Black Holes Essays (593 words) - Black Holes, General Relativity

Black Holes Black holes are one of the more bizarre and intriguing predictions of Einstein's theory of gravity. Surprisingly, there is now a great deal of observational evidence that black holes do exist, both in binary star systems and at the center of most galaxies, including our own. Although we are gaining more knowledge of black holes, they still remain one of the strangest things anyone has ever heard of, and we may never know what exactly one of these things are and can do. It is impossible to manufacture black holes in a laboratory. The density of matter required is too great. In order to make a black hole the size of a baseball, you would have to pack all the matter in and on the Earth into a volume the size of a fist. Nature can make black holes, however. Matter naturally collapses unless there is some other force to hold it up. The objects in a room are kept from collapsing by electromagnetic forces. The gas in an active star is held up by thermal pressure. However, once a star uses up its thermonuclear fuel, it starts to collapse, and if there is enough mass to overcome other, microscopic forces, it collapses into a black hole. According to Einstein's theory, if we could pack enough matter into a small enough volume, the thing created inside will get so deep that the matter inside can never escape. A circle of no return forms. Any matter that passes the point of no return can no longer escape to the outside world. It necessarily keeps collapsing, moving towards the center. It gets deeper and deeper until finally a hole is literally torn in the fabric of spacetime: the density of matter at the center becomes essentially infinite. Thus, what is meant by "a hole in the fabric of spacetime" is: a tiny region of space where the known laws of physics break down. A black hole is a region of space so tightly packed with matter, that nothing, not even light can escape. Hidden at its center is a tear in the fabric of spacetime. Stephen Hawking showed in the mid-seventies that black holes aren't actually black. They glow in the dark. They emit radiation via microscopic processes that occur just outside the horizon. This means black holes ultimately evaporate. In reality, though, a solar mass black hole will take many times the lifetime of the Universe to evaporate. In some sense, a black hole marks a boundary to spacetime: a horizon beyond which no one can see without travelling through it. This radius of no return is called the event horizon of the black hole. All the bumps and wriggles of the matter from which they were formed are smoothed out as the matter contracts, so that the final shape of the horizon is always perfectly smooth and round. This is where everything gets really weird. To a distant observer, events near the horizon appear to slow down. If you drop a clock into a black hole it appears to tick more and more slowly as it approaches the event horizon. Time actually appears to stop right at the horizon. The clock's motion towards the black hole also slows down and to a distant observer it takes literally forever to fall through. If you fell in the event horizon with the clock, you would be sucked into the singularity in no time. As you fall, time and space become jumbled, and you can't control your falling to the center as much as you can't help yourself falling into the future. Black holes are definitely one of the most bizarre things anyone has ever heard of. We will never totally understand everything about them. They make up only a small part of our mysterious universe, though.

womens roles 1900-1940s essays

women's roles 1900-1940s essays Womans place is in the Home but Home is not contained within the four walls of an individual home. Home is the community.1 These words, written by Rheta Childe Dorr in 1910, typified the attitude of women during the decades immediately following the turn of the century. The period between 1900 and 1940 was a time of much political, social, and economic change for women in the United States. As Dorr illustrated, many of the fundamental beliefs regarding women remained constant, while their actual roles in the American way of life changed immensely. During this period, women became much more active in politics, a fact best exemplified by their inputs and successes in the Progressive Era. This period was a time of many tumultuous changes for the nation in general such as World War I and the Great Depression. Also, the United States was in the middle of a massive shift from an agricultural nation to an industrial nation during the first few decades of the twentieth century. Each of these factors significantly influenced womens roles in both the family and the work force. Despite the many advances t hat women made for themselves during these years, they were still not treated equal to men, and to make matters worse, within their own sex, there was an incredible amount of discrimination based on class, ethnicity and race. Although they did face many hardships, these women made a difference. In a mere forty years, they managed to make more changes and advancements than anyone had ever dreamed possible in the preceding centuries and in doing so, they paved the way for the success of future generations of women. The years following the turn of the century were a time of much political empowerment for women. First and foremost, in 1920 women were finally given the right to vote; a right they truly deserved and for which they had fought long and hard. This political change did not immediately have quit...

