Basic Facts about U.S. Territories

Basic Facts about U.S. Territories The United States is the worlds third largest country based on population and land area. It is divided into 50 states but also claims 14 territories around the world. The definition of a territory as it applies to those claimed by the United States are lands that are administered by the United States but are not officially claimed by any of the 50 states or any other world nation. Typically, most of these territories depend on the United States for defense, economic and social support. The following is an alphabetical list of the territories of the United States. For reference, their land area and population (where applicable) have also been included. American Samoa Total Area: 77 square miles (199 sq km) Population: 55,519 (2010 estimate) American Samoa is made up of five islands and two  coral atolls, and is  part of the Samoan Islands chain in the south Pacific Ocean. The  1899 Tripartite Convention divided the Samoan Islands into two parts, between the US. and Germany, after more than a century of battles among the French, English, German and Americans to claim the islands, during with the Samoans fought fiercely. The U.S. occupied its part of Samoa in 1900 and on  July 17, 1911, the US Naval Station Tutuila  was officially renamed American Samoa. Baker Island Total Area: 0.63 square miles (1.64 sq km) Population: Uninhabited Baker Island an atoll just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean about 1,920 miles southwest of Honolulu. It became an American territory in 1857. Americans tried to inhabit the island in the 1930s, but when Japan became active in the Pacific during World War II, they were evacuated. The island is named for Michael Baker, who visited the island several times before claiming it in 1855. It was classified as part of Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Guam Total Area: 212 square miles (549 sq km) Population: 175,877 (2008 estimate) Located in the western Pacific Ocean  in the Mariana Islands, Guam became a U.S. possession in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. Its believed that the indigenous people of Guam, the Chamorros, settled on the island roughly 4,000 years ago. The first European to discover Guam was Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. The Japanese occupied Guam in 1941, three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.  American forces liberated the island on July 21, 1944, which is still commemorated as Liberation Day. Howland Island Total Area: 0.69 square miles (1.8 sq km) Population: Uninhabited Located near Baker Island in the central Pacific, Howland Island comprises the  Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. The U.S. took possession in 1856. Howland Island was the destination aviator Amelia Earhart was headed for when her plane disappeared in 1937.   Jarvis Island Total Area: 1.74 square miles (4.5 sq km) Population: Uninhabited This uninhabited atoll is in the south Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands. It was annexed by the U.S. in 1858, and is administered by  the Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system.   Kingman Reef Total Area: 0.01 square miles (0.03 sq km) Population: Uninhabited Although it was discovered a few hundred years earlier, Kingman Reef was incorporated by the U.S. in 1922. Its incapable of sustaining plant life, and is considered a maritime hazard, but its location in the Pacific Ocean had strategic value during World War II. Its administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the  Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Midway Islands Total Area: 2.4 square miles (6.2 sq km) Population: There are no permanent inhabitants on the islands but caretakers periodically live on the islands. Midway is nearly at the halfway point between North America and Asia, hence its name. Its the only island in the Hawaiian archipelago which is not part of Hawaii. Its administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. formally took possession of Midway in 1856.   The Battle of Midway was one of the most important between the Japanese and the U.S. in World War II. In May 1942, the Japanese planned an invasion of Midway Island which would provide a base for attacking Hawaii. But the Americans intercepted and decrypted the Japanese radio transmissions.  On June 4, 1942, U.S. aircraft flying from USS Enterprise, USS Hornet, and USS Yorktown attacked and sunk four Japanese carriers, forcing the Japanese to withdraw. The Battle of Midway marked the turning point of World War II in the Pacific. Navassa Island Total Area: 2 square miles (5.2 sq km) Population: Uninhabited   Located in the Caribbean 35 miles west of Haiti, Navassa Island is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. claimed possession of Navassa in 1850, although Haiti has disputed this claim. A group of Christopher Columbus crewmen happened on the island in 1504 on their way from Jamaica to Hispanola, but discovered Navassa had no fresh water sources. Northern Mariana Islands Total Area: 184 square miles (477 sq km) Population: 52,344  (2015 estimate) Officially known as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, this string of 14 islands is in the Micronesia collection of islands in the Pacific Ocean, between Palau, the Philippines and Japan.   The Northern Mariana Islands have a tropical climate, with December through May as the dry season, and July to October the monsoon season. The largest island in the territory, Saipan, is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the worlds most equable temperature, at 80 degrees year round. The Japanese had possession of the Northern Marianas until the U.S. invasion in 1944.   Palmyra Atoll Total Area: 1.56 square miles (4 sq km) Population: Uninhabited Palmyra is an incorporated territory of the U.S., subject to all provisions of the Constitution, but its also an unorganized territory, so theres no Act of Congress on how Palmyra should be governed. Located halfway between Guam and Hawaii, Palmyra has no permanent residents, and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Puerto Rico Total Area: 3,151 square miles (8,959 sq km) Population: 3, 474,000  (2015 estimate) Puerto Rico is the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, about 1,000  miles southeast of Florida and just east of the Dominican Republic and west of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, a territory of the U.S. but not a state. Puerto Rico seceded from Spain in  1898, and Puerto Ricans have been citizens of the United States since a law was passed in 1917. Even though they are citizens, Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax and they can not vote for president. U.S. Virgin Islands Total Area: 136 square miles (349 sq km) Population: 106,405  (2010 estimate) The islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands archipelago in the Caribbean  are St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas, as well as other minor islands. The USVI became a U.S. territory in 1917, after the U.S. signed a treaty with Denmark. The territorys capital is Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas. The USVI elect a delegate to Congress, and while the delegate can vote in committee, he or she cant participate in floor votes. It has its own state legislator and elects a territorial governor every four years. Wake Islands Total Area: 2.51 square miles (6.5 sq km) Population: 94  (2015 estimate) Wake Island is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean 1,500 miles east of Guam, and 2,300 miles west of Hawaii. Its an unorganized, unincorporated territory is also claimed by the Marshall Islands. It was claimed by the U.S. in 1899, and is administered by the U.S. Air Force.

