Reports

The Elephant In The Room

Summary:

On July 1^st, Barack Obama visited Africa to announce insure the prevention of smuggling poached ivory, which is found in the elephant’s teeth. The rules regarding the trading of ivory are becoming more challenging to enforce, because of the fact that ivory can only be taken from the animal if it was killed before 1990. Kevin Uno, however, figured out a way to make the ivory seem older than it actually is in order for them to use it legally. He is using ivory’s carbon-14, which makes it perfect for dating objects, and it can do so to within a few decades of their actual age. The carbon-14 was formed naturally in the atmosphere and was often used for bomb tests. Dr. Uno examined 29 different specimens of ivory of known age to find that the match was so good that their ages could be found within a year of the actual age. The poaching process is extremely painful for the elephants and should be made illegal immediately. Africans are cautious to use Dr. Uno’s method because of the significant price, but if it came down to helping the elephants, it would be worth it.

Significance:

This article was significant to me because I found it interesting that people would go through so much trouble to harm an elephant for ivory. I was astonished that the poaching of the teeth and tusks is so painful and I am happy the Dr. Uno and his colleagues are figuring out a way to stop the poachers from taking the ivory illegally.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21580442-dating-ivory-has-just-become-easier-poachers-beware-elephant-room

http://conservationbiology.net/research-programs/effects-of-poaching-on-african-elephants/

Questions: 1-4 page 45

1. These were used in each test because they are a part of the confirming tests that confirm the amount of ions. It was also used to compare the solutions, but there may not always be a reaction for the blank tests.

2. There could be extra residue that could change what the reaction needed to be into something wrong. 

3. These tests can not always confirm the absence of an ion because the solution could be changed from additonal chemicals or elements.

4. The leftover chemicals on the pipets or well plates, could have interacted with the new testing chemicals and caused an incorrect reation, that could be dangerous.