Death and Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death and Philosophy - Essay Example Nagel, interestingly, argues that it is not the death that is harm but rather the ending of life. He takes the a bit further by discussing prenatal life and life after death, almost equally qualifying the value of each "state" but fearful to arrive at a conclusion. Should we follow Nagel's premise, then the loss of life is the injury and the earlier loss of life compared to a later loss of life is far more injurious. Indeed, by way of example he states that a corpse can suffer no injury because the corpse is a dead being. Thus perhaps, in Nagel's world, there should be no such thing as a crime committed against a corpse. For example, because the person is dead, one cannot have violated the law because he desecrated a corpse. One can be found guilty, if he contributed to the cause of death only. Nagel's focal point is time. Thus when a person dies, they have been robbed of the extra time that they would have lived. Thus if a man lived 80 years, the harm is not so bad, but if the man lived only 20, the harm is egregious. Lacking here, is the discussion of what happens during that time. For example, if a man lives only 20 years, and becomes an astounding man, has he been robbed Nagel would probably argue in the affirmative. Conversely, if a man is 80 and has lived a life of no consequence, has he been harmed by being robbed of extra years Perhaps not. What if the person has spent 10 of those years suffering from a painful disease Has not death then rescued the person Finally, I am asked to explain which theory I prefer. I do not believe that one suffers by death. I agree with Rosenbaum in that once death has happened, there is no harm. Indeed, it is the path to death in which harm lays in wait. Many religions herald the notion that we choose our own exit from this world by our behavior during the time in it. Rosenbaum however offers an explanation that agrees with my religious values and my basic common sense. Once I am dead, I expect that to be it. Indeed, depending on my condition at death, I may find death to be a

Parents or Prisons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Parents or Prisons - Essay Example This paper would be dealing with. Morse’s arguments in three points. First, the article stated some news reporting the dumping of a dismembered body by two boys. Such news is common even before because the crime appeals to sensationalism that makes the reading public buy newspapers. Grisly accounts of murders, whether or not involving parents is common since ancient times. Then, the news article was linked by Ms. Morse to the budget cuts imposed by city Mayors except for the Department of Corrections. Apparently, the article missed to establish the main reasons why budget spending for prisons were not part of said budget cuts. The Department of Corrections spending needs to be increased simply because the increasing rate of population also produces a higher incidence of criminality. This doesn’t mean that majority of the crimes can be attributed to juvenile delinquency as caused by children from single-parent homes. There are many factors why the Bureau of Corrections h as to increase spending which the author failed to explain. Instead, the news reports were directly correlated to incidence of juvenile delinquency which lacked substantial evidence. Second, the article cited some studies that link mental illness and single parents.

