So, today’s GED Science problem has to do with creepy clones! Ok, so maybe not clones, but families that look alike.

Which of the following would provide the best evidence of a blood relation?

1.) The two people look alike.

2.) Matching fingerprints

3.) Similar interests

4.) Legal documentation stating a blood relation

5.) DNA analysis

If we were thinkin’ about that clone family, then I think all of these would match! They all liked pizza and dressed the same! But wait, wait, we’ve got to figure out the best answer here. You always gotta look out for that word “best” or “most” so you don’t find an answer that kinda fits, then forget to read the rest. So, let’s check ‘em all out!

Number one looks like it might fool you. At first, I thought it was right, I mean, families look alike, right? Then I thought of this dude, Randy, I grew up with who totally coulda been my long lost twin brother! Hm… I wonder if he was? So that’s no good for an answer. Matching fingerprints sounds right too, right? But think about it. Fingerprints is used to detect criminals… and to get into secret secure government buildings… where they do alien autopsies! If families had the same fingerprints, that wouldn’t work. So number two’s out. Number three… similar interests… no way dude!!! Like, my dad’s interests is nothin’ like mine. It’s my friends that are into all the same stuff I am. Legal documents and DNA are both good answers, but sometimes documents can be wrong! Like if a dudette lied and said that Joe Somebody was Betty Somebody’s father, when her dad was actually Bob Anybody! Get it? DNA tests are solid! I’d go with answer 5. The “best evidence” is somethin’ pretty good to know, and something the GED wants you to think about… so you can tell for sure what’s going on. You know, make good decisions about what’s true. Legal documents might be pretty good evidence, but DNA evidence is totally proof. Can’t fake your DNA, right? Unless you’re part of a secret government lab faking alien DNA… but that’s another story…

Do you think any of these answers could help me figure out if that crazy family really was a quad of clones? Good luck with your GED studyin’!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit the GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Here’s how it works… the kids ate a little bit of peanuts every day, and their bodies sort of got used to dealing with them. They built up a tolerance for peanuts. Man, I wish I’d done that when I was little! But be careful, this article says that it’s just a study for now… and no one should do it without a doctor. You don’t want to set off your peanut allergies. No kidding! The article’s called “Children Can Complete Treatment For Peanut Allergies And Achieve Long-term Tolerance, Studies Suggest”

Here’s a GED Practice question from the article… First, read this paragraph from the article:

Duke and Arkansas Children’s Hospital began enrolling patients in studies five years ago to determine if incremental doses of peanut protein could change how the body’s immune system responds to its presence. The doses start as small as 1/1000 of a peanut. Eight to 10 months later, the children are ingesting the equivalent of up to 15 peanuts per day. The children stay on that daily therapy for several years and are monitored closely.

So, based on this study, what might a scientist hypothesize would be an effective treatment for an allergy to milk?

1) a regular daily dose of 1/1000 oz. of milk

2) a daily dose of milk, beginning at a very small quantity and slowly increasing

3) a daily dose of milk, beginning at the maximum tolerable quantity and slowly decreasing

4) a daily dose of 10 oz. of milk for 8 to 10 months

5) a small dose of milk administered at random intervals

So, what’d'ya think? Read more to find the answer…

The answer’s #2. Why? Cuz you’re applying what the scientists did for the peanut allergy to a milk allergy, that’s why! Dudes! Think about it. The peanut scientist guys started out givin’ kids really tiny amounts of peanut, like 1/1000 of a peanut… that’s, like, so small, you couldn’t even see it… like itty, bitty, tiny peanut crumbs on the head of a pin… Then, by 8 or 10 months later, they’re eattin’ like, 15 peanuts a day. The amount starts out tiny, and it gets bigger! That’s what answer 2 is sayin’, except about milk: a daily dose, startin’ small and gettin’ big. There ya’ go!

Good luck with that GED studyin’!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Well, I jus’ read about how our brains are like, totally active when we’re daydreaming. So I guess I’m all solvin’ problems without knowin’ it… just not the one’s I’m s’posed to be thinkin’ bout. Here’s the link to read all ’bout it… Daydream Brainy-Science

So, here’s a practice question on that article… an’ don’t daydream till after you’re done answerin’ it!

