Members of Congress shall receive the same healthcare plan offered to the American people

"We the people, feel that members of Congress receive an extraordinarily generous healthcare package which we taxpayers carry the burden of paying. Excessive benefits whose costs go unchecked should be reduced to that which the general public is offered by Congress in its national healthcare package. There should be no differences between the medical insurance Congress members get and the taxpayers get. The only way to ensure fairness is for the people who make the rules/policies to also have to live with them."
~K.M

If you care about your future health care, sign this petition:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/members-congress-shall-receive-same-healthcare-plan-offered-american-people

What Is Quantum Computing? --- Science Blog Post

Vocabulary:

• Quantum Mechanics: A theory of the mechanics of atoms, molecules, or other physical systems that are subject to the uncertainty principle
• Quantum: The smallest quantity of radiant light, equal to Planck’s constant times the frequency of the associated radiation
• Quantum Bits (Qubits): The fundamental units of information in a quantum computer, capable of existing in two states, 0 or 1, simultaneously or at a different time

For More Vocabulary, Visit: http://www.dictionary.com/

As technology advances, we are constantly looking for new ways to revolutionize different industries - especially the computer industry.  Scientists have been using the principles of quantum mechanics to invent a new kind of high tech computer: The Quantum Computer.

Information is stored as bits in a normal computer.  In a quantum computer, the information is stored as quantum bits. Quantum bits are sometimes also referred to as qubit.

But, keep in mind that a quantum bit is very different from a physical particle.  It can be made of any fundamental particle, such as a photon, electron, of nucleus, and has two different properties at the same time (like existing in two places at the same time)!!!!

You might be wondering why this even helps with computers.  Well, a normal computer must go through many different possibilities of 0 and 1 for a single calculation.  A quantum computer, because it can exist in all the states simultaneously, only has to do one calculation to calculate a large number of possibilities.  This ultimately makes it much faster.

The biggest challenge is developing a way to harness and control these particles.  To control them, you have to trap and direct them.  When the particles interact, though, they lose their information.  Scientists and engineers are still in the process of finding effective ways to trap and guide the particles.  

A quantum computer’s most important application is the ability to factorize very large numbers into two prime numbers relatively quickly.  Actually, almost all encryption for internet computing for any computer is based off of this.  But, it also has other scientific uses, like calculating positions of individual atoms in larges molecules like viruses and polymers.  Because of the way the atoms interact with eachother, they claim that you cannot accurately calculate anything when more than 10 atoms are present.  

In terms of buying commercial quantum computers, you can if you have about $10 million USD.  And, because of how new this technology is, these computers have limited computer power and it is not exactly clear what the computer is doing.  

It will also probably take a while before we can downsize quantum computers to desktop and laptop sizes.  The first ones will most likely fill up an entire room! While there is much, much more research to be done, progress is slowly beginning to be made.  

For More Information, visit: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/mar/06/quantum-computing-explained-particle-mechanics

How Your Mom Makes You Happier --- Science Blog Post

In honor of Mother's Day (May 8, 2016) I decided to post a scientific study which explains how having a maternal figure in your life makes you happier.
 
She Calms Us Down:
A study that happened in 2010 explains that hearing your mom's voice helps relieve stress because it releases oxytocin.  Oxytocin is a hormone that makes you feel good.  This makes talking to your mom very similar to receiving a hug from her.

She Impacts Our Brain Development:
According to research, your mother's nurturing and loving behavior may result in a larger hippocampus.  The hippocampus is the area of your brain which is in charge of learning, memory, and stress responses.

She Makes Us Laugh:
Cortisol is the stress hormone, and studies prove that laughing helps reduce it, possible even reducing deceases.  Laughter is the best medicine, after all! And, if anyone knows how to make you laugh, it is your mother.

Your Bond With Her Could Result In Better Romantic Relationships:
Again, a 2010 study shows that having a good relationship with your mother could positively influence your future relationships, while having a bad relationship with her could negatively influence them.

