Biology

I've heard the term 'spot detector' thrown around in some of the brainscience literature, but I vaguely remember learning in university that there are no spot detector neurons in the brain, only on the retina. So my first question is: are there or are there not spot detector neurons in the brain? My second question is: if not, then how are we actually able to see spots or know about them? Doesn't being conscious of something require some kind of brain processing of that information? Doesn't the brain have to have some kind of 'detector' mechanism in place in order for us to perceive whatever's being detected? When I look at the stars I surely feel like I'm seeing …

I have read the Post "How do cancers spread" and there seems to be no practical answer so I will ask my Question. I have been diagnosed with Squeamus Cell Lung Cancer (Non small cell) and I would like to have more knowledge on what is killing me. I know the basics of Biology and cell reproduction. I know that a "Cancer" is our own normal healing cells that dont switch off. What I know is..... that when the body is injured a chemical in the blood then triggers the local cells to make tissue to heal the injury, the rogue cell is non small cell Cancer which is slow growing, but when the cells are repeatedly replaced like tissue that has to be replaced contunuosly in the …

as i dont understand nothing about science or anything like it but i am curious about the human brain what is the mind and where is it located? what is its limit and what would happen if we went over the cerebral limit? do we have a natural cerebral block that keeps our brain at a lower lvl? if our brain worked faster would time change? a second wouldnt be a second? could the mind affect things in the outside of the body?

Hello everyone, Quick question. When diaphragm contracts, it must contract all the abdominal organs like liver and stomach. When this happens constantly wouldn't it damage these organs. Thanks

Hi all First time posting here! I signed up because I found a strange video about an "ugly" cat which made me wonder about something. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/also_in_the_news/7919495.stm I was struck by the resemblence between the pattern of fur growth on that cat, and the traditional mane of a wild male lion, I've included a good sketch of the varieties of shapes and colours for comparison, though he seems to have less over the top of his head and shoulders than the traditional mane, it's still very very similar. Could it be that the genes for mane growth in terms of location (like beard growth for men) are hidden somewhere in the domestic cat …

hallo i am a boy from denmark and me and one of my friends had an argue here is what we argued about: do adrenalin get relesed by pain if a girls hair gets stuck in a door will there be adrenalin relesed?

Hello everyone, Ok I know it has 23 chromosomes. But they are double structured chromosomes, so can you still call them haploid. Also spermatids, can you call them haploid cells. You can't right because they haven't matured.

How do cold viruses work? Everytime I have a cold, I notice there's 3 phases I go through. For the first day, I have this uncomfortable sensation in my nasal cavaty. Then for the next two or three days, I'm totally out of energy and feel like shit generally. Then for the next week or two, I regain my energy but have to deal with a runny nose and a pesky cough. At what point has the body "defeated" the virus? Is it when I've regained my energy? Or is it when all the symptoms (runny nose, cough) have dissappeared? Are the symptoms just the body's way of getting rid of dead cells and viruses? Is there a chance, after the two/three days of lethargy, that the virus could r…

Hi all I have been doing a bit of research and stumbled across this forum. I am hoping for a bit of help. I am a cat breeder and we have been having ongoing issues with Microsporum Canis (Ringworm) for about 6 months now. Alot of breeders in my area are battling with the same problem, not sure why. Anyway, I am using Itracozonole to clear up the problem but then I notice it on another cat, and then another..... the battle continues. The problem is Itracozonole cannot be used on pregnant Queens so we are blind as to which cat has the problem and not yet showing symptoms. I have been looking into culturing the fungi myself for each cat until we get negati…

I came across this video on youtube: . I'd like to know how the human body metabolizes gallium? How much of it is dissolved in the stomach if swallowed?

Hello. I'm not sure this website is the most appropriate place for this post, but I couldn't find anywhere else. If this thread is deleted, I'll understand. But getting to the point... For years now, since I was about 9 years old, I've been getting these 'episodes'. I described the symptoms to a lady at the blood bank once, and she knew exactly what I was talking about, she even said that she had the same problem, and she told me what it was called, but that was months ago, and I've forgotten it. I got very upset today because I was talking about it with my sister after I had a mild episode in front of her, and she told me that when I have my episodes it looks like I'm ju…

Hello everyone, I know nerve fibres inside brain are not covered by perineurium etc like Peripheral nervous system. Are they still covered with connective tissue, support cells, myelin etc. I mean inside the brain , a collection of nerve fibres, how are they held together with no connective tissue. I don't have much knowledge about brain. Thanks

