It is widely known that the idea of the cosmic influence on our
earth life goes back to ancient times. The first concrete hypothesis
of the European science about the solar influence on earth processes
was expressed by a famous English astronomer William Gershel in
the beginning of the 19 century. When compared some investigations
of the number of Sun spots with corn price fluctuations this remarkable
investigator came to the conclusion that the Sun influences Earth
weather and climate conditions in some way including the crop capacity
and consequently the price of wheat.
After discovering in the middle of the 19 century the cyclic nature
of solar spots appearance and the connection of their number with
magnetic activity, the scientific world experienced a rather short
period of comparing various phenomena with sun spots. However, in
the end of the 19 century the frame of mind of the scientific society
completely changed and even reliable facts concerning the solar
influence on the Earth were doubted. In the 20 century any data
and considerations concerning the sun activity influence on medical
and biological phenomena were strongly opposed. The majority of
investigators viewed these questions investigating as not serious
and many people were sincerely convinced.
A prominent Swiss scientist S.A.Arrenius was deeply interested
in cosmic physics. He might have been one of the first who clearly
imagined the phenomenological scheme of the cosmic influence upon
the biosphere: some processes of the cosmic space influence our
environment by changing the parameters of some factor which directly
influences the organism. He supposed that the factor had electric
nature. [1] .
A well-known Soviet scientist A.L.Chizhevsky found out by carrying
out a series of investigations a wide-spreadness of cosmo-biological
phenomena and understood that they demonstrate general biological
regularity. Many questions regarded by him are actual up to now.
[2,3].
Many investigators who did not regard the problem in whole stimulated
the development of its separate facets. B. Dull and T. Dull obtained
important results analyzing mortality and sick rate statistics in
a number of large cities. [4]. M. Takata discovered biochemical
reaction sensitive to the effects of the solar activity [5] F.N.Shvedov
in Russia [6] and A. Douglass [7,8] in the USA ascertained the solar
activity influence upon the trees growth pace (the thickness of
cambium rings) Italian physic-chemist G. Pikkardi [9] worked out
special tests sensitive to geo-helio-physical disturbances. Soviet
hematologist N.A.Schultz [10] discovered the longitude effect of
geophysical influences on the basis of the leukocyte tests he had
worked out and this helped to define more clearly the physic nature
of the acting factor. A famous Soviet entomologist N.S.Shebinovsky
convincingly demonstrated the solar activity effects existence in
the world of insects [11].
It should be mentioned that nowadays one still has to face negative
estimations and skeptic opinions upon this problem. It is useful
to think about the possible sources of such skeptical attitude.
One of the reasons of such attitude towards cosmic influence on
the biosphere is generally clear: although the empiric data collected
by several generations of investigators is great it was not still
grounded theoretically. In accordance with inexorable way the modern
science functions this condition is not fulfilled yet and the correspondent
facts are not accepted by the scientific society. Moreover, the
negative attitude to the cosmic influence conceptions is in some
way was also conditioned by psychological reasons, first of all
subconscious reaction to the primitive astrologic myths. It should
be mentioned that for the theoretic description of solar-biosphere
connections and correlative theoretical models composing there is
a need of certain objective grounds that appeared only in the middle
of the 20 century and they are to the point to enumerate here.
1. In the second half of the 20 century it was found out that
cosmic environment around the Earth is the space where dynamic processes
of various natures constantly take place. This became clear after
the greatest ever-known research program - International Geophysical
Year (1957-1958). Together with this program investigating of non-standard
periodical processes on the Sun and in space became the usual main
themes of special international programs and many investigating
groups.
2. The second part of the 20 century is characterized by the rapid
development of biological disciplines. One of them namely ecology
in the end of the century overgrew biological frames and became
interdisciplined science investigating the exterior factors influence
on organisms, their societies and the biosphere in general. For
the recent decades within the ecologic direction there appeared
such new disciplines as biometeorology, medical geography, ecological
physiology and biochemistry, bioclimatology and others. In general,
today the scientific society is of the opinion that many exterior
factors influence the organism at once. Cosmic space exploring and
cosmonautics development naturally raised a question of the influence
of super-low intensity factors of the cosmic origin that are registered
on the Earth surface as well.
