Izinto Ezinhlobonhlobo Emhlabeni—Zaba Khona Kanjani?

PHAKATHI kwezinhlobo zezilwane ezingaphezu kwesigidi nengxenye ososayensi abaye bazetha amagama kuze kube manje, ezingaba isigidi ziyizinambuzane. Bekungathatha amakhasi angu-6000 e-encyclopedia ukubala zonke izinambuzane ezaziwayo! Zavelaphi lezi zidalwa? Kungani kunezinto ezinhlobonhlobo kangaka? Ingabe lokhu kwazenzakalela, imvelo yaba “nenhlanhla” ngokuphindaphindiwe? Noma ingabe kwaklanywa?

Okokuqala, ake sithi ukuphawula ezinye zezinto ezinhlobonhlobo eziphilayo ezikuleplanethi yethu.

Izinyoni Ezimangalisayo

Kuthiwani ngezinhlobo ezingaphezu kuka-9000 zezinyoni eziklanywe ngobunyoninco? Amanye ama-hummingbird mancane njengezinyosi ezinkulu, kodwa andiza ngekhono nangesizotha kunendiza enophephela emhlane yezinga eliphambili kakhulu. Ezinye izinyoni zifuduka izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha minyaka yonke, njenge-arctic tern, endiza amakhilomitha angaba ngu-35 000 ohambweni ngalunye. Ayinayo i-computer, ayinawo amathuluzi okuqondisa ukundiza, kodwa ifika ngokungaxheguli endaweni elibangise kuyo. Ingabe leli khono elingokwemvelo lavela ngengozi noma ngokuklanywa?

Izinhlobonhlobo Zezitshalo Ezihlaba Umxhwele

Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunezitshalo ezinhlobonhlobo futhi ezinhle ngokumangalisayo—izinhlobo zezitshalo ezingaphezu kuka-350 000. Cishe ezingu-250 000 kulezi ziveza izimbali! Izinto ezinkulu kunazo zonke eziphilayo emhlabeni—izihlahla ezinkulu ze-sequoia—ziyizitshalo.

Zingaki izimbali ezihlukahlukene ezimila engadini yakho noma endaweni yangakini? Ubuhle, ukulingalingana kanye nephunga lalezi zimbali—kusuka embalini yasendle encane, i-daisy, noma i-buttercup kuya kuma-orchid anhlobonhlobo—kwenza umuntu abambe ongezansi. Nalapha futhi siyabuza: Zaba khona kanjani? Ngengozi noma ngokuklanywa?

Izilwandle Ezigcwele Izinto Eziphilayo

Kuthiwani ngezinto eziphilayo ezitholakala emifuleni, emachibini nasezilwandle zomhlaba? Ososayensi bathi kunezinhlobo zezinhlanzi zasemifuleni ezaziwayo ezingaba ngu-8400 kanye nezingaba ngu-13 300 zezinhlanzi ezihlala olwandle. Encane kunazo zonke i-goby etholakala kuyi-Indian Ocean. Ingaba isentimitha elilodwa kuphela ubude. Enkulu kunazo zonke umkhoma, ongaba nobude obufinyelela emamitheni angu-18. Lezi zibalo azihlanganisi izilwane ezingenamhlandla noma izinhlobo zezilwane ezisazotholakala!

Ubuchopho Obumangalisayo

Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ubuchopho bomuntu—obunama-neuron angaba izigidi okungenani eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi, ngayinye mhlawumbe enama-synapse angaphezu kuka-1000, noma izindawo axhumana ngazo namanye amangqamuzana ezinzwa—buyamangalisa. Isazi sezinzwa uDkt. Richard Restak sithi: “Ingqikithi yenani lezindawo zokuxhumana kwezinzwa esimisweni esiyinxanxathela sobuchopho inkulu ngempela.” (The Brain) Siyanezela: “Kungenzeka kunama-synapse ayizigidi zezigidi eziyishumi kuya kwayizigidi zezigidi eziyikhulu ebuchosheni.” Khona-ke sibuza umbuzo ofanelekayo: “Isitho esinjengobuchopho, esinamangqamuzana aphakathi kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nezigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu, singavela kanjani engqamuzaneni elilodwa, iqanda?” Ingabe ubuchopho buwumphumela wezingozi namathuba enhlanhla emvelo? Noma ingabe bavela ngokuklanywa ngokuhlakanipha?

Yebo, lezi zinto eziphilayo nemiklamo okunhlobonhlobo ngokungenamkhawulo kwaba khona kanjani? Ingabe uye wafundiswa ukuthi lokhu kwamane kwenzeka ngengozi, ngephutha, ngenhlanhla yokuziphendukela kwemvelo engaqinisekile? Khona-ke qhubeka ufunda ukuze ubone imibuzo abanye ososayensi abayibuzayo ngobuqotho ngokuphathelene nenkolelo-mbono yokuziphendukela kwemvelo, eye yabizwa ngokuthi isisekelo sesayensi yezinto eziphilayo.

[Umdwebo ekhasini 4]

Uma kudingeka umklami ukuze kube khona ikhamera evamile, kuthiwani ngeso lomuntu eliyinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu?

Indawo Ye-Lens

(Ikhulisiwe)

I-“aqueous humor”

Inhlamvu yeso

I-“cornea”

I-“iris”

I-“ciliary body”

I-“lens”

Iso Eliphelele

I-“vitreous humor”

I-“optic nerve”

I-“retina”

I-“choroid”

I-“sclera”