Rodrigues fruit bat was the first of his species to be brought into the world via cesarean section. The emergency procedure was deemed necessary after the bat pup’s mother experienced complications during her attempt to deliver him naturally. Though the mother did not sustain the cesarean section procedure, Lucas, as the bat pup was named by zoo personnel, is thriving in the careful hands of the San Diego bat keepers and will join the zoo’s resident bat colony when he is old enough. Rodrigues fruit bats are endemic to (only found on) Rodrigues Island, an island near the coast of the country Madagascar.

    Sources: BBC, The San Diego Union Tribune

    Illustration by Claire Roth.

    Genetics – A, T, C, G… X and Y

    If you’ve seen the first “Jurassic Park” movie you may remember the cartoon DNA sequence telling park visitors that it makes up all life on earth. Even if you haven’t seen the dino flick, it’s worth knowing that all life on earth contains DNA that is made up of a combination of letters, forming a double helix, and that those letters are A, T, C and G. However, scientists from France, China and the United States recently found a way to add two new letters to that sequence, synthetic letters known as X and Y. The scientists were experimenting with finding new ways to treat nasty diseases such as Escherichia coli and discovered that they were able to add the X and Y letters to the DNA sequences of those diseases. With more research, this could lead to possible treatments or cures for life-threatening diseases.

    Sources: BBC, National Academy of Sciences

    Illustration by Claire Roth.

    Astronomy – Hide and black hole

    Scientists from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan discovered the existence of a black hole that had not been spotted before due to its position behind a cosmic cloud in our very own Milky Way galaxy. The cloud was said to have been moving through space rapidly before coming into contact with the black hole; this is the reason the black hole became visible at all. Black holes, as their name suggests, are difficult to spot in the inky expanse of space. However, if they come into proximity with something they can affect or alter, their existence is revealed.

    Source: Science Daily

    Biology – Carnivorous beginnings

    Illustration by Claire Roth.

    Scientists from the State University of New York at Buffalo questioned just how carnivorous plants obtained their taste for animals and seem to have gotten closer to an answer. The study focused on three geographically separate types of carnivorous plants: an Australian pitcher plant, an American pitcher plant and an Asian pitcher plant. The researchers found that the genomes of all three carnivorous plants contained traces of the same kind of protein that would later develop into the enzyme responsible for breaking down prey. This protein is thought to have originally been meant to fight off predators and protect the plant. Through many years of evolution and due to the fact that many species of carnivorous plants live in nutrient-poor environments, the protein developed into the enzyme that makes these carnivorous plants what they are today.

    Source: Science Daily

  • What you need to know about a Trump presidency and the environment

    What you need to know about a Trump presidency and the environment

    By | Emily Owen

    Donald Trump has been president for almost three weeks, and he has begun making his mark on environmental legislation. Here’s what he has already done and what he has promised to do.

    1. Trump appointed Oklahoma Attorney General, Edward Scott Pruitt, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Jan. 18. As a vocal and outspoken climate change denier, Pruitt is currently suing the Environmental Protection Agency and has been involved in 14 lawsuits against the organization to lessen environmental regulations.
    2. Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was chosen by Trump to hold the position of Secretary of State on Feb. 1. During his time with Exxon Mobil, Tillerson was known for rejecting the use of renewable energy sources. As Secretary of State, he will serve as the ambassador between the United States and other nations. He is expected to advance drilling throughout the world.
    3. Despite months of protest from water protectors consisting of a combination of tribal members and environmentalists, Trump officially endorsed the Dakota Access Pipeline on Jan. 24. Trump assured the owners of the Keystone XL Pipeline that their proposal will be approved and encouraged them to re-submit their application after it was repeatedly denied during the Obama administration.
    4. An executive order was carried out by Trump on Jan. 20 that ordered the streamlining of environmental reviews for future high-priority infrastructure projects. The action instructs the Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to fast track approval of these projects.
    5. On Jan. 24, a document written and published by Trump instructed the Secretary of Commerce to promote the use of U.S. made pipelines throughout the country.
    6. Trump has made promises to build a wall on the U.S. / Mexico border. Many environmentalists say it will cut off the flow of water and be detrimental to wildlife in the area. The construction of the proposed wall will also have a huge impact on greenhouse gas emissions and will only serve to further the issue of climate change.
    7. Trump has discussed the possibility of putting an end to the Endangered Species Act on the grounds of hindered economic development. He said that the act has been unsuccessful in preserving wildlife, despite the National Wildlife Federation reporting that it successfully protects almost than 1,400 plants and animals.
    8. Proposals have been submitted by Trump to cut the EPA’s funding by up to one-third. Trump has already confirmed that he has full support of the Republican Party to back his proposals.
    9. Motions have been made by Trump to censor climate scientists and order government employees to cease all communication with the public unless approved by Trump’s political appointees.
    10. Trump plans to end former President Obama’s Climate Action Plan and replace it with the America First Energy Policy Plan. The America First Energy Policy Plan will push for elimination of climate regulations in order to refocus efforts on coal, oil and gas production.
    11. Trump mentioned the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, a global pact to cut emissions which was signed by almost 200 nations.
  • Voices of student science