3. Approximately in this period a new biologic science called
biorhythmology is forming, the subject matter of which is investigating
of biological processes temporary organization. A little later there
began active studying of biological rhythms synchronization including
the synchronization by exterior factors. Exactly his science contributed
a lot to the problem of cosmic influence on the biosphere.
4. The development of philosophic and methodological principles
cased on the systematic approach played an important role in the
problems of cosmic-biosphere connections solving. The live organism,
the ecosystem and the biosphere began to be viewed as thermodynamically
open cybernetic dynamic systems. At the same time the development
of dynamic systems theory allowed to make up mathematic models qualitatively
describing live systems' behaviour in the course of time and their
high sensitivity to the activity of various factors which may perform
as operating parameters of the live system.
5. The significant contribution to the working out of solar-biosphere
connections problem was also made by the new methods of statistical
analysis and computer technologies development that allows to accumulate
and analyze the quantity investigations results of a large number
of parameters and to reveal latent correlations and periods between
investigated phenomena and processes.
Thus at the time being there are all the main grounds for the
serious theoretical comprehension of the cosmic influence on the
biosphere processes question. Bringing before the world scientific
society the question of cosmic-biosphere connections real existence
seems to be quite right and opportune and the investigation of biological
effects and mechanisms of cosmic factors influence on live systems
should become the subject of new science direction - cosmos and
biosphere studying. It should be mentioned that the term "heliobiology"
suggested by A.L.Chizhevsky at the present time does not reflect
completely the essence of the problem. However, taking into consideration
that the solar dynamics is the main factor regulating the "cosmic
weather" in the solar system, the term "heliobiology" is still used
in the literature.
Nowadays the essence of cosmic-biosphere connections problem is
reduced to the answer to the question if super-weak physic disturbances
of cosmic and earth origin (electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic
waves and their parameters fluctuations in all the frequency range,
acoustic and baric fluctuations, etc.) can influence live organisms
and their ecological societies and what the mechanisms of such sensibility
are (or vice versa, non-sensibility and non-reactivity). Actually
this is the question of biological activity and ecological importance
of microdoses. The interest to this problem is increasing from the
side of biologists, medical workers and hygienists as well as from
specialists in chemistry, physics, and radioelectronics. It is proved
by seminars and conferences on this problem.
The list of used sources:
S. Arrenius Cosmic conditions influence on physiological functions.
- "Nauchnoe obozrenie", 1900, ? 2, pp. 261-268. (in Russian)
A. L. Chizhevsky. Earth echo of solar storms. ?oscow: "Mysl",
1976.-367 pages (in Russian)
A. L. Chizhevsky, Y.G. Shishina In the solar rhythm. - Moscow:
"Nauka", 1969.- 112 pages. (in Russian)
Dull B., Dull T. Frage solar-aktiver Einflusse auf die Psyche.
- Z.gesamte Neurol. Und Psychiatr., 1938, Bd. 162, N 3, s. 495-497.
Takata M. Uber eine neue biologisch wirksame komponente der Sonnen-strahlung.
Beitrag zu einer experimentellen Grundlage der Heliobiologie. -
Arch.Meteorol., Geophys. Und Bioklimatol. B, 1941, Bd. 2, N 2, s.
486-489.
F.N.Shvedov The tree as droughts annals. - "Meteorologichesky
Vestnik", 1892, ? 2, pp.163-178.(in Russian)
Douglass A. Climatic cycles and tree growth. - Washington: Carnegie
Inst., 1919. - 193 p.
Douglass A. Solar records and tree growth. Science, 1927, vol.
65, N 431, p. 220-221.
Pikkardi G. The chemical basis of medical climatology. - USA:
Springfield, 1962.- 146 p.
N.A. Shults Solar activity influence on the number of leukopoiesis.
- In the book: The Earth in the universe. Moscow: Mysl , 1964, pp.
382-399. (in Russian )
11. N.S. Schebinovsky Sun-conditioned cyclic mass reproduction
of vermin insects and other animals. - Astronom. Collection., 1960,
edition 3/4, pp. 165-169. (in Russian)
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