Imililo yasemahlathini iyazixosha izilwane eziningi, kodwa iyawadonsa amabhungane okuthiwa ama-black fire. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi izihlahla ezisanda kusha ziyindawo ekahle yokuzalela kulezi zinambuzane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umlilo uyazixosha izitha, la mabhungane akwazi ukudla ngokukhululeka, akhwelane futhi abekele amaqanda ngendlela ephephile. Kodwa lezi zinambuzane ziwathola kanjani la mahlathi ashayo?

Cabanga ngalokhu: Phakathi kwemilenze yazo ephakathi nendawo, lezi zinambuzane zinezinzwa ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-pit organ ezikwazi ukuzwa amaza okushisa avela ehlathini elishayo. La maza enza lezi zinzwa zizwe ukushisa bese leli bhungane liya ngalapho umlilo ungakhona.

Kodwa la mabhungane anezinye izinzwa eziwasizayo akwazi ukuthola ukuthi umlilo ungakuphi. Uma kusha isihlahla asithandayo, izimpondo ezincanyana zaleli bhungane zikwazi ukuzwa ngisho namakhemikhali amancane kakhulu akhishelwa intuthu yomlilo emoyeni. Abanye abacwaningi bathi, la mabhungane akwazi ukusebenzisa izimpondo zawo “ezizwa umlilo” ukuze athole ngisho nokusha okuncane kwesihlahla okuqhele ngebanga elingu-0,8 wekhilomitha. Ngenxa yale nhlanganisela yamakhono awo, la mabhungane abonakala ekwazi ukuzwa nokuthola amahlathi ashayo aqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-48.

Abacwaningi bancike ekusebenzeni kwezinzwa zala mabhungane ukuze bathuthukise amathuluzi obuchwepheshe okuzwa amaza okushisa komlilo kanye nomlilo ngokwawo. Izinto ezisezingeni eliphakeme zokuzwa umlilo ezikhona manje kufanele zipholiswe, ngakho leli bhungane lingasiza ososayensi bakhe izinto ezingcono zokuzwa umlilo ezikwazi ukusebenza emazingeni okushisa okuvamile. Izimpondo zalo ziye zashukumisa onjiniyela ukuba bakhe isimiso sokuzwa umlilo esibukhali futhi esingakwazi ukwehlukanisa phakathi komlilo owokheleke ngengozi nobangelwe amakhemikhali.

Abacwaningi liyabamangaza ikhono elingavamile laleli bhungane lokuthola indawo elingazalela kuyo. U-E. Richard Hoebeke, ongungoti wamabhungane eyunivesithi yaseCornell, e-United States wabuza: “La mabhungane alithathaphi ikhono lawo lokubekela amaqanda ngale ndlela? Cabanga nje ukuthi kuncane kangakanani esikwaziyo ngezinambuzane ezinezinzwa ezibukhali ngendlela emangalisayo neziyinkimbinkimbi.”

Ucabangani? Ingabe ikhono lebhungane i-black fire lokuzwa ukusha kwamahlathi laba khona ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo, noma ingabe laklanywa?