Read this excerpt from the article:

The quantity and quality of brain activity [while daydreaming] suggests that people struggling to solve complicated problems might be better off switching to a simpler task and letting their mind wander.

“When you daydream, you may not be achieving your immediate goal – say reading a book or paying attention in class – but your mind may be taking that time to address more important questions in your life, such as advancing your career or personal relationships,” says Christoff.

Based on this passage, brain activity when you’re daydreaming:

1) is limited and slow but more focused on important activities.

2) is highly active but probably leads to no results.

3) is focused on simple, everyday tasks.

4) is high and centered on complex problem-solving.

5) is likely to make you pay better attention in class.

Dudes! Get the answer? Come on, if you can’t solve it, sit and daydream for a bit!!! It answer 4. See, the beginning of the quote says “quantity and quality” of brain activity. That means there’s a LOT of brain activity, plus it’s good quality for problem solving. That nixes answers 1 and 2, they’re no good. Answer 3’s no good, too, cuz what you AREN’T doin’ when daydreaming is focusing on boring, simple stuff like your classwork. And, same goes for answer 5. So, answer 4’s right… a “high” amount of brain activity (that means LOTS!), that helps you solve complicated problems. Never knew I was doin’ so much kewl stuff while daydreamin’.

Okay, dudes, totally get goin’ on your science GED. Let me know what’s stumpin’ you!!!

Here’s the deal. Think about it. What makes people, you know, people? Like, how different are we from chimps, or other animals? Well, it’s one of the things that scientists study. They look at how animals act an’ how animals think, and see how different humans are from animals.

An’ what the chimp’s actions show–is that he plans things in advance. That’s somethin’ a lot of people have thought animals couldn’t do… think far enough in advance to make plans for what they’d do.

Here’s the story:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309121931.htm

So, how ’bout a GED practice question?

Here’s a quote from the article:

“I think that wild chimpanzees might be even better at planning as they probably rely on it for their daily survival,” Osvath said. “The environment in a zoo is far less complex than in a forest. Zoo chimps never have to encounter the dangers in the forest or live through periods of scarce food. Planning would prove its value in ‘real life’ much more than in a zoo.”

Now, answer this GED question ’bout it:

Osvath’s idea that chimpanzees in the wild use planning even more than zoo chimpanzees is:

A) A hypothesis that he might want to test in the future.

B) A scientific theory based on the evidence in his study.

C) The variable in his study of the chimpanzee’s behavior.

D) New data that he can use to test his conclusions.

So, how’d you answer? See, I’m testin’ to see what you know about science and science terms. Tha answer’s A… a hypothesis is somethin’ that you think is true and can make an experiment to test. Cuz he didn’t study chimps in the wild, his idea’s not a scientific theory based on his evidence. He has a reason why he thinks it’s true, but it’s based on what he knows about chimps’ life in the jungle, Dude, not about the evidence he’s collected. To make a scientific theory, he’d have to do a lot of testing. Answer C isn’t true… a variable is something that a scientist changes in an experiment to see what different results he gets. That’s not right at all. Answer D isn’t true, cuz the idea isn’t evidence or data… data comes from testing, and this idea hasn’t been tested.

See y’all soon! Good luck with the GED, an’ read your science news!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit the GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Seriously, Darwin’s a famous old dude. And, you should know about him if you’re gonna have a good science background for the GED. So who is he? Charles Darwin wrote a book called The Origin of Species. What’s it about? Evolution! You can actually totally read the whole book online, dudes: http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/the-origin-of-species/

Now, this book basically says that animals evolve over time… that they change. Totally new species get made! How’s it work?

1) Genetic variation…. Like, there’s short dogs and tall dogs, black dogs and white dogs. There’s blue-eyed people and brown-eyed people. There’s gray moths and brown moths. So there’s lots of different types of dogs and people and moths… and everything else!

2) Natural selection.. When something helps an animal or plant to survive and make babies… well, that is inherited by the babies. So more and more animals or plants have that trait. So, if being a black moth helps you hide from birds, and more light colored moths get eatten, there’ll be more black moths. Eventually, all the moths might be black… Maybe down the road in the next valley, there’s light colored trees, so the light moths survive. Now there’s light moths and black moths in two different places… if they keep getting different from each other… they’ll be two species.

