Scientists discovered in the ocean live electric cable

This bacteria, connected in the finest long filaments that are very similar in structure to a bunch of wires in the winding insulation.
Danish scientists, three years ago found a mysterious electrical currents in the ocean, determined their source and surprised his discoveries. As it turned out, the seabed literally enmeshed live electric wire - are bacteria that are connected in the finest long filaments that are very similar in structure to a bunch of wires in the winding insulation, writes The Daily Mail.
On the ability of microorganisms to use the current has long been known, the present is surprising discovery that these circuits are not made up of different bacteria, as suggested by the researchers. This thread unicellular one family, who live as one entity and the current drive on it, passing it on a huge, compared to their own size, distance.
Results of their study, researchers from the University of Aarhus in Denmark, presented in the journal Nature. They concluded that "Cable bacteria" are a family of Desulfobulbaceae most numerous species of microbes - Proteobacteria. Reaching one centimeter in length, is one such thread has a thickness of one hundred times smaller than a human hair.
In an area of ​​one square meter can operate tens of thousands of such threads. These single-celled prefer to live "in conjunction" with the brothers because individually would be at a disadvantage and could not get the necessary energy for life by the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide accumulates in layers of sediment.
Some live in more oxygenated areas, but can not get to hydrogen sulfide. Others living in these deeper layers, however, have access to hydrogen sulfide, but lack of oxygen. Thus, bacteria together in electric chain, to provide for themselves in abundance all necessary.
Cubic centimeter of sediment can contain up to a kilometer-made "cable" of bacterial colonies, scientists have found. And the colony monopolizes oxidation, preventing other microorganisms use their "resources."
Head of Danish researchers, microbiologist-Risgard Nils Petersen believes that the discovery could be useful in the development of technologies, including in the field of medicine. For example, you could create a device that, using the possibilities of living power, "clean" to the infected area of ​​the body.
Danish colleague, Professor Gemma Reguera of Michigan State University in the U.S., commenting on the study, said that several years ago the assumption that bacteria can function as power cables to transmit electric current to a distance of a centimeter, would be met with skepticism. However, researchers have presented convincing evidence and clarified, as in marine sediments occur interlayer geochemical reactions.
According to an American microbiologist, opening the Danes further enhances the importance of the role played by bacteria in the global geochemical processes and functioning of ecosystems

Biocenosis

All organisms living on the planet, form communities. Animals and microbes, plants and fungi are part of a community, if you take the same area of ​​land or water environment and have something to do with the place of residence, and with each other. In science, there is a joint called "biocenosis".
Biocenoses divided into phytocenoses Zoocenosis, mikotsenozy and microbial.
Phytocoenosis - community of plants, bringing together all the trees, shrubs and herbs that grow in the same place.
Zoocenosis - the community, which includes large and small animals, day and night, predators and their prey when they feed, have families and raise calves within the same territory.
Mikotsenoz - community of fungi.
Microbial - a community of microorganisms.
The release of these groups recognized conditional. Because in reality there is no association of animals, plants or microorganisms that are independent of other groups. Similarly, there is no existence apart from the living body of his internal organs.
Thus, the forest - is a complex in structure and species composition of the system, which includes trees and fungi, insects, birds, animals and groundwater organisms. Some species are concentrated in the underground level, the other - in the aerial environment in the undergrowth, and some on the top floor, the fourth - the air. Representatives of united with our peers at some single site, forming micro groups - spots. This may be the same plants growing together, or a group of animals who have settled in a limited space. So manifest horizontal patchiness biocenosis.
The vertical and horizontal edges can be sharp, and blurred when one group is moving or occasionally mixed with another group. After all, species interactions within ecological community - the basis of its existence. Some species of living organisms affect the conditions of life and reproduction of others, serve them food, or use them to create their works - nests, burrows, etc.
Therefore, any biocenosis is in constant motion and change. But human intervention leads to more conversion of natural systems. Destroyed or altered some community and create another - artificial: farmland, pasture and windbreaks, reservoirs and marshes drained. Often artificial biocenosis can not exist without human care and remaining without care and attention, it degrades and disintegrates

