Sensor - Sensors in Nature

Sensors in Nature

All living organisms contain biological sensors with functions similar to those of the mechanical devices described. Most of these are specialized cells that are sensitive to:

• Light, motion, temperature, magnetic fields, gravity, humidity, moisture, vibration, pressure, electrical fields, sound, and other physical aspects of the external environment
• Physical aspects of the internal environment, such as stretch, motion of the organism, and position of appendages (proprioception)
• Environmental molecules, including toxins, nutrients, and pheromones
• Estimation of biomolecules interaction and some kinetics parameters
• Internal metabolic milieu, such as glucose level, oxygen level, or osmolality
• Internal signal molecules, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and cytokines
• Differences between proteins of the organism itself and of the environment or alien creatures.