    Voices of student science

    By | Kelly Bessem

    Voices of student science aims to highlight individual Humboldt State students majoring within the widespread realm of the sciences.

    ____________________________________________________________

    Isabella Knori, HSU Geography major with a minor in Geospatial Analysis. Photo by Kelly Bessem

    Isabella Knori is a senior geography major with a minor in geospatial analysis. Knori is originally from San Diego, Calif.

    “Geography allows you to learn about all different things that apply to a wide variety of disciplines,” Knori said. “When I came to HSU I was really indecisive and wanted to major in everything.”

    For her geography capstone project, Knori conducted a geospatial landscape analysis based on the historic habitats of California condors. This conservation mapping project found possible areas for California condor reintroduction in Northern California.

    ____________________________________________________________

    Kolbe Cathcart, HSU Biology major with an Ecology and Biodiversity focus, standing next to his redwood sapling “Toobee”. Photo by Kelly Bessem

    Kolbe Cathcart is a senior biology major with a focus in ecology and biodiversity. Cathcart grew up in Niles, Calif. 

    Cathcart chose his major because of a book he read growing up called “Dune” by Frank Herbert.

    “It’s about a lot of things but what interested me the most was the ecology aspect and the interaction between ecology and humans,” Cathcart said of the book. “I’m interested in looking at this interaction over thousands of years.”

    Cathcart is bringing a new perspective to the Humboldt State student-run aquaponics lab this semester by focusing on plants rather than fish.

    “Aquaponics is raising fish and using the fish waste to grow plants in that water,” Cathcart said. “It filters the water and then reduces waste production.” Cathcart is currently looking at the economic viability of aquaponics in Northern California.

    ____________________________________________________________

    Amber Hendershot, HSU Cellular and Molecular Biology major. Photo by Kelly Bessem

    Amber Hendershot is a sophomore in the cellular and molecular biology program. Hendershot is originally from Bangor, Penn.

    Hendershot is training to become an emergency medical technician and plans to apply to medical school.

    “I’m fascinated by the use of medicine for healing,” Hendershot said. “I would like to look into alternative medicine and see how it could become more validated through the scientific process.” Hendershot’s ultimate goal is to become a psychiatric or osteopathic doctor.

  • WRRAP up some school supplies

    WRRAP up some school supplies

    By | Kelly Bessum

    A map showing where compost bins, water refill stations, electronics recycling and the WRRAP office are located on campus. Data from Humboldt State University and WRRAP, Map by Kelly Bessem.

    School can be a mental and monetary struggle, but doing your part to reduce waste on campus doesn’t have to be. If you haven’t yet happened upon it, WRRAP is Humboldt State’s student-run Waste Reduction and Resource Awareness Program that’s been in operation for almost 30 years.

    The campus services they maintain are free to all students. These services include campus compost bins, water refill stations, zero waste supplies, events such as the clothing swap and the ROSE [Reuseable Office Supply Exchange] House, where students can find 100 percent free school supplies such as notebooks and writing utensils.

    Environmental science major Crystal Singletari was glad to find out that the ROSE House was there to provide an option other than paying expensive prices for new school supplies. 

    “The first two weeks of school I didn’t have enough binders to reuse and was super unorganized so I went to the bookstore, but they’re so expensive,” Singletari said.

    Rangeland resources major Ishmael Guerrero believes helping to reduce waste is good but it is often difficult to keep track of waste reduction programs on campus.

