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What animal has the shortest attention span?

Scientists study pathways in the brain of the fruit fly in order to better understand the human attention span and causes for disorders like ADHD and autism. After being fed Ritalin, flies were able to pay better attention, suggesting their brains have something in common with those of humans.\nIt has long been said that goldfish only have a 3-second memory span, but further research has proven that myth to be wrong. One experiment involved placing food around a Lego block in a fish tank for several weeks and then removing the block. The goldfish still swam to the space where the block had bee..

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What damage do blizzards cause?

Blizzards generally cause blinding snow with near zero visibility, deep snow drifts and dangerously cold temperatures. When a blizzard occurs, it is important to be prepared. At home and in the workplace, the main concerns are shortage of supplies such as food and water and loss of heat, power or telephone service. Items such as flashlights, extra batteries, extra food and water, first aid supplies and an emergency heat source should be kept in an emergency kit. It is also important to keep a winter survival kit in the car. A few items this should contain include blankets or sleeping bags, fla..

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of tissue engineering?

Tissue engineering can partially or completely replace an organ or biological system. It combines the principles of bioengineering, cell transplantation and hematology. Health Guide Info suggests that burn victims benefit because tissue engineering provides them with artificially equivalent skin. Other advantages have yet to be realized, such as an engineered lung, but experts claim that whole engineered organs can eliminate waiting lists and prolong life. Additionally, Heartzine Magazine believes that tissue engineering provides long-term and cost-effective advantages that minimize tradition..

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What is ultraviolet light?

By exposing photographic paper to light beyond violet, Johann Ritter proved the existence of ultraviolet light in 1801. Blue light turns photographic paper black faster than red light does, and the turning of the paper indicated the presence of light beyond the blue end of the spectrum.\nThe sun gives off three types of ultraviolet light: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. Ozone in the atmosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet light emitted by the sun.

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Where is the tundra located?

One of the primary features of the tundra is a complete absence of trees and other large plants with extensive root systems. The ground in the tundra stays frozen for most of the year, though the top soil thaws for several months. This is long enough to allow grass, moss, small shrubs and wildflowers to have a growing season.

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What is the difference between HCO3 actual and standard?

The actual bicarbonate is the concentration of bicarbonate in the blood. In acid-base measurements, the bicarbonate concentration is not measured but is calculated from the pH and the pCO2 using the Henderson-Hasselbach equation. The pH is the natural logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. The pCO2 is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide. The Henderson-Hasselbach equation is pH = pK + log [bicarbonate]/[carbon dioxide].\nThe concentration of bicarbonate reflects the acidity or alkalinity of the blood. In metabolic acidosis, the bicarbonate concentration is low, and in metabolic alkalos..

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Why is solar energy important?

Solar energy is a potential solution to the environmental problems being caused by fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity, they release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Scientists believe that continuing to depend on fossil fuels is going to cause serious environmental problems in the future.\n\nAnother important use for solar energy is in satellites. Many satellites are engineered with photovoltaic panels, which capture sunlight and convert it into electricity that is used to power the satellite. Solar power is also useful in areas where standard elect..

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How are positive and negative ions formed?

Inside the atom of every element are sub-particles. A proton carries a positive charge, an electron carries a negative charge and a neutron does not carry any charge. In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, thus neutralizing all charges. However, atoms have the tendency to either lose or gain electrons to stabilize their electronic structures, which only occurs when their highest energy level is fully occupied or empty of electrons. Due to the small number of electrons present in the outermost energy level of metals, these elements are inclined to give up their..

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What is the fastest healing part of the body?

Another reason for the quick recovery of taste buds is that the mouth is constantly replenishing taste buds. Over a period of ten days, the tongue's basal cells mature and regenerate, moving toward the top of the individual taste bud. Once it reaches the top, however, it only lasts a few hours before being washed away by saliva inside the mouth.\nMost damage to the tongue caused by eating hot foods will be healed in two days or less, after which the individual sense of taste is also restored. Hot foods will rarely cause more than first-degree burns to the tongue, and only in the event of ..

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Why is weather important?

Variation in long-term weather patterns and tendencies can result in certain regions getting more or less water or sunlight than other areas. All living things require water, but because some organisms require more than others. The weather in an ecosystem determines what types of living things are best suited to live there. This principle also holds true for amounts of sunlight. The intensity and duration of sunlight in an area determines whether or not it can sustain different species of plant life.\nAccording to the University of Illinois, weather can also have serious impacts on life, both ..

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