The Difference Maker Essay Example for Free

The Difference Maker Essay One of the main goals of all human beings is to want achieve success in all areas of our life, work, family, social and are always in search of that success so longed happiness handed us dream. There are thousands of books and authors who speak of matter, where we teach key tips to achieve excellent development of our goals and achievements. One of those great authors who have dedicated their entire life to write and teach route form and order to achieve those goals is Jhon C. Maxwell, great motivator that has worked to lecture within organizations to promote extraordinary leaders. Maxwell in one of his books entitled The Difference Marker teaches us to turn our attitude as the most valuable asset for achieving all of our objectives and goals. He tells us that a great attitude is all that you need to be successful, but not enough just to have a good attitude, you also need to possess skills and integrated both accompany success. The attitude that you have positive and negative situations would make a difference and Maxwell mentions five obstacles encountered: discouragement, change, problems, fears and losses, he also believes that attitude is an internal feeling, which is influenced by your experiences past, is the power of your true self, is unconscious, is your best friend or enemy, and that attitude is manifested through our conduct, is the spokesman for your present and your future prophet. The big question, Where do we get that attitude really?, Your environment where and how you grew up, the expressions of others and how they perceive you, as you will perceive yourself, the opportunities are not equal for all the world, the partner with people with the same interests, the strongly you have to believe in your thoughts, how you decide how you will do things, in order while more you live more moldable are your decisions. We can not disconnect the attitude of the reality in which we live, and think we will get success only by our dreams. The attitude that we develop make a difference, but it is all we have to prepare because there are things she can not compensate: Attitude can not replace the aptitude, the latter is the ability you have to do things, Maxwell says, that if you think you can do something thats confidence, the ability to do it, and both are necessary for success; The attitude can not substitute for experience, and usually get until after you need it. First comes the test and after the experience, this one does not learn is acquired, so it is important to hire people with experience (aptitude) and this combined with the positive attitude, will give the winning formula; Your attitude can not change the events, you can handle them and accepting in good shape, if you can not change, then accept it in a good way, how? Changing your attitude;- Your attitude can not substitute personal grow th, you have to feed the mind and soul to become the person you want;- Your attitude will remain the same all the time, unless you work at it every day, trying to get the daily control of the attitude should be one of our main objectives. We need to understand that we need to experience in our lives, ripen, grow them, believe in yourself and have a persevering attitude to succeed. When we asked why we have to have a good attitude in our lives, and that will bring benefits, Maxwell explains: external events can not be controlled by us, but the internal are the opposite, and the attitude that I developed before these events I can control, make the difference. The positive or negative attitude I have in a given situation will change the way that I can see things and therefore my behavior. If I want to emphasize the negative, my situation is black, clouded, however if I want to emphasize the positive perception will be glad in hope. The basic principle of working with people and be successful is in: The principle of the glasses, as we see other people and this has more to do with our attitude that the characteristics of individuals; Beginning of sorrow, when a person is hurtful, hurts others, the negative experiences we can have other relationships affect personal relationships can come to exist, even if they are not harmful; Top of the elevator, we go up and down to people according to their limitations and weaknesses; Learning principle, every person we meet gives us a lesson, something new, some people determine that they can learn something from them, others not simply because they have nothing to offer. It is so important to keep a positive attitude in any event, that many doctors assert that creates a direct effect on the bodys cells, causing delay the advance of disease. Psychoneuroimmunology is the science in charge the emotional and mental activity, and the welfare of the individual, and indicates that patients may have a higher recovery if there is a relationship between feelings and emotions. Plato said that our mind was our home, and we can make it heaven or hell. Life is 95% mental and the other 5% is physical these are words of Yogi Berra, baseball player New York Yankee team, and this affirmation is true. The attitude that we develop in situations of our lives make a difference. But what would these actions we should take to have a great attitude: 1-Take responsibility for your attitude, the first rule is not to feel defeated because your attitude is not right, take action to improve it. 2-Evaluate your attitude in this, look at yourself to see whats causing this, and you have to make positive changes to achieve this transformation. There are several steps: Identify how you feel about yourself, how you feel in relation to others the problem youre thinking, we are the sum of our thoughts. It is therefore important to think positive because we will never change our attitude but start first with our thoughts. 3-Build the change you wish. 4-Change your attitude, change your thoughts, to be able to control your thoughts can control your attitude.You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are.5-Build good habits. 6-Manege daily attitude, successful people make decisions once the work every day. The five biggest obstacles attitude are:-discouragement, change, the problems, the fear failure. If you allow discouragement invade your life, you will never get the success you want. Do not confuse one passenger discouragement, we can have a day for any situation and overcome it, to when we refer to a constant discouragement in all our actions. The key is to focus on the positive things and learn to live with the bad or negative. There are several points that teach us to work effectively against discouragement. 