Why baby boomers should explore the world of returnships

Why baby boomers should explore the world of returnships Those among us who have been in the workforce for a while have no doubt witnessed a tidal wave of change in the work world- everything from technological innovation to globalization and how employers and employees approach the very notion of work has undergone seismic shifts in recent years, and it can be a real challenge to keep up. If you’re someone who has taken a career break- for whatever reason- and are looking to jump back in to employment, the challenge to get up to speed can be even more daunting. On top of this perception gap, your skill set and industry knowledge may need a refresh or revamp.What is a returnship and who is it for?Although this may seem like an insurmountable obstacle, jumping back into an industry in order to build a new career is completely doable. Companies are recognizing that a significant and potentially valuable segment of the workforce consists of those who are looking to return to work after an extended absence, and are making a real effort to help these individuals make the transition back.As a result, we’re seeing a rise in the number of companies that are offering â€Å"returnships,† which are essentially internships for experienced job hunters who are looking to return to work but need a refresher period- to get up to speed regarding changes in their industry and rebuild their skills. In many instances, individuals who re-enter the workforce through a returnship are able to get back on their professional feet, prove themselves, and get satisfying full-time positions.How to find a returnship opportunityDoes this sound like just the sort of opportunity you’re looking for? If so, there are a few options for snagging a returnship. Some companies have established structured returnship programs that you can apply to, and the number of companies who are developing similar initiatives is on the rise.For example, IBM has a formal 12-week reentry program for experienced technologists as part of its initi ative to diversify its workforce and source the best available talent at various levels. You can search directly to determine companies in your industry who have similar programs; often, companies will provide information for applying for returnship and open employment positions directly on their websites. Try creating a targeted list of companies in your field that you’d like to work for, and do some research to determine if they offer returnship or reentry programs that you might be qualified for. If not, you can always contact their HR departments and suggest that they consider starting such a program- if you can effectively convince them of the potential benefits for doing so you just may be among their first set of program participants.Returning to work after an extended absence can be a real challenge in today’s rapidly changing, ultra-competitive work environment- but it certainly isn’t an impossible mission. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while and are eager to get back in, consider a returnship program in your area. It just might be the perfect bridge between your current situation and full-time employment.

