| In the pursuit of assessing the effects of brief exposures to static magnetic fields (16 to 1600 G) upon the behavior and regeneration of planarian, their movement velocities were shown to be strongly dependent upon field intensity, as was reflected in the change of solute diffusion within the water. Subsequent experiments indicated that the correlation between geomagnetic activity and accelerated rate of regeneration of the photoreceptors also occurred with periodic exposures to experimentally generated 7 Hz, amplitude modulated magnetic fields with peak intensities of either 140 nT or 400 nT. Sudden and protracted increases in diffusion rate of a test solute following one hour of exposure to a 1600 G magnetic field were systematically related to the volume of water exposed, and this change in water property is therefore suggested as an effect potentially mediated by hydronium ions (H3O +). Correlational analysis between water properties in the VENUS project revealed a moderately strong correlation between the narrow range of daily fluctuations in ocean temperature and concurrent daily geomagnetic activity. Careful consideration suggests that the hydrogen ion (H+) within hydronium molecules or ions with compatible properties may mediate these effects upon planarian activity, regeneration and the medium (water) within which they live. |
