[ad_1]
The laboratory experiment on these animal and plant species, in which the artificial tidal technique was used, has shown that these animals modify their behavior in harmony with the gravitational tides.
Evidence has been discovered that the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon strongly influences behavioral aspects of animals and plants, although the exact mechanisms by which this effect occurs remains unclear.
This came in a new study published in The Journal of Experimental Botany, on the effect of the gravity of the Sun and the Moon on the organisms on our planet, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil and Bristol ( University of Bristol) in the United Kingdom.
In this study, the researchers argue, the gravitational tides of the sun and moon can alter the way animals and plants sleep, move and grow, even when other factors (such as day and night cycles) are taken into account.
Gravitational effects of the sun and moon
According to a report by Science Alert, the new study shows that while the gravitational tides of the sun and moon may be relatively weak, it is about a millionth of the Earth’s gravity when combined, but this tidal It is still important when evaluating the behavior of organisms.
All materials on Earth, whether living or inert, are subject to the effects of the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon expressed in a statement by the biophysicist Cristiano de Mello Galleb, from the University of Campinas in Brazil, in an official statement by the Foundation for Research Support in the State of São Paulo (Agencia FAPESP). Tide form.
The periodic oscillations make two cycles daily, adjusted monthly and yearly as a result of the movements of these two celestial bodies, and all living things on the planet have evolved in this context.
A comprehensive review and analysis of the data
To reach these results, the researchers made a comprehensive review of previous studies using the meta-analysis method, which is an analysis that involves applying statistical methods to the results of a group of studies that may be compatible or contradictory, in order to determine the orientation or tendency of those results or to find a possible joint relationship. .
This method was applied to data from 3 previously published studies, in which the cause of gravity was not explored, despite the presence of information about the gravitational tide in them.
The first study was conducted in 1965, a study on isopods, and isopods are a type of small, shellless crustacean, ranging in size from 300 microns to 50 cm, and their appearance on Earth dates back to at least 300 million years ago.
It has been observed in this type of crustacean that the swimming patterns of these creatures follow the gravitational tidal flow of the ocean, in cycles of about 12.4 hours, even when transferred to water in the laboratory with artificial tides.
The second study deals with the state of the reproductive effort in coral, conducted in 1985 and included coral reefs, where it appeared that coral growth and larval production coincide with the local gravitational tide under the influence of the sun and the moon.
The third study dealt with growth modulation in sunflower seedlings inferred from autoluminescence, a 2014 study looking at seed germination in sunflowers, backed by new experiments that researchers conducted again, and found evidence that sunflower seed germination is consistent with lunar gravity patterns. and solar.
rhythmic patterns
In the new study, the researchers studied the rhythmic patterns shown by living organisms that are well known, including circadian rhythms associated with day and night cycles, or light and dark cycles. The researchers conducted an experiment to monitor the impact of these rhythmic patterns represented by these environmental factors on the behavior of animal and plant species. In this experiment, the light factor was isolated from the rhythmic cycles, to examine and prove the effects of other environmental factors.
In their in vitro study, the researchers also looked at the effect of the tidal cycle on behavioral patterns when coastal organisms such as crustaceans migrate from their natural habitat.
Laboratory test results
The results of the analyzes in the new study showed that in the absence of natural effects called rhythmic effects, such as lighting or temperature, the tides and local gravity are sufficient factors to regulate the cyclical behavior of these organisms. The researchers found contradictions when isolating these three cases in controlled conditions. And then its effects on the behavioral patterns of both animals and plants appeared.
According to the Science Alert report, the laboratory experiment on these animal and plant species, in which artificial tides were used, showed that these animals modify their behavior in harmony with the tides.
“This pattern of behavior lasted a few days, matching the timing of the lunar tides at the site where the organisms were collected in nature,” says Cristiano de Mello. “We discovered this phenomenon later, through our tests on different types of seeds, as well as the additive results we obtained in the laboratory,” he adds.
De Mello concluded his statement by saying, “The cycles of gravity do not affect only the simplest living things, but that humans who remain in the dark go through a periodic fluctuation that lasts from 24.4 to 24.8 hours, in accordance with the lunar cycle, and this was also observed in people who spend long times In caves, it regulates sleep-wake alternation, meal times, and other metabolic functions.
[ad_2]