Unit 6 Life on Ice (Reading Explorer 5 - 3rd Edition)

Summary

The script explores the groundbreaking work of the Smithsonian's biorepository, where scientists are preserving life on Earth through frozen tissue samples. By using liquid nitrogen, they are storing genetic material to aid in genomic research, unraveling the history and diversity of life. The Smithsonian’s collection, now housing hundreds of thousands of samples, supports diverse studies from phylogenetics to toxicology. This forward-thinking approach represents a new chapter in museum practices, where collections are not only preserved for the future but also contribute to solving complex scientific problems.

Takeaways

• 😀 Museums serve as archives of scientific knowledge, with an evolving role in preserving biological samples for research.
• 😀 The future of biology involves sequencing genomes from a wide variety of life on Earth to meet the needs of the 21st century.
• 😀 The Smithsonian has built the world's largest natural history biorepository to support genomic research.
• 😀 Scientists are focusing on preserving life in a frozen state, especially in liquid nitrogen, to store biological samples for future research.
• 😀 Genomic data is key to solving many biological problems that traditional data sources, like morphology and behavior, can't address.
• 😀 Spiders' genomes are of particular interest due to their complex silk and poison, which are used in neurobiology research.
• 😀 Liquid nitrogen is the gold standard for long-term preservation of biological samples, keeping them at temperatures as low as -190°C.
• 😀 Museums are centralizing frozen tissue collections, holding between 200,000 and 500,000 samples for genomic research.
• 😀 Researchers can request frozen samples from the Smithsonian’s collection for various studies, including phylogenetics and toxicology.
• 😀 As genome sequencing technology advances, museums will continue adapting by supporting the rapid growth of genomic research.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the Smithsonian’s biorepository?

The main purpose of the Smithsonian’s biorepository is to store frozen tissue samples from various life forms to support future genomic research. This includes sequencing genomes to understand the history and diversity of life on Earth.

Why is frozen tissue important for scientific research?

Frozen tissue is important because it preserves the genetic material (DNA) of organisms. This allows scientists to study the genomes of different species, solve complex scientific problems, and discover solutions in nature, such as new poisons or silk proteins used in neurobiology research.

How does the biorepository support 21st-century biology?

By preserving and providing access to a diverse range of genomic samples, the biorepository supports modern biology, enabling researchers to study species' genomes, solve phylogenetic and toxicology problems, and explore biological diversity through advanced sequencing technology.

Why are spiders specifically mentioned in the script?

Spiders are highlighted because they produce silk and poison, which have important applications in neurobiology research. Their venom is particularly valuable for studying the effects of toxins on cells, which can be used to understand human biology.

What role does liquid nitrogen play in the preservation of biological samples?

Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze tissue samples at temperatures as low as minus 190°C, which preserves their integrity and prevents degradation. This makes it the gold standard for long-term preservation of biological specimens.

How do museums traditionally store biological specimens?

Traditionally, museums store biological specimens in a variety of ways, such as in ethanol, dried and pinned, or in drawers. However, the Smithsonian's approach includes adding frozen samples stored in liquid nitrogen to their collection for future research.

How many samples does the Smithsonian’s biorepository currently hold?

The Smithsonian’s biorepository currently holds between 200,000 and 500,000 frozen samples, which are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at extremely low temperatures.

What kind of research do scientists conduct with the samples from the biorepository?

Scientists use the samples from the biorepository for various types of research, including genomic studies, phylogenetics, and toxicology work. They request tissue samples to conduct experiments that help them better understand life on Earth.

Why is the Smithsonian described as being in the 'forever business'?

The Smithsonian is described as being in the 'forever business' because their goal is to create a permanent and continuously growing collection of biological samples that will support research for future generations, enabling long-term scientific exploration and discovery.

How does the Smithsonian keep up with advances in genomic research technology?

The Smithsonian keeps up with advances in genomic research by continuously expanding and updating its collection of frozen tissues. This ensures that they are prepared to support cutting-edge research in genomics as sequencing technology rapidly evolves.