Gravity has a powerful influence not only over inanimate matter but also over biological systems. Plants grow opposite to gravity and animals maintain balance against this ever present force.
Balance against gravity is so important, that gait (the degree of side-to-side movement during walking) is a reliable indicator of mental decline in elderly people. But gravity also creates the pressure that slows the biological clock: in space the body grows old much faster. Even bacteria get more virulent in free space.
But surprisingly gravitational changes even regulate our mood. Roller coaster rides are popular because they manipulate the feeling of gravity. During the ride the sense of weight gradually increases, then disappears suddenly, replaced by the feeling of lightness. Gravity is simulated by an upward vertical motion.
As the ride reaches its highest point, the contracted feeling of gravity gives way to weightlessness, the sense of expansion. Enjoying this transition is present in infancy.
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Balance against gravity is so important, that gait (the degree of side-to-side movement during walking) is a reliable indicator of mental decline in elderly people. But gravity also creates the pressure that slows the biological clock: in space the body grows old much faster. Even bacteria get more virulent in free space.
But surprisingly gravitational changes even regulate our mood. Roller coaster rides are popular because they manipulate the feeling of gravity. During the ride the sense of weight gradually increases, then disappears suddenly, replaced by the feeling of lightness. Gravity is simulated by an upward vertical motion.
As the ride reaches its highest point, the contracted feeling of gravity gives way to weightlessness, the sense of expansion. Enjoying this transition is present in infancy.
Read Entire Article »