1-Get the right perspective on the situation, not refute the facts how?: Having a good view of the entire film have a look at the problem, Observe yourself when you turn your face to discouragement know what you are facing and find new opportunities that in this situation presented to you; Notes profoundly successful people, See the positive possibilities that it can bring this situation. 2-Go, meet the right people, we have to try to spend more time with positive people, those that help us have hope, faith, confidence in ourselves. 3-Pronounce right words, do not talk badly about yourself, use positive words. 4-Develop right expectations, it is important to create realistic expectations, you can achieve, considering that you submit obstacles in the way, which get over. 5-Take the right decisions, when we take wrong decisions, we are worn because we chose the wrong way, so it is important to know when and how we will make decisions. Maxwell explains that when we are at the top of the mountain and will take decisions when we are in the valley, that is down need to develop persistence. If we can develop and maintain perspective can overcome discouragement and move forward. We humans although we like the change, we resist on. Change is hard for everyone, but we are also aware that there is no progress without change, there are several reasons that make us resist them: fear of the unknown, because they believe it is not the time to do it, because they feel uncomfortable, probably because different from what they know, not that it is bad or wrong, just not what theyre used, for established traditions. We try to get things done in every area of our lives, and in most of the times, we have to do it in the mist of difficulties. We simply cannot avoid problem, no one is exempt of them. But our perspective on the problem usually determines our success or failure, not the problem itself. The key is to focus on what you learning, not on what you are losing. If you do that, then you will open the door to future possibilities. Fear is part of the human condition and all of us experience some kind of fear, defined as a false expectation appearing real. It has destructive effects when our own thoughts create potential danger for cause inaction, and us when taking action will require us to move into the unknown. Fear and anxiety are debilitating emotions than let us undermine faith in ourselves, in others, and in God. Also is a waste of energy when unfounded fear can turn into a real problem and keeps a person and others around him from reaching their potential. In order to handle fear you must admit your fears, recognizing the source of them and how your fears can limit you. The only place we really have any power is in the present and it require give today our attention, not yesterday because is waste of energy and nothing can change it, not tomorrow because can cause us miss present opportunities. The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of a response to failure, which is determined for the attitude, the difference maker. When we face failure, we have to change our attitude. We have to change our vocabulary for example instead of using â€Å"If only† the way to correct that mind set is to change by â€Å"Next time†. The success people do not use the word failure to describe their mistakes, instead they referred to learning experiences, tuition paid or opportunity for grows. The difference maker, your attitude is not everything, but it is one thing that can make a difference in your life. When we allow the difference maker to make an impact in our lives, we can help others. Actually this is the mean purpose of the difference maker; if we apply as leaders the power of a positive attitude starting in us, we can spread to the employees in the organization and achieve personal and corporate goals. In this book John Maxwell destroys the common myths relating to the attitude: what can and can not do for you. By showing how to overcome the five main barriers of attitude, Maxwell teaches the skills needed to turn the attitude in the most valuable possession. What is more important, the book teaches not only develop an attitude that will have a tremendous impact on career, family and everyday life, but also to maintain that attitude for the rest of life.

The Fire :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Fire â€Å"C’mon, it’ll only take you a second,† he said. I can still remember the look on his face; he looked like a puppy begging for a treat. My red-haired neighbor was three years older than me; he had a sprinkle of freckles across his cheeks and a certain charm in his voice. â€Å"Ben, I don’t know about this. I don’t want to get into trouble,† I, being ever cautious, was always reluctant to participate in Ben’s adventures. â€Å"No one is going to find out. Stop being such a baby, and go get them!† he said, growing impatient. I was put in a difficult position. I had Smokey the Bear telling me it was wrong, and my best friend accusing me of being a coward. â€Å"All right, fine,† I said grudgingly, â€Å"I’ll get the matches, but you better come with me.† My heart was already racing, and I could feel my palms moisten. My father was the manager at the local bowling alley. This arrangement suited us well, as we would often spend our afternoons lounging around the bowling alley. For this particular act of mischief, the â€Å"Superbowl† was the perfect place to obtain our sought after matches. Much to our joy, the Superbowl was a mere mile away from our houses, just the right distance for twelve-year olds. It was far enough to seem like another world, yet close enough for us to venture to alone. We made our way through the dense foliage and towards the bowling alley. We had cleverly named our backyards as â€Å"The Woods†. For a child, even a dozen trees make a thick jungle. We soon came upon the large single-storied building; the prized matches were within. I saw the bowl full of matches on the snack bar counter. My heart was racing and my head was pounding; I might as well have been stealing the crown jewels. Much to my surprise, getting the unholy packet of matches was easy. We soon had what we yearned for. We now headed for our ‘Cabin’. The Cabin was a small clearing in a patch of trees. This provided us with ample space to play, and gave us the seclusion and privacy which acts of mischief required. We gathered the necessary materials and headed for Ben’s house. What possessed us to play with fire in the basement of his house, I cannot fathom. Ben and spoke little during this period.

