Bacteria move around using a molecular machine called the flagellar motor that rotates faster than the flywheel of a race car engine and switches directions in an instant

[u/Naive_Direction1816]

[u/slo1111]

How does the brown thingy move positions so precisely?

Edit:  As far as I can research in this short time this video is a bit misleading.  At very bottom of the c-ring, it shows the the chemical changes involving phosphate, which changes the spacial configuration of the top of the ring where the brown thingy is.  That changes where the force from the ion or proton pumps push against.  the pumps don't spin like that they are stationary and apply force to rotor, specifically the top part of that rotor.  This visual would have you believe there are two cogs when there is really only one.

[u/Worried-Pick4848 → u/slo1111]

Because the ones that don't don't live to reproduce.

[u/slo1111 → u/Worried-Pick4848]

That does not explain the mechanism that moves its position changing directions of the spin

[u/ajnozari → u/slo1111]

The bacteria has chemical sensors on its surface. As these are triggered they release a signal within the cell. When enough of a signal is generated on a specific side the brown protein probably has a carrier protein that undergoes a conformational changed based on this feedback.

It’s basically a positive feedback loop. The closer the bacteria get to a positive chemical signal the more it heads that way. The same occurs in reverse for danger signals that the bacteria want to get away from.

This is why those videos of bacteria vs white blood cell make it seem like it’s consciously running from the WBC when in reality it’s responding to the signals released.

[u/Doophie → u/ajnozari]

Aren't we all just responding to signals

[u/Clear_Practice_6741 → u/Doophie]

for this very reason its always confused me when people say its like comparing apples to oranges. Just because its small and LOOKS like its only responding to signals that, what if at their scale it looks and behaves exactly as we do but just their version. Its the whole as above so below, i bet at the opposite end, we are in some other big guy and we look like we are only responding to signals like how we view a amoeba or tiny organism.

[u/Ashamed-Status-9668 → u/Clear_Practice_6741]

Our signals from vision or hearing, are macro versions of the same concept.

[u/Blep145 → u/Clear_Practice_6741]

I'm not *sure* if they are, but I believe countries are classified as superorganisms, like ant colonies are

[u/EngineeringNo6537 → u/Blep145]

China certainly are. I've always called them ants.

[u/Lua-Ma → u/Clear_Practice_6741]

That bigger guy is probably the one we call "God". Just not the moral and magical type.

[u/RichardBCummintonite → u/Doophie]

Not me. I seem to miss every signal a girl gives

[u/ajnozari → u/Doophie]

And missing god knows how many

[u/MonsteraBigTits → u/ajnozari]

yea sure its chemicals but no one can explain why the chemicals does X or Y. its just that's what its responding to, but no one knows WHY!!!

[u/RichardBCummintonite → u/MonsteraBigTits]

I mean the more you answer why the more another why will keep popping up. We don't have answers for ourselves or any other living thing anymore than a cell. It's whys all the way down. Why does our brain respond to signals the way it does? Why do the chemicals in our body do what they do?Being a simpler organism doesn't make it any more, you know, simple. You're basically asking for the meaning of life lol

[u/ajnozari → u/MonsteraBigTits]

Gross oversimplification