Initial Public Offering Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Initial Public Offering Analysis - Essay Example This has made the company to invest in various portfolios. One of the major developments that the company undertook in 2010 was the initial public offer (IPO). Based on the huge amount of funds that were generated by the IPO, it became to be one of the largest IPOs in the world up to date. In 2011, General Motors revenue stood at US$150.276 billion while the net income was US$ 7.585 billion, the operating income was US$ 9.287 billion while the total company assets stood at US$ 144.60 billion. Based on the large investment and effective marketing strategies, the company has since 2010 continued to generate high annual profits. Based on the huge funds generated by the IPO in 2010, GM was able to expand its operations in 2011 an aspect that made it to produce 9 million units thus making it to be in the leading position. In 2011, the company global market share stood at 12%. Key markets where the company brands enjoy high demand are US and China. For example, 2.55 and 2.5 million units are sold in China and US respectively per year with Chevrolet brand taking the lead (Rae, 1965). Despite the financial challenge in the form of bankruptcy that the company experienced in 2009, GM has been able to create a strong financial relationship with banks and other stakeholders. In raising the capital, the IPO was successful. Having raised $20.1 billion, the IPO became the largest IPO in US history (Clare and Soyoung, 2010). 478 million common shares were sold by the company at the price of $33 per share. After the IPO, $4.35 billion was raised in the form of preferred shares as compared to the planned figure of $4 billion. One of the major aspects as to why large number of investors participated in the IPO was due to the high level of confidence that they had on GM after being bailed out by the US government in 2009. The company incurred an expense amounting to $25

The Stopped voyages and the Stopped Social Improving Essay

The Stopped voyages and the Stopped Social Improving - Essay Example Apparently, the initiation of the voyages marked a great Chinese historical period in cultural exchanges and trade. The number of ships in each fleet that Zheng led to the Western Sea had about 40 to 60 ships and over 27,000 people. In each envoy, Zheng acted as the business representative and herald of the Ming court. The voyages navigated through various countries where Zheng stopped and presented gifts to the rulers as a perfect way of enhacing cooperation and relationships. Unfortunately, in 1424, Yongle Emperor who was the sponsor of the expensive voyages was murdered in a skirmish touching the Mongols. Zheng could hardly undertake any other voyages, and set out for his last voyage in 1429 before the Hongxi Emperor who succeeded Yongle Emperor banned the voyages in 1433 on the grounds that they were a misappropriation of resources and money. While the emperor did this to circumvent China from external influence, it limited china’s development by cutting trade with the outside world, and advanced Europeans could easily target China (Jessie, 2). It is evident that Chinese voyages had cr eated great contribution to the Chinese culture and Economy and the decision of stopping more voyages was undeniably wrong. The Chinese society could have been improved much better if Hongxi Emperor did not stop the voyages. The voyages greatly contributed to growth of trade between China and the outside world as well as spreading Chinese culture to the outside world, factors that contributed to the growth of China. In the ships, there was a myriad of special Chinese products that were meant for the foreign countries such as India and coast of Africa. These included skein, newly established celadon, enamelware, gauze, and brocade. Noteworthy, during the Tang Dynasty, people in China had already understood the technology of making glass to be heat resistant through addition of

