Luminescence is more than luminous toys and firefly insects that haunt us in childhood. The process of fluorescence, absorbing light, has become one of the most mysterious natural phenomena that have prompted mankind to many discoveries.
The mysterious "radiance" in recent years can manifest itself in the most unexpected places and forms. It appears due to processes invisible to the human eye. Even more intriguing is the fact of "participation" of fluorescence in some of the secrets of mankind, as well as its visibility from outer space and the alleged danger to life.
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Bioluminescent Mushrooms
Who in their right mind would believe in the existence of fluorescent mushrooms? However, luminous mushrooms flooded all of Vietnam and Brazil, and the secret of their appearance for many years excited the minds of scientists around the world. To solve the mystery, scientists have conducted experiments on several mushrooms in 2015. During the experiment, oxyluciferin was obtained from mushrooms. This chemical is also found in luminous inhabitants of the ocean and fireflies.
Oxyluciferin is used by fungi to attract insect attention. Landing on a mushroom, insects “take” spores, then scattering them in another place. Thus, luminous mushrooms multiply. The main question is, how did the fungi produce oxyluciferin? In a more detailed study, the researchers noticed that the fungi produce the original luciferin to combine with enzymes and oxygen, after which a fluorescent glow appears.
It is assumed that the enzyme can also come in contact with other types of luciferin, giving a greater number of glow colors. Such speculations promise us the discovery of even greater secrets associated with these mushrooms.
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Harm from blue glow
The blue light coming from electrical appliances and energy-saving lamps throughout the day has a number of flaws. For example, a clear connection was found between blue glow at night and poor health. One of the benefits of its daily use is associated with energy savings, but in the evening, when people sit down to relax in front of the TV, the blue light emitted by it acts on the brain as a stimulant. Such exposure adversely affects sleep.
Of course, this may sound like nonsense, but doctors warn that if a sleep disorder is violated, the person runs the risk of being in a prediabetic state. It also threatens obesity, the development of heart disease and even cancer.
Do not rush to turn off all electricity - scientists have not yet proved a direct connection between the blue light and all the announced "horrors." Only the effect of luminescence on a decrease in the level of melatonin in a person is proved. With its deficiency, the sleep cycle is disrupted, and this can certainly develop oncology. Thus, scientists drew an invisible line between blue light and disease. Research is still ongoing.
If it is possible to prove the mortal danger of the blue glow for people, then some discoveries in the field of electricity will have to be reviewed. LED lights and fluorescent lamps can significantly save on electricity, but emit more blue light than any other lamp.
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The first fluorescent frogs
Scientists from Argentina took a tree frog for experiments in 2017. Her color is green with red spots in polka dots and remained so, so it's too early to celebrate. He began to change in the process of preparing amphibians for experiments, some of which were associated with the use of ultraviolet light.
Doctors were amazed when they sent an ultraviolet lamp to a frog - it burned with bright light! The fluorescence of the blue-green hue made it possible to declare the frog the first amphibian living on land, which emits light. There is no doubt about this, since fluorescence in terrestrial animals is nonsense. Glow is due to hiloins, special compounds of frogs. It is not yet clear why this function is for wood amphibians, but it is assumed that in this way they find each other in the dark and in the light of the moon.
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Glowing tide
Sometimes underwater plants illuminate coastlines, making them “burn” in strange shades throughout the night. This year, one and a half kilometer blue coastlines were spotted in Southern California. Fluorescent algae are called dinoflagellates, their peculiarity, in addition to the glow, is the ability to swim. During the day, they accumulate in a whole cloud of red. Scientists gave this phenomenon the name "red wave".
Previously, they represented a danger, due to seafood contamination with toxic substances hazardous to human health. However, with the onset of darkness, they turn the coast into a scene of incredible beauty, which admire a myriad of people.
In each of these plants there is an enzyme and protein that mix due to the impact of a wave or the touch of a sea creature. In the synthesis of substances, their bioluminescence is manifested. The meaning of such a reaction is not entirely clear, but most likely it is protective. It is assumed that the light comes on to deter plankton, which eats algae, as well as to attract fish that feed on plankton.
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Blue halo near flowers
Flower genes are constantly fighting for the color of their petals, which, in their "opinion", must be blue. What is the reason for this? Everything is very simple, the bees are most attracted to the blue color, namely they are the first helpers in the fertilization of flowers. Of course, not all flower petals can be blue, so the plants went to the trick. They developed nanoparticles that illuminate the petals with a blue glow when they are exposed to sunlight. This discovery was made by scientists only in 2017.
By the way, on our site TheBiggest.ru there is an interesting article about the fastest insects in the world, which includes some of the bees.
