GROWTH-PROMOTING EFFECT OF CARBON MATERIAL UPON BACTERIAL-CELLS PROPAGATING THROUGH A DISTANCE

Carbon material such as graphite and activated charcoal, but not diamo nd, causes the promotion of growth of certain bacteria under ordinaril y non-permissive stress conditions over a distance of several centimet ers. Bacillus carboniphilus under the stress of a high KCI concentrati on and high temperature responded to this remote effect of carbon mate rial with enhanced growth, and thermophile bacterium Bacillus stearoth ermophilus responded similarly yet moderately under the stress of low temperature. The remote effect of carbon was caused by its activation with external energy, probably of electromagnetic nature, as this effe ct was markedly decreased by sheltering the experimental system with a n iron or aluminum barrier. Carbon material probably transforms the ex ternal oscillatory pulses or radiation into a signal exerting, far-rea ching, growth-promoting effect upon cells, The most plausible candidat e of signals emitted from carbon was considered to be (ultra)sonic.