Okay, that’s totally short and sweet, but there’s a lot to know! So, here’s some great evolution resources…

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/

And, learn some more ’bout Darwin:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/39754/title/Darwin_Special__Darwin_turns_200

How ’bout a GED evolution question?

On two sides of a river, scientists find two kinds of grasshoppers. The grasshoppers north of the river, where the ground is covered in green moss, are green, and the grasshoppers south of the river, where the ground is bare, are brown. What is the most likely explanation of the two types of grasshoppers?

1) Two different types of grasshoppers were brought to the area down the river.

2) Green grasshopers go north while brown grasshoppers go south.

3) Green grasshoppers are more likely to survive on the green moss, and brown grasshoppers are more likely to survive on the bare ground.

4) Green and brown grasshoppers got separated by the river many years ago.

What’s your answer? Well, if you got what I was sayin’ about natural selection, you gotta answer 3! It’s jus’ like I was sayin’ ’bout moths on different color trees. If a grasshopper is green, maybe it’s harder for a bird to see against green moss, so it survives better. That means more green grasshoppers! Same with brown grasshoppers on bare ground. So, now you know another good topic for the GED. And you got a reason to go party!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit the GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Speaking of weird stuff, and changing the world… Back to today’s GED stuff. I totally want a water monster. I mean, it’s like a monster, right? But you know what’s not kewl? Water monsters are goin’ extinct. That’s right. Gettin’ wiped off the face of the Earth. Here’s part of an article on it:

Mexico City’s ‘water monster’ nears extinction

…The axolotl, also known as the “water monster” and the “Mexican walking fish,” was a key part of Aztec legend and diet. Against all odds, it survived until now amid Mexico City’s urban sprawl in the polluted canals of Lake Xochimilco, now a Venice-style destination for revelers poled along by Mexican gondoliers, or trajineros, in brightly painted party boats.

But scientists are racing to save the foot-long salamander from extinction, a victim of the draining of its lake habitat and deteriorating water quality. In what may be the final blow, nonnative fish introduced into the canals are eating its lunch — and its babies….

Dudes! Doodzz!!! Their babies are getting EATEN! Huh, law of the jungle, right? I mean, water monsters really are kewl. They’re like these lizards with funny-lookin gills on the side of their head. I totally want one, dude. So, here’s the GED science question…

Based on the article, which factors are causing the kewl water monster to go extinct?

A) human hunting and pollution

B) gondolliers and being part of the Aztec diet

C) loss of habitat and competition from nonnative fish

D) competition from nonnative fish and human hunting

E) human hunting and loss of habitat

Hey, dudes, this is a comprehension question… that means, do you GET IT? That’s all… can you figure out what it’s sayin. And there’s lots of these on the GED science test. So, did you get it?

The answer’s C. Human hunting’s out…sure, the Aztecs ate water monsters (kewl, monster stew!), but that’s not when they started goin’ extinct! Here’s the part that’s important…I mean, the part where you can find the answer:

a victim of the draining of its lake habitat and deteriorating water quality. In what may be the final blow, nonnative fish introduced into the canals are eating its lunch — and its babies….

Ewww! Eating babies!!! Gross. Okay. Well, so, you got that the lake is losing water, and the water that’s left ain’t that great… that’s what ‘the draining of its lake habitat (where it lives) and deteriorating (worse!) water quality’ means. You can kinda put that together into ‘loss of habitat.’ There’s less place for it to live, and what there is ain’t too good to live in no more.

Then it says ‘nonnative fish introduced into the canals are eating its lunch — and its babies…’ Eating babies! Eating MONSTER babies! Sorry, dudes, got distracted. The point is, that’s competition. The fish are competing with the WATER MONSTERS for food… so ‘competition from nonnative fish’ is pretty much what it’s sayin’. So, answer C’s gotta be right.

