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An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#11

Post by djmips »

ignoramous wrote: post #7

Reminds me of this pretty common but all the more spectacular: a close-up of super complex production line (gene transcription) driven by DNA strands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hk9jct2ozY / https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/7Hk9jct2ozY

What you posted is so cool! And look at ATP synthase! wow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXpzp4RDGJI

Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#12

Post by bmitc »

ignoramous wrote: post #7

Reminds me of this pretty common but all the more spectacular: a close-up of super complex production line (gene transcription) driven by DNA strands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hk9jct2ozY / https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/7Hk9jct2ozY

Thanks for posting that. It truly is mind blowing. It makes my head hurt just thinking about how life exists and it all starting with this insanity. In computing, there's this idea of a machine that could make itself, an idea Von Neumann toyed with. And yet, here is life, which figured it out billions (if not more) years ago. Makes you wonder just what in the hell is going on in this universe.

That video is seriously cool. Thanks again.

Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#13

Post by zimpenfish »

noxer wrote: post #10
kennywinker wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not an expert, but I feel like interlocking your hands does not count because the definition of a gear includes rotation, and transmission of motion. Interlocked hands don't rotate and they don't transmit motion. Interlocking hands seems to me to be about grip strength. Sometimes it's easier to grip your other hand by interlocking than it is to grip the object you're lifting.

Then the "gear" from this insect would also not count as it does not transfer motion. Its more like a joint that has teeth for extra grip.

> an intricate gearing system that locks their back legs together, allowing both appendages to rotate at the exact same instant

That sounds like transmission of motion to me?

Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#18

Post by cjrp »

zimpenfish wrote: post #13
noxer wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the "gear" from this insect would also not count as it does not transfer motion. Its more like a joint that has teeth for extra grip.

> an intricate gearing system that locks their back legs together, allowing both appendages to rotate at the exact same instant That sounds like transmission of motion to me?

If I lock my hands together, rotating one of my wrists also rotates the other wrist. I'm not saying it's a _useful_ transfer of motion though!

Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#19

Post by ZeroGravitas »

ignoramous wrote: post #7

Reminds me of this pretty common but all the more spectacular: a close-up of super complex production line (gene transcription) driven by DNA strands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hk9jct2ozY / https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/7Hk9jct2ozY

Youtube recommended a talk by the animator, which is fascinating:

https://youtu.be/qbyzEiBvbXw

Re: An insect that has the only mechanical gears ever found in nature (2013)

#20

Post by bagacrap »

zimpenfish wrote: post #13
noxer wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the "gear" from this insect would also not count as it does not transfer motion. Its more like a joint that has teeth for extra grip.

> an intricate gearing system that locks their back legs together, allowing both appendages to rotate at the exact same instant That sounds like transmission of motion to me?

Only if one leg is pushing the other leg
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