QUESTION BOX ANSWERS

March 22 – 25, 2004

*Some of you may find your question is not posted. That is because the question was not a serious question. The question box is not a game. I will answer your questions if you truly want an answer, but questions like ‘Can I have a dollar’ will not be answered.

NOTE TO PARENTS: I have set up the question box in my classroom as an anonymous platform for students to ask questions. Sometimes teenagers have a question and are too embarrassed to ask, and often if one has it there is some one else with a question too. Some of the questions may be graphic and specific, but my policy is that I would rather them ask me than find out for themselves.

What is a nucleotide?

A nucleotide is a unit of DNA; it is a part of the extension and a base pair of DNA. We will be going more in depth of this subject next week.

When having an abortion how do they kill the baby?

During first trimester abortions, the embryo is scrapped away from the uterus lining and sucked out with a medical vacuum. That scrapping and suctioning kills the baby. In second trimester abortions the doctor places seaweed into the birth canal to dilate the cervix. The next day the doctor cuts the baby into smaller pieces for easier removal. Some abortions are performed by poisoning the baby with a salty solution. In some cases when the baby’s head is too large, the brain is sucked out with a vacuum and the baby’s body is removed. In the U.S. it is illegal to have an abortion after 20 weeks. During the procedure women and the babies are not put to sleep. Keep in mind abortion is a very violent procedure and there is no “nice” way to describe the procedure. This answer is not intended for Pro-life or Pro-choice purposes.  

How does the disease SARS affect the body?

SARS is severe acute respiratory syndrome. It causes high fever, body aches and respiratory problems similar to pneumonia. In people with weakened immune systems it can even cause death if not treated. SARS is highly contagious.

Can any kind of animal get a human pregnant, or the other way around?

No. In order for an organism to develop there must be two set of chromosomes in the cells. Because the body organizes its genetic material into chromosomes that means there must be two sets of chromosomes that match, one from mom and one from dad. In humans we have 46 chromosomes, 23 come from mom and 23 come from dad. Each chromosome matches a chromosome from the other parent. For example, chromosome 1 in humans may code for eyes, so each chromosome 1 from mom and dad work together to make the child’s eye color.

It is not possible for humans to have children with animals because for one there are a different number of chromosomes and the chromosomes will not pair up together. Even in the case of where humans and the animal share the same number of chromosomes, there will still be no offspring because the animal’s DNA will code for characteristics that are not present in humans and vice versa.   

Explain the meaning of virulent versus nonvirulent.

Virulent refers to a bacteria or virus that is active. Being active means it is able to infect and organism. In the case of bacteria virulent refers to live bacteria. Viruses that are virulent still contain genetic material that can infect cells.

Nonvirulent are nonactive and therefore cannot infect anyone. Nonvirulent bacteria are dead. Nonvirulent viruses no longer contain genetic material.  

How does a snake move?

Snakes move by contracting the muscles located around their spinal cord. The snake’s scales aids in movement by providing a smooth surface to make it easier for the snake to glide across the ground and through the water.

Why is it when you are done having sex you have to use the restroom?

This is a simple anatomy question. Your bladder is located in the same region as your sex organs. During intercourse the pressure on the hips causes pressure to be exerted on the bladder. As a result you may need to use the restroom afterwards.

* There are some misconceptions that if women use the bathroom after intercourse they will not get pregnant. This is a misconception. The vagina and urethra are two separate body parts. If you urinate you cannot flush the sperm out of the vagina, they are not connected. It is better not to have sex at all, if pregnancy needs to be avoided.

MARCH 29 – APRIL 2, 2004

What do you think the worst way to die would be and why?

I think the worst way to die would be anything that involves a lot of pain. Fires are often considered the worst way to die in our culture. I think that drowning and being hung would be equally as bad. It would be easier for me to answer the most humane way to die. I think that would be dieing in one’s sleep.

What happens when little people are born midgets?

First I would like to point out the midgets is not a scientific or culturally correct term to use. The condition you are referring to is dwarfism. People born with dwarfism are usually analyzed for any birth defects. Many times a doctor will note the abnormalities of body proportion or underdevelopment of body systems. Many dwarfs tend to experience complications as children that can lead to disabilities. Some of these disabilities affect motion while others may affect breathing and cardiovascular abilities. Some operations may be performed to correct these problems. Often they need to take medications as well. The problems vary from each person.