The Butterfly Effect

Connectedness past happening right now and things to come at all times, caused a lot of issues and disputes, which by the details and little-studied time-space did not lead to any more or less understood by the broad mass of people result. One of the examples demonstrate the existence of links between the events described by the term "butterfly effect."
What is the essence of this effect? The fact that, in its original sense of the term refers to a closed chaotic systems are developing, for example, to a system of interaction of living organisms (mostly referred to as a term now in the context of different biological treatises), which means the possibility of unintended consequences from the slightest impact on these systems. Once the term a bit "left to the people", it was announced in the story of Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" and became known to the public, and the idea quickly found an echo in public life.
The fact is that, despite some romantizirovannost this phenomenon, it accurately reflects the cause-and-effect relationships that are characteristic of many phenomena in our lives. Meaning of the relation of minimal impact or a minor event and what happened behind the phenomenon is not always possible to discern a conglomeration of various other links, but if you wish you can almost always find the relationship between the events, the seemingly unconnected.
The topic many times revealed in various literary works in recent years, as well as, of course, in movies, the number of which is large for listing them in this article. They all boil down to the fact that his action on each one should think, and this is not unreasonable - even artistic exaggeration, the situation shown in these films often have real-life prototypes.
Definitely modern world has all the features of the system is prone to unexpected responses to the slightest impact. A series of events with people and objects in our world, always has consequences, but not every act of our cause natural disasters and man-made disasters. However, the very concept behind the butterfly effect, on closer acquaintance can change your life for the better

A new study of the brain will have a new look on the process of development

Scientists from the University of Manchester, working with American colleagues failed to prove that the brain can develop independently of each other. Based on the results of their research, the biologist hopes that the work presented to them, the idea of ​​the brain has changed significantly.
Unique experiment lasted about 15 years. Its purpose was to identify loci that are responsible for the size of the brain. In addition, another important task of the experiment was to identify the different parts of the brain to show the reaction to an external stimulus in different ways. It should be noted that similar studies have been carried out earlier. But this time, the team conducted the study of brain activity within the same species.
The experiment was analyzed by the brain for more than 10 thousand mice. Each part of the brain scientists measured separately. In addition to conduct a full scan of the genome in order to determine a set of genes for each part of the brain.
The study authors compared the beginning of the parts of the brain and ending changes in the genetic material. Then they discovered that all the changes are in close relation to the specific genes that are responsible for the functionality of a particular part of the brain.
In addition, we compared the overall size of the brain of each mouse. Quite unexpectedly been found very little correlation between the parts of the brain and its overall size.
The studies found evidence that brain size is controlled by independent gene that is similar to a gene that controls body size.
After a detailed analysis of the results, the researchers concluded that the overall size of the brain is not in depending on body size.
Now, biologists plan to conduct research that will help identify the specific genes responsible for the change in the size of different parts of the brain.