Blue halo is a kind of target for bees. Almost all the main groups of flowers and even trees, whose fertilization depends on pollination by other creatures, turned to this method of attracting insects. The glow is often a blue hue, but some plants can distribute ultraviolet light, which helps bees to notice their “backlight” faster. The blue halo turned out to be more effective than the natural color. During the experiments, scientists found that bumblebees are more likely to fly on fluorescent flowers than not plants with natural blue petals.
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Glowing coral
Scientists have long proven the cause of the fluorescent process in shallow corals. Their green shades have the properties of a protective cream, which provides a reliable barrier against solar radiation. However, the reason for the glow of corals located deep underwater, researchers until recently was unclear.
The answer was found in 2017. It turns out that deep-sea corals emit a glow not in order to hide from the light, but in order to receive it. Sunlight hardly penetrates to great depths, and it is extremely necessary for the life of corals. Blue light is not enough to provide corals with the necessary energy. In order to survive, they use red fluorescence to highlight dark orange and blue hues. First, light is needed to produce vital products through photosynthesis.
Such a discovery delighted scientists, but not ecologists. Due to global warming, shallow corals will have to migrate to deeper waters, otherwise they will simply whiten out. But since these corals emit a green glow, they may not survive in an environment where red fluorescence is needed.
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Flickering seabirds
In 2018, biologists discovered a dead Atlantic dead end. Investigating the causes of death, they decided to illuminate it with UV rays. This was done in an attempt to find a fluorescent glow, since grooms, which are related to dead ends, have a luminous beak. In a normal environment, the beaks of dead ends are difficult to confuse. They are painted with bright shades necessary to attract individuals of the opposite sex. Although the puffins have luminous cousins, scientists were surprised when parts of the beak of a dead bird were lit under an ultraviolet lamp.
Researchers will not understand why deadlocks shine, but suggest that they discover each other in this way. Birds notice luminous beaks even in the daytime. Although it is not clear how they see it, and how the process of glowing occurs.
It is worth considering the verification of only one individual, not discarding the idea that fluorescence manifested itself in the process of decomposition of the bird.
On our site you can find an interesting article about the largest birds on the planet! It is very interesting which of the birds has the largest sizes?
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Strange mitochondrial heat
Recently, scientists have managed to create thermosensitive dyes called “fluorescent thermometers”. They are located in cell cells, which allows experiments to determine the temperature of mitochondria. These organoids, located inside the cells, process nutrients and oxygen into energy.
Last year, scientists took a yellow fluorescent dye that darkens when heated. Being in a cell, it allows you to calculate its temperature. Prior to this experiment, it was believed that mitochondria work at a body temperature of 37 ° C, however, scientists were convinced of the opposite. The action of organelles begins only at high temperatures, starting at 50 ° C.
If a person could exist with such a temperature, this would be a state of fever. Fortunately, record levels of human temperature do not allow mitochondria to “catch fire”. Although in the opposite case, scientists would understand the function of most cells, depending on temperature.
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Photosynthesis through the eyes of space
A NASA employee and Australian scientists in 2017 introduced the development of a new way to track climate change. They used satellite images showing the fluorescence of plants. This technique helps to detect chlorophyll fluorescence caused by solar radiation generated during photosynthesis on leaves.
Plants can get sugar during photosynthesis by absorbing carbon dioxide. Calculating this process on a global scale will help scientists maintain the climate of the planet and determine the overall dynamics of the carbon cycle. During research, scientists watched from satellites for luminous chlorophyll. Later, the images were compared with indicators of ground-based observations of photosynthesis. The result was the discovery of the accuracy of space data for various regions and vegetations, as well as time intervals.
The latest technology will not only help bring out new forms of plants and change the climate. It will also help in exploring the Earth’s ecological system, managing resources and preserving the diversity of biological organisms.
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The first photo of memory
In recent studies studying the process of memorizing something, scientists decided to conduct experiments on the brain cells of slugs. The neurons of the ocean Aplysia californica have much in common with human ones. Prior to this, scientists only assumed that the formation of proteins occurs in the process of brain synapses. When the brain of the sea slug was taken for experiments, this theory was not confirmed.
In a recent experiment, scientists introduced the sensitive hormone serotonin into the cells, which forms memories. Then, a green fluorescent protein capable of glowing under UV light was used. The test was as simple as successful. Under the influence of ultraviolet, the proteins turned red, marking their location. These processes formed memories, while new green proteins grow between the cells of the brain. Thus, scientists took the first pictures of the created memory.
The theory has been successfully proven. The researchers also found that short-term memories do not lead to the formation of new proteins. The secret between the presence / absence of protein and the emergence of long-term and short-term memories remained a mystery.