So...I have a project to do, in which I can choose an application of physics in the biological sciences, and I was hoping you guys could help me by suggesting some options. :-\ I don't really want to do over-done topics such as 'radiation in biology' or 'electrical potential in neuronal activity'. Those are usually the first things people choose and that sort of stuff can get a bit tiring.
Any ideas or suggestions? It can't be too difficult (under grad stuff) :P
I didn't put this topic in the Science section of this forum because it's more of a request than an exposition of info but if the mods or admins want to move it there, no problem.
Optical brain interfaces?
Quote from: Tank on March 10, 2012, 07:37:46 PM
Optical brain interfaces?
That's a good topic, with lots avaliable. ;D
Any other options in case someone else gets that topic?
MRI scanners?
If you don't need experiment, look up the effect of low or no gravity on life (bacteria, mammalian cells, vertebrates etc). I thought it's fascinating. If you remember high school bio, plants respond to gravity like to lights. That's simple, but may not be fun.
Interesting subjects can be found in the Astrobiology field and life in the outer-space is already tested in many organisms. One report I found interesting is the effect of gravity in rodents' neuromuscular structure and function.
Simpler subjects might be bacterial replication in low gravity vs Earth environment.
Effects on Astronauts.
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Deep-sea biology? - pressure, temperature, light vs evolution.
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Bacteria living in Yellowstone geysers (close to 200F)
Quote from: Tank on March 10, 2012, 08:20:32 PM
MRI scanners?
Done that :P
Quote from: reddevil0126 on March 10, 2012, 10:56:02 PM
If you don't need experiment, look up the effect of low or no gravity on life (bacteria, mammalian cells, vertebrates etc). I thought it's fascinating. If you remember high school bio, plants respond to gravity like to lights. That's simple, but may not be fun.
Interesting subjects can be found in the Astrobiology field and life in the outer-space is already tested in many organisms. One report I found interesting is the effect of gravity in rodents' neuromuscular structure and function.
Simpler subjects might be bacterial replication in low gravity vs Earth environment.
Effects on Astronauts.
=====================================
Deep-sea biology? - pressure, temperature, light vs evolution.
=====================================
Bacteria living in Yellowstone geysers (close to 200F)
Those are good ideas too, I'll look them up. Thanks ;D
Compound microscopes? (might be a bit too basic though).
Quote from: Crow on March 11, 2012, 02:38:10 AM
Compound microscopes? (might be a bit too basic though).
I think that just that by itself might be. I thought about electron miscroscopes too, but that also might not be enough.
Not to mention the teacher would know about the subject (he's a physicist, not a biologist), so if I pick subject that have much more to do with biology than with physics, it's better. ;D
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 11, 2012, 02:48:51 AM
Quote from: Crow on March 11, 2012, 02:38:10 AM
Compound microscopes? (might be a bit too basic though).
I think that just that by itself might be. I thought about electron miscroscopes too, but that also might not be enough.
Not to mention the teacher would know about the subject (he's a physicist, not a biologist), so if I pick subject that have much more to do with biology than with physics, it's better. ;D
You could always go from the work done by Issac Newton, Johannes Kepler and Renee Descartes on the eye and how the study of biology lead to the physics that allowed for the invention of microscopes that helped progress our understanding of germs, cells and other areas of biology, and how through more advancements have gone to physics at the quantum level, where you could then also look at hypothesis such as quantum evolution.
Of many such subjects, one of the most mysterious ones for me is the processing of sound waves to meaningful signal that we understand. I did not read more than general biology textbook regarding the subject, so I still categorize it "mystery", simply because I have no idea.
The mysterious part for me: our vocal sound is a sound wave just like any other sound waves - waves of simple compression and rarefaction (Am I wrong here?). Then, how this physical waves can be processed to signals with meaning through eardrum and auditory nerves? It is so simplistic for me just to say "different wavelength, amplitude and frequency" makes different waves, so can be translated into different signals.
My assumption here is probably we can artificially generate any soundwaves of the same physical properties as human voice using machine. But, they are just noise. So, there must be other biological and physical factors than physical properties of sound waves.
Does this stimulate your curiosity or is it already known science?
The mechanism of sound propagation in air is the same for all sounds. What makes language unique is the way it is learnt via reinforcement. All children are born with the capability to make all the sounds used in all human language. Arabic has a particular sound that non-native speakers can only approximate. Chinese has no rolled 'R'.
There is the case of a French boy who grew up feral and never learned how to speak. He was found at 12 and taken in by a physician who taught him many 'civilised' things. But he never managed to teach him how to speak.
If baby mice have their whiskers removed on one side of their nose they never grow the corresponding areas in the brain associated with the use of whiskers.
Thus the pre-verbal infant brain is 'plastic' and evolved to learn language. It self-programs based on the environment it matures in. It learns to recognise and then mimic the sounds it hears during its formative years.
My grandson, born Nov 2010, is currently going through a phase of prompt/recognise where he points at things and we say what they are. It's fun to watch :)
Quote from: Crow on March 11, 2012, 03:07:49 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on March 11, 2012, 02:48:51 AM
Quote from: Crow on March 11, 2012, 02:38:10 AM
Compound microscopes? (might be a bit too basic though).
I think that just that by itself might be. I thought about electron miscroscopes too, but that also might not be enough.
Not to mention the teacher would know about the subject (he's a physicist, not a biologist), so if I pick subject that have much more to do with biology than with physics, it's better. ;D
You could always go from the work done by Issac Newton, Johannes Kepler and Renee Descartes on the eye and how the study of biology lead to the physics that allowed for the invention of microscopes that helped progress our understanding of germs, cells and other areas of biology, and how through more advancements have gone to physics at the quantum level, where you could then also look at hypothesis such as quantum evolution.
Historical background is good ;D
There are plenty of good ideas on this thread, now it's to see which options would be avaliable and which ones are the easiest (meaning have a lot of easy-access material). Thanks guys :)
Quote from: reddevil0126 on March 11, 2012, 01:18:46 PM
Of many such subjects, one of the most mysterious ones for me is the processing of sound waves to meaningful signal that we understand. I did not read more than general biology textbook regarding the subject, so I still categorize it "mystery", simply because I have no idea.
The mysterious part for me: our vocal sound is a sound wave just like any other sound waves - waves of simple compression and rarefaction (Am I wrong here?). Then, how this physical waves can be processed to signals with meaning through eardrum and auditory nerves? It is so simplistic for me just to say "different wavelength, amplitude and frequency" makes different waves, so can be translated into different signals.
My assumption here is probably we can artificially generate any soundwaves of the same physical properties as human voice using machine. But, they are just noise. So, there must be other biological and physical factors than physical properties of sound waves.
Does this stimulate your curiosity or is it already known science?
By "meaningful signal" you mean going from sound wave to eletrochemical brain signal? If so I think that's a bit beyond me at the moment...
I did find an interesting the abstract to an article about echo-location and other physical factors besides sound waves though:
The effect of climate on acoustic signals: Does atmospheric sound absorption matter for bird song and bat echolocation? (http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=VIRT02000023000004000137000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes&ref=no)
Yes. I meant the physical to electrochemical conversion in the neuron and integration of the signals in the brain. Agree it is too much to cover.
Echolocation is also a fascinating subject.
Good luck with the project.
james.