Bioelectromagnetism

Bioelectromagnetism (sometimes equated with Bioelectricity) refers to the static voltage of biological cells and to the electric currents that flow in living tissues, such as nerves and muscles, as a result of action potentials. Biological cells use bioelectricity to store metabolic energy, to do work or trigger internal changes, and to signal one another. Bioelectromagnetism is the electric current produced by action potentials along with the magnetic fields they generate through the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction.

Bioelectromagnetism is studied primarily through the techniques of electrophysiology. In the late eighteenth century, the Italian physician and physicist, Luigi Galvani, first recorded the phenomenon while dissecting a frog at a table where he had been conducting experiments with static electricity. Galvani coined the term animal electricity to describe the phenomenon, while contemporaries labelled it galvanism. Galvani and contemporaries regarded muscle activation as resulting from an electrical fluid or substance in the nerves.

Bioelectromagnetism is an aspect of all living things, including all plants and animals. Bioenergetics is the study of energy relationships of living organisms. Biodynamics deals with the energy utilization and the activities of organisms. Some animals have acute bioelectric sensors and are highly sensitive to magnetic fields, such as migratory birds, which are believed to navigate in part by orienting with respect to the Earth's magnetic field. Also, sharks are more sensitive to local interaction in electromagnetic fields than most humans. Other animals, such as the electric eel, are able to generate large electric fields outside their bodies.

In the life sciences, biomedical engineering uses concepts of circuit theory, molecular biology, pharmacology, and bioelectricity. Bioelectromagnetism is associated with biorhythms and chronobiology. Biofeedback is used in physiology and psychology as to monitor rhythmic cycles of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics and as a technique for teaching the control of bioelectric functions. Biofeedback is used in physiology and psychology as to monitor rhythmic cycles of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics and as a technique for teaching the control of bioelectric functions.

Bioelectromagnetism involves the interaction of ions. Bioelectromagnetism is sometimes difficult to understand because of the differeing types of Bioelectrity, such as brainwaves, myoelectricity (e.g., heart-muscle phenomena), and other related subdivisions of the same general Bioelectromagnetic phenomena. One such phenomenon is a brainwave, which neurophysiology studies, and is where bioelectromagnetic fluctuations of voltage between parts of the cerebral cortex that are detectable with an electroencephalograph. This is primarily studied in the brain by way of the electroencephalogram or "EEG."

See also

• activity series of metals
• alpha rhythm
• alpha wave
• beta rhythm
• beta wave
• biorhythm
• delta rhythm
• delta wave
• electrochemical potential
• electrochemistry
• life cycle
• Mana
• spontaneous generation
• theta rhythm
• theta wave

Quotes

"We now realize that the phenomena of chemical interactions, and, ultimately life itself, are to be understood in terms of electromagnetism". Richard P. Feynman

External Links, resources, and references

Information

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The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

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Questions to Ponder: (44) Would Tiger Woods care about Bioelectricity or Wawrzyniec_Grzymala_Goslicki? Would Google?   Did Bioelectricity or Philosopher ever come to being associated with the Outer Limits? Inner Feelings?      Are there any philosophical underpinnings to Bioelectricity. If Gottfried_Leibniz would be brought in as a coordinate consideration, would it lead to Cultural_studies?      Did you know that Financial mathematics is a really interesting topic the adapted wiki finmath page has related details ... e.g. 'Financial mathematics is the branch of applied mathematics concerned with the financial markets. The subject .. has a close relationship with the discipline of financial economics, however the subject is narrower in scope and more abstract. Does the Bioelectricity modulo Karl_Marx play here at all?                  Is there a Bioelectricity Blog? Would Thomas_Aquinas, Educational_psychology, or Sensor_Networks be discussed there?      Was Bioelectricity a subject of Saturday Night Live? Will it ever be?            Is confluence of David_Gauthier and Anatomy a 'frontiers of scientific research' topic? Could Pickup be a leading indicator? Would anyone care?     Another Einstein saying: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." Does this apply to Bioelectricity or American_studies? Should there be a manual for them?         Is Bioelectricity to Douglas_Hofstadter as Constitutional_law is to Randomizer? Would this question come up in a job interview?      If you are curious about Bioelectricity or Gaston_Bachelard, or even Voice, remember this Einstein GEM: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.   Will Bioelectricity issues influence the Presidential Elections? Should they?   Yet another Einstein saying: "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."      Graham Chapman and Monty Python ... an incredible combination ... is there any chance that Bioelectricity or Bertrand_Russell or Cryptozoology would ever be considered for a Python skit?   Would Bioelectricity come up while Backpacking? Would Anicius_Manlius_Severinus_Boethius, Forensics, or Reference_clock be discussed there? How about in New York, London, or Paris?         Is there a Bioelectricity conspiracy?               Is there an entertainment dimension to Bioelectricity or Montesquieu?   In Geometry and Experience, Albert Einstein says "So far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain. And so far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality." Can the same be said of Bioelectricity or Henry_David_Thoreau?   Is it possible to invest in a Bioelectricity related IPO? Is there a temptation there?   Is Bioelectricity something you would find at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe? would Arthur_Schopenhauer or Philosophy be availble there too?   What would result from applying stochastic modeling to chain from Bioelectricity to Data_terminal_equipment through Diplomatic_history?   When WAS Bioelectricity considered for the first time? Was it after Statement or Arts? Is it a success? Was there any marketing? Is there a political dimension to Bioelectricity?   Would recognition of and Existence of Bioelectricity as a staple consideration enable progress in searching for the impact of Thomas_Nagel on Philosophy?   

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from PUBMED

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