Social Change Essay Example for Free

Social Change Essay Social Change is defined as any modification in the social organization of a society in any of its social institutions or patterns of social roles. Usually social change refers to a significant change in social behavior or a change in some larger social system, rather than to minor changes within a small group. Thus, social change refers to changes in the established patterns of social relationships for example in family, religious or economic life. One of the biggest social changes that has happened during my lifetime is the development and distribution of cell phones. Ten years ago cell phones were never even heard of and now they seem to be a necessity to life. The first cell phones were made back in the 1980s and were the size of bricks. They were also costly so not many people had them. The first experience I had with a cell phone was when I was in 5th grade and my mom bought our family’s first cell phone. It was a solid black flip phone that had a pullout antenna and a black and white screen. When my mom bought the phone my siblings and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and we use to beg our mom to let us play games on her phone. A few years later, due to the ever growing popularity of portable phones, the rest of my family would be getting their first cell phones. I received my first cell phone when I was in 7th grade and most of my other friends were starting to get theirs. It was a solid red phone with a slide down keyboard and it was one of the more favorable cell phones at the time. When I bought the phone, I immedia tely noticed a big change for me and that was no longer having to remember people’s phone numbers. Instead of memorizing twenty to thirty numbers I could just program them into my phone and never have to worry about them again. By the time I entered high school, every kid had a cell phone and now it was a competition to see who had the best and most up to date cell phone. Since the invention of cell phones the technology and software of the phones have increased exponentially in such a short period of time. The biggest leaps in the phones technology happened when I was in high school. During my softmore year touchscreen phones came out and everybody had to have one.

The Guilt of Lady Macbeth Essay example -- Macbeth essays

The Guilt of Lady Macbeth      Ã‚   Shakespeare's "Macbeth" holds many hidden themes within its already exuberant plot.   The first of these surrounds the murder of Duncan and the role that both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself played.   However, the true guilt of the murder can fall on either character.   Although Macbeth physically committed the crime, it was Lady Macbeth that pushed him to his limits of rational thought and essentially made fun of him to lower his esteem.   With Macbeth's defenses down, it was an easy task for Lady Macbeth to influence Duncan's murder and make up an excuse as to why she could not do it herself.   The guilt of Duncan's murder can be placed firmly on the head on Lady Macbeth.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lady Macbeth wants the murder of Duncan for her own gains.   Given the present situation, she is power hungry.   The wyrd sisters predicted that Macbeth would be king.   This means that the obvious result would be Lady Macbeth as queen.   Instead of waiting for Duncan to die naturally or to be killed by someone else, she ushers the task to Macbeth.   She forces it upon him, which is unfortunate, for he starts a moral character.   It is the methods she uses to convince Macbeth that murder is the answer that are extremely cruel and manipulative, sending no doubt that she is the chief culprit in the murder of Duncan, and his death may be put squarely in her hands.    Sex roles in the 1600s were very strict; women were forbidden from acting in theatrical works.   Shakespeare seems to play off this in his casting and dialect.   The masculinity of Macbeth is questionable in itself, with the provocative language used in the play.   He himself is unsure of his "abilities" as a member of the male sex.... ...tions, the use of her "womanly" features, and her attacks on the manliness of Macbeth all put more guilt on her shoulders than Macbeth by far.   She deserves no pity either.   Her eventual trip to insanity was her own fault, as well as the final battle where Macduff kills Macbeth.   Had she shown patience, fate may have eventually worked in Macbeth and her's favor.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakepeare, New York, Viking Publishing, 1993.    Schlegel, August Wilhelm.   Criticism on Shakespeare s Tragedies . A Course of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature. London: AMS Press, Inc., 1965.   Ã‚      Shakespeare, William.   Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul  Ã‚   Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Wills, Gary. Lady Macbeth and Evil. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.  