fractals

Every day we see patterns and understand that someone lot of trouble to create them. And what about the patterns found in nature? What are they hiding?
For example, take a snowflake. These crystals form when water vapor in the cloud is transformed into ice. With the increase in the size of the crystals appear delicate openwork patterns. If we consider a single snowflake, we can see that its rays branch again and again, forming the rays of smaller dimensions. This property is self-similarity of mathematics called fractal. Fractal - a kind of figure in which one and the same motif in the Carbonless gradually decreasing scale.
The concept of fractal geometry and fractal, born at the end of the 70's, from the mid 80's overhaul settled and become current programmers and mathematicians. The word fractal is of Latin origin and is translated from fractus as consisting of fragments. It was proposed in 1975 by Benoit Mandelbrot to describe irregular structures, but still self-similar, which he carried away.
Fractals - great education, unpredictable movements generated by the chaos of the world. They are observed in such tiny objects, like the cell membrane, and such extensive, like the solar system.
If we consider a sea shell, you'll find that it is a fractal structure in the form of self-similar compartments, which increases during the life of the mollusk.
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, pineapple, sunflower seeds are also fractals, as Use the same principle of self-similarity and nesting.
The famous toy "Matryoshka" - a real model fractal. Fractal principle obvious, when toy figurines of wood arranged in a row, and not nested within each other out.
Fractals can be expressed in furniture design. For example fractal nightstand from Japanese designer Takeshi Miyakawa uses maximum storage space and looks very stylish.
Fractals are increasing and significant application in science. The main reason for this can be called what they describe the world around us, sometimes better than a traditional physics or mathematics. Here are just some of the areas of application: computer graphics, physics, radio engineering, economics, and biology. Besides all the practical, fractals just give aesthetic pleasure

What is a gyro?

Gyro called rotating body (for example, a massive disk), which is set in a fairly rapid rotation around some axis of symmetry. Initial acquaintance with a gyroscope usually occurs in childhood when observing the famous toy - baby peg or yuloy.
Until the top is rotated rapidly, it can be kept stable on its axis and keep upright. He does not fall on a horizontal plane, despite the fact that the center of gravity is higher than the pivot. This is possible because of the conservation of angular momentum. In the case of deviation of the axis of a spinning top from a vertical direction by gravity axis in space describes a particular circular cone, so the axial tilt angle does not change. Such a rotation of the gyroscope is called a forced precession.
Precession watch very simple. You should start a top and wait until it starts to slow its rotation. The top point is beginning to fall and the spiral (divergent). This is called the precession of the axis.
Slight irregular motion of rotating rigid body, which makes the precession is called nutation. Such movement is somewhat reminiscent of "twitch" axis of rotation.
Consider some uses gyro.
Features gyroscope are widely used in helicopters to stabilize their balance. As a rule, the helicopter has a 2.3 gyroscope to stabilize the horizontal and the vertical. Ie different variations of the helicopter and vibration muffled by a gyroscope, which were caused by its powerful engines and propellers;
stabilization in the horizontal border speedboats. With the development of high-speed boats of big waves on the water surface run powerful gyroscope, which smooths out the pounding waves on the bottom of the boat.
gyroscopic instruments are of great use to automate the management of ships and aircraft. To support the set of a ship includes autopilot and the aircraft - the autopilot;
demanded gyroscopes in automotive safety and comfort, to control input and stabilize the camcorder. Gyroscopes are used to adjust the height and stability of the suspension.

Possibility of the impossible: travel to the past and the future.

The ability to move in time to look into the future and change the past, or simply to experience pleasant moments again, centuries worried inquisitive mind of man. But today, scientists are in place so far all attempts to find a reasonable answer to the actual question of how you can teleport in so unstudied substance as time, relying only on the claim that there is no proof you can not move in it. Albert Einstein mathematically proved that time travel is possible when the object faster than the speed of light (3 * 108 m / s).
A black hole, according to science, has enormous power of attraction, and, on this basis, while near its center runs very slowly. That is all you need to travel in time - this is just a temporary move from the field of the Earth at the time of the black hole in a matter of seconds. An alternative way of moving through time and space - the use of so-called wormholes. According to quantum physics, it is possible to move into the past or future, to jump from the Earth (or any other entry points) to infinity galaxy or universe. The problem is that the wormhole is too small for the passage of people, so the first task of this generation will be the science of energy, which will expand the walls of the hole. Further, it is impossible to get "much anyhow": the "one" side, you should see the arrival, and at the same portal should be kept open. We conclude that the return to the past, which does not have this very point of arrival, it becomes impossible. Modern scientists have "fun" trying to send a photon in the past, and then change its polarization.
Recently formulated a theory was the idea of ​​Bella that all points of space have instant communication, but to be able to transfer it to the subject does not have the energy. In other words, to move in the blink of an eye can still only information.
So how do scientists need to contrive to finally get to another time, when you want? Of the most common theories of the conclusion is the following: either learn a speed greater than the speed of light, or to reproduce the energy is so strong that it can push the gravity field, opening the gates to other times and universes.

Another mystery of nature

Reproaches toward chemists is that they create a dangerous and "unnatural" substances are accompanied by such adjectives as "toxic", "toxic" pollutant "," explosive ", etc. This is happening at a time when organic chemistry can create perfection.
Modern humanity is unlikely to yourself without thinking billion of various products of organic synthesis. These are synthetic fibers, drugs, and more, are made on the plants of the chemical industry.
Proud application of modern organic chemistry synthesis capabilities of both known and unknown nature of the compounds immediately fade when compared with the abilities of nature.
For example consider a living cell - an "atom of life." Enzyme catalysts in it thousands of compounds synthesized in a very modest initial conditions - no heat, pressure, halogens, strong acids, bases and other "frills." In the cell, not just the biological molecules are synthesized, but also fine microstructure formed in insane amounts. These microscopic entities biologists gave the name "organelles" (from the Greek. «Organan», which means "an instrument, a tool, a body"). The cell secretory organelles perform the receptor, motor, and other functions. Interestingly, the organelles are sverhmolekulyarnye structure.
Organic compounds in nature occur with tangible quantitative yields in minutes! This suggests that the tactics and strategy of fusion (which chemists have so far only dream) has long been solved by nature and function successfully in the "chemical plants" of any living system.
Consider an ordinary green leaf. Foliage nature annual "stamp" in incredible amounts. But you can handle this task in the laboratory modern organic chemist using the latest equipment and research and development? The answer - no!
Nature hides another secret. It is not only able to create super complex biomolecules, but cleverly and intricately combine them to form the intricate structure, which she deftly manipulates.
As nature has learned it needs to create molecular formations and manage them? This is another mystery of nature, which will reveal.

Scientists have managed to create a retinal prosthesis, which does not require a power source

Scientists have developed a new prototype electronic retina, suitable for high-definition images and does not require external power.
U.S. biotechnologists created a prototype artificial retina of the human eye, which does not require a power supply and operating at infrared energy, as described in an article in Nature Photonics.
Currently in the world, scientists are developing a number of different types of implants that are theoretically able to return vision lost due to accidents or degenerative diseases. Biologists experiment, in some cases, with individual retinal cells and stem cells, in others - biotechnology and physical and try to combine the work of a variety of electronic devices with the work of the brain of animals and humans. But until now, no study has been able to achieve significant success.
A team of scientists at Stanford University in the U.S. under the direction of James Loudin was able to develop a new prototype electronic retina, which is suitable for high-definition images and does not require an external power supply, which is the main obstacle to the development of such technologies.
"Made us invention operates approximately the same principle as the solar panels installed on the roof of the house - converts light energy into electrical impulses. However, in this case electricity supplies are not "TV" and sent directly to the retina as a signal, "- explained one of the band members Daniel Palanker.
New artificial retina created James Loudin and his colleagues, as a set of a large number of individual microscopic silicon plates, which combine the power generator, a light sensor, and some other items. To this retina work, you must have the special glasses with built-in video camera which, and a small pocket computer, which processes the image.
This invention works as follows: being in glasses camera continuously converts the light rays into electronic pulses. Each "frame" is then processed by a computer and is divided into two halves - the left and right eyes, and the information is sent to the infrared heaters that are on the inside of the eyeglass lens. Points then emit infrared radiation in the form of short pulses that activate photocells located on the retina. Infrared radiation causes photosensors transmit electrical impulses encodes pictures in optical neurons.
"Today implants very cumbersome operation to insert into the eye of all the necessary components are incredibly complex. Now, in our case, the surgeon is enough to make the retina is only one small incision and immerse photosensitive component of the device under it "- says Palanker