Psy 240 – Lesson 2 Essay

Identify the teratogens covered in this chapter and birth defects/disorders they can cause. Format your response as though you were giving a brief prevention lecture to young married couples. Your answer should be no fewer than 400 words in length. We are all aware of genetic and hereditary factors that may impact the health of the newborn baby. However, our ability to prevent genetic disorders is limited to genetic testing of parents and prenatal diagnostic methods that can reveal early warning signs of genetic defects before birth.Another group of factors that can greatly influence the health and the development of a baby are environmental agents. These agents are commonly referred to as teratogens and include any environmental agent that can cause damage during the prenatal period. Unlike genetic factors, the damaging effects of the teratogens during the prenatal period and after birth are almost completely preventible by the parents. Most common teratogens that can impact pregnan cy and child development are: prescription and non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, infectious disease, radiation and environmental pollutants.Many prescription and non-prescription drugs exert side-effects that may be harmful during the prenatal period. Even when these side-effects are not noticeable or are not affecting the mother they may be interfering with the normal prenatal development of the baby during early and later stages of the pregnancy. For this reason all newly-expecting women or those planning to become pregnant need to consult with a doctor about any prescription drugs they may have been taking and certainly before starting therapy with any new medications.Many people consider non-prescription or â€Å"over-the-counter† drugs to be safe because no physicians prescription is required for their purchase. This is a common and often a dangerous mistake. Many â€Å"over-the-counter† drugs and products are not classified as drugs but rat her as nutritional supplements and as such don't require FDA licensing and control. In general these products can be dangerous to health since their contents and action mechanism have not be adequately or scientifically tested. Their consumption by pregnant or planning -to-become pregnant women can be particularly dangerous.New mothers need to consult a medical professional before using any over-the-counter products including vitamin and mineral supplements. Another category of common products that often get overlooked but can be dangerous to prenatal development and infant health are cosmetics. Many cosmetic products contain chemicals that can be harmful to the mother and the baby. For instance, many anti-acne products and â€Å"blemish-removal† products contain retinol and retinoic acid which can affect the baby during the first trimester.The retinol based â€Å"over-the-counter† products, such as Retine-A cream, are similar to the prescription drug Accutane which is prohibited for use by pregnant women as it causes damage to baby's eyes, brain, immune system, ears and skull. Other commonly used beauty products can be dangerous as well. Some examples are lipsticks that may contain lead, lotions and creams containing paraben, hair colors, tanning products and many more. The best prevention is to avoid use of pharmaceuticals, supplements and cosmetics before and during pregnancy without consulting a doctor first.The use of illegal drugs prior to and during pregnancy and while breast feeding is extremely damaging to the baby. Commonly used â€Å"street drugs† such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines and their derivatives cause a multitude of prenatal development abnormalities and can cause a lasting damage to the child's physical and mental health. Some of these abnormalities include: low birth weight, respiratory and cardiac difficulties, vision and hearing problems, metabolic abnormalities, premature birth and can cause death during or shortly after birth.Damage to the nervous system is particularly evident among illicit-drugs affected newborns and they are usually irritable, exhibit neurotic crying and often have lasting cognitive and social development difficulties and behavioral problems. The use of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and other so called â€Å"heavy drugs†, pre- and, during pregnancy and while breast feeding is especially dangerous as it causes the drug addiction of the newborn.The maternal use of marijuana causes a multitude of physical and psychological problems to the newborn including low birth weight, brain development abnormalities, depression and learning difficulties. Though it can not be linked to the inherited drug-addiction of the newborn, the use of â€Å"street drugs† by a father has been linked to a multitude of genetic diseases transferred to the off-spring. Though the exact modalities have not yet been determined for every drug, it is certain that use of dr ugs by a father causes mutations of the paternal DNA and therefore