Rain drops & turbulence
How do rain drops form? A small particle like a grain of dust becomes the nucleation centre where water molecules come close together and as the size of the droplet increases it falls because of the effect of gravity. What we had not known till now was what factors influence the growth of a droplet into a drop that would fall down. Scientists have now found that the turbulence inside the clouds is what contributes to the formation of rain drops.
If you would have travelled in the air then chances are that you would have experienced turbulence as the plane passes through clouds. Turbulence is the disturbance that happens in the air inside the clouds due to differences in temperature, pressure, and velocity. What may appear to be a nuisance to us is something that makes life possible on our planet.
Scientists used data obtained from a 2019 weather program in which a NASA flight flew through a cumulus cloud. Using this data, simulations were made. It was found that when turbulence was introduced in the simulation then the amount of rain predicted to fall was larger as compared to without it. Also, the rain formed 20 minutes earlier when turbulence was present.
Dark oxygen at the bottom of the ocean
Another essential compound for life is oxygen. We know oxygen is produced during photosynthesis as plants take up carbon dioxide and water. Scientists have now found what could be another natural process that can produce oxygen on our planet.
While studying sea floor ecology in a region in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico, at Clarion - Clipperton zone, an area that is larger than India in size, oxygen being produced at the ocean floor was found. No photosynthetic organisms were found in this place. Polymetal nodules weree found in this region making it a potential mining site.
When these nodules were tested in the lab by recreating the sea floor environment, oxygen was seen to be produced but it stopped after some time. Scientists do not know how the polymetal nodules produce oxygen. They speculate that the nodules may be acting as a catalyst that causes breakdown of water molecules. It may take a while to understand this mystery but for now the scientists have cautioned to check for similar oxygen production before mining other under water sites. They suggest that the presence of oxygen in such large quantities would mean that the nearby life would be dependent on it. And so let's not create another cause for losing our planet's biodiversity.
Iron serrated teeth
The wildlife around us never seems to stop fascinating us. In a recent study, scientists have found that the teeth of Komodo dragon have iron deposited on their edges.
Komodo dragons are the largest living reptiles on Earth. They can tear apart birds and animals like deer, water buffalo, and horses. By studying the teeth of a 15 year old Komodo dragon names Ganas that lived in the London zoo, scientists found that the serrated edges of the teeth have iron coated on it. This explains the sharpness of their teeth making it possible for them to tear and rip different types of large and small organisms.
The scientists speculate that dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex may have used similar strategies to keep their teeth sharp. Although, with the current technology it is not possible to study the presence of iron coating on dinosaurs' teeth fossils. By studying fossilised teeth of Komodo dragons, such techniques might be possible in the future.
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