Zoos Try to Ward Off a Penguin Killer

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/science/earth/zoos-aim-to-ward-off-a-penguin-killer.html?ref=earth

This article describes how an avian form of malaria holds a present danger for many zoos that hold penguins in captivity, as the said virus can be fatal to penguin colonies. In order to combat this, zoos will take many measures to prevent any way for mosquitos to transmit the virus to their penguins. From water treatment, to refrigeration, to medicinal treatment, to quarantine, to natural antibodies found on some penguins, zookeepers have to be very diligent. In the wild, malaria would not be a threat as all penguins live in arid environments in which mosquitoes do not live, thus preventing the progression of the virus.

Question: How can we apply information learned from observations on animal-based diseases to viruses that affect humans? Is it ethical to allow animals to endure such infections in order to learn about and prevent similar infections from happening to humans?

Earth's Days are Numbered - HW 9/20

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=earths-days-are-numbered&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ScientificAmerican-News+%28Content%3A+News%29

The article I read was an observation of how the amount of time the earth will be able to hold life is numbered, and that number equates to about 1.75 billion years. Researchers came up with this number by calculating our sun's habitable zone based on the age of the sun. As the sun ages and the composition and chemical reactions evolve, the sun's luminosity increases. The rate at which this is happening has been found to be at a rate of about 1 meter per year.

Given the fact that the habitable zone is moving outward, humans may end up moving to mars, should mars become terraformed and habitable for humans.

Question: Given our current rate of technological progress, will we be able to develop technologies that will allow us to pack up and move to mars?