She Is The First Person To Love Us:
After analyzing a mother's brain after giving birth, it can be concluded that becoming a parent looks a lot like falling in love.  To put in other words, a similar social bonding process occurs.

Hopefully, you have a deeper understanding about how and why having a mom (maternal figure) makes us happier.  And, Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's in the world!


For more information, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/moms-happiness_us_572cff28e4b016f37895dbc8

Zika Virus --- Science Blog Post

    The Zika Virus is spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes biting the human skin.  The symptoms, such as fever, rash, itchy eyes, and red eyes, last for anywhere between several days to a weeks after being bitten. It is very rare for people to die from this decease.  Actually, many people don't even realize that they have the Zika virus.

    This decease may not necessarily be harmful to you (there is still much research being done), Zika is very dangerous to have during pregnancy.  It can cause several birth defects called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects.  Microcephaly is a birth defect where the baby's head is born smaller than it should be.  This could potentially lead to the baby being born with a smaller, undeveloped brain.   

    Zika is becoming a worldwide crisis, and we need to take proper precautions in order to prevent it from spreading.  Right now, Zika is in America, Central America, South America, The Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands.  The first reported case of Zika actually came from Brazil.    

    

For More Information: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/

The Scientific Method --- Science Blog Post

     The Scientific Method was developed during the 20th century to explain a process where science is carried out.  It has it has 6 steps: Form A Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Collect Data, Analyze, Conclusion.

     Forming A Question is the first step.  Without it, there would be no reason to to follow this method.  For example, lets pretend you decide to answer the question Does Alfalfa Grass Grow Better In Freshwater Or Saltwater. Now you are ready to form a hypothesis.

    A hypothesis is an educated guess based on your prior knowledge.  You should ask yourself, what do I know about plants? One answer might be that plants grow quickly in places that receive lots of rain, and rain is freshwater.  So, your hypothesis might be: Alfalfa Grows Better In Freshwater.  

    Now you have to test it.  There are many different elements in an experiment, including variables, controls, and procedures.  After carefully planning what materials you are going to use and the steps you will follow, start the experiment.  

Materials:

1. 2 flower pots (1 for freshwater plant, 1 for saltwater plant)
2. Alfalfa seeds
3. 420 milliliters of freshwater water
4. 3 weeks of time
5. 420 milliliters of saltwater

Steps:

1. Set all of the plants on a table by the window
2. Give each plant 10 milliliters of water per day
3. Record the Alfalfa's growth once a week

Variable (There is only one variable per experiment.  Changing too many things will cause confusion):

1. Type of Water

Controls:

1. Time
2. Amount of water
3. Type of plant
4. Location

    During the experiment, you must collect and record the data.  It might be helpful to record this information on a table or a graph.  Also, repeating the experiment multiple times will lead you to more accurate data.

Week	Freshwater Height (cm)	Saltwater Height (cm)
1	1	0.25
2	1.5	0.3
3	2	0.35

    Now you have to analyze the data and form a conclusion.  After analyzing the results, you can form a conclusion.  For this experiment, you can conclude that Alfalfa seeds grow faster in freshwater than saltwater.   

Scott Kelly's Year In Space: How The Body Changes--- Science Blog Post

American astronaut Scott Kelly finally returned home from his Year In Space on March 3, 2016.  Now, researchers are in the process of monitoring his health, seeking to understand the effects of the body in space.  So, what exactly are the effects that scientists are trying to understand?

One effect is that astronaut’s bones become brittle, as astronauts do not walk in space.  Because of this, the bones release calcium.  Calcium makes your bones strong.  This release creates an increased risk of kidney stone formation, and bone fractures.

Also, in space, astronauts don't use their muscles like they do on Earth, leading to weaker muscles.  This is why astronauts are put in wheeled-chairs for a while.  They need time to get used to gravity!  Speaking of weaker muscles, an astronaut’s heart can become smaller because the heart doesn’t have to work as hard in space.    

