Yintoni Esiyifunda Kwindalo?

“Khawuncede, ubuze izilwanyana zasekhaya, zikuyalele; kwanezidalwa ezinamaphiko zezulu, zikuxelele. Okanye bonakalisa ukuxhalaba kwakho emhlabeni, uze wona ukuyalele; yaye iintlanzi zolwandle ziya kukuvakalisa kuwe.”—YOBHI 12:7, 8.

KWIMINYAKA yakutshanje izazinzulu neenjineli ziye zafunda lukhulu kwiintyatyambo nakwizilwanyana. Ziye zafunda zaza zaxelisa izinto ezininzi ezenziwa kwindalo—isifundo esibizwa ngokuba yibiomimetics—ukuze zikwazi ukuyila izinto ezintsha nokuphucula oomatshini abakhoyo. Njengokuba ukhangela le mizekelo ilandelayo, zibuze, ‘Ngubani ofanele azukiswe ngokuyila ezi zinto?’

Ukufunda Kumaphiko Omnenga

Yintoni abenzi beenqwelo-moya abayifunda kumnenga? Kubonakala ngathi banokufunda izinto ezininzi. Umnenga omkhulu onobunzima obuziitoni ezingama-30—malunga nobunzima belori enomthwalo—unomzimba oqinileyo namaphiko amakhulu. Esi silwanyana siziimitha ezilishumi ubude siyagqadaza ngaphantsi kwamanzi. Ngokomzekelo, xa lo mnenga uzingela uhamba emanzini ume nkqo uze ujikeleze isilwanyana eso ufuna ukusitya ekusenokwenzeka ukuba luhlobo oluthile lononkala okanye intlanzi, uze uvuthele amaqamza amaninzi amanzi. La maqamza anokuba yimitha enesiqingatha ubuncinane yaye abamba elo xhoba. Umnenga wandula usiginye eso silwanyana silungiselelwe kakuhle.

Enye into eshiya abaphandi bebambe ongezantsi yindlela esi silwanyana sibonakala sinomzimba oqinileyo esikhawuleza ngayo ukujika. Bafumanise ukuba indlela amaphiko awo amile ngayo enza esi silwanyana sikwazi ukwenza oku. Ekupheleni kwala maphiko kurhabaxa, njengamaphiko enqwelo-moya, kodwa wona aqoqiwe  yaye kukho umgca onamaqhuqhuva abizwa ngokuba ziitubercles.

Njengokuba umnenga uhamba ngokukhawuleza emanzini, ezi tubercles ziyawuphakamisa zize ziwenze udade ngokukhawuleza. Kwenzeka njani oko? Ulindixesha iNatural History uchaza ukuba ezi tubercles ziwenza amanzi abaleke phezu kwamaphiko nokuze umnenga udade lula nakwindawo enyukayo. Ukuba amaphiko ebengenawo amaqhuqhuva, umnenga ngewungakwazi ukujika ngokukhawuleza kuba amanzi ebeya kuba mtyibilizi aze ahambe nje ngaphezu komnenga aze amanzi angawuphakamisi.

Yintoni enokwenziwa ngolu lwazi luye lwafunyanwa? Amaphiko enqwelo-moya ebenokufuna amanye amaphiko amancinane angakumbi ukuze alwe nomoya. Loo maphiko ebenokusebenza kakuhle ngakumbi kwaye bekuya kuba lula ukuwalungisa. Isazi ngenkqubo yemichiza uJohn Long ukholelwa kwelokuba kungekudala “kuza kubakho iinqwelo-moya ezinamaphiko amancinane njengomnenga.”

Ukulinganisa Amaphiko Engabangaba

Yaziwa nanguthathatha into yokuba amaphiko eenqwelo-moya akhiwe njengamaphiko eentaka. Noko ke, iinjineli ziye zathabath’ olunye unyawo kulo mba. Iphephancwadi iNew Scientist lithi: “Abaphandi beYunivesithi yaseFlorida bakhe inqwelo-moya esebenza ngeremote-control ekwaziyo ukundanda, ihle ize iphinde inyuke njengengabangaba.”

Ngokwenza amaphiko alo abe bhetyebhetye, ingabangaba liyakwazi ukunyuka lize lenze uqulukubhode emoyeni. Ixelisa amaphiko engabangaba abhetyebhetye, lo lindixesha uthi “le nqwelo-moya eziisentimitha ezingama-60 ubukhulu inomatshini omncinane olawula iintsimbi ezishukumisa amaphiko ayo. La maphiko enziwe ngobukrelekrele enza inqwelo-moya encinane ikwazi ukundanda ize ihle phakathi kwezakhiwo ezide. UMkhosi woMoya waseMerika uzam’ ukwenza inqwelo-moya enjalo ukuze ukwazi ukufuna izixhobo zamachiza kwizixeko ezikhulu.

Ukuxelisa Iinyawo Zikanqinishe

Sinokufunda lukhulu kwizilwanyana ezihlala emhlabeni. Ngokomzekelo, icikilishe elincinane ekuthiwa ngunqinishe (gecko) linobuchule bokunyuka eludongeni nobokubambelela esilingini lijonge ezantsi. Nangamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, eli cikilishe lalisaziwa ngobuchule balo. (IMizekeliso 30:28) Esi silwanyana siwoyisa njani umxhuzulane?

Ukuze unqinishe akwazi ukubambelela  kwiindawo ezimtyibilizi uncedwa buboya obuncinane obugqume iinyawo zakhe. Olu nyawo alunanto yakuncamathelisa. Kunoko, usebenzisa amandla emolekyuli. Ezi molekyuli zimbini ziyadibana ngenxa yamandla afunyaniswa nguvan der Waals (van der Waals force). Ngokuqhelekileyo, umxhuzulane uyawongamela la mandla yaye wena ngenxa yaloo nto akukwazi ukunyuka udonga ngezandla. Noko ke, uboya obuncinane obukunqinishe benza udonga lungabi mtyibilizi. Amandla kavan der Waals, abangelwa buboya xa bubuninzi kwiinyawo zikanqinishe bumenza akwazi ukubambelela.

Kusinceda entweni ke oko kufunyenweyo? Amalaphu angenziwanga ngomqhaphu enziwe ngenjongo yokuxelisa iinyawo zikanqinishe asenokusetyenziswa kwiindawo ebekuya kusetyenziswa iVelcro—nto leyo efundwe kwindalo. * Ulindixesha iThe Economist ucaphula omnye umphandi esithi ilaphu elenziwe “ngegecko tape” lisenokuba luncedo ingakumbi “kwezonyango xa kungenakusetyenziswa amachiza okuncamathelisa.”

Ngubani Ofanelwe Azukiswe Ngezi Zinto?

Sithethanje, iNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) imaxhaphetshu isenza irobhoti enemilenze emininzi ehamba njengonomadudwane, yaye oononjineli baseFinland baye benza iteletele enemilenze emithandathu enokunyuka phezu kwayo nantoni na kanye ngendlela isinambuzane esikhulu esinokwenza ngayo. Abanye abaphandi baye benza ilaphu elivuleka lize livaleke njengembumbulu. Abenzi beemoto benza imoto efana nqwa nentlanzi ekuthiwa yiboxfish. Kwelinye icala abanye bazama ukwenza izinto zokudambisa ukubetheka ngokujonga indlela ezidalwe ngayo iimbatyisi ekuthiwa ziiabalone ukuze kwenziwe iimpahla ezilula nezomeleleyo zokuzikhusela.

Zininzi izinto ezinokuyilwa ngokusekelwe kwindalo abaye abaphandi benza uluhlu lwazo. IThe Economist ithi izazinzulu zinokukhangela kolu luhlu zize zifumane “isicombululo kwiingxaki ezihlangabezana nazo xa ziyila izinto.” Izinto ezisekelwe kwindalo ezikolu luhlu zibizwa ngokuba “ziibiological patent.” Ngokuqhelekileyo umntu onelungelo kwipatent ngulowo okanye yinkampani eze naloo ngcamango intsha okanye umatshini. Ithetha ngolu luhlu, iThe Economist ithi: “Ukubiza izinto eziyilwa ngokusekelwe kwindalo ngokuthi ‘ziibiological patent’ abaphengululi babethelela into yokuba, eneneni ezi zinto ziyimveliso yendalo.”

Indalo ikwazi njani ukuza neengcamango ezikrelekrele kangaka? Abaphengululi abaninzi bazukisa indalo ngokuthi ezi zinto zazivelela kwiminyaka ezizigidi eyadlulayo ngelinge nje. Abanye abaphengululi bafikelela kwesinye isigqibo. Omnye unjingalwazi wamachiza uMichael Behe wabhala wathi kwiThe New York Times yama-2005: “Indlela ebukeka ngayo indalo isenza sifikelele kwesi sigqibo esaziwa nanguthathatha: ukuba idada lihamba okwedada, lenza isandi sedada lize ikhangeleke okwedada, kuze kungabikho bungqina buphikisana noko, sinesizathu sokufikelela kwisigqibo sokuba oko sikubonayo lidada.” UBehe uqukumbela ngelithi: “Indlela into eyilwe ngayo ayimele ijongelwe phantsi, kuba nje oko kuzicacele.”

Ngokuqinisekileyo, injineli eyile iphiko lenqwelo-moya elisebenza kakuhle ngakumbi ifanele izukiswe ngokufanelekileyo ngenxa yokuyila elo phiko. Ngokufanayo ke, ukuba kukho umyili oye wayila ibhandenji elingayiwayo—okanye ilaphu lempahla elithi ndijonge okanye imoto esebenzisa ubuchule obungenakuthelekiswa nanto—kufuneka azukiswe ngoko athe wakwenza. Eneneni, ubani oyila into exelisa umyili othile aze angathethi nto ngomyili wokwenene, usenokujongwa njengesaphuli-mthetho.

Ngaba isengqiqweni kuwe into yokuba abaphandi abaye bafunda baza bayityekeza, abathi ngobuqhitala baxelise izinto zendalo ukuze bacombulule iingxaki zeenjineli, baze bathi obo bukrelekrele buyimveliso yendaleko? Ukuba ukuyila izinto ezisekelwe kwindalo kufuna umntu okrelekrele, kuthekani ngezinto zokwenene? Eneneni ngubani kanye kanye ofanele azukiswe, ngumfundi oxelisa ingcungela yomzobi okanye ngumzobi?

 Isigqibo Esisengqiqweni

Emva kokuqwalasela ubungqina bendalo, abantu abaninzi abahluzekileyo engqondweni bacingisisa nzulu ngamazwi omdumisi owabhala wathi: “Hayi indlela emininzi ngayo imisebenzi yakho, Yehova! Yonke uyenze ngobulumko. Uzele umhlaba yimveliso yakho.” (INdumiso 104:24) Umbhali weBhayibhile uPawulos wafikelela kwisigqibo esifanayo. Wabhala wathi: “Oko kunokwaziwa ngoThixo kuyabonakala phakathi kwabo, kuba uThixo ukubonakalisile kubo. Kuba iimpawu zakhe ezingabonakaliyo zibonwa ngokucacileyo ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi kuse phambili, ngenxa yokuba ziqondeka ngezinto ezenziweyo, kwanamandla angunaphakade nobuThixo bakhe.” (Roma 1:19, 20)

Phofu ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu abayihlonelayo iBhayibhile nabakholelwayo kuThixo basenokuphikisa ngelithi uThixo wasebenzisa indaleko ukuze adale zonke izinto ezimangalisayo ezisemhlabeni namhlanje. Ifundisa ntoni yona iBhayibhile?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 5]

Kutheni indalo ineengcamango ezikrelekrele kangaka?

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 6]

Ngubani ongumnikazi wendalo?

 [Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

Ukuba ukwenziwa kwezinto ngokusekelwe kwindalo kufuna umntu okrelekrele kuthekani ngomenzi wokuqala?

Le nqwelo-moya eyenza uqulukubhode ixelisa amaphiko engabangaba

Iinyawo zikanqinishe azingcoli, zingashiyi umzila, nokuba zinamathela ngaphantsi kwamanzi okanye kwindawo engenamoya, zinamathela nakwintoni na ngaphandle “kweTeflon,” yaye zisuka ngokungathi azikhange zinamathele. Abaphengululi bazama iindlela zokuzixelisa.

Indlela emtyibilizi nezinze ngayo intlanzi ebizwa ngokuba “yiboxfish” yenze abayili beemoto bacinga ngokuyila imoto efana nayo

[Inkcazelo]

Inqwelo-moya: Kristen Bartlett/ University of Florida; unyawo lukanqinishe: Breck P. Kent; ibox fish nemoto: Mercedes-Benz USA

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

NGETHUKU ZILUMKILE

Izilwanyana ezininzi “ngethuku lemvelo zilumkile,” ibe oku kubonakala kwindlela ezihamba ngayo kwesi sijikelezi-langa singuMhlaba. (IMizekeliso 30:24, 25) Makhe sijonge imizekelo emibini.

◼ Ukulawula Indlela Iimbovane Ezihamba Ngayo: Ziyifumana njani indlela egodukayo iimbovane ebeziye kufun’ ukutya? Abaphandi baseBritani bafumanise ukuba ngaphezu kokuba iimbovane zishiya ivumba njengomkhondo kwindlela ebezihamba kuyo, zisebenzisa ubugcisa bokubala ukuze kube lula ukufumana imingxunya ezihlala kuyo. Ngokomzekelo, iNew Scientist ithi iimbovane ezibizwa ngokuba ziipharaoh ants “zenza umzila eziphuma ngawo kumgxuma wazo uxwese ungahambi ngokuthe ngqo. Yintoni emangalisayo ngale ndlela yokwenza umzila wokuhamba? Xa imbovane ibuyela kumngxuma wayo ize ifikelele kwindawo exwesayo, ngethuku, ihamba ngendlela exwesa kancinane, ethi ekugqibeleni ifikelele kumngxuma wayo. Eli nqaku lalek’ umsundulu ngokuthi: “Indlela ezixwesa ngayo ezi ndlela yenza iimbovane zihambe ngolungelelwano, ngakumbi xa ezinye iimbovane zibheka kwelinye icala, kwakhona oku kunciphisa amandla asetyenziswa zezinye iimbovane ngenxa yokulahleka.”

◼ Ikhampasi Yeentaka Iintaka ezininzi zihamba ziye kufika kwindawo eziya kuyo kungakhathaliseki ukuba imozulu injani. Zikwenza njani oku? Abaphandi bafumanise ukuba iintaka zisebenzisa amandla emagnethi yomhlaba. Noko ke, “la mandla emagnethi ahlukile ukusuka kwenye indawo ukuya kwenye, yaye akasokolo ekho emantla,” utsho njalo ulindixesha obizwa ngokuba yiScience. Yintoni eyenza ezi ntaka zingalahleki? Iintaka zilungelelanisa iikhampasi zazo ngalo lonke ixesha kutshon’ ilanga. Ekubeni indawo ilanga litshona kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo ngenxa yomphakamo nangenxa yexesha lonyaka, ngokutsho kweScience abaphandi bacinga ukuba iintaka zimele zikwazi ukutshintsha nazo ngenxa “yewotshi yokwemvelo exelela iintaka ngexesha lonyaka.”

Ngubani oxelele iimbovane ukuze ziyiqonde indawo eziya kuyo? Ngubani owenza iintaka zanekhampasi, iwotshi yemvelo nengqondo ezenza zikwazi ukusebenzisa ezi zixhobo? Ngaba yindaleko engenangqondo? Okanye ngaba nguMdali okrelekrele?

[Inkcazelo]

© E.J.H. Robinson 2004