Contemporary Issues in Biology Online Course

A young Haitian woman named Michaëlle Beauvais has been beaten to death. A small, round imprint was found on her forehead. Calleigh works on the evidence while Horatio questions Michaëlle's roommate, Elaine Smith.

Horatio: Ms. Smith, I understand that Ms. Beauvais lives with you. How did you meet Ms. Beauvais?

Ms. Smith: We worked together at the Hope for Haiti foundation for several years. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and Hope for Haiti is a foundation dedicated to improving the quality of life in Haiti. The Haitian population is currently experiencing exponential growth. Exponential population growth means that babies are being born faster than people are dying and that each year the number of babies being born relative to the number of people dying increases! We believe that part of the reason that Haitians live in such poverty is that the population is nearing the island's carrying capacity. There is not enough land left in Haiti to grow enough food for the people. Our organization is committed to educating Haitians about the need to reduce the population growth rate. As part of this program, we educate Haitians about the benefits of a having a small family and provide them with free contraceptives.

Calleigh: Horatio, I've got some news on the evidence I found at the apartment. That mark on the vic's head, it was from a Yale class ring. Looks like the killer is an ivy leaguer.

As Horatio hangs up, Rene Jean-Baptiste, a middle-aged man walks into the room.

Horatio: I see from your class ring that you went to Yale!?! Michaëlle's killer wore a class ring from Yale. You're under arrest.

Mr. Jean-Baptiste: But wait ... It's true that Michaëlle and I did not see eye to eye ... but I would never hurt her. My organization, Haiti for Haitians, believes that voluntary population control will make things worse for ordinary Haitians. The ruling elite own most of the land in Haiti. Rather than selling crops to Haitians, the ruling class exports all the produce grown in Haiti so that they can make more profit. The solution to Haiti's problems is not population control, but sharing Haiti's resources with its people. If the elite will sell Haitian produce to Haitians, people will not starve and there will not be a population crash due to lack of food. Reducing the growth rate of lower class Haitians plays into the hands of the elite because the elite will be able to continue to sell produce to wealthy nations. I came by Michaëlle's apartment this morning to plead with Michaëlle not to support population control at the conference on Haiti that is being held this week in Miami. A man answered the door and told me to come back later. So here I am ...

Ms. Smith: Oh no ... Bill, Michaëlle's former partner, also went to Yale. He never takes off his class ring.

Just then Bill Johnson, Michaëlle's former partner, walks into the room. Horatio notices he too is wearing a Yale class ring, but Bill's ring has traces of a substance that appears to be blood between the letters. Horatio arrests him and solves another crime.

Belk, Colleen and Virginia Borden. 2007. Biology: Science for Life. 2nd edition. Pearson Education, Inc.

Contemporary Issues in Biology -- BIOL 1003
Mariëlle H. Hoefnagels, Ph.D. © 2004-2015.
biology1003 at OU dot edu (at = @, dot =.)
Last Updated August 5, 2014 11:02 PM

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Week 7, Chapter 13 -- Freelance Writer Sample Answer

Contemporary Issues in Biology -- BIOL 1003 Mariëlle H. Hoefnagels, Ph.D. © 2004-2015. biology1003 at OU dot edu (at = @, dot =.) Last Updated August 5, 2014 11:02 PM

Contemporary Issues in Biology -- BIOL 1003
Mariëlle H. Hoefnagels, Ph.D. © 2004-2015.
biology1003 at OU dot edu (at = @, dot =.)
Last Updated August 5, 2014 11:02 PM