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“Everyone assumed the spots were just ornamental,” Ebright said. “But Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it.”
To find the answer, Ebright and another excellent science student first had to build a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development.
This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. There he won third place for zoology. He also got a chance to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
As a high school junior, Richard Ebright continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa. That year his project won first place at the International Science Fair and gave him another chance to work in the army laboratory during the summer.
In his senior year, he went a step further. He grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture and showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. That project won first place for zoology at the International Fair. He spent the summer after graduation doing further work at the army laboratory and at the laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Explanation:
The majority of people believed that the spots on the monarch butterflies were added to make them seem more attractive. On the other hand, Dr. Urquhart did not believe what others stated. As he was a great zoologist and researcher, he might have had different opinions about the spots on the monarch butterflies.
Ebright and his classmate (another excellent science student like Ebright) made a plan to clarify the professor's thought and prove what it would be. To find the spots on the monarch butterflies, they designed a device. The device demonstrated that these patches released a hormone required for a butterfly's whole development from a pupa to the big one.
Ebright's project on the spot in monarch butterflies won him the first position in the county science fair. As a result of his victory, he had the opportunity to enter the International Science and Engineering Fair. He showcased his project, achieving third place in the zoology division.
In addition, Ebright had the opportunity to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. As a high school junior (a student in their third year of study), he continued his experiments with the monarch pupa. After experimenting, he earned the first position at the International Science Fair.
After receiving the prize, Ebright was also allowed to work at the army laboratory during the summer. Then, in his final year, he attempted something new. He produced cells from a monarch's wing in a culture and demonstrated that if the cells were treated with the gold spot hormone, they would divide and grow into typical butterfly wing scales. At the international exposition, his study took first place. After graduation, he spent his summer doing an extra study on the subject at the army laboratory and the US Department of Agriculture's laboratory.
Ebright and his classmate (another excellent science student like Ebright) made a plan to clarify the professor's thought and prove what it would be. To find the spots on the monarch butterflies, they designed a device. The device demonstrated that these patches released a hormone required for a butterfly's whole development from a pupa to the big one.
Ebright's project on the spot in monarch butterflies won him the first position in the county science fair. As a result of his victory, he had the opportunity to enter the International Science and Engineering Fair. He showcased his project, achieving third place in the zoology division.
In addition, Ebright had the opportunity to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. As a high school junior (a student in their third year of study), he continued his experiments with the monarch pupa. After experimenting, he earned the first position at the International Science Fair.
After receiving the prize, Ebright was also allowed to work at the army laboratory during the summer. Then, in his final year, he attempted something new. He produced cells from a monarch's wing in a culture and demonstrated that if the cells were treated with the gold spot hormone, they would divide and grow into typical butterfly wing scales. At the international exposition, his study took first place. After graduation, he spent his summer doing an extra study on the subject at the army laboratory and the US Department of Agriculture's laboratory.
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
1 | Spot | A small, usually round area of colour that is differently coloured or lighter or darker than the surface around it |
2 | Entomology | The scientific study of insects |
3 | Graduation | The fact of finishing a degree or other course of study at a university or school, or the ceremony at which you are officially said to have finished |
4 | Laboratory | A room or building with scientific equipment for doing scientific tests or for teaching science, or a place where chemicals or medicines are produced |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2007). The Making of a Scientist- Robert W. Peterson(pp. 32-38). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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