'Gravity and life' has been my greatest interest in science. Lot of questions come to my mind when I try to relate gravity to our existence. Earlier blog on biological relation and microgravity tempted me to blog on some of the gravity related life aspects...
Most of the time gravity on earth and its influence on existence of life is less appreciated, possibly because of its ostensibly insignificant nature. It's amazing that such an attractive force that pervades this universe or many such universes in space does not find appreciable interest among biologists, except for microgravity experiments in space shuttles or inside microgravity simulators on earth. One reason could be that it is very difficult to simulate gravity variations circumventing the existing gravity on earth. But then questions related to the possible effect of continued gravitational exposure on earth on life, have not been raised.
One question that immediately comes to my mind and that we discussed during tea club (erstwhile!) 6 months back at our lab is the 'position effect' caused by earth when it comes to the positioning of different organs or parts in life forms. Even a child knows that roots grow down due to gravity. For plants, position on earth is fixed (immobile) and so may have greater influence by the gravity. One hypothesis, however crazy it might appear, is that plants are tall because of gravity or moving creatures are shorter because of lesser influence (don't know how less, maybe too less, but definitely lesser than plants or Seqouia!) due to movement.
What is the effect of gravity on the evolution of humans (Homo sapiens) and their present levels of intelligence? This was the question we discussed at the tea club meeting. If the question is put the other way around - Are humans more intelligent than their ancestor because of their erect stature? While the question might appear very general and abstract, if we compare humans to other less intelligent life forms with similar neuronal networks if not identical, then it may find some appreciation.
There are many interesting aspects of Nature that are unexplored. But these would still be too basic and useless in the eyes of people who matter - the funding agencies. Gravity can never influence them, something other force may be necessary!
Most of the time gravity on earth and its influence on existence of life is less appreciated, possibly because of its ostensibly insignificant nature. It's amazing that such an attractive force that pervades this universe or many such universes in space does not find appreciable interest among biologists, except for microgravity experiments in space shuttles or inside microgravity simulators on earth. One reason could be that it is very difficult to simulate gravity variations circumventing the existing gravity on earth. But then questions related to the possible effect of continued gravitational exposure on earth on life, have not been raised.
One question that immediately comes to my mind and that we discussed during tea club (erstwhile!) 6 months back at our lab is the 'position effect' caused by earth when it comes to the positioning of different organs or parts in life forms. Even a child knows that roots grow down due to gravity. For plants, position on earth is fixed (immobile) and so may have greater influence by the gravity. One hypothesis, however crazy it might appear, is that plants are tall because of gravity or moving creatures are shorter because of lesser influence (don't know how less, maybe too less, but definitely lesser than plants or Seqouia!) due to movement.
What is the effect of gravity on the evolution of humans (Homo sapiens) and their present levels of intelligence? This was the question we discussed at the tea club meeting. If the question is put the other way around - Are humans more intelligent than their ancestor because of their erect stature? While the question might appear very general and abstract, if we compare humans to other less intelligent life forms with similar neuronal networks if not identical, then it may find some appreciation.
There are many interesting aspects of Nature that are unexplored. But these would still be too basic and useless in the eyes of people who matter - the funding agencies. Gravity can never influence them, something other force may be necessary!
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