Octopuses on Meth?
Striking Similarities in the Dissimilar
Introduction
During our first week, we were able to understand the relation between people, the Universe and how it is subdivided in fractals. The natural world around us has a relation between the very large and the very small, We see this in the Universe around us, from the space to the Galaxies, the weather patterns into a hurricane and inside our bodies - cells - they are all made of fractals. The idea of understanding the world in relation to us, human beings, is an abstract topic, which science may not be able to explain in some cases, but we all understand that we are interconnected.
It might sound abstract, but we have elaborated in a direct way, some examples which you may have never noticed !
Key Concepts
Brain & Universe
What do we know?
During our first week, we were able to understand the relation between people, the Universe and how it is subdivided in fractals. The natural world around us has a relation between the very large and the very small, We see this in the Universe around us, from the space to the Galaxies, the weather patterns into a hurricane and inside our bodies - cells - they are all made of fractals. The idea of understanding the world in relation to us, human beings, is an abstract topic, which science may not be able to explain in some cases, but we all understand that we are interconnected.
It might sound abstract, but we have elaborated in a direct way, some examples which you may have never noticed !
Key Concepts
Brain & Universe
What do we know?
The microscopic model of a neural network is very similar to the macroscopic model of the universe. Cells of the brain, like black holes, create electromagnetic radiation. Also, the neuron and a separate section of the universe have the same unit of vibration frequency.
A cell consists of molecules, a molecule consists of atoms, and atoms consist of a nucleus and electrons revolving around it. Each neuron is connected to other neurons by up to more than 40.000 synapses (Connections between neurons). When we compare the amount of neurons in a brain multiplied by 100 billion neurons (average amount of neurons in a brain) times 40,000 synapses is equivalent to the brain having more connections in it, than there are stars in the universe discovered till now.
If we compare it with the Universe, then it turns out that the electrons are the same as planets, the nucleus is the Sun, and the solar system is an atom. And if you look deeper, it turns out that the galaxy is a molecule, and the Universe is a cell.
Electrons and Nucleus---> Atoms ---> Molecules ---> Cell
Planets and Sun ---> Solar System ---> Galaxy ---> Universe
How can we use it?
It is fascinating to learn that all of us human beings consist of 37.2 trillion cells, and every cell in our body works in a similar way as one gigantic universe does. We are connected to the universe much more closely than you can think.
Fibonacci Sequence & Golden Ratio
What do we know?
In mathematics, the Fibonacci Sequence is the sum of the previous natural two numbers. So the initial sequence is 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144 and so on… The sequence is widespread in nature, both in fauna and flora.
Examples:
Golden Ratio: When we take any two successive (one after the other) Fibonacci Numbers, their ratio(the following number divided by the previous one) is very close to the Golden Ratio"φ" which is approximately 1,618034…
How can we use it?
Companies use Golden Ratio a lot. For instance, it can be found in some logos of brands such as Toyota, Porshe, Honda, etc.
This is made because subconsciously our mind can realize the ideal of beauty and can create an attachment for a particular sign.
Taking as an example the brand logo of Toyota, we can see that the width of the large ellipse is 1,62 times bigger than the small one.
This technique can be used in creating our own logo for your brand that can subconsciously become the creative point of familiarity.
A study has been conducted by Gül Dölen and Eric Edsinger, neuroscientists at the Johns Hopkins University an American private research university in Baltimore, Maryland.
Brief octopus overview/facts:
- 500 million years of evolutionary history separates the octopus from humans but MDMA starts to take effect on both of our brains at about the same dosage, pound for pound.
- Octopus have 3 hearts, 9 brains, blue blood, and arms that keep swimming when severed because more neurons live there than in their brains!
Brief demonstration of the study has been conducted:
Dölen’s lab searches for the brain structures that help humans (and other animals) socialize
- 3 three-chamber tank - one empty, one with a caged octopus, and the other with an “object”
- Sober octopuses spent most of their time hanging out with the action figure because being near the other octopus stressed them out
- Adding MDMA to the octopus flipped that behaviour
- As results, a lot of goofiness, like making tent-shapes with their bodies, doing “what looked liked water acrobatics,” and spending long periods of time with the octopus placed in the cage
How can we use it?
Humans are completely different from octopuses. Nevertheless, octopuses display many seemingly-intelligent behaviours—such as recognising specific researchers and solving puzzles. The MDMA also reinforces prosocial behaviours in octopuses and that the role of serotonin (neurotransmitter of the feeling of ‘’well being’’ and ‘’happiness’’ has been conserved during the evolution of the octopus. In addition, it shows that we (octopuses & humans) act in similar ways when we are under MDMA and therefore have some similarities, even though we are completely different.
Chimps & Humans similarities
What do we know?
