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THE QUESTION. “Photosynthesis is a mechanism developed by terrestrial life to utilize the energy from photons of solar origin for biological use. Subsurface regions are isolated from the photosphere, and consequently are incapable of utilizing this energy. This opens up the opportunity for life to evolve alternative mechanisms for harvesting available energy.” https://lnkd.in/eVkuKCS View in LinkedIn

LIFE POWERED BY RADIOACTIVITY. “A bizarre microbe found deep in a gold mine in South Africa could provide a model for how life might survive in seemingly uninhabitable environments through the cosmos. Known as Desulforudis audaxviator, the rod-shaped bacterium thrives 2.8 kilometers underground in a habitat devoid of the things that power the vast majority of life on Earth—light, oxygen, and carbon. Instead, this “gold mine bug” gets energy from radioactive uranium in the depths of the mine. Now, scientists predict that life elsewhere in the universe might also feed off of radiation, especially radiation raining down from space.” https://lnkd.in/dTTZx97 View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE focuses on a very thoughtful article on astrobiology by the computational physicist, Dr Dimitri Atri. The article is entitled ‘On the possibility of galactic cosmic ray-induced radiolysis-powered life in subsurface environments in the Universe.’ It is often said that 21st century biology is where physics was in the 19th century; contributing to this is the fact that current biology has two monumental failings: (1) no acceptable explanation for the origin of life, and (2) no consensus definition for what life is. This excellent article tackles a part of the first open question. https://lnkd.in/d_zYZ9Z View in LinkedIn

The consequence of thinking. View in LinkedIn

MAGNETIC IMPACTS. “Magnetic or electromagnetic fields have shown effects on morphogenesis from different initial explants; on growth-related parameters of in vitro shoots, roots, somatic embryos, and callus; and on the photosynthetic pigment profile, level of stress-induced alanine production, activity of stress-related enzymes, and endogenous levels of cytokinins and auxins.” https://lnkd.in/dEMTV8A View in LinkedIn

PLANETARY MAGNETISM. “The geomagnetic field (GMF) is a natural component of our environment. Plants, which are known to sense different wavelengths of light, respond to gravity, react to touch and electrical signaling, cannot escape the effect of GMF. While phototropism, gravitropism, and tigmotropism have been thoroughly studied, the impact of GMF on plant growth and development is not well-understood.” https://lnkd.in/dCeCN2g View in LinkedIn

RADIO INTERFERENCE. “Current evidence indicates that exposure at levels that are found in the environment (in urban areas and near base stations) may particularly alter the receptor organs to orient in the magnetic field of the earth. These results could have important implications for migratory birds and insects, especially in urban areas, but could also apply to birds and insects in natural and protected areas where there are powerful base station emitters of radiofrequencies.” https://lnkd.in/d6NSxdX View in LinkedIn

CONFIRMATIONS. “In 1984, it was initially discovered in mice that an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) could attenuate opiate induced analgesia. In the past 30 years, we defined some of ELF-MF exposure and subject state conditions that can both increase and decrease nociception in snails and mice and can induce analgesia in humans.” http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bem.21918/full View in LinkedIn

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SECONDARY PARTICLES. “Radioactive materials present deep underground produce secondary particles such as alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Secondary particles interact with the environment and provide energy for chemical change. Organisms can use these particles indirectly for metabolic purposes.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn