Pop Culture and Evolution - The Hunger Games

Evolution is not just a topic for a Biology class in school to cover -- it is found everywhere. There are many pop culture references and nods to the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection in todays television, books, music, and movies. With The Hunger Games movie breaking box office records, I could not help but jump on the bandwagon and read the trilogy of books written by Suzanne Collins. Beyond a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller, I saw the authors ideas of a future world from an evolution Biologists point of view. The Hunger Games trilogy is set in the future after the collapse and near complete destruction of the world. The country of Panem has arisen from the ashes of what used to be North America and it consists of a Capitol somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, and 12 Districts that supply the affluent Capitol with all of the goods it needs. When the poor Districts tried to rebel, the Capitol took them down and created a yearly spectacle called The Hunger Games that is broadcast live like a reality show. As a reminder that the Capitol has all the power, each District is forced to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 that are chosen in a lottery drawing to compete to the death in the Hunger Games arena that is filled with traps and other dangerous creations made by the Capitol for their entertainment. The following paragraphs may contain spoilers if you have not read or seen The Hunger Games or its sequels, and Mockingjay. If you do not want to know details from these books or movies, you may not want to read the rest of this article. Otherwise, lets get into the world of Panem and explore the new species that reside there. The Mockingjay Arguably the most important new species in The Hunger Games trilogy is the mockingjay. These birds came into existence when female mockingbirds mated with the Capitol engineered male jabberjays. We are first introduced to this new species of bird in The Hunger Games book when Madge, the mayors daughter, gives heroine Katniss the gold pin with the mockingjay to wear as her token in the arena (in the movie, the pin is given to Katniss by her sister Prim). There are also mockingjays in the arena where Katniss uses their ability to repeat songs to communicate with her ally Rue. In Catching Fire we see the mockingjay become an increasingly important symbol. Plutarch Heavensbees watch shows a hologram of the bird. Also, before Katniss enters the arena for a second time, she wears a dress created by Cinna that turns her into a mockingjay after the outer layer burns away. Obviously, this new species of bird is the most important in the book entitled Mockingjay. The bird becomes a symbol of rebellion for the Districts, and Katniss finds herself becoming The Mockingjay as the symbolic leader. How did the mockingjay evolve in this fictional world of Panem? The Capitol created a species of bird through artificial selection called the jabberjay. The jabberjay could spy on enemies of the Capitol and repeat conversations word for word back to them. The Capitol could use this information to stop any rebellion attempts. After the rebels in the Districts figured out the scheme, they would feed the birds false information. Therefore the Capitol left the jabberjays, all male, to die in the wild. Instead of dying, the all male jabberjays began mating with female mockingbirds. Speciation occurred and mockingjays were born. Instead of being able to repeat entire conversations, mockingjays would repeat entire songs. These birds helped Katniss communicate with her ally inside the arena and also helped her become a symbol of hope for an entire nation. Tracker Jackers While it is never specified exactly how tracker jackers are created by the Capitol in any of the books, they are described as genetically altered wasps. Once again, the Capitol was manipulating nature and speeding up the evolution of species to do their dirty work. Tracker jackers will attack anyone who disturbs their nest and will follow them like a homing device until they have been stung with a venom that causes severe hallucinations and possibly death. Katniss uses the tracker jackers as a weapon in The Hunger Games when she is stuck in a tree because of the Career Tributes waiting to kill her below. She cuts a branch off the tree that contains a tracker jacker nest and it hits the ground near the Careers, so the tracker jackers attack and run them off, killing some in the process. While tracker jackers are not a product of natural selection, they are an evolutionary offshoot of wasps created through artificial selection. The genetic engineering of the tracker jackers caused a very swift microevolution of the species into a deadly killing machine. Muttations One last type of Capitol created killer is what Suzanne Collins called a muttation. Clearly a play on the word mutation, these can be combinations of just about anything. In the arena, Katniss and Peeta come face to face with muttations that look to be a mix of something like a wolf and their fellow dead tributes. This type of muttation tears the District 2 Tribute Cato to pieces. The book Catching Fire had a new arena that contained muttations that resembled monkeys. However, these monkeys had sharp claws and teeth that could puncture internal organs. When the Tributes make eye contact and quick movements, the monkey muttations attack and even kill the District 6 tribute. In Mockingjay, muttations appear in the form of something that seems to be a human and lizard hybrid down in the sewers of the Capitol. These deadly creatures come after the Sharp Shooter Squad as they make their way to the Presidents mansion. The talon-like claws even tear apart some of the squadron before they can make it out of the sewer alive. Again, these muttations, much like the jabberjays and tracker jackers, were made in a lab somewhere in the Capitol to continue the punishment of the districts of Panem. It isnt specified exactly how they are made, but genetic engineering that lead to microevolution is the most likely explanation. The only way to see into the future is through the eyes of a novelist. It is interesting to see where they believe evolution will take species many years down the road.

