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_Vol. 93, No. 56 M January 31, 2000_■_ na Community since 1Q08 Professor finds new clues to evolution by Kelly Haggerty Assistant News Editor A USC School of Public Health pro fessor’s research might lead to impor tant discoveries about the evolution of life and the future of the environment. Department of environmental health sciences researcher Joan Bernhard con ducted a study of the Santa Barbara Basin that yielded unexpected results, which were published in the Jan. 6 issue of the scientific journal Nature. While scientists had long thought the basin to support only simple bacte ria, Bernhard found the area to be heav ily populated with organisms. Bernhard and her team of researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Re search Institute, the University of Geor gia and the Wadsworth Center at the New York State Department of Health will study the new organisms and their physiology to determine how eukary otic cells evolved into higher organisms, such as fungi, plants and animals. “You can’t recreate the early evo lution of life,” said Bernhard, a biolog ical oceanographer whose research fo cuses mainly on single-celled organisms that live in the oceans, marshes and salt water sediments. “But this part of the deep sea offers scientists a different perspective on the study of eukaryotes and their early evolution.” Bernhard’s work has led to several important discoveries, including very high numbers of eukaryotes in the Santa Barbara Basin, new microorgan isms previously unknown in science and the existence of a symbiotic relation ship between a vast majority of eukary otes and bacteria in the Santa Barbara Basin. Bernhard said the evolving symbi otic relationships have fostered dramatic environmental changes on a global scale. Thus, the Santa Barbara Basin might be viewed as a window into Earth’s dis tant past, she said. The Gndings of the research team might be the basis for a better under standing of what happens when coastal environments and waters suffer the ef fects of agricultural, residential and com mercial development. The process, called eutrophication, ultimately can deplete oxygen in coastal sediments, resulting in the death of most marine organisms. “Understanding what is going on in these naturally eutrophic environments ^iay help scientists predict the onset, extent and severity of pollution by hu mans, which could help us prevent or clean up coastal pollution quicker,” Bern hard said. “Human activity is causing more of our coastal environments to become pol luted. Detailed knowledge about the mi croorganisms of the ocean and their com munities will help us understand what bioremediation efforts are need for these areas,” she said. 1 Winter weather maintains an icy grip. Travis Lvnn Photo Editor Trees on the Horseshoe bend beneath the weight of the Ice that accumulated on their branches Saturday night USC has called off classes until 11 am today. Columbia escapes winter storm with minimal damage Threat of icy roads leads university to cancel classes today until 11 a.m. Associated Press USC canceled its Monday classes until 11 a.m. after the threat of subfreezing temperatures prompt ed fears that standing water would refreeze overnight on Sunday. The National Weather Service lifted a winter storm warning for most of t)v> state Sunday afternoon, but not before ice coated trees and power lines from Co lumbia across the Midlands and the Upstate. Columbia residents awoke Sunday morning to cars encrusted with ice and more freezing drizzle, but the good news was that power outages were under control and car accidents had been kept to a minimum. “1 think a lot of people heeded the warnings and kept off the roads,” said Christie Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the state’s Emergency Pre paredness Division. “I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as expected.” Hamilton did not have an exact number of car wrecks. It was not immediately known if a fatal crash in Spartanburg County had been caused by the wintery conditions. A man and a woman died Sat urday when the van they were in flipped over sev eral times as it tumbled down an embankment, said Cpl. Steve Sulligan of the state Highway Patrol. Another woman in the van survived. The vic tims’ names had not been released by Sunday af ternoon. “The major highways are OK, but the sec ondary roads and streets are pretty icy and frozen preuy neavy, said Mine Bames, who owns Bames Towing in Greenville. Oth er area towing companies reported more calls than usual, especially to retrieve ears that had slid into ditch es because of slick condi tions. Roads across the state were littered with tree branches that had snapped under the weight of the ice. ouiiic luotn in vjiccuviiie weie cuaieu wiui une to two inches of ice, said Jim Copeland, co-own er of Copeland Towing. The company received 14 service calls Sunday morning, about triple the average volume, he said. This weekend’s storm did not force the shut down of interstates, as a winter storm earlier in the week had, Hamilton said Conditions prompted many churches to delay or even cancel Sunday services. One exception IcT SEE PAGE A2 The major highways are OK, but the, secondary roads and streets are pretty icy and frozen pretty heavy.’ Mike Bames owner of Barnes Towing Circus ignites criticism from protesters by Patrick Rathbun Assistant News Editor Protests entered the ring with the arrival of the Ringling Bros. Circus in Columbia over the weekend. Protesters concerned with raising awareness of an imal abuse put up picket signs and distributed infor mation packets near the Carolina Coliseum, where the circus was held, at Greene and Assembly streets and Park and Greene streets for the three days the circus showed. The protesters numbered about 30 people and included USC and Midlands Tech students along with others from around Columbia. The protesters were mostly vegan or vegetarian, according to journalism senior Amanda Presley, the event’s organizer. Many of the participants were also involved in USC’s Stu dents for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chapter. Biology senior and SETA member Carolyn Treuhaft said the objective of the protest was “to raise aware ness of the plight animals go through for [humans’] en tertainment.” “If we can get one person to understand, that would make all of us happy, just spreading the word,” she said. Treuhaft said the group tried to raise awareness of the abuse of all circus animals, specifically elephants. Elephants’ large sizes and their difficulty in dealing with colder temperatures make them a target for abuse, she said. Biology sophomore and SETA member Shirin Modaresi said the use of animals for entertainment is unnatural. “Animals can’t speak; they didn’t choose to be in the circus,” she said. Presley said the animal rights movement is mis understood. “People tend to look at supporting animal rights as a radical notion,” she said. “But it really is just an extension of animal welfare. Because it’s for the people, people think it’s also fun for the animals.” The protesters held up signs that read, ‘Teach com passion, not abuse” and “circus = animal abuse.” Treuhaft questioned the decision for allowing a circus to us the university’s facilities. “1 don’t think a university of this stature should be supporting animal abuse,” she said. “Just because [the circus] makes money doesn’t make it morally right.” Modaresi agreed that the university is affected by the decision to feature the circus. “It doesn’t reflect well on the school,” she said. “I understand they have to make decisions based on fi nancial [issues], but they also have to [consider] what it makes USC look like.” Treuhaft said people made positive and negative comments, “half and half,” to the protesters. The protesters’ future efforts will include work ing with Students Allied for a Greener Earth to peti tion USC to gain more options for vegetarians on cam pus, as well as to encourage alternatives to vivisection, Treuhaft said. Circuses.com, an organization that documents US D\ complaints of various circuses, says Ringling Bros, “failed to comply with minimum federal regulations, including a failure to provide animals with exercise, a failure to provide sufficient space, and not keeping the proper veterinary records.” The site said Ringling Bros, forces wild animals to perform unnatural acts using “whips, muzzles, elec tric prods and bullhooks.” The organization cites re ports of a Ringling trainer shooting a caged tiger five times with a shotgun after an attack in January 1998. Also in January 1998, circuses.com reports that an ele phant was forced to perform in two shows despite be ing sick, and as a result the elephant died hours later. Ann Marie Mlanl The Gamecock A child pets a llama at the RJngllng Bros, and Bamum and Bailey Circus this past week end. Protesters were on hand to picket alleged animal abuse. Greek councils discuss plans by Philip Watson Staff Writer As the spring semester gets into full swing, fraternities and sororities are plan ning and participating in events that are both fun and helpful to those in need. Almost all fraternities and sororities take part in events that raise money for charities that help the less fortunate. One of the events that already hap pened was Zeta Tau Alpha's fifth annual Big Man on Campus Pageant. This event was held on Wednesday, January 26 in the Russell House Ballroom. About $5,000 was raised in this event. All proceeds benefited the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which helps fund breast cancer research, prevention, screening and education. More than 650 people attended the Big Man on Campus Pageant. Twenty-one contestants from different organizations competed for the title. The competitors won points in several different events, in cluding “silver sabotage,” a banner con test, and the actual pageant. The 2000 Big Man on Campus is Bryan Rushing. The Council see page a2 Weather' k Tocvw , 53 34 Tuesday The circus visits the Carolina Coliseum. Page A6 Monday • The Gamecock, 4 p.m., RH333 • Fraternity Council, 4 p.m., RH 322/326 • Sorority Council, 5 p.m., RH 322/326 •CP, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday '' Dance Marathon^ 8 ' p.m. • Spring Board, 5:30 p.m. Should USC tear down the Coliseum after the new arena opens in 2002? Vote at www.gamecock.sc.ed’ Results will be Dublished Fm \