    “I’m usually focused on school, work or sports,” Guerrero said.

    WRRAP is set up to direct students toward reducing waste on campus, and in the rest of their lives, in simple ways rather than having to figure it out alone. Isabel Sanchez, a business major and natural resources minor who has been working for WRRAP for more than two years, explained how WRRAP can make waste reduction easier for students to understand.

    “It’s a network that allows for exchanges of waste reduction methods,” Sanchez said.

    Need some encouragement to live a less-wasteful campus lifestyle? According to a 2015 estimation, Humboldt State University students collectively dispose of 266,314 pounds of waste on campus each year. That’s about the mass of four humpback whales. Though HSU students always seem to strive for improvement, there is still a whale of a problem.

    Humboldt State University student waste disposal totals. Data from CalRecycle, Graph by Kelly Bessem.

    Check out WRRAP’s website at http://www.humboldt.edu/wrrap or email their student staff at wrrap@humboldt.edu. The program is there so that reducing waste doesn’t become another daunting school task on your checklist.

  • Pruitt to head US Environmental Protection Agency

    Pruitt to head US Environmental Protection Agency

    By | Bryan Donoghue

    President Donald J. Trump and his administration have selected the Oklahoma Attorney General Edward Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This action could disrupt former President Barack Obama’s efforts to combat climate change and could also limit the power held by the EPA.   

    According to The Washington Post, Pruitt has long been a critic of the EPA and has led legal challenges against some of the agency’s actions. These actions include efforts to lessen greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and determining which wetlands and streams are subject to federal regulation.

    William Fisher, HSU economics professor, said of Pruitt, “He’s openly hostile to things like climate change and he’s representative of the fossil fuel industry.”

    Under Pruitt’s leadership of the EPA, incommensurate views on various environmental topics may result in inhospitable outcomes.

    The most crucial concern of Pruitt’s appointed position among the local Humboldt community seems to be budget cuts.

    “He has the power to defund research,” said biochemistry major Marcella Atencio. “So if something doesn’t support his political view or agenda, he does have the ability to defund that. If he does, there’s not much the research can do about that unless they get a private investor. The odds are that he has to agree with that and that makes things much more difficult.”  

    The sentiment around budget cuts in the EPA seem to be universal among students and faculty. Fisher doesn’t know for certain whether the EPA will receive budget cuts. He believes that it is likely under this specific administration, though not necessary, for overall budget concerns nationally.

    “Really, you see in many different administrations, they don’t have to eliminate certain programs, or even the budgets for those,” said Fisher.

    According to The New York Times, Pruitt plays a hero to conservative activists. He is one part of a group of Republican attorney generals who allied with some of the nation’s leading energy producers to push back against the Obama administration’s plans. This conflict of interest surrounding fossil fuel has been received with controversy, but played a large part with President Trump’s selection of Pruitt.

    Journalism major Alex Gonzalez pictures the change in EPA leadership as backtracking all progress the nation has made over the past few years to lessen our effects on the environment. 

    “It’s saddening to think how little our country will care about the environment because the U.S. sets an example for all the other nations to follow,” Gonzalez said. “Under new conservative views, other countries will follow leading to an overall decline to the health of the earth.”

    An unavoidable hurdle in the EPA that will most likely happen under Pruitt’s leadership is dormancy of the agency.

    “He could attempt to gut a lot of the regulations of the EPA, some of that would take time,” Fisher said. “So probably the biggest impact that he’d be able to have immediately would be not utilizing the powers of the EPA.”

    Though Pruitt will likely still utilize the EPA’s power, a change in policy takes time.

    “Dismantling things like the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act can take a lot of time and effort, and underfunding the EPA will probably happen,” Fisher said. “It’s almost guaranteed that they won’t police what they’re supposed to be policing.”

    The Washington Post states that dismantling regulation, if it survives the courts, would not be simple because the EPA has already finalized it. This means that to undo and replace regulations would require a public notice and comment process. Environmental groups would likely sue the agency over such a move. 

    Pruitt has yet to take his seat as the head of the EPA, as he still needs to be approved. According to a recent article in The Huffington Post, Pruitt is now being backed by the Koch Brothers, a name synonymous with success in the crude oil industry. For now, we can only wait to see which actions Pruitt will take.

