BOW Taste

Taste is the ability of our bodies to chemically analyze substances that we put in our mouths, in order to "screen" food before it is ingested, in case of contamination or a substance we cannot eat. Our tongue works with our noses to identify chemicals, and our olfactory senses play a large role in this process. The different tastes that we perceive (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami) are analyzed by taste buds on our tongues and send a message through our neural network to the brain, which tells us what flavor we seem to taste.

BOW: Eye Tricks

Our eyes can affect how we perceive things in many ways. Through our usual clues, proportions can be affected making two different sized things seem the same, or two same things seem different. We might get used to certain shapes and lights, making other things seem off, or even weird. Usually our brain controls what we seem to see and our perceptions, although they may not alway be true. Among these tricks include  mach bands, lightness issues, color conceptions, etc.

BOW Diet Success

Did you follow your diet plan for all four weeks? Why or why not? Predict your nutritional state in terms of nutrients


I admit, I was not vigilant in keeping with my diet. After about two and a half weeks, I was at several chinese new years parties with my family, and any sort of diet more or less went out the window. Although I did try to be consistent with what I ate in the mornings and at lunch, there was little continuity in my dinners. I believe that my nutritional state at the end of the four weeks was quite ordinary for the average american, most likely evenly filled with most nutrients, although probably too much sugar and fat.

BOW

Why is it important that the body have two control systems rather than one?


Well, our nervous and endocrine systems are there to differentiate the kinds of control, as well as provide different outlets for body control under different circumstances. Our neural pathways are a more instantaneous response system, allowing for immediate movement and reactions to stimuli. However, our hormones control growth and development, and while they are affected by the environment and can act immediately (epinephrine/adrenaline), this system is more of a passive, over time control of body functions. Without either one, humans would not be able to neither think nor grow properly. Only together are they able to shape a mere fetus into a human being capable of many things.

CH 5 Wordle

BOW 15

What is your take away lesson from Dead Men Do Tell Tales? Could you be a forensic anthropologist? Why or why not?


I think that this book is a great resource for debunking common misconceptions about dead bodies and forensic investigations. Not only does it remove the general dark, evil feeling of death from a body, and properly points all that negativity at the murder and the act of dying itself, but it also analyzes crimes and various mutilations and deathly causes in a way that almost interests the reader, so that they may not fear death, but try to understand it. However, I do not think that I could be a forensic anthropologist largely due to the fact that dealing with bodies everyday, while necessary and not as bad as one would think, would put me into a cynical and probably depressed state that I would rather not live out. Although I would not mind working with one, because I'm sure anyone interested in this field must be an interesting person.

BOW 14

Pick three factors that can change your heart rate. How do they change your heart rate? (i.e. faster, stronger, slower, weaker) For each give another system affected by the change in heart rate.


Temperature
  -Can either increase or decrease heart rate, higher temperature generally means faster heart rate, and the inverse is also true. This can also affect the muscular system, with lack of heat slowing down heart rate and blood flow, making movement/reaction delayed.


Alcohol
  -Generally decreases heart rate, relaxes nervous system and dull motor functions. 


Adrenaline
  -Tends to increase heart rate, all the blood flowing at such a high rate makes the nervous system and motor functions seem to react faster.