Although this picture shows an important similarity between the bonobo and the human, the similitude is even stronger: our DNA is close at 98,7%.
DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group and a nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The order of these bases is what determines DNA's instructions, or genetic code. Human DNA has around 3 billion bases, and more than 99 per cent of those bases are the same in all people, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
The comparison between Homo Sapiens and Bonobo indicates that both species share the very great majority of their genetic heritage.
In a more precise way, 98,7 % of the 3 billion pairs of bases forming our double propeller of DNA are identical to those of the chimpanzee ... It seems huge and very small at the same time: the difference between our genome and one of the chimpanzee is ten times bigger than between two humans.
Therefore, the below picture shows the difference between three different species’ chromosomes:
DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group and a nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The order of these bases is what determines DNA's instructions, or genetic code. Human DNA has around 3 billion bases, and more than 99 per cent of those bases are the same in all people, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
The comparison between Homo Sapiens and Bonobo indicates that both species share the very great majority of their genetic heritage.
In a more precise way, 98,7 % of the 3 billion pairs of bases forming our double propeller of DNA are identical to those of the chimpanzee ... It seems huge and very small at the same time: the difference between our genome and one of the chimpanzee is ten times bigger than between two humans.
Therefore, the below picture shows the difference between three different species’ chromosomes:
Human and chimp DNA is nearly identical when you compare the bands on chromosomes, the bundles of DNA inside nearly every cell.
The light and dark bands on these chromosomes, created by a laboratory dye, reveal similarities and differences among human, chimp and mouse DNA.
Human and chimp X chromosomes both contain about 1,100 different genes or sets of instructions. Each gene affects a particular trait in the body.
So why are we so similar but so different at the same time?
Confirmation of a "recent" separation between the human and chimpanzees: the extreme genetic closeness of both species indicates that the separation, on the scale of the world, is relatively recent. The majority of the scientists estimate this separation between 6 and 8 million years.
Numbers tell a part of the story. Each human cell contains roughly three billion base pairs or bits of information. Just 1.2 per cent of that equals about 35 million differences. Some of these have a big impact, others don't. And even two identical stretches of DNA can work differently--they can be "turned on" in different amounts, in different places or at different times.
Although humans and chimps have many identical genes, they often use them in different ways. A gene's activity, or expression, can be turned up or down like the volume on a radio. So the same gene can be turned up high in humans, but very low in chimps.
The same genes are expressed in the same brain regions in human, chimp and gorilla, but in different amounts. Thousands of differences like these affect brain development and function and help explain why the human brain is larger and smarter.
How can we use it?
It is evident that nature and humans are interconnected on various levels. But with examples mentioned in this summary, we see a possibility to link it to the progress and seemingly distant things that surround us in everyday life. Naturally, each and every one should be more aware of that and use these similarities not only for own benefit but also as respect towards others and environment. But seeing that our goals, problems, relationships correlate to the rules of nature proves once again that humanity search for meaning can be assisted by trees and animals around.
Conclusion
After learning all this different examples of similarities in dissimilarities, we can understand the similarities we humans and all things in not only the world but the universe are connected. By having always this in mind you can start to have more attention in the details and start to see all the small connections between everything that surrounds us.
After learning all this different examples of similarities in dissimilarities, we can understand the similarities we humans and all things in not only the world but the universe are connected. By having always this in mind you can start to have more attention in the details and start to see all the small connections between everything that surrounds us.
References
AMNH. (2018). DNA: Comparing Humans and Chimps | AMNH. [online] Available at: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/anne-and-bernard-spitzer-hall-of-human-origins/understanding-our-past/dna-comparing-humans-and-chimps.
Godfrey-Smith, P. (2018). These MDMA octopuses show how much animals and humans have in common | Peter Godfrey-Smith. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/24/drugged-octopuses-animals-humans-ecstasy [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].
Mathsisfun.com. (2018). Nature, The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Numbers. [online] Available at: https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/nature-golden-ratio-fibonacci.html [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].
HuffPost. (2018). Your Brain Is the Universe -- Part 1. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/your-brain-is-the-univers_b_2992746.html [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].
AMNH. (2018). DNA: Comparing Humans and Chimps | AMNH. [online] Available at: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/anne-and-bernard-spitzer-hall-of-human-origins/understanding-our-past/dna-comparing-humans-and-chimps.
Godfrey-Smith, P. (2018). These MDMA octopuses show how much animals and humans have in common | Peter Godfrey-Smith. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/24/drugged-octopuses-animals-humans-ecstasy [Accessed 17 Oct. 2018].
Mathsisfun.com. (2018). Nature, The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Numbers. [online] Available at: https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/nature-golden-ratio-fibonacci.html [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].
HuffPost. (2018). Your Brain Is the Universe -- Part 1. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/your-brain-is-the-univers_b_2992746.html [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].