American history Essay

Sternberg ultimately suggests that Intelligence can be improved, and there are a number of findings to support his theory. There have been 2 very controversial pieces of research and publications however which not only disagree with the main principals of Sternberg’s theory, but have also provoked uproar since they have been released. The first publication which was to cause huge heated debate all over the world was that published by Jenson (1969), who said that those of Black origin scored on average 15 points below that of White people. He suggested that this was mainly due to the genetic makeup of Black people and that although environment may have been a factor; the main reason is the hereditability of intelligence. The next piece of literature which caused so much commotion when it was released was the ‘Bell Curve’ by Herrnstein an Murray (1994), which agrees with Jenson’s research, and also points out that those of low intellectual ability will generally lead difficult lives, are more likely to be inadequate parents themselves, and are also more likely to turn to drink, drugs and crime. Although these comments are highly controversial and politically incorrect, some of the points made are more than likely to be true, and can go some way to explaining why people find themselves in that position, however it would only be accurate if two factors did not play huge parts in the intelligence levels of individuals, the culture that individuals are exposed to, and the fact that intelligence is not fixed, and that there are plenty of studies that give evidence to back this up. The test that Jenson gave to the Black and White subjects in 1969 was no doubt culturally biased towards the white subjects, due to the levels of prosperity and education that each group were subjected to previously. Further studies have shown that Black children who were adopted by prosperous white families, and were subjected to the same level of schooling demonstrated improved levels of intelligence over children who had a similar genetic background. Adoption studies like these have often proven to be strong evidence for the nurture side of the debate; however one final area of concern in the nature/nurture debate is the topic of eugenics. Eugenics is the idea created by Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911), who was interested in the success of English dog breeders, who bred the strongest and best dogs together, and created many different varieties. He decided to start a movement which looked at the possibility of weeding out the bad individuals from the ‘good stock’ by getting humans to breed with those who have good properties and attributes, a fairly sick proposition even for the 19th century, and it was soon shut down because people decided to breed for love rather than genes. But nonetheless the term eugenics was created, and perhaps the most relevant example of eugenics in history is the Immigration Restrictions Act (1924) which was passed in America by President Coolidge, who was said to have proclaimed ‘America must be kept American’ as he signed the bill. On that day eugenicists are known to have won one of the greatest scientific racist battles in American history. Bibliography Cardwell, C. M. (2000). Psychology for A-level. London: Harper Collins. Dworetzky, J. (1994). Psychology. Minneapolis: West Publishing Company. Gross, R. (2005). Psychology, The science of mind and behaviour. London: Hodder Arnold. Hill, G. (2001). AS Level Psychology through Diagrams. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Handouts – T. Kearns

