In my previous life as a marine biologist, I designed a series of experiments to discover the adaptive benefit of coral pulsation - a perpetual periodic movement of the flower-shaped polyps on the left. Pulsation is energetically costly, and evolutionary biology teaches us that where there is substantial cost, there is substantial gain. However, this intriguing phenomena has remained unexplained for the last 200 years. I used my undergraduate education in Physics and Biology to tackle this mystery through both disciplines.
Based on both our flow and photosynthesis measurements, we discovered the mechanism in which the augmentation of photosynthesis is achieved. We published our results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Based on both our flow and photosynthesis measurements, we discovered the mechanism in which the augmentation of photosynthesis is achieved. We published our results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
pnas.org/content/110/22/8978.abstract
Research carried out under the guidance of Prof. Amatzia Genin (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Life Sciences Dept.) and Prof. Uri Shavit (Technion, Environmental Engineering Dept.).
