Water is the single most abundant compound in our food and we need a supply of water every day.

Water is so vital to us, and has unfortunately been the cause of much conflict throughout the world. The Pacific Institute for studies in Development, Environment and Security gives a chronological listing some of these conflicts at the site http://www.worldwater.org/conflict.htm. Please select one of the conflicts from that list and write a short report about it, including why it started, how (if?) it was resolved, and what lessons we can learn from it. Note that there are a good many references at the bottom of the list.

Carbohydrate, fat and protein make up the majority of our diet, along with water. In digestion, carbohydrates, fats and proteins are broken down into much smaller molecules which are reassembled in our bodies for their own purposes.

The Space Shuttle astronauts eat meals based on very specific dietary needs. The list of typical shuttle meals is given at the site http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Human.Exploration.and.Development.of.Space/Living.and.Working.In.Space/Space.Food/Shuttle.Standard.Menu.pdf. Please print out the Adobe Acrobat file. Compare it to the Apollo and Skylab food lists, at http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Human.Exploration.and.Development.of.Space/Living.and.Working.In.Space/Space.Food/Apollo.Food.List.pdf and http://spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects/Human.Exploration.and.Development.of.Space/Living.and.Working.In.Space/Space.Food/Skylab.Food.List.pdf. What are the similarities? The differences? What are the differences in the nature of the Apollo, the Skylab and shuttle missions that might explain the differences in the diets (this means you need to find out about a "typical" mission, especially its length.)

Vitamins are micronutrients that are not manufactured in sufficient amounts in the body. Food must contain vitamins, but in tiny amounts. Minerals are inorganic elements associated with mineral substances.

There has long been debate about whether vitamins from supplements such as "One-a-Day" tablets are used as effectively by the body as vitamins gotten from foods. What do you think? Use Web-related research to support your point of view.

Food additives are substances added to foods which are not part of the primary nutrients or ingredients of the food. They are added for many reasons, including flavoring, coloring, and to retard spoilage.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a nice overview of food additives, as well as a long list of them, at the site http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/foodaddi.html. Please go to your food cupboard and look up 5 different foods. Based on the FDA list, write what role each food additive has in each of your selected foods.

Moderation is good!

Pick a day. Please write down everything you eat during that day. Use the caloric list at the site http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/chapter1_4_3.html to determine your total calorie intake. Compare that to the number of calories you need, based on the Web site at http://www.dietitian.com/ibw/ibw.html. How do the results compare? Please include your food list for the day along with the "Healthy Body Calculator" results in your report.

This is one of the most important commercial applications of genetic engineering. There are some important possible benefits for developing genetically-modified food, including ridding the plants that grow foods of diseases and pests and improving the ease of processing of foods. The main dangers concern "fiddling with nature" without fully understanding the long-term impact.

Which side are you on? Write a short essay justifying your point of view. Please include in this essay several Web-based references, as well as specific examples of genetically-modified foods that you find on the Internet.