  • A stormy start to the year

    A stormy start to the year

    January rainfall on track to double the average

    By | Alexander Badger

    After one of the rainiest fall seasons in Humboldt County history, students returned to the new semester to yet another storm. The storm was strong enough to knock out the power in a significant portion of the county over the weekend of Jan 21. The Eureka National Weather Service recorded winds above 50 mph along the coast that toppled trees and power lines.

    Graphic | Alexander Badger

    The winds were joined by a record rainfall that pushed the amount of rain in the county to practically double the monthly average. As of Jan. 26, the county received about 10.51 inches of rain; the mean for this time of the month is about 5.35 inches. The last time the county had more than 10 inches of rain was in October. This is consistent with a trend observed by the California-Nevada River Forecast Center over the past water year, a period within which precipitation levels are observed and recorded. The water year begins Oct. 1 and is updated at the end of every month.

    Reginald Kennedy, a hydrologist at the Eureka National Weather Service, said that while the worst is over for the foreseeable future, people should still be prepared for stormy weather coming their way.

    “More, smaller storm systems will be coming every few days going into February and strong winds in February and possibly March,” Kennedy said.

    Keeping in mind the recent turbulent weather record measurements, students should think twice before putting away those heavy coats; Winter still has long ways to go.

  • This week in science Jan. 16

    This week in science Jan. 16

    Graphic Illustrations and Written By: Claire Roth

    Politics – A glimmer of hope

    Perhaps one of the most hopeful developments so far in the world of 2017 science is President-elect Donald Trump and his affiliates’ acknowledgement of climate science. Though the terms ‘Trump,’ ‘science,’ and ‘hopeful’ rarely fit within the same sentence, this recognition stands in stark contrast with much of what President-elect Trump said in the past concerning climate science oftentimes publicly denying its necessity and the existence of climate change in general. BBC News reports that Trump’s “about-face” on these issues came gradually after his election and that he now is softening his opposition to key environmental steps such as the 2016 Paris Agreement.

    Source: BBC News

    Wildlife – Merging territories

    Shifting treelines and warming temperatures as a result of climate change, have created a possibly troublesome overlap of territories between common leopards and snow leopards on the Tibetan plateau. The phenomenon had never beforehand been observed due to the big cats’ differing habitat needs, but wildlife scientists point to a warming climate as the culprit. Common leopards, usually residing in lower elevations than snow leopards, seem to have begun their ascent into snow leopard territory as temperatures continue to rise and treelines recede. This poses an issue to the already endangered snow leopard population.

    Source: BBC News

    Wildlife – Cooling caribou

    Many of us have a friend who’s dead-set on reducing their footprint on the global  climate, but what about a friend who’s reducing their hoofprint? As caribou roam their tundra home and munch on darkly colored shrubs, space is opened up for grasses that are oftentimes more lightly colored and therefore absorb less heat energy than their darkly colored shrub counterparts. Research suggests that the widespread amount of caribou grazing and the resulting decrease in retained heat energy on the earth’s surface has cooling effects on the ecosystem.

    Source: Anthropocene Magazine

    Food – Staying spicy, staying alive

    Researchers at the University of Vermont recently found a correlation between spicy pepper lovers and staying alive longer. A component present in peppers known as capsaicin is thought to be helpful in helping your body maintain a healthy vascular system and overall weight. According to a study by the University of Vermont there is a 13 percent increase in lifespan of those who enjoyed peppers during their lifetime.

    Source: Science Daily

    Language – Swearing by science

    If someone has ever told you that you need a swear jar, they’re probably right. However, science has given those of us who are “swear-happy” a new excuse to say f*** yeah. A team of psychologists at the University of Cambridge found that the more you cuss, the more likely you are to be telling the truth. The study found that the inclusion of swear words in one’s everyday jargon shows that honest beliefs are not being censored. Additionally, the language patterns of frequent swearers were studied and resembled the language patterns having to do with telling the truth.

    Source: Science Daily

    Wildlife – Moody worms

    “Ah, yes, I remember my moody teenage years fondly,” said no one ever. It turns out that humans are not the only animals that experience those ups and downs associated with adolescence. The Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that the brain chemistry of teenage roundworms causes them to act more irrationally than adult roundworms, exhibiting behavior such as taking their sweet time when seeking out food sources or choosing a direction to travel in.