The Epidemic Of Smallpox During The Middle Ages - 866 Words

Over many of years the world has faced problems concerning health. Many scientists and health experts have worked together to better our nation s health care. English Physician and Scientist Edward Jenner, a small country doctor, who is well known around the world for his innovative contribution to immunization and the ultimate eradication of smallpox. (2005, Baylor University Medical Center.) It is believed that smallpox appeared around 10,000 B.C. Smallpox was introduced to Europe sometime between the fifth and seventh centuries and was frequently epidemic during the Middle Ages. Edward Jenner was born on May 17, 1749, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. During his early school years, Edward developed a strong interest in science and nature that continued throughout his life. Jenner’s interest in natural history and animal biology sharpened his medical understanding of the role of human-animal trans-species boundaries in disease transmission. He experienced the proverbial â€Å"E ureka†-like moment sometime during the 1770s. At age 13 he was apprenticed to a country surgeon and apothecary in Sodbury, near Bistol. The record shows that it was there Jenner heard a dairymaid say, I shall never have smallpox for I have had cowpox. I shall never have an ugly pockmarked face. While Jenner s interest in the effects of cowpox began during his apprenticeshire with George Harwickle, it wasn t until 1796 before he made the first step in a long process of smallpox would be exposed. JennerShow MoreRelatedBubonic Plague1154 Words   |  5 Pageshow it was brought to Marseilles, France through a sea vessel in the year 1721.The epidemic of bubonic plague claimed almost one-fourth of Europe’s population at the same time. A typical infection of bubonic plague is signaled by uncontrolled shivering followed by vomiting and sleeplessness. The appearance of buboes in the armpits and the groin are giveaway symptoms. 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The McCarthy free essay sample

The McCarthy Trails and the Salem witch trials have always drawn comparisons to each other in many ways. People were punished unfairly and without any real form of proof. As we continue throughout history, events similar to the McCarthy and Salem Witch Trials have sprung up occasionally in current events. The methods of persecution in these events have varied from the minor to the extreme. Due to these unfair practices, many victims had their livelihoods destroyed and some were even killed due to another person’s word over theirs. In both of these situations, the accusers were hungry for power and would do anything possible to achieve this power. In any case, reputations were ruined, lives were lost, or families were decimated. The methods of persecution for criminals have varied greatly throughout the ages. Incarceration, torture, and death are common methods that have been used as punishments for crimes. During the McCarthy and Salem Witch Trials, people were punished in many ways. During the Salem Witch Trials, the accused were first placed in jail to await a hearing. In all, over 150 people were arrested and placed in jail. Even more were accused but were never pursued by the proper authorities. If found guilty of witchcraft, the victims were sentenced to death by hanging. Between June and September of 1692 nineteen of the accused were hanged. On September 19th, 1962 one man was pressed to death when he failed to plead guilty or not guilty. At least four deaths occurred from the accused dying while incarcerated. The punishments during the McCarthy trials while less severe, still had a devastating impact on the persons involved. People accused of being communist had their names added to a blacklist created by Hollywood. The only way to be removed was to meet before the House of Un-American Activities Committee and prove your innocence. If a person that was called before the House of Un-American Activities Committee refused to name other people involved in these communist groups then you would be added to the blacklist. Over 320 people were placed on the list which stopped them from working in the entertainment industry. The United States government then decided to use the Alien Registration Act to place over forty-six people in jail. Senator Joseph McCarthy then accused 205 people in the State Department of being communists. Investigations were launched and many thousands lost their jobs after admitting to being members of the communist party. Senator McCarthy ruined the lives of many, all to increase his own power and self-image. It is amazing that an event like the Salem Witch Trials was allowed to repeat itself with the McCarthy trials. The Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and even recent events all draw similarities to each other. Events where people have been wrongly prosecuted have happened throughout history. The similarities begin with a culture that is in a state of panic. The Salem Witch Trials were the result of a very strong effort to find witches brought on by panic about strange events. The same was true for McCarthy in the Senate. He was on a mission to find communists, and an already panicked public was very willing to believe him. Both were based on incorrect facts and gained momentum due to their leaders instilling public hysteria. Both trials ended when the accusations proved to be false and unsubstantiated. In my current event, a victim had Secret Service agents show up at her house because she supposedly had anti-American posters in her home. The poster that the agents were referring to was one with President Bush holding a rope, with the words: We Hang on Your Every Word. George Bush, Wanted: 152 Dead. It refers to the number who was put to death in Texas while Bush was the governor. The woman had her information taken down and her name added to some type of list. Many of these types of situations have been springing up around the country. Terrorism in recent years is the main cause of this; just like witch hysteria and communism of the past. Acts like the Patriot Act inflict on certain rights of Americans. Warrantless wiretapping has become a serious issue in recent years, with groups such as the ACLU attacking such policies. Overall, these events do draw many similarities to each other and their effects will never be forgotten. The Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and recent events also have much dissimilarity between them. During McCarthyism, the punishments for being accused were much less severe. You could get blacklisted under McCarthyism, but you received a fair trial and no one was ever killed during these events. The worst scenario was either a job loss or a tarnished reputation. The Salem Witch trials involved superstition that went beyond the Christian religion. People were mainly accused by a group of girls that pointed the finger to many innocent women. If they admitted to being a witch then they were sparred from death. Today, rights granted by the constitution are being stressed by the government with the hope of keeping American people safe. You may be investigated, but no harm has since come because of these new policies. As time continues, we will see how future events transpire and how similar they are to the past. The McCarthy Trails and the Salem witch trials have had a great affect on our history. Victims were unfairly reprimanded during these events. The methods of persecution ranged from death to defamation of character. Power hungry individuals led the hysteria, sacrificing others to build up their power. What we do know is that these types of events continue to arise, even in today’s world. Whether we have learned from these events will remain to be seen.