Greater Wax Moth

Remarkable Hearing of the Greater WAX MOTH

     THE greater wax moth can hear high pitched sound better than any known creature in the world. Yet its ears are very simple in structure, each being about the size of a pinhead.

Consider:  For years, the greater wax moth’s hearing has been a subject of study. More recently, scientists at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, tested the moth’s hearing with a wide range of

sounds. They measured the vibrations of these tympanal membranes and recorded the activity of their auditory nerves.  The “eardrums” still responded when exposed to sounds at a frequency of 300 kilohertz. By comparison, bat echolocation has been recorded at up to 212 kilohertz, the hearing of dolphins peaks at 160 kilohertz, and humans do not hear beyond 20 kilohertz.  Researchers would like to use the superior hearing capability of the greater wax moth as the basis for new technology.

How? “To help make better, and smaller, microphones,” says Dr. James Windmill of the University of Strathclyde.  “These could be put in a wide range of devices such as mobile phones and hearing aids.”  What do you think? Did the remarkable hearing of the greater wax moth come about by evolution? Or was it designed?

Cat Whiskers

The Function of Cat Whiskers

           DOMESTIC cats are mostly nocturnal. Whiskers apparently help them to identify nearby objects and catch prey, particularly after dusk. Consider: Cats’ whiskers are attached to tissues that have multiple nerve endings. These nerves are sensitive to even the slightest movement of air. As a result, cats can detect nearby objects without seeing them—obviously an advantage in the dark.  Since whiskers are sensitive to pressure, cats use them to determine the position and movement of an object or of prey. Whiskers also help cats to measure the width of an opening before they attempt to go through it. The Encyclopedia Britannica acknowledges that “the functions of the whiskers (vibrissae) are only partially understood; however, it is known that, if they are cut off, the cat is temporarily incapacitated.”  Scientists are designing robots equipped with sensors that mimic cat whiskers to help the robots navigate around obstacles. These sensors, called e-whiskers, “should have a wide range of applications for advanced robotics, human-machine user interfaces, andbiological applications,” says Ali Javey, a faculty scientist at the University of California, Berkeley.  What do you think? Did the function of cat whiskers come about by evolution? Or was it designed?

Plants

THE MATHEMATICAL ABILITY OF PLANTS

   

     PLANTS use a complex process called photosynthesis to extract energy from sunlight to create food. Studies on certain species have revealed that they perform yet another feat—they calculate the optimum rate at which to absorb that food overnight.

        Consider: By day, plants convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into starch and sugars. During the night, many species consume the starch stored during the day, thus avoiding starvation and maintaining plant productivity, including growth. Moreover, they process the stored starch at just the right rate—not too quickly and not too slowly—so that they use about 95 percent of it by dawn, when they start making more. The findings were based on experiments on a plant of the mustard family called Arabidopsis thaliana. Researchers found that this plant carefully rations its food reserves according to the length of the night, no matter whether 8, 12, or 16 hours remained until dawn. Evidently, the plant divides the amount of starch available by the length of time remaining until dawn, thus determining the optimal rate of consumption. How do plants ascertain their starch reserves? How do they measure time? And what mechanism enables them to do math? Further research may shed light on these questions. What do you think? Did the mathematical ability of plants come about by evolution? Or was it designed?

Ant

WAS IT DESIGNED?

                                         THE ANT'S NECK

           MECHANICAL ENGINEERS marvel at the ability of a common ant to lift weights many times heavier than its own body. To understand this ability, engineers at Ohio State University, U.S.A., reverse engineered some of the ant’s anatomy, physical properties, and mechanical functions by means of computer models. The models were created using X-ray crosssectional images (micro CT scans) and simulations of the forces an ant generates when carrying loads. A critical part of the ant’s anatomy is its neck, which has to bear the full weight of loads grasped in its mouth. Soft tissues within the ant’s neck bind with the stiff exoskeleton of its thorax (body) and head in a manner that mimics the interlocking of fingers in folded hands. “The design and structure of this interface is critical for the performance of the neck joint,” says one ofthe researchers. “The unique interface between hard and soft materials likely strengthens the adhesion and may be a key structural design feature that enables the large load capacity ofthe neck joint.” Researchers hope that a clear grasp of how the ant’s neck functions will contribute to advancements in the design of man-made robotic mechanisms. What do you think? Did the ant’s neck with its complex and highly integrated mechanical systems evolve? Or was it designed? 

Flight of Albatross