What would be a good subject for an assignment related to Living on Earth?

Question

I'm in a university science class called Living on Earth, and for the semester, we are required to do written research, conduct or at least propose an experiment, have about ten credible sources and one "junk science" source. We have a total of four projects throughout the semester on this one subject, three written and one oral. The instructor said we could choose anything as long as it is related to life on earth. I'm not looking for someone to do my assignment for me, but this is a broad subject and I am not scientifically minded. It's just such a broad field that I am having trouble choosing a subject and we are supposed to narrow it down as far as possible. That is, not have more than one very specific experiment going on for the subject.

Answer 1

for a better world

Answer 2

I am a little biased here, but think that a suitable topic would be about how man, living on earth, has nearly destroyed it.

There is a ton of research material available on the subject.
For instance:

* The average American throws away 3.5 pounds of trash a day.

* To give you an idea of how much trash we generate here in the United States, imagine a hole the size of a football field, including the end zones. If we bury all of the trash we produce in just one year, that hole would be 100 miles deep!

* Every year we fill enough garbage trucks to form a line that would stretch from the earth, halfway to the moon.

* Each day the United States throws away enough trash to fill 63,000 garbage trucks.

* Almost 1/3 of the waste generated in America is packaging.

* In 1986, the United States generated almost 160 million tons of paper, glass, metals, plastics, rubber, food and yard waste. This was an increase of 80% over the figures in 1960.

* In 1995 27% of the United States' food supply spoiled or went unused (48,000,000 tons).

* Man-made rubbish in orbit includes 8,500 objects and 100,000 pieces of space litter.

(CCSWMD, 2004)

Answer 3

My guess it that other people in your class are going to hit global warming hard. I would stay away from that topic and be original. However, if you go with global warming I would narrow it down to Volcanoes and the effects they have on it. Plus volcanoes are just fricken awesome.
Other hot topics:
Mercury and other metals/poison levels in fish and how this effects one of the largest food sources/people that eat it.
Radon gas exuded from the earth, which can be poisonous at high levels and is found in the majority of homes. However, very few homes ever test for it.
Need more ideas just ask.

Answer 4

I think one good written research about living here on earth is, if it is possible to live on earth without those problems like global warming, waste management, earthquakes, crimes, ageing and death. Many scientists believe that our body was designed to live continually, without getting withered. So it is a question why we grow old and then die.
Since the scientists found it out, it means that our body has the ability to live forever. About your sources, maybe you want to consider the Bible as your junk science.

Answer 5

How about the life in soil and how the use of chemicals as fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides damage the system and interfere with normal plant growth?

I hope you find a topic you enjoy and learn a lot!

Answer 6

Maybe you could do something about what we do with our trash or how the ozone layer is being affected, Global Warming really about anything. Sounds like a fun class.

Answer 7

OK. Here it is:
How do people in different cultures cope with earthquakes?

;-D Japan, Armenia and Turkey would be focus points. Enjoy and learn!