The Resurrection of Woolly Mammoths!? Day 2 of British Science Week
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Welcome to Day 2 of British Science Week, and today's main focus is biology. We will observe how biology shapes the world around us, and what crazy things scientists are doing in the field to constantly improve the world. We also have some fun challenges for you and your friends!
Quote of the Day
A reminder about this year's main theme: Adapt and Change
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin
On This Day:
Sir Alexander Fleming: The Man Who Saved 500 Million Lives
Fleming was a Scottish bacteriologist born in the early 1880s, who was best known for his discovery of penicillin in 1928, a breakthrough which revolutionized the field of medical science. Born in Darvel, he had ambitions since he was young to pursue medicine, but fully committed to this career when he was 25
Initially, his life was paved to be a surgeon after graduating St. Mary's Hospital Medical School (SMU). However, with persuasion from his mentor Sir Almroth Wright, he decided to pursue bacteriology instead. His first encounter with serious wounds was in WWI, where he served as a medic between 1914-1918.
Fleming earned a commission working at the Royal Army Medical Corps, where he studied wound infections; there, he demonstrated his prowess with antiseptics. After the war, he was promoted to Professor of Bacteriology at SMU.
One summer's day in 1928, when Fleming returned from holiday, he found mould growing on a Petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. He was initially experimenting with this bacteria as part of his ongoing research into bacterial infections. However, he discovered that the mold was preventing the bacteria around it from growing by producing a self-defence chemical that could kill bacteria. He dubbed the substance penicillin.
Then, a team of scientists led by Howard Florey at the University of Oxford refined his discovery into a proper medicine. Due to the unique quality of penicillin, surgeons could use it to treat diseases such as tonsillitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. However, it was only widely used 14 years later during the Second World War, saving the lives of millions of soldiers.
On account of this life-saving discovery, Alexander Fleming was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945. He remains a pioneer of bacteriology, revolutionizing medicine and saving millions of lives.
Your DAILY Riddle for Skittles
A Challenging Word Problem with a Sweet Treat if you answer correctly
A scientist is studying oxygen levels in a sealed freshwater pond containing fish, algae, and bacteria. During the day, oxygen levels steadily increase, but at night, they drop sharply, sometimes becoming low enough to cause fish deaths.
a) Explain why oxygen levels decrease at night.
b) If a sudden increase in nutrient levels (such as from fertilizer runoff) were to occur, how might this affect the oxygen levels in the pond over time? Explain the biological processes involved and their potential consequences for the ecosystem.
Please refrain from using external resources, the winner will be announced in tomorrow's email
Biology MoTW (Meme of the Week)
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Global Biology News
The Resurrection of Woolly Mammoths?
By Kevin Li | Published on 9 March 2025 at 7:55am
Recently, scientists at the US biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences have genetically engineered black mice to have distinct characteristics of woolly mammoths. Their main goal is to completely bring back a woolly mammoth-like creature, and their intention for doing so might be unexpected.
Colossal first focused on establishing the key features of mammoths to insulate them in freezing temperatures, such as hair growth, fat storage, and temperature regulation. They did this by comparing the genomes of woolly mammoths and their closest relative – Modern Asian elephants.
Then, they used CISPR technology to edit seven genes inside black lab mice, dubbing it the "Colossal Woolly Mouse"
“The Colossal Woolly Mouse demonstrates remarkable progress we’ve made in precise genome engineering,” – George Church, co-founder
This "resurrection" of the woolly mammoth is the first step to a much bigger project for Colossal scientists: they also plan on bringing back the dodo and the thylacine—or Tasmanian tiger. Now you may be asking, why are they trying to do this?
Colossal analysts state that over 50% of the world's species would go extinct by 2050, which could have massive consequences regarding land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and food insecurity for animals and humans. By genetically modifying weaker creatures to be like their strong ancestors, they are able to adapt and thrive in the rapidly changing climate today.
Daily Fun Challenge with Friends
The Reflex Test ⚡🦵
Objective: Measure how fast your nervous system reacts to stimuli.
Materials:
- A ruler (30 cm)
Instructions:
- Have a friend hold a ruler vertically by the 0 cm mark.
- Place your thumb and index finger near the bottom, ready to catch.
- Without warning, your friend drops the ruler—catch it as quickly as possible!
- Record the centimeter mark where you caught it and compare with others.
Play a best to 5 round, and whoever has the lowest total score wins!
Welcome to a great Day 2 of British Science Week, where each day focuses on a different aspect of science. Today's topic was biology, and we appreciate the birth of Fleming, the strange resurrecting of woolly mammoths, and finished off with a fun teaser for your nervous system. As you continue your day, continue to observe how biology makes and shapes the world around us!