Puffy faces and legs also occur.  This happens because, while astronauts are enjoying their time in space, blood flows more in the upper part of the body as opposed to the lower half.

Also, part of your inner eye using gravity to correct your sense of balance. Again, there is no gravity in space.  When first coming back to Earth, astronauts may endure things like loss of direction, space motion sickness, and disorientation.

Astronauts being exposed to radiation is very common in space, leading to an increased risk of cancer and cataracts.  

Also, the astronaut’s body clock gets a bit messed up.  It takes time to readjust to the light and dark hours of Earth.

Finally, astronauts get a bit taller during their stay in space.  The vertebrae in your spinal cord spreads out a bit in the absence of gravity.  Scott Kelly can back to Earth temporarily 2 inches taller than when he left! I say temporarily because gravity will eventually correct this.

Through there are many risks that come with space, but maybe someday in the future we will be able to conquer them and expand the human race to Mars and beyond! #YearInSpace #MissionToMars #NASA #InternationalSpaceStation

For More Information, Visit:  http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/nasa-s-scott-kelly-grew-2-inches-body-after-year-n530456

The Art Of Building Your Confidence

It seems like some people have it, and some people don't.  I know I am not the most confident person in the world, and it often got in my way before I learned a few tricks.  As it turns out, many people who appear confident and on-top-of-the-world are really just as self conscious as you probably are.  Hopefully, this guide will help you fake the confidence you need!

1. Stand up straight and maintain a strong and proud bearing.  Don't fidget or cross your arms, as it seems to carry negative connotations.  A person's body language can tell a lot about them.

2. Make eye contact. I admit, this is hard for me.  But if you simply smile and watch/listen while people talk, everything will go great!  Just be careful not to make too much eye contact.  Find a happy medium that is comfortable for you and who you're talking to.

3. Dress for success! What you wear can have a positive or negative effect on you.  Do you just throw on whatever you feel like 5 minutes before you walk out the door? Or do you take a minute to look in the mirror? People will compliment you for a good outfit.

4. Keep a good mannerism.  Knowing that you are being polite can make your self esteem boost.

5. Be optimistic.  Anything can happen, but as long as you focus on and expect good things, good things will flock to you! This is called the Law Of Attraction.

6. Sound like you are informed.  Instead of jumping to put a word into the conversation, pause for a moment.  Speak calmly, avoiding words like "um" and "uhh".  

7. Do things that make you happy.  You are always more confident when you are enjoying what you are doing.  Make time for you.

8. Get into the groove.  Put yourself in your comfort zone, no matter how scary the situation might be.  Remind yourself that you can do whatever you set your mind to.

9. Keep laughing.  They say laughter is the best medicine.  Even if you aren't enjoying the moment, tell yourself you are and eventually you will be!

10. Believe in yourself.  Know that you can do anything and everything, and the only thing that is stopping you is you telling yourself that you can't.  You can do it!

11. Live up to a good reputation.  If you are honest, kind, reliable, responsible, etc., you will immediately feel more confident because you are a good person at heart.

12. Be healthy.  Exercising and keeping a healthy diet can be the key to living a healthy life.

13. Be happy.  Happiness is contagious, and everyone loves a happy person!

14. Be yourself.  It's so sad when people try to be someone else because they are scared they won't fit in.  You'll bring yourself and others around you down.  Instead, embrace your talents and show the world the kind of person you truly are!

15. Think and act positive.  Surround yourself with inspiration and enthusiasm.  The better you feel, the better your outlook on life will be.

So, you see, all these ways and more can help you train yourself to be more confident.  Just remember that everyone around you feels just the same way you do.  You can do whatever you set your mind to.  Nothing can stop you from accomplishing your dreams.


 
Song: Confidence       Artist: Demi Lovato       Taken At:  American Music Awards 2015