impacts the genotype of the baby.Persons with drug addiction problems planning to start a family should consult a medical professional well ahead of becoming pregnant to plan a course of action to cease the drug abuse and limit its damaging effects on the baby as well as parents. Already pregnant women with drug abuse problems need to contact the doctor as soon as possible to assess the risk and plan the best course of action needed. Alcohol consumption is one of the most damaging factors to a healthy pregnancy and birth. Mistakenly, most people consider â€Å"social drinking†, a consumption of one to two drinks daily or few time per week, to not be damaging to health.Though some evidence exists that a low or moderate consumption of alcohol can be beneficial to cardiovascular health, it is well established that even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can be detrimental to the prenatal development of the child. Alcohol causes a variety of prenatal development abnormalities jointly referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The FAS manifests itself in recognizable cranio-facial morphological deformities such as widely spaced eyes, a thin upper lip, small upward pointing nose, short eye-lid openings and a small head.The overall growth of the child is slowed. Furthermore, FAS causes a multitude of mental abnormalities such as attention, memory and language deficits, hyperactivity and abnormal motor skills and coordination. It has been established that these abnormalities result from the damaging effects of alcohol on neuron development in the early phases of pregnancy. Due to the overexpendature of oxygen by mother's body during alcohol metabolism, the fetus is often oxygen deprived which further contributes to development of the above mentioned health problems.Though the amount of alcohol consumed during pregnancy determines the extent of the damage caused, even small amounts of al cohol consumed can cause some of the symptoms listed. This milder form of FAS is referred to as fetal alcohol effects (FAE) and is equally concerning. Similarly to illegal drugs use, a link had been established between consumption of alcohol by a father and the mutations it causes to the paternal DNA which leads to multiple genetic defects of the offspring. All couples planning to bear children should stop all alcohol consumption well ahead of the time of pregnancy.Those with alcohol dependency should seek professional help in quitting drinking as alcoholism is a disease and requires a complex approach to physical and psychological issues that are causing it. The damaging effects of smoking on human health are well known but large number of child-bearing aged women still use tobacco regularly. The use of tobacco before, during and after the pregnancy has been linked to a multitude of infant health problems during the prenatal period and childhood. The tobacco using women are at a hi gher risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.It is a well known fact that nicotine, which is a vasoconstrictor, prevents an adequate blood flow to the uterus and causes defects to the placenta. In turn, the exchange of the nutrients between a mother and the baby is disturbed resulting in fetal malnutrition and low birth weight. As we know, low birth weight is a main predictor of the physical and mental developmental difficulties of the child. Nicotine affected babies are often born prematurely and exhibit cardiac and respiratory problems such as arrhythmia, asthma, sleep apnea, and are at a higher risk of developing cancer during childhood.The rate of infant death is also higher among this population of newborns. Even if physical health problems are not obvious, many nicotine-exposed babies display a certain degree of behavioral problems during their development. These can range from diminished sensory response, such as that to a sound, through over stimulation by touch and vision to a multitude of learning impairments. The best prevention to the nicotine-exposure health related issues is quitting smoking well before becoming pregnant.Even quitting smoking during pregnancy will greatly reduce the health risks to the baby. Joint quitting of smoking by both parents is usually the most successful approach as partners are able to support each other during this difficult endeavor. Exposure to the second hand smoke during pregnancy is equally as damaging to both mother and the baby. Again, quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to the second hand smoke will not only protect the child but also improve the health of the parents in the long run.All sexually active persons need to regularly undergo testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Prevention of, and regular testing for, STDs shows not only a concern about personal health but also a responsible approach to protecting the health of the partner and especially the health of the children the relationship may re sult in. Many STDs and infectious diseases are easily transferred during conception and from the mother to the embryo during this critical period of prenatal development. Many of these infections can cause serious and long-term defects to the fetus as well.Common birth defects caused by infection transmission during pregnancy include mental retardation, cardiac, respiratory and digestive system problems, vision and hearing damage and multitude of other conditions. One of the most dangerous STDs transferred from an infected mother to a baby is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. The HIV-infected babies develop symptoms of AIDS much faster than adults. The disease progression can be as rapid as a few months after birth with most ill babies dying within first 5-8 months after birth.Women aware of their HIV positive status should consult with the specialist if planning on becoming pregnant to asses risk and discuss possible prophylactic methods that can be employed to prevent transmission. Couples and individuals planning on pregnancy should test for infectious diseases before conception and address any concerns they may have with a health care professional. In the case of HIV, many newly-developed anti-retro viral therapies can prevent the risk of transmission onto baby by as much as 95%.Other infectious diseases that should be of concern when planning pregnancy or when pregnant are herpes, hepatitis, rubella, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, etc. Exhaustive testing for infectious diseases by both parents performed by a specialist is the best prevention of pregnancy complications and transmission to the newborn. Another teratogen that is of concern when evaluating the prenatal health is radiation. Though not as commonly encountered as other teratogens, radiation can be as devastating to the prenatal and postnatal development of the child.Exposure to radiation during pregnancy often leads to a miscarriage or birth defects such as physical deformities, ce ntral nervous system abnormalities, slow growth as well as a multitude of learning and emotional problems. Pregnant women and those planning on becoming pregnant should avoid exposure to radiation such as occupational exposure, for example radiology technicians, or medical exposure such as during exams with x-rays and other radioactive agents. Men should avoid exposure to radiation as well, as radioactive agents can cause mutations of the paternal DNA which can lead to birth defects of the offspring.Any concerns about possible radiation exposure need to be addressed with a medical professional as many methods are available to prevent and limit the damaging effects of radiation. Environmental pollution is probably a teratogen that is the hardest to avoid or prevent. As we know our ecosystem, be it the air, the land or the water, is heavily polluted with many agents and has lead to an increase of cancers, respiratory, neurological, hereditary and many other diseases in human populatio n. Unfortunately, environmental pollutants affect humans from our early days of prenatal development.One of the main ways babies get exposed to this teratogen is through the nutrient exchange during the prenatal development. The pollutants transferred through these means include mercury and other heavy metals found in contaminated food and water. The exposure to heavy metals during the prenatal development has been implicated with causing a multitude of abnormalities of the nervous system and psychological disorders. Many toxins commonly found in the products for everyday use cause many metabolic, immunity and respiratory disorders that have a long lasting effects on the health of the newborn.Environmental pollution is directly linked with childhood cancers as well as hereditary predisposition for cancer development. Some of the measures that can be taken during pregnancy to minimize the damaging effects of this teratogen include limiting the consumption of large predatory fish, suc h as salmon and tuna, which are often high in their mercury content, avoiding antibiotics and steroids contaminated meats as well as pesticide treated fruits and vegetables.Staying indoors and using air-filtration systems during high air-pollution days can prevent exposure to carbon monoxide and combustion byproduct gases. The use of industrial and chemical cleaning agents and chemicals should be avoided or limited to a minimum. As we can see there are many teratogens we are exposed to daily and though they damage our health it is especially frightening to think of the effects they have on the health of our unborn babies.Though these concerns are valid they should not stand in the way of enjoying the pregnancy, child birth and child rearing as the most pleasant and enriching experience of the lifetime. As we have learned most of the damaging effects of teratogens can be avoided and prevented through education, being aware of the risk factors and being proactive in taking steps to av oid the exposure and damage by practicing healthy living habits and seeking help when needed.