Bromine: Scientists Discover It Is The 28th Element Needed For Life
Bromine: Scientists Discover It Is The 28th Element Needed For Life
When it comes to sustaining human life, scientists have discovered that element 35, Bromine is the 28th important and necessary element needed for life. This element has now joined the ranks of carbon, sulfur and the other 25 elements needed for the existence of life. Bromine has long been shunned as a toxic agent that leads to diseases. Bromine is important for animal life and development, according to the researchers. The scientists demonstrated how fruit flies can die without access to this element.
Scientists at Vanderbilt University were conducting research for studying how collagen develops into scaffolding for cell tissue. Bromide which is the ion form of bromine was identified as the trace element for enabling enzymes to link bonds among collagen molecules. Fruit flies that had diets lacking in this element started to due. Researchers also found that the linked cell tissue scaffolding became damaged in such fruit flies. Once bromine was administered to the fruit flies, they recovered.
Same symptoms were unearthed, when scientists compared these fruit flies to a particular strain created without the gene being responsible for binding collagen molecules. Bromine may then play a key role in biological processes that underlie animal life. This element is also implicated in thyroid conditions as it is found to compete with iodine. It is found naturally in seaweed, nuts and fish.
Discovering bromine's role is vital to people that are medically at risk for certain conditions. This includes patients on dialysis and those on total parenteral nutrition have also been shown to be deficient in this element.
The research team was coordinated by Dr. Billy Hudson and this research team and their study was originally published in the journal Cell. Untile now, only 27 chemical elements were considered important for human life. With the discovery of bromine as an additional 28th, scientists are discussing the implications of this discovery.
Multiple patient groups have been found to be suffering from bromine deficiency. This chemical element is necessary for tissue development. When it comes to the varied species on earth, humans are the most sophisticated members located at the apex of the chain. Their survival depends upon their capabilities and resourcefulness.
But unlike the animal species, humans have one unique capacity and that is the ability to think in complex ways. This translates into better survival rates. However, while humans are geared towards survival, they often battle for resources.
The fight over resources can be traced back to a time when man was yet to become Homo Sapiens Sapiens. But surely with advancement in cognitive capaicities and linguistic sophistication, man should have learned that it is not about fighting for resources that exist, but creating new resources that can impact survival rates. Chemical elements are as critical for life as natural resources. Indiscriminate use of fossil fuel has upset the earth's balance. Man has to generate renewable energy to win this battle. If we win this battle, we have won the war for survival for our generations and the ones ahead.