An’ the one about the gondaliers is just silly. Study hard, dudes! Get that GED!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Well, some scientists found a place with lots and lots and LOTS of dinosaur footprints in the ground, and they’re calling it a “dinosaur dance floor“! Kewl. That rocks. They say that dinosaurs came there from all around, and they even thing they found marks of dino-tails dragging on the ground

So, here’s your GED question… scientists found an area with hundreds and hundreds of dinosaur footprints! What is the most likely reason dinosaurs all came to that area?

1) They came to dance!

2) There was a water source there.

3) The dinosaurs were just passing by the area.

4) The dinosaurs came there for sunlight.

5) The dinosaurs came there to make footprints.

D’ya get it? Come on! Dancing dinosaurs! That’s not really why the dinosaurs came there, dudes… but it looks like a dance floor, right? With all the footprints. So why would they really go there? What do animals want? Why do animals all get together in one place? It’s prolly� not for sun, cuz there’s sun in lots of places… and it’s prolly not just to make footprints. And just passing by… that’s not a reason. The most likely answer is a watering hole! Cuz animals come to water, it’s something they all need, and it’s not always easy to find. I’d go with that, answer 2.

Have fun with your GED!

And don’t forget to do a dinosaur dance when you pass!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Check out these articles about corpse flowers:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008080135_webcorpseflower29m.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/7559690.stm

Yes, it’s a 7-foot-tall stinking flower! Kewl. What if it came to life and really was a zombie flower? Like, rampaging through the city… It only blooms for a couple of days, but when it does, it’s s’posed to smell like rotting flesh. Gross, Dudes! Okay… here’s your GED science question about CORPSE FLOWERS….

What is the best explanation for why corpse flowers have a very pungent odor? (That means a strong smell!)

A)    To attract insects to pollinate the flowers

B)    To kill other plants that are nearby

C)    To attract more sunlight
D)   To attract a mate

Okay… you got an answer? If you’re not sure, try lookin’ at this article…

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5950.html 

Now you’ve definitely got the answer, right? It’s answer A… the corpse flower pretends to be, like, a big pile of rotting stinking meat… so that flies and stuff, well maybe not flies, but insects that buzz around meat will come to it… and they pollinate, which is how flowers make more flowers! Kewl, right? So, how would you guess the answer?

You gotta think it through, you know? Like, what do flowers need? They don’t really need to kill other plants, you know.  And they don’t need a mate… that’s animals! And, a smell wouldn’t attract sunlight. Like, I don’t think the sun can really smell… So you can use process of elimination… to get rid of the wrong answers, and ta-da! You know why the corpse flower stinks!

Kewl science.

Good GED studyin!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

So, here’s a question that was on Yahoo answers. With everything you know, you can solve this question, easy.

“How does osmosis explain the fact that a watery syrup forms when you put sugar on strawberries?”

You’re using a GED skill called application. You’re applying what you know to a different problem. Can you solve it? CAN YOU? Click here to see the answer: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080219200533AARCjin&show=7 

Did your answer say it better? Add your answer to the question on Yahoo!

And keep studying that science for your GED!

Here’s the link to see the story, Hair test can track movements. (I always read the science news now, to get more kewl GED science for the GED test.) What they do is, they look at what stuff’s in the tap water (yeah, there’s all sorts of minerals and stuff in tap water). Then, they look at what’s in your hair. And they know how fast hair grows, so they match what’s in different parts of your hair with what’s in the water at different places in the U.S. They can tell where you’ve been! It’s time to start getting PARANOID!

Here’s the important thing: How’s it work? That’s what science is about, asking how’s it work. It’s the same way that drug tests work. When you get something into your blood stream, it moves around in your blood. One of the places your blood goes is up into the roots of your hair…the follicle, where the hair attaches to your head. When it gets there, a little bit of whatever’s in your blood gets transfered to the new hair as it grows. So your hair’s like a timeline of everything that’s been in your blood as long as your hair’s been growing. Kewl, right?

Want to know all sorts of kewl stuff about hair? Check it out: http://www.opendemocracy.net/arts-hair/article_721.jsp

Hey, pay attention. Hair is part of your body… that means it’s part of science. That’s life science… and biology too, the science of living things. So, asking things like how does hair grow and how does stuff get in your hair is really science, and that can help you with your GED!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at passGED.com.