Hello everyone, Ok I know the cytoskeleton of a cell are proteins and they maintain the structure of the cell. I have an idea what it is but can anyone explain it simply. I just want to see if what I understood is correct. For example if I think of it a skeleton and muscle as phospholipid membrane. Does the phospholipid membrane follow the shape of the cytoskeleton. Thanks

Hello everyone, This is what I'm thinking. Tell me if this is wrong Blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier: Blood goes through ependymal cells, which filter it, and create CSF that circulates in brain. Blood brain barrier: This create CSF is further protected from incoming blood vessels, by this barrier allowing only some to diffuse. Also what is tela choroidea, I know it is two layered fold of pia matter but how is helping to form chorodal plexus. Do blood vessel come from it? Thanks :smile:

Hi forum, I have ,probably, a very simple question for you lot to answer but i can't find an explanation i understand well enough on the net. I've just started biology at college and i'm writing about amino acids. Through research in my "Life" book i see that they have two functional groups, one being animo. Then looking online i see lots of sites talking about amines, which seem to also be NH with the no of H dependant on if they are primary or secondary etc. ? I'm confused with the difference between amines and amino groups. Could someone please explain this to me. Thanks alot.

I need to write a paragraph about science, non-science,and pseudoscience on how it relates to my topic (Raw food vs Cooked food) I forgot to include a paragraph so she gave me a chance.... here's my raw food vs cooked food paragraph: After that, I am going to post a paragraph and tell if it's correct. Eduardo Lugo Biology 11/16/2010 Raw food vs Cooked food My topic is related to science because there have been a lot of studies by scientists about foods. What happens to raw food when it is cooked? Scientist studies show that most of the nutrients are lost due to the heat and enzyme are destroyed if heated above 116 degrees F. What kind o…

Hello everyone, Now at higher lung volumes intrapleural pressure must be positive. But according to the graph as inspiration increases intrapleural pressure is becoming more negative? Please help!! Thanks

I heard that eating Jasmine rice is unhealthy in that it is like eating sugar by itself. A lot of people recommend basmati, brown or long grain rice. Is this true? Is Jasmine rice unhealthy? Can it make you fat?

Hello everyone, There was a simple question given, where there was a bee sting on a guy and the question asked was what is the antibody involved. The answer is IgE. Now my question is when there is bee sting for the first time, why do we called it an allergic reaction. I mean for an allergy to occur don't we have to be exposed to the antigen second time, so IgE attached to Mast cells will release histamine 2nd time. Also why aren't other antibodies like IgA ect not involed in a bee sting. Thanks

This is a very interesting video. The key insight that I find interesting at least is that some neurons respond to light. This is interesting to me because it calls to mind the sorts of theories many have put forward of possible mechanisms for telepathic abilities - namely, theories that propose that telepathic communication occurs by way of signals traveling through the air (like radio waves) and the brain functioning as a 'receiver' of sorts. Now I used to scoff at theories like this, filing them under "pseudo-scientific new-aged hippie jumbo-jumbo", but after watching this video, they suddenly seem a bit more plausible. I still think they have a long way to go, but now…

Hello everyone, In fetal circulation most blood from inferior vena cavae go to left atrium via foramen ovale. This is not the case for superior vena cavae. But both drain into right atrium, so how is their a difference? Thanks.

I recently learned of a thing called Leghaemoglobin...How does it compare with Haemoglobin? Leghaemoglobin <Wikipedia explaination>: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leghemoglobin

This is a perspective projection of a cube at various positions from the line of sight. It will be seen that the footprint of each image gets progressively larger the further to the right it becomes and in this instance the further away it is. This is against all common sense. Objects are supposed to get smaller as they get further away! Just suppose though, that this is true and the construction is valid, we could not possibly discern it. Just try reading a line of text when you are concentrating on the one above. Hawks however have a reputed 270 degree angle of vision. Is it possible that they use this phenomenon to magnify their prey when they stoop…

Hello, "Cereals provide 25-60 % of total protein intake" Don't be harsh on me but I'm bit confused by this sentence. Does this mean that if your total protein intake is X. Eating like 100 g of cereals provide 25-60% of that. Thanks So if I eat more can I make it 100 percent.

Why is the default potential of a photoreceptor cell hyperpolarized? Why is it that more neurotransmitter is released in the dark than in response to light? I can't understand this and my textbook does not go into why it is the case, it just states it as a matter of fact and being "unique". Thanks!