Consequences of Tattoos

Acquiring tattoos without thinking of the consequences COM / 150 March 07, 2010 Michaela Roessner-Herman Tattoos: The 21st century status symbol. Individuals are crowding the tattoo shops to become part of this new wave crossing the country. This symbol admits them to the greatest show on earth. They become part of an elite group who has a sense of belonging and able to express their personalities without limits. Tattoos have been a part of history for hundred of years and cultures adopted tattooing for different symbolic meaning.In the Brief History of Tattoos and Body Arts (2007), some cultures tattoos symbolized strength, bravery, and spirituality while other cultures tattoos symbolized a form of punishments, outcast, and slavery. In today’s society, tattoos are simply body arts and a way of expression. Tattoos popularity is increasing among teens and young adults. Peer pressure is a cause for many young adults’ tattoos without thinking of the consequences this decis ion will have on their future. For some, a tattoo is a way of fitting in, feeling a sense of belonging and making a fashion statement.Reality shows, newspaper ads, TV ads and the Internet are all big influences regarding tattoos. These media sources depict tattoos as cool and creative status symbols. Athletes’ tattoos symbolize their strength, rappers’ their sense of accomplishment, Armed Forces for honor, actors, and actresses simply as body art. Other individuals’ tattoos represent personal meaning for a love one. Although tattoos can be nice, they carry negative connotations. Gang members’ tattoos are part of an initiation and show what gang they are with and prison inmates tattoos display membership to a certain groups as well as a part of a coding system.Even with the pain a person go through for a tattoo, he or she seldom think about the risks. Considered as cosmetics, the one thing tattoos have in common are health risks. Think before you Ink: Are Tattoos Safe? (2009), explains tattoo inks are not approved by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and many reports of bad reactions has started an investigation into tattoos safety. In Tattoos: Understanding risks and precautions (2010), when acquiring a tattoo; a tattoo artist uses a tattoo gun to apply color ink under the skin with needles.This process breaks the skin allowing bacteria to penetrate developing skin infections. Skin infections cause increasing redness, pain, swelling, and rashes. Tattoos are performed with needles increasing the development of other health risks such as Hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), HIV and AIDS. A person who suffers from allergies can have an allergic reaction to the color ink (especially red dye that is non-hypoallergenic) that cause swelling, itching, hives, and with sever allergies, anaphylactic shock – a fatal systemic reaction. Health risks are not uncommon with tattoos.Many people frequent tattoo shops and have to depend on the sh ops employees to sterilize their equipments in effective and safe way. With of the popularity of tattoos, corporate America is beginning to see more tattoos in the workplace. Young adults with entry-level desire to work in corporate America faces judgment especially if the corporation fears employees’ tattoos will hurt their professional appearance. In some corporations with older executives, strict policies regarding visible tattoos are written in the company’s policy and enforced.Individuals with tattoos working in corporate America believes they are protected by the First Amendment rights to freedom of expression. This is not the case in the workplace. The article titled Body art in the workplace, confirms that â€Å"companies have a constitutional right to ban employees with tattoos. Companies can limit employees' personal expression on the job as long as they do not impinge on their civil liberties. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers re allowed to impose dress codes and appearance policies as long as they do not discriminate or hinder a person's race, color, religion, age, national origin, or gender. † KnowledgeHR International (2010). Body art in the workplace. Retrieved February 2010. People entering corporate America believe they can cover up their tattoos. This is true depending on the size of the tattoo and how many he or she has. All too often people allow their emotions to dictate the numbers and size of their tattoos.Unfortunately, this choice connects them to the negative association that was once attached to bikers, gang members, and prison inmates. This bias assessment is a barrier to career advancement. Promotions’ overlooked because visible tattoos are unprofessional looking and during interviews denied employment. This type of prejudice has led many people regretting their tattoos. Individuals who regret their tattoo is causing the dermatology industry to rocket. This decisi on, in some cases, has become a barrier for employment and for others; the symbol that once had meaning no longer exist.One of the most regrettable tattoo people insist on receiving is the name of a boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, or husband. (Hudson, 2009). Tattoos are meant to be â€Å"forever† and there are times when relationships or marriages are over and the constant reminder of his or hers name inked in the skin presents an expensive problem. Depending on the size and the location of a tattoo, the removal can be costly and painful. Hudson (2010) states several options for tattoo removal to include Laser, Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL), and do- it-yourself creams.The laser removal is the most common for tattoos removal. Considering the size of the tattoo and the ink colors, removal can take from one to 10 sessions with no guarantee of scarring; each session costing in the range of $250 – $850. Despite the expense and pain, people are willing to go through any le ngths to have this process performed. Individuals have choices. With choices come consequences. Consequences can be in the form of a positive or negative outcome. When making a permanent choice, think about not only the moment; consider the future.

Heres the Number One Resume Mistake Youre Making

Heres the Number One Resume Mistake Youre Making We spend so much time trying to craft the perfect resume in order to land our dream job. We’re all painfully aware how important that one little document can be in determining our futures. But what if there is one thing, one major mistake, that continues to stump recruiters and keep holding us back from achieving career success? And what if it would be a pretty easy fix for us to make sure we never make that one mistake? Good news and bad news. The good news is that this cardinal mistake is easily prevented and possible to fix. The bad news is: you’re probably guilty of having committed it at some point. It is rampant.That one mistake? Sloppiness. You guessed it. No matter how carefully you finesse the information and the layout of your resume. No matter how you choose your keywords and your formatting. No matter how kick-ass your job history. If you’re careless and don’t pay enough attention to the little details- or the spelling and grammar- on your resu me, you’re just as likely to have your document shredded as you are to be asked in for the interview.Don’t be lazy. Don’t forget to update your dates and jobs. Don’t forget to accurately list information that is up-to-date. Don’t include any irrelevant information. And don’t don’t don’t let it leave your email outbox with a single typo. That’s what spell check (and a few minutes of your careful reading time) is for.If you’re afraid you’ve spent too many hours looking at your own resume to catch any or all of these little errors, have a friend look it over for you. Just don’t let it out the door without making sure it’s as perfect as it possibly can be.

Definition of Descent With Modification

Definition of Descent With Modification Descent with modification refers to the passing on of traits from parent organisms to their offspring. This passing on of traits is known as heredity, and the basic unit of heredity is the gene. Genes are the blueprints for making an organism, and, as such, hold information about its every conceivable aspect: its growth, development, behavior, appearance, physiology, and reproduction. Heredity and Evolution According to Charles Darwin, all species descended from only a few lifeforms that had been modified over time. This descent with modification, as he called it, forms the backbone of his Theory of Evolution, which posits that the development of new types of organisms from preexisting types of organisms over time is how certain species evolve. How It Works The passing on of genes is not always exact. Parts of the blueprints may be copied incorrectly, or in the case of organisms that undergo sexual reproduction, genes of one parent are combined with the genes of another parent organism. That is why children are not exact carbon copies of either of their parents. There are three basic concepts that are helpful in clarifying how descent with modification works: Genetic mutationIndividual (or natural) selectionEvolution of the population (or species as a whole) It is important to understand that genes and individuals do not evolve, only populations as a whole evolve. The process looks like this: Genes mutate and those mutations have consequences for the individuals within a species. Those individuals either thrive or die out due to their genetics. As a result, populations change (evolve) over time. Clarifying Natural Selection Many students confuse natural selection with descent with modification, so its worth repeating, and further clarifying, that natural selection is part of the process of evolution, but not the process itself. Natural selection comes into play, according to Darwin, when a species as a whole adapts to its environment, thanks to its specific genetic makeup. Say at some point in time two species of wolves lived in the Arctic: those with short, thin fur and those with long, thick fur. Those wolves with long, thick fur were genetically capable of living in the cold. Those with short, thin fur were not. Therefore, those wolves whose genetics allowed them to live successfully in their environment lived longer, bred more frequently, and passed on their genetics. They were naturally selected to thrive. Those wolves who were not genetically adapted to the cold eventually died out. Furthermore, natural selection doesnt create variation or give rise to new genetic traits- it selects for the genes already present in a population. In other words, the Arctic environment in which our wolves lived did not prompt a series of genetic traits that didnt already live in certain of the wolf individuals. New genetic strains are added to a population through mutation and horizontal gene transmission- e.g., the mechanism by which bacteria become immune to certain antibiotics- not natural selection. For instance, a bacterium inherits a gene for antibiotic resistance and therefore has a greater chance of survival. Natural selection then spreads that resistance through the population, forcing scientists to come up with a new antibiotic.

How has Identification Technology evolved in society through Research Paper

How has Identification Technology evolved in society through Biometrics - Research Paper Example Biometrics has had great impacts on science today and a long history over time. It has been greatly embraced by different individuals ranging from company holders to the government. All this is done for security purposes. Banks for instance use biometrics in iris recognition for the security of different account holders (Leeuw 2007). They are able to tell through use of iris recognition how withdrawals were made from ATMs by different customers. Government can use biometrics by carrying out facial scan n different criminals. This will be identified due to the uniqueness that each individual posses. In understanding the history of biometrics different researches have been carried out all over the world. Biometrics dates back in different ages. This scientific analysis was first identified in China when different merchants applied this technology in distinguishing the differences in different children using fingerprints. It is through this practice that biometrics technology has been developed (Lockie 2006). Another evidence of biometrics dates back in the 1980s, when an anthropologist sought to differentiate traits in different criminals. He noticed that there are different traits that do not change regardless of environmental factors, there noting that use of biometrics is important in ensuring that convicts do not escape from jail. Among this unchanging characteristics are the finger prints, the retina and finally the skull. This view by anthropologist was adopted by different professionals all over the world these are the doctors and the police. The biometric study was faced with different challenges due to the fact that there was low technological advancement. Due to this, here instances of errors in the data collected, but today we experience an improvement in this study due to the high technological knowhow all over the world. This is to mean that the chances of