Cemetery

For this lab we traveled to the Riverside Cemetery and talked about some historical dates in Macon's history. We discussed people dying in 1918 due to the Spanish Flu. This was remarkable because this flu hit mostly adults around our age group rather than affecting the extremely old and young like most flus do.  It turns out that this flu hit this age group because soldiers coming back from the war had this bacteria and would spread it when they would "go out" on the weekends.
That being said, we looked for people in the cemetery who died in the year 1918. We also looked for people who died in the years 1900 and 2000 to compile data for population tables.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl (methyl, propyl or ethyl) esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids (e.g., vegetable oil, animal fat (tallow)) with an alcohol.
Biodiesel is meant to be used in standard diesel engines and is thus distinct from the vegetable and waste oils used to fuel converted diesel engines. Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with petrodiesel. Biodiesel can also be used as a low carbon alternative to heating oil. We also discussed bioethanol which can be used in making "moonshine" using special equipment.

Mitochondrial Eve

In the field of human genetics, Mitochondrial Eve refers to the matrilineal "MRCA" (most recent common ancestor). In other words, she was the woman from whom all living humans today descend, on their mother's side, and through the mothers of those mothers and so on, back until all lines converge on one person. Because all mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally passed from mother to offspring without recombination, all mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in every living person is directly descended from hers by definition. Mitochondrial Eve is the female counterpart of Y-chromosomal Adam, the patrilineal most recent common ancestor, although they lived thousands of years apart.
It's very incredible to hear that everyone in the world can be traced back somehow to this one person. It really helps give a better sense of inter-connectedness to your fellow man/woman.